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JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- A city on the move with limitless possibilities. That's how Mayor Mike Moore described Jeffersonville in his annual "State of the City" address.

Moore delivered the address Tuesday afternoon at the Rotary Club. He said the state of the city is stronger than ever. He touted a sound financial standing, improvements to public safety services and investments in public schools.

"Frankly, I never get tired of bragging about what we've accomplished or to reveal what lies ahead," Moore said. "I'm excited to lead a city that has enjoyed so much prosperity and growth. Just look around Jeffersonville and you see a city on the move." 

The mayor also highlighted the city's economic development projects, bringing millions of dollars in investments and thousands of jobs.

"While it's important to take time to reflect on your successes, it's even more important to look to the future," Moore said. "And I can confidently proclaim that Jeffersonville's future has never been brighter."

Moore said the demand to live in Jeffersonville is also strong. The city recently approved plans for at least 700 new, single-family homes across the area.

The city was recently named among the top 50 cities to live in the U.S. by Money.com. 

"The report says 'if you haven't been to Jeffersonville before or if it's been a few years, now is a great time to see what this southern Indiana city has to offer,'" said Moore. "I have to admit that reading those words make me so proud to serve as your mayor. Proud that we were one of only two cities in Indiana to make the list."

Also during Tuesday's address, Moore said the Jeffersonville Police Department will get its nationally accredited certification as an Active Bystander for Law Enforcement (ABLE) police department on June 1. The city will be one of only four in the state with a police department that holds the certification, the mayor said.

The ABLE program is aimed at "creating a police culture to prevent misconduct, avoid policing mistakes and promote officer health and wellness."

Moore said the city's fire department is looking into the possibility of renovating Station 1, which is the oldest of the city's five stations. Built in 1964 at the corner of 8th and Wall streets, Station 1 serves the downtown areas of Jeffersonville.

Moore said the space "isn't really meeting" the department's needs. But because the location "is ideal," and it is unlikely the city will find nearby property to build a new station on, Moore said Chief Shawn Grant and Deputy Chiefs Jason Sharp and Mike McCutcheon will start looking at renovations. The mayor said the hope is to have an "assessment of plans and costs" over the next three to four months.

Moore said he also plans to continue pushing for a new fire station at River Ridge as conversations continue.

"We want to partner with River Ridge to provide them with the fire protection they need as their industrial presence continues to grow," he said. "But we need them to contribute to this partnership."

As far as education, Moore said he asked how the city could help its schools and "give something extra to the kids who are calling Jeffersonville home." That's when he pitched the idea of reviving "Big Red," a big bus that took teams to other schools but has been out of commission. 

Calling the bus "a symbol of our school pride," Moore said the city's Redevelopment Commission agreed in August to purchase a 56-seat Coach Bus for the high school's athletic teams, theater department, band, orchestra, choir or any other large school group to use.

"I have a lot of memories of Big Red pulling into away games. The bus was a symbol of our school pride," Moore said. "Other teams took notice when they saw our players walk off Big Red."

Jeffersonville High School recently unveiled plans for a $33 million standalone natatorium upgrade. The current pool at the high school is 50 years old and will be replaced. The 50-meter stretch will be 10 lanes and seat up to 1,000 fans. It will also have a batch of brand-new locker rooms that can accommodate multiple teams, as well as Jeffersonville's football, track and swim teams. The hope is for the project to be finished by the 2026 school year. Moore said Tuesday the city is contributing $1 million to Greater Clark County Schools for the project. Construction is expected to start in the spring.

Last month, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb traveled to Jeffersonville to join Moore and other city leaders to announce Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. plans to build an $800 million data center at River Ridge.

"When the governor comes to town to announce an economic development accomplishment in our city, you know you're doing something right," Moore said Tuesday. "The governor said the development is going to make Indiana the AI capital of the Midwest. I say that means Jeffersonville is the epicenter for the future of communication technology."

This year, Moore said the city will start a $5 million paving initiative focused on secondary streets in neighborhoods. He said about 12 miles of city streets will be milled and paved. The city is applying for state funding to "lessen the burden" on the local budget, Moore said. 

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