There is nothing like a murder mystery to grab a theatre-goers attention.  The local Belfry Theatre explores this genre in Rehearsal for Murder.  Here is my review.

Look for a number of lane restrictions and other traffic issues in the coming week.

Here is the weekly road construction update, as provided by the City of Fishers, for the work week beginning Monday, September 26th:

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STATE ROAD 37 IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

STATE ROAD 37 AND 135TH STREET
135th Street, west of SR 37, is currently closed as work progresses on the project. During this phase, southbound traffic no longer has access to 135th Street, west of SR 37 and does allow right in/right out access for Northbound traffic at 135th Street.  


Please drive with caution through this area. To learn more about the State Road 37 Improvement Project and sign up to receive text updates, visit 37Thrives.com.

96TH STREET
Daily lane restrictions are currently in place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on 96th Street between Allisonville Road and Masters Road for the installation of small cell structures.  

116TH STREET
On Monday, September 26, the westbound inside lane of 116th Street between Hoosier Road and Cumberland Road will be closed between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to allow DPW to make concrete repairs.

On Monday, September 26, traffic signal maintenance will be taking place on the signal at 116th Street & Commercial Drive. Use caution driving through this area.

On Tuesday, September 27, road approach work will be taking place at Fishers Center Drive on the north side of 116th Street between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. There will be intermittent lane restrictions of traffic entering Fishers Center Drive from 116th Street and of traffic exiting Fishers Center Drive onto 116th Street. Flaggers will be in place. 

ADA ramp and curb reconstruction is currently taking place in Cottingham Estates, Geist Overlook and Hamilton Proper as part of the 2022 Resurfacing Project. Homeowners will be notified via door hangers prior to any curb reconstruction near their home. After ADA ramp and curb reconstruction is completed, those areas will be restored with topsoil and seed. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to water the seed for the seed to germinate. Prior to road resurfacing, residents will be notified via street signage for street parking restrictions.

As Fishers celebrates its 150 year birthday (sesquicentennial), an local event that is 200 years old will be observed – The Great Squirrel Stampede.  It may seen odd to those of us today, but the squirrel stampede reeked havoc at the time.

The Fishers Farmers Market on September 24th, 8am-12noon, will feature a 4-hole mini-golf layout commemorating the squirrel stampede.

The free course takes players along on the journey that hundreds of thousands of squirrels made in 1822 when they invaded Hamilton County as they migrated south, trampling crops and causing mass destruction along the way. Players will scurry with the squirrels at each hole as they cross the historic farmland of Hamilton County, through cornfields and into the waters of the White River as they navigate the path south.

Squirrel Stampede Mini Golf is part of Fishers’ yearlong Sesquicentennial celebration, which kicked off in June and runs through June 2023. There are opportunities for residents of all ages and interests to participate in the 150th birthday celebration, including a self-guided tour of the city’s history, culture, and community favorites along the Fishers Sesquicentennial Trail; a community time capsule in partnership with Fishers Magazine; a blog post and podcast series highlighting local history; Sesquicentennial-themed apparel; and more. Visit ThisIsFishers.com/Fishers150 to learn more.

After its debut at the Fishers Farmers Market this weekend, the course will travel around Fishers throughout the city’s Sesquicentennial celebration through June 2023. Next up, the squirrels will visit the Fishers Agripark Fall Festival in October. To stay up to date on the squirrels’ next stop, visit ThisIsFishers.com/SquirrelGolf.

I have covered Scott Fadness since 2012, when he was Fishers Town Manager and an employee of the (then) Town Council.  He chose to run for mayor when Fishers became a city and has been the only mayor Fishers has ever had.

I had been watching the past few weeks as Fadness began the build-up for a major economic development announcement he said would add up to a $1.1 billion investment in the city. My first thought was this – the mayor had better deliver after building up the anticipation.

Let’s just say he did.  What Fishers is seeing now is an explosion of commercial growth.  In my time covering Scott Fadness, he doesn’t always show emotions if you watch him in public, but his chest must have been bursting with pride at last Monday night’s City Council meeting.

First, Marissa Andretti talked about the new $200 million headquarters for the Andretti racing team planned for Metropolitan Airport in Fishers, near Richey Woods.  The Andretti family made clear they chose this site partly because of its proximity to Richey Woods and the Andretti family plans to enhance the wildlife there.  This Andretti complex coming to Fishers will not only be the center of all the racing series Andretti enters, there will be a museum and restaurants.  If Michael Andretti is successful in landing a Formula 1 team, that operation will be headquartered at the Fishers facility.

