One thing became clear at Monday night’s Hoosier Heritage Port Authority meeting – the future of the Nickel Plate Rail Line will not be decided anytime soon.  A fifth proposal from Iowa Pacific was originally rejected as late filed, but documentation was provided showing a snafu in filing the paperwork at the courthouse.

The first four proposals have been scored and the Iowa Pacific proposal now must be scored.  The Authority will conduct a special meeting Tuesday, July 18th, at 5:30pm, releasing the scores of all five proposals received.

Authority President Mike Obergfell says once the scoring is completed and the Authority approves it, the proposals will go the the owners of the line for final approval.  The owners include Hamilton County as well as the cities of Noblesville & Fishers.

That means we are at least weeks, maybe longer, from a final decision on the future of the Nickel Plate Line.

Fishers and Noblesville have announced plans to create a trail along the rail line from 96th Street north to Pleasant Street in Noblesville.  The Authority sent out requests for proposals so that all the options on the future use of the rail line can be considered.

Meanwhile, the Indiana Transportation Museum has filed a request for a restraining order from the federal 7th Circuit Court of Appeals allowing them to run the Indiana State Fair Train between Fishers and the state fairgrounds this year.  A decision by the court is expected within 10 days.

It’ that time of year for the Fishers Arts Crawl.  The city, downtown businesses and the Fishers Arts Council have come together to bring you the third annual crawl.

This year’s event is set for Friday, July 14th, 6-9pm.

I talked to three people involved in supporting this year’s Arts Crawl….Dan Kloc, President of the Fishers Arts Council…Jeanette Kassebaum, a downtown business owner….and Casey Cawthon, Assistant Director of Public Relations for the City of Fishers.

You can listen to the podcast at the link below:

Noblesville City Council President Megan Wiles made it official Monday morning – she is a candidate to replace State Senator Luke Kenley in an upcoming Republican Party caucus vote.  A report published Saturday in the Hamilton County Reporter (posted here on LarryInFishers.com through a partnership agreement with the Reporter) reported that Senator Kenley encouraged Council President Wiles to replace him.

Senator Kenley announced last week he will be retiring effective September 30th.  The person to fill out the remainder of his term will be selected by Republican Party officials in a caucus vote.

“Hamilton County has been very fortunate to have Senator Kenley’s leadership at the Statehouse for many years,” said Wiles in a news release announcing her candidacy. “After careful consideration and discussions with my family and several community leaders, I have decided to run for the Indiana District 20 Senate seat.”

Wiles pointed to her experience as a local elected official.

“I understand how Statehouse decisions affect local communities and our citizens,” explained Wiles. “I am committed to listening to diverse points of view and ultimately making decisions I believe are in the best interest of our community and our State.”

Republican officials have not yet announced when and where the caucus vote will be conducted.  GOP precinct officials in District 20 will be voting in the caucus .

In this edition of Hamilton County Goes To The Movies, Dan Domsic and I recount our personal favorite films.  Then Adam Aasen joins me to discuss the Indy Film Fest with two officials from that group, Chris Overpeck (left) and Dan Moore.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

(NOTE:  LarryInFishers.com posts Fred Swift commentaries as part of a partnership with the Hamilton County Reporter)

Luke Kenley’s decision to retire from the State Senate is a real loss for Hamilton County and the entire state. I respect his decision to leave state service after a quarter century, but his departure from the Statehouse will be felt in sensible decision-making on all things financial.

As head of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Luke always tried to make certain Indiana had a fair and adequate budget. He made sure he knew where state funds were going and where they were going to be coming from. His positions were not always popular with everyone, but they were always realistic and farsighted.

Many were the times that Luke would have lunch with a local group in Noblesville and explain how certain functions of state government were working and how they could be improved. He was not shy about sharing his opinions on what individuals or groups helping were fostering his position and which were working against him.

Luke leaves big shoes to fill, and it will take time for his successor to grow into them.That successor will be chosen in a caucus of Republican precinct committeemen and women in Senate District 20 later this summer. The district includes all the precincts in Noblesville, Washington and Wayne Townships plus some in Clay and Delaware Townships.

Kenley has said he is encouraging Megan Wiles to be a candidate in the caucus. Ms. Wiles is executive director of the Riverview Health Foundation and formerly with Legacy Fund. A current member of the Noblesville City Council, she is a lifelong local resident, graduating from Noblesville High School and Ball State University.

Scott Willis, Westfield, who was defeated by Kenley in last year’s primary election, had given some indications he might try again for the Senate seat. A military veteran, he operates a small business in the Carmel area.

What does the future hold for Kenley? While the Kenley name is Noblesville through-and-through, many folks don’t know that Luke was born in Texas. He has relatives from his mother’s family in west Texas and actually owns a ranch there. So, instead of going to the Senate each January, one might expect Luke to be spending more time at the ranch. But, I suspect Noblesville will always be home.

In the meantime, congratulations to our good state senator are in order for a job well done.

by

Hamilton County Reporter

http://www.indianaforefront.com/what-senator-kenleys-retirement-means-for-his-senate-district-residents/

We’re headed to the middle of July, the peak of the summer construction season, which means road work is continuing in and around Fishers.

