Hamilton County Reporter

Noblesville Schools announced Wednesday that Superintendent Dr. Beth Niedermeyer has been named the Superintendent of the Year for Central Indiana by the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents (IAPSS).

She was selected for the honor by her peers, approximately 40 central Indiana superintendents who based their decision on accomplishments, qualifications and leadership.

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Niedermeyer joined Noblesville Schools, one of the top performing districts in the state, in 2014 after serving in previous leadership roles with Hamilton Southeastern Schools, the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township and Fort Wayne Community Schools.

“Dr. Niedermeyer is a role model among her peers and is frequently sought out by other area superintendents for her counsel and advice,” shared Noblesville Schools Board of Trustees President Carl Johnson. “She is well known for her steady guidance, humble yet insightful perspective and empathetic approach to working with others. As a servant leader, Beth works hard to be accessible, well-informed and actively listen to others. Relationship building, valuing different perspectives, reflecting on data, and making courageous decisions are all hallmarks of her leadership style. She is quick to step up whenever and wherever she is needed, and most importantly her focus is always on what’s best for kids. We’re proud of this honor she’s received and are so thankful for her consistent leadership and passionate commitment to Noblesville Schools.”

During her tenure, Niedermeyer has led several significant achievements for the district including:

• The expansion of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for students and staff, including founding of the Noblesville Diversity Coalition in partnership with the City of Noblesville and faith, business and community leaders.
• The passage of two successful referendum campaigns that preserved/provided funding for enhanced safety and mental health services, increased teacher compensation and retention, performing and fine arts, physical education programming, STEM curriculum, media services, transportation routes, behavioral services and more.
• District grade “A” academic ratings from the Indiana Department of Education and national recognition for STEM, Advanced Placement, special education, educational technology and music programming.
• The creation/expansion of community outreach and engagement initiatives including the Miller Ambassadors community leadership program, the Noblesville High School internship program, Superintendent Table Talk, Back to School BASH and a strong partnership with the Noblesville Police Department.
• An adjusted school day schedule to provide enhanced health, well-being and learning for students.
• Steady organizational, community and safety leadership following the district’s school shooting in May 2018.
• The expansion of social, emotional and mental health training and services.
• Increased academic technology resources to support real-world, real-time learning.
• Expanded STEM and workforce development initiatives for all students K-12.
• Introduction of district preschool and before/after school care programming.
• Opening of an expanded transportation center to accommodate the district’s growing bus fleet and maintenance needs.
• Lean staffing, district cost cutting, revenue generation and tight fiscal management to drive dollars to classrooms.
• Launch of a solar power initiative expected to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings.

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In addition to her daily leadership responsibilities with the district, Niedermeyer also serves on the executive board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Noblesville, Noblesville Chamber of Commerce, Noblesville Youth Assistance, Noblesville Diversity Coalition, Noblesville Midday Rotary and the Hamilton County Workforce Innovation Network.

“The collaborative culture Dr. Niedermeyer has built with teachers and staff has been a game changer at Noblesville Schools,” added Amanda Giordano, Noblesville High School math teacher and president of the Noblesville Teachers Forum. “The hard work she has done to advocate on behalf of teachers and students speaks volumes about the quality of her leadership, and her dedication to educators and public education. On behalf of our teachers, I want to congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition.”

The IAPSS central Indiana region covers Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion and Shelby counties, and represents 40 public school districts with approximately 28 percent of students in the state.

Imagine taking a Rubik’s cube and solving it in about 13 seconds.  I could never come close to that, but Fall Creek Junior High 8th grade student Luke Garrett does just that, and better.  He has been competing in Rubik’s cube tournaments since he was 9 years old.

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board honored Luke at the Wednesday night meeting.  He demonstrated his technique for quickly solving the Rubik’s cube.  He has participated in 44 competitions and has earned 73 podiums (1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd place finish).  His personal  best was solving the cube in 5.5 seconds, putting Luke 27th in the world and 10th in the United States.

When not in Rubik’s cube competition, Luke is  member of his school’s academic team.

Mayor Scott Fadness plans to present his $119 million spending plan before the Fishers City Council at Monday night’s council session.  The budget calls for a 3% city employee pay increase, including elected officials.

