Bob Rice, Energy Management Director for Hamilton Southeastern Schools, provided some good news at the Wednesday school board meetings.  The school district has been saving money through managing energy costs.

In 2020, energy spending was reduced $985,995 compared to the previous year.  One reason cited by Rice is the reduced use of school buildings due to COVID restrictions.  But the savings were also due to changing staff behavior and better managing the school corporation’s equipment.

Also, solar arrays were installed at some schools and contributed to the savings.  During 2020, the solar schools sold back more than $10,000 in electric power to Duke Energy.

There will be a solar cooking event on Saturday, April 17th, at Sand Creek Elementary Schools, according to Rice.

Junior High School students in Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools will be on a 4-day in-person class schedule beginning Monday, April 12, following a unanimous vote by the school board supporting the action recommended by Superintendent Allen Bourff.  Monday through Thursdays will be in-person, with Fridays set aside as e-learning days.

Bourff cited junior high school family survey results, with 75% of parents submitting responses.  82% of the responses favored in-person learning and 70% were in favor of the 4-day in-person schedule, compared to the hybrid method.

School administrators will watch for any surge in positive COVID cases following spring break.  Dr. Bourff cited revised numbers showing 19 positive cases in the schools last week, compared to 70-plus such cases during school weeks in January.  School officials say they will close individual buildings if there are COVID outbreaks on or after April 12.

The E-Fridays are allowing teachers to take individual time with students needing extra help and help with teacher stress.  Hamilton Southeastern Education Association President Janet Chandler told board members how difficult it has been for the teaching staff to handle in-person and virtual students at the same time.

“We cannot do another year like this,” Chandler told the board.  “Something has to give.”

HSE Schools are planning a regular classroom schedule for the 2021-2022 school year, according to Dr. Bourff.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools will announce the new superintendent of schools on April 22nd.  That was the word from HSE School Board President Janet Pritchett following the Wednesday night board meeting.

Originally, the announcement was scheduled for Wednesday, but was pushed back until after spring break.

Current Superintendent Allen Bourff plans to retire at the end of June this year.

April is Sustainability Month and the City is gearing up for Keep Fishers Beautiful, also during April.  The pandemic may limit some of the group activities seen in past years, but there will be plenty of opportunities to be a part of it.

The monthlong celebration includes in-person volunteer opportunities at City parks and local schools; a City Recycling Day; discounts and special programming at local garden centers; a trash pickup run with Fishers Running Club; a sustainability-themed reading list curated by the Hamilton East Public Library; and guest blogs on ThisIsFishers.com focused on sustainability, gardening, volunteerism, and more.

The celebration will also feature the 2021 City of Service Awards during National Volunteer Week from April 18 through 23. The annual service award celebration will recognize the dedicated volunteers and individuals who have donated their time and talent to our community in 2020. This year, three new community nominated awards will debut, including Essential Worker of the Year, Community Servant of the Year, and Non-Profit Staffer of the Year.

Here is the schedule of events for the month of April, as provided by the City of Fishers”

Continue reading April is Sustainability Month and Keep Fishers Beautiful →

The weekly numbers from the Fishers Health Department are relatively unchanged from the previous update one week ago.  The department does say that almost 30% of city residents have received at lease their first COVID vaccine dose.

The COVID community risk rating remains at Level 3, or orange.

Health Department epidemiologist Josh Robinson has a video rundown on all this, find it

at this link.

Anyone using 146th Street needs to be aware of a major closure set for 7 days, beginning April 5th.  The closure will allow crews to transition traffic patterns at the intersection with State Road 37.  Officials have released suggested detour routes using Allisonville Road and Cumberland Road.

The detour map is below.

A consulting firm, Favorite Part of My Day, has been selected as the Diversity and Inclusion consultant for the  City of Fishers.  The city has previously hired the firm for the Fishers Police Department.

Favorite Part of My Day will be paid $115,000 for the duration of the one-year contract.

According to an attachment to the Fishers Board of Works and Public Safety agenda, the contractor will be responsible for:

– Establishing and publicizing a city committee.

– Business engagement – ensuring equitable opportunities for all residents of the City of Fishers & inclusive work environments

– Religious institution engagement – implementing skills as equity partners

– Programming for resident graduates of Interrupting Racism, giving them implementation skills of the information learned

– Equitable opportunities for residents to hold leadership positions in City of Fishers (committees, etc.)

The consulting firm will report directly to Mayor Scott Fadness.  This program is the next step after the city provided Interrupting Racism training to any Fishers resident wishing to take it, free of charge.

The city had paid half the salary for the diversity and inclusion officer for HSE Schools, but Fishers decided to take those funds and provide the programs to be delivered by the consultant, when the amount of work required was too much for the HSE Schools employee.

(Editor’s Note:  Previous versions of this story cite $155,000 as the amount of the contract.  The story has been changed to the correct amount of the contract, $115,000)

The City of Fishers will pay local neighborhoods $66,659 in Vibrant Neighborhoods Matching Grant money recommended by a committee to spruce up areas at least ten years old.  City officials told the Board of Works and Public Safety a requirement that a neighborhood may only apply for a grant one-out-of-three years resulted in some applications being denied.  As part of the action taken Tuesday, the board approved language removing the one-out-of-three year requirement.  You can find the full list of the applications approved and denied at this link.  Neighborhoods receiving the money will be responsible for compliance with all laws that apply.

In another action, the board voted to provide several fireworks displays this summer with a contract not to exceed $135,000 for Madbomber Fireworks.  Fireworks events include:

–A June 15 city celebration for high school graduating seniors

–Spark Fishers

–Geist Blast on the Bridge

For the first time, I recorded a Zoom podcast on video.  This one was with the new leaders of the Hamilton County Democratic Party.  The video version of that podcast is below.

When previous Hamilton County Party Chair Joe Weingarten chose not to run for another term, there was a contested election for officers.  A slate of candidates led by Dayna Colbert won over the votes of precinct official and were all elected.

Here is my podcast with Chair Dayna Colbert and Vice Chair Ronnie Saunders.