Government leaders like to speak about the state of their governments.  Governors make a State of The State Address.  Mayors give State of the City Addresses.  During Fishers time as a town, the town council president traditionally provided a State of the Town Address.

So it should not be a surprise that the county does the same.  Tuesday, Hamilton County Commissioner Steve Dillinger made his State of The County Address in his role as president of the commissioners.

He started out the speech talking about how great it was to see so many people he knew at the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce Luncheon held in the Embassy Suites Hotel.  During the pandemic, personal interactions have been rare.  He touted the vaccination rate in the county and the low COVID positive test rate.

The county provided about $1 million in grants to struggling local businesses during the pandemic, according to the commissioner.  He also pointed out that 442 people in Hamilton County have died from COVID.

Here is an item of interest to residents of Fishers – there are big plans to improve the intersection of 146th Street and Allisonville Road.  No decision has been made whether 146th Street will be constructed over or under Allisonville Road, but it will be one of those designs.  The county expects that project to begin in the spring of 2023 and end in the fall of 2024.

If Boone County cooperates, Dillinger envisions 146th Street as connecting Interstates 65 & 69.

A decent part of the address dealt with the State Road 37 project, a joint endeavor involving the county, the state of Indiana as well as the cities of Fishers and Noblesville.  146th Street remains a construction zone and is expected to be done by the spring of 2022.

He touted the completed 126th Street roundabout and State Road 37 underpass at that location as already easing traffic tie-ups on the highway.  131st Street and SR 37 intersection is under construction and that underpass and roundabout should be done before the end of the year.

Dillinger took some time to bring up:

–Plans for the new career achievement center

–The start of constructing a domestic violence shelter with the nonprofit group Prevail

–Touted the county’s AAA bond rating

–Talked about his role as the county appointee to the Indianapolis Airport Authority

–Cost savings gains from installation of solar panels

–The new parking garage coming to downtown Noblesville

and

–The Hamilton County Parks.

Most importantly, the speech and luncheon allowed people in the county to connect in person after the long pandemic lockdowns.