Mayor Appoints Goodnight as RDC & FHRA Director

Mayor Whitfield Introduces Cost Savings/Job Combination in Preparation for Property Tax Losses

Lawrence Mayor Deb Whitfield and the Fort Harison Reuse Authority (FHRA) announced today that Chief of Staff Greg Goodnight will assume the permanent roles of Redevelopment Director (RDC) for the City and Fort Harrison Reuse Authority Director (FHRA) in conjunction with his current responsibilities. The Mayor’s decision to combine responsibilities will save Lawrence taxpayers over $70K per year, compared to 2024 expenses.

Mr. Goodnight has served as Interim Director of the RDC and FHRA since January of this year. Goodnight served as Mayor of the City of Kokomo from 2008 to 2019 where he is largely credited with Kokomo’s economic resurgence.

Mayor Whitfield said that in the face of potential property tax losses because of the Indiana General Assembly’s enactment of SEA 1 (SB1) she is seeking to lead by example by combining job responsibilities where possible as her Administration begins the task of crafting the Civil City Budget for 2026. She has instructed her department heads to follow her lead in this regard by streamlining wherever they can without detracting from quality service delivery.

FHRA Chairman Russell Brown stated “I appreciate Mayor Whitfield’s leadership in looking for ways to provide quality services to the citizens of Lawrence through creative staffing opportunities like the one approved by the FHRA Board last evening. I look forward to working with the Mayor and Greg as we continue to make the former Fort Benjamin Harrison a national model for revitalized former military bases and add to the neighborhood I’m proud to call home.”