by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

As Joe Weingarten bows out as Democratic county chairman, a contest has developed for head of the party in Hamilton County.

Weingarten, 76, said several weeks ago that he was not planning to seek re-election as chairman, feeling younger people should get a chance.

In the wake of Weingarten’s announcement, two candidates have surfaced for the chairmanship. Dayna Colbert, a Fishers party activist, will be running along with a slate of other officer candidates as reported in this newspaper earlier this week.

Weingarten is supporting Colbert.

She will be opposed by Kevin Patterson, a Carmel business analyst who organized the Carmel Democratic Club which claims 100 members. With his leadership, he sees a future for the party in Hamilton County where Republicans have been the majority party since the Civil War.

New party officers including a vice chairman, secretary and treasurer, will be selected in a county reorganization caucus March 6. This year it will be conducted by mail due to continuing health concerns.

Weingarten is considering further efforts in politics. He announced that he is considering a run for U.S. Congress in the Fifth District.

The district is currently represented by Republican Victoria Spartz of Noblesville, who won election last November and takes the seat of retiring Congresswoman Susan Brooks.

School superintendents in and around Hamilton County, including HSE Superintendent Allen Bourff, have submitted a letter to the Indiana Department of Education, with major concerns about the state’s plans fir ILEARN tests.

Here is the text of the letter, as published by my news gathering partner, the Hamilton County Reporter:

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Our school districts, like others throughout the state, are working hard to best plan for this year’s ILEARN testing requirements.

During this unprecedented year, we have found this to be a daunting task. The current testing plan would divert much needed time, attention and resources away from critical student learning needs. It would also place an excessive burden on our virtual families, which this year make up approximately 10 percent of our population.

While school districts have responded flexibly to maximize learning and safety during this challenging time, ILEARN testing requirements remain completely unchanged. 

The testing plan is unreasonable and unrealistic given the current operation of schools this year.

We request consideration be given to reducing or eliminating the current requirements to allow districts to meet the academic and safety needs of students and staff.

Please consider the following:

• Our districts are operating multiple learning models including in-person instruction and virtual instruction. Some of our more densely populated schools are also operating on hybrid models to maintain social distancing.
• Current health department guidelines and local variables require we remain on these models through at least the end of this school year.
• This means testing time must double to meet current ILEARN requirements. At a minimum, ILEARN will consume anywhere from eight to 12 days in a year where student learning has already been greatly diminished.
• Factoring in additional time for makeup testing due to higher COVID absenteeism, we are not confident that ILEARN can even be completed during the testing window.
• Large numbers of virtual students have refused to come to school for NWEA testing, despite multiple invitations and implementation of aggressive safety measures. We believe that most virtual learners will not come in for ILEARN, jeopardizing our ability to meet federally required 95 percent participation.
• We are experiencing high absenteeism rates among licensed staff due to COVID and ILEARN administration greatly increases the number of staff needed. Due to staffing shortages, we believe we will be unable to administer ILEARN and meet even the most basic needs of operating our schools.
• For virtual students, additional testing factors must be considered including: transportation, food services, facility space for social distancing, health and safety, and equipment and supplies. With the current testing plan, we will not have space to accommodate all learners.

We call on state decision makers to reconsider the current ILEARN requirements. We must preserve desperately needed instructional time, student learning, and health and safety. We simply cannot administer a testing plan that does not account for the current world in which our schools are operating today.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mike Beresford, Superintendent Carmel Clay Schools

Dr. Derek Arrowood, Superintendent Hamilton Heights Schools

Dr. Allen Bourff, Superintendent Hamilton Southeastern Schools

Dr. Beth Niedermeyer, Superintendent Noblesville Schools

Ms. Mary Roberson, Superintendent Sheridan Schools

Dr. Ryan Glaze, Superintendent Tipton Community Schools

Mr. Chris Baldwin, Interim Superintendent Westfield Washington Schools

Dr. Scott Robison, Superintendent Zionsville Community Schools

Hamilton County Reporter

At approximately 9:43 p.m. on Thursday, Noblesville police officers were dispatched to 10738 Standish Place, Noblesville, on a report of a physical disturbance in progress. Deputies from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department arrived on the scene first, followed shortly thereafter by Noblesville police officers.

Vu

Officers located the alleged victim outside the residence and questioned her regarding the incident. The victim reported that she had been battered inside the residence by her husband, David Robert Vu. Officers attempted to make contact with Vu, but he refused to come out of the residence.

