You can sense the excitement in Bob Rice’s voice as we walked among the solar arrays, nearly completed just south of HSE Intermediate/Junior High School (HIJH), at Cyntheanne Road and Southeastern Parkway.  Rice, Energy Management Director for HSE Schools,  says the solar operation there will begin powering the HIJH school building in the next 2-3 weeks.

The next project will provide another array, providing electricity for Sand Creek Elementary and Intermediate Schools.

The HSE School Corporation entered into a contract with Ameresco Inc. in January of this year, to install the $2.8 million solar project.  The work is being financed by a four-year bond issue which is not expected to trigger a tax increase.

At the time the school board approved the plan, Rice projected the solar arrays will pay for themselves in 11 years through electricity cost savings.

Students will be able to use the solar arrays as part of their science curriculum.

“Our partnership with Ameresco has already allowed us to invest in projects that directly benefit our students and create a more sustainable learning environment at our schools,” said Dr. Allen Bourff, Superintendent of Hamilton Southeastern Schools, in an Ameresco news release. “The curriculum Ameresco provided will help our teachers educate their students about the latest innovations in renewable energy technology and the importance of sustainability for the future of our environment.”

Once the arrays at HIJH and Sand Creek are completed, it will consist of 4,800 solar panels.

The new Southeastern Elementary is ready to accept students for the first time when all Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools open for classes August 7th.  But this building did not have an easy road to completion.

First, the required voter referendum authorizing the funds for this school was passed in 2013 with just under 68% of those voting casting a yes ballot.  But that referendum contained funding of $22 million, which would easily fund an elementary school in 2013, but is less than would normally be needed to fund a school today with inflation factored-in.

School officials knew there would be challenges to construct this school within the budget parameters of that 2013 referendum.  But working with architect Jim Funk of CSO, and Hagerman Construction, HSE Schools officials were able to complete the building within the $22 million budget.

The ribbon cutting ceremony was held inside the gymnasium Tuesday morning, allowing more people to watch the event.  Current and past school board members were in attendance.

“Southeastern Elementary is, in some ways, a dream come true,” said HSE Schools Superintendent Allen Bourff.

Superintendent Bourff asked those in the crowd to think about the “soaring spaces” as they walked around the school building.

Assistant Superintendent Jan Combs tells LarryInFishers that no portable classrooms will be used at Southeastern Elementary this school year.  Enrollment is higher than projected due to a larger-than-expected number of kindergarten students.

The crowd for the ceremony nearly filled the Southeastern Elementary gymnasium 

Before I start this piece, be aware that no one involved is speaking on the record, and much could change before all is said and done, but it certainly appears that two giant newspaper companies, Gannett and Gatehouse, are working on a merger.  If that does happen, the newly-merged corporation will own one out of six local newspapers in the United States, 265 total (plus USA Today).

Why is this an important local story?  Because Indiana’s largest newspaper, the Indianapolis Star, is owned by Gannett.  But that’s not all.  Gannett owns four other newspapers in the Hoosier state.  They include:

–The Journal and Courier in Lafayette

–The Star Press in Muncie

–The Palladium-Item in Richmond

–The Evansville Courier & Press

Gatehouse Media owns the following local newspapers in our state:

–South Bend Tribune

–Times Mail of Bedford

–Evening World of Spencer

–The Herald Times of Bloomington

–The Hoosier Topics of Cloverdale

–Reporter-Times of Martinsville

–Mooresville-Decatur Times

If this transaction happens, it is clear that some employees will lose their jobs in the administrative staffs if and when the companies are combined.

Rick Edmonds, writing in Poynter.com, reports this:

“Savings will come as corporate and backroom functions are consolidated, with many on the business side of Gannett losing their jobs. Both companies have editing and production hubs that can be combined, and events businesses that are likely to grow.”

The big question in my mind is – what will happen to journalists working at the Indianapolis Star and the other four newspapers owned by Gannett in Indiana?