The city expects a tax rate increase of 2 cents per $100 of assessed property valuation, allowing the city to currently pay for construction projects, so the city will not need to issue debt for those projects.  This is a one-year-only rate increase for just these projects, according to the mayor.

The mayor presented the information at a budget briefing for the media Wednesday afternoon.

His budget presumes that the increase in the County Option Income Tax is enacted for 2020.  The state law is written so the Fishers and Carmel city councils can pass the 911 tax and it would become effective for the entire county.  The Fishers City Council is expected to vote on the 911 income tax increase at Monday night’s session, according to Fadness.

After Mayor Fadness presents his budget proposal, a public hearing will be held on the 2020 spending plan.

Included in the 2020 budget are the following items:

–Add one uniformed police officer and one civilian Police Department employee to coordinate the body cameras being installed

–Since the contract with Brandywine Farms did not work out, the city plans to employ a full time Agri Park manger and two laborers for the Parks Department

–An increase in matching contributions to the retirement savings plan is proposed, increasing the match amount of employee contributions by $500, to a total of $1,500 per year

Fadness once again pointed out that he will lobby the Indiana General Assembly next year to fix what he views as an inequitable distribution of local option income tax money, favoring Carmel.

The mayor also says there are plans to work on two areas of concrete streets in the city in need of reconstruction – in Burberry Estates and along Technology Drive.

Last month, city officials said the construction on Allisonville Road should be complete by the end of August.  That didn’t happen.

I asked Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness about the delays, and he did express frustration about that road project.  He referred to many challenges from the beginning, including difficulties with the design.

“That project should’ve been a 12 month project, we’re now entering 2 years,” Fadness told reporters at a budget briefing Wednesday afternoon.  “We’ve had some challenges with the contractor.  Everyone’s busy right now.  We’re not certain they’ve put the number of people out there that we would like to see to get it accomplished.”

The mayor added he hopes that road construction is at the home stretch, but called it a “disappointing process.”

Thompson Thrift announced the artists and art work chosen as part of the Fishers District development, currently under construction, near I-69 & 116th Street.  Here are the artists chosen:  (Note the art work shown is an example, not the final version)

Koda Witsken

Her wall mural will appear on a wall near the Verizon store in Fishers District

Dan Toro

His mural will be located along the Sunk King Brewery operation.

Megan Jefferson

This mural will appear on the wall to the parking garage on the north end of the development

Travis Neal

Travis’ mural will appear on the wall of the south end parking garage.

The artists were announced at the Fishers Arts & Culture Commission meeting.  A committee of city staff, artists and commission members made the selection from 22 artist  submissions.

Sitel Group is planning to locate an office in Fishers, bringing up to 350 jobs to our city by the end of next year.  Sitel is a tech company focused on customer experience.

The Miami-based firm plans to locate near 121st Street and Cumberland Road, investing more than $4 million to lease and equip a 42,000-square-foot facility.  Sitel is describing the Fishers location as its new Midwest hub. the company plans to be fully operational in the new Midwest location later this fall.

“Sitel choosing Indiana to establish a Midwest hub is a reflection on our state’s strong economic climate, thriving business community and talented workforce pipeline,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger, in an agency news release. “This company operates all over the world and had a number of options for growth even here in the Midwest. We’re extremely grateful to welcome them to Indiana, where hundreds of Hoosiers will benefit from the quality career opportunities this expansion will create.”

Sitel describes itself as a global firm, employing 75,000 people across 27 countries and is hiring and training for claims adjusters in Fishers. Interested applicants may apply online. Information on upcoming career fairs will also be posted online.

“Fishers is a great city, and the caliber of talent within the community is what excites us the most about opening our newest flagship customer experience center here,” said Mike Small, CEO – Americas, Sitel Group. “When I took on the role of CEO – Americas, I knew we needed to revamp our contact center strategy to ensure we were servicing our clients in the best possible way. This meant identifying key markets that not only complements our business plan but communities in which we can plant roots and create a positive economic impact. For one of the largest financial services and insurance companies with whom we work, central Indiana is the prime location.”

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Sitel up to $2.25 million in conditional tax credits based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Fishers will consider additional incentives.

