Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets used a Friday appearance on WILO/Boone 102.7 FM’s “Party Line” to preview her March 31 State of the City address, and highlight spring cleanup, housing growth, and park and public safety projects. Sheets also reassured residents that no commitments have been made concerning a proposed data center.
State of the City set for March 31
Sheets invited residents to attend her annual State of the City address on Tuesday, March 31, at Skanta Theatre in the Frankfort Community Public Library. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with the program starting at 7 p.m., and the event will also be broadcast on HoosierlandTV.com for those unable to attend in person. Hoosierland TV will also archive the speech for on-demand viewing later.
“We’ll get all the information gathered up from our department heads, from our financial consultants, so we should have a good report for the community,” Sheets said. She said the evening is designed to give residents an overview of key milestones, ongoing projects and the city’s financial picture heading into the rest of 2026.
Spring Cleanup and staffing changes
The mayor also outlined details for ‘Operation Spring Cleanup,’ scheduled for Monday, April 27 through Saturday, May 2. The Frankfort Street Department will accept eligible items from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday at the Street Department, free of charge for city residents who pay the city sanitation fee.
“Not everything is to be brought to the street department. It’s not curbside pickup or cleanup, but they can come out, and that is free of charge to our city residents,” Sheets said, adding that construction materials, tires and contractor or commercial loads will not be accepted.
She also acknowledged a leadership change in the city office after longtime staffer Don Stock stepped down in February. Sheets said his departure “is going to leave a void in our offices right now,” but also gives the administration a chance to evaluate potential restructuring. “Currently, we have not advertised the position because we’re still trying to figure out which way we want to move forward,” she said, praising the remaining staff for taking on extra work during the transition.
Data One Remains Interested
Sheets said the developer behind a proposed data center on the city’s west side remains interested in Frankfort but emphasized that the project has not advanced beyond preliminary discussions.
“For the city, of course, we have the 115 acres that are in the city that they’re looking at for the data center,” she said, noting another roughly 40 acres owned privately and about 20 acres involving Clinton County, all within city limits. She stressed that no formal steps have been taken since the project failed to clear a county commissioners vote at a different site earlier this year.
“Since the last time I was on, we have not had any meetings, commitments, agreements, anything like that, but I do know that they are still interested,” Sheets said. The mayor added that a key concern is the lack of information about who would ultimately use the facility if it were built. “It is a concern to me, so I’m hoping (…) that we’re able to get more information from them.”
Housing growth and parks plans
On housing, Sheets reported that the Riley District has just one lot remaining, while phase two is preparing to start at Meadowbrook and work is beginning in the Risse addition off Sunrise. She said homes in Meadowbrook are expected to be around the mid-$300,000s and that Riley District homes are likely in the $300,000 range, reflecting rising housing costs in recent years.
The city recently annexed land just west of Blue Ridge Elementary and is looking at multi-family housing on several acres there, with the goal of adding “workforce affordable housing” along the drive up to the school. Sheets also pointed to Habitat for Humanity projects as an option for residents with lower incomes or those needing assistance to purchase a home.
In the parks, Sheets said crews are repairing the greenhouse, planning new equipment for Third Street Park, working on bleachers and cleaning the former railroad bed behind the park as they prepare for spring and summer use. She said the city has already ordered flowers for downtown pots, hanging baskets and parks, with installation to depend on weather conditions.
“That’s been a goal of mine is to have some sort of a day where we just set aside at each one of those parks and have maybe food trucks and entertainment or games or stuff like that,” she said of new neighborhood park events that are being planned but not yet scheduled.
Fire station progress and call for patience
Sheets said work continues on the new fire station on State Road 28 West, with the project still targeting a September opening if construction stays on schedule. The city is also bringing on a fourth new firefighter to help fully staff the department once the station opens.
She closed the interview by asking residents for patience as city crews move into a busy spring and summer season. “Just be patient with us. Feel free to reach out to me, any of our departments, with any concerns, questions, anything you might have,” she said, giving out her office number and encouraging in-person visits or calls to individual departments as needed.
Sheets said she believes Frankfort’s departments “really do love to serve our community,” even when public criticism can be intense. “We need to grow but we need to grow in the right way and something that’s going to be good for our community,” she has said in recent weeks as the city heads into a busy 2026 construction and events calendar.
