Some familiar items appear in the Drive Fishers roadwork listing for the work week beginning Monday, January 18th.  Tree clearing for the Fall Creek Trail, more work on Lantern Road in the downtown area and continued fencing construction on 116th Street near Hague Road are on the agenda.

Below is the listing, from the City of Fishers…

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FALL CREEK TRAIL

There will be tree clearing along Fall Creek Road between 96^th Street and Brooks School Road continuing the week of Jan. 18th. This work is in preparation for trail work coming later this spring.

LANTERN ROAD

Lantern Road between 116^th Street and Commercial Drive will be restricted the week of Jan. 18th. Please use caution and pay close attention to signage displayed in the area.

116^th STREET

The eastbound lane of 116^th Street from Hague Road to Charleston Parkway will be restricted between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for fence replacement. Motorists are encouraged to use caution when traveling along the corridor and pay close attention to signage displayed.

LarryInFishers normally focuses on news in Fishers and only covers county government when there is a Fishers connection.  The upcoming at-large County Council election will have at least two connections to Fishers.

Fishers Police Chief George Kehl has announced his plans to retire in September and is looking for part of his retirement time to be spend serving on the Hamilton County Council.  Kehl announced some time ago he intends to seek the office and has filed his official paperwork to do so.

Fall Creek Township Trustee Jeff Hern also announced several months ago he intends to throw his hat in the ring, seeking an a-large county council seat.

As of January 14th, the other candidates filing for a council seat include Brad Beaver, Bill Dennis and Rick McKinney.

The filing deadline is at noon, February 6th.  That leaves plenty of time for more candidates to file for the Republican primary.  As of January 14th, no Democrat candidates had filed.

There are 3 seats up for grabs in the at-large Hamilton County Council election.  The top 3 vote-getters in the Republican primary election will earn spots on the November general election ballot.

Fishers city officials gathered for a dinner meeting at the Chinese House at Conner Prairie Wednesday night to talk about the first year as a city, and what to expect in 2016.  One point was made early and often – the stable political climate in the city leads to getting more done, including economic development deals.

Mayor Scott Fadness, members of the city council, and City Clerk Jennifer Kehl were on hand for the meeting.  Also in attendance: Deputy Mayor Leah McGrath and City Attorney Chris Greisl.

A number of issues were discussed.  Here are a few of the main points:

–Council President Pete Peterson pushed for a more aggressive communications strategy for the city, including the addition of video programs and podcasts.

–There was much discussion of what needs to be done along the 96th Street corridor to continue upgrading that area.

–Councilwoman Cecilia Coble asked what the city is doing on retention and growth of existing businesses in Fishers, and Mayor Fadness detailed a program of outreach that is ongoing with existing local businesses.

–Mayor Fadness says a Senate measure in the Indiana Legislature would release local option income tax money that state officials have been pooling in recent years.  That would mean $9 million coming to Fishers as a lump sum payment in July if the legislation passes, which the mayor says is very likely.  25% of that money could be spent any way the city wishes.  The mayor anticipates a long discussion with council members on how to spend that money.

–Councilman Rich Block suggested that if a study found renovations to City Hall as not feasible, he wants to consider building a new city hall.  “I’m not looking to spend money necessarily, but I’d also hate to reinvest in what I consider a poor design, poor structure.”

–Mayor Fadness talked to the group about how he evaluates economic development deals that are offered to the city.

First, he looks at whether the proposal contributes to his vision of the community. “If it doesn’t, I’m not going to have that conversation,” said the mayor.

Is the entity proposing the deal able to come through and deliver the project as proposed in Fishers?

Finally the mayor asks whether this deal is financially in the best interests of the city.  “Is it going to put the taxpayers at risk to an extent it isn’t worth it?”

Fadness says those are the three questions he asks on each deal proposed to him.

Fishers City government closed out calendar year 2015 with a cash balance of over $13 million.  City Controller Oscar Gutierrez told the City Council Finance Committee he will have the exact number for the cash balance closing out last year at the next session in February.

Gutierrez also told committee members the census should begin before the end of March. The deadline for completing the updated population count is the end of 2016.  The census staff will be housed in the Delaware Township building, according to the controller.  The city authorized the new census to verify estimates that the population of Fishers has grown dramatically since the 2010 census.  A higher census population figure can bring in more state and federal money to the city.

