I’ve been covering the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board regularly for a few years now. I’ve seen many big issues come before the board for a decision.  The board will be faced with a very major decision March 23rd.

For the past few years, The HSE21 program has been rolling out.  The ultimate goal is to have a 1:1 student-to-iPad ratio in all schools.  That has happened at all grades except kindergarten through 4th grade.

Students in those lower grades are scheduled to have their 1:1 iPad-to-student ratio in the school year commencing in August of this year. The program has been piloted in these lower grades.  The school corporation has issued bonds to pay for the iPads.

In recent weeks, a group of parents has come together to oppose the grades K-4 1:1 rollout scheduled for August.  They have a number of concerns, many of which were voiced by 6 parents that spoke before the board at the last regular meeting.

The school administration listened to the concerns and promised to have a recommendation for a school board decision.  At a scheduled board work session (work sessions are set aside once a month for discussions, not actions) on March 15th, administrators unveiled their first draft of a proposal.  Read my story about the work session at this link.

Now there is another group of parents advocating the other side, arguing that the iPad rollout should move forward as originally scheduled.

Watching the arguments go back and forth has been fascinating for me.  I set a new record on my news blog for the number of comments submitted for one story in the one linked above, written after the recent board work session.

Some of you have your mind made up, and if that is so, I understand.  But I am sensing a lot of parents are not so certain what to think.  For those parents, I have the following suggestions.

There are lots of academic studies being cited by both sides.  Keep in mind that all academic studies are not created equally.  One that is peer reviewed (meaning many peers have reviewed and commented on the study, often leading to changes and clarifications) is much more valuable than one that is not peer reviewed.  Also, be careful that the study cited really says what an advocate for either side claims it does…..it’s easy to just pick out the part that makes your case and ignore data that veers to the other side.

I am urging all parents to carefully consider what you think, then let your school board members know.  You can e-mail your school board members at this link.  School board members are elected officials, and my experience in covering local government is this – they pay attention to their constituents’ views.

I have always taken the position that a good, healthy debate results in better policy from any public body.  I will be watching with interest as the HSE School Board makes its decision March 23rd.

Larry posts his podcast review of the local Projekt: Opera production of La Boheme

Fishers is luring technology-based businesses to the city, and it’s not happenstance, but part of a strategy hatched years ago.  Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) reporter Lindsey Erdody wrote a front page story appearing in the March 21, 2016 edition about that very strategy .

I still recall when Scott Fadness, then Fishers Town Manager, convinced the Town Council to put-up over $300,000 to begin a new venture called Launch Fishers.  The business start-up incubator, which thrives on collaboration, started in the basement of the Fishers Library.

At the time, no one knew what would result from that initial investment by the Town of Fishers (now a city).  Years later, Fadness and Launch founder John Wechsler have seen the endeavor grow so fast, Launch Fishers now has a new home a few blocks away from its old space at the library.

Lindsey Erdody tells the story of how Fishers has been able to create an atmosphere (Fadness likes to call it vibrancy) that nurtured and attracted firms like Bluebridge Digital, Cloud One and Memory Ventures.  The piece provides quotes and perspectives from the business officials about why Fishers provided the infrastructure to bring them into the fold.

One important pending issue is the state designation of development areas as a “certified technology park.”  Fadness told Erdody its his view Fishers already meets, even surpasses, the requirements to gain that designation, but the state has been slow to act on the requested designation.

The certified technology park designation is key to paying for projects like the expanded home for Launch Fishers, since state tax dollars collected from the designated area can be used to finance further economic development and pay for existing projects.

If you have any interest in the economic development strategy of Fishers, Lindsey Erdody’s article will be of interest to you.

You can access the piece at this link. (NOTE: If you are not an IBJ subscriber, your access to this article online could be limited by paywall rules).

Since 1964, Donald Davidson has been the go-to guy for the history of the Indianapolis 500.

With the 100th running of the race set for May 29th this year, I spent some time talking with Donald about racing history.

Larry talks to Sneha Shah about the upcoming school funding referendum

Fishers will be receiving $9.5 million in Local Option Income Tax money the state has been holding.  City Controller Oscar Gutierrez told the City Council Finance Committee the money will be coming into city coffers soon.

Mayor Scott Fadness told committee members his “gut instinct right now is to not go ‘shiny object’ on this, run out and spend the money.  I would probably tell you we should ‘park’ the money, think and really be strategic about where we get our best return on investment.”

The mayor added the cash could come in handy if infrastructure is needed for future economic development projects.

The state had been holding the money.  Legislation that passed this session of the General Assembly releases the funds to local governments.  This is in addition to the regular Local Option Income Tax revenue.

The schedule shared with the Finance Committee shows no additional payouts in 2017 to Fishers, but $1.3 million is to be paid in 2018, $2.1 million in 2019 and $2.2 million in 2020.

75% of these funds are to used for road projects, but localities can use the money for a wide range of road expenses, including maintenance.

In other Finance Committee matters…

With the Chairman of the Finance Committee, John Weingardt, taking over as City Council President , the Finance Committee voted to name Councilman Eric Moeller as committee chair.

In one last item of note, Moeller told his fellow committee members to be prepared for a discussion of elected officials’ salaries at the next session.  The plan is to have a recommendation to the full council on changes, in time for the upcoming budget cycle for 2017.

Laura Campbell is now the Hamilton County Republican County Chairman, following a ruling from the Indiana Republican State Central Committee. The decision declares Campbell as the “duly elected Chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party” in the document dated March 16th, 2016.