If this business deal happens as reported so far, Gatehouse will essentially acquire Gannett.  Claire Goforth of DailyDot.com is not optimistic about a giant Gatehouse Company in terms of jobs for journalists.  Here is what she wrote:

“GateHouse is notorious for acquiring media companies, even profitable ones, and stripping them of assets and staff. In May, the company laid off at least 159 employees nationwide in a series of cuts that the CEO referred to as ‘not material.’ Gannett has also experienced waves of layoffs and buyouts, most recently in January.”

I have written in the past about how the Indy Star is a shell of what it once was in terms of journalistic staff levels.  However, the reporters now working at the Star are good people and excellent journalists.  I know many of them and they are dedicated to their work.

I especially worry about the four smaller newspapers in Indiana and how their staff levels could be drawn down by Gatehouse.  Those papers have already endured many layoffs by Gannett.

I am no expert in the business of newspapers, but anyone can see the business model of today is not working.  Print subscriptions are down and digital has not come close to closing the revenue gap.

But I do know this.  There is a tremendous demand for local news.  I look at my analytics for this local Fishers Web blog and my podcasts – I know there are plenty of people hungering for news about their local community.

Of course, I am a volunteer journalist with few expenses so I do not charge for subscriptions, and that adds to the number of people reading this blog and listening to my podcasts.  I have no idea how many readers & listeners I would have if there would be a subscription fee.

If the quality of the journalism goes down due to staff cuts, it will be harder to sell subscriptions, print or digital, for the newspapers in this new company.

There is a big difference between journalism and stenography.  Journalists work hard to get at the facts and find the truth, putting stories into context for the readers.  With fewer journalists on the job, there will sadly be more stenography (just reporting what people say and write) and less genuine journalism.

If this deal is consummated, my thoughts will go to the many journalists concerned about a possible pink slip once this is done.  Too many local newspapers have gone out of business in the last few years.  Too many good journalists have lost their jobs already.  My hope is that a business model is found to maintain and (in some cases) restore local journalism.

Friday was a very hot day, but that did not deter the arts crowd from convening around the Nickel Plate District of downtown Fishers Friday night in the first of three Crawl events on the 2019 calendar.

There were plenty of artists, musicians and even one magician showing their artistic talents.

The next Arts Crawl dates in Fishers are August 16th & September 14th.

Here are a few pictures I was able to round up from the Arts Crawl:

Continue reading Heat didn’t stop the Fishers Arts Crawl →

The thermometer is not the only thing heating up around Fishers – road construction is reaching a peak now that we are into late July.

Below is the road construction listing, as provided by the City of Fishers, for the work week beginning Monday, July 22nd:

===============

ALLISONVILLE ROAD
Southbound and northbound traffic on Allisonville Road has moved onto the newly constructed pavement as part of Phase 3 of the project. The posted speed limit remains 30 mph. 

96TH STREET
Utility relocation is beginning on 96th Street as part of the road widening project, resulting in periodic lane restrictions over the coming months. For more information about the 96th Street road widening project, view the Fact Sheet.  

Leah McGrath has served as a Deputy Mayor for the City of Fishers since July of 2015.  She has seen a lot during that four-year period.  We asked Leah about that and a number of projects she is working on around city government.

I also asked Leah about published reports she may be considering a run for Congress.  She didn’t say yes, but she didn’t say no either

David Decker looked over the construction site of the new Hub & Spoke facility, near I-69 on 106th Street, and smiled.  A large crowd had assembled Tuesday at the ground breaking ceremony for the new structure that is scheduled to open in April of 2020.

As co-founder of Hub & Spoke, along with his partner Travis Tucker, Decker is eager to get started constructing the complex, centered around the construction business in Central Indiana.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools Superintendent Allen Bourff was at the ground breaking event, because the local public school system plans to use Hub & Spoke as a gateway for Fishers-area students learning the building trades, which are in desperate need of trained employees.

“Hub & Spoke represents what could be a 21st century iteration of what we have come to realize are career centers within the state of Indiana,” said Dr. Bourff.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness was on hand.  He has strongly supported the Hub & Spoke concept from its inception, calling the path to this ground breaking “a long and winding road.”  The mayor said this project could only have happened as a result of a strong relationship between the city and the local school corporation.