Then, it was Stevanato’s turn at the podium.  The Italian life sciences firm already has a facility planned in Fishers, but recently announced an expansion of the original plans, doubling the number of employees through the year 2031, with a 550 square foot facility and a total of $512 million invested in the Fishers operation.

Last, but certainly not least, is the Fishers District II planned by Thompson Thrift.  This will include retail, restaurants, office space and residential.  This development will be an $800 million project.  The developments mentioned so far are private sector developments where the city will be offering Tax Increment Financing (TIF) incentives, along with some city fee abatement relief.

A large public project will be the $170 million, 8,500 seat events center, also called an arena.  Some events, like hockey and basketball games, will seat about 6,500.  Mayor Fadness detailed a plan to restructure some debt and use revenue generated by the events center to pay for it.

But the mayor needs another source of funds to pay for the arena, the food and beverage tax.  Even though the city’s share of the property tax rate is expected to go down a bit next year, the mayor says an additional 1% levy on restaurant meals will be needed to finance this project.  Communities surrounding Fishers already have this tax.  State law is providing Fishers a two-year window to enact this tax, which began July 1 of this year.

Jim Hallett, owner of the Indy Fuel minor league hockey team, talked about having the events center as the home for his team.  The Fuel would have 30-35 home games per year, possibly more if the Fuel make the playoffs.  One interesting story about the Fuel…Mr. Hallett received permission from the league to keep two Russian players in the United States this off-season, so the men would not go back to Russia and be subject to fighting in the Ukraine war.

In 2013, the state gave the (then) Fishers Town Council authority to approve the food and beverage tax, but there were limits on how to use the revenue, mostly for economic development projects.  There were no such projects in 2013, so the town council tabled the measure and never brought it up again.  That authority under state law expired at the end of 2013.

A resolution of the council’s intention to approve the arena financing plan passed, with the lone no vote cast by Councilor Jocelyn Vare.  She said she is not necessarily against the food and beverage tax, she just needs more time to sort through the issues related to the tax.

Fishers City Council meetings normally start at 7pm, but last Monday the agenda was so long and complex the meeting began at 5:30 so everyone could return home at a decent hour.

One last comment.  Scott Fadness, after one of his most important council meetings, organized himself, staff members and a few council members to take down the chairs at the Huston Theater in Launch Fishers after the crowd was mostly gone.  With a new Arts & City Hall about to be constructed, the city is using Launch Fishers for City Council sessions at least through spring of 2024.

I saw all this activity and figured it was time for me to leave.  Not sure how much a 71-year-old volunteer journalist could help without just getting in the way.

Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board candidate Edward Gedeon says he does not plan to actively campaign for the District 1 seat and instead has decided to support another candidate, Jackie Howell.

Mr. Gedeon will be one of four candidates listed on the election ballot in the District 1 election for the HSE board.  The deadline has passed to remove a name from the November ballot.

In a telephone conversation with LarryInFishers Wednesday morning, Mr. Gedeon said he had spoken with Ms. Howell and made the decision to support her in District 1.

Four HSE School Board seats are up for election in this general election, with voters casting a ballot only for a candidate within the district where the voter resides.  There are now three active candidates in District 1 – Ms. Howell, incumbent board member Brad Boyer and Tiffany Pascoe.

Election day is November 8.

Fishers City Councilors took the first step in raising fees builders must pay for failed building inspections.  The council had first reading Monday night of an ordinance making changes to that fee structure.

The council is moving toward the following:

Current:  First failed inspection  $75

New:  First failed inspection  $125

Current:  Second failed inspection  $150

New:  Second failed inspection  $300

Current:  Third failed inspection:  $500

New:  Third failed inspection  $750

After the third failed inspection, the city would have the authority to issue a stop work order.

The proposal will come back to the council for a final vote.

Volunteerism is a big part of what makes Fishers tick as a community on the move.  In the spring and fall seasons, volunteerism is once again front and center as city officials organize Keep Fishers Beautiful.

The city released a list of fall activities beginning October 1st.  Check out the listing, as provided by city officials, below:

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Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Katy Dowling briefed school board members on the 2023 budget outlook Tuesday morning.  The Budget Form 3 submitted to state officials shows a budget of just under $269 million, but Dowling cautions this number is always estimated high, because the school district cannot exceed that amount under state law.

Dowling will provide more precise numbers for the overall HSE Schools spending plan next year, during the public hearing set for October 12.  The 2023 budget will be up for a board vote October 26.  The legal deadline to finalize the budget is November 1.

