The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board voted to sell 2.75 acres of land near 131st Street and Cumberland Road for $711,835.  Board attorney David Day said the buyer is Ellipsis Real Estate Partners, which plans to build and operate a residential healthcare facility for seniors on that plot of land.  The board action authorizes the execution of documents and other action to complete the transaction, subject to administrative and board approval.

The board then voted to spend $150,000 to buy a house and corresponding land, to clear the way for future construction of an elementary school, near the current school on Cyntheanne Road.  Final plans and renderings have not been done yet on the new elementary, but school officials need that property to move forward when it is time to begin construction.

In other school board news from the May 10th session:

–New mathematics textbooks were approved for the High School and Junior High levels.  You can get more details at this link.

–Final action was taken to implement a revised tobacco-free policy including language for electronic cigarettes. adjust student & lunch fees and changes in collection policies.

–Academic All-Stars Ashton Murray of Fishers High School  and Tyler Zhang of Hamilton Southeastern High School were honored by the board.

–The Hamilton Southeastern Schools Foundation board reported on the increased fund-raising by the organization in recent years.  Foundation board officials described their new strategic plan for the future.

–The May 24th school board meeting will begin an hour earlier, 6pm, so the board members may attend a special ceremony honoring Fishers Junior High School National Champion “We the People” team at 7pm.  The board meeting will also be held at Fishers Junior High.

–Chief Financial Officer Mike Reuter told the board the school corporation just issued roughly $8 million in bonds for 20 years, at a low interest rate of 2.9%.

Fishers Junior High School came back from national competition in Washington DC as the National Champions in”We The People” competition…..I talked with the team and the coach in this podcast

When the Fishers Youth Assistance Program presented the first “Breakfast of Champions” event Wednesday morning, the staff & volunteers had everything attendees needed – breakfast, programs and information on Youth Assistance.  One item badly needed at each table was facial tissue.  As the stories were told, tears were in the eyes of many assembled guests.

This program deals with young people attending Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) schools in need of some sort of assistance.  The needs are many.  Some students are part of a family struggling, often through no fault of their own.  It could be as a result of an illness in the family or the student.  It could be due to an accident.

Whatever the reason may be, the Fishers Youth Assistance Program is there, steering the student and family toward resources to help in a time of need.

The Wednesday morning breakfast was an opportunity to tell the stories of Hamilton Southeastern students overcoming the odds and finding ways to deal with adversity.

With Fox59 TV news Anchor Aishah Hasnie as the emcee, the stories were told, one-by-one, with students nominated by HSE Schools’ faculty members.   HSE Schools Superintendent Allen Bourff assisted in handing out the recognition plaques.

Here is a list of the students recognized:

Rylan Guy, 1st Grade, Geist Elementary

Justin Bennett, 4th Grade, Sand Creek Elementary

Angel Toxqui-Tlatoa, 4th Grade, Harrison Parkway Elementary

Nadelyn Baron, 5th Grade, Riverside Intermediate

Christopher Rodriguez, 6th Grade, Riverside Intermediate

Delaney Davis, 8th Grade, Riverside Junior High

Aislynn Ball, 10th Grade, Fishers High School

Brook Casebolt, 2017 Graduate, Fishers High School

Adam Darroca, 12th Grade, HSE High School

Lizamaurine Fortoza, 12th Grade, Fishers High School

Reid Stephens, 12th Grade, Fishers High School

Bill Jerrow, President of the Fishers Youth Assistance Board, said 575 referrals for help have been handled by the program since its formation in 2014, meaning over 200 families are asking for help each year.

Fishers Deputy Mayor Leah McGrath urged more corporations to step forward and support the Youth Assistance program.  “It takes all of us, we’re all in this together,” McGrath told the breakfast crowd.

This is the first of what Fishers Youth Assistance Program hopes will become an annual event.   

If you are interested in volunteering or donating money to the Fishers Youth Assistance Program, you will find more information at this link.

