Without comment, the Fishers Board of Works and Safety approved a contract with Express Employment Professionals for the partial Special Census this year. According to the board action form, Express was the lowest and most responsive bidder.
Based on Census Bureau and contractor estimates, the maximum cost would be $57,571.65 for the staffing agency and $243,286.65 total for payroll. The city council appropriated $450,000 to pay for the census.
The city is conducting the special census to receive more state and federal funding that is based on population. This will be a partial census, concentrating on areas of the city that have grown since the last official census in 2010.
You can read the contract between the city and Express at this link.
Sunbeam Development Corporation owns what is known as USA Parkway, south of 116th Street near I-69 Exit 5. That stretch of roadway will soon get a makeover to the tune of $840,000 from Sunbeam.
The city will takeover the street around April 1st of this year, with the construction expected to be completed around this time next year. Sunbeam is giving up the road and agreeing to the construction costs in exchange for impact fee credits, which would lower their impact fee bill to the city for future projects. The credits begin to lose value on a sliding scale after 5 years.
This item was a last-minute agenda addition for the Fishers City Board of Works and Safety. The measure was approved by the board. Mayor Scott Fadness said this is part of the IKEA transaction. The furniture retailer is scheduled to open a store in that area in less than 2 years. The city is committed to provide roadway infrastructure before the scheduled opening to avoid paying IKEA an economic development incentive fee.
I witnessed a school board meeting March 9th that resulted in a number of thoughts racing through my mind.
Six parents rose to speak before the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board asking the board to delay the implementation of iPad devices for children grades kindergarten through fourth grade.
My first thought went to how many stories I had written about HSE21 and how it would eventually rollout iPad devices to all students in all grades. Ann Craig-Cinnamon wrote a story about all grades eventually getting iPads in the March, 2014 edition of Current in Fishers…you can read the story at this link. Dan Domsic wrote a story about this dated March, 2013, also in Current in Fishers…you can read that story in this link.
It should be noted that Current in Fishers is mailed to everyone with a Fishers mailing address, free of charge.
I have also written about this on my blog, and have made it clear the plan all along is for all students in the HSE Schools to have an iPad.
I point this out not to blame anyone. I just wish these parents concerned about their K-4 students getting iPad devices had raised their concerns earlier in the process. The process is so far along now that it would likely be very expensive for the HSE Schools to delay or cancel this iPad rollout to the youngest students.
The school administration is interested in having these concerned parents be a part of the iPad rollout process. It should be noted no school board members voiced any support for a delay in the iPad distribution at the March 9th session.
Administrators at HSE will announce a plan for the iPad rollout soon. I do believe they care about the comments made by parents at the March 9th board session. But those same administrators also know their options are very limited at this point in the process.
As I wrote in a recent Indiana Forefront commentary, it’s a good sign that so many parents are concerned about their child’s education. I cautioned at that time that board support is strong for this program and big changes were unlikely.
I know board members are willing to look at how to go from this point forward, but a delay is likely not in the cards. A better rollout is possible.
For example, some parents voiced concern about iPads coming home with the students for homework assignments. School officials seemed receptive to limiting the need for the iPads to come home with the students.
I’ve covered local education in Indiana for many years. Each time I see parents gather to support their child’s education, I feel good about the future. Unfortunately, the change they seek may not always be possible.
The announcement of the NCAA basketball tournament brackets is always exciting and anticipated – so, how did CBS manage to make a mess of the broadcast?
I wrote previously on this blog that my daily Monday-Friday tax podcasts had fallen well short of my expectations in drawing an audience. Therefore, I’ve replaced tax with the arts.
The Fishers arts scene is growing. Plus, I plan to review lots of other arts-related items, such as movies, live theater and other events. After all, people in Fishers do watch television and got to the movies. So, my arts reviews will not be limited just to local events.
My first podcast is a review of An Evening of Jazz with Jamey Aebersold.
Fishers Police issued a release Friday, March 11th, letting us all know a credit card skimmer was found at the Shell gas station on 96th Street, near I-69. If you’ve bought gas there lately, watch your credit card account.
Below is the text of the release from Fishers Police….
An employee of the Shell gas station, located at 96th Street and North by Northeast Boulevard, contacted the Fishers Police Department after locating a credit card skimming device hidden inside one of their gas pumps. Chief of Police George Kehl is reminding residents to pay extra attention when using their credit card at the pump. Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind:
1. The safest way to pay is by going inside the gas station.
2. Look at the exterior of the pump before inserting your card. Contact the cashier immediately if anything looks out of the ordinary.
3. Pay attention to your surroundings. Immediately report suspicious activity by calling 911. It appears the criminals may be sitting in a car nearby using a Bluetooth device to receive the information. If you see a person that appears to be just parked in the area please report it.
