Anyone challenging incumbent Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness will need to consider how much money the mayor has in his political war chest, which is more than $456,000 to start election year 2019.

The “Fadness for Fishers” committee report to the Indiana Election Commission spanning the calendar year 2018 shows the campaign had $354,711 in cash on hand to start the year.  “Fadness for Fishers” received $256,060 in contributions during 2018, but had expenses totaling $154,003.  That left the campaign with $456,767 as the Republican primary election looms early in 2019.

Logan Day has announced the formation of an exploratory committee in 2019 for a Fishers mayoral run, so he has no campaign report for calendar year 2018.

Candidates will file one more financial report in April before the May 7th primary election.

To review the “Fadness for Fishers” committee campaign contributions and expense filing, with details of who donated to the campaign and where the campaign spent its money during 2018, use this link.

Hamilton County Reporter

The Hamilton Southeastern boys basketball team lost to Class 4A No. 5 Zionsville
80-73 in an overtime Hoosier Crossroads Conference road game on Friday.

The Royals led 21-17 after the first quarter, then turned up its defense in the second
period, only allowing the Eagles five points while taking a 37-22 halftime lead. But
Zionsville outscored Southeastern 44-29 in the second half to force overtime, then won the extra period 14-7.

Aaron Etherington scored 22 points for the Royals, with Landon Morris adding 18.

Southeastern is 2-2 in the conference and 9-5 overall. The Royals will host Mount
Vernon on Tuesday; the game was moved from Saturday due to the impending snow storm.

Hamilton County Reporter

After trailing at halftime, the Fishers girls basketball team ran through the
second half and picked up a 55-43 win over Avon Friday night at the Tiger Den.

The game was to be played at the Orioles’ gym, but was moved to Fishers to
accommodate Avon’s hosting of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference wrestling meet.

With the victory, the Tigers improved to 3-3 in conference play. It was Military Appreciation Night, and the Fishers team wore special uniforms honoring the Indiana National Guard.

The Orioles led 12-8 after the first quarter and maintained a 24-20 lead at
halftime. But Fishers’ offense got going in the second period, with Tamia Perryman
scoring six points. The Tigers moved ahead by the end of the third period to lead 35-33; Audra Emmerson and Katie Howard each hit a 3-pointer during the quarter.

Fishers outscored Avon 20-10 in the fourth to clinch the win. Katie Burton took
over in that period, scoring 11 points. Burton wound up the leading scorer with 15 points, while Perryman added 13.

“I think we did a lot better job on the boards in the second half,” said Tigers coach
Lauren Vail. “When we were able to rebound, we were able to get out and run a
little bit. We shot the ball really well and that never hurts when that happens, either.”

Fishers is 12-9 overall and will play two more home games next week as it finishes
up the regular season. The Tigers take on Class 4A No. 10 Lawrence North on
Tuesday and will play Franklin Central next Friday to wrap up HCC play.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern left no doubt that it was the top team in the Hoosier
Crossroads Conference after a 53-33 win at Zionsville on Friday.

With the victory, the Class 4A No. 1 Royals clinched an undefeated
championship in the HCC, an unblemished record of 7-0. Southeastern won all of its
conference games by double digits in clinching its first outright HCC title since
2014. (The Royals shared the title with Brownsburg last season.)

Southeastern took control early, leading 15-5 after the first quarter and 23-12 at
halftime. The Royals outscored the Eagles in each of the four periods. Sydney Parrish led the way with 17 points, including three 3-pointers.

Amaya Hamilton added 12 points and also led the rebounding with seven.
Hamilton and Jackie Maulucci both handed out four assists.

Southeastern is 20-1 overall and will finish the regular season Tuesday at Pike.

Hamilton County Reporter

Tigers like to run, and the Fishers boys basketball team ran its way to a Friday night
win.

The Tigers beat Avon 62-53 in a Hoosier Crossroads Conference game at the Tiger
Den. It was Military Appreciation Night, and the Fishers team wore special uniforms
honoring the Indiana National Guard.

The Orioles kept close with the Tigers early, until Fishers broke away in the later
stages of the first quarter for a 15-9 lead. Alex Szilagyi scored seven points, with
Jeffrey Simmons adding six. The Tigers then jumped ahead 30-18 by halftime, with
Josiah Matthews scoring five.

