This is the time of year Indiana cities are fashioning their 2017 spending plans.  Carmel and Fishers are in the final stages of that process, and there are stark differences in how it’s going in the neighboring cities.

Because we are three years away from the next city balloting in Indiana, if elected officials want to raise their own compensation, now is the time to do that.  Carmel and Fishers are doing some of that, but in different ways.

Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard is asking the city council to raise his pay by 40%, to $179,344.   Contrast that with Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness’ request that his salary remain the same, at $125,000 a year, even though most other Fishers city workers will see a 3% pay raise in 2017.

Fishers City Council members have not seen a salary increase since the early 1990s, going back to the days of the town council.  Their pay has been $12,000 annually for a very long time.  Council members decided to propose raising their pay by $7,000 a year to $19,000 in 2017.

Carmel council members are raising their annual pay by 28% next year to $22,167.

Fishers City Clerk Jennifer Kehl registered her objections to only getting a 3% pay raise next year during a City Council Finance Committee meeting, when council members are giving themselves a large pay increase.

Then there is the soap opera playing out in Carmel with their Clerk-Treasurer.  I can’t summarize that one…I recommend you read IBJ’s Lindsey Erdody’s story at this link.

IndyStar columnist Matt Tully is taking what he admits is an unpopular position that elected officials sometime deserve increases in their compensation.  You can read Mr. Tully’s comments at this link.

Keep in mind that as I write this piece, the budgets and salary ordinances are not yet final in Fishers or Carmel.  But there is one aspect of this that puzzles me.

On social media, every time I wrote a story about Fishers council members considering a pay raise for themselves, there would be blistering comments posted, very critical of the idea.  But when the council held a public hearing on the 2017 budget last month, one person spoke, and that person complimented the city.

Where were all the critics at the public hearing?  They were nowhere to be found.  The only conclusion I can draw is this:  people get very worked-up and brave online but do not wish to face council members if they are opposed to this pay hike.  That tells me some people are unhappy about the council pay raise, but not that unhappy.

The Hamilton County Highway Department issued a statement this morning that will delight many motorists around Fishers.  The statement below was issued the morning of Monday, October 3rd:

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106th St. will reopen by the end of business today between Allisonville Rd. and Hague Rd.

Mike Bottorff is now in his second campaign for Hamilton Southeastern School Board.  His first campaign was derailed by a career decision.  Here is my podcast conversation:

J. Kent Everett has never been a candidate for public office, but is running for the Hamilton Southeastern School Board from Fall Creek Township.  Here is my podcast conversation:

Howard Stevenson is a candidate from Fall Creek Township for Hamilton Southeastern School Board.  Here is my podcast conversation:

When Fishers made the decision to conduct a special partial census, it wasn’t just out of curiosity about how many people are now living in the city……it was expected to bring more revenue to Fishers for the remainder of this decade.  Based on figures released today, the City of Fishers has exceeded those expectations.

City Controller Oscar Giuterrez says federal census officials have the current updated population number for Fishers pegged at 87,887.  That is compared to the official 2010 census count of 76,794.

Giuterrez and his staff have number-crunched what this means for the city financially.  The census cost  $394,036.81, but the controller expects the revised census numbers to gain the city over $2.3 million now through the next regular census in 2020.  After the census expenses, that leaves the city with $1.9 million.

The city will gain $315,244.94 just through the remainder of this calendar year because of the revised population numbers.

The city council authorized the special census in August of 2015.  This was not a special census of the entire city.  Census workers concentrated measuring only the growing areas of the city, which greatly reduced the cost of conducting the population count.

When national organizations honor your local community, that can be a nice honor, even though the methodology may be a little murky.  But when you are honored by people in your own state, that is always extra special because people in your home state know you best .

The Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) is honoring Fishers as a Green Community of the Year.

The IACT news release with that announcement is reproduced below:

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The Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) announced that three Indiana cities have achieved 2016 IACT Green Community of the Year distinctions. The cities of Fishers, Westfield and Whiting will all receive their awards during the IACT Annual Awards Luncheon presented by Umbaugh, Oct. 5, at 11:30 a.m. during the 2016 IACT Annual Conference & Exhibition in French Lick.

IACT launched the Green Communities Initiative in 2008 in conjunction with Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., to identify potential cost savings to communities facing budget shortfalls, promote economically competitive quality of life concepts, and ultimately serve as role models for citizens while better protecting our environment. The initiative will expand educational opportunities for municipalities and create a consolidated clearinghouse of data and programs that can be accessed by municipalities.

“The IACT Green Communities program is a fantastic way for cities and towns to showcase their hard work and commitment to smart, efficient practices. The survey required is extremely comprehensive, lending credibility and prestige to the Green Community designation.” said IACT Executive Director and CEO Matt Greller. “The fact that Fishers, Westfield and Whiting have all earned this designation in previous years is evidence of a true commitment to green practices that improve the quality of life for their residents,” Greller continued.

Representatives from participating cities had to fill out a 51-question survey in the areas of purchasing, operations, measuring success, and sample projects. Not only did Fishers, Westfield and Whiting meet the minimum score required to be a Green Community, they earned the highest score in their population category to become a 2016 IACT Green  Community of the Year.

2016 IACT Green Community of the Year Award Winners:

Fishers (50,000+)

Westfield (10,000 – 50,000)

Whiting (under 10,000)

2016 IACT Green Community Designation Recipients:

Fishers, Union City, Westfield, Whiting

The IACT Annual Conference and Exhibition is open to media who may attend the Awards Luncheon, opening and closing business sessions. Please request a media credential at the IACT registration desk in the French Lick Springs Hotel and Conference Center. Media must be credentialed before entering conference events.

The Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) is a coalition of municipal officials who seek to improve the quality of life in Indiana through effective government, and is a member of the National League of Cities. Founded in 1891, IACT is one of the oldest state municipal organizations in the country, with 470 cities and towns as members. IACT advocates for municipalities as the official voice of municipal government in Indiana, and promotes good government through education, training and leadership.

There may be a nip in the air as we move into the fall season, but road construction projects will continue around Fishers.  Here’s the schedule for Fishers road work during the work week starting Monday, October 3rd, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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ALLISONVILLE ROAD

Weather permitting, short term lane restrictions will be in place on Allisonville Road between 106th Street and Eller Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please use caution when traveling in the area.

CYNTHEANNE ROAD

Road work continues on Cyntheanne Road between Southeastern Parkway and 136th Street, during construction periodic lane restrictions and flaggers will remain in place to help direct traffic.

EXIT FIVE PARKWAY

Exit Five Parkway closed on Tuesday, September 6 to reconstruct the road as part of the 116th Street widening project. The road remains closed to all traffic. Trucks needing to deliver to businesses will need to go up to Cumberland Road to Exit Five Parkway and come in from the north. The road will be closed for approximately two months, and a detour map is available online.

I-69 AND CAMPUS PARKWAY

Milestone Contractors has begun mobilizing cranes and other equipment and setting a temporary concrete barrier wall along I-69 at Campus Parkway Exit 210. Work will require alternating lane closures on northbound and southbound I-69 between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Lane closures may recur each night through the end of the week depending on weather and progress. Questions about this project should be directed to INDOT at eastcentralin@indot.in.gov or 1-855-463-6848.

I-69 TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS

INDOT is overseeing an overnight closure on multiple traffic lanes on I-69 overnight this week. Weather permitting, lane closures, traffic changes and rolling slowdowns of traffic will begin after 9 p.m. and are expected to end before 6 a.m. the next day. Construction schedules and traffic restrictions are subject to change, and questions should be directed to INDOT at indot.carsprogram.org, 1-800-261-ROAD (7623) or 511 from a mobile phone. Please drive with caution as a new traffic pattern is in place.

106^th STREET & CUMBERLAND ROAD ROUNDABOUT

Cumberland Road from 106th Street to Mud Creek is closed as Phase 1 of a new roundabout begins. 106th Street will remain open and Cumberland Road north of 106th Street will remain open at this time. The Cumberland Road south of 106th street is closed. Please continue to check the weekly construction update for ongoing progress on this project.

106th STREET INTERCHANGE

INDOT has begun work on the 106th Street interchange. A lane shift is currently in place on I-69 and 106th Street is closed as construction continues. Additional details about this project will be released through INDOT and shared on the weekly construction update. Please be advised the speed limit from 82nd Street to 116th Street has been reduced to 55 mph and there are lane shifts on I-69. Please travel with caution and pay close attention to signage in the area.

116th STREET

There may be short-term lane restrictions on eastbound 116th Street between USA Parkway and Exit Five Parkway while utility work is being completed.

126^th STREET

Temporary lane restrictions will be in place on eastbound 126^th Street near Pennington Road for curb work on Wednesday, October 5^th and Thursday, October 6^th. Please travel with caution to help ensure crews are safe while work is completed.

It is not often that a city says goodbye to a local police chief that has been a local law enforcement officer for 38 years, but Fishers did just that Thursday afternoon and ushered in a new chief of police.

Mitch Thompson now takes over the reins of the Fishers Police Department as long-time Chief George Kehl heads into retirement.  Thompson told the large crowd on hand for the swearing-in ceremony, “there is no replacing George Kehl.”

Thompson said Kehl “has set the foundation for a future of success for this agency.”

“We have a tremendous group of men and women in this agency,” Thompson said.  He also told the crowd he and his officers share in Mayor Scott Fadness’ vision of a growing city.

Mayor Scott Fadness announced at the Thursday ceremony that the new police headquarters building, to be built across the street from the current facility, will be named after retiring Chief George Kehl.

“For the next 30 to 40 years, the police officers that will call (the new headquarters) home will understand clearly what the foundation is that Chief Kehl built,” said Mayor Fadness.

Just part of the large crowd on hand in front of the Fishers Police Headquarters watching the ceremony

When Fishers established the Nickel Plate District building code standards, I recall that meeting.  The idea was to have a downtown with a different feel and atmosphere.

The Nickel Plate Review Committee is charged with looking at plans for the downtown area encompassing the Nickel Plate District.  On September 28th, the committee reviewed plans from Four Day Ray, a local micro-brewery and restaurant, set to open in about two weeks in the Nickel Plate District.

Normally, the committee reviews architectural designs and renderings.  At the September 28th session, the panel was asked to consider a mural already constructed on the building.

The mural shows a picture that is placed on the beer cans of Laplander Blonde.  Some comments received by the public were positive, but some questioned whether the Laplander Blonde picture is better suited for a beer can than a mural on the south end of the Four Day Ray Building, facing the parking lot.

The attorney for Four Day Ray told the committee members his client will remove the Nickel Plate District logo on the picture, but plans to keep the mural on the building.  In the end, the Nickel Plate Review Committee voted unanimously to keep the mural as long the the Nickel Plate District logo is removed.

In other actions, the committee reviewed design plans for the North  of North project parking garage and approved plans for insurance agent Scott Rhodes to place signage at an existing home located at 11393 Lantern Road to relocate his office.