The City of Fishers is beginning the process of formulating the 2019 budget, and Mayor Scott Fadness made one thing clear to the City Council Finance Committee Wednesday night – he wants to know more about what the city will project as revenue before seriously looking at the amount of spending.

But the mayor did make one thing clear, he wants to plan for the same amount of money going to nonprofit groups as was spent last year – $356,500.  The mayor also said if next year’s budget number comes out favorably, he would be open to increasing that amount, but if the spending plan becomes tighter for 2019, the number could go down.

A three- person Fishers City Council committee will decide how to divide up funding for the many requests the city receives from nonprofit organizations.  Applications for 2019 funding were to be submitted by June 14th.

Here is a list of the nonprofit groups that received city funds for 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

Mayor Fadness expects to provide the Finance Committee an initial budget discussion at their August 8th session.  He has scheduled more talk about 2019 spending at meetings August 13th-17th.  The full City Council will be briefed on the budget at a work session planned September 6th.  Adoption of the 2019 budget by the City Council  is expected October 15th.

The Fishers High School Winter Percussion program won its 5th state title in 10 years of competing this past April, and the team was honored Wendesday night by the Hamilton Southeastern School Board. Additionally, the group competed at the WGI World Championships and finished 10th in the nation. The students competed in “World Class,” which is the highest level of competition.

Also, the FHS Color Guard finished second at the State Championships and finished 6th at the WGI Color Guard World Championships.

The board also officially hired Christina Sturgill as Assistant Principal at Fishers High School.

The City of Fishers has taken in a number of interns this summer, but a problem came to light – there would not be enough room in City Hall to house them.  A new Fishers Police Department Headquarters building is under construction across the street from the current HQ, and once that move is made, several offices will move to the current police building.

Until that happens, office space is a scarce commodity in Fishers City Hall.  So, the question was, where does the city put all these interns?

Mayor Scott Fadness came up with that answer…..the mayor would give up his office and move to a desk in the hallway next to his office.

When I asked the mayor about this, he said so little time is spent in his office, giving it up doesn’t change the way he conducts his daily routine much.

In my years working off-and-on as a journalist, I’ve covered a number of mayors.  I can’t think of any mayor I have known giving up his office to bring-on more interns, but that is what Scott Fadness has done.

If you have driven around the Fishers lately, you know there are multiple construction projects underway.  Take particular care in driving in the Allisonville Road construction area, as the additional lane work will be scaling-up in the coming week.

Below is the full list of road construction activity for the work week beginning Monday, June 18th:

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ALLISONVILLE ROAD

Allisonville Road construction is in full swing. Lane restrictions are in place, as weather permits, along Allisonville Road from 126th Street to 131st Street for the roadway expansion project. Traffic will be shifted to the east side of the street to allow for widening on the west side. Restrictions will be in place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and flaggers will be on site directing traffic, as necessary. 
During the overnight hours of June 20, additional restrictions may be in place on Allisonville Road between 126th Street and 131st Street while a temporary barrier wall is being placed.  Through September, all southbound left turns from Allisonville Road onto 126th Street will be prohibited.

This will be an active construction site with reduced speed limits. For more info on this project, view the Fact Sheet.

116TH STREET & BROOKS SCHOOL ROAD

There will be lane restrictions on 116th Street and Brooks School Road this week for resurface work on both streets.

126TH STREET & ENTERPRISE DRIVE

Traffic improvements are in progress at 126th Street and Enterprise Drive. State Road 37 and 126th Street (west approach) is now two through lanes and one left turn lane to northbound State Road 37. The right lane is now both a through and right turn lane. Left turns onto Enterprise Drive from eastbound 126th Street are now prohibited. Left turns from Enterprise Drive onto eastbound 126th Street, and left turns from Reynolds Drive onto westbound 126th Street, are also prohibited. Drivers are permitted to turn left from westbound 126th Street onto Reynolds Drive. No U turn movement is permitted at 126th Street and Parkside Drive.

116TH STREET  

Beginning on or after June 18, eastbound 116th Street from Allisonville Road to Fishers Pointe Blvd. will be reduced to one lane between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for resurfacing of the path on the south side of the roadway. Westbound 116th Street from Fishers Pointe Blvd. to Hague Road will be reduced to one lane between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for work on the street lights on the north side of the roadway.

