I have watched more than 10 budget public hearings during my time covering the Fishers Town and City Councils.  Rarely has a member of the public spoken-up during the required public hearing.

There were 3 members of the public that stepped up to the podium and offered their remarks about the city’s 2024 spending plan.  There were comments on the size of the cash reserves and how the money will be spent, whether the city should  be spending money on a program aimed at the local schools and questioning what is happening at Geist Waterfront Park.  There were suggestions on whether the city should take bids on service contracts.  There were compliments on the bike trails proposed but ideas on how the city should develop a transit system.

Councilors Todd Zimmerman and Jocelyn Vare said it is proper to include support for HSE Schools in the city budget as the mayor has proposed.

Now that the public hearing has been held and first reading done on the budget ordinance, a final vote on the 2024 city budget will come in the October meeting.

The city’s Director of Human Resources Ethan Lee presented the salary ordinance for first reading, with a final vote coming next month.  Some new positions are included in the 2024 budget, with some changes in job titles.

A new position of Chief of Staff will be created, with the City Attorney’s job title switched to Corporation Counsel.  The Health Department will add a Deputy Director of Finance & Operations.  A new position will be need as Director of the new Community Center and Membership Manager.  The Department of Public Works will add an Inventory Control Specialist.  There will be an updated position title for the Chief Information Security Officer, with new positions added to the IT operation.  The Police Department will add 1 part-time School Resource Officer.  City employees will receive a 5% raise, including elected officials.

For elected officials, the mayor is slated to receive $6,264.62 bi-weekly ($162,880 a year).  City Councilors will get $934.12 every 2 weeks ($24,287 for the year).  The entire 2024 proposed salary ordinance is available at this link.

In other items before the Council Monday night:

–A Riverfront District Designation received final Council approval, and encompasses a large area of the city based on the state law.  This will free up many more liquor licenses for small restaurants.

–Final approval was provided to Sandstone/Gray Eagle allowing a new restaurant and netting as protection from the golf course.

–There was a swearing-in ceremony for 8 new Fishers Police Officers.

I have written often about the Fishers I found in 1991 when first moving here, where the 1990 census put the town’s population at 7,508.  The 2020 census for the City of Fishers was just under 100,000.

When you live in a place for 32 years, you pick up a lot about the people living here.  I found out something very important about Fishers this year.

My 92-year-old mother passed away in January after living a good, long life.  On September 1st, my youngest brother Tim died at the age of 56.

I realize this blog is centered on Fishers news and that continues to be my main focus.  But every now and then, I ask for your indulgence as readers of this blog to allow me an occasional point of personal privilege.

I did write one piece on this blog each after the deaths of my mom and brother this year.  I was surprised by the response of my readers in this community.

There was an outpouring of messages with thoughts and prayers for my family and myself in our time of grief.  The messages were all wonderful.  Each one was appreciated so much by me.  It has been a part of the grieving process.

I lost count on the number of messages placed on the blog and social media.  I know the number is large.

Fishers has not always been portrayed in a positive light in recent times.  I will not be more specific about that now.  Just keep this in mind – those many kind messages in a time of personal grief tells me what kind of community Fishers has always been and is today.

There are obviously exceptions in a city with about 100,000 residents, but by and large, people living in Fishers are kind and thoughtful  That is one reason why Jane & I decided to remain in Fishers during our retirement years.

Perhaps all of us, regardless of our personal views and politics, should take a step back and enjoy the community we in Fishers call home.  I have done that in recent months, and come out of that analysis smiling.

I live in a special community with special people.  That is the Fishers I know.

I have covered or had some involvement in government budget issues since about 1973.  The numbers involved and the complexities associated with government budgeting can glaze over the eyes of the most involved citizen.

But when governments at any level propose a budget, it is about much more than numbers.  A government spending plan provides an insight into priorities of our elected officials.   We are talking law enforcement, emergency services, streets & roads, health and many other parts of local government that impact your daily life.

The City of Fishers has a budget proposal on the table for 2024 that totals $164 million.  The city’s share of the property tax rate will go down slightly next year.

When you drill down on what is included, I could point out a number of specifics, but allow me to center on one part of Mayor Fadness’ spending plan now before the City Council.  It relates to Carmel.

How so, you may ask?  Fishers city officials convinced state lawmakers to change the formula for distributing local income tax money which Fishers argued gave Carmel an unfair windfall (obviously, Carmel has a different view).  That legislative fix lasts just three years.

