Yet another high-tech business in Fishers is planning to expand, with tax incentive help from the state of Indiana.  Netfor, which describes itself as a provider of technical and customer-experience managed services, plans to create up to 97 new jobs by 2021.

The company says it plans to invest more than $4 million to lease and equip a renovated 17,500-square-foot office in the Fishers Tech Park, which is more than double the size of its current office at 11810 Technology Drive. Netfor expects to move into the new space by the end of 2017.

Netfor is heavily involved in the Internet of Things, providing technology support for software and cloud-based information technology product.

“We are experiencing significant growth with our cloud service desk, a team that helps support environments like AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft’s cloud products,” said Raquel Richardson, president for Netfor, in a news release from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). “Companies that care about creating the best experience for their products and services truly get Netfor and our expertise to layer in ITIL® practices and knowledge management to consistently and predictably provide answers to their clients so they can scale, perform within agreed upon service levels and get their product to market faster.”

The IEDC offered Netfor up to $340,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $25,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until employees are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Fishers will consider additional incentives.

“Today’s announcement continues our strong momentum by delivering more investment and jobs to our city,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, per the news release. “Netfor provides a critical service for leading industries and I’m excited to see them continue to grow in Fishers.“

Netfor employs 119 associates in Indiana and is currently hiring for positions in sales, customer service, cloud support and field operations.  You may apply for jobs through the company’s Web site at this link.

With Fishers continuing to grow as a suburb of Indianapolis, affordable housing will be in short supply and city officials are beginning to talk about the housing needs for workers and senior citizens.  During a city council work session October 16th, City Planner Dale Davis laid out the issues facing the city on the housing front.

The median family income in Fishers is between $90,000 and $100,000 a year.  The median home price is around $250,000.

Davis gave an example of a married couple, a firefighter and a teacher, each at roughly the mid-point of their respective careers.  Their combined family income would be just over $90,000, barely within the local median income.

Using the 30% of income figure for housing provided in federal guidelines, that couple should be spending no more than $1,650 a month for a home.  The mortgage on that $250,000 house would be roughly $1,646 a month (there are many variables such as amount of the down payment).

“That family would be pretty close to what would be their maximum on that,” Davis told council members.

Many startups that are popular in Fishers have people working there making around $44,000 a year.  Davis asks where they would live in the Fishers area?

Davis then turned to the issue of senior citizen housing.  Population forecasts indicate the senior population in the area will continue increase as Fishers grows, to over 23,000 by the year 2040.

Both young people and seniors want walkability, shops and low maintenance, so Fishers is on the right track for both groups, according to Davis.

“As you think about IKEA, you think about Top Golf, you think of all these other places that we have around Fishers, there may be a reasonable discussion to think about – can affordable housing make sense in our city?,” Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness told members of the City Council.  “I think the senior housing should not be discounted at all.  I think that is going to be a huge, huge need in our city.”

The mayor emphasized that to move forward on affordable housing, it will take leadership from himself and members of the city council to get such projects done.

The city council members then had a general discussion of the issue, and there appeared to be support in general for an affordable housing program, particularly for seniors.  Mayor Fadness said he wanted the council to receive information on the issue.

Now we will wait to see what next steps city officials choose to take.

I recorded a podcast with people from Hamilton County Area Neighborhood Development (known as HAND) October 2nd.  HAND deals with affordable housing issues in Hamilton County.  You can listen to the podcast at this link.

If you are interested in seeing a film with scenes set around the Nickel Plate Grill and railroad on 116th Street in downtown Fishers, or watch other scenes around Handel’s Ice Cream or Greek’s Pizza, you need to see The Storyteller.  Local movie-makers Joe and Nancy Crump talk about their new film that has just been shown to sellout crowds at the Heartland Film Festival, and is now available on a new Hallmark video streaming service.

That’s all part of this week’s podcast, Hamilton County Goes To The Movies.  Also, Adam & I review the film Marshall, about the early legal career of Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American justice to serve on the United States Supreme Court.

Persistence often pays off in any political battle, and the people with the Save the Train movement would get an “A” grade from me for their persistence.  However, in this case, it is my view their persistence will not pay off in the end.

At Monday night’s City Council meeting, a group of about ten Save the Train supporters sat in the council meeting holding “Save the Train” signs.  There was nothing on the council agenda that related to the rails vs trails issue, they just wanted the mayor and council members to see they were there.

