The Republican Party of Hamilton County remains in solid control of most government entities in Hamilton County. For example, in Fishers, the City Council has 8 Republicans and 1 Democrat, our mayor and city clerk are Republicans. County government is dominated by the GOP.
I can still recall at least one Fishers Town Council general election that was cancelled since I moved here in 1991. That was because there were no Democrats on the local town council ballot, so no election was necessary.
However, Democrats in Fishers and parts of Hamilton County have made gains in recent elections. The current Hamilton County Democratic Chair is a former Fishers City Councilor, Jocelyn Vare. She has authored an opinion piece pointing out advances local Democrats are making.
You can read that opinion piece below: (NOTE: I have invited the local Republican Party to submit a similar piece for this blog)
I have covered the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board for 13 years. The consent agenda, for most of that time, was relegated to routine items, such as approving minutes, basic personnel and payroll matters.
Wednesday night featured a debate about the consent agenda when Sarah Parks-Reese asked that the board vote on each consent agenda item, 7 in all. Suzanne Thomas pointed out that $2.9 million in spending was part of those consent agenda items. She argued these are not all routine items in this case.
Dawn Lange responded that each item had been discussed in a board committee and minutes of those meetings are available online.
The board voted 4-3 not to separate the consent agenda items, with Suzanne Thomas, Sarah Parks-Reese and Latrica Schooley voting no. The vote to approve the consent agenda itself was approved on a 5-2 vote, with Parks-Reese and Schooley voting no.
The consent agenda items listed for Wednesday night’s meeting included meeting minutes, personnel reports, claims, a contract for legal work with Barnes & Thornburg, award of a contract for phase 2 renovation of Durbin, telecom purchases and a contract with Moss Telecom.
Principals formally approved
The Board also officially approved Kyle Goodwin as permanent Principal at Fishers High School and Chrissie Sturgill as Associate Principal. Janie Ulmer was named permanent Principal at HSE Intermediate & Junior High.
Two years of calendars in place
The Board unanimously voted for two years worth of school calendars, listed below.
Supt. Mapes on pending legislation
Superintendent Patrick Mapes cited the property tax relief bill before the Indiana Senate, saying the original version of that measure would have “a negative impact on our schools.” He described revisions in the legislation as “helpful.” It is expected the bill will have moved from the Senate to the Indiana House by the time the board meets again in March.
The Indy Fuel fell to the first-place Florida Everblades 6-3 on Wednesday night at the Fishers Event Center, in the first of a three-game home series this week. Despite an early deficit, the Fuel battled back but couldn’t overcome Florida’s offensive surge.
The Everblades wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as Craig Needham netted an unassisted goal just over two minutes into the contest. Florida extended its lead minutes later when Alex Kile capitalized to make it 2-0.
Indy responded midway through the first period, with Adam McCormick cutting the deficit to 2-1 off a setup from Cam Hausinger. However, Florida struck back quickly as Isaac Nurse restored the two-goal cushion at 10:44. A late high-sticking penalty against Indy’s Zach Bannister gave the Everblades an extended power play opportunity, carrying into the second period.
Indy showed resilience in the second, as Darby Llewellyn brought the home team within one at 8:54, marking his fifth goal of the season. McCormick notched his second point of the night with the assist, while Colin Bilek also contributed.
Florida, however, took control from there. A holding penalty on Lucas Brenton set up Colin Theisen for a power-play goal at 12:03, and just over a minute later, Tarun Fizer extended the Everblades’ lead to 5-2. By the end of two periods, Florida held a dominant 25-15 advantage in shots.
Florida’s power-play unit struck again in the third period, with Fizer tallying his second goal of the night at 14:42 to make it 6-2.
Indy found some late momentum when Kyle Maksimovich scored on the power play at 18:59, assisted by Bilek and Alex Lemos. However, it was too little, too late, as the Everblades secured the 6-3 victory, outshooting the Fuel 32-22.
The Fuel will look to bounce back in their next matchup against the Everblades as the two teams continue their series Friday.
The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools have been dealing with growing pains ever since I moved to Fishers 34 years ago. There was no room for people to transfer into our district from outside the boundaries.