Vertical Aeroponic Technology is the technical name, but they are normally called Tower Gardens.  A special fund established by Fishers City Councilmen Eric Moeller and Todd Zimmerman, in cooperation with the Hamilton County Schools Foundation, provided the money to get this student-led Fishers Elementary School Tower Garden off the ground and running.

“I’m thrilled this project is the result of the first grant that was awarded through the Zimmerman/Moeller Fund,” Moeller said.  “It demonstrates the creativity that teachers have in making their classrooms innovative and dynamic learning environments. The hydroponic tower garden will be a benefit to students for the foreseeable future.”

Students at Fishers Elementary received a demonstration of the Tower Garden during an event held at the school Tuesday afternoon.

You can learn more about Tower Gardens by viewing a YouTube video at this link.

Marsh Supermarkets is owned by Sun Capital Partners in Florida but has its local headquarters in Fishers.  WTHR is now reporting that if a buyer is not found in 60 days, all Marsh groceries will close.

You can read the Channel 13 story at this link.

11 Fishers neighborhoods will get the city’s help in their beautification projects, following a vote Monday by the Board of Public Works and Safety.  The action approves $44,000 for these local spruce-up efforts.  Don Domsic, Community Engagement and Volunteer Coordinator for the Parks and Recreation Department, told the board 15 neighborhoods asked for funds.  Those rejected were for reasons such as not waiting the proper time period between grants, incomplete applications and ineligible interior work.  The project was budgeted for $50,000.  Neighborhoods applied for the grants and a committee considered each request individually.  You can read all the grant requests, and whether they were approved or disapproved, at this link.

In other board actions, approval was given to limit parking in downtown Fishers on the entire north side of North street between Commercial Blvd to Lantern Rd where signs are placed, in accordance with city ordinances.

The board also approved contracts for engineering services tied to the upgrade of State Road 37.

Here is my latest LarryInFishers Podcast, this one a summary of my Nickel Plate commentary and review of some other Fishers news this past week.. ….

The future of the Nickel Plate rail line running from downtown Indianapolis north to Tipton should be known in the coming months.  Local government leaders must decide whether to move forward with a proposed trail along the line through Fishers and Noblesville.

As you may recall, the Indiana State Fair Train had been a reliable feature for more than 30 years.  The train would load up with passengers in downtown Fishers, head to the fairgrounds on the Nickel Plate Rail Line, then unload the fairgoers at 38th Street and Fall Creek in Indianapolis.  The train also brought people from the fairgrounds back to downtown Fishers.

Those excursions ended in 2016.  The Hoosier Heritage Port Authority commissioned an independent inspection of the train tracks between Fishers and the Indiana State Fairgrounds and determined the rail line to be unsafe, nixing the fair train last year.

At a meeting of the Port Authority in April, it was confirmed that there is no way an operator could be in place in time for a 2017 Indiana State Fair Train.  Therefore, for a second year in a row, there will be no fair train.

The entire outlook for the Nickel Plate changed dramatically in late February when officials from Fishers and Noblesville announced plans to convert the rails from 96th Street in Fishers north to Pleasant Street in Noblesville to a trail for walking, jogging and biking.  The proposed trail would be 9.2 miles and would cost an estimated $9.3 million.

There were 2 “listening sessions” shortly after the announcement, one in Fishers, the second in Noblesville.  The Fishers event offered no public testimony, just personal one-on-one discussions with city officials.  The second in Noblesville did provide the equivalent of a public hearing, and there were emotional pleas to keep the rail line going for the trains.

Another aspect of this is a Request for Proposals issued by the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority, a body made up of appointees from the cities of Fishers and Noblesville, as well as Hamilton County…..providing oversight and maintenance of the line.   The Authority is taking these proposals to see what potential operators can do in restoring the rails and bringing train service back to the Nickel Plate.

Port Authority President Mike Obergfell was asked during a recent forum held at Hamilton Heights High School why the Authority is taking Requests for Proposals when the cities of Noblesville and Fishers have announced their intention to pursue a trail along the Nickel Plate.