Beginning on or after June 19, there will be temporary lane restrictions on in both directions of Allisonville Road south of 106th Street. Restrictions will be in place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily with arrow boards and barrels directing traffic while median work is being complete.

131ST STREET   

The intersection of 131st and Cumberland Road is currently closed for 45 days to construct a new roundabout. See the detour map here.

Expect lane restrictions, weather permitting, along 131st Street between Allisonville Road and Lantern Road for the construction of the Conner Trail from Conner Prairie to the Municipal Complex. Lane restrictions will also take place on Lantern Road between 131st Street and Municipal Drive.

BROOKS SCHOOL ROAD  

There are temporary lane restrictions on Brooks School Road south of 116th Street while utility relocation work is performed. Flaggers are in place to help direct traffic. Road closures will begin in July for the construction of a passing blister to improve visibility and enhance motorist safety.

Brooks School Road is closed between 126th Street and 136th Street to build a sidewalk to the east side of the bridge over I-69. Detours via 136th Street, Promise Road, and 126th Street to get around the closure. The road will reopen in early August. Questions can be directed to indot@indot.IN.gov.

MOLLENKOPF ROAD  

Mollenkopf Road between 96th Street and 106th Street has lane restrictions in place while paving work is being completed.  Flaggers are present to direct traffic.

136TH STREET

136th Street is closed between Southeastern Parkway and Prairie Baptist Road for the construction of a new roundabout. See the Detour Map.

NICKEL PLATE DISTRICT 

On Saturday between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m., road closures will take place along the east side of the Municipal Circle along Municipal Drive for the Fishers Farmers’ Market. Access to Municipal Drive from North Street will also be closed during this time. Farmers’ Market parking is available in The Depot and The Switch garages (see the Parking Map for more details).

On Tuesday and Friday evenings, concerts are being held on Central Green. Municipal Drive in front of City Hall will be closed for stage construction beginning at noon on concert days. Also beginning at noon, North Street and Municipal Drive will become a right turn only, and Fishers Center Drive and Municipal Drive will become a left turn only. Beginning at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and 7 p.m. on Fridays, there will be road closures on Municipal Drive at 116th Street, on Municipal Drive at Fishers Center Drive (vehicles will still be able to turn left), and on Municipal Drive at North Street (vehicles will still be able to turn right). Roads will reopen at midnight. Street parking on Municipal Drive will be restricted from 2 p.m. until midnight on concert days. Guests can access the event from Fishers Center Drive, Municipal Drive (north), and North Street. Parking is available at The Switch garage, accessed from North Street.

The Board of Works recently passed an ordinance for no parking in the Nickel Plate District between the hours of 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. See the Parking Restrictions Map for more information.

106TH STREET   

106th Street is closed to through traffic from Eller Road to Allisonville Road and from Allisonville Road to Hague Road for the 106th Street Infrastructure Project. Closures for through traffic will also take place from Hague Road to the Crosspoint Boulevard/Lantern Road roundabout. For more info on this project, view the Fact Sheet.

I-69   

As part of a $92 million design-build contract, Milestone has added a third lane in each direction to the median, repaired and resurfaced existing pavement, and rehabilitated bridges and drainage structures on 15 miles of I-69 in Hamilton and Madison counties. Construction of an additional auxiliary lane between the 116th Street entrance ramp to I-69 South and the I-69 South Exit 204 ramp to 106th Street will continue through next spring.

I-69 South will be temporarily reduced to two lanes to allow space for the State Road 37 and 116th Street entrance ramps to safely merge while construction continues on the southbound auxiliary lane between the 116th Street and 106th Street ramps.

Questions about this project should be directed to INDOT via email or at 1-855-463-6848.

STATE ROAD 37

A public meeting was held on Tuesday, May 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Delaware Township Trustee Office. The meeting presentation and updated information is available on the project’s new website. The State Road 37 improvement project is a $124 million joint project between Fishers, Hamilton County, Noblesville, and INDOT. Questions or concerns may be directed to SR37@rqaw.com. 
OUTSIDE OF FISHERS   

The City of Carmel has closed 116th Street between Towne Road and Ditch Road, and between Clay Center Road and Spring Mill Road, until August 8.

