The student count for HSE Schools was down 660 students on February 1st, 2021, lowering the total count to 21,339.  The state funds school districts based on the number of students enrolled, so HSE Schools has lost $3.3 million in financial support from the state of Indiana with fewer students.  That requires the local schools to cut spending.

An internal committee has been meeting since December and provided a list of recommendations to the school board Wednesday night.

The total revenue loss is set at roughly $5 million because HSE lost revenue to lower interest rates and a large reduction in rental fees due to COVID.

HSE Chief Financial Officer Cecillie Nunn and Human Resource Director Kim Lippe told the board they are “optimistic” no Reduction in Force (RIF) of staff will be necessary.  But some staff may need to be moved and transferred to accomplish that goal.

Nunn said the largest chunk of savings comes from adjusting class sizes to levels called for in the most recent operating referendum, kindergarten through grade 6 .  Those grade levels are currently overstaffed by 33 teaching positions.  Resignations and retirements will reduce that number.  Plus, the American Recovery Fund recently passed by the congress and signed by the president will fund programs dealing with pandemic-related learning loss by students.  The savings from adjusting class sizes, plus the federal funds, amount to more than $3.3 million.

Savings of over $1.3 million will come from freezing incremental pay increases for support staff and school administrators, plus not filling several currently open positions.  Several other line items will create savings that total $5.045 million in the coming school year.

Janet Chandler, President of the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association, expressed concern that any RIF of teachers could come down to evaluation numbers separated by no more than decimal points determining which teachers are laid-off and which teachers remain, in tie-breaker situations.  She equated that system as no better than throwing darts at a dart board.

The board is scheduled to vote on the list of cost-saving recommendations at the April 28 session.

For more details on the proposed budget cuts, use this link.

Plans are moving forward for the development of Geist Waterfront Park, as the Board of Public Works and Safety awarded a build, operate and transfer (BOT) agreement with local contractor Meyer-Najem during its Tuesday meeting.

The city says it issued a request for proposals in early March.  After negotiations with the firm, Meyer-Najem was selected to not only enter into the BOT agreement, but also enter into a contract substantially similar to the Public-Private Agreement for the construction, operation, and transfer Of Phase 1 Of Geist Waterfront Park, primarily consisting of earthwork.

A public hearing was held, as required by law, but no one chose to speak.

The  BOT contract is set at $3.1 million, financed through the bonds issued for the park.

The entire BOT agreement can be accessed at this link.

Fishers has plans for plenty of road projects, many not scheduled for 2-3 years, but the Board of Public Works and Safety approved a long list of contracts with INDOT that call for federal funding for 80%-90% of the cost.

The list of projects include:

–116th Street & Allisonville Road

–Olio Road & Southeastern Parkway

–126th Street & Southeastern Parkway

–136th Street from Southeastern Pkwy to Prairie Baptist Road

–136th St. from Prairie Baptist Rd. to Cyntheanne Rd.

Construction on this projects is not expected to start until 2023 or 2024.

Be on the lookout for lane restrictions along Allisonville Road, south of 146th Street, through May 14.

This work is preliminary for a roundabout intersection planned by the Hamilton County Highway Department at 146th Street & Allisonville Road.  Director of the Fishers Department of Engineering, Jason Taylor, told the Board of Works and Public Safety Tuesday the roundabout should be constructed in the next two years.  This work will be preliminary to the planned roundabout.

The board approved right-of-way permits for county highway crews to start the pavement core work.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Final figures on the official 2020 U.S. Census have not been released yet, but are expected in the next couple of months, a year and a half after the nationwide count began. Hamilton County has an estimated population of 338,011, up from the 2010 total of 274,560. With the increase, the county should be entitled to 10 state representatives and five state senators.

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Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s periodic soil borings continue to downtown Noblesville. The latest was last week in the 800 block of Logan Street. The testing has been ongoing in an attempt to learn whether there is groundwater contamination which had been suspected two years ago. A report should be made public soon.

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An official state historical marker will be erected April 20 in Noblesville memorializing Norman Norell, a nationally known fashion designer. Norell was born Norman Levinson in 1900 in a house along South 8th Street near the site where the marker will be located, according to County Historian David Heighway. Operating professionally as Norell, Levinson was a leading designer in New York for half a century.

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U.S. Senator Todd Young will address the Indiana High School Republicans at the organization’s Presidents’ Day Dinner on May 21 in Carmel. The Carmel High School Republicans club will host at the 502 East Event Center with activities beginning at 5:30 p.m.

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Applications are still being accepted by the Hamilton County Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The program offers help with rent and utility costs for residents unable to pay bills due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program runs through Dec. 31. Information on requirements is available by calling (317) 618-3125.

Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board members will introduce the new superintendent of schools at a special meeting set for Thursday, April 22, at 6:30pm.  Board members are also set to vote final approval for the new superintendent’s contract.  A public hearing on that contract is scheduled at this Wednesday’s regular board meeting.

Current Superintendent Allen Bourff has announced his intention to retire at the end of June this year.  The board has been using an outside firm and appears to have selected the new person to run the HSE Schools, 4th largest in the state based on student enrollment.

Samantha DeLong is one of only two Democrats serving on the Fishers City Council, but her husband’s new job will take her family out of state, meaning DeLong will resign her council seat effective April 30.

