After attending several community meeting early in the process for the rebuilding of State Road 37 in Fishers, one thing was clear from the start – one of the greatest engineering challenges of the project would be drainage.

The plans to construct changes to State Road 37 configuration of intersections, much like Keystone Avenue in Carmel, is an effort to end the rush-hour traffic tie-ups at along the state highway.

But that could not happen without a solution to the drainage issues.  Handling that problem has resulted in an award for the firm dealing with it.

According to my news gather partner, the Hamilton County Reporter, Indianapolis-based American Structurepoint and WSP USA have earned a National Recognition Award for exemplary engineering achievement in the American Council of Engineering Companies’ (ACEC) 54th annual Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) for the State Road 37 Drainage Line Project.

Reaching depths up to 40 feet, the new gravity sewer line will transport stormwater about a mile from the revamped corridor where four signalized intersections have been transformed into a series of interchanges. Because each interchange has a 15- to 20-foot depressed mainline road section with no adjacent gravity sewer outlets, the stormwater trunk lines provide a positive outlet for stormwater and eliminate the need for additional lift stations to pump water away.

The project team’s simplified solution reduced traffic congestion and maintained access to businesses during construction. Along with providing an environmentally friendly, sustainable solution to keep the interchanges free of ponding hazards during heavy rain events, the trunk lines provide a much more aesthetically pleasing drainage solution in a high-traffic, urbanized area.

The project is eligible for additional honors as part of 173 entries this year representing engineering excellence from throughout the nation and the world. Judging for the awards program – known industry-wide as the “Academy Awards of the engineering industry” – took place in February and was conducted by a national 20-member panel of built-environment leaders, along with experts from government, media, and academia. Award criteria focused on uniqueness and originality, technical innovation, social and economic value, and generating excitement for the engineering profession.

Recognition of all award winners including top winners – 20 Honor Awards, 16 Grand Awards, and the prestigious “Grand Conceptor Award” for the year’s most outstanding overall engineering achievement – will take place during the 2021 Virtual EEA Gala, to be held on Thursday, June 17.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

County Auditor Robin Mills said Monday that her office has scheduled a joint meeting of the Hamilton County Council and County Commissioners for April 23 to hopefully develop “a strategic plan” for the administration and distribution of COVID relief funds.

The county is due to receive $65.6 million over the next two years from the huge $2.9 trillion federal government program designed to compensate local governments for losses suffered as a result of the national pandemic.

Rules on where, when and how the money can be awarded are contained in the federal relief law, which is more than 300 pages long.

Mills

“It’s going to be a long process,” Mills said. She and county grants administrator Todd Clevenger are working on it, along with the assistance of financial consultant Mike Reuter.

That process will start at the April 23 meeting. Mills points out that “I don’t have a vote” on deciding when and where the millions of dollars will go, but she does feel the responsibility for helping to organize handling of the county’s single largest grant in history.

Where is the money likely to go? Some obvious local agencies that are eligible for compensation of lost revenue are county parks and the county tourism bureau.

But, these losses are small in the grand scheme of things.

Overall, the county survived the pandemic in good financial shape, the auditor notes.

Apparently, in certain areas the county can award funds to county schools, libraries and other public institutions which did not get money from the local grant.

The money will first be available on May 10. Despite a long process ahead, the money must be distributed by the end of 2024 or it reverts to the federal treasury.

“COVID-19 is still spreading within the community, at a much lower rate than what it was previously back in the large winter surge we saw in November, December, in the beginning of January.”

That’s the word from Fishers Health Department Epidemiologist Josh Robinson in his weekly COVID-19 video update.  The Fishers Community Risk Level remains at a 3 on a scale of 4 and has remained steady in recent weeks.

According to Robinson, the latest numbers verify that COVID-19 continues to spread within the Fishers area.

The Hamilton County percent positivity rate is at 8.4% as of Tuesday morning.  The Fishers percent positivity rate is 7.7%.  The case incidents rate stands at 27.98.  Robinson says these numbers have increased over the past few weeks.

Robinson asks local residents to continue taking precautions to slow the spread of the virus.  That includes wearing a mask outside your own household, social distancing and washing your hands regularly.

“There have been a lot of projections coming out lately, showing a slight increase in cases across various localities in the U.S.,” Robinson said.  “There (are) also other projections that these increases may continue for a few weeks and then eventually start to decline again in April.”

The Fishers Health Department plans to keep a close eye on local COVID numbers.

Fishers health officials say the availability of testing remains good, with testing appointments available within two days and results ready in two days or less.  Contact tracing is also staying current.

Hospital availability in the counties surrounding Marion, including Hamilton, remains good.

If you need to schedule a COVID vaccination or a COVID test, call 317-595-3211.

To access Josh Robinson’s entire video update posted Tuesday night, use this link.

I am dating myself when quoting the old TV series “Hill Street Blues,” which aired from 1981 through 1987.  At the beginning of most episodes, a character named Phllip Esterhaus (replaced later after the death of actor Michael Conrad who originally played the part) provides a summary to the assembled officers prepared to start their shift on the busy and dangerous city streets.  As Esterhause ends his rundown, he always looked out over the roomful of police and said, “Hey, let’s be careful out there.”

What was true in a fictional police TV series in the 1980s is still true today, but for different reasons.

Our  local Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools are on spring break.  After more that a year dealing with COVID and all that goes with a pandemic of a very contagious and life-threatening disease, everyone badly needs that break.

Vaccinations are increasing at a rapid rate.  I am scheduled for my second injection Friday.

But as many families return from the break and prepare to return, this is where we all need to be extra careful.  I would hope all returning to the Fishers area find a way to get a COVID test.  When traveling, the chances of being infected grow.

