by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

The first of the 17-year cicada emergence has been reported in Hamilton County. Sometimes mistakenly called the “17-year Locust,” they will become increasingly seen and heard from now through June 30.

Emma Mendez at the Hamilton County 4-H Extension office says she got first reports of the insects’ arrival over the past weekend. Their appearance locally was delayed this year by chilly weather.

For the past 17 years the cicadas have been living underground, feeding on the sap of tree roots. They emerge from the ground to mate and lay their eggs. They will feed on tender twigs of young trees, but in most cases will not kill or damage a tree or other vegetation.

Rodents and other wildlife will eat the cicadas, but there are so many that most will survive to lay their eggs before gradually disappearing in July and August, according to Purdue University experts.

The colorful insects are not interested in humans or animals and therefore not dangerous. Their loud singing or buzzing is the most noticeable, sometimes disturbing effect of their presence.

Folks living in areas with numerous trees more than 17 years old will hear and see the greatest number of the unusual insects. Newer subdivisions developed on land that was formerly farm fields will not see many, if any, of the cicadas.

Scientists have yet to discover why cicadas stay underground for 17 years. A popular theory suggests that the great amount of time makes potential predators give up and find other sources of food.

Whatever the reason, if you enjoy seeing them, get a good look this year. If you don’t like hearing them, remember they won’t be back again until 2038.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

It is said that all politics is local, and it also seems that all politics is at play all the time. It is less than a year until the next election, namely the primary of 2022, and we can assume that maneuvering is already underway.

The local primary is especially important because Hamilton County is heavily Republican, and winners in the GOP primary are usually favored in the November general election.

Despite this, only about 19 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the primary of 2018.

Next May, voters will choose candidates for U.S. Congress, state legislature, a majority of county offices and all township offices. The primary election is May 6, but candidate filing begins in January.

Most incumbents are expected to seek re-election. Indeed, Congresswoman Victoria Spartz (R- Ind.-05) has already said she will run for a second term.

There are some exceptions. County Assessor Robin Ward is retiring, and longtime Clay Township Trustee Doug Callahan will retire.

The county’s state legislative delegation will likely be running again. The Superior Court 2 and the new Superior Court 7 judgeships are at stake as are offices of county sheriff, prosecutor, clerk of courts, recorder, assessor, coroner, one county commissioner, and four county council positions.

The county’s nine township trustees and 27 township board seats are also up for election.

While not obvious to the general public, preliminary politicking is already underway for some of the 56 offices that will appear on the various ballots throughout the county.

It seems it’s never too early to make plans when playing in the political game.

The Fishers Police Department has received accreditation from the Commission on  Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies in past years and is seeking to keep that certification.  Part of the process is a survey of the general public.  It is an opportunity for Fishers residents to provide feedback on contacts with local officers and perceptions of safety within your own neighborhood or frequented business areas.

“It is the goal of the Fishers Police Department to achieve and maintain the highest level of quality service for our residents and visitors,” says a Fishers Police Department news release.  “Input from the citizens of Fishers is essential in the Fishers Police Department’s continued effort to promote effective police services and protection to all members of the community.”

The survey is open through June 14.  You can access the survey online at this link.

Only 180 students have made a commitment to attend virtual classes for the coming fall semester at Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools.  Superintendent Allen Bourff says his staff will need to “study that,” because the numbers are far below projections, meaning the virtual learning option for the 2021-2022 school year is not a certainty.

Of the 180 students, 92 are Pre-kindergarten through grade 6.  For grades 7 and 8, 24 students are committed online.  In high school, 63 students opted for virtual learning.

Bourff says the low enrollment numbers for the virtual classes will create a staffing challenge, since teachers will be assigned to instructing online only.  For example, if only 5-7 students are virtually learning in one elementary grade, does the school district assign one teacher to that small number of students?  Combining grades for virtual classes may be an option, Bourff said.

Also, high school students would be utilizing Indiana Online, a contractor.  Bourff is not certain whether the contractor could deliver the services at the price quoted ($2,400 per student) with only 63 enrolled in grades 9-12.

However, Dr. Bourff says he is “pleased” at the low virtual learning numbers, because he believes in-person classes provide the “richest educational experience.”

The fireworks planned for Geist on September 11th may not happen as originally planned.  That is what Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said during a podcast interview recorded May 17.

Some in the community have questioned whether marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with a fireworks display is the proper thing to do, and Fadness says the city is looking at changing those plans.

“I could see that is being changed or modified some way,” Fadness said during the podcast.  “I think that was good feedback from the residents that said, well, I understand what you’re trying to do, but I’m not sure that’s the right tone.”

The city Parks and Recreation Department is taking a look at the date of the Geist fireworks display and Fadness says there could be “some modifications.”

The mayor commented on a number of issues during the podcast, including COVID rules after the new CDC guidance, the much-lower-that expected COVID money coming from the federal government (what had been estimated as $19.6 million is now $7 million), his meeting with the new HSE Schools Superintendent, next steps after the Interrupting Racism program, summer events and the coming road construction.

You can listen to the entire podcast at this link.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness has scheduled another virtual town hall for late May.  You must register to be a part of this town hall.  Below is the information provided by the mayor’s office:

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Join Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness for a virtual open forum at the Twilight Town Hall on Wednesday, May 26 at 8 p.m. Attendees will hear updates on current events in Fishers and are invited to submit questions for discussion.

