While in the midst of February, it’s hard to imagine that spring is coming soon.  Frankly, I find that a very nice thought.

The Fishers Parks Department is already gearing up for neighborhood projects ready to launch once the weather begins to change for the better.

For many years, Fishers has sponsored neighborhood programs and matching grants for older areas throughout the city.  During last year’s spring season, volunteers were all over the Sunblest subdivision in a Saturday project to spruce up some of the homes there.

Below is a city news release on what Fishers is planning this year.

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Spring is right around the corner, and the City of Fishers is once again providing opportunities for residents to unite behind neighborhood beautification projects. For the last 15 years the City of Fishers has provided support for community beautification through the Neighborhood and Tree Matching grant programs.

The Neighborhood and Tree Matching grants are two separate grants, and each has its own application:

• The Tree Matching grant program awards funds to a city neighborhood, nonprofits and homeowners to plant trees in common neighborhood properties to enhance the beauty in our community.
• The Neighborhood Matching grant incentivizes older neighborhoods within city limits to plan and complete a project that will either enhance its appearance or otherwise improve the community. In addition to beautification projects, neighborhoods can apply to receive matching grants to be used to accomplish community goals such as establishing a neighborhood crime watch program.

Applications for both grants are due by Friday, March 4 and can be completed online. Applicants interested in completing the Tree Matching grant can applyhere, and applicants interested in completing the Neighborhood Matching grant can apply here.

Any additional questions can be directed to Dan Domsic via email atdomsicd@fishers.in.us or by phone at (317) 595-3151.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness is set to deliver his second State of the City Address at a Chamber of Commece luncheon Wednesday.  The mayor’s office issued a statement today (2/9) indicating there will be two major economic development announcements contained in the speech.  Here is the statement:

Mayor Fadness is expected to announce two economic development projects proposed for Fishers. The announcements include the relocation of two corporate headquarters, $22 million in investments and new jobs to Fishers.  

The statement provided no further details.

The mayor talked about economic development in a podcast interview with LarryInFishers recorded last week.  You can listen to the podcast at this link.

Motorists dealing with lane closures and restrictions on 106th Street at Allisonville Road may finally see it all end by Friday, if all goes as scheduled.  Rick Farnham, Fishers Assistant Director of Public Works, told the city Board of Public Works and Safety Monday that work continues and could be done by Friday.

It all started December 27th, when a sewer line collapsed.  That, in turn, caused a sinkhole to develop, destroying part of a sidewalk.  There was also damage done to the traffic signal at the intersection, as well as the nearby lift station.

If weather cooperates, Farnham says all the repair work should be complete by Friday.

Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research just released a study on Tax Increment Financing (TIF) arrangements, saying $320 million is diverted from the local tax base in Indiana.  Fishers has utilized TIFs for economic development, and  Mayor Scott Fadness takes issue with many of the Ball State findings.

Michael Hicks, Director of the Center and one author of the report, argues in the study that the amount of property tax money diverted from schools could fund 2,400 teachers. Fadness says schools generally cannot use property tax money to fund teacher salaries, unless it is from a referendum approved by the voters.

Fadness believed the TIF “issue is much more complex.”  He points to the two parking garages built in downtown Fishers, saying the commercial development that came with those structures would not have happened without TIF financing.

“This requires a thoughtful analysis,” Fadness says.  The mayor has read news accounts of the Ball State report.  Once he reviews the entire text of the report, he may comment further.

You can read Lindsey Erdody’s story about the Ball State TIF sudy at this link.

You can read the entire Ball State report at this link.

The Fishers area is still in the grips of winter, but road work continues with city crews hard at work.  Below is a listing of projects scheduled to begin or continue the work week beginning Monday, February 8th….

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FALL CREEK TRAIL

Fall Creek Trail reconstruction work continues; the pedestrian bridges and sections of sidewalk along the trail have been removed. Pedestrians should not use the trail within the sections that have been removed. In addition, there will be periodic lane closures along the project beginning the week of Feb. 8.

LANTERN ROAD

Lantern Road between 116^th Street and Commercial Drive will be restricted the week of Feb. 8. Please use caution and pay close attention to signage displayed in the area.

106^TH STREET

• 106th Street west of Allisonville Road and the southbound lane of Allisonville Road will be closed through Feb. 12^th for repairs to the sanitary sewer line.

• Motorists are encouraged to use caution at the roundabout located at 106^th Street and USA Parkway. Utility relocation is underway and lane restrictions are in place in and around the roundabout.

116^th STREET

The eastbound lane of 116^th Street from Hague Road to Charleston Parkway will be restricted between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for fence replacement. Motorists are encouraged to use caution when traveling along the corridor and pay close attention to signage displayed.

The filing deadline has passed for the May 3rd primary election, and some candidates with Fishers connections will be on the ballot.

Local restaurant owner Bill Smythe threw his hat in the ring for Hamilton County Commissioner on the day of the filing deadline.  He will face incumbent Mark Heirbrandt in the GOP primary for Commissioner District 3 (District 3 includes Fishers).  In the other County Commissioner seat up for grabs in this election cycle, incumbent Steve Dillinger is unopposed in the District 2 Republican race.

The campaign for 3 at-large Hamilton County Council seats should be interesting with 6 Republicans vying for 3 available spots.  Long-time Fishers Police Chief George Kehl plans to retire in September and has filed to run for a council seat.  Fall Creek Township encompasses a large part of Fishers, and Fall Creek Township Trustee Jeff Hern is a candidate for a county council seat.  All 3 at-large incumbents on the county council, including Brad Beaver, Rick McKinney and Jim Belden, have all filed for re-election.  Bill Dennis will round out the list of GOP hopefuls in that contest.

Normally, LarryInFishers does not cover county government unless there is a Fishers angle. We do have Fishers connections in these political campaigns.  Therefore, I will keep an eye on them.

2014 was a tough year for Fishers.  Murder is a crime rarely seen in this family-oriented suburban community, but 2014 was a year in which police investigated 2 murder cases. One of those cases had the legal books closed on it today…the other is scheduled for trial this summer.

Maxwell Winkler was 17 when the murder of Henry Kim happened near Windermere Park in the Geist area of Fishers.  Winkler was arrested a few days later in Mr. Kim’s death, during November of 2014.  Winkler entered into a plea bargain with prosecutors, pleading guilty but mentally ill, and was sentenced today (2/5) to 80 years in prison in connection with Kim’s death.

The second murder case that year related to an incident in June.  Connor Shockley, 18, and Corbin Montgomery, also 18, were in a fight over a girl and a cell phone, according to probable cause affidavits.  Both were Fishers residents and the incident happened in Fishers.  Shockley died from stab wounds.  Mongomery is charged with murder.  His trial is scheduled to begin on June 6 of this year.