When Heidi Stan talks about her students, fitness and health education, you can sense the excitement in her voice.  She has a passion for her work.  That passion likely helped lead Heidi Stan to be honored as the Hamilton Southeastern School District Teacher of the Year.  I talked with Mrs. Stan about that and more in this podcast.

There has been a lot of comment about the decision by the City of Fishers not to fund the Fishers Freedom Festival in 2018, but the city has told LarryInFishers that it is prepared to “fill the void” if necessary.

The Fishers City Council Non-Profit Committee, consisting of council members Cecilia Coble, Brad DeReamer and Pete Peterson, reviewed funding applications from 25 organizations requesting city funds.  The committee recommends funding 13 of those groups.

It should be noted that the Indiana Department of Local Finance (DLGF) is distributing more then $600,000 less in County Option Income Tax (COIT) to the City of Fishers than earlier forecasts indicated.  Members of the Fishers City Council Finance Committee said there would be some reduction in the amount of money available for the non-profits with less many coming in than originally projected.  The original plan was to provide a total of $331,500 to be split up among the chosen organizations.  That figure is likely to be reduced.

Fishers Freedom Festival Executive Director Jennifer Kehl told LarryInFishers the festival board and volunteer committees will decide by the end of October whether to have the Freedom Festival in 2018 without city funding.

In the meantime, the City of Fishers issued a statement saying, “If the Fishers Freedom Festival Committee chooses not to host the Festival next year, the City will fill that void. The City remains committed to bringing residents together by carrying on traditions such as the parade and others our residents love.”

When asked why the Freedom Festival was not selected to receive city funds next year, the statement from the City of Fishers says the non-profit committee “took a holistic view of the nonprofits that currently served our community, weighed the impact of each of those nonprofits and prioritized the funds accordingly.”

The bottom line here is this….if the Freedom Festival committee decides not to host the summer event in 2018, the City of Fishers has made a commitment to “fill the void.”

We will wait for further developments.

The pilot died in a small plane crash at Metropolitan Airport in Fishers.

For the latest, check this link for WTHR’s latest update.

Republican precinct committeemen and committeewomen will be voting on September 6th, electing the person to complete the term of State Senator Luke Kenley.  In advance of that vote, a newly formed Political Action Committee (PAC), Fiscal Conservatives of Hamilton County, sponsored a public forum, inviting all seven candidates to make their case before precinct officials set to vote in the GOP caucus.

A crowd of about 80 people, most precinct officials eligible to vote in the caucus, were on hand for the Wednesday night event at the Delaware Township Building in Fishers.

There were a number of issues hashed out.  In most cases, the senate hopefuls agreed on the issue under discussion, although the candidates were split on the recent action by the General Assembly to hike the gas tax and some fees to finance infrastructure construction and maintenance.

Here are the candidates and a brief summation of their backgrounds:

Brad Beaver –  He has served on the Hamilton County Council for 20 years and is proud of the fact he has never missed a regularly scheduled council meeting.  He owns a heating and air conditioning.  He assumes the gas tax and fee increase were needed to fund infrastructure but is concerned some of the gas tax revenue will not all be used for that purpose.

Sue Finkham –   A member of the Carmel City Council, she touts the fact she is a mom and a wife of 20 years.  She makes a living working for an organ donor network.  She believes the gas tax increase was needed to shore up critical infrastructure needs and believes the state surplus should not have been tapped for infrastructure.

Mark Hall –  He emphasizes his lack of political experience as a plus and says his background owning and running businesses qualifies him to serve in the state senate.  He was not in favor of the gas tax increase, saying state lawmakers should have looked more on the expense side, cutting other spending to allow for infrastructure funding.

Joe Morris – Talked about his upbringing in Southwest Indiana, the city of Washington to be exact,  and his years residing in the northwest part of the state.  He has 25 years of experience in insurance and finance.  He pointed out the latest gas tax increase places Indiana as the 5th highest gas tax in the nation.  He argues the state should have cut other costs and found other improvements to fund infrastructure.

Dan Schmidt –   He lives in Westfield, is the father of six.  He worked on the Statehouse staff of Governor Mike Pence as Policy Director.  He supported the gas tax increase as necessary to fund roads and bridges.  He also argued that with more efficient vehicles on the road and a trend of people living closer to where they work, the tax hike was needed.

Victoria Spartz – She talked about her extensive experience in politics, finance and her educational background as qualifications to serve in the state senate.  She does not favor any tax increases, including the recent gas tax hike, arguing the state should find ways to spend its money more efficiently.

Megan Wiles – As the President of the Noblesville City Council, she calls herself a locally connected leader who believes on local government control.  She called the gas tax increase a worthwhile tax in order to invest in the state’s future.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Here are some news bits of the week brought to you by your vigilant County Line writer.

