Nickel Plate Review Committee and city staff members
The Nickel Plate Review Committee discussed staff recommended changes to the area’s master plan in the group’s first meeting since late January. Fishers City Plan Department staff member Dale Davis reviewed the suggested changes to the plan and discussed them with committee members. You can see the suggestions on a map at this link.
The committee could not take any binding votes because only 4 of the 9 members were present. There are two vacant members of the panel.
The committee also discussed some signage issues in commercial areas near I-69 & 116th Street.
According to the Fishers City Web site, the purpose of the Nickel Plate Review Committee is to aid in the review and approval of projects within the newly-created Nickel Plate District and the City Center Residential Zoning District.
September 11th may be weeks away, but it’s never too early to reserve your VIP tickets for the Mudscock football game. The Mudsock Game is an annual event pitting arch-rivals HSE High School and Fishers High School in their regular season clash on the gridiron. This year, the game will be played at Fishers High School’s Reynolds Tiger Stadium.
The Hamilton Southeastern Schools Foundation offers VIP tickets every year for adults to watch the game from special end-zone seating and with other special perks. The cost this year for the VIP tickets are the same as last year…$35 each, $5 for the game ticket and a $30 contribution to the foundation. Your donation goes to supporting the foundation programs including teacher grants, student scholarships and related district-wide projects.
The foundation has retained the same commercial sponsor for the event from last year, KI Furnishings.
You can read more about the Mudsock Game and order your tickets in advance at this link.
It’s hard to remember when a Fishers Parks Department ceremony had as much energy as the event officially opening Pickleball Courts to Fishers’ Cyntheanne Park. There was a good crowd on hand, many of them residents of the nearby Britton Falls neighborhood.
Parks Department Director Tony Elliot, Mayor Scott Fadness and Britton Falls resident Larry Amick handled the opening ceremony duties.
Then, Mayor Fadness decided to take on the competition and play a few rounds of Pickleball.
Two new members of the Fishers Fire Department will be working their first shifts this week. Caleb Church and Eric Marvin both worked for other fire departments and were eligible for a quick 6-week training class before joining the local department. Both are certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s) with years of experience in providing emergency medical care to patients.
A minimum of 35 Fishers firefighters work from 7 stations each day. Duties outside of emergency response includes training, physical fitness, public education, building and hazard pre-plans, and maintaining apparatus, equipment and stations.
Fishers firefighters work 24 hours on duty with 48 hours off in a constant rotation. Firefighters respond to all types of emergencies including medical, fire, rescue, and hazardous materials.
The Fishers Fire Department responded to almost 5,000 calls during calendar year 2014.
The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board voted 5-2 to give preliminary approval of changes in non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies recommended by attorneys advising the school system. Karen Harmer and Sylvia Shepler voted no, each expressing different concerns about some of the precise wording of the policy changes. The policy, including the changes, are available at this link. Their own by-laws require the board to vote on the changes once more at a future meeting for final approval.
The board was briefed on updates to the school corporation’s procedures allowing access to its facilities, particularly sports venues. Administrators incorporated many, but not all, of the changes suggested by the HSE S.P.O.R.T.S organization in a meeting with the school board last May. Board members appeared to agree with the rules, with one exception. The procedures say preference will be given to local groups or organizations having the majority of their membership (at least 90%) living in the Hamilton Southeastern Schools district. Board members suggested keeping the percentage where it is, at 75%, and not move to the higher 90% threshold. Administrators indicated they would make that change. You can read the recommended procedure changes at this link, and the fully revised document at this link.
Superintendent Allen Bourff told the board he is not ready to provide a calendar for what must be done in the remainder of 2015 for a school referendum. Bourff says he and his staff have not completed the work on calendar details at this point. The school board chose not to place a funding referendum on the ballot in the upcoming November election. The board is apparently eyeing the primary election date of May 3rd, 2016, to ask local voters for support in an operating fund referendum.
Andrew Smith Addresses the HSE Board
The board honored Fishers High School teacher Andrew Smith. Smith overcame many health issues, including a broken neck and a stroke, to qualify as a contestant in NBC’s military edition of American Ninja Warrior. He was one of 400 people chosen out of 50,000 entries to compete.
Board member Matt Burke recognized long-time HSE school bus driver Tom Birch, who retired on May 29th of this year after many decades of transporting local students. School administrators say this is the third time Mr. Birch has retired, having returned to the job after his previous two attempts at retirement.
The Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety approved new speed limits and stop signs for neighborhoods around the city. You can view the full list of changes at this link
The board voted to approve a bid of $258,950.20 for relocation of a wastewater main. The Hamilton County Highway Department is designing a replacement over Cheeney Creek, east of the intersection of Allisonville Road and 106th Street. The replacement bridge will be widened to accommodate three lanes of traffic and a walking path compared to the current two lanes. The bridge widening necessitates the relocation of a 18-inch wastewater force main located on 106th Street.
An administrative policy was approved by the board for the Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Management Program. This mainly deals with restaurant operations within the city. You can read more details on the policy change at this link.
Mayor Scott Fadness did not attend today’s meeting. The session was handled by the other two board members, Jeff Lantz and Jason Meyer.