Here’s the listing, as provided by the City of Fishers, for road construction scheduled for the work week starting Monday, July 10th:

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113TH STREET

Beginning the week of July 17th, 113th Street will be closed between Ashford Pointe and Ringer Road for the installation of a storm sewer across the roadway. Through traffic on 113th Street will detour to 116th Street and down Ringer Road. Access into Ashford Pointe will be open from Olio Road. This closure will last approximately one week.

136TH AND PRAIRIE BAPTIST ROAD

Starting on or after July 5, the Hamilton County Highway Department will be closing the intersection of 136th Street and Prairie Baptist Road to allow the contractor to reconstruct the intersection. The closure is scheduled to last approximately 60 days. Please follow signs for detour routes. Questions regarding this project may be directed to the Hamilton County Highway Department at 317-773-7770.

96TH STREET

Construction has begun on the new roundabout at 96th Street and Lantern Road. 96th Street traffic between Kincaid Drive and Fitness Lane/Pinecreek Drive will be reduced to one lane in each direction throughout the summer.

BROOKS SCHOOL ROAD 

The Brooks School Road bridge over Interstate 69 is closed as Milestone Contractors rebuild the bridge deck. During the closure, traffic will be detoured to Promise Road via 126th and 136th streets. The bridge will remain closed until August.

116TH STREET

There will be lane restrictions on 116th Street between I-69 and Cumberland Road throughout the summer in order for the contractor to make improvements to 116th Street.

113TH STREET

Lane restrictions will occur on 113th Street from Olio Road to Florida Road throughout the summer in order for the contractor to resurface and make improvements to the roadway.

126TH STREET

Expect periodic lane restrictions between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on 126th Street between Allisonville Road and Lantern Road while the contractor installs passing blisters near Reserve at Lantern. Flaggers will be on site to direct traffic during the restrictions.

I-69 AND CAMPUS PARKWAY

The Campus Parkway interchange was recently shifted into a double-crossover traffic pattern. The interchange will remain under construction through July, when it is expected to be fully open to traffic in its permanent configuration.

Multiple traffic lane shifts will be required to complete construction of the new interchange design. Each phase of remaining construction will bring the interchange closer to its final traffic configuration and capacity. For more information about the new traffic pattern, please visit http://www.in.gov/indot/3441.htm

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 p.m. Lane closures may reoccur 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.

STATE ROAD 37

Contractors have begun work a $1.5 million drainage structure construction project on State Road 37 between 146th Street and Greenfield Avenue in Noblesville.

The first phase of construction will shift two lanes in each direction toward the right shoulders to provide room for construction in the median. The second phase will shift traffic toward the median to allow construction to be completed along the outside shoulders. All work on the project is expected to be complete this summer.

Starting May 1, geotechnical drilling will begin along the State Road 37 corridor as part of the final design phase of State Road 37 Improvement Project. Lane and shoulder restrictions will be active through July 31.

The geotechnical drilling will cause lane restrictions on SR 37 from 131st Street to 146th Street through July 31. Lane closures are expected to continue for the 131st Street intersection through July 23, and lane closures will commence at the 146th Street intersection on or after July 10. Southbound restrictions begin after 9 a.m. daily and northbound restrictions will be completed daily before 4 p.m. to allow for maximum traffic flow during peak rush hours.

State Road 37 turn lanes will not be affected during lane closures and crews will maintain a minimum of one through-lane at all times.

The SR37 improvement project is a $124 million joint project between Fishers, Hamilton County, Noblesville and INDOT. Questions or concerns may be directed to drivefishers@fishers.in.us.

OUTSIDE OF FISHERS

The City of Carmel has closed 116th Street and Hazel Dell Parkway for the construction of a roundabout. This closure is expected to last for 75 days. Questions and updates about this project should be directed to the City of Carmel at 317-571-2400.

State Senator Luke Kenley has decided to retire at age 72.  He has served Noblesville and adjacent areas in the Indiana Statehouse since 1992.  It has been well known for some time that if you wanted something funded at the General Assembly, getting Luke Kenley on board was a key part of that strategy.

Now that the senator has served in his last legislative session, with his retirement effective September 30 of this year, there are two big questions in the air.

The first is who will succeed Senator Kenley and serve the remainder of his term? Republican precinct officials in his senate district will vote on that issue.  Whomever replaces Senator Kenley in that caucus vote will have a big leg up in the next election round.  How many candidates come forward should be interesting to watch.

Secondly, the leadership in the Indiana Senate will be making a decision on who will replace Senator Kenley in the powerful post of Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman.  That is something important to watch.

Senator Kenley has served his constituents well during his 25 years in the Statehouse.  Whether you agree or disagree with his policies, it is clear he always called the issues as he saw them.  You must respect him for that.

by

Hamilton County Reporter

A retired Hamilton County Sheriff’s Detective and former Arcadia Town Marshall,
now Chief of Security at Riverview Health, Mitch Russell has announced his candidacy
for Sheriff.

With Russell’s announcement the Republican field for Sheriff has now grown to
three veteran law enforcement candidates: Russell, Jason Sloderbeck and Bill Clifford.

Russell’s law enforcement career spans 41 years.