One of Fishers’ most high-profile high-tech businesses is Cloud One, housed in the new Switch Building near City Hall in the Nickel Plate District.  The company’s CEO John McDonald has been one of the big cheerleaders touting Fishers as a place for high-tech companies to locate.

Cloude one has been recognized by a major publication.  Details are contained in the news release below:

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If you plan to travel on I-69 around the 106th Street interchange construction overnight this week, be prepared for major lane restrictions.

See the news release below from the state for the details:

When IKEA announced late last year it was coming to Fishers, there was a media swarm around Mayor Scott Fadness.  There were many questions hurled at the mayor, but my question centered on what happens next….in other words, how does the city see the area around IKEA developing  You can view the video at this link.

The mayor was careful in his answer, explaining that the city would take its time and carefully review the development of that area.  I had been tipped-off the night before that IKEA was likely to make this announcement so I did some quick research.  I found that once IKEA builds a store, the immediate neighborhood around it develops very quickly.

Lindsey Erdody of the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) takes a detailed look at the city’s plans to take control of the development of the area around IKEA in the October 31-November 6 edition.  Sunbeam Development has carefully planned the future for that area, with Navient and Forum Credit Union headquarters as long-time parts of the Sunbeam property in Fishers.  Top Golf will be added soon.

Lindsey reports on comments made by Ken Kern of Sunbeam, reacting negatively to the Fishers  City Council actions to take careful control of development of the Sunbeam property near I-69. City Councilmen John Weingardt, Rick Block and Todd Zimmerman are all quoted in the story (and got their pictures in the IBJ edition).  They all say Fishers wants a very special kind of development in the area around IKEA, after seeing how haphazard growth around other IKEA locations didn’t make the immediate area of those cities more attractive.

Anyone with an interest in how Fishers expects to develop in the area around the under-construction IKEA location should read this story.  You can access the story at this link, but be aware you may have trouble accessing it online if you are not a subscriber to IBJ

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board voted unanimously Wednesday night to give final approval to the $273 spending plan for 2017.  The board and administrative staff have been working on the budget for several months, and now the budget for next calendar year is in place following this action.

The board also voted unanimously to enter into an energy-saving program with Performance Services.  The approved agreement can be found at this link.

Road construction activity in the Fishers area has not abated in this fall season.

Below is a listing of projects for the work week beginning Monday, October 31:

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ALLISONVILLE ROAD
Weather permitting, short term lane restrictions will be in place on Allisonville Road between 106^th Street and Eller Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please use caution when traveling in the area.

BROOKS SCHOOL ROAD

Periodic lane restrictions are in affect on Brooks School Road between Club Point Drive and Anchorage Way while work is being done on the guardrail.

EXIT FIVE PARKWAY

Exit Five Parkway closed on Tuesday, September 6 to reconstruct the road as part of the 116th Street widening project. The road remains closed to all traffic. Trucks needing to deliver to businesses will need to go up to Cumberland Road to Exit Five Parkway and come in from the north. The road will be closed for approximately two months, and a detour map is available online.

I-69 AND CAMPUS PARKWAY

Milestone Contractors has begun mobilizing cranes and other equipment and setting a temporary concrete barrier wall along I-69 at Campus Parkway Exit 210. Work will require alternating lane closures on northbound and southbound I-69 between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Lane closures may recur each night through the end of the week depending on weather and progress. Questions about this project should be directed to INDOT at eastcentralin@indot.in.gov or 1-855-463-6848.

I-69 TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS

INDOT is overseeing an overnight closure on multiple traffic lanes on I-69 overnight this week. Weather permitting, lane closures, traffic changes and rolling slowdowns of traffic will begin after 9 p.m. and are expected to end before 6 a.m. the next day. Construction schedules and traffic restrictions are subject to change, and questions should be directed to INDOT at indot.carsprogram.org, 1-800-261-ROAD (7623) or 511 from a mobile phone. Please drive with caution as a new traffic pattern is in place.

OAK DRIVE

Oak Drive south of 116th Street has closed for 50 days while the new road is being constructed. Through traffic will need to use USA Parkway.

