We have reported several times over the past few months that Fishers city officials were deep in talks with the Indianapolis Airport Authority over developing land currently unused at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport.  The facility runs along the area of 96th Street, 106th Street, Hague Road and Allisonville Road.

The announcement today that the Indy Airport Authority has voted in favor of a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Fishers is a big step toward doing something important with the currently unused land on the airport complex.  Once the Fishers City Council gives its expected stamp of approval, the next step is to develop a master plan for development.

This marks a major turning point in how local Fishers elected officials view Metropolitan Airport.  Fishers is a city as of 2015, but as a town, several past town council members, including Scott Faultless, Tim Lima and Mike Colby, had voiced a strong opinion that the airport should be moved to pave the way for other development on the land.  There were some efforts made to identify new locations in northern Hamilton and southern Madison counties, but nothing ever happened.  Once it became clear the airport was here to stay, Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness began exploring new ways for the city to develop parts of the airport property.

Keep an eye on future announcements of economic development along the airport property in the near future.  There have been strong indications some manufacturing firms have expressed an interest in locating there.  Fishers has very little manufacturing now, so any movement in that direction would enhance the diversity of the jobs mix in the city.

Any development would enhance the 96th Steet corridor on the Fishers (north) side of that major thoroughfare.  And that’s a good thing for the city.

The memorandum of understanding would open up the areas

shaded in red (above) for economic development.

I read a recent commentary on the intermediate school handbook used in Hamilton Southeastern Schools.  After looking into the issue, I have come to a different conclusion.

Read my Indiana Forefront commentary at this link.

As we have previously reported on this blog, the City of Fishers plans to install improvements to the railroad tracks downtown in 116th Street just east of City Hall.  This will require closing that part of 116th Street completely from Wednesday, October 21st, through Sunday, October 25th.  The project will include a new crosswalk.

This was scheduled to be constructed during the HSE Schools fall break, a time when vehicle traffic is down in this area of the city.

There will be posted detours and manual operation of area traffic signals to move traffic along during this closure.

Below is the full text of the city news release…

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The City of Fishers announced today plans to rehabilitate the railroad crossing on 116^th Street in the Nickel Plate District. The improvement project will close 116^th St. at the railroad crossing on the evening of Oct. 21 and will remain closed through the weekend. The project will also include crosswalk improvements at 116^th St. and Municipal Dr.

The project was coordinated with Hamilton Southeastern Schools’ fall break to limit disruption of the school bus routes. In addition, traffic volume is decreased during school breaks.

Improvements include rehabilitation of the railroad crossing and surrounding approaches. The project is partially funded with a grant provided by INDOT and the Federal Rail Authority. In addition, during the closure, the City of Fishers will complete improvements to the crosswalks across 116^th St. at Municipal Dr. The project will cost $370,000 with $40,000 covered by the grant.

Commuters are encouraged to follow the posted detour routes during the closure. The Fishers Police Department will have additional traffic patrols available during A.M. and P.M. peak traffic periods and traffic engineers will manually operate signals to maintain the flow of traffic.

Saxony Beach may have a new structure completed by Christmas Day.  Saxony Hall is planned to be a  a reception hall with an office, storage, concession area and public restrooms.  Tony Elliot, Director of  Parks and Recreation for the City of Fishers, told the Board of Public Works and Safety at its  Monday session that the building itself is not yet under construction, but the foundation has been built, along with the utility connections. Elliot said even if there are unforeseen construction delays, the building should be complete by February of 2016.  He made the comments as the board approved some technical legal documents related to Saxony Lake.  You can view some early conceptual drawings for the planned hall at this link.

The Board of Works also approved a curb cut on 116th Street, near Olio Road, for the Community Lutheran Church.  The city engineering department had reworked plans to cut into part of the median in the middle of 116th Street after the proposal was considered at a previous meeting.

The Four Day Ray Brewery and restaurant planned for downtown Fishers cleared one administrative hurdle Monday night when the Nickel Plate Review Committee approved waivers in the Nickel Plate Code.  This will allow the development to move forward as planned.

The Nickel Plate Review Committee is a body charged with overseeing the core area of downtown Fishers and how it is developed.

The planned Four Day Ray Building is to be constructed at the corner of North Street and Lantern Road.  It will include a working production facility to brew beer, a restaurant and office space.  The proposal includes a small parking lot, with street parking also available.

If you are the parent of an 8th Grade student in the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School
Corporation, you will soon be receiving information about a new appeals process to switch high school assignments.  Normally, your student would start high school in August of next year based on the district in which you live, according to lines drawn many years ago.

Under a new policy enacted by the HSE School Board at the October 12th session, your 8th grade student will be allowed to file an appeal to attend the other high school.  For example, if your family lives within the district boundaries of HSE High School, and you child wants to attend Fishers High, the appeal can be filed.  Whether the appeal will be granted or denied will depend on when the appeal was filed (earlier the better) and whether the enrollments of the two district high schools stay within 5% of each other.

This application process will only require the student to list a home address.  No reasons need be given as to why the family wishes to attend the other high school.

This program replaces the re-balancing program used the past few years.  School officials say the new appeals program will be a one-year test and will be evaluated before a decision is made on whether it will continue.

