Fishers City Council President John Weingardt talks about the possibility of a civil rights ordinance for LGBT people in the latest LarryInFishers Podcast.  You can listen to the Podcast at the link below.

The City of Fishers has been working on a mental health initiative for well over a year, and the latest piece of that campaign was unveiled today (Wednesday), encouraging local citizens to take the stigma-free pledge.

One major goal of the initiative is to remove the stigma often associated with those suffering from mental illness.  Many being treated for mental issues feel that stigma, and it often results in those with these diseases not seeking needed medical treatment.  As a result, too many suffer in silence.

“Working to reduce the societal stigma associated with mental health challenges in our community is one of the recurring themes that the Mental Health Task Force identified over the last year,” said Mayor Scott Fadness through a city news release. “We know that if we can get the community talking about mental health, we can reach some of those in our community that are living in quiet despair.”

When you take the stigma-free pledge, here’s what you are agreeing to do:

The StimgaFreeFishers pledge challenges residents to:

·         Learn more about mental health

·         See the person, not the illness

·         Take action by sharing their pledge to be stigma-free

Those living in Fishers will have a chance to take the pledge at various community events in the coming months, including the downtown Farmers Markets, set to be held every Saturday during the summer, beginning May 9th.

You can also take the pledge at a new Web page devoted to the Stigma-Free Fishers by accessing this link:

www.stigmafreefishers.com

As the countdown to election day enters its final week, Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) school officials made their case one more time Tuesday night for the funding referendum on the May 3rd ballot.  If passed, the measure would continue a 10 cents per $100 of assessed property valuation referendum rate that’s been in place for nearly 7 years and increase the operations referendum tax rate by 12.75 cents over the current operations referendum rate.

There were a number of questions posed to HSE administrators from the crowd of about 25 people.

One person in the crowd questioned why the school corporation is proposing to use some of the referendum revenue to fund assistant principal positions in the elementary buildings, in light of the fact that several more teachers could be hired with that money. HSE School Superintendent Allen Bourff replied that with the large enrollments in these elementary buildings, the teachers cannot be properly evaluated with only one administrator, the principal, handling that duty along with many other administrative tasks.

Several questions were asked about the number of referendums in place now, both for operating expenses and building projects.

One person in attendance reminded everyone that some state legislators are up for election this year and the school funding system is controlled by state lawmakers.  Bourff praised local State Representative Todd Huston for his work at the Statehouse advocating for HSE school funding, but added that Huston says more than half of the state’s school districts are losing enrollment.  That means most elected officials at the state level are working to keep their local schools funded in light of declining student populations, which makes it much more difficult to make the case at the General Assembly for growing school systems like HSE.

According to information from the Advance HSE Political Action Committee, which is advocating a yes vote on the referendum, a home in the HSE School District valued at $100,000 would pay an additional $41.76 per year in property taxes if the referendum is approved.  For a home valued at $250,000 would pay  an extra $166.07 in property tax each year.  A half-million dollar home would pay $373.26 in extra property tax per year.

(Updated 9:08am 4.26.16)

Ever since Launch Fishers began the process of moving out of its long-time home in the Fishers library basement to the new location, the city has been aggressively seeking state designation as a Certified Tech Park.  That’s important because the state will provide a funding mechanism, allowing the city to recover costs incurred in acquiring and renovating the new Launch location.

The State Budget Committee approved the the Fishers Nickel Plate District and the adjacent North East Commerce Park together as a Certified Technology Park (CTP) on April 25th.  State Senator Luke Kenley called the action “a huge step forward for the City of Fishers.”

“CTPs allow communities to harness the innovation, drive and entrepreneurship of their citizens and invest in economic growth” Kenley said in a news release.  “The funds coming from the CTP program will help Fishers continue to develop the Nickel Plate District as a high-technology, entrepreneurial epicenter and expand the space, providing more opportunity for growth.”

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness praised the action and Kenley’s “leadership and support” in getting this done.  The mayor also praised Governor Mike Pence and Budget Chairman Tim Brown for their support.

“A certified tech park designation will provide essential resources for our city to continue to develop not only integral local infrastructure, but also further the development of state wide initiatives” the mayor said in his own news release.  “Fishers continues to build momentum in organic job creation through the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

The designation allows state and local tax revenue generated within the designated area to be recaptured and  invested in the same area.  Fishers invested $3.1 million of city money into the new Launch Fishers location on Visionary Way, in the Northeast Commerce Park, east of Lantern Road and behind the Target shopping complex.  The city also committed to spending about $400,000 in renovating the structure, once the home of debt collection agency DECA.

The founder of Launch Fishers, John Wechsler, called the state’s action “a huge win for our entrepreneurial movement.”  Wecshler is now working on a state-wide program called Launch Indiana.

“We are continuing the important work of spurring innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the state and we are grateful for the support that was demonstrated (April 25th),” Weshsler said in a news release.

When I started this local news blog in January of 2012, my aim was to fill the gap in news coverage about Fishers.  The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) and local TV stations would parachute in occasionally, but there was not a regular presence at meetings and events around Fishers.

Lindsey Erdody covers the northern suburbs for IBJ, but that includes a lot of territory.  She is at Fishers events along with all the other communities in the area, when possible.

The weekly newspaper Current in Fishers does cover local news as best it can, being a weekly print publication.  But that doesn’t lend itself to what is happening now.

My goal then, as it is now, is to provide the best information I can assemble into this news blog about what is happening in Fishers.  I adhere to this saying from Woody Allen – “Eighty percent of success is showing up.”

This is the first time I have covered any county-wide politics or elections.  In 2016, we have two Hamilton County Council candidates with strong Fishers ties.  George Kehl is the long-time police chief in Fishers, set to retire in September.  Jeff Hern is the Fall Creek Township Trustee (Fall Creek Township takes up a large portion of the city of Fishers).

