My Disability Awareness Month mini-podcasts continue – here is Episode 9

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Basketball fans interested in watching the upcoming regional game between Carmel and Fort Wayne Homestead will find it telecast live online by HCTV starting at noon Saturday. Carmel, winner of the Noblesville Sectional, advances to the Logansport Regional where Zionsville plays Fort Wayne North Side in the first game at 10 a.m. Winners of the two daytime games play Saturday evening for a trip to the Semistate.

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No firm date has yet been established for the Indiana Transportation Museum’s departure from Forest Park. Noblesville city officials want the museum’s train cars and equipment out by June 1 of this year. ITM says it can’t get everything out and cleaned up until June of 2019. Negotiations are proceeding with no date firmly set. The city did not renew the museum’s lease on their site in the park which expired on March 1.

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Some Indianapolis political leaders are suggesting they need a “commuter tax” on residents of Hamilton County and other nearby counties who work in the city in order to repair and maintain Marion County streets. City streets deteriorated badly this winter. Such a tax would require action by state legislators who say there will likely be no action on the tax in the current legislative session. There has been little to no discussion on taxing the 15,000 Marion County residents who commute to work in Hamilton County each day.

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Noblesville Main Street director Chris Owens has resigned. A search is underway for a new director. Main Street, which promotes downtown business, sponsors a number of programs especially in summer months including the popular Street Dance, Jazz on the Square, an annual chili cook-off and a major art exhibit.

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A hearing has been postponed to March 29 on a lawsuit filed by Hamilton County Council candidate Rick Sharp seeking to restrain County Commissioners from enforcing a new ordinance against signs in county right-of-way. Sharp claims the ordinance was passed last month to exclude candidates from exercising their right to freely appeal for consideration by voters. Court Magistrate Will Greenaway agreed to postpone a March 5 hearing to the 29th.

My mini-podcast series on Disability Awareness Month Continues – Here is Episode 8

A national movement is forming, calling for students to walk-out of their classes March 14th for 17 minutes, in memory of the 17 student victims in Parkland, Florida.  The question that everyone is asking is this – will students be disciplined for participating in such a walkout?

Based on a letter addressed to HSE Students, parents, staff and community members from School Superintendent Allen Bourff, Hamilton Southeastern School District administrators reserve the right to discipline students choosing to participate in the walk-out planned for 10am March 14th.

“Students have a constitutional right to free speech and expression,” Dr, Bourff wrote in his message, “but those rights do not extend to the creation of a substantial disruption to the learning environment, which could occur in the event of a walkout.”

Bourff suggests other ways students can express themselves, such as 17-minutes of silence, writing letters to elected officials, or taking part in a social media movement prompting students to “Walk Up Not Out,” which involves supporting peers and school staff.

It appears HSE Schools are taking a different approach than at least two other nearby county school districts.

According to a story in the March 7th edition of the Hamilton County Reporter, Carmel Schools will allow their students to participate in this demonstration without
repercussion, according to district spokeswoman Courtney Taylor.  Westfield
Washington Schools will allow their students to participate in an “awareness walk.”

If you are wondering whether your student will be disciplined for participating in any walkout or protest March 14th, it appears administrators do have some leeway in deciding whether to impose penalties.

Below is a listing of the questions and answers included in Dr. Bourff’s message:

What if students wear armbands, t-shirts or other expressive clothing? What if they carry signs, banners?
Students may express political views that are not disruptive to the school setting. The student handbook contains more detailed guidance.

Will students be penalized if they exercise their right to freedom of speech?
Our students have the right to free speech and expression, but those rights do not extend to the creation of a substantial disruption to the learning environment. We encourage students to exercise their right of free speech in ways that will not disrupt the education of others.

Will students receive disciplinary consequences for walking out or violating any provisions of the student handbook? For example:

·      What if students plan to congregate inside of the school for a portion of the day, sometimes referred to as a walk-in or sit-in?

·      Will students have to leave the premises if they protest by leaving class?

·      What if students do not show up to class or arrive late as a protest?

·      Will students who walk out of the school/class be excused?

According to the student handbook, students are expected to be in their assigned areas during instructional time. Students who choose to leave class or school violate this policy. The consequence for being out of an assigned area, according to the student handbook, generally involves a disciplinary response. Administrators always talk to students who violate school policies, and administrators take into account extenuating circumstances before assigning consequences. HSE Schools sees disciplinary consequences as an opportunity to teach and not as a punitive experience.

How safe will students be if there is a walkout?
We will maintain our normal safety and security protocols.

May I protest with my child at school?
For the safety and security of our students, adults will not be allowed to protest on school property.

Will teachers continue to teach if students walk out?
Yes. Absent students will be required to make up any missed work.

