I have written about this in the past – the fact that state law essentially shafts the City of Fishers on the County Option Income Tax (COIT) money passed-out by the state to local governments.

Lindsey Erdody has a front-page story in this week’s Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) and does a deep dive into the way Indiana has set up a system that rewarded Carmel for having more debt than Fishers when the COIT checks are cut.

I would encourage anyone concerned about the funding of local Indiana government, particularly Fishers, to read this story.  You can read her piece at this link.  (NOTE: If you are not an IBJ subscriber you may be limited in the number of IBJ online stories you can access)

by

Jim Belser

Hamilton County Reporter

Ben Davis lived up to the hype as the top-rated team in the state, as it took apart
Fishers 50-7 Friday night in the Class 6A regional final at Fishers.

The Giants put forth a dangerous group of skilled players that can overwhelm a
defense. And they did so against the Tigers, time and again. Their quickness and elusiveness often turned ordinary gains into long distance sprints with a trail of Fishers
defenders in their wake.

Getting it in to their hands was Giants quarterback Reese Taylor, who passed for
225 yards and four touchdowns. Ben Davis got big plays from nearly all its receivers,
but none was more lethal than Jermaine Hoskins. Hoskins pulled down receptions of
19, 25, 10 and 45 with two earning touchdowns.

“I was disappointed we didn’t give them a better ball game, but they are the number
one-ranked team and they are going to be a tough team for anybody to beat,” Fishers
coach Rick Wimmer said.

Defensively the Giants were good for a pair of interceptions and applied pressure to
Fishers quarterback Jon Vore, sacking the junior three times on the night on blitzes. It
was a dominating performance by Ben Davis that very few high school teams could
have withstood.

Fishers running back Dylan Scally was the center of the Tigers offense as the Giants
shut down the home team’s passing attack.  The sophomore pounded his way to 65
tough yards on 20 carries. It was a difficult night for Fishers quarterback Jon Vore, but
still the junior managed 104 yards passing, including a nine-yard TD pass.

“Dylan’s tough, he’s done a good job for us, he’s gotten an opportunity after a few
injuries and has done well,” Wimmer said.

Vore had a terrific third quarter, passing for 76 yards and producing the Tigers only
score of the night. His nine-yard toss to Gregory King notched the score at a still
respectable 29-7 halfway through the third.

“I am proud of what our group accomplished, winning the conference championship
and a sectional, and doing it from a start that wasn’t real positive, but I am proud of
what they’ve been able to accomplish for the entire season,” Wimmer said.

Things turned quickly in Ben Davis’ direction in the first half and stayed that way
through the first two quarters. Fishers quarterback Jon Vore was intercepted on the
Tigers’ first possession after a few positive yard plays. A Fishers receiver fell on the
play and the Ben Davis defender was there for the pick off at 9:37 left of the first quarter.

A minute later Ben Davis scored its first touchdown on a one-yard running play. The
Giants produced two 15 yard plus plays on the drive, leading to the score. Fishers
managed to pick up a few first downs in the first quarter, largely behind the legs of
running back Dylan Scally.

While Fishers kept things on the ground in the first half, Ben Davis went through the
air. Giants quarterback Reese Taylor accumulated 54 yards on 5-of-8 passing in the
first quarter. The Ben Davis air attack led to the Giants second touchdown, another short
yardage run. It put the visitors up 14-0 with 2:52 left in the quarter.

The second quarter saw both teams go for it on fourth down. Ben Davis was unsuccessful,
but the Tigers went 2-for-2 on theirs, including short snapping the ball to a
Fishers runner after lining up for a punt.  Scully of Fishers basted his way up the
middle for five yards on the other successful fourth down conversion.

After two quarters it was 22-0 Ben Davis. The Giants started the third quarter
off with a 50-yard touchdown reception and ended with another for 45. Ben Davis added
two more TD passes in the fourth.

There were only a few empty seats for the Friday Veterans Day ceremony at Fishers City Hall.  The Fishers Junior High School Choirs performed (scroll down to access the videos of their performances).  Those assembled were military veterans and others in attendance just to honor those veterans of America’s Armed Forces.

Mayor Scott Fadness expressed his gratitude to all that have served.   He said that the Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day city observances are a way of showing the city’s “unwavering appreciation for all that they have done.”

