Inside One of America's Best Small Towns | Chris Cail, Mayor of Tell City

Today's show is part of our Mayor's Megaphone series, as I sat down with Tell City Mayor Chris Cail, who shares why Tell City is attracting residents, city investments, and more.

Cail discusses Tell City's Swiss Colonization Society origins and founding in 1858, its planned wide streets and riverfront location, and legacy industries like Tell City Chair and woodworking, plus today's major employers such as Waupaca Foundry.

Cail shares his path from city council to mayor, which he won by two votes in 2019, and priorities focused on quality of life, housing growth, and civic pride, including a renovated pool, new sports complex, senior center, park upgrades, and a new multi-use River Road walking and biking trail that connects to the city's existing riverwalk.

Since becoming mayor, Tell City has grown from about 7,200 to roughly 7,500 residents. It has low electric rates via a city-owned utility, and was ranked the best small city to work remotely due to affordability, housing, and high-speed fiber internet.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about:
- Tell City's Origins and Legacy Industries
- Mayor Cail's Priorities to Improve Quality of Life
- Tell City's Secret to Population Growth

Thank you to our partners:
Make My Move

Check out these great clips from the show:
00:27 Welcome to Get IN
01:49 Tell City History Buff
02:35 Schweizer Fest Origins
03:40 Founding a Planned City
04:49 Industry Then and Now
05:49 Path to the Mayor's Office
07:56 Early Initiatives and COVID
09:41 Quality of Life Projects
10:41 Housing Boom and Growth
12:18 Small Town Community Bonds
13:30 Make My Move Hospitality
16:57 Affordability and Utilities
19:04 Getting Developers Onboard
20:04 Keeping Young Talent Home
21:19 Civic Pride and Identity
23:28 Things to Do and River Life
25:58 Pitching Tell City to Big Cities
27:31 Advice for Other Leaders
28:52 Pride of Place
30:03 Indiana Regions
30:51 Remote Work Advantage
33:00 Main Street Staples
34:24 Career Paths
36:25 Mayor as Entrepreneur
37:02 Future Development Plans
39:25 Getting Things Done
40:02 Schweizer Fest Spotlight
41:32 Tell City Origins
42:35 Chair Capital Legacy
44:26 Proudest Projects
46:13 Weekend in Tell City
49:38 Indiana Rapid Fire
51:35 Indy 500 Memory
52:46 Final Pitch and Outro

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