I was still in Noblesville election night, waiting for the final vote tallies, when I talked to Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Superintendent Allen Bourff.  Even though it was a phone conversation, I could detect a smile in his voice.  He had a right to be smiling, ear-to-ear, after the HSE Schools funding referendum passed with over 70% approval.

Bourff said the next steps will be actions HSE staff and parents have been waiting for.  His administrators  will be setting up a strategy to post new jobs, including additional teachers.  He and his staff will be working on how to start world language programs.  He will be looking at collective bargaining with the local teachers association to work on the teacher compensation package.

In other words, work will start right away on the school corporation making good on the promises made when the funding referendum was first proposed.  This will be the beginning of a process.  LarryInFishers will be keeping you updated on all these developments.

Meanwhile, one local political candidate is looking back on his unsuccessful campaign for Hamilton County Commissioner.  Local restaurateur Bill Smythe challenged incumbent Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt in the Republican primary.  Heirbrandt won nearly 57% of the vote.

“I want to thank everyone that helped me and worked the polls today,” Smythe wrote in a Facebook message. “I also want to thank you all that voted for me. I realized from day one we had a huge lift but we represented well and brought light to the problems in the county.”

The Hamilton County Council election was close all evening.  The final total showed Rick McKinney receiving 25% of the vote.  Second place finisher with nearly 23% of the votes was Jeff Hern.  Brad Beaver was third, with nearly 21% of the ballots cast.  Retiring Fishers Police Chief George Kehl came up short as a council candidate with just under 20%.  Bill Dennis finished in last place with 11.3% of the vote.  The top three – McKinney, Hern and Beaver, will all be on the November Republican ballot.  As of now, there are no Democrat candidates on the general election ballot for council.