The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District is facing what Superintendent Patrick Mapes has called “a perfect storm of financial challenges,” as contract negotiations with the district’s teachers remain unsettled.

In a statement released this week, Mapes outlined a series of pressures on the district’s budget, including declining student enrollment, rising insurance premiums, and legislative changes projected to reduce revenue in coming years.

According to Mapes, enrollment declines have already cost HSE more than $172,000 in state tuition support this year, with greater losses possible if the trend continues. Rising healthcare costs are also straining the budget, with insurance premiums expected to increase between 10.5% and 16.8% in 2026.

The superintendent pointed to steps the district has already taken to manage finances, including saving $1.5 million through health insurance reforms, $1.35 million through bond refinancing, and more than $200,000 by tightening audits. But he acknowledged that the district continues to face significant obstacles, including a $9.5 million shortfall that carried over from 2023, new state property tax caps that will cost HSE more than $4.5 million annually starting in 2026, and projected declines in referendum revenue beginning in 2027.

“Even with these efforts, we are still facing mounting pressures,” Mapes said. “This is not a message of despair, but of transparency. We will continue to advocate for funding that reflects the value of your work while making smart financial decisions.”

The Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA), the union representing district teachers, said the administration’s current contract proposal would leave educators with less take-home pay.

Union leaders say the offer would eliminate step increases tied to years of service, provide no increase in base pay, end additional pay for master’s degrees, and impose what they describe as “a huge increase” in health insurance premiums. Taken together, the union argues, the changes would amount to less take-home pay for teachers.

Under Indiana law, teacher contract negotiations follow a set timeline each fall. Bargaining officially begins in September and must conclude by November 15. If no agreement is reached, the process can move into mediation and then fact-finding, where a neutral party reviews both sides’ financial claims and issues a report. A contract may then be imposed if the two sides remain at an impasse.

HSE is not alone in facing financial stress. School districts across the state are working to balance budgets amid rising costs and legislative changes that affect local revenue. Mapes emphasized that HSE will continue advocating for state funding that better supports teacher compensation.

For now, based on public statements, the union and administration remain far apart.

The City of Fishers will partner with Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity to host the Fishers Community Panel Build on Friday, October 3, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Holland Park, 1 Park Drive.

Nearly 100 volunteers and local partners are expected to take part in constructing exterior and interior wall panels for a future Habitat for Humanity home. Once completed, the home will provide safe and stable housing for a family in the Greater Indianapolis area.

“This event embodies the spirit of Fishers—community, partnership, and collaboration,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “By partnering with Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity and with the support of local businesses and volunteers, we’re doing more than building walls for a house; we’re coming together as a community to strengthen connections and work toward a shared purpose.”

A board-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., featuring remarks from Mayor Fadness and community partners.

Jim Morris, President and CEO of Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity, emphasized the importance of events like the Panel Build. “Affordable homeownership is essential to the health, stability, and economic prosperity of both individual families and entire communities,” Morris said. “We applaud the Fishers community for coming together to build the walls of a future home for a first-time buyer. As the path to homeownership becomes increasingly difficult for many families, the support from the City of Fishers and its sponsors not only raises awareness of the growing need—it helps make homeownership a reality for families.”

This year’s event is supported by sponsors including Meyer Najem, RQAW, OfficeWorks, Republic Services, Indy Fuel, Indy Ignite, Fishers Freight, Inherent Commercial, Main Event Merchandise Group, and BJ’s Wholesale, who are contributing both funding and volunteers.

More information about the project can be found at FishersIN.gov/HabitatForHumanity.

The Fishers Police Department’s annual Open House has traditionally been part of the National Night Out celebration. But with that date often coinciding with the start of the school year, many families have been unable to attend.

This year, the department tried something new. By moving the event to a later date, police officials saw a noticeable difference — families were everywhere at Tuesday evening’s Open House.

Sponsored by Ascension St. Vincent Fishers, the event enjoyed perfect weather and a strong community response. Visitors experienced forensic demonstrations, hands-on training through VR headsets, and a closer look at the wide range of work Fishers officers perform every day.

Here are more photos from the 2025 Fishers Police Department Open House:

Continue reading Families Turn Out for Fishers Police Department Open House →

The first impression visitors have when approaching the new Fishers Community Center is its sheer size. The building is striking from the outside, and once inside, the open spaces make an even bigger impact.

Mayor Scott Fadness, City Councilor Todd Zimmerman, and the city’s Director of Recreation and Wellness, Jake Reardon-McSoley, welcomed members of the media Tuesday morning for a preview tour of the facility. The center officially opens to the public on November 1.