If you are not familiar with the issue, Fishers is planning to convert the Nickel Plate rail line within the city to a trail, and Noblesville plans to convert the train tracks from downtown south to Fishers into a trail.

The Save the Train group has been pushing to keep the Nickel Plate Line a train track.  Most are familiar with the Nickel Plate as the rail line used in the State Fair train from Fishers to the Indiana State Fairgrounds for many years.  It was also used for other excursions, such as the Polar Express.

In order to convert the rail line to a trail, there is a process called Rail Banking that must be completed through a federal regulatory process.  One agency that is part of the Rail Banking process is the Surface Transportation Board.

Save the Train has been urging its supporters to send comments to the Surface Transportation Board asking that the rail line be preserved.  The group is also asking its supporters to send messages to their federal elected officials to preserve the rail line.

In a recent statement, Save the Train pointed an an extension of the Surface Transportation Board comment period and emphasized that 73 comments had been submitted supporting the rails.

It is fair to say there is a well-organized and very loud opposition to converting this rail line to a walking & biking trail.  You see their signs around Fishers and you couldn’t miss them at the Fishers City Council.

I continue to admire the work done by Save the Train.  It is democracy in action and it is good to see people with strong feelings about an issue organize for what they think is right.

However, having said all that, I do not believe Save the Train has much of a chance succeeding here.  Save the Train emphasizes that the rails to trails plan for the Nickel Plate is not a done deal.  That is technically correct, the regulatory process does continue.

Those supporting the conversion of the Nickel Plate Rail Line to a trail have been working hard as well, but have not been doing their work publicly.  I have it on good authority that local officials have been in touch with Indiana’s congressional delegation pushing for the trail project.

Here is one fact that must be emphasized in all this – the Nickel Plate Rail Line is owned by three government entities – Fishers, Noblesville and Hamilton County.  Elected officials made the decision to convert the rail line to a trail.  If you own the track and want to Rail Bank and convert the rail line to a trail, any federal body, including the Surface Transportation Board, will give the owners a great deal of weight in this debate.

That leads me to believe federal regulators will not stop the effort by local government officials to construct the Nickel Plate Trail.  The rail supporters are doing all they can, but it does not look good for their cause.

Save the Train is doing what it can to get its view known by the feds, but they are fighting an uphill battle.  I’m not saying Save the Train will lose.  I am saying they are not likely to win.

Fishers city officials briefed city council members on how construction work along 106th Street in the west part of the city will be handled, during a Monday work session.  Bottom line, the construction work will not close all or most of the roadway during that time.

Rick Farnham, the city’s Director of Water Quality, says there will be “rolling closures” but the entire street from I-69 to Eller Road will not be closed the entire time, but parts will close for specific periods of time.  For example, Farnham said, the intersection of Eller Road and 106th Street will need to close, but only for about 2 weeks.

The contractor has not provided the city with the schedule of when work is scheduled to begin and the timing of planned road closures.  The city plans to use social media, through Drive Fishers, to provide current road closures as they are planned.

After a lot of discussions, the Fishers City Council voted to give itself a 3% pay raise in 2018 in an 8-1 vote, with Councilwoman Selina Stoller the lone dissenting vote.  Fishers City Judge Daniel Henke will also see a 3% increase in his pay next year.

Most city employees will see a 5% raise, including 2 elected officials – Mayor Scott Fadness and City Clerk Jennifer Kehl.  Council members also gave final approval to the entire 2018 spending plan for the city, totaling more than $103 million.

There were no public comments from council members on their pay raise issue.

I met my daughter for dinner last Saturday and had an unexpected experience- my first visit to Portillo’s since IKEA opened.  I expected IKEA to be beyond busy and crowded on its opening day this past week, so I steered clear.

When approaching Portillo’s Saturday the traffic pattern took me right to IKEA,  Based on what I could see, IKEA’s main parking lot was full and there were shuttle buses taking people to and from auxiliary parking lots.  I must give kudos to the police officers there and to the traffic planners.  There was a crush of traffic but it moved steadily.

I was fortunate…the traffic line going into Portillo’s was much shorter than IKEA.  Even at 4:45pm Saturday, Portillo’s was a very busy place.  My daughter Mary & I had a nice dinner, but I wouldn’t describe it as quiet.

When I first got word that IKEA was headed to Fishers, I knew that area of town would become something very different.  You never really understand how much until you see it and experience it for yourself.

