At Monday’s City Council session, new district boundaries for council members were approved.  Six council seats are elected within their districts, three seats are at-large and elected by the entire city electorate.

The Gray Eagle neighborhood had been divided between two council districts and changes were made to include the entire subdivision under one council district at the urging of residents there.

Councilor Jocelyn Vare expressed concerns that another neighborhood would be divided under the new map and she could not see because, in her view, the map did not drill down into enough detail to see lines at the street level.

Council President Todd Zimmerman said, in his view, the map is good.

“We have a bipartisan council here, nobody was drawn out their…district, and we accommodated everything possible,” Zimmerman said.

I first met John Wechsler in 2012, shortly after starting this local Fishers news blog.  He and then-Town Manager Scott Fadness had fashioned a proposal put before the Town Council to start a co-working space operation named Launch Fishers.

It’s first location was the lower level of the Hamilton East Library in downtown Fishers.  Launch later moved into larger quarters just off Technology Drive and the library transformed that space into the current Ignite studios.

John Wechsler remained the leader of Launch Fishers since its inception in 2012.  Today, John is no longer the day-to-day leader of Launch Fishers, but remains on its board of directors and is a supporter of the operation.

John has moved to his next challenge, a new tech startup business called spokenote.  As it was explained to me, spokenote can add a video component to almost anything.  One example I was given was sending someone flowers.  With spokenote, you can add a video message by scanning with your cell phone.

Business must be good for spokenote because it is announcing a major expansion in Fishers. The firm says it is creating up to 300 new positions in what the company describes as high-wage jobs, by the end of 2026.

“Indiana continues to position itself as a leader in entrepreneurship and in tech innovation, making us the perfect place for spokenote to launch and grow,” said Governor Eric J. Holcomb in an Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) news release. “I couldn’t be more grateful for them choosing Indiana among a world of options and for the hundreds of high-tech, high-wage jobs they will create for Hoosiers in central Indiana.”

spokenote plans to invest $2.95 million to establish and grow its headquarters in the Certified Technology Park in Fishers, the same office park that houses Launch Fishers. spokenote will locate in and equip a 4,000-square-foot office in the Techway building, which is currently being redeveloped, and plans to invest in new hardware and equipment to support its growing team. The company plans to move from its current location in the Indiana IoT Lab to its new headquarters in fourth quarter 2022.

“We are very excited about our prospects for growth, and having the support from our state and local government makes a real impact in our expansion plans,” said John Wechsler in th same state news release. “Between the thriving innovation ecosystem in Fishers, and the financial incentives from the state, we’re confident in our ability to generate new jobs and create economic value in Indiana.”

The IEDC is providing incentives for spokenote, including the Venture Capital Investment (VCI) tax credit, and up to $165,000 in training grants. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to  claim incentives once local people are hired and trained. The city of Fishers offered additional training grants to support the company.

“John Wechsler and his spokenote team have built an incredible product platform as they join the growing list of companies that have graduated from Launch Fishers,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “As spokenote creates connections around the world, we can all be proud of the fact that it all began here in Fishers.”

One editor’s note – spokenote wants its company name to be written in all small letters, which is why I have not capitalized any letters in the firm’s name, even when used as the first word in a sentence.

There had been anticipation that the Hamilton Southeastern School Board will vote Wednesday night on whether to join the 5 other Hamilton County school districts in the Pursuit Institute, but the issue was removed from the meeting agenda.  School officials say there will be more meetings to clarify questions before the board votes on the proposal, likely in the next board meeting scheduled 2 weeks from now.

The Pursuit Institute is an idea with one-time funding from Hamilton County to form a Career Technical Education (CTE) program for the school districts in the county.

The board did receive a report from Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Katy Dowling estimating the total HSE Schools spending plan for 2023, including all funds, at $287 million.  The largest fund is the Education Fund, which is expected to come in at $151 million.  The school district’s share of the tax rate is expected to decrease from the previous year.  Dowling told the board to expect a tax rate of 1.1954 in 2023, compared to the 2022 rate of 1.2376.  A final vote on the 2023 district budget is expected at the next regular board meeting.

The school corporation continues to need more substitute teachers and has a marketing program to draw more people into the program.  You can review the presentation to the board at this link

Food Service Director Karen Ogden told board members that all positions in the school food service operations are not filled, but she is making progress.