El Ahlwardt was the Mast of Ceremonies for the Veterans Day event.  In attendance were members of the Fishers City Council, State Senator Victoria Spartz, State Representative Todd Huston  and Jordan Isaacs, representing Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly.

Fishers Junior High School Choir (Part 1)

Fishers Junior High School Choir (Part 2)

A Fishers-based firm, Hubbard Development, is planning a senior housing complex in the area of 126th Street and Hoosier Road.

Lindsey Erdody of the Indianapolis Business Journal wrote the story which you can read at this link.

As winter begins to settle into the Fishers area, road construction is slowing down, but some continues.  Below is the listing for the work weed beginning Monday, November 13th, as provided by the City of Fishers:

======================

141ST STREET  

Lane shifts will occur on 141st Street west of SR37 to allow for the construction of a turn lane along the north side of the roadway. Barrels and cones will be in place to direct traffic through the shift.

116TH STREET   
Periodic lane restrictions will occur on 116th Street east of Allisonville Road as the contractor repairs concrete curbs and ramps and begins resurfacing work on the roadway. Restrictions will be in place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Please note that overnight work will occur while traffic volumes are reduced. The City greatly appreciates residents’ patience with construction noise.

I-69   

Improvements are currently underway to rehabilitate existing bridges, pavement and drainage structures along the 15-mile stretch of interstate. Two lanes of traffic in each direction of I-69 are currently shifted to accommodate construction of the additional travel lanes. Signs direct large trucks to use the left lane while traffic is shifted toward the right shoulder through the work zone. The speed limit is reduced to 60 mph and further reduced to 50 mph when workers are present.

I-69 is expected to open to three lanes in each direction between State Road 37 and State Road 38 before the end of this year. Questions about this project should be directed to INDOT at eastcentralin@indot.in.gov or 1-855-463-6848.

STATE ROAD 37   

Geotechnical drilling began along the State Road 37 corridor in May as part of the final design phase of State Road 37 Improvement Project. Lane and shoulder restrictions will be active through November as crews finish drilling.

The State Road 37 improvement project is a $124 million joint project between Fishers, Hamilton County, Noblesville and INDOT. Questions or concerns may be directed todrivefishers@fishers.in.us.

OUTSIDE OF FISHERS   

Cyntheanne Road between 146th Street and 156th Street will be closed until December 1, 2017 to replace the bridge over Keiser Drain. Please contact Hamilton County Highway Department at 317-773-7770 with any questions.

After 13,500 online survey responses, the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board discussed the school calendar Wednesday night but reached no decisions.

Here are some takeaways from the data compiled from the survey results, based on a presentation to the board by Director of Educational Technology Jeff Harrison:

–56% of those responding prefer a longer summer with shorter breaks, as opposed to shorter summers and longer breaks during the school year.

–65% preferred a 3-day Thanksgiving break (Wednesday, Thursday & Friday)

–A plurality of respondents (43%) disagreed with the statement that HSE should have a school calendar consistent with other Hamilton County School systems.

–Given four possible options for calendars, 33% voted to keep the current calendar, while 30% voted in favor of the current calendar with one important change…a full week off for Thanksgiving.

The board discussed moving fall break forward one week at the quarter break so students would not have homework.  But there are issues with the timing of teachers submitting grades.

The 2018-2019 school year calendar has not been approved by the board.  School administrators will be holding discussions with the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association about the calendar.  Superintendent Allen Bourff says he will provide the board with a recommendation for a school calendar for 2018-2019, and some future school years as well, in December.(

(NOTE:  Earlier versions of this story incorrectly shows 65% wanted a Wednesday, Thursday & Friday Fall Break.  Also, that earlier version showed 33% voting for the current calendar and one week off for Thanksgiving.  The data in the story above includes the corrected figures)

With the announcement that the Fishers Freedom Festival will no longer be staged by the nonprofit group that has put this event on since 1989, The City of Fishers is now stepping forward to sponsor the event in 2018.

The satement by the Festival Board was made late on Wednesday.  Thursday, I talked with two people with differing views on the situation.  Don Dragoo is President of the Fishers Freedom Festival Board…..Brad DeReamer is a member of the Fishers City Council.

Mayor Scott Fadness takes issue with assertion that the City of Fishers ended funding for the Fishers Freedom Festival because the event does not “fall within the city’s vision.”