After repeated attempts to communicate with Vu failed, the Noblesville/Westfield Police Departments’ Emergency Services Unit (ESU) was called to the scene. ESU crisis negotiators worked to establish communication with Vu to facilitate a peaceful surrender, but Vu did not cooperate with their efforts. ESU tactical officers, with a search warrant in hand, later forced entry into the residence and took Vu into custody without any injuries to him or the officers.

Based on information collected as a result of the investigation, preliminary charges have been filed. The suspect in the case was booked at the Hamilton County Jail. David Robert Vu, 25, Noblesville, was charged with the following:

Criminal Confinement, I.C. 35-42-3-3(a) (Felony 6); Domestic Battery, I.C. 35-42-2-1.3(b)(3) (Felony 6); Intimidation, I.C. 35-45-2-1(a)(1) (Class A Misdemeanor); and Interference with Reporting a Crime, I.C. 35-45-2-5(1) (Class A Misdemeanor). A charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The Noblesville Police Department thanks the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, Carmel Police Department and Noblesville Fire Department for their assistance and support.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department issued the following statement on the death of retired Deputy James Fetters:

by

Jeff Jellison

Publisher

Hamilton County Reporter

On Wednesday, the Hamilton County Council received an update from Garmong Construction Services on the construction schedule and overall cost of a new county-owned parking garage schedule to be built at 8th and Clinton streets in Noblesville.

Current construction plans call for a four-story structure; however, after Wednesday’s meeting, council members will now consider altering those plans and building a five-story garage.

During the meeting, Hamilton County Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Steve Wood described the need for the five-story structure was due to the increasingly high volume of court cases at the Judicial Center.

The four-story structure was approved last year by council members at a cost of $9.5 million. The cost for the fifth story would add an additional $2 million dollars to the project.

The council will use $4.5 million received from the recent sale of the county parking lot located just south of the Judicial Center to offset the cost of the project.

The location of the new garage currently serves as a parking lot for county employees. Those spaces would be lost during construction of the garage. County officials say they are looking at nearby alternate sites for employee parking.

“We are considering a couple locations for employee parking,” Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt told the Reporter. “Both would require shuttle service to transport employees to the Judicial Center and the Historic Courthouse.”

Wood said he is working with Noblesville Schools and the Noblesville Boys & Girls Club to provide the employee shuttle service.

Construction on the new garage is expected to begin early this summer.

The council is expected to vote on the new proposal at its March meeting.

The City of Fishers has explored private sector proposals in recent years to construct an indoor recreational facility for those living here.  So far, no idea has come to fruition.

Mayor Scott Fadness announced Friday morning a new task force, headed by City Councilman Todd Zimmerman, to study options for such a Fishers facility.  A report is due in 120 days.

“For years, the private sector has attempted to bring a facility to our community without success,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness in a city news release. “I know this is an amenity our residents desire, and our hope through the work of this task force is that we can identify a successful path forward.”

The city cites a 2020 survey of Fishers residents showing three amenities local citizens want – a health and wellness center, an aquatic center and a community center.

“Athletics and recreation are a critical part of the fabric of our community,” said City Councilor Todd Zimmerman in the same news release. “There continues to be a demand for more space to host recreational events and I hope to lead this task force to help us answer the question of, ‘what does the community want?’ More so, we have an opportunity to proactively identify an operational and financial plan for a facility that can bring so many community interests together under one roof.”

The mayor is asking the task force to look at the following questions:

• What is the current demand for athletic facilities not currently being met by existing supply?
• What is the current demand for art and cultural needs not currently being met by existing supply?
• What are current community needs not being met by existing facilities?
• If such a community facility existed, what specifications and operational and financial support would be required to meet the necessary needs?
• What level of priority should a community facility be given in relation to existing projects and priorities?

Mayor Fadness has assured the task force members they will receive all the support needed to finish their work.

When El Ahlwardt & Brad DeReamer spoke to me about building a memorial to Gold Star families in Fishers, they were hopeful that they could raise part of the $60,000 needed to construct the monument.  Gold Star families are those losing loved ones due to military service.

The City of Fishers provided an update Thursday and 55% of the money for the Gold Star families tribute has been raised.

If you would like to contribute, use this link.