After a few months on the job, I talked with Dr. Erica Buchanan-Rivera about he work as Equity & Inclusion Officer for the Hamilton Southeastern Schools.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Towns and townships in northern Hamilton County will get a reprieve of sorts next year from paying 911 communication costs. County Commissioners this week adopted a resolution calling for the 10 departments to start making token payments of 10 percent of the costs incurred in responding to calls for fire, police or EMS services.

At the present time, all Hamilton County police and fire departments have 911 calls dispatched through the county 911 emergency call center located at the Sheriff’s Department. Noblesville, Carmel, Fishers, Westfield and county government pay for the operation entirely.

Last year county officials said that with a growing number of calls and increasing expenses it would be only fair for the smaller departments to contribute to cover their portion of expenses. The northern communities were asked to pay amounts ranging from $135,000 for Sheridan to $17,000 for White River Township.

Talks with municipal and county officials have been ongoing for months without resolution. This month units of local government begin preparing budgets for 2019, thus the decision to seek at least some contribution from all communities.

County Commissioner Steve Dillinger said that for 2019 only, the token amounts will be expected, meaning Sheridan would pay about $13,500 and White River only $1,700.

For the following year a proposal to enact a public safety local option income tax (LOIT) is expected to be introduced to the County Council. This tax would be used to pay the 911 communication costs, now running more than $1 million a year and growing. If enacted, the larger units of Noblesville, Carmel, Westfield and Fishers would no longer have to contribute from their treasuries, but every county income taxpayer would pay a small amount from their individual income.

Officials said earlier this year that although some 911 calls are false alarms and duplications, dispatchers answered nearly 500,000 phone calls during the past year. Although the number seems unusually large, with a county population of about 320,000, it is not unreasonable. The call center must be prepared to quickly answer every call as a rapid response is often vital.

On May 31st of this year, representatives of Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools sat down with IU Health to discuss the contract with the school district providing the employee health center.  According to the school corporation’s Chief Financial Officer, Mike Reuter, “That meeting did not go really well.”

IU Health informed HSE that the physicians staffing the school system’s employee health centers would be reassigned as of July 2018, and temporary doctors would be assigned to the health center, at a higher cost to HSE Schools.

The school corporation said there would be a response to that proposal soon once the fee structure was clarified, but soon thereafter,  Reuter received a message from IU Health that their contract to provide the HSE Schools Health Center would be cancelled with the closure of the facility set for September 2nd.

The contract between IU Health and HSE was set to expire at the end of 2018, with Community Health likely to pick up the health center contract beginning January 1, 2019.  The current IU Health contract allows either party to cancel with 90 days notice.

According to Reuter, IU cited a non-solicitation clause in the pact.  Reuter told the school board he did reach out to the IU doctors at the health center in March, telling those physicians the contract with IU was not being renewed due to any lack of service on their part, in fact, school officials have been very pleased with the service the IU doctors have provided.  Reuter told the board he explained to those doctors “if you want to have a conversation we would be willing to sit down and have that conversation.”

Reuter said he didn’t offer the doctors any jobs because he doesn’t work for Community Health and cannot offer any jobs.  IU cited that contact from Reuter to the health care physicians as a violation of the non-solicitation clause of their contract.

“But the reality is, we would’ve probably cancelled (the contract) anyway,” Reuter told school board members, “because there would be no reason for them to bring in temporary doctors, us pay them more, and (the health center) would be no different than a Med Check at that point.”

School officials have talked to Community Health about providing services between September 2nd and December 31st of this year.  Community is scheduled to open an employee health center for HSE Schools January 1, 2019, pending final contract approval.  Reuter says moving up the opening of the Community Health Center may not be possible, but administrators are trying to work out stopgap measures to provide health services from September 2nd to the end of the 2018 calendar year.

The new pact with Community Health should be ready by the next school board meeting June 27th, that will include the health center and taking over the nursing program in the school buildings.  Nurses would switch from being HSE School District employees to employees of Community Health.  That change would happen in the 2019-2020 school year.

Several HSE School nurses spoke in opposition of this proposal when it was first discussed at a school board meeting, but no one chose to speak at Wednesday night’s session.

School officials say having Community Health take over the nursing program in the school buildings will save the school corporation $4.6 million over four years.

