Here is my Indiana Forefront commentary on the retirement of Fishers Police Chief George Kehl.

http://www.indianaforefront.com/fishers-set-to-lose-long-time-police-chief/

I review the Oliver Stone film about Edward Snowden

As the City of Fishers enters the final stages of fashioning the 2017 spending plan, the September 19th session will feature a public hearing, allowing local citizens to comment on the city’s spending priorities.

One issue expected to be front and center is the recommendation from the Council Finance Committee to approve a $7,000 per year pay increase for council members.

Why the large increase from $12,000 to $19,000 in one year?  Many council members argue that the $12,000 per year salary has not been changed since the early 1990s.

There was also a study done comparing council compensation in Fishers with other similar municipalities, and it found Fishers to be at the bottom of the council pay ladder at $12.000 per year.  Some cities even offer council members health and life insurance.  There is no proposal at this time to offer councilors those benefits in Fishers

Even though the council meets only once a month, down from the previous two monthly sessions, those serving on the council say regular council meetings are a small portion of the time they spend on city business.  Pete Peterson claims he kept track of his expenses for a few months and found he spent more money out of his pocket on city business than he was paid in council salary.

I am not advocating for or against the proposed council pay hike, but those are the arguments I hear from elected city councilors to justify the proposed increase in council pay for 2017.

City Clerk Jennifer Kehl was clearly not happy during the Finance Committee meeting held September 14th because her salary was recommended to rise 3% next year, the same as other city employees.  Kehl had asked for a $20,000 a year 2017 wage increase, arguing that would put her in line with what other cities, of Fishers’ size, pay their elected city clerks.

“Why do you feel it’s fair that you guys can get the salary increase comparable to other cities of this size and it’s not fair for me to have the same?,” Kehl asked members of the Finance Committee.

“I don’t think it’s a question of fairness,” replied Finance Committee Chairman Eric Moeller.

“It is when I put my time in and I’m here and I work hard,” said Kehl.

Another major issue before council members Monday night is the mayor’s proposal to levy a wheel tax on vehicles registered to Fishers residents of $25 per year, per vehicle.  The tax would start in 2018.  Mayor Scott Fadness says the city will never be able to keep up with road maintenance without this extra revenue.  He says state lawmakers added this option for local governments to raise their own revenue for maintaining roads.  Fadness told the Finance Committee he fully expects more municipalities to begin approving this tax in order to keep up with maintaining their transportation infrastructure.  If enacted, the tax would be paid when you pay the registration fee to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles each year.

Local citizens will obviously have their own views on these proposals, but I have summarized the arguments being put forth in favor of approving these ideas.

The budget will be presented to the council, and the public hearing will be held, at the September 19th council session.  Final approval of the 2017 city spending plan will be voted on at the regular October council session.

The September 19th Fishers City Council meeting is scheduled to start at 7pm at City Hall.

Another work week starts Monday, September 19th, and that brings another week of road construction in and around Fishers.

Below is the listing from the City of Fishers:

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BRIDGE REPLACEMENT

Continuing this week, the bridge on 106th Street between Allisonville Road and Hague Road will be closed by the Hamilton County Highway Department for replacement. Detour routes are displayed in the area and access to local traffic will be permitted for residents and businesses. Please direct any questions about this project to alison.krupski@hamiltoncounty.in.gov.

BROOKS SCHOOL ROAD

Temporary lane restrictions will be in place on the east side of Brooks School Road north of the roundabout at Fall Creek for tree/brush clearing. Patience is appreciated while traveling in that 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.

MAPLE STREET

Maple Street will be close from North Street to Station Street on Tuesday September 6th.^. This closure has been coordinated with Fishers Fire Department should emergency access be needed. The closure is slated to be in place on September 23rd.

STATE ROAD 37

Various general survey work has begun along the State Road 37 corridor. Work will take place starting at the 126th Street intersection. Learn more at www.Fishers.in.us/SR37.

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.

The Fishers Youth Assistance Program helps young people and their families in the Fishers area….Larry talked with Trisha Straus to learn more….

The Hamilton Southeastern Schools Foundation is having an impact, and it provided a report on that subject to the school board at the September 15th meeting.   The foundation handed out 156 scholarships to local high school graduates.  85% of the grant proposals received are funded by the foundation.  You can view more details, including a short video, at this link.

In other school board news:

–Two members of the junior high diving team were recognized for their national accomplishments.  Sebastian Otero, a 7th grader at Fishers Junior High, participated this summer at an AAU National Championship meet and won the 3 Meter Springboard Diving finals event! Only diving for two years, he was one of the youngest in his age group and managed to become the 2016 AAU 3 Meter National Champion in the 12-13 age group by four points over the silver medalist.  Also, Natalie Bryan, an 8th grader at Riverside Junior High, took the silver medal at the same championship meet, in 3 Meter Synchronized Diving. Natalie shared the honor with her diving partner, Molly Hampton, who is a student in Washington Township. Natalie is relatively new to diving, having started the sport about 2 ½ years ago.

–The board was briefed on plans for new signs to be installed around the HSE High School complex.  The program will take 3 years to complete.  It will be funded through parking fees.

