LAWRENCE, Indiana — Paula Strauss has called Lawrence home her whole life.
“I lived here when this was an active military base,” Paula said. “It has all changed so much.”
The community in northeast Marion County is a city on the move — transforming from a small military town decades ago to a bustling center of commerce and suburban neighborhoods today. Like similar communities, it is not without growing pains. Newly-elected Mayor Deb Whitfield acknowledged those challenges when she took office in January.
"I need boots on the ground. I need to hear from the city, and as I talked about uniting neighborhoods, I need to hear from them," Whitfield told 13News in April.
Whitfield formed a Citizen Advisory Committee made up of leaders in the faith community, public safety officials, residents and other neighborhood advocates to better understand what residents need and to understand "how to better serve the entire city," according to chief of staff Zach Brown.
“The balance from a mayor's perspective is to incorporate all and make sure everybody's taken care of, which is a tough task,” said Dave Strauss, Paula's husband, as they are both committee members. “We’re humbled that they asked us.”
When asked about pressing issues in her hometown, Paula didn’t hesitate.
“These teenagers, they need to put the guns down,” Paula said. “It’s everywhere, not just Lawrence, (but) a couple have happened here recently.”
On May 21, a teenager was killed in a shooting in Lawrence. In April, two 19-year-olds were among the victims in another shooting. So far this year, 10 people have been shot in Lawrence. Last year, police said they investigated 23 shootings.
“One of the conversations from the last meeting was we need places for the kids to go to go and not get in trouble,” Dave said. “Youth centers, (more) recreation centers.”
“I don't know what the exact answer is,” Dave added. “It's not just police. We need the community, everybody — parents, teachers. It's tough, but if we all can get on the same page and try to tackle this, you’ve got to have hope.”
Other issues they’ve discussed include improving communication within the city and uniting neighborhoods in the old and new parts of the city.
“I thought it was a great opportunity to have a voice, to give our opinion and what we're hearing,” Dave said. “It's an opportunity to help shape Lawrence for the future.”