The most recent demographic report shows the district will be losing some students in the next few years, a very different situation for the local school district. As a result, the HSE School Board gave final approval Wednesday night to a new policy allowing a limited number of families residing outside the HSE District to apply for available slots in buildings with room for them.
There will be a process to determine whether the student meets minimum eligibility criteria and whether there is space available for that student. If there are more qualified requests than space available, a lottery will be conducted.
“This is an important moment for Hamilton Southeastern Schools,” said Superintendent Patrick Mapes, in a school district news release. “By welcoming students from outside our district, we are able to expand access to the high-quality educational opportunities that define HSE while strengthening our ability to serve the greater community.”
With state support determined by the student head count, HSE says it is now in a position to accept students living outside the HSE boundaries. HSE Schools currently has over 21,000 students, the third-largest in Indiana based on enrollment.
“Our district has always been guided by its mission to provide excellence in education and
opportunities for all students,” added Superintendent Mapes. “By extending enrollment, we are able to equip the next generation with the skills needed to achieve their goals and contribute positively to an ever-changing world.”
For more details on the program, use this link. Families may begin filing requests online as of Friday, February 21.
A speaker during public comment was critical of the district in handling her child’s request for a transfer of schools within the HSE District.
Kyle Goodwin will no longer have the moniker of Fishers High School Interim Principal if the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board puts its stamp of approval on the administration recommendation at tonight’s meeting. Goodwin would assume the position of permanent Fishers High School Principal as of February 13. Also, Interim Associate Principal Chrissie Sturgill will assume the permanent job if the board approves.
The board will also be asked to approve Janie Ulmer as Permanent Principal at HSE Intermediate & Junior High, where she has served in an interim capacity.
The board will also be asked to approve school calendars for the 2026-2027 and the 2027-2028 school years. The proposed calendars before the board tonight are shown below.
The National Weather Service continues to have a Winter Weather Advisory in place for the Fishers area beginning at 1pm today through 4am Thursday.
The latest update from the forecasters indicates Fishers will be very close to the line between snow and rain in this weather system. NWS says icy conditions are more likely in the northern suburbs of Indianapolis, which obviously includes Fishers.
Because the forecast is a bit uncertain, any movement of this weather system a little north or south can change everything. Stay in touch as you plan your evening rush hour and evening activities today.
Below is the latest update from the National Weather Service, issued at 10:36am today:
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST THURSDAY... * WHAT...Mixed precipitation expected. Ice accumulations up to around a quarter of an inch. Total snow accumulations up to three inches in far North Central Indiana. * WHERE...Portions of central, east central, north central, and west central Indiana. * WHEN...Until 4 AM EST Thursday. * IMPACTS...Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Wednesday evening commute. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Greatest area of uncertainty exists along the I-70 corridor where the transition line from plain rain to freezing rain will set up. Impacts may widely vary over small south to north distances throughout the Indianapolis Metro area and along I-70. The northern Indy suburbs have a greater threat of freezing rain and icy conditions. A difference of just one degree can mean the difference between plain rain and significant ice. Stay tuned for updates as the latest winter storm evolves today. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. Be prepared for slippery roads. Slow down and use caution while driving. If you are going outside, watch your first few steps taken on stairs, sidewalks, and driveways. These surfaces could be icy and slippery, increasing your risk of a fall and injury.
The Orr Fellowship has announced four local students selected to be awarded the honor.
New Orr Fellows from Fishers as well as their respective universities and partner companies are:
Isabel Chalfant, Purdue University, TPMA
Jack Kenny, Indiana University Bloomington, dormakaba
Olivia Lux, Indiana University Bloomington, Stitch
Kayla Malmquist, Taylor University, The Heritage Group
74 total college seniors are receiving the fellowship. Orr Fellowship is an early career development program for high-achievers and businesses in Indiana. The program recruits, assesses and matches university graduates with high-agency roles in growing Indiana businesses.
If your musical era is the 1980s, the Fishers Event Center has a show coming for you Tuesday, June 17. Rick Springfield is the headliner for four acts, including John Waite, Wang Chung and Paul Young.
The announcement emphasizes that all four acts will perform a full set of music.
