It’s Sunday evening as I write this, so here are a few notes from the news in Fishers during the last week or so…..

–The first general election for regular four-year terms in Fishers city offices has now been completed.  The same officials that won one-year terms last year in the transition from a town to a city will remain in office for their full four-year terms beginning in 2016, with the exception of City Councilman Stuart Easley, who lost to Brad DeReamer in the May Republican primary election. The only Democrat running was council at-large candidate Greg Purvis, who received 2,057 votes, 1,116 votes short of winning a council seat.  Purvis recieved 16.6% of the vote in a four-way race.  The three GOP winning candidates garnered roughly 26%-28% of the ballots cast.  I wrote this week that it is unknown whether Purvis’ vote count will be sufficient to encourage Democrats to attract candidates in future city elections.  Some had written to me wondering why I’m so concerned about Democrats in Fishers.  I’m not as concerned about Democrats or Republicans, but more concerned that voters in Fishers have some choice when the next general election season comes around in four years.

–Fishers is already gearing up for the day after Black Friday, known as the Local Saturday of shopping, just after Thanksgiving.  You can read more about it at this link.

–The City of Fishers Department of Public Works has a new plan to help the families of deployed members of the armed forces.  Department employees will be clearing snow and handling yard work for these families.  More information is available at this link.

–Launch Fishers was presented an award honoring the FailFest, which was a day long conference on how entrepreneurs can learn from their failures.  You can learn more about this award at this iink.

–Look for Mayor Scott Fadness to announce his plan to implement a mental health program soon.  The mayor formed a task force on mental health issues in Fishers shortly after assuming office early this year.  Representatives from public safety, a local hospital, the local school system and many others with an interest or expertise in this issue have been involved in formulating the plan to be announced anytime.

More news about Fishers is likely on the way, between now and the end of the year.

The list for road work around the City of Fishers features lane restrictions in a number of important areas.  Below is the list of projects scheduled for the work week beginning Monday, November 9th, as provided by city officials….

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LANTERN AND COMMERCIAL INTERSECTION

Lantern Road between 116^th Street and Commercial Drive will have lane restrictions for the remainder of November.

MUNICIPAL DRIVE

Municipal Drive between 116^th Street and Commercial Drive will have lane restrictions for the remainder of November.

NORTH STREET/MAPLE STREET

Parking lane restrictions will be in place along the intersection of North Street and Maple Street.

104^TH STREET

Shoulder work continues the week of Nov. 9th along 104^th Street west of Cyntheanne Road. While lane restrictions will be lifted, motorists are encouraged to drive with caution while shoulder work continues.

116^TH STREET

Lane restrictions will continue the week of Nov. 9th along westbound 116^th Street from Holland to Cameron for fence replacement. Motorists are encouraged to use caution while approaching lane restrictions and construction crews.

126^TH STREET

Restrictions have been lifted along 126^th Street east of Cyntheanne Road, but drivers are encouraged to use caution in the area as shoulder work continues. This project is taking place in preparation for the new subdivision being constructed.

The numbers are in and Republicans will continue to hold all Fishers City offices for the next four years.  There was only one contested race in the general election.  All three Republican incumbents were winners.  The lone Democrat in the at-large council race, Greg Purvis, received 2,057 votes, or just under 17%.

For the winning Republican at-large slate….Todd Zimmerman tallied 3,495 votes (28.32%), Cecilia Coble garnered 3573 votes (28.95%) & Rich Block received 3,218 (26.07%).

That means Zimmerman, Coble & Block will begin four-year council terms in 2016.  All three incumbents are serving one-year terms due to Fishers’ transition from a town to a city.  All other city office candidates were unopposed, all are Republicans.  That includes Mayor Scott Fadness.

It should be noted that Greg Purvis had a better showing than many expected.  Whether that translates into more Democrat candidates for city offices in Fishers four years from now is an open question.

Mayor Scott Fadness plans to ask the Fishers City Council to approve a short term borrowing plan aimed at keeping tax rates stable while funding street maintenance projects. Fadness told the Fishers City Council Finance Committee this proposal is the equivalent of dipping into future tax revenues now.  The first request will come in the form of a recommendation to the council to approve a $1 million general obligation bond, which would be paid back within a year.  A measure to issue the bond, along with a public hearing, will occur at a future Fishers City Council meeting.

“What we’ve done here, I think, is a creative way to start layering-on these routine maintenance costs, while maintaining the tax rate as flat,” Fadness told the Finance Committee.

The mayor said impact fees paid by developers to the city, under state law, may only be used to build new roads or add lanes to old ones.  Fadness added that the city will need to wean itself off impact fees in the future as growth begins to slow.

The mayor indicated this tactic may be utilized each year to fund needed road and street maintenance if the rules set by the state continue unchanged.