In the news release issued by the Fishers Freedom Festival late Wednesday night, the festival board said the following: “In 2017, the city provided $45,000 and in-kind services. This August, the mayor and City Council decided to discontinue all funding, including in-kind staff service support, stating that the festival partnership does not fall within their city’s vision.”

The mayor is taking issue with that statement.  “I think that is a misrepresentation of what I think the conversation was about,” Mayor Fadness tells LarryInFishers.  “We’ve had lots of dialogue with the Fishers Freedom Festival about maybe evolving their event, or continue to adapt just like our city continues to adapt.  It was not in any way about ‘I don’t believe we should have festivals’ – nothing could be further from the truth.”

The mayor says any assertion that he doesn’t think events like the Freedom Festival and the parade should be a part of the local landscape is “wholly inaccurate.”

The mayor went on to say this – “I do take exception to their representation of my stance on this.  I think traditions and tradition building in our city is critical.”

The mayor envisions food and culinary components as part of the 2018 festival.  He wants to continue the traditions of offering entertainment, the parade and a fireworks display.  He wants to keep those traditions and add on to those offerings as the city evolves.

“It’s taking on the best of the tradition and adding on and supplementing…..as we evolve as a city and have new interests that these would be incorporated into it,” Mayor Fadness said.  “I think all those things are on the table and in the coming months we’re going to work hard, continue the tradition of a community festival that embraces who we used to be and who we are now and who we are hoping to be in the future.”

Mayor Fadness also expressed his gratitude to all the volunteers that helped with the festival in the past.

City Councilman Brad DeReamer said during a podcast recorded November 9th that the 2018 festival will take place at Holland Park and the downtown area simultaneously.

The City of Fishers released a statement Thursday morning, saying it is dedicated to honoring the Fishers Freedom Festival’s tradition in future events, including the annual parade.  The statement was issued after the festival committee announced late Wednesday night it will not have the financial resources to stage the mid-summer event at Holland Park in 2018.

The Fishers City Council formed a committee earlier this year as part of the budget process to review financial support the city provides to local nonprofit groups.  Nonprofit organizations were asked to apply for financial support, and the Freedom Festival submitted an application.

“Through the application process, (Fishers Freedom Festival) was unable to demonstrate fiscal independence, and the nonprofit committee felt it was best to allocate the grant dollars to benefit multiple nonprofits in an effort to help a greater number of residents,” according to the city statement.

“The Fishers Freedom Festival traditionally received half of the City’s nonprofit grant budget in addition to in-kind services, the equivalent to 10 percent of the Fishers Parks and Recreation budget,” the city said in its written statement.

The Fishers Parks and Recreation Department will take the lead on planning the summer event in 2018.  City spokesperson Ashley Elrod tells LarryInFishers the planning process for the 2018 event will begin now, in light of the festival committee’s announcement late Wednesday.

The city announced earlier this year that the financial support for nonprofit organizations would be allocated to the following groups:

Ascent 121 – assistance for survivors of human trafficking

·         Cherish – child advocacy and abuse intervention and prevention services

·         Conner Prairie Museum, Inc. – interactive history park and Smithsonian-affiliate museum

·         Geist Half Marathon – annual marathon fundraiser for youth health and wellness programs

·         Hamilton County Leadership Academy – a community leadership development program

·         Hamilton County Youth Assistance for Fishers Youth Assistance Program – develop and provide access to programs and services that promote positive growth experiences and enhance home and community relationships.

·         Hamilton Southeastern School Foundation – its mission is to bring the next best practices in education home to local students and teachers

·         Janus Developmental Services – provides adult individuals with disabilities the opportunity to participate and contribute within the community

·         Nickel Plate Arts – supports, promotes and provides outstanding arts experiences in Fishers

·         Spaceport Exploration – supports STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math) education that prepares America for the technologies that are shaping the world

·         Youth Mentoring Initiative (YMI) – provides mentoring for students by building and sustaining a mentoring community with the highest level of service, integrity, encouragement, and empathy.

·         City of Fishers Neighborhood Matching Grant – supports neighborhood beautification projects

·         City of Fishers Tree Matching Grant – supports neighborhood tree planting

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board unanimously approved a new contract with the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association Wednesday night.  The association, representing teachers in the school district, overwhelmingly ratified the pact earlier this month, with roughly 94% of teachers voting yes to the new agreement.

The contract runs from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2019.

For a summary of major provisions, use this link.

To read the entire agreement text, use this link.