A proposed subdivision of 20 homes, with price tags of roughly $450,000 each, had the primary plat request delayed by the Fishers Plan Commission Tuesday night.  Residents in the area along Howe Road, just north of 131st Street, expressed their vehement opposition to the planned Long Grove development.

The area is not within the City of Fishers borders, but since it is within 2 miles of the city, Fishers has the authority for planning in this area.  The subdivision would need to be annexed into the city to obtain access to city utilities, such as sewer service.

Those opposing the plan are long-time homeowners in the area that built their home on 5 acre lots, in line with the zoning rules at that time, which then were governed by Noblesville.  Since then, the landowner where the development is planned retains zoning for homes with smaller lots than the others residing in that area.

Plan Commission President Warren Harling continued to remind residents during the public hearing that the commission only has legal jurisdiction to review whether the proposed subdivision meets the conditions of local ordinances.

When questions were raised by commission members on whether some of the street plans are in line with city ordinances, several commission members suggested a continuance.  The commission voted unanimously to delay consideration of the primary plat to the next meeting, scheduled February 9th.

In other business…

–Warren Harling was once again elected commission president for 2016, with Fishers City Councilman Rich Block voted by commission members as vice president.

The commission gave positive recommendations to the following items…

–A text amendment to a city ordinance dealing with garage specifications in the Hunter’s Run development (part of Britton Falls).

–A text amendment to a city ordinance for the Verimillion development, with plans for a site near Connecticut Avenue and Southeastern Parkway.

–A text amendment to a city ordinance for the construction of the Pet Palace kennel on 131st Street, near I-69.

Repair work resulting from a sewer line collapse may need to continue, causing 106th Street to remain closed east of Allisonville Road through the first week of February.  That’s the word from Fishers Assistant Director of Public Works Rick Farnham speaking before the City Board of Public Works and Safety Monday.

Farnham now says the repairs could cost as much as $175,000.

The sewer collapsed on December 27th and created a sinkhole.  It has wreaked havoc on the sewage lift station in the area of 106th Street and Allisonville Road, and decimated a section of sidewalk in the area.  It also resulted in limited traffic flow, with the eventual closing of 106th Street east of Allisonville Road.

Swimming and the United States Constitution were featured at the January 11th Hamilton Southeastern School Board session.

Two Fishers High School swimmers, Junior Lauryn Parrish and Lauren Edelman, have their eyes on an Olympic sized prize, as both have qualified for the Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Nebraska.  They both spoke before the board.

In “We the People” competition, Fishers High School’s team won the state championship and plans to represent the state of Indiana at the national finals in Washington DC.  HSE High School finished second in state competition, just behind Fishers.

The Fishers “We the People” team put on a demonstration for the board.

We the People consists of high school student teams preparing a 4-minute presentation on a constitutional issue, then fielding questions from the judges.

Fishers HS We the People Team demonstrates before the school board

At the start of the calendar year, boards and commissions in Indiana must decide who will preside over the governmental body, and the Hamilton Southeastern School Board voted to install Karen Harmer as president for 2016.  Howard Stevenson will serve as board vice president, with Sylvia Shepler voted as Treasurer.

The board has also decided to move its meetings from Mondays to Wednesdays.  The sessions will be held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month, starting in February.

The board received some good news on the College & Career Academies at each high school campus.  The financial status of the project is currently “$900,000 to the good,” according to HSE Chief Financial Officer Mike Reuter, following board approval of a change order list.  HSE Facilities Manager Harry Delks did tell the board there are about 500 “punch list items” to be worked out with the contractor on both academy projects.

Superintendent Allen Bourff told the board the administration will have a recommendation on how to move forward with the planned tax referendum to be held at part of the May primary election this year.

On December 27th, a sewage line collapsed at 106th and Allisonville Road.  Crews continue to work on repairing the damage, which includes a sinkhole created by the collapse.

Here’s what city officials posted Friday about that intersection:

“106th Street west of Allisonville Road and the southbound lane of Allisonville Road will be closed until further notice for repairs to the sanitary sewer line.”

The city has promised regular updates, but for now, you cannot access 106th Street west of Allisonville Road as this work continues.

You can access my story posted on December 31st about the collapse at this link.

A Fishers family along Allisonville Road escaped from their burning home after being alerted by a smoke detector Sunday morning.

Use this link for access the story from WISH-TV News.