Also, Methodist Sports Medicine is proposing to continue sports medicine services July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019.  Methodist would no longer provide strength coaches, requiring the school corporation to provide that service.

“It feels like (IU Health) is thumbing their nose and saying, we’re done with you guys,” said HSE Board President Matt Burke.  “It’s as though IU is saying, we don’t want to work with you anymore.”

When the renovation of the area between City Hall and the Amphitheater, including major improvements to the Amphitheater stage itself, were approved late in 2017 and early 2018, the hope was all would be complete by June 1st of this year.  But Myers Construction has encountered weather issues resulting in 25 lost construction days in 2018.

As a result, the project is behind schedule.  The Board of Public Works and Safety approved an overtime request Monday afternoon to spend up to $184,372 in overtime and supplemental work to hopefully have the northern section of the plans, including the Amphitheater stage, done by July 13th.  That date is not set in stone, but the overtime hours will speed up the completion date.

However, the renovation of the pavilion building, which will contain additional rest room facilities, and the area between the pavilion and City Hall, will continue to be under construction on July 13th.

“As we looked at all the things we have contractually obligated, based on concerts and what it would cost for stage rental and things of that nature, we actually think that this is a smart return on investment to try to get this thing done, so that we don’t have to continue to pay for additional manpower, additional rental equipment or even look at cancelling concerts,” Mayor Scott Fadness said.

The mayor says he is “hopeful” this additional funding will get the project over the hump, citing “substantial progress” in the construction work over the last 2-3 weeks.

The money will come from current appropriations.

In other Board of Works actions:

–The board approved a resolution amending agreements between the city and Hamilton Southeastern Utilities, paving the way to petition the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) for an increase in the impact fee for new sewer hookups from $1,050 to $2,050 per household.  Mayor Fadness says this is a way to allow those newly hooking-up to the sewage system to pay for costs of expansion, rather than burdening current users with monthly rate hikes.

–The board will allow parking restrictions in the area between City Hall north to 116th Street on Tuesday and Friday concert nights.  This will be in effect only until the Amphitheater renovation is completed, allowing the concerts in the north end of the municipal complex until the Amphitheater stage is ready.

–The city will be in charge of maintenance in the right-of-way areas on I-69 in Fishers, after an agreement was approved between the city and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)

My review of the Carmel Community Players production, “Is He Dead?”

One personal note, the toughest critic I know, my wife Jane, really enjoyed this play.

by

Rich Torres

Hamilton County Reporter

PLYMOUTH – Fishers head coach Matthew Cherry wrestled with is words and
his sentiments on Saturday as his players bounced around like kids at a sandlot on Bill
Nixon Field at Centennial Park.

He remembered the lean years, the beginning, 12 years ago, when the Tigers
baseball program had no home field, holding all its home games and practices off school
grounds at Trinity Sports Park in Noblesville because the grass turf wasn’t quite ready.

He looked around at his assistant coaches, his best friends, who are more like family
than mere colleagues, like Darren Simms, an anchor at his side since the start.

He recalled the 2011 team that reached the sectional finals but couldn’t quite
breakthrough. Cherry thought back to last year’s regional championship heartbreak
against Zionsville.

Every step, each progression along the way played a pivotal role in the reality of
Saturday’s achievement.

For the first time in program history, the Tigers could call themselves a semi-state
champion, and more specifically, a state qualifier. Right where they aimed to be, and
now are in position to become even more.

“There’s a lot of emotions. It’s been a lot of hard work,” Cherry remarked after his
Tigers knocked off Chesterton 5-3 in the Class 4A Plymouth semi-state. “I’m so
proud of our guys. I don’t have the words.”

Few of his players could verbalize what was unfolding either. “Special” and
“Unbelievable” collectively came to mind as they tried to process the moment.

Confident in their abilities from Day 1 of winter workouts, it’s another thing to
reach a long-term goal, and with the perfect mix of studious aggression at the plate,
clutch pitching and a little bit of luck on the Saturday, the No. 2 Tigers are now that
much closer.

“I can’t tell you how many people told me before this week, ‘if you make it to state,
we’ll be there.’ This is huge. Our school rallies around us. We got kids watching us.
It’s not about us. It’s about all of Fishers baseball, Fishers athletics and Fishers High
School,” senior Luke Albright said. “To do it for them and along with them is something
special.”

