A production decline in the auto industry during 2020 resulted in a Fishers firm, Thyssenkrupp, losing part of its 5- year personal property tax abatement previously approved.  According to city officials, the firm’s lack of meeting its employee target was a result of that auto industry hit taken during the peak of the COVID pandemic in 2020.

The tax abatement was based on an employee level of 150, but the current worker count is closer to 105.  City Economic Development Director Megan Baumgartner told the council that after meeting with the company, the city has agreed to not have the tax abatement in 2020, but allow the final two years of the abatement, which amounts to about $10,000 over the two-year period.

Councilman Brad DeReamer suggested that the abatement employment level of 105 should be used.  Council member Pete Peterson said the claw-back provisions in the agreement with the city should take care of that.

The council approved the agreement 8-1 with DeReamer voting no.

In more than nine years of covering the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board, the appointment the board makes to the Hamilton East Library Board of Trustees has been non-controversial.  Eight years ago, Brian Meyer was the HSE School Board appointee, and he was re-appointed four years later.

Mr. Meyer, currently serving as vice-president of the library board of trustees based on the library’s Web site, is requesting another four-year term on the Hamilton East board.

The school board held a lengthy discussion on the appointment.  Mr. Meyer’s term expires next month.

The school board plans to establish a process for selecting the next appointment to the Hamilton East Library Board of Trustees.  Based on Tuesday morning’s work session discussion, there will be a way for people in the community to apply for the appointment.

Board members made clear they have no concern about the job Brian Meyer has done as the HSE School Board appointee, but the board appears to desire changes in the process and policies for making this appointment.

HSE Board member Sarah Donsbach researched the state statute, and discovered that Noblesville Schools have two appointments to the library board, while HSE Schools has one appointment.  That is because the principal location for the Hamilton East Library system is in Noblesville.

The HSE Board plans to enact a process for the library board selection at the July 28th meeting, with the intention to make the appointment to the Hamilton East board at the August 11th meeting

Indiana state lawmakers provided $500 million in grants in the last legislative session to regions around the state, and Fishers is working with other communities along the White River to apply for one of those grants.  Mayor Scott Fadness told the Fishers City Council Monday night that the funds, called READI grants, could be used for a pedestrian bridge over the White River or for improvements  near 96th Street and Allisonville Road.

The original plan had most of central Indiana as part of one region, but the mayor told council members several smaller groups have put together grant applications for their own areas.  However, Zionsville and Greenwood are teaming-up with Fishers on submitting a grant request.  Individual grants can be up to $50 million each.

Fadness says he will not be asking for additional funds from the council to prepare the grant application.  The deadline for submission is August 31st and the mayor expects an additional update to council members next month.

Troy Fettinger was honored Monday night at the Fishers City Council meting for his 25 years of service as an officer for the Fishers Police Department.

When Fettinger joined the force in 1996, Fishers was still a fairly small town.

“At the time…(Fishers) probably had about 23 officers on the department, and about 26,000 population,” said Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart.  “He has protected us through all this growth and prosperity.  Pretty notable achievement.”

Those attending the meeting gave Officer Fettinger a standing ovation.

“We have a problem in Britton Falls.”

That’s the message Fishers City Councilman Brad DeReamer delivered to his fellow council members Monday night. The problem stems from his subdivision, Britton Falls, with 5-foot setbacks between homes.  He is surveying residents in his neighborhood and so far most are reporting problems due to the 5-foot setbacks, particularly with drainage.

“The public thinks Fishers is run by developers and not the city,” DeReamer said.  “I can’t defend it, especially in Britton Falls.”

DeReamer said the city has basic zoning guidelines calling for 10-foot setbacks between homes, but nearly every development in Fishers is a Planned Unit Development (PUD), which essentially has its own zoning and setback rules.  Thus, Britton Falls has 5-foot setbacks separating houses.

“Britton Falls is a good example of what happens when you allow a developer to do what they want,” DeReamer wrote in an information statement.

The discussion came after two proposed residential developments, Milford Park & The Cove at Thorpe Creek, received a first reading and now head to the Fishers Plan Commission for a public hearing.  Both developments are planned near 113th Street and Florida Road.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools will continue plans for a training session on “Interrupting Racism,” despite a call by the Fishers One group to cancel the training.

In a news release issued Monday, in the headline of the release, Fishers One “demands” the training be cancelled, but in the text of the release, the group says it is “asking” for the cancellation of the training.

Fishers One is also critical of the nonprofit organization conducting the training, saying Child Advocates “perpetuates racist ideas.”

In a statement to LarryInFishers, HSE officials say this training has been offered to the staff since 2015 and is voluntary.  The response to attend this training among HSE staff has been so overwhelming, a “wait list” had to be put together when the seats were full for these sessions, according to school officials.

LarryInFishers has requested comment from Child Advocates on the Fishers One statement.  This story will be updated once that is received.

Students report to HSE schools for the 2021-2022 for the first day of classes August 4th.

It’s Friday, which means another update on local road construction.

Along with the previously announced reopening of 116th Street at the Nickel Plagte Trail, watch for lane restriction on State Road 37 & I-69.

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

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Construction crews somehow dodged recent record Fishers rainfall amounts and will open 116th Street at the Nickel Plate Trail downtown well ahead of schedule.  The roadway will reopen Saturday, July 17th.

The closure was required in order to construct a tunnel underneath 116th Street for the trail.  116th St. will be open from Municipal Drive to Maple Street as of Saturday.  However, traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction in that area.  The lane closures will continue through August 1st.

One additional note – the Friday concert featuring Purple Veins – The Essential Prince Tribute Band – has been cancelled due to rain.

Short films are in a category all to themselves, not as involved as their fellow feature-length movies, but tell their stories quickly and to the point.  The Heartland Film Festival now has a separate festival just for short films.  In 2021, the shorts festival runs July 20-25.  For more information, go to this link.,

I review more than 130 of these short films.  All are good, but I found a few gems I can recommend.  I run them down in this Arts&Fishers Podcast.

Two local educators were honored at the Wednesday Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board meeting.  Jagga Rent is an HSE High School Assistant Principal.  Michael Harris is a history teacher at Fishers High Schools.

Both received an African American Excellence in Education Award.

Board President Janet Pritchett described how Michael Harris made history a class her son loved when he had never been much interest in history before having Mr. Harris as a teacher.

Several board members and new Superintendent Yvonne Stokes were complimentary of the work done by both men.