(NOTE: Hamilton Southeastern Schools passed a seven-year operating referendum last year….the following article deals with other Hamilton County school corporations)

By

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Voters in three of Hamilton County’s
six school districts will have an opportunity
this year to decide whether or not to
continue supplementing their local school
funding with property tax revenue. School
boards at Westfield, Sheridan and Carmel
have asked that referendums be placed on
a May 2 special election ballot.

The method of raising school revenue
through referendum is allowed by state law
as a way of giving local school districts
more money than is provided by the annual
distribution of state school assistance.

Most county schools have already
taken advantage of the referendum method
which by law also limits such a special
levy to seven years in duration. If the
school district wants to continue the levy, a
public referendum must be held, and that is
what is being prepared for this spring’s ballot.
The amount of funds to be raised is also
subject to increase or decrease at this time.

Westfield Washington Schools is also
asking voters to approve a capital fund
referendum of about 30 cents per $100 of
assessed valuation for renovation and improvements
at all their schools. The estimated
cost is not to exceed $90 million.

Sheridan Community Schools is asking
to increase its previously adopted referendum
tax rate of 19 cents per $100 to
a “not to exceed” rate of 25 cents per hundred.
This rate would be effective in 2018.

Carmel Clay Schools is expected to
be seeking a 19 cent rate which is slightly
higher than the referendum approved seven
years ago. But, due to slight decreases in
other portions of the school rate, taxpayers
will not see any overall increase in their
school taxes.

In all three referendums, voters will
simply register a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when casting a
ballot. There will be no candidates or other
questions on the ballot. Usually there is no
election in the year following a presidential
election.

In this case, the schools asked for the
special vote and will be paying for the cost
of the election.

Turnout is expected to be light unless a
referendum becomes controversial.

Governor Eric Holcomb spoke before a packed crowd at Conner Prairie in Fishers Friday morning, in an appearance before a joint Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast.   He offered comments on a number of issues while being questioned by moderator Kevin Rader, Statehouse Reporter for WTHR.  He also took a few questions from the audience.

Here are some of the issues the governor talked about during his time in Fishers”

Keith Cooper Pardon

“It’s never too late to do the right thing.”

Cancelling Cell Tower Contract

“Enough was enough.”

“We will go back to the market.”

On His Path From Senatorial Candidate to Governor

“It was, in fact, February 9th, (one year ago) when Governor Mike Pence nominated me to be the Lieutenant Governor.  So, a lot happens on the way to the office.”

Infastructure

“I feel like everybody is on the same page, in terms of…we need a truly sustainable path.”

About a 20-year plan – “A lot will change in the world over that 20-year period, so you have to make sure you are balancing – what will transportation look like in 20 years?”

  Substance Abuse Crisis  

“It’s bad enough that we need to be all hands on deck and not waste another second.  I mentioned one of those blank stares of just despair, and not knowing if someone was going to make it to the next month, and that will jar you…into action.”

“This is not just a personal crisis, it’s a business crisis as well.”

How Does He Differ From Previous Governors Pence &  Daniels?  

“I’m taller, I’m younger, I’ve made a (basketball) shot in all 92 counties.  I’m clearly not answering the question.”  (plenty of laughter)

“The most important part is to remain who you are.  Other folks can judge similarities or differences.”

Cigarette State Tax Increase

“I have remained open-minded about it.  It is not on my agenda, to be blunt.  But I recognize there are lots of things not on my agenda that I will be involved with.  I do understand the human toll.”

State Versus Local Control 

“(I) respect and believe that we leave things closest to the people to be handled closest to the people.  The state has an immense role in this.”

State Discrimination Laws

“I do think that we have it in the State of Indiana about right.”

What Made You Pick this profession?

“I think the profession picked me.”

“In life, you either swing at pitches or you don’t, or you watch them go by.  There are all different pitches.  That’s just what I’ve done.”

