The Fishers City Council had a lively discussion Monday night about a rezoning request for a house on 126th Street, near Olio Road, which ended in a 4-4 tie vote.  Jeffrey Cummings of REMAX asked the council to zone a house at 13589 E 126th Street from residential to commercial.

The council decided to continue the matter for 30 days to allow absent Councilman John Weingardt a chance to weigh-in on the issue and break the tie vote.

Rich Block, Eric Moeller, Dvid George and Brad DeReamer voted yes on the rezoning.  Pete Peterson, Cecilia Coble, Selina Stoller and Todd Zimmerman voted no on the measure.

Those voting no emphasized they were not opposed to the plans proposed by Mr. Cummings to use the house as a real estate office.  The home has been on the market for some time and has not sold as a residential property.

Peterson argued that this rezoning is not in line with the city’s 2040 comprehensive plan and could start a trend of commercial development along 126th street when the comprehensive plan shows that corridor as residential.

After initially deadlocking on the 4-4 vote, the council went through some procedural gymnastics to rescind that vote and continue the matter for 30 days, allowing Councilman Weingardt to vote and break the deadlock.

As a result, the rezoning is expected to be considered at the next council session in May.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness has been keeping a close eye on House Bill 1427 in the General Assembly, supported by local State Representative Todd Huston, that would deal with “abnormalities” in the state distribution formula for distributing County Option Income Tax (COIT)  among cities within a county.  Fishers has maintained that Carmel receives far more than its share of COIT funds under the state’s current formula.

HR 1427, backed by Representative Huston, has language dealing with discrepancies among cities within a county with more than a 5% discrepancy, and would phase-in changes to equalize the distribution based on the population of cities.

“So if I represent 30% of the population, but I’m receiving 50% of the income tax revenue, that’s obviously more than a 5% spread – If that would occur, that would freeze that (city) at current levels and let everyone else catch up over time as new revenue came in,” according to Fadness.

HR 1427 passed the House, but underwent  major changes when the senate passed the legislation, according to Fadness.  Senator Victoria Spartz of Noblesville was behind the changes.  Fadness described the Senate changes to the bill as “not an ideal scenario for us (the City of Fishers).”

The bill will now have the final version written in a House-Senate conference committee.

Fadness told council members that if this is not rectified by state lawmakers, Carmel is $21 million ahead of Fishers this year and it will only get worse in future budget cycles.

Fadness argues that the $21 million difference is enough to fund the entire Fishers Fire Department and a good portion of the city’s police force.

The Indiana General Assembly will wrap up its work within the next two weeks.

It was late in 2015.  I had been observing how podcasts were multiplying in number.  I asked myself a question – I’m a former radio guy, could I get into podcasting?

I must admit my radio broadcasting experience was helpful, but even with that, I had a lot to learn.  So, after Christmas, 2015, through the end of January, 2016, I studied the technical aspect of producing podcasts and tried to research what other podcasters experienced in the start-up phase.  The Internet is a tremendous source for research and I learned a great deal.

That research told me what equipment to buy and how to get started.

I have had a few people in and around Fishers ask me for advice on starting a podcast.  Yes, you must learn the technical aspects, but there is one centerpiece to the start of podcasting – you must have something to say and a concept of how you want to say it.

I started in February of 2016 with two types of podcasts.  The first was a daily tax podcast.  The second was a roughly weekly conversation with people in and around Fishers, talking about what they do.

The tax podcast lasted about 6 weeks, but at some point, you must make a decision when virtually no one is listening.  I had a loyal but very small audience for that podcast series, but needed to end it quickly.

However, the local interviews and discussion have continued and people are listening.  There are very few venues allowing local people to sit down and talk about what they are doing locally for about 30 minutes.

The interviews with political candidates are particularly popular with listeners.  My podcasts with candidates fro Hamilton Southeastern School Board drew a large audience.  Every single candidate agreed to record a podcast in that case.

Now, with the local city Republican primary election campaign underway, every candidate in a contested race agreed to sit down with me and record a podcast.  The only episode yet to be recorded is with incumbent Mayor Scott Fadness, and the delay in the recording session was at the request of his campaign.

I also have a series of podcasts that consist of arts reviews, including films, stage productions, music and television.  I haven’t had the time to record one of my Arts&Fishers podcasts for a few weeks, with the local election campaign in full swing, but watch for that series to gear-up again soon.