As a result, new Hamilton County Democratic Chair Dayna Colbert will be convening a caucus of party precinct officials to elect Ms. DeLong’s successor on the city council.  Colbert tells LarryInFishers there are already people interested in running for Delong’s council seat.  Potential candidates have until April 22 at 3pm to file their paperwork.

“Councilor DeLong is someone who wanted to get involved in politics to make her community even better,” Colbert said. “During her campaign, she put in the hard work of talking to her constituents, and has served admirably on the city council. We wish her the best, and look forward to welcoming our next City Councilor.”

DeLong says she is not looking forward to leaving the council. “It’s been a great pleasure working with the council and for the North Central District,” Delong told LarryInFishers.  “I am very sad to be leaving,”

Being a council member was complicated during her tenure with the COVID pandemic, not allowing her the opportunity to interact personally with constituents.  One thing she would like to see in the future is diversity among the city council members.  “I think we need more diversity on the council” said Delong.  “I hope whoever fills my seat can bring that.”

“I look forward to collaborating with the new Democratic member of the Fishers City Council to make government more transparent and accessible for residents, create policies that improve diversity, equity and inclusion, and represent Fishers citizen’s interests above all,” said the other Democrat on the council, Jocelyn Vare. “I join my colleagues in our shared appreciation of Councilor DeLong’s service to the City of Fishers and her constituents of the North Central district.”

The date and time of the party caucus to elect the new North Central District council member will be announced soon, according to Colbert.  With COVID to consider, local Democrats are looking at all options on how to conduct the caucus meeting, including having it out-of-doors.

My first date with the Moderna vaccine was March 2nd at the Fishers mass vaccination site on 116th Street just east of Brooks School.  I wasn’t late for that engagement.

Last Friday, April 9, Moderna & I had our second date and just as before, I was right on time.  The first shot left me with some nausea and desire to sleep, but nothing serious.  The second shot just led to a long nap Saturday afternoon.

Whatever small side effects one may have are small stuff compared to having COVID.  I know because I tested COVID positive in late October last year and had symptoms that were unpleasant but never sent me to the hospital.  For someone my age, recovering from that virus was fortunate because I know of so many people at or near my age that did not survive.

But I feel great today, the Sunday after the shot…not 100%, but very close.  I am just grateful to Kathryn, the lady that administered the shot and to all the volunteers that keep the vaccinations rolling at the Fishers Health Department facility.

My date to be fully vaccinated is April 23.  It is a good feeling.  My wife Jane recently became fully vaccinated and that was a special day for both of us.

I will tell you that being fully vaccinated will not change my personal behavior.  I will continue to wear a mask in public and follow the CDC & local health guidelines.  That is what the experts are saying and it is just the right thing to do….protecting people around me to the extent possible.

We all must recognize that this pandemic is not over.  The state of Michigan to our north is seeing new variants of the virus spread like wildfire.   Last Friday,  Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer urged a two-week suspension of in-person high school classes, all youth sports and indoor restaurant dining.  She did not, however, issue any orders, simply said it should be done.

One reason Governor Whitmer has concerns relates to hospital beds.  A large number of hospitals in the state are full and are postponing non-emergency procedures.

I would once again ask that the people of Fishers take heed of the Health Department’s advice.  Because variants are spreading and it is unclear how much vaccinated people can spread the virus, wear the mask in public, social distance and wash your hands.

I may soon be fully vaccinated, but plan to continue following that advice until the experts say differently.  In my view, it’s the right thing to do.

You may recall that Hamilton County agreed to take the Bell Ford Bridge in 2018 when it was in danger of collapse and s stored the disassembled parts.  It’s original home was Jackson County, but local officials there could not afford to save the historic post truss combination bridge. Hamilton county Commissioners accepted $2.77 million in federal highway funds to largely pay for the restoration of the nation’s last known bridge of its kind

Hamilton County is preparing to put the structure back together as a pedestrian bridge over Fall Creek at Geist Park, a county facility located in Fishers.

“A lot has happened since we first acquired this bridge,” says Hamilton County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt in a county news release. “We don’t want people to think we forgot about it. Once complete, this historic bridge will really help create a distinct and special experience to all who visit Geist Park.”

The City of Fishers has been busy creating the trail connections that will lead up to the bridge while the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and Hamilton County Highway Department have been working to secure grant funding. A design team of local citizens being led by VS Engineering has been working to determine the bridge’s aesthetics.

“The bridge will be reconstructed in the same style that it was first built with in 1869,” says Daniel Kurdziel, project manager. “But it will get a bit of facelift. The bridge will receive a more durable roof that mimics the original cedar shake roof and will be rebuilt with the addition of clear polycarbonate siding modeling the original open-air structure. These features will maintain the historic integrity of the original bridge while accenting and protecting the structural members that make this bridge one-of-a-kind.”

Construction on the bridge is scheduled to start in earnest in 2024, nearly 20 years after it was originally placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

If you are preparing to adjust your motoring routes for the east-west closure of 146th Street at State Road 37, that start has been moved back to April 12.  This closure is expected to last 7 days.

Several other road projects are either getting underway or continuing in the local area.

Here is the latest road construction listing, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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