Listen to my January 24th podcast conversation with El Ahlwardt & Brad DeReamer about the monument at the link below.

2020 was not a good year for most as the COVID-19 pandemic impacted a large swath of our lives, but the City of Fishers is showcasing some impressive economic numbers in a year that was not known to be good for business.

The city has added-up numbers for the previous year and found the following data for Fishers:

–1,101 new jobs

–Average salary for those new jobs at $83,022

–Total capital investment of $121 million

–Class-A Office vacancy rate of 11.7%,  a drop of nearly 5%  over the course of 2020.

“Today’s announcement speaks to the vibrancy and dynamic nature of Fishers’ economy,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness in a city news release. “In a year when so many companies were experiencing slower growth, we are fortunate to have a business community that keeps innovating and driving toward growth even in the face of adversity.”

The mayor also points to his COVID-19 Recovery Program, established in April 2020. As part of that plan, the City of Fishers loaned $505,000 to 73 Fishers-based businesses, helping to cover operational costs as firms responded to business changes due to the pandemic.

Here are more 2020 economic details, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Fishers touts 2020 economic performance →

The annual Officers of the Year award have been handed out by Hamilton County Prosecutor Lee Buckingham, and Fishers Detective Kirby Campbell is one of the recipients. He and Officer Lydia Fairchok received the award at a February 3rd ceremony in Noblesville.

The local prosecutor recognizes one road officer and one detective in handing out the annual honor.  Detective Campbell is this year’s honoree for investigators, Officer Fairchok, from the Sheridan Police Department, is the winner in the road officer category.

Buckingham cited the variety of cases worked by Detective Campbell, relying upon his law enforcement training and his undergraduate degree from Ball State University,  along with his master’s degree in criminal justice from Bethel University.  Since joining the Fishers Police Department in 2012, Det. Campbell worked in the patrol division before joining the investigations division in January 2017.  Buckingham highlighted Det. Campbell’s skill at synthesizing the facts in a clear and concise way, without sacrificing the elements of the crime or the accurate account of the events.

“Fortunately, we continue to be blessed here in Hamilton County, we continue to have a large contingency of very fine law enforcement officers,” Buckingham said in a news release.  “Each year I talk about how it is never easy to select the recipients of this award, not because of dearth of candidates, but rather because of the difficulty in selecting just one recipient in each category from the many viable candidates within the county.”

A rental housing proposal by the Hamilton County nonprofit organization, HAND, has been given an unfavorable recommendation Wednesday night by the Fishers Plan Commission.  Commission member Howard Stevenson was the only vote against the unfavorable recommendation.

The plans for 11 single family units at 141st Street and Cumberland Road now head to the City Council for further consideration.  All three city councilors on the Plan Commission – Pete Peterson, Todd Zimmerman and Selina Stoller – went along with the unfavorable recommendation.

HAND Executive Director Andrea Davis laid out the plans for the cottage-style, 2-story units with car ports.  The rents for each unit would range from $650-$1,150 per month, per federal guidelines, based on income and other factors.  To qualify, each tenant renting a unit must have income.

Todd Zimmerman said his heart is with the HAND proposal, but his concerns about the location and safety issues resulted in his unfavorable recommendation vote.  Selina Stoller cited two other affordable housing plans in the works and expressed her desire for affordable housing ownership rather than rentals.  Pete Peterson cited the 50-plus comments he has received against this proposal.

Howard Stevenson asked the city staff how the engineering department views the traffic issues from this development and was told the engineers had some concerns but did not oppose the plans.

This housing project will be considered by the full Fishers City Council at the Monday, February 15th session.

The following Plan Commission agenda items were given unanimous favorable recommendations and will go the the Fishers City Council:

–The Gray Eagle housing project aimed at 55 and older, but not exclusive to that age group, is part of a plan to keep the Gray Eagle Golf Course in business.  There had been an announcement that the course would close, but the Gray Eagle Homeowners Association and city officials worked out a deal for the housing development to keep the golf course going.

–A front yard setback text amendment change for the Vermillion development at Connecticut Avenue and Southeastern Parkway.

–A text amendment for the Parkside senior apartment development on the east side of Parkside Drive, between 126th and 131st Streets.  This will amend rules for parking and landscaping.

–The Playschool Saxony at 131st Street and Pennington Road plans to add parking and build a gymnasium on the grounds.  This will require an amendment to the Planned Unit Development (PUD).