In other school board news from the October 12th Session:

–HSE Schools Chief Financial Officer Mike Reuter gave an overview of the 2016 budget.  Matt Stolle, an unsuccessful candidate for HSE School Board in the last election cycle, was the only one to speak at the public hearing.  Stolle asked board members to pay attention to class sizes, particularly in the elementary buildings.  School officials responded that they are working on more Instructional Assistants to assist teachers will large elementary classes.  The board must approve the 2016 budget by November 1 and will take that final vote at the next regular board session.

–Superintendent Allen Bourff told the board the City of Fishers has offered to pay the cost of installing trees at Lantern Road Elementary School to give more separation from Interstate 69, with the coming construction of a new interchange on 106th Street.  The trees could cost up to $40,000.  This is to address some concerns voiced by parents with children at Lantern Road Elementary.

–The board voted to increase the pay of substitute teachers.  The proposal would increase HSE’s daily substitute rate from $65.00 per day to $70.00 dollars per day and would increase permanent substitute pay from $75.00 per day to $80.00 per day.  Some substitute teachers are permanent employees and work every school day.

–School administrators asked board members to consider changing the schedule of regular board meeting nights from Mondays to Wednesdays next year when the board reorganizes in January 2016.  No decision was made.

–Superintendent Bourff updated the board on what he has been hearing on his listening tour of schools, which will soon be expanded to community groups outside the schools themselves.  Here are some of the concerns he has heard, from his presentation to the board:

• Affirmation ‐ World Languages

• Personal Costs inTaxes

• Technology

• Future Building Needs

• Redistricting

• ENL (English as a new language) IAs (Convert to Teachers)

• Future of IA’s

• Substitute Teacher Shortage

• Building Cleanliness

• Fees (Textbook, technology, supplies, etc.)

• Pay to play

• Class size

• Taxes

• Sure that’s enough?

• Both Assistant Principals &TDS

• School security?

Before a Hamilton Southeastern School Board meeting begins, there is usually a relaxed mood with people greeting each other.  A few jokes may be exchanged.

The mood before the October 12th was very subdued, even quiet.  The hearts of many school officials were heavy.  They had learned that a Geist Elementary School second grade student had died.

At the start of the session, board President John DeLucia read the following statement:

I am saddened to share the unfortunate news of the passing of one of our Hamilton Southeastern Schools students, Adedayo “Dayo” Adeniyi. He died on Sunday evening as a result of a medical condition.

Dayo was a second grader at Geist Elementary. Our hearts are heavy at the loss of this wonderful and promising young life. We join with GES and the entire school community to offer our condolences to the Adeniyi family and all those affected by this tragedy. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Please join me in a moment of silence as we remember Dayo.

 Please allow me to join school officials in expressing my most sincere sympathies to the family.

On July 1st this year, officers of the Fishers Police Department formed a recognized and established Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Chapter of their own.  As Fishers and its police department have continued to grow in size, local officers decided it was time to organize a Fishers FOP Chapter.

The FOP is planning an event on October 17th and the entire Fishers community is invited.  It is a Cornhole tournament at the downtown amphitheater, featuring 64 teams with cash prizes for the winners.  Proceeds from the tourney, and the silent auction planned as part of the event, will go to charitable causes supported by the FOP.

You can find more information at the local FOP’s Web site at this link.   You can also access the local FOP’s Facebook page at this link.

The hours have been set, the Fishers Chief of Police George Kehl has announced that youngsters throughout the city may Trick or Treat on Saturday, October 31st, 6:00pm-8:00pm.

Fishers Police remind parents of the usual Halloween safety rules in a news release:

Give and accept wrapped or packaged candy only.

·        Only go to houses that you know the owner. 

·        Have children bring treats home for adult inspection before they are eaten.

·        A parent or adult should accompany children when they are trick-or-treating.

·        Carry a flashlight.

·        Stay within your neighborhood; only visit homes you know.

·        Use make-up or face paint instead of masks.  If masks are used, make sure the child has good visibility.

·        Choose costumes that are flame retardant.

·        Wear light-colored clothing, short enough to prevent tripping.  Add reflective tape to dark colored costumes.

·        Watch for vehicle traffic and use caution when crossing the street.

Fishers Police officers plan to be patrolling the city’s neighborhoods on Halloween night.  If you notice anything suspicious, Chief Kehl encourages you to call 911 immediately.

The Fishers Fire Department has a brand new engine in service as of October 9th.  The Pierce Arrow XT 4  is a 105-foot aerial truck, with its new home at the headquarters fire station.  It replaces a 1997 platform aerial.   The new engine carries a price tag of $840,000.  Fire Officials were able to save approximately $350,000 by participating in the HGAC Buying Cooperative, which pools the bidding process with other fire departments in the area.

The old engine being replaced will still be around, but placed in a reserve status, to be used if needed in spots and will handle staff training

According to a city news release, the Fishers Fire Department has a response capability of 3 ladders, 6 engines, 3 paramedic transporting ambulances, 1 heavy rescue, and a tanker truck responding out of 6 firehouses and 1 ambulance sub-station.  .