Fishers Police are looking for a suspect in the report of a robbery at the CVS Pharmacy on 116th Street near downtown.  Use this link to access the WTHR story.

Brandon Dickinson and Megan Baumgartner talk with Larry about economic development in Fishers

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools will be hiring teachers for the coming school year, with a newly-approved voter referendum.  School officials expected a crowd of anywhere from 100-150 at the most for a May 10th Job Fair.  800 people came to inquire about jobs at HSE Schools.  Let’s just say there will be far fewer than 800 job openings.

This is part of the local school corporation’s efforts to move forward on promises made in the referendum campaign.  For example, the board approved a bid for $469,000 to provide portable classrooms, allowing space for smaller Kindergarten through 4th grade classrooms.

The promised World Language programs, including at the elementary level, will start, but not until the 2017-2018 school year.  It will take time to put that program in place.

A mental health initiative is in the works to provide more counselors, with a specific proposal in progress.

There will be more supplies available with the additional referendum funds, but not until January, 2017.

The Pay-to-Play fees enacted as part of recent budget cuts will be eliminated, but not all local school fees will be cut.  Textbook fees and technology fees will be reduced.

Technologists will be hired to staff all school buildings.

Professional development will be enhanced for the teaching staff with the addition of assistant principals in the elementary buildings.

Teacher compensation will be enhanced, but that won’t be decided until formal bargaining is held with the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association.   Indiana state law does not allow such bargaining to begin until August.

All these items were outlined for the school board by Superintendent Allen Bourff at the May 11th meeting.

Also, Advance HSE PAC Chair Sneha Shah and her committee members were recognized by the board for conducting the successful campaign to pass the school funding referendum in the May primary election.

Inside Indiana Business has opened an office in Fishers.  I talked with Gerry Dick, anchor of the weekly television program…

Scott Fadness (left) joins 3 other Hamilton County mayors at OneZone Chamber event

The mayors of Hamilton County appeared together Wednesday, and largely agreed on everything they discussed.  Fishers Chief Executive Scott Fadness joined Andy Cook of Westfield, John Ditslear from Noblesville and 6-term Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard for the OneZone Chamber luncheon event at Forum Conference Center in Fishers.

All mayors agreed that their local school systems are key to current and future growth. Both HSE Schools in Fishers and Noblesville Schools passed funding referendums in the recent primary election.

Noblesville Mayor Ditslear, when asked about the state legislature, said he would prefer state lawmakers stay home and let the cities take care of themselves (with the proper apologies to State Representative Jerry Torr, who attended the luncheon).

All mayors agreed a gas tax increase, or, better yet, a user fee system tied to the number of miles driven, would be required to fund road construction and maintenance in the future.  Fadness said he believed the Indiana House had the best measure, but it was compromised with the Senate version before final passage this year.

Fadness said creating a sense of place in a city like Fishers is like “trying to build an airplane in flight.”  He described how the area is still in an era of suburban flight just as technological, social and cultural change is moving rapidly.

On the issue of regional cooperation, Fadness sees it working well in Hamilton County, especially among the 4 cities represented at the OneZone event.  However, Fadness was not as complimentary of the regional cooperation in the 9-county Indianapolis Metropolitan area.

All 4 mayors voiced general support of a regional mass transit system.

When asked about threats to the Hamilton County area in the future, Mayor Fadness was ‘unabashedly optimistic.”  He emphasized no one should ever be satisfied with the status quo, but believes Indiana does not “need bad PR” (a veiled reference to last year’s RFRA law controversy).

Each mayor got a few zingers in and there were plenty of laughs along the way.

The Fishers City Council will now consider two important items after the Plan Commission unanimously voted to recommend both issues move forward.

The city’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan was approved, but not before some pointed comments during the public hearing.  One resident told commission members the plan would, at some point, require his house to be demolished.  City Councilman Brad DeReamer cited a Survey Monkey poll he conducted among residents of his Britton Falls neighborhood, showing support for extensions of Cyntheanne Road and 126th Street in that northeastern section of the city.

City Councilman Pete Peterson said this plan is very long term, adding its good residents are “pushing us” on the plan details.

The Fishers City Council is expected to take up the 2040 plan as soon in June.

Commission members also gave unanimous approval of two ordinances, requiring city council approval for land use in the areas of I-69 in the city around the 106th Street interchange now under construction, and 116th Street near that current interchange.  This would be in place for 120 days, or less time if planning rules are worked out before that deadline.

One property owner asked that the considerable investments made by himself and other land owners in the area not be damaged by limiting development.

Mayor Fadness proposed the two ordinances to put more controls over development of these areas.  Peterson described the corridors as the “one of the greatest assets the city has.”

The Fishers City Council is expected to consider both ordinances at the meeting scheduled May 16th.

Fishers City officials are moving forward with plans for a major upgrade to State Road 37. The Board of Public Works and Safety gave the go-ahead for a list of professional services to begin the work at the Monday afternoon meeting.  Construction is expected to begin within two years.