Attorney David Day, in introducing the governor, said Holcomb had made a basketball jump shot in each of Indiana’s 92 counties.  Holcomb later countered, “…most of them were set shots.”

Bill Clifford at his formal announcement of his candidacy

(Staff report from the Hamilton County Reporter)

Bill Clifford formally announced his campaign for Sheriff of Hamilton County on Wed. Feb. 8. Clifford has served Hamilton County for nearly 30 years in law enforcement. The event took place in front of the first Hamilton County Jail symbolizing his commitment to build upon the contributions of prior administrations to the safety and well-being of Hamilton County citizens.

“In the service of others is where I receive a sense of calm,” Clifford said. “Whether it be as an officer of the law or as an individual, we can all offer those in need a path to restore their safety and dignity.”

Clifford emphasized three key factors for his mission to better the community: addressing the opioid epidemic, understanding the intersection of mental health issues and law enforcement, and holding sex offenders accountable.

“There are good people who, because of a medical condition, become addicted to a pain management solution,” Clifford said. “As your next Hamilton County Sheriff, I pledge to you that working with the community to help restore our families and bring a solution to this opiate addiction will be top priority.”

With almost nine years of prior experience as a sex crime detective, Clifford knows the importance of championing the rights of the victims. Clifford wants to ensure that offenders follow the law and are held accountable.

“Everyone has a right to say no and it is important that the victim understands it is never their fault,” Clifford said. “Our message will be clear to offenders—we’re watching.”

Although Clifford is the first to announce in the race for Sheriff, he understands that more may follow.

“The other candidates, when they choose to announce, will be my friends and they will continue to be my friends,” Clifford said. “Members of the Sheriff’s department need to spend their time fighting crime, not fighting each other.”

As a local news blogger, I have focused on news in and around Fishers since starting this endeavor in January, 2012.  But other levels of government and actions outside the borders of the city can impact Fishers residents, particularly in Noblesville with county government.

As a result, LarryInFishers is happy to announce a new partnership with the Hamilton County Reporter, a daily newspaper.  Jeff Jellison and I reached an agreement to enter into this partnership.  You will be reading my news about Fishers in the Hamilton County Reporter and you will be reading news articles contained in the Reporter on this news blog.

You can read the announcement of our partnership in the Friday, February 10th edition of the Hamilton County Reporter at this link.

You can subscribe to the Reporter to have it sent to your e-mail address every day.  Just fill out the form at this link.

I look forward to partnering with Jeff Jellison and his staff at the Hamilton County Reporter.

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board is looking to voluntary re-balancing as a way to reduce the student population at HSE Intermediate/Junior High on Cyntheanne Road. After a public meeting to discuss possible redistricting last week, Superintendent Allen Bourff told the board 89 families have expressed an interest in moving voluntarily to re-balance the student population at HSE Intermediate/Junior High.  The administration is in the process of making contacts with the 89 families to verify interest in moving their children voluntarily out of HSE Intermediate/Junior High.  The board took no action, awaiting the follow-up with the 89 local households.

The board received a presentation on preliminary plans to renovate Cumberland Road Elementary School.  You can view the presentation at this link.   Board members also received the preliminary proposal to renovate the central office building on Cumberland Road.  You can view that presentation at this link.

Finally, the Hamilton Southeastern Schools Foundation announced the awarding of grants to a long list of teachers submitting proposals for funding.  Below is a list of the winners”

• Scott Henderson (DES) DeskCycles

• Marcia Abraham (FCE) Drumming to Develop 21^st Century Skills

• Sherri Parkison (FCE) for Plein Air Painting

• Denise Jarrett (FES) Growing Starts Here

• Angela Hampton (HPE) Learning with SPRK

• Lauren Avery (HRE) for Project Monarch

• Will Hurst (HRE) for Rocket Parkour

• Stacy Peters (NBE) for Kindergarten Light Exploration

• Susan Bill (TCE) for Inquiring Kindergarten Minds

• Sarah Griffey (TCE) for StratoStar

• Adam Jahn (FCI) for 3D Printer Epitomizes STEM Education

• Brad Lowell (FCI) for STEM Explosion

• Jennifer Shults (FCI) for DRUM (Diversity, Respect, and Understanding through Music)

