Newly hired Indianola City Manager Ben Reeves will face several ongoing long-term projects that are expected to be complete later this year, including the Water Resource Recovery Facility and the Square Reconstruction Project. Reeves said in addition to wrapping up the projects, his long term challenge will be the balancing act between growth and tradition.

“In my research and reading the comprehensive plan and strategic plan, and seeing the construction and development that is going on with the square, I think the biggest issue will be balancing the need for growth and economic development and having jobs to keep people home and businesses to spend dollars locally, and having a need for housing so we can have our kids and our grandkids live around us and not have to move away, and being able to grow the community in a balanced way without losing its heritage and the things that make it great.”

Reeves also said he plans to meet with elected officials along with business owners and community leaders to help him continue to learn about Indianola.