HSE Schools Superintendent Allen Bourff says that even though junior high school students will be able to attend in-person classes 4 days per week once returning from the break Monday, April 12, school officials reserve the right to close individual school buildings if COVID outbreaks are detected.

There is a danger that the success of the COVID vaccination program will bring a false sense of security.  This virus is still around and variants are out there that could spread if infections continue.

Look at the state of Michigan, just to our north.  Residents there are seeing a spike in positive cases even though vaccinations continue.  One health professional there says there are more variants spreading there and that has contributed to the COVID infection rate going up.

You can also look at the South American nation, Chile.  One-third of its population of 18 million has already been COVID vaccinated, yet cases have increased to the point of overwhelming the Chilean health system and strict lockdown measures are back in place there.

Why has Chile seen their COVID cases soar?  British newspaper The Guardian reported this:

The speedy vaccination programme appears to have instilled a false sense of security that led the country to ease restrictions too soon without people appreciating the ongoing risks. The country reopened its borders in November and in January introduced permits for Chileans to go on summer holiday. Without strict controls on people entering the country, and the lack of an efficient contact-tracing system, travellers may have brought infections back into the country that were not picked up. 

The last thing we want to see is the “false sense of security” that created the COVID spike in Chile.  These vaccines are nothing short of a medical miracle, made possible by the urgent need of the pandemic and the amazing technology available to medical science now.

So, I know some of you follow this blog as you travel on your spring break vacation, and I sincerely hope you all have a wonderful time.  Just allow me this reminder.

“Hey, be careful out there.”

For many years, Fishers had no long-term, strategic plan.  Not long after converting from a town to a city, Fishers spent months formulating the 2040 plan, the new blueprint for the city’s future.

That 2040 plan is due for a review and city officials are inviting the public to be a part of that review.  Since the pandemic is not yet over, two virtual meetings are on the calendar.

The first virtual open house for public comment is scheduled for Wednesday, April 21, 6pm.  You can register at this link.

The second open house is set for Thursday, May 6, at 7pm.  Register for that session at this link.

Here is what the city has to say about the process.

The Fishers 2040 comprehensive plan lays out a roadmap of how we reach that vision. The plan is structured around a vision that takes a holistic view of the future of Fishers, including topics such as future land use, quality of life, parks and open space, transportation, and housing. By analyzing all aspects of the city government, we can produce a comprehensive, strategic, and sustainable approach to future decision-making that will lead to a higher quality of life for Fishers residents.

We may not know the name of the new Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools Superintendent yet, but we do know the provisions in that person’s contract with the district.

April 22 is the date we have been given for the announcement of the individual set to replace retiring superintendent of schools Allen Bourff.  But the school  board will be holding a public hearing and voting on the new superintendent’s contract before we know anything about the individual to be hired.

I understand the school board’s desire to have the pact in place as the new superintendent enters the job, but it is hard for the public to comment on a contract for the head of our local public schools when we have no idea of that person’s background and experience.

The compensation package for the newly-selected superintendent will be slightly lower that the current contract with Allen Bourff.

The contract spans three years, includes an annual salary of $180,000 and has many other benefits listed.

Here is the public notice published by the school district with the contract provisions of the new HSE Schools superintendent:

Continue reading No announcement yet on new HSE supt, but contract is up for a vote →

The Fishers Arts Council is set for the 12th annual Senior Showcase at Fishers City Hall, featuring works of art from seniors at Fishers and HSE High Schools.  A free public reception is set for Friday, April 16th, from 6:00pm to 7:15pm, followed by the Awards Ceremony at 7:30pm.

This will be an in-person reception, but COVID protocols will be in place. Facial coverings are mandated as is social distancing.

The award winners this year will receive scholarships totaling $2000. The categories are – Best of Show ($500), First ($250), Second ($150) and Third Place ($100) in the categories of Drawing, Photography and Painting/Mixed Media.

The artwork will be on display at Fishers City Hall from April 4th thru April 29th, with the gallery open daily from 8:30am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday.

Jesse Kramer, Director of Exhibits at Conner Prairie will be the judge. The artwork for the exhibit was selected by Jasmine Osborne, Chair, Visual Arts Department, Chair, Visual Arts Department, Fishers High School and Angela Fritz, Chair, Visual Arts Department, Hamilton Southeastern High School along with art department teachers Danielle Ontiveros and Lisa Brown.

The corporate sponsor for the exhibit is Star Bank.

The artwork shown in this post are from last year’s event.

Fishers Student Karissa Stiner

The American Rescue Plan (ARP), the $1.9 trillion in spending recently enacted by Congress, provides local governments money, and Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness says his city is receiving $19.8 million.  The mayor wants to work with his city council on how the funds should be spent.

According to Fadness, there are some restrictions in the federal law as to how the money can be spent and he wants to sift through all the provisions before working with council members on spending the cash.

“We are in a very good financial position, so Fishers will not need to use this money to plug holes in our budget,” Fadness tells LarryInFishers.

According to national news reports, the local ARP money must be spent by the end of 2024 on certain projects, including:

–reimbursement and expenses related to the coronavirus pandemic

–grants to assist small businesses, nonprofits and industries impacted by the pandemic.

–water, sewer and broadband projects

All ARP funds must be spent by the end of 2024 and the money cannot be used to lower taxes or to pay into municipal pension funds.

I have been experimenting with recording my podcasts on both audio and video.  I have this podcast available as audio only but have added this video version if you prefer it.

Let me know if you like, or dislike, my video versions of the LarryInFishers.com podcasts

This is the video of my podcast with Jason Taylor and Hatem Mekky of the Fishers Engineering Department.