Incumbent Hamilton County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt is being challenged in the Republican primary by local Fishers business owner Bill Smythe.

Fishers City Councilman Pete Peterson was first elected to succeed Pete Emigh as Hamilton County Republican County Chairman, only to have that vote overturned by the state GOP.  Laura Campbell is now the party chair.

I make no commentary on any of this, it’s just that many of the people involved have Fishers connections, therefore I am paying more attention to all this than normal in my local-centric news blog that normally focuses on Fishers news.

What I find fascinating is how the larger media outlets are paying attention to the election in this year’s Republican primary in Hamilton County.  The Star, IBJ and the television media are paying attention to the local election campaigns.

Even the public television weekly program on state politics, Indiana Week in Review, weighed-in on the county council race recently.  What will all this media attention mean?

It’s my view that Hamilton County will see a much higher voter turnout than normal for a primary election.  The presidential race in still alive in both parties.  The added attention to the county elections will likely lead to more ballots being cast.

There is also a school funding referendum in Fishers, asking for property taxpayers to kick-in additional money over the next 7 years for operating expenses, aimed at lowering class size, better compensating staff and enhancing educational programs.  Approval of the referendum could reduce or abolish recently instituted “pay to play” fees for athletics and some extra-curricular activities.

A higher than normal voter turnout could have an impact on the outcome of the Hamilton Southeastern Schools referendum vote.  What impact that would be, no one knows.

As a reporter, this has been a lively election cycle to cover.  And, as I write this, we still have a few more days to go.

On the Indiana Week in Review segment first aired on WFYI April 22nd, Democrat Ann Delaney explained how she views what is happening in Hamilton County.  There are two parties here, she says, within the Republican Party, and those two factions don’t like each other.  The campaigns we are seeing this year verify that observation.

Larry posts a review of Morgan Freeman’s TV series The Story of God

The new Braden Business Systems Building, to be constructed in the Fishers Municipal complex, will be a 12 month project and should be completed around June of 2017.  That’s the word from Brandon Dickinson, Fishers Economic Development Director, in comments before the Fishers Redevelopment Commission.

The commission unanimously approved the master lease with Braden at a Friday midday meeting.

Dickinson said the city, through the Redevelopment Commission, will be leasing the second floor of the Braden structure and possibly some residual space on the first floor. There has been “significant interest” expressed by companies wishing to locate in the available Braden space, according to Dickinson.

The city has been successful in the past in leasing space in the downtown area to technology corporations.

Dickinson told LarryInFishers the type of firms looking into locating at the Braden space are companies like CloudOne and Bluebridge Digital, basically high-tech operations.

The rent for the second-floor available space will be $22.75 per square foot annually, including full service.  Dickinson described the rent cost as “pretty good terms,” for both the potential tenancts and the city.

The completed building will consist of four stories and will be a $7 million investment.  It will be located near city hall, with the Switch Building on one side and the city court on the other side.  The space is currently a parking lot.

Larry reviews a film all about the Oval Office meeting between then-President Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley

The planned Exit 210 Double Crossover Diamond Interchange configuration

Have you ever heard of a Double Crossover Diamond Interchange configuration, also known as a Diverging Diamond Interchange?  That’s what is coming to I-69’s Exit 210. There is one in the Greenwood area of I-65, and one on I-69 at Dupont Road in Fort Wayne.

This is a different interchange setup than one is accustomed to seeing, but INDOT officials say this is the best interchange design for the Exit 210 interchange reconstruction.  The work is scheduled to begin just after July 4th, 2016, and should be completed just before Independence Day, 2017.

INDOT officials and contractors provided an update Thursday evening at the Hamilton Southeastern High School cafeteria.

INDOT is also planning to conduct a rehabilitation project needed for the Brook School Bridge over I-69 in Fishers.  This will be done after school is out in late May or June of 2017. The bridge will be closed during the work, with 136th Street, Promise Road and 126th Street to be the detour route.

INDOT will also begin work on adding a traffic lane each direction on I-69 between State Road 37 and north to State Road 38 in Pendleton.

Below is information from an INDOT news release about work on I-69:

Milestone Contractors plans to begin work to patch and resurface existing pavement as early as next week.  Weather permitting, overnight (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) single-lane closures will begin on or after Tuesday, April 26 on northbound and southbound I-69 between Exit 205 and Exit 210.  Two lanes will remain open during peak daytime travel times.

The speed limit on I-69 through the work zone will be reduced to 60 mph and further reduced to 50 mph when workers are present.

After existing pavement is resurfaced, crews will begin work to rehabilitate existing interstate bridges.  Beginning in June, traffic lanes between Exit 205 and Exit 210 will be shifted away from the median to set temporary concrete barrier wall and begin construction of the added travel lane.  

Only a handful of people were on hand, but the conversation was lively as Hamilton Southeastern School officials made their case and answered questions about the May 3rd tax referendum.  The ballot measure is asking for 12.75 cents more per $100 of assessed property tax valuations beginning in 2017.

The event was held Wednesday evening at the Delaware Township Community Building.

One lady questioned why the school system was pushing staff raises when she has no children in the school system any longer and had no increase in her Social Security benefits this year.  Administrators said school staff have forgone raises for years, with many years of no pay raises at all, and the referendum is an effort to catch up and be more competitive with neighboring school corporations in attracting and retaining staff members.

Another person in attendance said he supports the referendum, but is involved in marching band parent organizations in the HSE Schools and is getting “roughed up” about the referendum by some band parents.  HSE School CFO Mike Reuter pointed out that there has been a considerable investment in band facilities in recent years.

There will be another opportunity for the public to ask questions about the school referendum on Tuesday, April 26th, also at the Delaware Township community building.