In the second half, Fishers led from anywhere between nine and 18 points. Avon
made some mini-runs throughout the half, but the Tigers were always able to respond with a big baskets or free throws when they
needed them.

“We spent a lot of time this week defensively trying to focus on what we need
to do to get better, just in terms of guarding the ball, being in help-side, being in gaps,” said Fishers coach Matt Moore. “I thought our coaches did a great job of being consistent weekly in practice about what we were going to expect tonight. I thought our guys for the most part did a good job through the first three quarters of living inside of that. They made their runs, but I think we made some good individual adjustments in terms of how we’re guarding. When we get
stops, we can score in transition. We didn’t score at a high rate tonight, but we get stops and we can push the ball down the floor, we’re going to get easy buckets.”
Fishers had balanced scoring, with four players in double figures. Matthews and
Simmons led the way with 14 points; Simmons went 6-of-6 from the free throw
line, while Matthews made a pair of 3-pointers.

Szilagyi added 11 points, while Willie Jackson scored 10.

The Tigers are 3-1 in the conference and 11-5 overall. Fishers is now off until next
Saturday, Jan. 26, when it hosts Franklin Central in another HCC contest.

All incumbent Fishers City Council members have officially filed for re-election, as expected, and at least one election rematch is assured in the May Republican primary election for Northwest District.

Selina Stoller filed for re-election, which sets the stage for another race with former Fishers Town Council member Mike Colby.  In Fishers’ first city election, held in 2014 for one-year transitional terms, Stoller won that Northwest District election by 12 votes.  In the 2015 election for four-year council terms, Stoller received 524 votes to Colby’s 329, a margin of victory totaling 195 votes.  Now, Stoller and Colby will face each other for a third time.

Rich Block officially filed his candidacy for another term as an at-large city councilman.  Block is expected to be elected as Fishers City Council President at the January 22nd session.  There are three at-large council members…Cecilia Coble, Todd Zimmerman and Block.  In the primary election, the three candidates with the most votes are placed on the general election ballot.

No Democrats have filed candidacy in the city primary election as of January 18th

With the latest filings, all incumbent Fishers City Council members are seeking another term in office.

No candidates have filed for Fishers mayor as of this writing.  Incumbent Mayor Scott Fadness has announced his plans to seek another term.  Logan Day has formed an exploratory committee for a possible Fishers mayoral candidacy.

Here is the list of candidate filings for Fishers City office, as of the close of business Friday, January 18th, according the the Hamilton County Election Office in Noblesville:

Fishers City Clerk (vote for 1)
Jackie Bowen (Republican) (1-9-19)
Jennifer L. Kehl (Republican) (1-11-19)

Fishers City Judge (vote for 1)
Daniel E. Henke (Republican) (1-10-19)

Fishers City Council, North Central (vote for 1)
Eric Moeller (Republican) (1-9-19)

Fishers City Council, Northeast (vote for 1)
Brad DeReamer (Republican) (1-9-19)

Fishers City Council, Northwest (vote for 1)
Mike Colby (Republican) (1-9-19)
Selina Stoller (Republican) (1-17-19)

Fishers City Council, Southwest (vote for 1)
David C. George (Republican) (1-9-19)

Fishers City Council, Southeast (vote for 1)
Pete Peterson (Republican) (1-14-19)

Fishers City Council, South Central (vote for 1)
John W. Weingardt (Republican) (1-14-19)

Fishers City Council, At Large (vote for 3)
Rich Block (Republican) (1-17-19)
Cecilia Coble (Republican) (1-9-19)
Todd Zimmerman (Republican) (1-9-19)

Four schools in the Hamilton Southeastern School System delayed dismissal Friday after authorities became aware of threats made by what was believed to be a student at Fall Creek Junior High, who was found and taken into custody Friday evening.

The four schools that experienced a 30-minute delay in dismissal were: Fall Creek Elementary, Fall Creek Intermediate, Fall Creek Jr High and Hamilton Southeastern High School.

The decision to delay dismissals was made jointly by police and school administrators, as officers searched for the suspect.