Decker spoke to the assembled crowd, describing Hub & Spoke as “three different components of an ecosystem”

The three include a “Design Center,” a”Community Connect” co-working space and a “Maker Space.”

Decker talked about the Maker Space as “an innovation lab, community work shop, and an art studio, where we will teach hands-on experiential education to develop a skilled work force.”

In December of 2018, Samm Quinn of the Indianapolis Business Journal and myself talked to David Decker and Travis Tucker about their vision for Hub & Spoke.  You can listen to the podcast at this link.

Monday’s Fishers City Council Meeting featured two recognition ceremonies and new police officers being given the oath of office.

HSE High School head baseball coach Jeremy Sassanella introduced his state chamionship team to the council.

City employee Roger Ryker was honored for his retirement after 23 years of service to Fishers.

Finally, Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart administered the oath of office to 7 new uniformed officers.  The new officers are:

Dominique Smith

Kelsey Farrell

Ben Tate

Chase Edwards

Kyle Griffith

Colin Harruff

Cory Schaulbu

Thompson Thrift began with The Yard development near IKEA, and has expanded plans east with The Stations.  The Fishers City Council approved the project agreement with Thompson Thrift for The Stations development, but three council members voted no.

The vote was 5-3.  Councilman Todd Zimmerman was not at the Monday meeting.  David George, Brad DeReamer and Cecilia Coble voted no on the agreement.

George voiced concern about the drainage and trees, saying those items are driving the need for Tax Increment Financing (TIF) dollars.  There are ways to modify the plans, George said.

A representative of Thompson Thrift replied that the parking is very tight in that development and the plans reflect the underlying economic need for the plans as presented to the council.

The project calls for construction of a mixed-use building with office and retail, a commercial building, a hotel, and approximately 50 town homes on the site.  The project agreement approved by the council Monday means Thompson Thrift will be investing about $90 million in the entire development, including The Yard, the District and The Stations.

2013 was the first year that Fishers, then a town, was assessed an amount of money by Hamilton County to pay for 911 emergency services, as all of the county was consolidated into one 911 dispatch center.  Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness told the Fishers City Council Monday that the county has informed local officials Fishers will pay $1.7 million in 2020 for 911 service, $1 million more than 2013.

The mayor told council members there is a solution available to lift the financial burden on Fishers and other local units of Hamilton County government.  The County Option Income Tax (COIT) Council may, under state law, enact a .1% (one tenth of one percent) county income tax to pay for this service.

Fadness says this income tax increase would likely bring-in $16 million in 2020 county-wide, while the 911 service bill for the entire county is about $11 million a year.  The extra $5 million could be used to defray costs for electronic equipment installed in police vehicles, which is part of the dispatch system.

When Fishers buys a new police car, the vehicle itself may cost $28,000, but once all the electronic equipment is installed, the cost of the car goes up to about $45,000.  Fadness says once Fishers receives its share of the extra $5 million, that could defray some of those expenses.

In order to enact this tax, governments representing more than 50% of the county’s population most pass this tax increase by the end of October, that would then go into effect throughout Hamilton County in 2020.  Fadness says that if Fishers and Carmel both passed this resolution on the tax increase by the deadline, it would be enough to pass it in the entire county in 2020.

Fadness expects small communities in the northern part of the county to begin enacting this resolution.  Once that happens, the mayor says Fishers must vote on the measure.

Mayor Fadness supports passing a resolution increasing the county income tax.

“This would mean a fairly significant cost savings to the City of Fishers, probably to the tune of about $2 million a year, if this income tax were to be passed,” said Fadness.

The city is beginning to put together the 2020 city spending plan, and the mayor and his fiscal staff need to know whether this income tax resolution will pass, according to Fadness.

“This is very important to know which direction this is going for our budgeting purposes.  That’s a wild swing if that doesn’t come in,” the mayor says.

The Fishers City Council will likely consider the income tax increase resolution in August.  The law requires a public hearing before the measure is voted-on by the City Council.