While Fishers’ 10th straight win wasn’t perfect, it was enough to secure a coveted
spot at Victory Field to face off against the defending 4A state champion Cathedral
Fighting Irish. One more step. One win away from a potential first state title.

“After last year, the goal was to be right back where we are now, and once we got
there to go forward and keep on going,” junior Jon Vore said. “This year has been a
lot of fun.”

The Tigers’ first inning against Chesterton was defining. A team centered
on persistence made use of it as Albright knuckled down to wipe clean a bases-loaded
situation in the top of the first that nearly foiled the Tigers’ quest.

Senior Grant Richardson turned the initial pressure into ease in the bottom of the
first, letting a failed bunt attempt roll off his back to spark the Tigers toward a 4-0 lead.

“Our guys execute scouting reports to the T,” Cherry said. “They executed the
scouting report perfectly in the first inning.”

A leadoff walk by J.J. Woolwine set the Tigers in motion, followed by Craig Yoho
getting hit by a pitch as Chesterton starter Austin Peterson started to unravel.

With both runners on and Richardson up, the Tigers’ three-hole hitter stayed patient
as he battled his summer travel baseball teammate one-on-one.

“I told the guys, he works the count and he’s able to locate and you need to hop on
his fastball or if you’re down and you think you’re going to get a curveball or slider, then
you need to stay through that and not pull off, but attack as much we can,” Richardson
said. “Put as much pressure on him.”

Richardson made good on his own advice, lacing a 2-2 offering from Peterson
off the right-center field fence to put Fishers ahead 2-0.

Matt Wolff pushed the lead to 3-0 with a one-out single before Alex Jamieson came
through with another single to chase Peterson, a Purdue commit, after only 1/3 of
an inning.

A Nick Lukac RBI-single off of reliever Chris Torres gave Albright all he needed.

“(Luke) came into the dugout frustrated the first inning. After I got that first hit and
scored, I told him, ‘there’s nothing to be worried about. You got your whole team
behind you,” Richardson said.

Albright settled in afterwards, allowing four hits, walking one and striking out five
over five innings to eventually earn the win.

A monstrous solo home run by Jamieson that smacked the scoreboard in left field in
the bottom of the third increased Fishers lead to 5-0, adding insurance, which loomed
large later.

Chesterton (18-8), which eliminated No. 3 Lake Central 4-3 in nine innings en route
to their regional championship, charged back.

Using Fishers’ five uncharacteristic errors to their advantage, the Trojans plated
two runs in the top of the fifth off a sacrifice fly and a throwing error by Albright to first
base.

They added another run in the top of the sixth on a throwing error by Richardson to
first, but the Tigers never broke and had some good fortune in the top of the second.

With runners on third and second base after Albright gave up back-to-back one-out
singles, Tommy Benson nearly chipped the Tigers’ 4-0 lead in half.

Benson lined a two-out, two-run single into center field on an 0-2 count, but the hit
was waved off and the runs were erased due to a catcher’s interference call, which
prompted the home plate umpire to rule the ball dead on contact.

Benson’s bat grazed catcher Kiel Brenczewski’s glove, negating the play once
the ball was deemed dead, but loading the bases. Albright induced a groundout to end
the threat.

“It saved us from two runs,” Jamieson said. “I’ll take it any day.”

Torres provided little in relief with three strikeouts and three hits over 3 2/3 innings
after Peterson exited. The Tigers were scoreless the final three innings, but
Richardson was equally as stingy.

Tossing two innings for the save, the left-hander struck out Chris Van Eekern to
strand runners on third and second in the top of the sixth. In the seventh, he left two
runners on second and first with a strikeout and a softly hit grounder for the final out.

Brenczewski scooped up the ball and rocketed the ball to first base for the gameending
putout, setting off a celebration years in the making.

“The goal from the start has been state, and this group is just resilient in getting
there. Even last year, it’s come from that group and has helped us a lot,” Brenczewski
said. “Now, we’re going to state.”

One more dogpile, Jamieson remarked after getting clobbered by Wolff as the
Tigers scrummed for the third time this state tournament.

“I can’t even put it into words honestly. It’s such an unreal feeling,” Jamieson said.