A proposed school board policy on personnel was sent back to the Policy Committee for further work when suggestions were made to change some of the language.

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board had before it Wednesday night a revision of the hiring authority policy, codifying how the district handles hiring decisions, particularly in the summer months when a large part of teacher hiring happens.

The proposed language states, “The Board of Trustees of the Hamilton Southeastern School Corporation Hamilton County, Indiana (the Board), being the governing body of the Hamilton Southeastern School Corporation, Hamilton County, Indiana (the “School Corporation,” has the sole authority to employ all personnel based on the recommendation of the Superintendent.  Stakeholder involvement in the hiring process will be a priority in the selection of building principals and assistant superintendents, depending on the level of need and/or urgency.”

Board member Suzanne Thomas suggested adding stakeholder involvement in any position at the request of the board of trustees, not just principals and assistant superintendents.  She later clarified she had administrative openings in mind.

Superintendent Yvonne Stokes pressed Thomas on when a stakeholder would be added an who that stakeholder might be.  Thomas responded she envisions this as a liaison.

Other board members indicated there was confusion on what was being suggested in the hiring process, so the board decided to take the language suggestions back to the Policy Committee.  The next meeting of the Policy Committee is scheduled for June 7.  The next regular school board meeting is June 14.

Brooke Lawson has been the Mental Health Coordinator for Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools for as long as the district has had a mental health program, which goes back several years.  She has since added the school counseling program to her central office duties.

That will all come to an end soon.  HSE Schools confirmed Wednesday morning that Brooke Lawson has accepted a position with the Carmel-Clay Schools.  The Carmel School Board is expected to formally approve her appointment Monday.

Parking at Geist Waterfront Park will be free to residents, but based on action by the Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety Tuesday, nonresidents will pay a $50 fee per day to park.  Nonresidents may access the park free as pedestrians or bike riders.

Fishers residents will use the OpenPath cell phone app to access the parking lot for free.  If you are not a cell phone person, the city will provide a card for access.  There will be 240 parking spots available at the park.

The soft opening for Geist Waterfront Park happened April 22nd.  The swimming season at the beach is set to start May 27, Memorial Day weekend.

Mayor Scott Fadness was concerned about plans to end beach activity after Labor Day, September 4.  This fee structure must go before the City Council for approval and the mayor wants flexibility to continue beach activity & swimming for good weather weekends in September.  The recommended ordinance language is expected to contain such a provision.

Juggernaut Brewing Company, the owner of Room Service on Wheels, will have a concession vendor contract with the city at Geist Waterfront Park.  There will be no beer available at the park, except for occasional special events.

317 Outfitters will provide  kayak and stand up paddle board rentals at the park.

WTHR is reporting a death investigation is underway near 131st Street & Cumberland Road.  According to the latest update, “police do not suspect foul play and say there is no threat to the community.”

For more on the WTHR story, use this link.

The local 2023 primary election is now over, and the question is, what did we learn?  In Fishers, there was only one contested race, but places like Carmel and Westfield saw important results with mayors in each city choosing not to run for re-election.

In Fishers, Jennifer Kehl won the GOP nomination for Fishers City Clerk, garnering 68% of the votes cast.  No other primary election was contested in our city.

However, both Republicans and Democrats unopposed in the primary balloting touted the number of votes cast for them, even though they were assured a place on the November 7 general election ballot.

The Hamilton County Democratic Party even issued a news release on the subject.  According to the party, 47% of primary ballots cast in Fishers were for Democratic candidates.

So, I had to ask myself, what is the significance of how many votes are cast for an unopposed candidate for either party?  The answer is there is some significance, but not a lot.

Primary elections are held for the two major political parties in Indiana.  When voting in a primary election in our state, you must request either a Democratic or Republican ballot.  Some states have open primaries, but not Indiana.

The reason I raise this issue is the fact that independent voters often skip primary elections in the Hoosier state because they are required to declare a party in order to vote in the election.  It should also be noted that independent voters tend to decide many election outcomes.

So, receiving lots of votes from people in your own party in an unopposed election is a number that should be considered.  I do not blame either party for letting everyone know.

It is just my view that it is not as significant as some would say.  We will know more when the votes are counted in the general election Tuesday, November 7th

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) accredits local police departments and Fishers has had this accreditation for many years.  In order to keep that accreditation, a survey of local citizens is required.

Fishers Police have started this year’s survey and it will continue through June 1st.

“It is the goal of the Fishers Police Department to achieve and maintain the highest level of quality service for our residents and visitors,” according to a statement from the Fishers Police.  “Input from the citizens of Fishers is essential in the Fishers Police Department’s continued effort to promote effective police services and protection to all members of the community.”

The survey addresses specific questions regarding previous citizen contacts with local officers as well as perceptions of safety in our neighborhoods and business areas.

This is an online survey, and can be found at this link.

It will be another busy week of road construction throughout Fishers and the surrounding area.

Here is the complete listing for the work week beginning May 8th, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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To learn more about the State Road 37 Improvement Project and sign up to receive text updates, visit 37Thrives.com. 

STATE ROAD 37 AND 141ST STREET
A pre-construction phase at SR 37 & 141st Street is currently in place. During this phase, 141st Street will be a Right-In-Right-Out (RIRO) traffic configuration. 
This is not the permanent configuration. This will allow for traffic to flow more freely along SR 37 until the next phases of construction can be activated. This will eliminate backups along SR 37 that have caused dangerous stops to the free flow traffic and backups on the 146th Street interchange. Again, this is not the permanent configuration for 141st Street. The full timeline for the 141st Street interchange will be provided after project bids are accepted in the Summer of 2023. View detour routes here.