Finally, the Snapshot of Success featured the Fishers High School Tutoring Club.  The club began about 1 year ago as a student-driven club, preparing middle school students for high school by helping them with their schoolwork and offering extra academic support. Fishers Tutors aims to help students academically as much as they can before students enter into the next phase of their academic career when their GPA begins to accrue. The pandemic put a lot of stress on students and caused some students to fall behind, so Fishers Tutors was created to provide support to students who need help with any subject. The group also was awarded a Project AWARE Student Led Engagement Grant in March 2022 to assist them in their work at the junior high school.

View a video about Fishers Tutors at this link.

Fishers does not have many bank robberies, but one was reported Tuesday afternoon along the border with Indianapolis.  Police were called to the Star Bank at 8762 E. 96th Street, near Lantern Road, on the report of an armed robbery.

While officers were on the way to the scene, they were informed the suspects had already fled the scene.  A perimeter was established but, so far, no suspects have been arrested.

According to investigating detectives, the suspect entered the bank, approached a bank employee, displayed a handgun, and demanded cash. The employee complied and was not injured. Witnesses describe the suspect a white male, 20-30 years old, wearing a disguise.

Anyone with information should contact Detective Arndt at 317-595-3300.

I had previously posted the podcast recording link to Dr. Carla Cork’s interview.  The District 3 HSE School Board candidate’s original podcast posting apparently had a technical glitch, so I am posting this link, hopefully glitch-free.

Among the 6 school districts in Hamilton County, 5 have already signed-on to a new Career Technical Education (CTE) initiative, the Pursuit Institute.  The last remaining school corporation to make a decision on joining Pursuit is the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools.

The HSE School Board held a Tuesday late afternoon work session to discuss the Pursuit proposal before the board votes on joining Pursuit at the next regular session Wednesday night.  Near the end of the work session, there was a direct exchange between HSE Board member Suzanne Thomas and Superintendent Yvonne Stokes.

Ms. Thomas was asking specific questions about the proposed contract between HSE Schools and Pursuit. The system calls for the 6 county school superintendents to make decisions on how the Pursuit Institute will operate.

“We haven’t seen a Hamilton Southeastern, I’m sorry to say this, admin (administration) presentation that gives out the pros and cons and the benefits,” Thomas said.

“I take offense to that, and I’m going to tell you why,” Dr. Stokes replied.  “You keep on trying to tell us how we need to do this and you’re wrong.”  The superintendent pointed to a recent meeting with Pursuit Institute Executive Director Carrie Lively where she explained how the Institute would work, and no HSE School Board member asked any questions.

The Pursuit Institute was started by a one-time grant from Hamilton County Commissioners and the County Council to develop a CTE program for all school districts in the county.

“It’s real difficult for us (HSE administrators) to be boots on the ground and be a part of what Pursuit is doing when our board hasn’t said that they’re interested in us being a part,” Dr. Stokes said.  “So, I can’t handicap the rest of the county because we don’t know what we’re doing.”

During the work session, Board Members Brad Boyer and Michelle Fullhart, as well as Ms. Thomas, had questions about how the Pursuit Institute would be funded and Carrie Lively explained the intricacies of how that funding formula would work.

Some HSE District students attend programs at North Central High School’s J. Everett Light Center and HSE Schools pay Washington Township per student for that program.  HSE Schools Chief Financial Officer Katy Dowling added there are instances when HSE District students cannot enroll in a particular J. Everett Light program because there is no room for them.

Ms. Fullhart expressed concern about students selecting classes and Assistant HSE Superintendent Matt Kegley said if a decision is not made soon, this cannot be completed by December.

Ms Thomas expressed concern about how 6 superintendents can make decisions, because it is an even number and the group could be deadlocked.  School Board Attorney David Day replied that this system is used for many joint programs, including special education.

“It’s based, in part, on the notion that people of good will get together and make good decisions for kids,” Day said.  According to Day, based on his 45 years of experience, he has never seen a piece of litigation over an agreement like the one proposed with Pursuit Institute.

Day also explained the provisions in the agreement allowing a school district to withdraw from the pact, which can be done with the proper advance notice.

The HSE School Board is scheduled to decide whether to go it alone on CTE programs, or join the Pursuit Institute, at Wednesday night’s regular board meeting, starting at 7pm.

The Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) has announced candidate endorsements for the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board election.

Association Vice President Ben Yoder released the endorsements on his Facebook page.  Yoder says the decision to endorse these candidates came after a vote of the membership of the union, which represents teachers in the HSE District.

The candidates receiving the HSEA endorsements are:

District 1 –  Jackie Howell

District 2 – Janet Pritchett

District 3 –  Dr. Carla Cork

District 4 – Julie Chambers

In this school board election, those casting ballots only vote for candidates within the district in which the voter resides.

Election day is November 8 and early voting begins October 12.

For years, the only two government entities eligible to enact a food & beverage tax through state law, without the tax, totaled 2 – Fishers and Anderson.  As of December 1, Anderson will stand alone, as the Fishers City Council voted 8-1 in favor of enacting the levy at Monday night’s council session.

Councilor Jocelyn Vare was the lone “no” vote.  She offered two amendments to the action, to sunset the tax after 40 years once the bonds are paid, and to place in the ordinance a provision requiring the tax proceeds to be used only for an events center planned for an expanded Fishers District, near I-169 between 106th and 116th Streets.

Both amendments failed when no one seconded the motions.

The 1% tax on restaurant meals is projected to generate $3.2 million per year, with the money part of a package to pay-off the bonds for the events center, also described as an arena, that can seat 6,500 to 8,500, depending on the type of event.

City Attorney Chris Greisl, when asked about no language in the ordinance requiring the tax money to be used on the bonds, says the bond documents will contain that language.

Mayor Scott Fadness proposed this tax as part of the financing package used to construct the events center.  Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren told council members that without this tax, there will be no arena without another funding source.

The Fishers Town Council had flirted with the idea of enacting the food and beverage tax in 2013, but the state statute limited the way the tax money could be spent, mostly on economic development projects.  The state gave Fishers a 1-year window in 2013 to pass the tax, but the town council tabled the issue and never brought it back.

The state has provided another window for Fishers to pass the tax starting Jul 1 of this year and with a specific project dedicated to it, Fishers has now passed an ordinance allowing the food & beverage tax.

The deadline for voter registration is Tuesday, October 11, which means the following day, Wednesday, October 12, is the first day for early voting in Hamilton County.

Also, the deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is nearing. Those wishing to vote absentee by mail must submit an application by midnight, Thursday, October 27th.  The form can be submitted electronically at www.indianavoters.com. You can also call 317-776-8476 and make a request for an application over the phone.

Once you have voted your absentee ballot, you can return your ballot by mail or return it in person to the Election Office in the Judicial Center at One Hamilton County Square in Noblesville. All absentee ballots must be received by the Election Office on or before 6:00 p.m. on Election Day.

As to Fishers early voting, Holland and Billericay parks will be the locations, starting October 26.  Here is the Fishers schedule, as provided by the Hamilton County Election Office:

Roy G Holland Memorial Park Building, 1 Park Drive, Fishers
Billericay Park Building, 12690 Promise Road, Fishers

• October 26-27 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• October 28-29 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• November 2-3 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• November 4-5 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Here is the information on the remaining early voting locations in Hamilton County:

• Noblesville    
  Judicial Center, One Hamilton County Square, Noblesville
  • October 12-14 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • October 17-21 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • October 24-28 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • October 29 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • October 31-November 4 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • November 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • November 7 from 8:00 a.m. to Noon
• Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant Street, Noblesville

  • October 12-14 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • October 17-21 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • October 24-29 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • October 31-November 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • November 7 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

  Carmel
  Mercy Road Church, 2381 Pointe Pkwy, Carmel
  Jill Perelman Pavilion, 3000 W 116th Street, Carmel

  • October 26-27 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • October 28-29 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  • November 2-3 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • November 4-5 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Westfield        
  Westfield City Hall, 130 Penn Street, Westfield
  Cool Creek Nature Center, 2000-1 E 151st St, Carmel
  • October 26-27 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • October 28-29 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  • November 2-3 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • November 4-5 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Election Day may be November 8, but if you wish to cast a ballot in the 2022 general election, you must be registered.

The deadline for registering is Tuesday, October 11.

For more details, check out the voter registration part of the Hamilton County Election Office, available at this link.