Tuesday, November 3rd is election day in many municipalities around the state of Indiana, including Fishers.  The Indianapolis Star and the Indianapolis Business Journal have featured stories of late about the apparent apathy among the electorate in the southern Hamilton County suburban cities.  The mayors all are safe in their jobs for new 4-year terms.  Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness had no opponent in the GOP primary last May and is unopposed in the general election.

We have only one contested election in Fishers this time around.  There is one Democrat, Greg Purvis, challenging the three at-large city council incumbent Republicans…Todd Zimmerman, Rich Block and Cecilia Coble.  When it was finalized that Purvis’ candidacy would require a general election in all of Fishers, I heard a few grumblings around town about how the city would have to shoulder the expense of an election due to the filing of just one candidate in Purvis.

I disagree with that view.  Having at least one contest in the general election gives local voters an opportunity to choose a different candidate.  Democrats have not done well in Fishers elections, which may account for the party’s lack of candidates.  But allowing voters a choice is the right thing to do.  If Purvis draws enough votes, there could be more Democrats running for office in Fishers four years from now.  If Purvis’ showing is not encouraging, Democrats will be hard-pressed to find candidates next time around.

You do have a choice on November 3rd.  It just takes a few minutes in most cases to cast your ballot.  If you are a registered voter and live in Fishers, there are no excuses.  Vote!

Summer may be a distant memory at this time of year, but there are still a few road projects ongoing in the City of Fishers.  Below is a listing from the city, for the work week beginning Monday, November 2nd

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LANTERN AND COMMERCIAL INTERSECTION

Lantern Road north of North Street will be closed until Tuesday, Nov. 3rd in order to complete crosswalks.

104^TH STREET

Shoulder work continues the week of Nov. 2nd along 104^th Street west of Cyntheanne Road. While lane restrictions will be lifted, motorists are encouraged to drive with caution while shoulder work continues.

116^TH STREET

• Lane restrictions will continue the week of Nov. 2nd along westbound 116^thStreet from Holland to Cameron for fence replacement. Motorists are encouraged to use caution while approaching lane restrictions and construction crews.

• 116^th Street will have lane restrictions at Lantern Road as sidewalks are being poured.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board received a sobering presentation on how changes in the ISTEP testing regime could impact how many students pass and fail the state mandated tests.  Assistant Superintendent Jan Combs told board members If the HSE schools see a drop in test scores as projected for the entire state, it could have a major impact on the local school system.

Dr. Combs described the revised state tests as much different than previous tests, and more rigorous.  She also told the board these standards are not yet final.

Combs emphasized that HSE may not see the same drop as expected state-wide.  For example, 8th Grade Math tests could result in 29% fewer students passing the test, based on equivalent state projections.  You can view Dr. Combs presentation to the school board at this link.

Also at the Monday night session,  board members gave final approval to the calendar year 2016 budget totaling more than $210 million.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness says the closure of 116th Street at the downtown railroad tracks for over four days appears to have gone smoothly.  The mayor did not receive one e-mail from the public complaining about the closure.  He credits his engineering and public relations staffs for establishing the detours and keeping the citizens informed.  Fadness made the remarks at the regular Fishers City Board and Public Works and Safety meeting.

In other news at today’s Board of Works session:

–The board approved an engineering contract to start the process of installing pedestrian improvements along 116th Street from I-69 to Allisonville Road.  The $81,000 to pay for this contract is being funded 90% with federal money, with the city responsible for $8,100.  The actual work is scheduled to be bid in the summer of 2018.

–The fire department will receive two new fire engines, with the cost totaling $855,600.  They will replace two aging pieces of firefighting equipment, one 22 years old, the other 24 years.  The new equipment should arrive in 6-9 months.

On the front page of the Indianapolis Star print edition Monday, October 26th, Chris Sikich has a lengthy piece about how the largest cities in Hamilton County have little or no political opposition.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness is part of the piece.  He argues that Fishers cannot just stand still and expect our neighborhoods and quality of life to remain as it is.

Here’s one of the key quotes from Fadness contained in the Star piece, answering critics that he is moving too fast on development:

“I believe if we don’t do anything it is the surest way that their ideal environment they are living in goes away,” Fadness said. “I can guarantee you if we do nothing, 10 years from now the neighborhood you love so much won’t be the same neighborhood.”

Sikich discusses the mayors in Fishers, Carmel, Westfield or Noblesville.  They are all Republicans.  Democrats have never won a political race in any of those cities.  Fadness has no opposition in the November election.  Sikich also points out that no Hamilton County incumbent mayor has lost a race in over a decade.

Sikich also points out that incumbent mayors have plenty of campaign cash, while recent challengers in the Republican primaries have had much less money to spend on their campaigns.

If you are not a Star subscriber, you might want to buy a copy of the October 26th edition just to read this story.