To learn more about the Clear Path Improvement Project and sign up to receive text and email updates, visit clearpath465.com 

I-465 & I-69
Drivers will see an increase in construction along the I-69 corridor in the coming months. This work will focus on reconfiguring the interchange at I-465 and I-69. New ramps will provide direct movements from eastbound I-465 and northbound I-465 to northbound I-69. Binford Blvd. will also be reconstructed to separate local traffic from traffic entering and exiting I-69 and I-465. Access to I-69 from Binford Blvd. will remain open. Drivers can expect to see significant activity on I-69 at the 82nd Street interchange.

The ramp from I-69 North to 82nd Street and the ramp from 82nd Street to I-69 North is currently closed through late 2023. For detour routes and additional project information, visit clearpath465.com 

To learn more about the Nickel Plate Trail, view the Capital Project Dashboard here.

NICKEL PLATE TRAIL
The City of Fishers is working on the completion of the Fishers portion of the Nickel Plate Trail. The remaining paving work from 96th Street to 106th Street is underway, and construction crews are currently working to clear and prep the area for paving. In the coming weeks, construction crews will begin the paving process.

There are daily lane closures currently on Cumberland Road, just south of 126th Street for sanitary and water line work. The northbound right turn lane and the southbound passing blister will be closed. 

Please be advised, beginning on or after Tuesday, May 16, Phase 1 of construction for the grade separation intersection improvement will begin at 146th Street and Allisonville Road. One thru lane and one left turn lane in all directions will be closed through the intersection.

Closures of Sowers Drive and Saville Road at 146th Street will be necessary in June. Additional notifications will be provided prior to the closures. In addition to these closures, the worksite speed limit will be 35 mph. Please exercise caution while driving through this construction zone.

For additional project information, visit Hamilton County website here.

During the week of May 8th, Duke Energy will be tree trimming on 116th Street, between Cumberland Road and Brooks School Road.  Lane restrictions will be in place between 9 am and 3 pm.

Fishers Police have identified a man found dead in a Sedona Woods neighborhood pond Thursday.  The pond is located near 141st Street and Promise Road.

Police identified the man found in the pond as James T. Hughes, 35, from Fishers.  Authorities say no foul play is suspected in his death at this time.  Mr. Hughes was reported missing April 30th.

Members of the Fishers Police Department Dive Team responded in recovery efforts. Hughes was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators are asking for community members who reside in the Sedona Woods neighborhood to provide any exterior camera footage of the man walking in the area of: Litchfield Place, Catalina Drive, Harborvale Chase, Dobbins Drive, Silverbell Lane and Wynngate Lane.  The times of interest are after 10:37 p.m. on the night of Monday April 24th, 2023, when Mr. Hughes was last seen, through April 25th, 2023, at 02:00 a.m.

This is an ongoing investigation.  Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Rodriguez at (317) 595-3346.

The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office is conducting the investigation into the cause and manner of death.

Judges in Hamilton County will now have the discretion to allow cameras in their courtrooms.  This follows guidance from the Indiana State Supreme Court.

“We are constitutionally required to have open courtrooms to ensure courts don’t abuse their powers” says Superior Court No. 5 Judge David Najjar in a county news release. “Allowing cameras in the courtroom is another way to ensure our proceedings are public and to allow citizens to watch the work we do and how we do it.”

Under Hamilton County’s rules, the media must request camera coverage from the presiding judge at least five days ahead of the proceeding, except for court hearings in which Zoom or another Internet platform is being used. The presiding judge may then decide if they will or will not allow cameras and can set any conditions they deem appropriate. The judge can also prohibit, limit, or terminate media coverage or testimony of particular witnesses at any time and for any reason.

Media will also be forbidden to film members of the jury, juveniles, and victims of violence, sex crimes, or domestic abuse. Only broadcast and print media and their professional associations can use cameras in court. Members of the general public, including independent bloggers, are not allowed under the rule.

“COVID brought cameras into just about every courtroom,” Judge Najjar adds. “Live streaming became a necessity when our judicial buildings were closed to ensure we created a public forum and keep courts open to the public. So, a lot of that initial resistance to cameras in the courtroom went by the wayside. There will still be some judges who are hesitant to the idea, but there are others who are very eager to open their courtrooms and let the media in.”

According to Hamilton County, up until now, Indiana and Louisiana were the only two states in the nation to not allow cameras in the court.

After an April public hearing that provided a number of approaches to changing Homeowners’ Association (HOA) rules, the Fishers Plan Commission unanimously provided a favorable recommendation for approval of the changes to the City Council.

Commission members heard a presentation by Planning & Zoning Director Megan Vukusich listing the staff recommendation on amending to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that would require any new HOA to limit the percentage of votes required to make an amendment to governing documents by a simple majority vote for items involving approving budgets, changes to HOA operations, and changes to rental restrictions. All other covenants, conditions, and restrictions would require a 75% consenting vote to change.

The change would also allow HOAs to adjust their rules for a quorum required to conduct business.  The city cites “special consideration” be given, because a quorum rule for a 2,500 home HOA may be different for a 20 home community.

The proposal now goes to the Fishers City Council for a final vote.

The draft ordinance language is available at this link.

In one other matter before the commission, the commission voted no recommendation on a request to rezone 1.76 acres of land from residential to commercial use, near 116th Street & Olio Road.  The proposed Magnolia Hair Salon would be located between the Kroger property and a church.

The commission voted 5-2 for an unfavorable recommendation on the rezone request.  With 7 of the 11 commission members present, and a majority of the 11 members required to pass an unfavorable recommendation, the proposal will be listed as no recommendation when up for a City Council vote.