Hamilton County Reporter

Wednesday was the first day of satellite voting in Hamilton County, with voting being conducted in Carmel, Westfield and Fishers. The Hamilton County Elections Office reported on the first day of satellite voting that 57 people voted in Westfield, 74 in Fishers and 120 in Carmel.

As of Wednesday, 651 people have voted in person at the Hamilton County Judicial Center and 485 ballots have been received via mail since the start of early voting on Oct. 8.

Voting will continue on the following dates and locations:

Judicial Center – Noblesville

Friday, Oct. 25: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 26: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 28 to Friday, Nov. 1: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 2: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 4: 8 a.m. to noon

Satellite Voting – Carmel, Fishers & Westfield

Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 30: 2 to 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Locations . . .

Carmel Library, 55 4th Ave. SE

Fishers City Hall, 1 Municipal Drive

Westfield City Hall, 130 Penn St.

Hamilton County Reporter

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a farm accident resulting in the death of an Arcadia man.

Deputies were dispatched to the area of 274th Street and Ott Road in the northern part of Hamilton County near Arcadia shortly after 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Etchison

Detectives and deputies working the incident reported a local farmer harvesting a soybean field was decelerating to turn a corner in the field when Anthony Etchison, 47, Arcadia, attempted to climb aboard the step ladder of the John Deere combine harvester. While attempting to access the still-moving combine harvester in the dark and dusty field, Etchison fell and was unable to avoid being run over by the vehicle’s large tires. Etchison was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident.

Etchison was a four-year letter winner in basketball at Noblesville and was a member of the 1989, 1990 and 1991 sectional championship teams. He was named All-County four times and was the Hamilton County Player of the Year two times. The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame named him to the 2016 Silver Anniversary Team, and he is a member of the Hamilton County Basketball Hall of Fame.

A prayer vigil for Etchison was held Thursday evening at the football field at Hamilton Heights High School.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Arcadia Police Department, the Jackson Township Fire Department and Hamilton County Public Safety Communications throughout the incident.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Mel Featherston was the kind of guy who helps make a community wholesome and stable. He passed away last week at the age of 94, one of the last of what has been called the Greatest Generation.

Mel liked to be considered a farmer, but he was more than that. He was above all a family man, a supporter of his church, shrewd businessman, public servant and military veteran. And, he approached it all with a keen sense of humor.

I first met Mel in the 1960s when he was a candidate for County Auditor. As a newspaper reporter, I got to know him well. It was a time of hardball politics in Hamilton County. I didn’t think Mel was interested in playing in that game, but he was not one to cave-in if pressured.

Eventually there was a showdown between Mel and Judge Ed New. As in other cases, New issued orders that his wishes be obeyed and the auditor’s office would provide a license plate for a former sheriff’s patrol car which would be used by a court probation officer. Mel got the plate, but reminded the judge that according to law, the car should not go on the road with sheriff’s colors and needed to be repainted.

The judge did not care to wait, and told Mel he wanted the plate or a contempt citation would be issued. Mel hid the plate behind a radiator and said no deal. He was jailed.

That brought wide attention from the news media. Mel conducted an impromptu press conference at the jail’s kitchen window which he approached with his usual sense of humor. He said he was a political prisoner and only hoped he could get out in time to teach his Sunday school class. He was soon released.

Unlike some today, Mel knew how to deal the news media. His opinions and office records were an open book. As a reporter, I appreciated that, and we had great relations. It was a time of informality, and as I look back, it is hard to imagine a public official’s wife now serving a birthday cake to a reporter as Nancy Featherston did on my 30th birthday.

After leaving the public arena, Mel went on to other business and civic endeavors almost too numerous to list, but he remained active until he was 90 or more. I can only say, Melvin Featherston was my kind of guy.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Early voting at the Hamilton County Judicial Center brought out only 586 people voting in person, and 485 mail-in ballots were received as of Monday. This would indicate a very light vote in the upcoming Nov. 5 municipal elections. The pace may pick up as satellite voting stations in Carmel, Fishers and Westfield opened Tuesday. Early voter ballots will be part of a pilot project in which a paper trail will be kept as a further effort to ensure accurate election results. State law provides voting machines in all counties will provide a paper trail by the year 2030.

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Conner Prairie Pioneer Settlement has eliminated its popular Follow the North Star interactive program for this season. The program, which started several years ago, tells the story of the pre-Civil War Underground Railroad, a branch of which ran through Hamilton County. Suspension of the program has been disappointing to some. An organization known as the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience has made suggestions on changes to the presentation. Conner Prairie says it is working with the coalition, and will resume Follow the North Star next year.

* * *

A public open house is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Carmel Fire Buffs Museum, 210 Veterans Way (formerly First Ave., S.W.). It will allow folks to tour the building which was the original Carmel Fire Station, for a last time before it is torn down to make way for a new fire administration and museum building. The open house runs from noon through 3 p.m.