Noblesville’s 31st annual Historic Homes Tour is set for Sept. 16. It is sponsored by the Noblesville Preservation Alliance, an organization that attempts to save the city’s historical homes and cultural sites. Most recently NPA has embarked on an effort to save the Nickel Plate Railroad. The home tour will allow participants to visit several of the city’s historic homes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16. Advance sale tickets are $15 and may be purchased through the NPA website.

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Hamilton County Extension Agent Diane Turner says Purdue agriculture experts report farm crops in Hamilton County and surrounding areas look good, about the same as last year. Despite a wet spring and very dry weather since July, “farmers’ expectations are favorable for the upcoming harvest,” Turner says. Corn is expected to average about 172 bushels per acre, about the same as last year. Soybeans should average about 55 bushels, down about 2.5 bushels per acre.

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Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard has apparently had his plans for a carousel (the sophisticated name for a merry-go-round) shot down by his city council. The mayor wanted $5 million included in a new city bond issue to buy and house the antique Canadian attraction. Most city council members said the public didn’t like the idea. The mayor may still got $95 million to lure a luxury hotel, build more roundabouts and other projects.

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Readers may still remember Noblesville has a downtown parking study pending. It’s been nearly two years since it was begun and is presumably complete, but city officials won’t release its findings. Deputy Mayor Steve Cooke is in charge of the study, the fourth in the past 20 years. The city public relations office says it’s uncertain when we will see the suggestions on providing more public parking.

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The county budget for next year is about ready for review by the Hamilton County Council. On Sept. 13 the budget of each department of county government will be examined in detail. County Auditor Robin Mills says the multi-million dollar budget, to be adopted in October, is not expected to require any increase in the property tax rate.

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Cobe’s Run is being sponsored by Carmel American Legion Post 155 on Sept. 9 beginning at 10 a.m. The motorcycle run is planned to financially benefit Cobe Scott, a local area child who recently lost an eye to cancer. Entry fee for riders is $25 and passengers $10. Proceeds go to Cobe’s medical treatment and the cost of a prosthetic eye. Food and prizes follow the run at the Legion post. Those interested in riding may contact the post at 846-0001.

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A jazz concert on the Courthouse Square is set for Friday. It’s September’s ‘First Friday’ event with music starting at 7 p.m. and going until about 9. The concert on the east lawn of the square is free. Those attending may want to bring a lawn chair. First Friday events are sponsored by Noblesville Main Street.

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Hamilton County Reporter

Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard has announced that the city is suspending Metronet’s Right-of-Way Permit pending investigation. This effectively stops new work by the private utility that was installing high speed internet fiber throughout the community. All new utility work by Metronet will be on hold until the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) investigation requested by the City of Fishers is complete. Carmel will also request the IURC investigate all utility cuts made by Metronet in the city. The City of Carmel will then re-evaluate Metronet’s Right-of-Way Permit to determine what work may continue at that time.

After Vectren reported 14 gas line hits in Carmel by Metronet in 2017, Mayor Brainard took this action due to the safety risk this posed to the general public. He also will be seeking damages for the costs incurred in responding to public safety calls caused by Metronet’s negligence.

The City of Fishers recently reported contractors for Metronet were responsible for six gas line ruptures.

In recent years, the Indiana State legislature has taken away cities’ rights to deny permission for privately-owned utilities to operate in cities’ rights of way.

“Our hands are tied when it comes to regulating these private utilities as they work in the right of way, but when that work poses a threat to public safety, we must take whatever action is available to ensure our citizens and businesses are kept from harm,” said Mayor Brainard.

The city will permit restoration work to continue where yards, rights of way and landscaping has been disturbed. However, if that restoration requires any form of excavation, Metronet will only be permitted to proceed with that excavation if a City of Carmel inspector is on site.

The city is asking those with complaints about Metronet to call the Carmel Department of Community Services at (317) 571-2417.

by

Hamilton County Reporter

The Reporter has learned Hamilton County Sheriff candidate Mitch Russell announced Thursday he is suspending fundraising for his campaign for 20 days to focus on assisting those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

“I am asking the citizens of Hamilton County, who are currently or planning to support my candidacy for Hamilton County Sheriff, to turn your efforts to the victims of Hurricane Harvey,” Russell stated in a press release Thursday afternoon. “I am a firm believer in becoming a united front to help those in need. We need to take care of those who can’t take care of themselves.”

Russell said “helping our fellow Americans” is more important than his campaign for the office of Hamilton County Sheriff.

“I cannot collect money for my run for sheriff knowing there are people who need the money for medical care, shelter, food, and daily necessities,” Russell said. “Texas needs our help! Please assist me in raising money for the people affected by Hurricane Harvey.”

Russell said his family will donate the first $500 during the campaign fundraising suspension. He asked that his supporters stand with him to make donations to Hurricane Harvey victims.

According to Russell, donations can be made to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund through GHCF.org, The American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Samaritan’s Purse, or Heart to Heart International.

“My family and I are heartbroken for the people of Texas and will continue to pray for their safety and recovery in their time of need,” Russell said.