But it’s not just IKEA and Portillo’s, Top Golf is also drawing its share of a crowd.  Since it is open year-round, look for even more golfers to utilize it’s offerings in coming months.

The Yard culinary development is moving forward with homes being demolished in that old Spring Dale Estates neighborhood.  We are still waiting for announcements as to what restaurants will be locating there.  We have been told “soon” for a few weeks now.

I was thinking about all this today when I recalled the joint news conference held by Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, announcing a joint effort to lure the Amazon second headquarters facility to this area.

My understanding is that Mayor Fadness has been spending  a lot of time and effort in putting together this joint proposal to Amazon with Indianapolis.  It had always been my view the Indianapolis area was a long-shot to attract Amazon HQ2 and that still may be the case.

However, Larry Gigerich of Ginovus, a firm that specializes in corporate relocation, did admit in a recent podcast interview with the Indianapolis Business Journal’s Lindsey Erdody and myself that although the Indy area may not be on the top of the contender list for Amazon, he believes Central Indiana would have a lot to offer the retail giant.  You can listen to that podcast at this link.

What if this huge Amazon development would locate in or near Fishers?  How would that change the Fishers we know now?

Believe me, I am not anti-development.  IKEA is a “get” that any Central Indiana city or town would love to have, and IKEA chose Fishers.  The growing pains there will take some getting used to but we locals will adapt.

But if Amazon were to come here, I hope city officials will have an honest conversation with long-time residents on the changes expected when a big economic development project like that is proposed.

Mayor Fadness is aggressive in selling Fishers as a place for businesses to locate and I do not see any sign he is slowing-down.  Give us time to absorb IKEA, Top Golf and Portillo’s and my view is we can handle nearly anything.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

The financially healthy Hamilton County government will adopt its 2018 operating budget in public session at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 16 at the Government and Judicial Center. The multi-million budget features a 6.9 percent pay raise on average for more than 800 county employees. Elected officials and department heads will get 5 percent raises next year.

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Hamilton County and Noblesville parks departments plan Halloween parties for the public on Oct. 26 and 27. On Thursday the 26th at Cool Creek Park county park personnel will host a hayride, campfire, games and a “spooky nature trail.” On Friday, the 27th, Noblesville Parks will hold a Halloween event at Forest Park with games, dancing and a hayride.

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The Indiana Transportation Museum is trying to raise funds to restore its prized steam locomotive known as The 587. The hope is to get the historic engine in working order by September 2018 which is the 100^th anniversary of the locomotive’s construction. Donations may be made at the museum’s Forest Park office or by going to the transportation museum website itm.org.

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That box-like structure that motorists have noticed in the new roundabout at South 10th Street and Christian Avenue is to be a city monument structure featuring a lighted seal of the city emblazoned with the date 1823. That’s the date the city was founded by William Conner and Josiah Polk. It will be completed when the four faces are delivered and wiring is in place.

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The Carmel United Methodist Church is looking for volunteers to staff its food pantry. The pantry is one of the busiest in the county, serving hundreds of needy local residents. It is located in the Mission House on church grounds at 126th Street and Range Line Road. Those interested in volunteering may call Lisa Williams at 317-507-7410.

Director Rob Reiner says he never liked LBJ because of the Vietnam War.  Now, Reiner has taken a closer look at Johnson and found him to be a fascinating character of history….enough to make a film about him.  My partner Adam Aasen talked with Director Reiner briefly just before the screening of LBJ to open this year’s Heartland Film Festival.  Also, we welcome Dan Cavillini as our guest…..he produced a short film being screened at Heartland – Homecoming.

When the old Town of Fishers decided to use public money to establish something called Launch Fishers, my first question was – what’s a Launch Fishers?

I was told it was a co-working space where business startups can collaborate and create a culture of trying new things.  In other words, it is in-between working on your new business at the kitchen table and renting office space.  Launch Fishers would connect that new business gap.

That was 2012, and now Launch Fishers has expanded, leaving the lower-level space at the Fishers Public Library to a larger home a few blocks away.

The story of Launch Fishers is told by Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) reporter Lindsey Erody in this week’s edition.  You will find quotes from Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, Launch founder John Wechsler and other parties tied to the project.

You can read Lindsey’s story at this link.  (NOTE:  If you are not a subscriber to the IBJ, you may be limited on the number of stories you may access online)