To all our friends and partners,
I hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe, healthy and well. The human spirit is resilient, and we will collectively get through these uncertain times. While the computer and technology are blessings that make remote work possible for many, they are also stark reminders of how much the spaces of local government are the heartbeat of our daily lives. I already miss the touch of a book’s spine as I pull it off the shelf. The sound of my children’s shouts mingled with others’ at our town playground. A handshake at the start of a meeting. Dropping the water bill off at the local utility office and sharing a smile with a familiar face inside. The blur of unmistakable ‘school bus yellow’ through our front window.
All this week there’s been a tune floating around my head to a song whose name I can’t remember that says you don’t really know what you’ve got till it’s gone. How true has that been about local government and its critical roles in our lives. All of these local government puzzle pieces fit together perfectly to create a picture of Hoosier quality of life; now so many of those pieces are back in the box, scattered and on pause till a brighter day.
And brighter days will come. Until then, as we navigate this unknown, know that Team IBB is here for you. We’ve stood side by side with local governments since 1984. How many of you remember those years in the mid-2000’s when it looked like your cash flows would be choked off due to significant delays in reassessments? Remember who jumped in to provide liquidity, some years in excess of $1 billion? We stood by you then, and we’re standing by you again.
Today, tomorrow and in the future – if you have a question or need anything, please reach out to me or any member of our team. Our normal programs are still operating at 100%. In the meantime we are working on solutions specific to needs of local governments caused by COVID-19, and I hope to have more to share soon.
On behalf of the Bond Bank team, stay well-
Mark Wuellner
Executive Director
