by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Early voting at the Hamilton County Judicial Center brought out only 586 people voting in person, and 485 mail-in ballots were received as of Monday. This would indicate a very light vote in the upcoming Nov. 5 municipal elections. The pace may pick up as satellite voting stations in Carmel, Fishers and Westfield opened Tuesday. Early voter ballots will be part of a pilot project in which a paper trail will be kept as a further effort to ensure accurate election results. State law provides voting machines in all counties will provide a paper trail by the year 2030.

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Conner Prairie Pioneer Settlement has eliminated its popular Follow the North Star interactive program for this season. The program, which started several years ago, tells the story of the pre-Civil War Underground Railroad, a branch of which ran through Hamilton County. Suspension of the program has been disappointing to some. An organization known as the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience has made suggestions on changes to the presentation. Conner Prairie says it is working with the coalition, and will resume Follow the North Star next year.

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A public open house is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Carmel Fire Buffs Museum, 210 Veterans Way (formerly First Ave., S.W.). It will allow folks to tour the building which was the original Carmel Fire Station, for a last time before it is torn down to make way for a new fire administration and museum building. The open house runs from noon through 3 p.m.

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Property taxpayers will have until Nov. 12 this year to pay their 2019 fall taxes. Statements were mailed out in April. If a property owner did not receive a statement, it is his or her responsibility to contact the treasurer’s office to learn an amount due. Usually the semi-annual taxes are due on May 10 and Nov. 10, but due to Veterans Day, the deadline is the 12th this year.