Last year I had the chance to visit the Fishers Police Department’s celebration of the Annual Night Out There were lots of families and plenty to to.
This year, local Fishers law enforcement will once again have a celebration of the national Night Out to fight crime. Below is the news release from the Fishers Police Department…
On Tuesday, August 4, 2015 neighborhoods throughout Fishers are being asked to join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for the “32nd Annual National Night Out” crime and drug prevention event. National Night Out, which is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and co-sponsored by the Fishers Police Department, will involve over 15,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases around the world. In all, over 37.5 million people are expected to participate in “America’s Night Out Against Crime”. NNO 2015 corporate sponsors are Target, Nextdoor.com and Associa. Local sponsors include Fastsigns,the Evelo Team with Keller Williams Realty, Lockhart Cadillac of Fishers, and Revolution X Studio.
National Night Out is designed to: (1) Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; (2) Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime efforts; (3) Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and (4) Send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
On August 4th, residents in neighborhoods throughout the nation are asked to lock their doors, turn on outside lights and spend the evening outside with neighbors and police. Fishers Police Chief George Kehl invites residents to spend the evening with the police department in the Nickel Plate District.
This free community event will run from 7pm until 10pm. The band Tenth of Never will play live music in the Nickel Plate Amphitheater. The children’s activities will include a bounce house, vortex tunnel, balloon artist, airbrush artist, and video game demos. The Fishers Police Department K-9 Team will put on two demonstrations in between 7pm and 8pm. The police department will also hold their Annual Open House giving residents the opportunity to tour the police department and interact with officers holding various assignments throughout the agency. There will also be food trucks, on site, with items available for purchase.
No one was hurt in a garage fire on Creekview Lane, near 106th Street and Eller Road late Thursday evening (7.23). A Fishers Fire Department news release says the blaze spread to the second floor of the home. 22 firefighters had the fire out within 36 minutes.
According to the fire department, the working smoke alarms warned the family of four when the blaze broke out.
There was heavy smoke and fire damage to the house but no damage dollar amount is yet available.
Firefighters were even able to save the family’s two pets – a lizard and a turtle.
When I walked into the Depot Leasing Office in downtown Fishers, Fire Chief Steve Orusa summed up my feeling once I entered the building. “I feel like I’m in Las Vegas,” Orusa told me.
That’s how impressive and classy the Depot at Nickel Plate strikes you as you walk into the building. Dave Flaherty of the project developer Flaherty and Collins told the crowd at the Grand Opening the building is far ahead of its leasing schedule and is 70% occupied. He expects the facility to be 100% occupied, with both residential and commercial space, “soon.”
The Depot is located in Fishers City property, next door to the post office and just a few steps from City Hall.
The courtyard at the Depot
The Depot swimming pool
(L-R) Mayor Scot Fadness, City Councilmen Eric Moeller and Todd Zimmerman
The proposed Saxony Sports Complex parking plan was approved Wednesday night by the Fishers City Council. The amendment to the Planned Unit Development (PUD) calls for 1,923 parking spaces for the facility on day one of its opening. This includes on-site parking of 1,525 spaces, street parking (adjacent to site) totaling 98 spaces and 340 off-site shared parking spaces available.
Larry Amick speaks before the Fishers City Council
Larry Amick, a resident of Britton Falls, told the council he finds “disturbing” the fact that six VIP parking spaces and 6 suite admissions are part of the proposed lease with the sports complex owners. Amick made a number of other comments about the proposed lease as it applies to public access of the facility, but council members and Mayor Scott Fadness said there is no final agreement on public access, and when that agreement is reached, it will be before the council in a separate measure.
Council Member David George expressed concerns about enough parking spaces when one set of games are ending and another group of players and families are entering the complex at the same time. George was the only no vote on the parking plan.
The Saxony Sports Pavilion is awaiting the completion of certified appraisals which will allow the financing for the project to receive final approval, including the language of the lease with the City of Fishers.
In other council action:
–Approved measures paving the way for the annexation of about 22.5 acres on the north side of 126th Street between Allisonville Road and Lantern Road, known as The Reserve at Lantern property.
— Approved resolutions aimed at the annexation of 66.66 acres located on the southwest side of Southeastern Parkway between Florida Road and Cyntheanne Road, known as the Whelchel Springs (Part I) property.
–Sent to the Plan Commission a proposal to rezone for the Prairie Guest House, 2.0 acres at 13805 Allisonville Road after 1st reading approval.
–Approved utility easements for the planned community center at Saxony Beach.
–Approved several resolutions tied to ongoing economic development areas.
–Approved spending $40,000 as Fishers share of plans to construct a Hamilton County Public Safety Training Facility.
–Approved the 10-year financing of the city’s purchase of the former DECA Building through a loan at 2.26% interest, with no pre-payment penalties. Former Town Council member Mike Colby told the council he has some concerns about the city getting into the business of buying office buildings, which he says should be a private sector activity. The building will be utilized as the new home for Launch Fishers.
–The Council approved changes in the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) areas along the State Road 37 automotive corridor. Mayor Fadness says this is part of the process to get some of those properties fully back on the property tax rolls.