Springfield has plenty to show in his recording career, including 25 million albums and 17 U.S. Top 40 hits, including “Jessie’s Girl,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” “An Affair of the Heart,” “I’ve Done Everything for You,” “Love Somebody,” and “Human Touch.”
Tickets go on sale this Friday, February 14 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.com.
Sarah Donsbach wrapped up her 4 years of service on the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board last December. She chose not to run for another term.
She discusses her decision not to seek a second term, dealing with COVID as a board member, hiring superintendents redistricting and much more in this podcast interview, available at the link below.
Mayor Fadness provides State Of The City address at Fishers Event Center
When Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness presented his State of the City address last week, he looked back ten years, when Fishers transformed itself from a town to a city and he assumed the office of mayor in 2015. As I watched the speech, my thoughts went back even further, to 1991.
That was the year I married Jane Johnson Lannan and moved to a small ranch home in Sunblest. That was a time when Fishers was a good place to construct a starter home. Those days are largely gone, as Fishers is a much different place now compared to 34 years ago, and that is not an altogether bad thing.
Fishers was a town 34 years ago, governed by a seven-member town council and the day-to-day operations overseen by a town manager. The 1990 census counted just over 7,500 souls residing in Fishers at that time, but the area was already beginning to grow.
The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools were starting a growth in students at that time that is just now starting to level-off. My wife Jane assured me that Fishers, while a small town in 1991, would grow into something special over time. It has.
When my twin daughters entered the HSE Schools and started playing sports, that is a time when bonds and friendships blossom in a community, and that happened with me. Helping out with the Dad’s Club and other activities are special memories.
I have watched as Fishers went from being a bedroom community of Indianapolis to become its own place, with parks, first-class infrastructure, economic development creating local jobs and the efforts to provide a special place for a family to grow.
Scott Fadness saw this when he first joined the Town of Fishers as an intern, then a staff member and eventually the Fishers Town Manager. When I retired from my civil service job and started this volunteer news blog in 2012, Fishers was beginning one of the most important political campaigns in its history – a referendum on what type of municipality the citizens of Fishers wanted.
We had a very complex ballot, but it boiled down to three choices – Do we remain a town? Do we become a “reorganized” city that looks and feels a lot like a town? Or, do we choose to be a traditional second-class city under Indiana law with a strong mayor’s office?
The vote was not even close. The people voted for a second-class city with a strong mayor. Once that was decided, the question was, when do we become a city and who will be the first mayor?
Under the normal political cycle, the election of the new city council, city clerk and mayor would have happened in 2015, and the new city would start in 2016. But state lawmakers threw Fishers a curve.
The legislators provided for a one-year transition period. The first city election was in 2014, for one-year terms, then the four-year terms would be decided in the normal 2015 balloting.
That set the stage for our first Fishers city election in 2014. No Democrats ran for mayor in 2014, so the Republican primary election would elect our first mayor. There were a total of six candidates.
There were two front-runners. There was Walt Kelly, the former Fishers Town Council President that had been away from politics for several years, but still had strong ties to the local community. Then there was Scott Fadness, the Town Manager, the candidate with the support of the local Republican establishment and the most campaign cash.
It was a close election between the top candidates. Fadness was the winner, but by only 393 votes out of 9,191 cast.
Scott Fadness wasted no time in getting to work once he was mayor-elect. He made clear to me in those early months what his plans would be and he went to work. He has never stopped over the past ten years. If you don’t believe me, talk to any current or former member of his staff.
Fadness pointed to his many accomplishments when presenting his 2025 State of the City address, and who can blame him? The venue for the address in itself is an accomplishment. The Fishers Event Center is a very nice facility. When I talk to people attending Fuel games from out-of-town, they are all highly complimentary of the Event Center.
The mayor did have a lot of other points to make, such as Fishers having the lowest property tax rate among Indiana’s ten post populous cities. Then there is the economic development job growth, restaurant and retail expansion, a new west-side AgriPark, Plug & Play development for Launch Fishers, and, of course, the biggest news of the speech, the new Target store coming near Exit 210, next to IU Hospital.
Mayor Fadness says the State of the City is strong. He makes a compelling case.
