Hamilton County Reporter

Jason Sloderbeck announced Tuesday he is ending his campaign for Hamilton County Sheriff. Below is Sloderbeck’s statement on his decision to drop out of the race:

“After much consideration and conversations with my family, I have decided to not continue my run for Hamilton County Sheriff. I want to thank everyone who supported my efforts; however, I feel I am best suited to serve the residents of Hamilton County in the position I am currently in as jail commander. I am looking forward to working with our future sheriff to keep Hamilton County moving in the right direction.”

Todd Zimmerman took the gavel Tuesday night to run the Fishers City Council meeting for the first time as council president.  Zimmerman was elected unanimously by his fellow council members to be council president during 2018.  Councilor Rich Block was unanimously elected to serve as council vice president for the coming year.

In other council business:

–Appointments to boards and commissioners were approved.  You can view the entire list at this link.

–A voluntary annexation for property at 136th Street and Brooks School Road received council approval…this is part of the planned new complex for iTown Church.

–An Agency Fund was adopted for the Parks Department, which will allow private vendors to be paid more quickly.  For more details, use the link.

The Fishers City Council unanimously changed the local code to treat vaping the same as using tobacco products on city property, essentially banning it unless city officials choose to designate an area for vaping & smoking at specific events.

Fishers City Parks and Recreation Director Tony Elliot told council members this change will bring city ordinances in line with rules already in place by the Hamilton Southeastern School District.

Council President Todd Zimmerman allowed the public to comment on the proposal before the vote, and there were two people choosing to speak.

A vaping shop owner expressed his concern about vaping being lumped in with tobacco products.  He argued many of his customers have used vaping as a way to quit tobacco-related products like cigarettes.

A second speaker, identifying herself as a representative of Smoke Free Hamilton County, expressed support for the new vaping rules.  She was concerned about the spread of vaping in local schools.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film Phantom Thread – here’s my review

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness is developing a document on the fiscal impact of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and revealed the first draft to the City Council Finance Committee January 10th.  The mayor hired Policy Analytics, a research and analysis firm located in downtown Indianapolis, to crunch the numbers.

Here are a few of the findings contained in that report:

–TIF districts generate $576,000 per year for the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District because property tax increases authorized by referendum are collected within a TIF district.

–Fishers TIF districts impact five-tenths of one per cent (0.5%) of the HSE School District budget annually, because 80%-90% of the HSE annual budget is provided by the state, not local property taxes, as a result of the 2008 property tax reform legislation enacted by the General Assembly.

–TIF districts have generated $47 million in public infrastructure projects, such as sewers, roads, storm water work and public parking garages.

–TIF districts in Fishers have generated 5.200 new jobs within the city.

–TIF districts in Fishers have resulted in $380 million in private sector development.

The report provides numbers on how tax rolls would have been impacted had the development come without the TIF incentives.  For example, HSE Schools would have received $1.1 million annually more if all the development had happened without TIF.

Finance Committee members John Weingardt and Eric Moeller, along with Mayor Fadness, said at the Finance Committee meeting that the development would not have happened without TIF.

Weingardt said he “100% believes” none of this development would have happened in Fishers without the TIF incentive.

Fadness said there was no development like this for 20 years and did not begin to happen until TIF incentives were used.

When the city’s growth years are over, Fadness says a future mayor will have a billion dollars in new assessed valuation of property to cushion the end of massive growth when the TIFs begin to expire.

Tax Increment Financing is a complex system that generally allows property taxes generated by the underlying property to be used for paying off debt to build part or all of the property.

The City Council Finance Committee will present these findings to the full council, possibly in February, for consideration of a resolution.  Fadness plans to present a resolution to the HSE School Board.  Both resolutions are not to agree or disagree with the city’s use of TIFs, Fadness says, but would serve to provide a statement that the numbers presented are correct.

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers dropped a 45-39 Hoosier Crossroads Conference game to Brownsburg on Saturday at the Tiger Den.

It was a back and forth game, with Fishers leading 10-7 after the first quarter
and the Bulldogs up 21-14 at halftime. The Tigers were within 29-27 after three periods,
but Brownsburg pulled away in the fourth.

Tamia Perryman had a perfect night, making all seven of her field goal attempts
for 14 points. Skylar Fulton drained three 3-pointers, also scoring 14 points. The two
were also the leading rebounders, with Perryman getting six boards and Fulton
collecting five.

Fishers is now 1-4 in the HCC and 10-9 overall. The Tigers are back home on
Tuesday to host Class 4A No. 1 Carmel.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern took control in the middle quarters to beat Anderson 76-60
in a Saturday home game.

The first period finished in a 13-13 tie, but the Class 4A No. 7 Royals poured in 22
points in the second quarter to take a 35-28 lead at halftime. Southeastern continued its
run in the third period, eventually taking a 54-40 lead.

Five Royals finished in double-figure scoring. Nick Bowman and Aaron Etherington each had 15 points, with Chris Grubbs scoring 13, Noah Smith 10 and Mabor Majak 10. Chaz Birchfield pulled 10 rebounds, with Etherington and Smith both collecting six.

Smith dished out seven assists, while Bowman handed out five. Majak made five
blocked shots and Grubbs had three blocks.

Southeastern is 12-2 for the season and hosts 4A No. 4 Zionsville on Friday.

Adam & I review the film I. Tonya…it tells the story ice skating champion Tonya Harding.  We welcome guests Paul Nethercott and Justin Park, both local documentary film makers.

Gary Oldman has already picked up a best actor award at the Golden Globes…but is the film Darkest Hour Oscar-worthy overall?  Here is my review…

Both the restaurant and craft brewing businesses can be brutally competitive enterprises, and Fishers has seen one craft brewery go as another is right behind it in the same location.

What was once the Heady Hallow, which shuttered its Fishers location in October last year, is now reborn as Mashcraft.  Located at 11069 Allisonville Road, south of 116th Street, the new Mashcraft is set to open at 11am, Saturday, January 13th.

The location will feature beer brewed on site, plus a food menu through a partnership with Chef Joe Hsu and the 5280 Bistro Food Truck.

The brewery and restaurant can seat up to 76 people inside and 30 outside (once weather permits).