Fadness called the center “extraordinary, a vibrant place,” and credited Zimmerman and Reardon-McSoley for helping bring the project to life.

“For a community that is hyper-fixated on families and a culture of health, this place was the epicenter of those activities,” Fadness said.

Zimmerman recalled meeting with the mayor after the COVID-19 pandemic to consider how best to respond to changing community needs. The two agreed a community center should be the priority, leading to a public survey that drew 3,500 responses. Those results helped shape not only the Community Center, located at 121st Street and Hoosier Road, but also the recently completed Arts Center at the City Hall complex.

Following remarks, McSoley led a tour of the facility, which is designed to serve residents and nonresidents alike. Fishers residents will receive discounted membership rates, but many parts of the center—including the indoor playground and walking track—will be free for anyone with a community pass.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s free with a community pass (available to all, regardless of residency) and what requires a membership:

Free with Community Pass:

• Fishers Health Department HQ & Clinic

• Sahm’s Community Café

• Public meeting spaces

• Indoor Playground: 5,300 sq. ft. of interactive play space for kids and families (reservations required)

• Indoor Walking/Running Track

Membership Benefits:

• Indoor Aquatics Center with 25-yard lap pool, AquaClimb wall, NinjaCross System, and enclosed water slide

• 11,000 sq. ft. Fitness Center with EGYM Strength Circuit, group exercise studios, cycle studio, and turf area

• Sauna

• Universal locker rooms

• Indoor courts with three full-size basketball courts (convertible into six cross courts), three volleyball courts, and up to nine pickleball courts

• Action Zone Childcare (free for Charter members with family memberships; additional fees apply after November 1)

The Fishers Community Center opens its doors November 1, offering families, fitness enthusiasts, and residents of all ages a new hub for recreation and wellness.

For more details on the Fishers Community Center, and membership details, use this link.

Below are photos snapped during the tour of the Center.

Continue reading Fishers Community Center Set to Open November 1 →

You haven’t heard much about the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools redistricting process in recent weeks because most of the work since mid-August has taken place behind the scenes. The district hired Woolpert, a consulting firm it has worked with before, to guide the process.

According to the timeline presented to the school board in August, focus groups met throughout September with Woolpert, which has been developing potential boundary line options.

As October begins, community meetings will be held to present those options and gather public input. Later in October and into early November, Woolpert will review feedback from those sessions and refine its proposals.

The firm is expected to prepare a final recommendation by December, giving the school board a plan to consider before the end of the year.

I have covered many redistricting decisions made by many HSE school boards over the past 13 years. Redistricting decisions are often emotional for families, as they can mean students moving to new school buildings, working with different teachers and administrators, and adjusting to changes in social circles.

Superintendent Patrick Mapes also emphasized at a recent board meeting that redistricting carries financial implications. With major changes to Indiana’s school funding formula enacted by the General Assembly, he said the process will play a key role in ensuring HSE uses its facilities efficiently.

The most difficult part of the process lies ahead, with the board’s decision likely coming in December. By the end of 2025, parents should know which school buildings their children will attend for the 2026–2027 school year.

HSE Schools has a Web site devoted to this redistricting process and it can be accessed using this link.

I’m now in my 13th year of writing this local Fishers news blog, a project that has always been mostly volunteer work for me. While I’ve experimented with a small amount of advertising in recent years, it never generated much revenue.

Running a site like this does come with some costs, even when it’s managed by just one person. Until now, I’ve simply covered those expenses myself as part of my commitment to providing this community resource.

You may have noticed more ads appearing on the site lately. If you find them intrusive, I apologize. But I’ve reached a point where I need a modest revenue stream to help cover the basics and hopefully make improvements in the future.

That’s why you’ll now see ads throughout LarryInFishers.com. My goal is simple: to sustain this service so I can continue keeping you informed. And someday, if there’s support for it, perhaps someone else will carry it forward when I step aside.

Thank you for being a reader and for supporting local news. If the ads bother you, feel free to scroll past them. But if you choose to click, know that it helps keep this blog going.

Today, Saturday, September 27, is Recycling Day.  Details below.  Plenty of details on road construction in and around Fishers on this update.

Here is the listing, for the work week beginning Monday, September 29, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Road construction and other updates →

The City of Fishers and Fishers Parks are rolling out a packed calendar of fall events for all ages, featuring seasonal favorites alongside new attractions and community traditions.