Residents must register for the event.

This has been a very active news cycle the past few days, so here are some notes of interest as we enter yet another work week:

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The recent announcement that mask wearing is no longer recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for those fully vaccinated has been cheered by most people.  There are a few exceptions, but this is still good news.  Businesses are making their own decisions about whether to continue masks be worn and we should see more and more establishments easing those restrictions.  However, be aware that people in Indiana are still testing positive and dying from COVID….not as many as before, but it is still happening here.

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The Fishers City Council will likely have a recommendation for one or more community center(s) after the team headed by Councilman Todd Zimmerman reviewed survey results from local citizens about what they want from such a proposed operation.  More details on what may be proposed and how it can be financed should be coming in a matter of weeks.

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If you have tried to traverse commercial areas in many parts of the city, you have likely found streets in serious disrepair.  It is the result of constant property ownership turnover in these areas.  These streets are private and not in the city’s inventory.  How to get these streets repaired or resurfaced, and which party is legally required to pay for it, has turned out to be a thorny legal issue with no easy answers.  The mayor’s office is studying options and may come to the city council for recommended action in the coming months.

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It is sad to see a public building such as City Hall be in such a bad physical shape, but that is the picture painted by Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren before the city council work session Thursday.  The structure, first opened as the Fishers Town Hall in 1992, is literally sinking according to an independent engineering report completed just 3 weeks ago.  It appears the building will need so much work, that will cost millions more dollars, that a new City Hall may be needed.  Mayor Scott Fadness suggested at the council retreat that the community center proposal could have more than one location and the arts component could be a part of any new City Hall complex.  The mayor promised to begin work with his staff and consultants with a recommendation for the council members, perhaps in September of this year.

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While in college during the 1970s, I had the opportunity to have professors and fellow students that had lived in the Middle East.  I knew people that had lived in the nation of Lebanon on the Arab side and those that had lived in Israel.  The latest violence in that part of the world in recent days saddens me greatly, because it is the civilian populations in all parts of the region that will suffer the most.  If you think you have this all figured out and know which side is right or wrong, think again.  All impacted have a compelling story to tell, some going back decades, some going back centuries.  We need smart diplomats and leaders of nations in the area to take the action needed to stop this carnage.  Also, the bombing of a building in Gaza housing the Associated Press bureau (AP is one of the largest new operations in the world)  and other news organizations is troubling for a world in need of straight information about what is going on there.  The head of AP wants an independent investigation of why Israel chose to bomb that structure.  I agree.

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I just posted a podcast interview with an old friend and nationally-known technology journalist Scott M Fulton, III.  We talked about 5G, but the most compelling conversation we had centered on data centers. Scott revealed that the only reason many of us could work from home and have virtual school classes is due to the disaster planning on the part of the largest data centers in the nation.  According to Scott, those data centers increased their efficiency during the pandemic by 66%.  That is an unbelievable number.  If those data centers had not been able to increase efficiency to that level, working from home and educating from home would not have been possible.  Let’s tip our hats to the tech people!

You can listen to the entire podcast with Scott M Fulton, III (50 minutes in length) at this link.    

With warm weather here, the list of road construction projects continues to grow.

Here is the latest, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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Scott M Fulton, III is a good friend of mine and a nationally-known writer on technology issues.  Scott joins me in the podcast to talk about how 5G technology may impact Fishers in the future.  He also discusses how a technology data center firm kept America working and learning from home when COVID-19 hit our jobs and schools over a year ago.

City Hall is beginning to sink into the ground and keeping the building afloat, plus other required work, will cost the city more money in the future.  That was the message Fishers City Council members received at a Thursday night work session from Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren.

An engineering study completed 3 weeks ago specified the price tag of work needed on the building immediately and over the coming 3-year period.

Hultgren went through some of the structure’s history.  What was then Fishers Town Hall was completed in 1992, a 2-story, wood frame building.  In 1994, moving and settling of the Hall was discovered, addressed, and nothing like that was detected until 2012.

At that time, more sinking of the structure was found, more underpinnings were added and that appeared to fix the issue.

The latest engineering report found more sinking, described as significant, as well as cracking of the structure and floors coming apart.

In the past 5 years, Hultgren told councilors that $1.6 million has been spent on maintenance and upgrades to City Hall.  The latest engineering report urges more than $430,000 be spent immediately on the building.

In addition, the study recommends $2.1 million of work over the next three years, with $1.6 million of that total to be expended in the next 12 months.  And none of that money would address the problem of the building settling (sinking).

Mayor Scott Fadness told the council City Hall has a “flimsy construction.”

“When you walk in there, it does not feel like an institutional building,” said Fadness.

The cost of demolishing City Hall and replacing it with a 3-story steel frame structure would cost the city an estimated $18-$21 million, according to Hultgren.

Fadness and City Councilman Todd Zimmerman suggested that part of a new community center being studied by a group headed by Zimmerman might have more than one location, with an arts and culture center as a part of any new City Hall complex.

Members of the council appeared to agree that all options must be considered based on the assessment of City Hall’s current condition.

Fadness emphasized that he wants any new City Hall financial plan to be reasonable and one that would make sense for the taxpayers of Fishers.

The mayor says he will work with his staff and consultants on how a new City Hall might be built and the tax impact that would have on local residents.