“Sitel’s global presence and commitment to community will be a welcome addition to Fishers business community,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “Our shared core values in entrepreneurship and innovation make today’s announcement more than establishing their Midwest flagship operations, but also a new partnership in our efforts to make Fishers a smart, vibrant and entrepreneurial city.”

Hamilton County Reporter

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Crash Team is investigating a single-vehicle crash that left one person dead.

Deputies were sent to the area of Southeastern Parkway and Connecticut Avenue in the far southeastern part of the county shortly before 9:20 p.m. on Sunday on the report of a motorcycle crash just south of the intersection.

According to an initial crash report, deputies believe Charles H. Theobald IV, 45, Fortville, was southbound on Southeastern Parkway on a 2010 Harley-Davidson XL 1200 and failed to follow a curve in the road. The motorcycle left the pavement down an embankment where it struck a tree, causing Theobald to be ejected from the bike. Medics applied first aid treatment, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Toxicology test results are pending. Theobald was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. There were no witnesses to the incident. Anyone with information pertaining to the crash should contact the Crash Team at (317) 773-1872.

Hamilton County Reporter

The Hamilton County Commissioners unanimously approved several amendments to the county’s animal ordinance at its Monday meeting.

The amendments include new temperature guidelines to protect animals from extreme weather conditions. They also more clearly define “adequate” food, water, shelter, space, ventilation and veterinary care as it pertains to domesticated pets. New definitions and penalties have also been added for backyard breeders, puppy mills, and animal abuse and neglect.

Heirbrandt

“For me this was a pretty easy ‘yes,’” said Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt. “Our chambers were packed with more than 100 people this afternoon, nearly all of them in favor of the amendments. The overwhelming support of our citizens tells me these changes were long overdue.”

Hamilton County last updated its animal ordinance in 2006. Last winter some voiced concerned about the safety and well-being of animals left outside during a bitter cold snap. The commissioners assembled a committee from the Humane Society for Hamilton County and Hamilton County Animal Control Office to reevaluate the ordinance, introduce new guidelines, and more clearly define ambiguous language.

“We believe this is a precedent-setting ordinance,” said Rebecca Stevens, president and CEO of the Humane Society for Hamilton County. “We’ve done our due diligence to develop an ordinance we feel could serve as a best practice for other communities. In fact, we’d like to see this same ordinance adopted by all the cities and towns in Hamilton County.”

The ordinance will be enforceable in unincorporated areas of the county when it goes into effect Nov. 15, 2019. The ordinance, along with an FAQ section, can be found at hamiltoncounty.in.gov.

By

Richie Hall

Sports Editor

Hamilton County Reporter

The spirit of Krissi Davis could be felt in The Mill Tuesday night.

he Noblesville volleyball team paid tribute to the woman who brought the Millers to new athletic heights during the 1980’s, and doing so while being an exceptional teammate, person and representative of Noblesville. Davis passed away on Saturday, but anyone attending the volleyball match knew she was in the building.

The volleyball players and coaches wore gray t-shirts that said on the back “KMD” and the number “42,” the number Davis wore when she played basketball for Noblesville. The players also wore tributes on their shoes and hair ribbons.

The tribute was deeply personal to Millers coach Jill Almodovar, who was teammates with Davis on both the volleyball and basketball teams during the 1986-87 school year. Almodovar, then Jill Lyon, was a freshman and Davis was a senior.

“It’s every young kids’ dream to be on a team and look up to somebody like Krissi,” Almodovar told the Reporter Tuesday morning. “Krissi was the poster child of Noblesville.”
Davis and her Miller basketball teammates became the queens of Noblesville in 1987, as they completed an undefeated season. The Millers went 27-0 and finished things up on Feb. 28, 1987 with a state championship, beating Anderson Highland 47-38 in the final game. Davis scored 12 points and pulled four rebounds.

Noblesville athletic director Leah Wooldridge played for the Highland team, and remembers the battles with the Millers not only in the state championship game, but in the regular season, as both teams were members of the Olympic Conference then. The two of them also played together in AAU basketball.