96^th STREET

Lane restrictions will be in place along 96th Street east of Cyntheanne Road while road work is being completed.

106^th STREET & CUMBERLAND ROAD ROUNDABOUT

The north section of the intersection from 106th Street to Walnut Creek is closed to all traffic as we enter phase II of roundabout construction. 106th Street will remain open through this phase. The detour route for northbound Cumberland Road is to use USA Parkway.

106th STREET INTERCHANGE

INDOT has begun work on the 106th Street interchange. A lane shift is currently in place on I-69 and 106th Street is closed as construction continues. Additional details about this project will be released through INDOT and shared on the weekly construction update. Please be advised the speed limit from 82nd Street to 116th Street has been reduced to 55 mph and there are lane shifts on I-69. Please travel with caution and pay close attention to signage in the area.

116th STREET

There will be lane restrictions on Monday and Tuesday night along 116th Street between Commercial Drive and Exit Five Parkway. Restrictions will allow for road resurfacing.

When the City of Fishers asked for proposals from artists on how to make the east side of the downtown Edge building parking garage more artistic, many proposal were submitted.

The city has announced the first in a series of art pieces for the parking garage.  At a ceremony Thursday, the city showed the first part of the artwork.

Below is the city news release on the Thursday event:

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Mayor Scott Fadness and other community stakeholders, including artist Rachel Johnson, unveiled the first in a series of three public art installations on The Edge parking garage today. The artwork, untitled Pursuing Innovation, will welcome residents and visitors to the Nickel Plate District, and pays homage to the thriving entrepreneurial culture of the city.

“At the entrance to the Nickel Plate District, the artwork welcomes visitors and residents to the heart of downtown Fishers and celebrates what makes our community so special,” said Mayor Scott Fadness. “We are a vibrant city with big ideas and the innovation-driven culture to turn those ideas into reality. This art installation captures that spirit and culture and puts it on display for the world. I couldn’t be more excited to unveil this public art today.”

In a series of seven large banners, the Pursuing Innovation installation features local Fishers’ entrepreneurs and highlights the thriving culture of innovation found throughout the community. The silhouettes on the banners explore the idea of entrepreneurship and what it means to call oneself and entrepreneur, and features actual people in the community including local business leaders, teachers in the HSE School System, students and Launch Fishers founder, John Wechsler.    

“After living in Fishers the last four years, and having the opportunity to speak with many entrepreneurs in the community, I have met an amazing diversity of people pursuing innovation in their chosen fields,” said Rachel Johnson, Pursuing Innovation artist. “All of these unique individuals have broadened the image that comes to my mind of what an entrepreneur looks like. This work is a celebration of all of those individuals in our community.”

The first in a series of three art installations, the panels are 23 feet tall and 10 feet wide, and can be visible from the bridge over I-69. Pursuing Innovation will remain on display through the first of 2017. The project was made possible through a partnership between the City of Fishers and Fishers Urban Development.

Fishers Police are asking for your help.  There have been two burglaries in Fishers lately and there is a picture of a possible suspect (above) that authorities are seeking.

Fishers Police Chief is also reminding local residents what steps they can take to help prevent themselves from becoming crime victims.

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The Fishers Police Department is investigating two residential burglaries. Both occurred this past Saturday, October 22^nd , in the 12000 block of Bridgewater Road.

An image of the suspect was caught on one of the home’s security surveillance cameras. The suspect is believed to be a black male in his 20’s or 30’s.

Anyone with information about the suspect(s) related to these burglaries is encouraged to contact Detective C. Rodriguez at 317-595-3346 or call Crime Stoppers 317-262- TIPS (8477).

Chief of Police Mitch Thompson would like to take this opportunity to remind residents of a few home safety tips:

Home Safety Tips

Install exterior lights at all entrances. Consider motion detector lights.

Install a wide-angle viewer on all exterior doors.

Check who is at the door and do not open the door to anyone you don’t know.

Install good locks on all doors and windows. Use those locks!

Be sure locks on doors and windows can be opened quickly in case of fire.

Leave a light on when you are not home. If you are on vacation, use a timer to control lighting.

Don’t hide keys outside.

