FRENCH LICK, Ind. (October 2, 2026) – Accelerate Indiana Municipalities (Aim) has announced that the City of Bluffton is the recipient of a 2026 Aim Program Innovation Award for Parlor City Voice. The city was recognized during the Annual Awards Luncheon, presented by Baker Tilly, on Wednesday, September 30, at the 2026 Aim Ideas Summit in French Lick. Bluffton earned the award in the less than 12,000 population category.
Parlor City Voice is a video podcast series that explains and highlights the work Bluffton is doing. The series takes Weekly Activity Reports — which document completed work, concerns and coordination needs from Bluffton department — and turns them into material for the podcast. Katie Sprunger, Director of the Mayor’s Office and Communication, consolidates those reports into a master workbook reviewed at the Mayor’s weekly department meeting. When the reports mention confusion, low participation, compliance gaps, or recurring resident questions, that issue becomes the next Parlor City Voice podcast episode: a plain-language, visual explanation of how the relevant piece of city government works. In its first six months, the program produced 15 episodes covering topics from property taxes and OOR housing grants to lead service line replacement, snow routes, and animal shelter operations, reaching roughly 38% of Bluffton’s population per episode. A community sponsorship covers production, meaning the program runs at zero taxpayer cost.
Trash and recycling complaints to the Mayor’s Office dropped approximately 40% after the relevant episode, with no changes to the service provider, schedule, or pricing. Attendance at Bluffton’s second OOR grant public hearing grew from 10 residents to more than 65 following an educational episode, a 650% increase that likely strengthened the city’s competitive OCRA application and $350,000 grant award. Bluffton Utilities documented an approximately 80% improvement in late payment collections in the three months after an episode on billing and payment arrangements. Madeline Pritchett, P.E., of Wessler Engineering confirmed that the podcast was the differentiating tool in Bluffton achieving 100% right-of-way compliance on its Lead Service Line Replacement program, describing the response rate as “truly unprecedented.” And after Weekly Activity Reports flagged low adoption rates at the city’s animal shelter, Parlor City Voice began featuring a named pet in each episode; over six months, euthanasia rates fell 50%, and neighboring Huntington and Fort Wayne shelters joined Bluffton to form a formal regional animal welfare task force.
“The Aim Program Innovation Award spotlights municipalities that rethink what local government is capable of,” said Aim CEO Matt Greller. “With Parlor City Voice, Bluffton has transformed how a city communicates with its residents, replacing reactive messaging with proactive civic education that strengthens trust in local government. We are proud to present the Program Innovation Award to the City of Bluffton for the vision, commitment, and service-driven attitude behind this remarkable program.”
The Program Innovation Award honors municipalities that have successfully developed and implemented creative new approaches to delivering services or conducting municipal operations. Awards are presented in multiple population categories based on nominations received.
In its 50th year, the Aim Annual Awards program, presented by Baker Tilly, recognizes communities and individuals in municipal government for excellence and outstanding achievement. A seven-member panel of judges selected this year’s winners from a competitive field of nominees from around the state.
Conference Facts:
2026 Aim Ideas Summit
September 29-October 1, 2026
French Lick Springs Resort | French Lick, Indiana
Attendance: 1,100 (pending final registration count)
Further information: www.aimindiana.org
Since the 1890s, Aim, formerly the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, has been an advocate for Indiana municipalities. Aim is the official voice of municipal government in Indiana, with more than 460 cities and towns as members. Our purpose is to foster, promote and advocate for the success of Hoosier municipalities as laboratories of innovation, hubs of talent and the engines driving our state’s economy.