“Krissi was one of the most fierce competitors I ever played with and against,” said Wooldridge. “She was hard nosed and had an impeccable work ethic. Off the floor she was one of the nicest human beings I have ever met. She was a jokester and enjoyed life to the fullest. It was my honor and privilege to know, play against, and with Krissi. She will go down as one of the best to ever play the game; we lost a great one.”

Davis finished her career as a Miller with 1,269 points, placing her fifth on the all-time scoring list. She was also Noblesville’s first girl Indiana All-Star, and went on to be inducted in both the Noblesville High School Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. (Davis is actually in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame twice, as the 1987 state championship team is also an inductee.)

Before the state championship basketball game, Davis was part of another historic occasion for the Millers. She led Noblesville to its first-ever sectional championship in volleyball on Oct. 25, 1986. The Millers beat defending champion Carmel 15-10, 16-14, with Davis hitting 14 kills and making four blocks. She was a four-year letter winner in volleyball.
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“She was smart, loyal to the program, did everything correctly,” said Almodovar. “She was exactly what you wanted to be. The bigger thing for me, personally, was that Krissi and me had a very large bond. She took me under her wing. Krissi was somebody that probably has taught me how to be a winner. How to be a good friend and how to love. She embodies those things and she taught me those things.”

Almodovar said that the bond between her and Davis “has never gone away.”
“Krissi’s that kind of friend that it doesn’t matter when you see her, everything’s the same when you see her,” said Almodovar. Time doesn’t matter. And every teammate that I’ve spoken to about this, we’re all brokenhearted. Every coach that’s coached her.”

Davis went on to play college basketball at Notre Dame, where she scored 1,194 career points (placing seventh on the all-time list) and was a four-year letter winner and two-year MVP. She also received the Byron V. Kanaley Award, the most prestigious honor that can be presented to an Irish senior athlete.

A Sunday tweet from the Notre Dame women’s basketball team featured a quote from Irish coach Muffet McGraw, who noted that Davis was part of her first class. McGraw became the Notre Dame coach in 1987, Davis’ freshman year.

“On the court, Krissi was a very competitive and intense player, but off the court, she was a lot of fun to be around,” said McGraw. “She had a great sense of humor and you could always count on her to diffuse a pressure situation with a witty or sarcastic comment. She was a good friend to everyone who knew her and she will be missed by the entire Notre Dame family.”
The Noblesville girls basketball Twitter account posted that the team was saddened by the loss of Davis. “She was one of the greatest athletes to ever put on a Miller uniform,” the tweet said. “As great as she was an athlete, she was an even better person.”

After graduating from Notre Dame, Davis returned home to Noblesville, where she was a 25-year employee and part owner of Davis-Haslam Inc. She also helped the next generation of Miller athletes.

“Krissi coached with me for two years,” said Almodovar. “The relationship that we had as players just bled right into what we were doing as coaches. Krissi’s a competitor, and Krissi’s a go-getter and Krissi embodied everything we want – I still do things that she would do. I still stop myself from doing things because of her.”

Almodovar said that when you’re in Krissi Davis’ tribe, “you’re in it forever.”
And that’s how long Krissi Davis will be remembered in Noblesville: Forever.

When the Fishers Test Kitchen opens in November, there will be three chefs taking orders.  The first three were announced at the Fishers IoT Lab Tuesday night.

Here’s a quick rundown on all three:

Chefs John & Kim

Jung Gyu Kim, “Chef John,” and his brother Jung Min Kim, “Chef Kim,” specialize in Korave Korean BBQ, but also plan to serve such dishes as barbecue beef poutine and barbecue chicken rice bowls.

Chef Leisha Berg

She brings a Southern California background and will pair Midwestern favorites with California flavors in items such as honey-Sriracha chicken wings or pulled pork sliders with a pineapple barbecue sauce.

Chef Carlos Salazar

A 2008 Chefs Academy graduate, he’s been a chef/partner at Rook, an Asian-inspired restaurant on Virginia Avenue in Indianapolis.  Chef Carlos will be tapping into his Filipino heritage for his Lil Dumplings global street food restaurant, but don’t be surprised to see chili dogs on the menu as well.

A large crowd welcomed the first chefs to The Yard at Fishers District.  The Test Kitchen will be located in a building shared with Sun King Brewery, located just north of the Hyatt Hotel.