Remove house keys from your keychain when your car is serviced.

Talk with trusted neighbors. Keep an eye on their house and ask them to watch yours.

Stop mail and newspaper delivery when you are away.

Install an alarm system that will detect entry and notify police.

Have your lawn mowed and snow shoveled when away.

Close garage doors at night.

Keep trees and bushes trimmed. Do not let plants block doors and windows.

Suspicious Activity

An event that is out of the ordinary or that makes you feel uncomfortable could be a crime in progress.

Adults or juveniles walking casually through the neighborhood looking into windows, backyards, vehicles, etc.

A vehicle driving slowly through your neighborhood with or without lights on.

Something wakes you in the night. 

Someone you don’t know rings your doorbell.

An unknown car parked near your home containing one or more people.

If something is suspicious to you, Call the Police!

Chief Thompson is convinced that having a strong partnership with the police department and your neighbors will give the Fishers community its best chance in deterring and detecting criminal activity. If your neighborhood is not an active member of the Fishers Neighborhood Crime Watch Program we encourage you to call Lieutenant Dave Dunbar, at 317-595-3313, for more information.

As always if you see or hear something suspicious please call 911 immediately!

I have been out of town, but a criminal mischief misdemeanor charge has  been filed against Jeff Hern, the Fall Creek Township Trustee and Republican candidate for an at-large seat on the Hamilton County Council.

For the details, here is the story posted online by Lindsey Erdody of the Indianapolis Business Journal. at this link.

A Special Prosecutor will recommend a misdemeanor charge be filed against Fall Creek Township Trustee Jeff Hern, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation results.  Hern, a Republican County Council candidate in this year’s general election, has not commented publicly on accusations against him.

Police say they found Hern’s cell phone in an area of Fishers where campaign signs of his County Council primary opponent, Rick McKinney, were missing.  McKinney issued a news release last April urging the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office to move more quickly on the investigation.  The Hamilton County Prosecutor then asked for a special prosecutor to be appointed in this case,

Both McKinney and Hern won in their primary race for council seats.  Both, along with fellow Republican Brad Beaver, are heavy favorites to win county council seats in the general election.

It is not known what precise misdemeanor charge will be recommended by the special prosecutor.

The Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety turned down two drainage requests by local citizens, arguing approval would set a dangerous precedent.

The first was a recommendation by city staff to deny a stabilization petition for the White River Place Ravine Bank.  The issue is totally related to private property and the attorneys have determined the city has no legal responsibility for erosion on private property.  Nonetheless, residents in the impacted area north of 116th Street near the White River asked the city for help in fixing the problem.  The price tag could be a high as $495,000 if matching grants cannot be obtained.  Mayor Scott Fadness and the other 2 board members listened to area residents.  In the end, Mayor Fadness said approving this request would have implications for sewer rates for others on the system.  The Board voted 3-0 to deny the petition.

The second request centered on Jason Cittadine, property owner at 9529 Fortune Drive.   He asked the board for a drainage easement variance in a fence installation.  The board voted 2-1 denying Mr. Cittadine’s request for building the fence on the city’s easement. Board Member Jason Meyer voted no.  Once again, a majority of the board expressed concern about setting a precedent.

In other actions at the Board of Works Monday session:

–The city’s information technology staff will need to be relocated as construction will soon begin on a new police station.  The board voted to enter into a lease agreement with Delaware Township to rent 2,000 square feet on the second floor of their offices at 131st Street at the cost of $2,000 a month.  The lease is for 18 months and goes month-to-month after the 18-month period.

— The board approved a bid of $408,565 from Morphey Construction, Inc., the lowest and most responsive bidder according to city staff, for construction of a traffic signal on 116th Street near Olio Road.  Kroger agreed to pay for the signal as part of the deal to construct a new and larger store along Olio north of 116th Street.  The previous bids were rejected as too high.  The signal should be in place by May of 2017.

–$77,100 was approved by the board for professional services leading to a new roundabout construction at 131st and Cumberland Road.  Mayor Fadness verified that the contractor is aware the city wants this roundabout in place before construction begins on the State Road 37 project, which is likely to start construction in 2019.