–HSE Schools Chief Financial Officer Mike Reuter gave the board a presentation on how the school corporation goes about awarding contracts for professional services.

–The board approved a contract with Washington Township Schools for access to the J Everett Light Career Center.  The agreement is available at this link.

–School Superintendent Allen Bourff described a recent meeting involving Hamilton Coutny School officials, a representative of Zionsvile Schools, State Senator Luke Kenley, and officials from Ivy Tech.  The subject was the future of career education.  Bourff said it was just the start of what will likely be a long process of looking at career options for Indiana students.

–Bourff also told the board that administrators are moving forward with enhancing the world languages program, but the earliest any enhancements could be rolled out would be next school year.

Nationwide Insurance Agent Scott Rhodes has decided not to pursue a rezone for his property at 138th Street and Cumberland Road.  Fishers Deputy Mayor Leah Mcgrath tells LarryInFishers Rhodes withdrew the rezone request in a written communication received by the city September 14th.

Rhodes’ current office building will be demolished to make way for development in the Downtown Fishers Nickel Plate District.  A residential rental house at 138th & Cumberland is owned by Rhodes.  He had asked the city to rezone the house and surrounding land from residential to commercial, and to annex the house into the City of Fishers.

Neighbors in the area spoke in opposition of the rezoning at the August 15th City Council session, arguing that the encroachment of a commercial property into their residential neighborhood would change the area.  They also voiced concern that if Rhodes were to sell the property, the new owner could ask the city for another rezoning to another use other than an insurance office building.

With the withdrawl of the rezoning request, it would appear the controversy is over.

The next school year at Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools will begin for students on August 9th, 2017, and end May 25th, 2018.  The HSE School Board approved the calendar by a 5-2 vote, with Karen Harmer and Sylvia Shepler casting no votes.

There will be a week-long fall break in 2017, October 16th-20th.  The last day of classes before winter break is December 20th, with classes resuming January 4th, 2018.  Spring break is March 30th-April 6th.

You can view the entire 2017-2018 HSE School Calendar at this link.

The Wheel Tax proposed by Mayor Scott Fadness is $25 per vehicle, not per wheel.  The mayor told the Fishers City Council Finance Committee Wednesday night that he has been asked time and time again since he made the proposal whether the $25 levy would apply to each wheel of the vehicle, and Fadness says no, the $25 tax would apply to all vehicles registered to Fishers residents when you buy or renew license plates.

Fadness is proposing the new tax to finance road maintenance work in Fishers.  The tax is projected to bring-in $2.5 million per year for city road maintenance.

The mayor will make the proposal as part of his budget presentation to the council on September 19th at the regular council session.  There will be a public hearing at that meeting.

Even if the City Council OKs the Wheel Tax this year, it would not take affect until 2018, due to state law.

The Fishers City Council Finance Committee passed a recommendation for the full council to raise the pay of council members from $12,000 to $19,000 per year.  The vote was 3-1, with Selina Stoller casting the no vote.  She preferred to create a system of expense reimbursement for council member expenses.

Meanwhile, City Clerk Jennifer Kehl had requested her $55,000 per year salary be increased by $20,000 in 2017.  Finance Committee members instead recommended a 3% increase in her pay, in line with the wage increase for city employees.

Ms. Kehl was clearly unhappy with the committee’s action on her pay, and asked members of the panel whether it is fair for council members to give  themselves a large pay increase and not her. Once the meeting concluded, the City Clerk immediately left the room.

Kehl also heads up the Fishers Freedom Festival and did not receive committee support for an increase in funding for that event.  She had asked that city financial support of the local summer event be nearly doubled for 2017 to $161,000 in order to finance the festival’s move from its long-time home at Holland Park to the downtown Nickel Plate District.  The panel voted to keep the city’s cash contribution of the festival at the same amount as 2016 – $85,000.  Kehl was not available for comment after the meeting, but Deputy Mayor Leah McGrath told LarryInFishers that the festival should go on without major problems with that funding level.

City Court Judge Dan Henke had asked the council committee members to keep his 2017 pay at the same rate, but to add him to the city’s family health insurance plan.  Finance Committee members voted not to add a health insurance benefit for the judge, but will increase his pay $200 per month in order to help underwrite his insurance premiums. Judge Henke works about 2 days a week at the city court, and runs his own law practice. Judge Henke buys insurance as a self-employed person.

Mayor Scott Fadness told reporters at a recent budget briefing that he is asking for no pay increase for 2017.

The Finance Committee’s votes are recommendations.  Only the full council may vote on the final version of the city’s 2017 budget.  There will be a public hearing on the budget, including the salary ordinance, at the September 19th City Council session, set for 7pm at City Hall.  The final vote on the 2017 budget is expected at the October council session.

(NOTE: Earlier versions of this story said the Finance Committee will recommend raising council salaries to $19,500.  Finance Committee Chairman Eric Moeller tells LarryInFishers after  talking about a number of figures, the committee decided on a $7,000 raise for council members to $19,000.  LarryInFishers regrets the error.)