• Alexander King (SCI) for Vive for All

• Jennifer Renfro (SCI) for Exploring STEAM

• Bob Rice (HIJH) for Learning Heredity, Genetics, and Evolution

• Rachel Hiatt (FCJH) for Oh the Places We Can Go in STEM

• Nick Tschuor (FCJH) for 3D Printer for TechEd

• Daniel Moosbrugger (HSEHS) for Drawing in the Digital Realm

• Kimberly Pelton (District/RSI) for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Connection

Fishers High School is the place and Tuesday, March 14th at 7pm is the time…..The Peyton Foundation and HSE Parents in Partnership will bring nationally known mental health advocate Jordan Burnham to speak before a local audience.

Vendors will be available beginning at 6:30, with the program set to start at 7:00pm.

Burnham survived a suicide attempt at the age of 18 and now travels the nation telling his story.  Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among American college students.

The program is free.  You can best access the program by entering the high school at Door FH7.

You can find more information on the Peyton Foundation for Youth Hope at this link.

The first 2 construction projects on State Road 37 in Fishers will be at the intersections of 131st Street and 141st Street.  That’s according to Fishers Engineering Department Director Jeff Hill.  He was joined by Assistant Engineering Director Jason Taylor for a podcast that discussed State Road 37 and some other planned projects in the city.

You can listen to the entire podcast at the link below.

After I retiring from my regular job, one adventure I always wanted to take was hopping in the car, driving south the Daytona, Florida, and watching the 24-hour sports car race at the speedway there.  That is exactly what I did in 2017, and took side trips to Orlando, the Kennedy Space Center and Fort Walton Beach.

The race was everything I expected and more.  It’s hard to believe that after a full 24 hours of racing, so many cars were on the same lap at the end.  The fastest of the four classes, the prototype division, actually had a very close finish.  The weather wasn’t so great, rainy overnight and much colder than normal for that part of Florida.   But I was very glad to be there.

I left January 25th and just arrived back in Fishers over the past weekend.  I find several things have happened during my time away.  Here are just a few:

–Kudos to the Fishers Police Department and other law enforcement agencies in the area for making an arrest of a 16-year-old Lawrence Township juvenile, charged with making threats on social media targeting Hamilton Southeastern Schools.  Students and staff at HSE were lauded by Fishers Police Chief Mitch Thompson for playing an instrumental role.

–The Hamilton Southeastern School Board approved a method to hand out teacher performance awards on a 6-1 vote.  Michelle Fullhart voted no.  You can see the plan at this link.  The board is also wrestling with some student population imbalances at the intermediate and junior high levels.  The board is set to further discuss the imbalance issue at the February 8th meeting.

–John Tuohy of the Indianapolis Star posted a story January 30th about talk of turning the Nickel Plate rail line into a walking and biking trail, much like the Monon Trail running through north Indianapolis and Carmel.  City officials had no comment.  I wonder if that will be further revealed at the mayor’s State of the City address in March?  We will see.  You can read the Star story at this link.

–I was sad to learn that local restaurateur Bill Smythe was unable to successfully sell his Claude and Annie’s location in Fishers.  Bill is now lobbying the Indiana General Assembly.   You can read Lindsey Erdody’s story at this link.

We’ve told you about it before, but here is another reminder about the Game Day event coming to Conner Prairie February 24th.  This is the biggest annual fund-raising event for the Hamilton Southeastern Schools Foundation.

This normally sells out, so if you want to be there, don’t wait to buy your tickets.

Below is a foundation news release with the details:

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More work and changes are coming to the I-69 & Campus Parkway construction site.  That’s one of three projects on this week’s list of road projects around Fishers.

Below is the listing, provided by the City of Fishers:

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