Mayor Fadness has taken that extra money from the state’s decision and saved it into the city’s cash reserves.  The mayor says there is about $21 million of that money from Carmel in the cash reserves account, and in 2024, he plans to spend $12 million of that money on specific projects.  They include an innovation fund for local teachers and establishment of a retired teacher group to evaluate and make decisions on which teacher plans will be funded.  There will be money for trail connectivity, an enhanced neighborhood vibrancy program, sidewalk repairs, urban forestry and sidewalk repairs.  There will be new landscaping for medians on city streets so they will not need grass cutting in the future, a safety issue for city crews.

There is more, but here is the point.  In many instances, city leaders are limited in how money can be spent.  Some money is earmarked only for streets and roads and have further limitations under state law.  Other funds coming into city government are limited to a specific use.

This money from the three-year state tax distribution change with Carmel has no such limitation.  The cash reserves can be spent however the mayor and city council decide.

The public hearing on the City of Fishers 2024 budget is scheduled for Monday. September 18, with the meeting starting at 7pm.  The public hearing on the city’s 2024 budget is one of the first agenda items.

If you have specific ideas on how your city should spend the money available, take some time and review the budget at this link.  If you have comments, you can stand before the podium and give city leaders your ideas on how our public money should be spent.

We may be heading into the season of fall but road construction has not let up in and around Fishers.  Be on the lookout for lane closures.  Also, be aware of traffic restrictions for the Geist Half Marathon and 5K coming September 16.

Here is the full listing, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Fishers area road construction for the work week starting Monday, September 18 →

After serving under Planning & Zoning Director Megan Vukusich as her assistant, Ross Hilleary has moved up to the Director’s chair with Megan’s departure.

According to a city news release, Hilleary’s responsibilities will include leading the day-to-day operations and implementation and special initiatives for long-range planning of the city’s parks, trails and greenways efforts and Unified Development Ordinance update.

“Ross has been instrumental in the success of our Planning & Zoning Department, and his efforts are crucial to elevating the quality of life in Fishers,” said Mayor Scott Fadness. “I’m excited to collaborate with him as we continue investing in our community.

Hilleary will continue to lead the team in their efforts to identify gaps and priorities in the City’s trail network and potential funding sources; streamline and update the department’s review processes; educate the public and development community on land use and zoning regulations; and gather local data to assist policy makers and community officials in making informed decisions regarding the City’s future.

I turned 72 years of age September 3rd.  On September 13th, I began to feel my age.

The day started upon arrival at the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District Administration Building on Cumberland Road just before 6:30am.  Local television news crews were already on the scene, many doing live stand-up pieces for their morning news broadcasts.

Monday morning, the district placed a notice on its Web site that there would be a special meeting Wednesday morning at 7am.  The school board has a habit of scheduling work sessions at 7:30am which do not include actions.  This 7am session included action items “to be determined.”  That was very unusual.

Just after 5pm on September 12, the online posting from school officials listed the agenda items.  The board would accept the resignation of Dr. Yvonne Stokes and approve her separation agreement.  Dr. Matt Kegley would be named interim superintendent and paid a  stipend to take on the added responsibility until a new permanent superintendent is chosen.  The board provided no indication of when the search process would begin to replace Dr. Stokes or how it would be conducted.

I was at that event and its aftermath for a while Wednesday morning, went to  my home office to write the first story about it, then changed clothes to attend the State of the City Address at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon.  Then, I went back home to write that story.

There was a City Council Budget & Finance Committee meeting that evening.  It was at that session I began to feel the weight of a busy news day.  I will be writing about the 2023 Fishers city budget later, but allow me to express a few thoughts about our local school district.

As a resident of Fishers for 32 years, I have seen many changes in this place I have called home for so long.  The 1990 census put the population of the Town of Fishers at 7,508.  The 2020 census showed a population for the City of Fishers as just under 100,000.  Fishers has become a much larger and much more diverse place compared to the Fishers I experienced in 1991.  In general, that’s a good thing.

When Dr. Stokes was hired as the local school superintendent in April of 2021 as the first African-American to hold that position, I saw that as a step forward in the maturation of Fishers as a community.  I had a cordial relationship with Dr. Stokes.  She appeared on my podcast series several times and we spoke a few times during her tenure running the HSE Schools.