Then, for about 13 months, Adam Aasen & I produced a weekly podcast, Hamilton County Goes To The Movies.  It featured one or more film reviews and a local guest each week.  That podcast went into hiatus last September when Adam was preparing to become a father and also was planning a campaign for Carmel City Council.  Adam’s beautiful daughter Madeline was born in December and he is now in the thick of his election campaign.  Once the election is over, Adam and I will decide the future of the film podcast.

I checked my analytics, and since launching my various podcast series in February of 2016, there have been more than 37,000 instances when someone has listened to most or all of one of the podcasts I produce.  For a small local series of podcasts, that’s a very big number.

Allow me to thank all those taking the time to listen to my podcasts.  I appreciate each and every one of you.

You can find my podcasts on a number of platforms.  Here is a list of the most common places to find my “Podcasts by Larry Lannan”  in addition to LarryInFishers.com –

Soundcloud

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

Stitcher

Blubrry

Listen Notes

Road Construction is ramping up this season and there are several items to note in the work week starting April 15th and beyond.

First, 126th Street will be closed at Allisonville Road for about 20 days, starting at 6am, April 22nd.

Second, access to the Meyer Najem building will be blocked for storm sewer work all day Tuesday, April 16th.  The city says that work should only take one day.

Thirdly, be aware of work on two sections along 126th Street.  The construction at Parkside, east of State Road 37, has begun.  East of that work, be aware of lane restrictions  between Olio and Penningtion Roads.

There is a reminder about a meetings set for Tuesday, April 16th, 6pm, at the Delaware Township Community Building, that will provide an update on plans for the big improvement project starting in a few months along State Road 37.

Here is the full update, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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STATE ROAD 37
A public meeting for the State Road 37 project will be held on Tuesday, April 16 at 6 p.m. at the Delaware Township Community Center (9094 E. 131st St., Fishers). Agenda topics include project schedule, marketing updates, new project website, update on the design for the 146th Street interchange, and upcoming local projects.

Drainage work for SR37 is in progress. Construction vehicles will be using the construction entrance on Lantern Road, between 126th Street and 131st Street, and may cause some short delays.

LANTERN ROAD 
On Tuesday, April 16, the entrance to Meyer Najem and the OurHealth Clinic off Lantern Road will be closed for storm sewer work. This closure is expected to last one day.

ALLISONVILLE ROAD 
126th Street at Allisonville Road will be closed beginning around 6 a.m. on Monday, April 22. The closure is expected to last for approximately 20 days. Detour routes will be down 131st Street and 116th Street to Lantern Road. Homes along 126th Street can be accessed from Lantern Road. Allisonville Road will remain open.

Southbound and northbound traffic on Allisonville Road has moved onto the newly constructed pavement as part of Phase 3 of the project.This will be the traffic configuration moving into the spring of 2019. The posted speed limit will remain 30 mph.

For more information on this project, view the Fact Sheet.

126TH STREET
Work has begun on intersection improvements for 126th Street and Parkside Drive. View the Fact Sheet to learn more about this project.

Periodic lane restrictions are in effect on westbound 126th Street between Olio Road and Pennington Road. Restrictions are active from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. and will extend through the month of April.

96TH STREET
Utility relocation is beginning on 96th Street as part of the road widening project, resulting in periodic lane restrictions over the coming months. For more information about the 96th Street road widening project, view the Fact Sheet.

Janice Langford has a story to tell.  She told that story to Fishers Police Officers and Mayor Scott Fadness, about her family’s involvement in the Indiana Donor Network, a group working to encourage Hoosiers to donate their organs.

Janice’s 23-year-old son died in a 2014 Arizona accident.  Her son donated both kidneys, a pancreas, a liver, a heart and two eye corneas.  Her family had the chance to meet three of the donation recipients, including a 2-year-old boy that received a kidney.

Her story was told as Fishers Police prepared to raise the Indiana Donor Network flag at the George Kehl headquarters building.  This is the second year the Fishers Police Department is flying the Indiana Donor Network flag

Logan Miller of the Indiana Donor Network praised the partnership between his organization and Fishers Law Enforcement.

If you, or someone you know, would like to become an organ donor, there are a number of ways to do that.  You can make that indication on your driver’s license through the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles.  Another way is through the organization’s Web site, www.IndianaDonorNetwork.org 

Crew Car Wash, once known as Mike’s Car Wash locally before re-branding the company name in 2014, is building a new headquarters building in the area of I-69 & 116th Street in Fishers.  The City of Fishers and Crew released a joint announcement Friday morning.