Obergfell described conversations he had with the rail line owners (Fishers, Noblesville and Hamilton County) explaining that no one knows whether a proposal will come along to bring the rails up to safety standards and provide a viable set of rail services.  In other words, don’t make a final decision on the trail until it is known what possibilities are out there for train service.

Any new bidder would need to put a lot of money on the table, well into the millions, to repair and bring back the train service.  It’s not impossible, but a tall order.  Once the proposals are evaluated, we will know more.

Proposals are due by June 10th.  A decision is expected in July or August, depending on how detailed any interview process may be.

Another proposal has been kicked around providing for both a restored rail line and a trail along the Nickel Plate, side by side.  That would appear to be a solution everyone can support.  But there is a problem.

The rail line is too narrow in many stretches to allow enough room for both rail and trail.  In order to pursue a rail with trails proposal, local governments, through the Port Authority, would need to buy-up large plots of land along the rail line.

If owners don’t want to sell, government could threaten condemnation, forcibly taking the land.  Whether sold willingly or by condemnation, the price tag of a rails plus trails program would raise the price substantially.  Then the question would be, will taxpayers be willing to foot that large bill?

So, here’s how the situation stands.  Proposals are due soon for potential rail operators on the Nickel Plate, and the cities of Fishers and Noblesville, along with Hamilton County, appear to be moving forward with the trail plans, at least for now.

I have very mixed emotions about all this.  I took my daughters on the Fair Train in their younger years.  My wife and I have enjoyed the dinner excursions.  I understand that the Nickel Plate rail line is a big part of our history.  Preserving it does keep a part of our local history alive.

But local governments are faced with some stark choices.  I know many Fishers officials believe the trail proposal is transformative and will serve local residents for many years to come.  I do believe they would be open to a rail proposal if it is a transformative one that provides regular service drawing people to our area, and be an amenity for those living here.

I don’t know how this will end up, but I do know the following weeks and months will be crucial in how this all moves forward.  If you have strong feelings, communicate with your local elected officials.

The future of the Nickel Plate rail line running from downtown Indianapolis north to Tipton should be known in the coming months.  Local government leaders must decide whether to move forward with a proposed trail along the line through Fishers and Noblesville.

As you may recall, the Indiana State Fair Train had been a reliable feature for more than 30 years.  The train would load up with passengers in downtown Fishers, head to the fairgrounds on the Nickel Plate Rail Line, then unload the fairgoers at 38th Street and Fall Creek in Indianapolis.  The train also brought people from the fairgrounds back to downtown Fishers.

Those excursions ended in 2016.  The Hoosier Heritage Port Authority commissioned an independent inspection of the train tracks between Fishers and the Indiana State Fairgrounds and determined the rail line to be unsafe, nixing the fair train last year.

At a meeting of the Port Authority in April, it was confirmed that there is no way an operator could be in place in time for a 2017 Indiana State Fair Train.  Therefore, for a second year in a row, there will be no fair train.

The entire outlook for the Nickel Plate changed dramatically in late February when officials from Fishers and Noblesville announced plans to convert the rails from 96th Street in Fishers north to Pleasant Street in Noblesville to a trail for walking, jogging and biking.  The proposed trail would be 9.2 miles and would cost an estimated $9.3 million.

There were 2 “listening sessions” shortly after the announcement, one in Fishers, the second in Noblesville.  The Fishers event offered no public testimony, just personal one-on-one discussions with city officials.  The second in Noblesville did provide the equivalent of a public hearing, and there were emotional pleas to keep the rail line going for the trains.

Another aspect of this is a Request for Proposals issued by the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority, a body made up of appointees from the cities of Fishers and Noblesville, as well as Hamilton County…..providing oversight and maintenance of the line.   The Authority is taking these proposals to see what potential operators can do in restoring the rails and bringing train service back to the Nickel Plate.