What will happen if I call my son or daughter out of school on March 14 and bring them back after the protest is over?
Parents may follow the regular procedures for calling students out of school and re-entry into school. Delays may occur based on the volume of call-ins.

Are students allowed to pass out flyers about a protest event?
Students must follow the normal procedures for posting informational flyers, posters, etc.; however, schools must remain politically neutral.

After a flurry of public comments from residents on one specific area, Fishers Plan Commission members voted unanimously to postpone a decision on adding Greenway overlay areas in some Geist neighborhoods.

City Planning Department staff assured the residents that language in the Greenway proposal would not require individual land owners with homes in the proposed Greenway to add a walking path along their property lines when improving their property.  A total of 13 residents spoke during the public hearing, arguing that the language in the proposal was so vague they feared that installing a walking path on their property could be required if they choose to improve their home or add a barn to their property.

City staff said the language is aimed at requiring subdivision developers to build such walking paths when the development is built-out, in line with the city’s long-range comprehensive plan.

Commission members instructed staff in the city’s Planning Department to look at language that is more precise in order to ease the concerns of the residents.

The Plan Commission is expected to take the matter up again at it’s April 11th meeting.

Hamilton County Reporter

The Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) certified Hamilton County’s 2018 budget order and tax rates on Feb. 14, paving the way for on-time property tax bills. The budget certification puts the county in a position to have taxes due on Thursday, May 10.

“The certification of the budget order allows local governments to better plan for their operations for 2018 based on the approved budget and anticipated revenue figures. In addition, the certification of the budget order and tax rates sets the stage for on-time property tax bills, which is important for the predictable administration of the property tax system,” DLGF Commissioner Wesley R. Bennett said. “A tremendous amount of collaboration between local and state officials is required to ensure property tax bills go out on time, and it is rewarding to see all the efforts pay off.”

The first step in the assessment to tax billing process is the completion of the property assessments, which culminates with the submission of a ratio study. A ratio study is a comparison between property sales prices and assessed values in the county to ensure that market values are being used to determine assessed values. Typically, these should be submitted to the state by March 1 and approved shortly thereafter in the year prior to tax billing. Hamilton County’s ratio study was submitted on March 9, 2017.

Once the DLGF approves the ratio study, the assessor sends the gross assessed values to the county auditor, who applies exemptions, deductions, or abatements to determine the net assessed values – the values upon which tax rates are based. That information was statutorily due to the DLGF by Aug. 1, 2017. Hamilton County’s certified net assessed values were submitted on Aug. 10, 2017.

Now that the 2018 budget has been certified by the DLGF, the next steps are handled at the county level. The county auditor is to calculate tax bills, which the county treasurer should mail to taxpayers no later than Friday, April 13.

A copy of the Hamilton County budget is available at this link.

March is Disability Awareness Month, and here is episode 7 in my mini-podcast series…

Spring is a time when the weather begins to warm and Fishers residents began to get their homes and yards into shape for the summer.  It’s also a time to inventory your electronics that are no longer useful and papers than need to be securely destroyed.

Fishers is once again sponsoring Keep Fishers Beautiful, an annual mid-April Saturday to get some of those chores done, and much more.

Ritchey Woods and neighborhood groups are also a big part of that day, set this year for Saturday, April 14th 830am – noon.

If you need more information, would like to get your neighborhood involved or would like to volunteer yourself, the details are available at this link.

March is Disability Awareness Month, and here is my 6th in a series of mini-podcasts with people telling their own personal stories

When roughly 90 people gathered to begin planning the Spark!Fishers summer festival, one group began working on a new logo for the event.  The planning committee released the logo Monday morning (shown above).

A city news release says the logo showcases a traditional typeface while injecting fresh colors and a modern style into design element.

“While brainstorming our vision for Spark!Fishers, it became clear that we sought to illustrate how Fishers’ history has propelled us toward the future and innovation,” according to Spark!Fishers PR Committee Co-Chair and local business owner, Jocelyn Vare.

The Spark!Fishers organization is taking applications for vendors and parade units through March 30th.  You can get more information at this link.

“Spark!Fishers is truly a community-led event, from start to finish,” says PR Committee Co-Chair and Nickel Plate District business leader, Erik Braden. “Whether through entertainment, sponsorships, the parade, or volunteerism, there are countless ways for the community to get involved and contribute to the creation of the inaugural event.”

The Spark!Fishers Festival was organized following the decision by the Fishers Freedom Festival organization not to sponsor the event in 2018 after the city decided to fund other nonprofit organizations instead of financially supporting the Freedom Festival.  The Fishers Freedom Festival has been held the weekend prior to July 4th since 1989.  The Spark!Fishers event is scheduled for Friday, June 29th and Saturday, June 30th, 2018.