Although overall numbers are not available, Dowling did reveal several items budget related.  Here are are a few:

–The student count for the entire district stands at 21,140 as of September 19.  The HSE Education Fund is expected to total $155 million next year.

–The state funding formula, based largely on enrollment, is projected to increase by $3.8 million.  Dowling also says the General Assembly will be approving a two-year budget in the 2023 session, starting on July 1, 2023.  That means HSE Schools will not know for certain what the funding will be from the state in the second half of calendar year 2023, but can make reasonable estimates.

–Dowling expects the HSE School District’s part of the local property tax rate to drop a bit in 2023, although it is too early to say how much.

–Assessed valuations for local property are expected to rise 17%, based on numbers provided by Hamilton County.

–The debt service tax rate will remain at .5898, where it has been for a number of years.

–The revenue from the referendum is estimated to be $26.5 million, up from this year’s$25 million.

Dowling did mention that several speakers at last year’s budget public hearing complained that federal funding and reimbursements were not included in the budget.  Federal funds are not included in the school district’s budget by law, per the CFO.  Board member Brad Boyer asked how much federal money is spent by HSE Schools, and administrators said the funds come in different ways, but could be put together and provided to board members.

Below is a news release from the Fishers Arts Council, announcing the winners of the juried art competition:

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The Hamilton County Community Foundation welcomed the Fishers Arts Council (FAC) into its bright, open spaces as FAC honored Hamilton County artists at its third annual Juried Exhibit reception on Friday evening, September 9, 2022. As in the two previous years, Jiffy Lube of Indiana was the art competition’s major sponsor, and Fishers Jiffy Lube General Manager Jack Garrett was present to welcome artists and guests and hand out awards.

The Jiffy Lube of Indiana “Best in Show” winner was Carmel resident Jerry Mannell for his painting “Tremors.” He received an award of $850 and the following comment from the show’s judge, Terry Lacy: Jerry’s painting “…is contemplative and reminds me of reading a poem or listening to a song that crystallizes a relationship between the viewer and the art….” The first-place winner, Maeve Asano, formerly of Carmel now Fort Wayne resident, received an award of $650 for her work “Maude’s Wonder,” which tells an “unfolding story” within the painting. The second-place award of $475 was given to Abigail Staffelbach of Fishers for her dreamlike, fairy-tale piece, “Bleeding Heart,” and the third-place winner was “Eternal Bond” and $350 to Shakila Garugu, also of Fishers, for her painting of a beautiful child. All winners were selected by juror Terry Lacy of Carroll County, Indiana.

There was also stiff competition for the People’s Choice award, with patrons voting on Facebook and in-person in the gallery. The winner was Fishers resident and MSD of Lawrence Township Art Teacher, Jeremy Mallov. His work “Guadalupe Hills” received the most overall votes and a $100 cash prize. All of these award-winning paintings are for sale, as are almost all of the their equally amazing works in the gallery through September 29. Fishers Arts Council hopes that many Hamilton County residents, and others, will visit the Hamilton County Community Foundation Collaboration Hub Gallery and experience the art and enjoy the work of many talented people in our area.

Guests can visit the gallery in person at 11810 Technology Drive Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, excluding holidays. You can also see the juried exhibit in their online gallery at FishersArtsCouncil.org/art-gallery-exhibit or on their Facebook page at Facebook.com/FishersArt.

Fishers has seen a major shift in the size and placement of the city’s population between 2010 and 2020.  As a result, the Fishers City Council must redraw the council districts before the next city election in 2023.

City Attorney Chris Greisl presented a proposal for new district lines to council members Monday night.  He said the map was prepared by the city staff, ensuring the districts were in compliance with state and federal laws.

Several council members had been hearing from residents in the Gray Eagle subdivision, unhappy that the neighborhood was split into two council districts, meaning more than one council member would be representing the area.  Gray Eagle in now in Councilor Brad DeReamer’s district, and DeReamer has submitted a change in the map that would keep Gray Eagle back in one council district.

Council President Todd Zimmerman reminded Gray Eagle homeowners that being represented by two members of the council is not necessarily a bad thing.

Councilor Jocelyn Vare said having the Fishers city staff prepare the first draft of the map was not a bipartisan process.  Greisl said any council member can submit proposed changes and there will be a part of the Fishers City Web site where the public may comment on the districts.

The legal deadline to approve the new city council districts is November 8.  First reading of the map was Monday night.  Unless the council schedules a special meeting, the map would need final council approval during the regular council meeting in October.