Port Authority President Mike Obergfell was asked during a recent forum held at Hamilton Heights High School why the Authority is taking Requests for Proposals when the cities of Noblesville and Fishers have announced their intention to pursue a trail along the Nickel Plate.

Obergfell described conversations he had with the rail line owners (Fishers, Noblesville and Hamilton County) explaining that no one knows whether a proposal will come along to bring the rails up to safety standards and provide a viable set of rail services.  In other words, don’t make a final decision on the trail until it is known what possibilities are out there for train service.

Any new bidder would need to put a lot of money on the table, well into the millions, to repair and bring back the train service.  It’s not impossible, but a tall order.  Once the proposals are evaluated, we will know more.

Proposals are due by June 10th.  A decision is expected in July or August, depending on how detailed any interview process may be.

Another proposal has been kicked around providing for both a restored rail line and a trail along the Nickel Plate, side by side.  That would appear to be a solution everyone can support.  But there is a problem.

The rail line is too narrow in many stretches to allow enough room for both rail and trail.  In order to pursue a rail with trails proposal, local governments, through the Port Authority, would need to buy-up large plots of land along the rail line.

If owners don’t want to sell, government could threaten condemnation, forcibly taking the land.  Whether sold willingly or by condemnation, the price tag of a rails plus trails program would raise the price substantially.  Then the question would be, will taxpayers be willing to foot that large bill?

So, here’s how the situation stands.  Proposals are due soon for potential rail operators on the Nickel Plate, and the cities of Fishers and Noblesville, along with Hamilton County, appear to be moving forward with the trail plans, at least for now.

I have very mixed emotions about all this.  I took my daughters on the Fair Train in their younger years.  My wife and I have enjoyed the dinner excursions.  I understand that the Nickel Plate rail line is a big part of our history.  Preserving it does keep a part of our local history alive.

But local governments are faced with some stark choices.  I know many Fishers officials believe the trail proposal is transformative and will serve local residents for many years to come.  I do believe they would be open to a rail proposal if it is a transformative one that provides regular service drawing people to our area, and be an amenity for those living here.

I don’t know how this will end up, but I do know the following weeks and months will be crucial in how this all moves forward.  If you have strong feelings, communicate with your local elected officials.

Editor’s Note:   Fishers residents constantly approve of the city’s parks in surveys.  But all Fishers residents also pay county taxes and have full access to the Hamilton County Park system.  The following commentary was published in the May 7th edition of the Hamilton County Reporter, and is posted here as part of a partnership agreement between the Reporter & LarryInFishers 

 by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

The Hamilton County Parks system began 50 years ago with virtually no land and no money, but today is the envy of the state. The park board and friends celebrated the county parks’ history with an impressive party Friday night at the Ritz Charles in Carmel.

About 200 enjoyed the “birthday party” and fundraiser which included a huge birthday cake, live music, an auction, reading from part of the U.S. Congressional Record and a state legislative resolution congratulating the county parks department on its progress over the past half-century.

Parks Director Al Patterson revealed plans for the next major project which involves construction of a conservatory at Coxhall Gardens.

The county park system developed its first project, Potters Bridge Park, in 1969. It was followed by Cool Creek Park.

Strawtown-Koteewi, the largest park of some 750 acres, followed in 2004. There are now a dozen parks covering a total of about 1,700 acres.

Within the parks are a vast number of cultural and recreational opportunities, including formal gardens, a natural history center, campgrounds, horseback riding trails and a swimming beach among others

Entertainment and educational programs are also offered for the public at many of the parks including outdoor concerts, nature walks, tours of the Coxhall mansion, even something called Pajama-Rama

County parks are located throughout the county and officials continue their efforts to preserve green space in the face of rapidly expanding residential and business development. The department under Patterson’s leadership has 15 full-time employees, numerous seasonal workers and dozens of volunteers.

Admission to all parks is free to county residents. Funds are raised by county yproperty taxes, rental of certain facilities, fundraising functions and contributions from business and individuals.

Here’s the latest Arts&Fishers podcast…my review of the film Gifted…