Crew’s corporate headquarter is currently located in Fishers, on Hague Road, between 106th and 96th Streets.

“We look forward to working with the City on this exciting opportunity to provide a more convenient way for Fishers residents to experience our clean, fast and friendly service,” said Sally Grant, Crew’s Executive Vice President and third generation leader of Crew’s family business, in a city news release.  “We have been happy to call Fishers home for the past 15 years and are equally excited about potentially building a brand new Corporate Office and Training Center for all our team members who serve our internal and external customers every day.”

Crew Car Wash says it has plans to buy five acres from Sunbeam Development Corporation to build its corporate headquarters and a state-of-the-art car wash. Crew Car Wash intends to use this new location to establish new research and development facilities and training programs.

Both the new corporate headquarters and new car wash will be located along Exit 5 Parkway, just north of 116^thStreet behind the new Riverview Hospital and next to Top Golf. The project will be presented at April’s City Council meeting Monday.

The City is offering $1.72 million in incentives to Fishers City Council approval. The package includes a 10-year, 100% real property tax abatement and impact fee waiver for the headquarters building. If approved, the project will be presented at May’s Plan Commission meeting for approval.

“Crew Carwash is a Fishers institution, calling Fishers its home since 2004,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “Working alongside them to not only identify a location that meets the vision of the City, but a permanent home for them in Fishers, demonstrates our commitment to supporting local businesses which value our smart, vibrant, and entrepreneurial business environment.”

The new Fishers Crew Car Wash is scheduled to open in 2020 with the headquarters building to be completed by 2022.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Weingarten wants the Election Board to turn over a bribery allegation, related to the Carmel mayoral race, to law enforcement.

Weingarten

Weingarten said in a letter to the Reporter, “I am extremely disappointed in the Hamilton County Election Board. I filed a formal complaint and a request for an investigation concerning an alleged bribe in the Carmel Mayors race where it was reported that one candidate was offered $140,000 not to run. So what does the Election Board do but kick this down the road to after the primary election?

“To me and I hope every voter in the county agrees a bribe to fix an election should be taken as an extremely serious matter. It is major breach of our election process.

“Just a few years ago you would think the world ended when one candidate stole political signs. This wound up being investigated by a special prosecutor from another county. Then a trial in another county, yet a $140,000 possible bribe does not seem to warrant any immediate attention.

“I once again ask that the County Election Board take immediate action to turn this over to an investigative law enforcement body.”

April 15th is the tax filing deadline, so once you have all that out of the way, the following day you can get an update on the construction plans for State Road 37 in Fishers.

The meeting is set for 6pm, Tuesday, April 16th, at the Delaware Township Community Center (9094 E. 131st St.)

The meeting agenda includes:

• Project schedule
• Marketing updates
• New project website
• Update on the design for the 146^th Street interchange
• Upcoming local projects

Kim Day has served as Assistant Principal at Fall Creek Intermediate School, and is preparing to take over as principal in August, after the Hamilton Southeastern School Board approved her appointment Wednesday night.

“That school is my family, those are my people.  They are truly my heart,” Day told board members.  “I’ve been so fortunate to be there for the last 6 years as assistant principal.”

Day will replace current principal Randy Schoeff, who has served as principal for 21 years.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board appeared once again ready to tackle the difficult decision on how to update their nondiscrimination policy, but had to postpone the consideration once again, this time due to the absence of Board President Mike Bottorff, who was attending to a last-minute family emergency.  With the board split on how to move forward on the policy issue, the matter will now move to the next board meeting April 24th.

Because the agenda item was removed at the last minute, Board Vice President Sylvia Shepler, presiding over the meeting in Bottorff’s absence, allowed the public to comment on the changes proposed in the nondiscrimination policy.

Nine people spoke, all urging board members to provide specific protection for named groups, including gender and sexual orientation.  Some speakers were students, including one that is transgender.  HSEA President Janet Chandler spoke on behalf of the teachers she represents, urging strong and specific protections.  Episcopal Minister, Reverend Patrick Burke, quoted scripture to make his case for strong, specific protections.  Parents and community members chimed in as well, all favoring strong nondiscrimination policy language.

The board was expected to consider at least two recommendations from the school policy committee Wednesday.  Now that will all be postponed to April 24th.