Any superintendent will make friends and enemies.  Superintendents are decision-makers and some people will like those decisions, and others will not.  I have never encountered a universally-loved superintendent.

One of the biggest remaining questions about Dr. Stokes’ resignation is whether this was genuinely voluntary or was this a “forced resignation,” as community member Stephanie Hunt argued during public comment at the Wednesday board meeting.  Board President Dawn Lang would not answer this question I posed at the post-meeting news conference – was Dr. Stokes told by the board her contract, which runs through the end of June 2024, would not be renewed?  When Indianapolis Star reporter Rachel Fradette asked the same question during her interview with Lang, the board president once again would not answer the question.

Reporter Fradette, in her IndyStar story, wrote that under Indiana state law, the board is not required to disclose such communications between the board and a superintendent.

Having lived in this community for a long time, I speak to many people and many choose to speak with me.  There is no way to officially confirm this, but more than one person in a position to know have told me Dr. Stokes was, in fact, informed by a majority of the current school board her contract would not be renewed.

Was her resignation forced?  There is no way to know that so members of the local community will need to reach their own conclusions.

Was race a factor in all this?  Dawn Lang was adamant in speaking with the media after the meeting, insisting race had nothing to do with this and she and the board have nothing but general praise for the former superintendent. Dr. Stokes co-wrote a statement with Lang which was very positive in tone.

However, Dr. Stokes chose not to appear at the Wednesday morning board meeting.  That says more than any words could express.

Dr. Stokes will receive her full pay through the length of her remaining contract and will retain several benefits through the end of June next year.  She and the board entered into a nondisclosure pact and promise not to sue each other over any of this.

I was out of the meeting room for a time after the session ended, so I only was able to see a part of the impassioned remarks of a local African-American woman, identified by the IndyStar as Norma Johnson.  The 77-year-old made her point clear to the assembled media – she is convinced race was the reason for Dr. Stokes resignation and race was the reason, in Ms. Johnson’s view, Dr. Stokes never was given a fair shake by the current school board.

In Stephanie Hunt’s remarks before the board Wednesday, she said she was speaking on behalf of Black educators at HSE Schools, whom Hunt claims cannot speak out themselves due to “fear of retaliation.”

I do believe there is something positive to say about Wednesday’s board meeting, and that is the designation of Matt Kegley as the interim superintendent.  When I asked Dr. Kegley what his first priority will be in this new role, he raised the issue of the school funding referendum, which will be on the November ballot.  He knows the passage of this referendum is crucial to the future of the HSE School District.

Matt Kegley has a long association with the HSE Schools and will be a person capable of trying to bring stability to the states’ 4th-largest school district, something local teachers’ union President Abby Taylor told the board is badly needed at this time.  Dr. Kegley left open the possibility he could put his hat in the ring for the permanent job once the board decides how to proceed on Dr. Stokes’ replacement.

As Fishers continues to become a more diverse community, what the school board does, and how the local community reacts, will tell us all a lot about where Fishers is headed in the future.  As a local volunteer journalist, I will be watching, even at the age of 72.

Some years Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness uses the occasion of his State of the City Address to make big announcements, other years he likes to just highlight what is happening in city government.  In 2023, the mayor invited three of his department heads – Public Health Director Monica Heltz, Fire & Emergency Services Chief Steve Orusa and Police Chief Ed Gebhart, up to his State of the City stage.

Chief Gebhart focused on technology and how his department has a DNA lab used for identifying illegal weapons and getting them off the streets.  He also talked about how his Internet Crime Unit identifies those preying on children through technology.

Chief Orusa explained why his department has a paramedic assigned to each engine to assist quickly if needed.  Heat attacks, he said, need attention quickly, the sooner the better.

Director Heltz explained how her department uses data from 911 calls to identify how her staff can help prevent such emergencies before they happen.  She also discussed the food inspection program and how she works with business owners and managers of restaurants to educate them if there are problems with the inspection results and get the operation up to standards.

Orusa and Gebhart also talked about how their staff copes when dealing with difficult situations all during a shift and how their respective departments strive take care of both the physical and mental health of those on the front lines.

The mayor raised the issue of social isolation.  The panel agreed it is a good idea to keep an eye on neighbors in need of help.  The mayor told the story of a neighborhood complaining that a deck was not being kept-up properly, and when city staff knocked on the door, they found a man nearly dying of malnutrition and very dirty, with no one else living in the home. The bottom line message – look out for your neighbors.