4. Monitor your credit/debit card accounts to ensure there are no unauthorized purchases.
5. As always SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING!
As state lawmakers wrap up the 2016 short session, provisions in the final version of the road measure will mean $9 million for the City of Fishers. This is not new money, it will come from funds the state has been holding for local governments, and will begin disbursing this year.
Mayor Scott Fadness says the final version of the legislation has only limited restrictions on how local governments may spend the $9 million.
How does the City of Fishers plan to spend the money? The mayor said he will begin the process of making those decisions soon, but nothing has been decided at this point.
“Indiana took a giant step forward with this legislation,” Fadness said about the road funding provisions. “The state needs to act on moving forward with the long-term infrastructure issues.”
The final version of the bill contained no tax increase. Some lawmakers wanted an increase in the cigarette and gas taxes as a longer-term solution to funding Indiana’s roads. The governor and Senate leaders had opposed that idea.
Mayor Fadness lauded new software from the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) which will help cities in pavement management. He also cited a new matching grant program from the state.
On the road measure, Fadness generally praised the legislation, but added, “We have a long way to go.”
Another provision in the final bill allows local governments to enact wheel taxes funding local road projects. The mayor wouldn’t comment on whether he would favor Fishers passing this additional tax, saying it is “another tool in the toolbox.” Fadness said he would need to look at the city’s entire tax situation to determine whether such a move makes sense.
Whenever you start a major endeavor it’s important to evaluate how things are going along the way. That’s what I do on a regular basis.
The good news is that this blog and my new LarryInFishers Podcasts are doing very well. People are reading listening. They are both in good shape.
However, my experiment with a Monday-Friday daily tax podcast has not been going as well. I appreciate the loyal following that podcast has built, but there just are not enough people listening to these podcasts to continue. The final tax podcast was posted on March 7th. I will continue to have the links to past segments, but there will be no new podcasts on taxes from me. Again, thanks to those that were listening…there just weren’t enough of you.
But I do plan to replace the tax podcast with a new series, this one centered on the arts. There is so much going on there should be no shortage of material. I did spend a short time in my long broadcasting career as a film reviewer. I plan to return to reviewing performances. I’ll be attending local events. I plan to also review movies, TV shows and live theater. After all, people in Fishers go to the movies and watch TV like most of America. I’m still developing the final plans for this podcast series, but I hope to start soon. Stay tuned.
Board Member Michele Fullhart talks about her experience as a teacher in the 2nd Grade iPad pilot program
The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School administration will be fashioning a rollout plan recommendation for the grades K-4 rollout of iPads in 2-3 weeks. The school board will make the final decision.
A group of HSE parents recently started a petition to delay the iPad rollout, which is scheduled for August of 2016. The organizers say they have 492 names on that petition.
School Superintendent Allen Bourff arranged for Indiana University Professor Dr. Anne Ottenbreit-Leftwich to speak to the board and answer questions. Dr. Leftwich told board members the American Association of Pediatricians (AAP) had a standard of no more than 2 hours of screen time for young children, but has recently “softened” that guideline. AAP is now saying no more than 2 hours of “passive time,” such as watching TV or online videos, but that interactive and educational programs at a computer screen should not be considered the same as “passive” activities and are not subject to that limitation guideline.
Six parents spoke before the board at the Wednesday night session, each asking that the iPad rollout to grades K-4 be delayed. One parent said she was “shocked” when learning of the plan to provide iPads to children in grades K-4. One father of a middle school student said taking home the iPad for homework was creating “home life challenges” in his household.
The board then posed a number of questions to Dr. Leftwich.
“I do think there (are) a lot of positives in the direction we are going,” Board President Karen Harmer said. “But, we certainly heard the concerns tonight, and I know that we’re not bringing a recommendation forward this evening (3.9).”
“We are going to be working on a resolution to this in the short term,” said Dr. Bourff. “In the next 2 weeks, 3 weeks, we will have some processing taking place. We will be bringing a recommendation for how the rollout will be processed. I encourage the parents we have already heard from…I encourage them to watch and monitor us…we may even have some further opportunities to engage with parents who have some concerns.”
Dr. Bourff said the concerns brought forth by parents are “greatly appreciated.”
The board decided 2 years ago on an iPad rollout schedule which called for grades K-4 to begin using the devices in the coming school year, beginning in August, 2016.
Bourff told the board administrators will look back at how the past iPad rollouts have been handled and evaluated by staff and parents. “If there are some adjustments to be made, we’re open to it,” Bourff said.
No board member indicated support for delaying the K-4 iPad rollout.
Indiana University Professor Anne T Ottenbreit-Leftwich talks to the board about iPad use issues in grades K-4