Mike Reuter has provided the income projections for both the town and city of Fishers for a number of years and his dollar predictions have almost always been very accurate. However, state officials have informed Fishers that County Option Income Tax (COIT) money to be distributed to the city in 2018 will be roughly $668,000 less the Mr. Reuter’s projected amount.

City Controller Lisa Bradford told the Fishers City Council Finance Committee Wednesday evening the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) does not provide any details of how they arrived at the numbers provided.  However, Carmel’s distribution of COIT funds is $3.4 million higher than Reuter’s anticipated amount.  Hamilton County government’s COIT share is roughly $1.6 million less than the projection.

The three Finance Committee Members at the meeting were Eric Moeller, John Weingardt and Selina Stoller.  They all three appeared to favor cutting back on the spending for nonprofit groups to bring the budget back into balance.  Without the cut, the city’s General Fund would be in a deficit for 2018.  All also favored pushing back on the DLGF to reveal how these COIT distribution figures were determined.

The committee members also indicated they need to look at 2018 pay raises for elected officials.  No recommendation was made on that in the Wednesday session.

The committee did get some good news.  The accounting firm BKD gave the city high marks in its first audit of the city’s financial books.  Fishers decided to hire a private accounting firm to get a more complete audit.  The State Board of Accounts, due to funding cutbacks, is no longer able to audit the city every year.

The City of Fishers announced the nonprofit organizations to receive financial support in 2018, based on a city council committee recommendation.  The Fishers Freedom Festival, an event held locally since 1989, was not on that list.

Below is a listing of the groups set to receive funding from the city in 2018:

         Advocates for Children and Families, dba Cherish

·         Ascent 121

·         Conner Prairie Museum, Inc.

·         Geist Half Marathon

·         Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc.

·         Hamilton County Leadership Academy

·         Hamilton County Youth Assistance

·         Hamilton Southeastern School Foundation

·         Hope Academy

·         Janus Developmental Services

·         Nickel Plate Arts

·         Spaceport Exploration

·         YMI

The Fishers Freedom Festival did apply for 2018 support from the city council committee evaluating these funding requests, but Festival Executive Director Jennifer Kehl told LarryInFishers, “We (Fishers Freedom Festival) are disappointed we were not offered an interview, but not surprised.   It is a shame the city council and the mayor don’t see the value the festival brings to the community.”

Kehl says the festival has two more events to handle yet this year, but the board of directors and volunteer committees for the festival will be making a decision on the 2018 Fishers Freedom Festival by the end of October.

LarryInFishers asked Kehl whether the city would be willing to continue in-kind support from city departments if the festival can raise enough money for next year’s Freedom Festival.  “There has not been any conversation,” said Kehl, “other than, it was my understanding this not-for-profit committee, whatever funding they give you, is the funding they give you.  That includes in-kind support.”

The city used a new system and set of criteria to evaluate the use of city funds supporting local non-profit groups.  The Non-Profit Grant Committee, comprised of Fishers City Council members Cecilia Coble, Brad DeReamer, and Pete Peterson, recommended distribution of grant awards to 13 non-profit groups, not to exceed a total of $331,500.

To be eligible for the grant award, non-profits submitted proposed project or events via an application and review process conducted by the Committee. All organizations are required to have IRS 501(c)(3) status, be able to quantify the organization’s impact on Fishers residents, and show their ability to provide a financial match to the grant award.

25 applications were submitted to the committee. The panel conducted two follow up interviews, and will present their informal recommendation during the Finance Committee meeting on later today for consideration as part of the 2018 City Budget. The City Budget will be considered by the full City Council during its September 18 meeting with the final budget approval to occur at the October 16 City Council meeting. Nonprofit grant funds will be distributed in January 2018.

According to the city news release, all grant applications were scored under the following guidelines:

·         Maximum grant amount for each project or event will be $100,000.

·         Depending on grant amount and/or percentage of the total project or event budget is provided by the grant, a board appointment for one Council member may be required.

·         Organization should establish need for grant for the project or event.

·         Organization should demonstrate overall community enhancement and impact in Fishers.

·         Quarterly accounting provided by the Organization to City Council Non-Profit Committee.

·         Organization should demonstrate financial responsibility and management qualifications.

·         Organization should provide the commitment, capacity and ability of the Organization to carry out the project or event.

Fire swept units of the Woods of Britton Apartments, near 141st Street & State Road 37, specifically 13855 Canapy Lane, late Tuesday afternoon.  40 firefighters spent 90 minutes bringing the blaze under control.

There were only two slight injuries, both Fishers firefighters, who were treated and released from Saxony Hospital.

A total of 8 apartments were damaged in the fire, 3 of those were a total loss.  Fire officials say the blaze appears to have started on a first floor apartment deck, but no cause ha yet been determined.  No dollar amount of damage is available at this time.

The first units were dispatched to the scene at 3:14pm Tuesday, the fire was under control at 4:43pm