Returning events include Glow in the Park, Boo Bash, and the annual Fall Festival at the Fishers AgriPark, Strengthened by IU Health. Conner Prairie’s Headless Horseman also makes its return throughout October.

New this year are expanded trail connections across the city, the debut of the Fishers Community Center, and special events such as Indy Fuel Opening Night at the Fishers Event Center.

Highlights of the 2025 fall lineup include:

• Final Day of the Fishers Farmers Market: Saturday, Sept. 27, 8 a.m.–noon, NPD AMP.

• Glow in the Park: Sept. 26 (21+ Night) and Sept. 27 (Family Night), NPD AMP.

• City Recycling Day: Saturday, Sept. 27, 8 a.m.–1 p.m., Billericay Park.

• Fishers Police Department Open House: Tuesday, Sept. 30, 5–7 p.m.

• Conner Prairie’s Headless Horseman: Oct. 2–26, Thursdays through Sundays.

• Fishers AgriPark Fall Festival: Oct. 4–5.

• Fishers AgriPark Campouts: Oct. 10–12.

• Fall Break Camp: Oct. 13–17, Holland Park.

• Indy Fuel Opening Night: Friday, Oct. 17, Fishers Event Center.

• Boo Bash: Saturday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., NPD AMP.

• Official Trick-or-Treating Hours: Friday, Oct. 31, 5:30–8 p.m.

• Fishers Community Center Grand Opening: Saturday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m.–noon.

• Veterans Day Ceremony: Tuesday, Nov. 11, 11 a.m., Fishers Municipal Center.

The season also includes art classes at the Fishers Art Center, continued access to Geist Waterfront Park during non-swim months, and volunteer opportunities through the city’s Waterway Steward program.

For more details and registration links, visit FishersParks.com or FishersIN.gov.

Hamilton County judges visited schools across the county this month to help students learn about the United States Constitution in connection with Constitution Day.

Constitution Day, observed September 17, marks the signing of the nation’s founding document in 1787. The Indiana Supreme Court encourages judges and attorneys to use the occasion as an opportunity for civic education.

Newly appointed Magistrate Judge Sarah Shields spent time in classrooms on September 15 and 16. She first visited a kindergarten class at Geist Elementary School, where she introduced students—including her own son—to the role of judges and magistrates. The following day, she read to preschoolers at LeafSpring School in Fishers, including her daughter.

“The Constitution can feel big and complicated, but even young kids understand the idea of rules and fairness,” Shields said. “It was fun to show them that judges are here to help with that.”

On September 16, Commissioner Christopher Barrows spoke to more than 800 eighth-grade social studies students at Westfield Middle School.

“Eighth grade is the perfect age to start connecting the dots between history and real life,” Barrows said. “The students had great questions, and you could tell they were really thinking about how the Constitution applies to their lives.”

Superior Court Judge David Najjar visited Geist Montessori Academy on September 22, where he guided third- and fourth-grade students through a mock trial of Goldilocks vs. The Three Bears. Students acted as jurors, attorneys, a bailiff, and a court reporter.

“When students get to be the jurors or attorneys, it clicks for them that the Constitution is about real people making real decisions,” Najjar said. “That hands-on experience sticks with them in a way a textbook never could.”

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Education Association (HSEA) spent 10 hours at the bargaining table with district administrators this week, producing both progress and new challenges.

Teachers gathered in a school parking lot ahead of Wednesday night’s HSE School Board meeting to hear an update from their bargaining team. The news was mixed.

On the positive side, the union and district resolved a long-standing Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) complaint, an agreement announced the evening before the gathering.

“Glad that the ULP has been settled,” said Craig Frawley, speaking on behalf of the teachers’ bargaining team. “We are hopeful that central office stays true to their word that they are willing to work with us moving forward.”

But Frawley said the district’s opening proposal for a new one-year contract fell short. He described it as “not a tenable situation.”

According to Frawley, the administration’s plan calls for higher health insurance premiums and an increase in the out-of-pocket maximum, with no corresponding salary increase. “That means that every teacher in the district would take home less money,” he said.

If that remains the case, Frawley added, “something else has to be given back to us.”

While Indiana law does not allow teacher time to be directly negotiated, Frawley said the union intends to push for contract language that addresses workload concerns.

“Teachers need time back,” he emphasized, noting that the union’s counterproposal—expected to be delivered to administrators Thursday—will take a “creative” approach to that issue.

“We have to be creative,” Frawley said. “And we are going to ask central office to be creative as well.”

The next bargaining session is scheduled for Monday.