Police announced Friday evening that a suspect in this case has been taken into custody without incident, and has been taken to the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center.

Not many people now living in Fishers remember the old small block building located next to the old Archers Meat Market on 116th Street that served the old Town of Fisher for many years.  That building was replaced in 1991 by the Fire Headquarters building next to City Hall.

Now that the population of Fishers has grown to at least 92,000 based on the latest U.S. Census figures, the Fire Headquarters Building will need to be replaced.  After an independent engineering study, it was clear the Fire HQ structure is beyond repair.  The only option is to demolish the building constructed in 1991 and rebuild it from scratch.

In order to get that done, the Fire Department needs a new headquarters, as well as facilities and space for the fire crews working out of the headquarters station.  As a result, the city has arranged for a temporary station to be used at the Fuel Tank facility, located west of State Road 37, just north of 126th Street.

The move to the temporary location will begin on Friday, January 18th.

The city has expanded the fire and EMS services over the years to include a dive rescue team, specialty rescue, hazardous materials, Community Paramedicine, mental health emergency duty officer, as well as expanded medical and educational services.

“City and department officials’ primary concern and course of action is to assure the citizens of Fishers, specifically those within the response area of this station, that services will not be interrupted or unduly delayed,” said a Fishers Fire Department news release.  “Rather than move personnel to other stations and leaving a “hole” in the response area, Mayor Scott Fadness and Fire Chief Steven Orusa evaluated all possibilities to make sure the community and the crews needs will be met.  Through a partnership with Indy Fuel, those needs are being met and services the community deserves will continue during this process. City and department officials’ primary concern and course of action is to assure the citizens of Fishers, specifically those within the response area of this station, that services will not be interrupted or unduly delayed.  Rather than move personnel to other stations and leaving a “hole” in the response area, Mayor Scott Fadness and Fire Chief Steven Orusa evaluated all possibilities to make sure the community and the crews needs will be met.  Through a partnership with Indy Fuel, those needs are being met and services the community deserves will continue during this process.”

In March, the headquarters building demolition will begin and construction of a new, larger fire headquarters on the same site, will begin shortly after. Total construction of the Headquarters/Station 91 building is estimated between 16-20 months.

It appears there will be a contested Republican primary election for Mayor of Fishers in 2019.

Logan Day has established an exploratory committee to evaluate a run for Fishers mayor as a Republican, according to my news gathering partners at the Hamilton County Reporter.

“Fishers is a diverse and vibrant city, made up of more than 90,000 residents who reflect a collective desire to live in a strong and sustainable community,” said Day in a campaign news release. “It energizes me to interact with so many residents who possess deep enthusiasm to be involved in guiding the direction of their city. As a prospective candidate for mayor, I bring over 10 years of leadership, business and community service experience to help further the residents’ vision of what Fishers can be, now and in the future.

Scott Fadness has been the only mayor Fishers has ever had.  In 2012, a referendum passed overwhelmingly to make Fishers a second-class city under Indiana law.  In 2014, Fishers had it’s first city election after being a town.  Fadness was elected mayor in that primary with six candidates and had no Democratic opposition.  That was for a one-year transition in 2015.  Fadness had no opposition at all in the 2015 election when elected to his current four-year term, with that term beginning in 2016.

So, it appears we will have our first contested election for Fishers mayor since 2014, assuming Day officially files to run in this year’s GOP primary election.

Day is best known for his involvement in the effort to save the Nickel Plate railroad from being converted to a walking and biking trail.  Mayor Fadness and his administration are continuing the process to rail bank that line and build a trail.

It was a night of beginnings Wednesday for the Hamilton Southeastern School Board….four board members took the oath of office to begin their four-year terms, and the board elected a new president.

Mike Bottorff was elected to serve as board president for calendar year 2019.  The board president the past two years, Matt Burke, did not seek re-election to the board.

Sylvia Shepler will be board vice president and Michelle Fullhart will serve as secretary.  The vote to elect all three officers was unanimous.

New board members taking the oath of office Wednesday night included Julie Chambers, Janet Pritchett and Brad Boyer.  Incumbent member Michelle Fullhart was also sworn-in for her second term.