Civil Municipal Magazine - Nov 2023

59 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 11 Mayor Roberson lays out the current state of affairs, “We have about 40,000 people that commute here to work and go home. They come from about eight counties around Elkhart because the jobs are plentiful.” The notion isn’t just to provide jobs but to create an environment so magnetic that these employees want to make Elkhart their home. He elaborates on the essence of this transformation, “We’re working to make Elkhart an attractive, amenitized, and fun place to be.” This approach extends beyond the traditional view of tourism. Instead of merely attracting visitors for short stays, the focus has shifted to lure potential residents, presenting Elkhart as an ideal place to live and work. Integral to this transformation is a holistic view of development. Mayor Roberson shares, “We’ve strengthened our relationship with broadband in our downtown and outlining areas.” However, the changes are not limited to infrastructural ELKHART, INDIANA