Road work in and around Fishers is picking up steam, even if spring weather isn’t exactly here yet.  Look for more lane restrictions, closures and other work planned for the work week beginning March 20.

Here is the full listing, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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You may recall that the Kroger Store near 116th Street and Allisonville Road was planning to move across Allisonville Road to a shopping center that once housed a Marsh grocery, but Kroger decided to shelve those plans at the time.  Now, a new study indicates Kroger may be willing to move across Allisonville Road after all.

John Tuohy of the Indianapolis Star posted a story on the IndyStar Web site (link here) Friday citing a study by a consultant hired by the city to study development along the Allisonville Road corridor in Fishers (read the entire report here).

The City Council is scheduled to discuss the report at a 6:30pm work session Monday night prior to the regular council session.

Tuohy’s story says any redevelopment recommendation “is contingent on Kroger shutting down its store at 7272 Fishers Crossing Drive and moving across the street to the site of a former Marsh grocery at Fishers Station.”  The report says Kroger has notified the city of its intention to move.

If Kroger moves, the current location could be transformed into a gathering place for the local community, according to this study.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness told reporter Tuohy the report is part of a longer term vision.

“We asked HWC to put different options out there,” he said. “But we would have to roll up our sleeves and get to work. Nothing is imminent on that end,” the mayor told the Star.

WTHR News reports that there are parents, and now school officials, concerned about an Instagram account posting “rumors and claims about Fishers High School students.”  No names are attached to the account, but school officials are working to find the person or persons behind the account.

For more on the WTHR story, use this link.

A Fishers man is under arrest following an investigation by the Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force.

Nathaniel Cornelius, 40, was taken into custody Wednesday facing 7 counts related to possession of child pornography.  The investigation began with a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Authorities say digital evidence was collected from Cornelius’ home and child sex abuse material was located on a computer. Cornelius is currently being held on a $100,000 bond at the Hamilton County Jail.

The Task Force, headquartered in the Fisher’s Police Department, consists of detectives from Westfield, Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s office. The task force focuses on internet crimes against children and investigates child exploitation cases in Hamilton, Hancock, Madison, and Tipton counties.

Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School board members have held several discussions this year about the expiration of the current operating referendum that goes away at the end of calendar year 2023, but now board members are expressing their views.  The consensus building among the 7 board members is to place on the November general election ballot a continuation of the current operating referendum property tax rate of .2275, which generates roughly $26 million per year for the local school district.

At a meeting of the Referendum Committee Wednesday morning, board member Suzanne Thomas expressed support of keeping the referendum rate the same when placed before voters.  She expressed the same view at a Wednesday evening work session with the entire board.

Ben Orr said he supports placing the current referendum rate before voters, because he cannot see a way to eliminate or cut the referendum rate without losing teaching positions.

Juanita Albright cited the activities and classes her own children are taking and voiced strong support for placing the current operating referendum rate on the ballot.

Board President Dawn Lang argued that a strong school system results in a demand for housing in the community and impacts property values.  She says it is important to support the school district through the referendum vote.

That indicates a majority of board members support placing a measure on the November ballot asking voters to continue the current operating referendum rate.

The board will be asked for a referendum consensus at the March 22 meeting to continue the process of placing the referendum question before voters.  A final vote is expected in June with the precise referendum ballot rate & language, which must by approved by the state.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools generate roughly $26 million in annual revenue through a referendum property tax rate approved by voters in 2016.  That referendum is set to expire at the end of 2023.  The questions before the school board include – whether to request that voters approve the same .2275 rate, a lower rate or some other language on the November ballot.

Wednesday morning, a Referendum Committee composed of 3 board members, top administrators and some involved in the 2016 referendum process gathered to look at the referendum options before the board.

HSE Schools Chief Financial Officer Katy Dowling told the committee she does not feel an increase in the referendum rate is needed as things stand now., and she does not feel she can weigh-in on decreasing the rate until the 2-year state budget is approved by the General Assembly in April.  For example, there is a proposal in the legislature to remove book fees, including some technology, that would cost HSE Schools about $8.4 million, with the state not providing any funding for local school districts.

Administrators are asking the board for a consensus on how to move forward with referendum plans at the regular March 22nd board session.  A final vote by the board on any referendum rate is expected sometime in June.