That means Pete Peterson, a member of the Fishers City Council, is no longer Hamilton County Party Chair.  Peterson was elected to the post in a caucus vote by party precinct officials in late January.

The controversy was over 71 votes cast by those appointed to precinct posts by former Chairman Pete Emigh before he resigned as chairman.  The Republican Party Hearing Board, in making its recommendation to the State Central Committee, says the state party was not properly notified of the appointment made of the 71 precinct officials in question.

The report says, in part:

“Due to the failure of the State Secretary to receive notice of the 71 new appointments and an official list reflecting these appointment, at least 30 days prior to the vacancy in the office of Hamilton County Republican Chairman, the 71 new appointees were not eligible to vote in the Caucus to file the vacancy.”

Those 71 votes made the difference in the election and Campbell has been declared County Chairman as a result.

Peterson told LarryInFishers he doesn’t understand when and where he waived any rights to make his case, as the hearing board says in its recommendation.  He confirmed he is no longer county chairman and Laura Campbell now holds that job.

Peterson was also upset that the hearing board report misspelled the name of Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, showing his last name as “Fadiness.”

Peterson says he has no idea what happens next.

Mayor Fadness & his staff answer questions from the public

Director of Public Works for the City of Fishers, Eric Pethtel, had the best line of the evening at Mayor’s Night Out – his employees have just completed the ceremonial removal of snow blades from city trucks.

Mayor Scott Fadness allowed his department heads to do most of the talking at the Geist Elementary event.  The crowd was small, largely due to the outstanding weather Tuesday evening.

Pethtel also told those gathered that his department has 5 crews working all day to fill the many potholes popping-up around the city.   He encouraged local citizens to call City Hall and report potholes.

The city’s Director of Engineering, Jeff Hill, fielded questions about the State Road 37 project and access to Spyglass subdivision.  He also gave updates to some specific projects…

–The 106th Street interchange at I-69 is a partnership between Fishers and the Indiana Department of Transportation.  It’s expected the 106th Street bridge over I-69 will close in April and re-open in November of this year.  Hill said this is tentative, since the contractor has not yet submitted a schedule.

–The intersection of 96th Street and Cumberland Road will be closed on March 21st for an estimated 100 days.  If construction goes as planned and weather cooperates, that roundabout should be done by the end of June.

–Hill and Mayor Fadness said Fishers has a 5-year plan to spend $217 million on road infrastructure.

Assistant Fishers Police Chief Milt Thompson urged residents to watch what items are left in vehicles.  He described thefts from vehicles as the number one police issue in Fishers now.  His bottom line advice – “Secure your stuff.”

Police Chief Steve Orusa expressed caution to homeowners with vinyl siding, mulch and smokers in the household.  Fires started in mulch and accelerated by vinyl siding can be a danger to your house.

The old Boy Scout saying, “Be Prepared” certainly applies to public safety professionals. When a disaster hits, it’s important to know what steps to take and practice.

Preparation and practice are at the center of a disaster drill conducted in Fishers on Tuesday, March 15th.  In this drill, the scenario includes severe tornado damage to two apartment complexes, as well as destruction of a major retail area and a school building hosting a basketball game.  In addition, there is a chemical spill and a terrorist attack, all in one day.

I talked to John Mehling of the Fishers Fire Department about the drill.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Administration gave school board members a first draft proposal revising the iPad rollout plan for students enrolled in kindergarten through second grade.  The plan would provide a pilot program with two iPad pilot classrooms in each level, grades  K-2, in all 12 HSE elementary school buildings.

The plan was unveiled at a school board work session.

These pilot programs would be run the same way the current pilot programs are administered in those grades.  The tablet devices would be sent home with students “as appropriate.”  Students in the pilot would be charged no fee for the devices.

The plan also calls for the rollout of iPads to all students in grades 3 & 4 to move forward as planned, but with the rental fee reduced from $124 to $90.

This program would cost the school system $596,700.

HSE Chief Financial Officer Mike Reuter told the board there is enough money in the bonds already issued to purchase the iPads to cover this cost, but this will mean the school system will not be building dollars aimed at replacing the equipment in 4 years.

Assistant HSE School Superintendent Jan Combs says this proposal is a response to the concerns raised by parents at the last regular school board meeting. Combs calls this “a modified proposal in response to the concerns we have heard.”

Administrators are also proposing two separate advisory councils, to “provide feedback and insights on the implementation of the 1:1 throughout the district.”  One would be focused on grades kindergarten through 4th grade, the other aimed a grades 5-8.  The councils would contain one parent and one teacher from each elementary school building, as well as district-level administrators.

Combs told board members elementary school principals will work with grade K-2 parents that do not want their children to participate in the iPad pilots.

Board member Michelle Fullhart said she has concerns about spending $600,000 for this group of parents.  “I look at it as redistricting,” Fullhart said.  “You hear from the vocal ones, you don’t hear from the ones who think it’s a necessary thing to do.  I’m torn.  We talk about how cash-strapped we are, then come up with $600,000.”

Board President Karen Harmer said the school corporation will be spending “a whole lot of money” on portable classrooms if the May 3rd referendum passes and class sizes are reduced.

This proposal would be implemented in the school year beginning in August of 2016. Combs told LarryInFishers the school board would need to decide no later than this time next year where to go next with the iPad rollout schedules.

Administrators stressed this is an outline and the plan could be revised before the board is given a proposal to consider for approval at the meeting scheduled for March 23rd.