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Property taxpayers will have until Nov. 12 this year to pay their 2019 fall taxes. Statements were mailed out in April. If a property owner did not receive a statement, it is his or her responsibility to contact the treasurer’s office to learn an amount due. Usually the semi-annual taxes are due on May 10 and Nov. 10, but due to Veterans Day, the deadline is the 12th this year.

Hamilton County Reporter

HAND, Inc. (HAND) has named its interim leadership team.

Andrea Muirragui Davis will serve as the Interim Executive Director, and Rebekah Metzger as the Interim Deputy Director. Keith Broadnax, current Vice President for HAND, will take a more active role in the day-to-day activities of the organization. Davis and Metzger are already transitioning into their new roles and will take over for outgoing Executive Director Jennifer Miller on Nov. 4.

Davis has been with HAND since October 2017 and currently serves as the Outreach and Fundraising Manager handling communications and philanthropic fundraising. Prior to joining HAND, Ms. Davis worked for Web Guys in Carmel, the Indianapolis Business Journal and The Florida Times-Union. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Hamilton County Leadership Academy and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America.

Metzger joined HAND in 2017 as the Program Manager overseeing construction projects and development grants. Prior to joining HAND, she worked for the John Boner Neighborhood Center, AYS, Inc. and Wonderlab in Bloomington. She is a certified Housing Development Finance Professional.

Broadnax has been a volunteer with HAND since 2017. He has worked in the community economic development industry for over 20 years and has considerable experience working with Community Development Corporations. Mr. Broadnax has an undergraduate degree in Business and Sociology from Northern Kentucky University and a graduate degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Ball State University.

The new leadership team looks forward to working with the board and the community to strengthen HAND’s mission and to continue to provide high-quality housing for the 120 people currently living in HAND developments.

HAND’s annual fundraiser, Stay Home for HAND, is Nov. 9. Proceeds from Stay Home for HAND support the organization’s housing development, home repair and community building programs. HAND works to ensure that the suburbs remain livable, with homes that are affordable for all residents. Click here for ticket pricing and event information.

Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Superintendent Allen Bourff has a new contract extension, through June 30, 2021.  The HSE School Board approved the new pact, calling for a 2% increase to an annual salary of $189,702, effective July 1, 2019.  The contract calls for Dr. Bourff’s incentive compensation for the period July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 to be $14,872 (.08% X $185,982.

Dr. Bourff’s contract was approved by the board Wednesday night by a vote of 6-1, with Amanda Shera the only no vote.  The vote was for the approval of the Consent Agenda, which included four items – meeting minutes, a staffing report, a donations report and Dr. Bourff’s compensation.  Shera did not specify during the meeting why she voted no on the Consent Agenda.

The board also gave final approval to the 2020 budget and the new contract with the district’s teachers, a two year agreement that begins retroactively to the start of this school year.

The Hamilton County Humane Society continues to raise money for its planned move to Fishers and has already raised 80% of their goal.  According to my news gathering partner, the Hamilton County Reporter, the nonprofit organization needs to raise a total of $12 million in order to build the new facility planned at 106th Street and Hague Road.

The Hamilton County Council has funded the program to the tune of $3.5 million.

The Humane Society has been housed at its current Noblesville facility since 2006 and expects its new home in Fishers to be complete during 2021.

In March of 2017, the Fishers City Council voted unanimously to approve zoning changes, paving the way for the Humane Society’s eventual move to Fishers.

At-large Fishers City Councilwoman Cecilia Coble is seeking another four -year term on the council.  Here is my conversation with her.

You can do your early voting on Fishers prior to election day, November 5th.  Fishers City Hall will be the location for early voting.  Here is the schedule of early voting hours in Fishers for the municipal election:

Wednesday, October 23 – Thursday, October 24          2 pm to 7 pm

Friday, October 25 – Saturday, October 26                    10 am to 3 pm

Wednesday, October 30                                                          2 pm to 7 pm

Friday, November 1 – Saturday, November 2               10 am to 3 pm

Early voting is also available at the Hamilton County Judicial Center in downtown Noblesville.  Here are the hours:

Monday, October 21 – Friday October 25                   8 am to 4:30 pm

Saturday October 26                                                           9 am to 4 pm

Monday, October 28 – Friday, November 1              8 am to 4:30 pm

Saturday, November 2                                                      9 am to 4 pm

Monday, November 4                                                        8 am to noon

Monday night was an evening of honoring longevity at the Fishers City Council meeting.

Officer Darrin Emmons was recognized by the council for 20 years of service to the Fishers Police Department.

Anthony Novak and Jerry Edwards were honored for 20 years working in the city fleet operation.

Mayor Scott Fadness recognized  Office Works for being a thriving business in Fishers for 35 years.