Once a final vote is taken by the board on a referendum rate, special rules take effect for school employees, except a handful of top administrators.  During work hours, most school employees would not be allowed to advocate for or against a referendum vote, but could provide information about the referendum if asked a specific question.

Any referendum rate vote by the school board would be submitted to the County Auditor’s office, then to the state for a review of the precise language appearing on the ballot.

Dowling told the committee school staff will create a budget task force to determine what spending reductions would be required if a referendum does not pass.  The process of coming up with that plan takes 3-4 months.

The school board has scheduled a work session Wednesday evening to ask questions about the referendum and will also discuss student handbooks.

A First Grade Teacher, Audrey Lash, at New Britton Elementary, is the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year for the Hamilton Southeastern Schools.  Mrs. Lash took time out of her busy day to join me in a podcast, which is linked below.

The City of Fishers is starting the process of using the Barrett Law to improve a section of deteriorating roads owned privately.  The Barrett Law finances improvement, resurfacing or reconstruction of a roadway, paid for by property owners located along the roads.

There are two areas covered in the resolutions enacted by the Board of Public Works and Safety Tuesday morning.  One is just west of State Road 37, between 141st and 135th Streets.  The other area is just east of State Road 37, between 141st & 126th Streets.

City Engineering Department Director Jason Taylor says this is the preliminary step in the Barrett Law process with a public hearing part of the next step.  Property owners along these roadways have been contacted in the past 6-9 months and Taylor described the feedback as generally positive.  These are commercial, not residential roads.  The commercially owned private roads are being targeted first, according to Taylor.

Once the Barrett Law work is completed, these roads will then become the city’s responsibility to maintain.

The Barrett Law financed cost of the road work is estimated to be $2 million for the project west of State Road 37 and $1 million for the east side work.

A group of Girl Scouts in the HSE Schools is advocating for Foster Families and has taken that cause to members of the Indiana General Assembly.  Makenna Kenworthy, Grace Link, Sophie Holladay, and Katie Bergman have spent time at the Statehouse lobbying lawmakers to allow Foster Families to have free admission to Indiana State Parks and The Children’s Museum.

The legislation (SB151) is being sponsored by local State Senator Kyle Walker.  As part of the project, The girls collected data and surveyed several Foster Care families across the state and presented their findings.

Three members of Troop #1937 spoke before the Hamilton Southeastern School Board as a Snapshot of Success during last Wednesday’s regular school board meeting.

I first became aware of the Students In Action (SIA) group at Fishers High School when a student of that group at FHS, Casey Alexander, provided help for me in producing school board candidate podcasts in 2020 and 2022.  I received an e-mail a few weeks ago from SIA saying I had been nominated for a Jefferson Award, a high honor for people and organizations contributing to their local communities through volunteer work.

It was a great surprise to me.  I never imagined my little local news blog being up for such a high honor.

Friday night SIA had their inaugural gala at Conner Prairie.  It was a celebration and fund-raising event for their upcoming Day of Service.  I have covered a number of events like this gala and give the SIA students high marks for putting on a first class event.

I am humbled to have shared the stage with so many local people that have made a difference in our local community – Kit Malone of the Indiana ACLU, FHS Teacher Tammy Snyder, student Sam Wain, Women & Hi Tech and the Heart & Soul clinic.  Each one had an important story to tell.

But I want to highlight Jefferson Award Winner Mike Fassold, a military veteran that spent the last 26 years in his second career as a teacher at Fishers Junior High School.  Mike has taken a group of students on the FJHS We The People team to the national finals year after year, winning a number of national titles.  We the People is a competition all about civic knowledge.

Mike has molded his We The People students into future citizens that will be aware of their local civic duty wherever they may live as adults.  That is no small accomplishment.

But Mike was very kind to me, complimenting the work I have done on this news blog.  I guess we are part of a mutual admiration society.

Mike is in has last semester of teaching as he transitions into retirement.  Knowing Mike as I do, he will find something important to do in retirement.

Friday night was an evening I will always remember.  A Jefferson Award is something I never imagined achieving.  My thanks to SIA and those nominating me for this honor.  I accept it with a great deal of humility and respect.