RQAW Corporation will be paid $808,000 to be in charge of program management, which includes liaison with local businesses and others with a stake in the project.

Here are other State Road 37 contracts approved by the board:

–DLZ Indiana, LLC, survey/geotechnical/SUE services, $1,291,460

–Lockmueller Group, Inc., environmental services, $309,200

–American Structurepoint, Road and Bridge Design Services, (money amount not yet determined)

–A&F Engineering Co., LLC, traffic management, $288,950

Money to fund the services will come from the State Road 37 bonds.

In other board actions:

A nearly $4.4 million contract was approved with Rieth-Riley Construction, adding an additional eastbound lane on 116th street between Commercial Drive and Oak Street/Exit 5….reconstruction and realignment of both Oak Drive and Exit 5 Parkway…. Construction and Modernization of five traffic signals, and construction of turn lanes on USA parkway. Work is scheduled to start during June of this year.

CC&T Construction was awarded a $125,000 contract for sidewalk improvements in the Sunblest neighborhood, including upgrades to meet ADA standards.

Picture of one suspect, provided by Fishers PD

Fishers Police are on the lookout for two suspects in a reported May 6th Robbery at the Marsh Supermarket Pharmacy on 96th Street near Lantern Road.

Here’s the rundown from authorities, per the Fishers Police Department news release below:

=======================================

According to Marsh employees and evidence collected in the store it appears two males walked up to the Pharmacy and passed a note demanding prescription medication. The Pharmacist complied and was not injured. The suspects were last seen running out of the supermarket.

Officers quickly responded to the area and set a perimeter. An extensive search of the area was conducted, however the suspects remain at large. Anyone with information regarding this robbery or the identity of these suspects is encouraged to call Detective David Finn at 317-595-3341.

Suspect #1

Black male

Mid to late teens

Wearing a black zip up sweatshirt with Air Jordan logo

Suspect #2

Black male

Mid to late teens

Wearing hooded sweatshirt

The Fishers Plan Commission is not normally one of the most exciting beats in journalism. A large number of the items on the monthly agenda are routine.

For example, there is one item on the May 10th meeting list about subdividing one lot into two lots.  Another seeks to allow an auto repair shop in the Lantern Pines area.

But there are times very important items are considered by this body.  There are two such items on the May 10th commission agenda.

Before getting into that, let me explain one more aspect of the Fishers Plan Commission.  It is largely an advisory body.  There are a few limited areas where the commission does make decisions, but the bulk of its work is advisory to the Fishers City Council, which has the final say.

First, the commission will hold a public hearing on the Fishers 2040 Plan, also referred to as the comprehensive plan.  Fishers never had a comprehensive plan on how it should develop in the future, and how to keep up older areas of the city, during its years as a town. The proposed 2040 plan is also about parks and transportation.  The document itself has taken months to develop.  You can access the entire 216-page report at this link.

The Plan Commission will hold a public hearing on the Fishers 2040 proposed plan.  The commission members will then vote a recommendation and send it back to the city council for final consideration and action.

Another item on the May 10th agenda will consider a new ordinance proposed by Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness placing more controls on development of land in Fishers in the area of the current 116th Street I-69 interchange, and the new one under construction at 106th Street and the interstate highway.

When the announcement was made last year that IKEA will locate one of its stores near the 116th Street interchange in Fishers, I asked the mayor how he envisions economic growth in the area near the new IKEA facility.  I asked the question because once IKEA has located a store in other parts of America, the land in that area has quickly developed.  The mayor told me at that time about his concern that any development be carefully considered so people living in that part of Fishers can be involved in those decisions.

It appears Fishers officials are wanting to keep careful control in these specific areas of the city beyond the basic zoning laws.  There will be a public hearing May 10th at the Plan Commission about this proposal.  You can read the Fishers Planning Staff report on the 116th Street proposal at this link.   For the staff report on 106th Street, use this link.

If you have public comments you wish to make on the Fishers 2040 plan and/or the mayor’s proposal to take more planning control of land around the Interstate 69 interchanges, this is your chance to make your feelings known.

The May 10th Fishers Plan Commission meeting starts at 6:30pm at the City Hall.

Jane (middle) with Allison (left) and Mary (right)

Mothers Day is always something special for me, but this year is extra special.  My Mom turned 86 years of age just days ago and my lovely daughters are entering adulthood because their special Mom (and my wife) Jane gave them the nurturing and support only a mother can provide.

My Mom raised all 6 of us and I have no idea how she did it, but somehow she did. My siblings and I are fortunate she did.  We are so lucky to have her with us now in such good health,

My wife Jane has done what all good mothers do – provide an example to our daughters on how to live their lives.  I am so proud of Allison and Mary for being college graduates and becoming such outstanding adults, and their mother Jane had a lot to do with it.

Today is Mothers Day and we all should honor our moms in a special way.  I want to give special thanks to my Mom and my wife Jane as the mother of our children.  It is a special day of celebration for me.

My Aunts Delores and Sue, with my Mom (far right)