This year’s State of the City address was held at a One Zone Chamber of Commerce luncheon held at the Forum Conference Center, before a sellout crowd.

When Dr. Yvonne Stokes was hired as Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools Superintendent in April of 2021, the school district made history by hiring its first African-American superintendent.  On September 13, 2023, the school board made history again, this time by accepting the resignation and separation agreement of Dr. Yvonne Stokes, the district’s first African-American superintendent.

The board, and attorney Chris Greisl, portrayed the separation as a mutual agreement.  Public speakers at the meeting described the situation as forced resignation.

Dr. Stokes will receive her full pay for the remainder of her contract, which runs through the end of June, 2024.  She will also be compensated for unused leave time, will have an annuity contribution as in her contract and will receive health insurance coverage for the remainder of her contract unless eligible to participate in a health care plan before that date.  Attorney Greisl said he and an attorney representing Dr. Stokes began talks on the separation agreement two weeks ago.

The board posted a notice Monday morning of a meeting to be held September 13 at 7:00am with no details on agenda items.  The agenda details were not revealed until just after 5:00PM September 12.

Interim Superintendent Matt Kegley will receive a stipend while serving in that capacity.  He told LarryInFishers he is open to being considered for the permanent Superintendent position, but the board has not indicated how it will move forward in selecting Dr. Stokes’ permanent replacement.

Board President Lang, in meeting with reporters following the board session , strongly denied race had anything to do with Dr. Stokes resignation and separation agreement.  Members of the public speaking to the media following the meeting had a very different view, asserting that race was involved in this decision.

In her opening statement Lang said “change is never easy,” and says she and the board will move forward to “strengthen and unite Hamilton Southeastern.”

Hamilton Southeastern Education Association President Abby Taylor expressed her concern about how the decision was handled, particularly the 7am start time not allowing teachers to be present for a decision impacting their work life.  She also criticized the board for creating rumors and speculation that creates distrust of the board and is not helping when a “desperately needed” referendum is on the November ballot.  Teachers, Taylor said, are looking for stability, yet their voices continue to be suppressed.

The motion to accept Dr. Stokes’ resignation and separation agreement was passed unanimously, with Sarah Donsbach and Sarah Parks-Reese saying they voted yes only out of respect for Dr. Stokes.

There is much more to report on this story and I will be writing more as time goes on.

Late Tuesday afternoon, the Hamilton Southeastern School Board posted the agenda items for the 7am Wednesday meeting, and it indicates votes to accept the resignation of Dr. Yvonne Stokes, the superintendent, and approve her separation agreement.  Dr. Stokes’ contract runs through this school year.

It appears a contract for the current Assistant Superintendent, Matt Kegley, will also be on the agenda, possibly for his assumption of the superintendent position.

No more details are available at this time.  There will be an update here after Wednesday morning’s meeting.

Verizon initially was eager to construct 5G towers around the City of Fishers and many are in operation.  However, in recent months and years, Verizon has stopped construction of these towers.  Once right-of-way is granted for the towers, Verizon has two years to at least begin construction.  At Tuesday morning’s Board of Works and Safety meeting, Tami Houston, Assistant Engineer for the city, told the board seven such tower rights-of-way have had the two-year period expire, leading to the board vote revoking those rights-of-way.  Houston told Mayor Scott Fadness there are about 80 such rights-of-way set to expire in the future if Verizon chooses not to construct towers at those locations, with 30-35 such grants expiring soon.  Verizon has not commented on why it has chosen to stop constructing 5G towers in Fishers.

In other matters before the board:

–The board voted to  expand the current 25 mph speed limit on 116th St from Commercial Drive further to the west to Holland Drive. Currently it is from Commercial Drive to Fishers Point Blvd.

–Janitorial services for the city will continue with Kleenit Group following a contract extension going through 2026.  The contract cost will remain the same at $585,000, with  reduction in services in areas such as the frequency of vacuum cleaning carpet and trash removal.  Once the new City Hall and Arts complex opens, there will be a 3% increase in the cost in 2026 and again in 2026 to handle cleaning at that facility.

–The aforementioned Tami Houston was recognized by the Board and Director of Engineering Hatem Mekky for her 15 years of service to Fishers.