State law requires school districts to hold a public hearing before bargaining begins between the school corporation and the local teachers’ union. Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools conducted that public hearing Wednesday night at the regular board meeting. No one from the public chose to speak, however, comments from HSE Schools’ Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Katy Dowling pointed to some recent developments that will reduce the amount of money available for teacher compensation.
She cited “particularly alarming” instances where state and federal grant allocations are lower than before. For example, Dowling says there are 100 additional students in HSE Schools qualifying for ENL (English as a New Language) services, yet there will be no additional grant money to cover those costs. The local school corporation must fill that gap.
Dowling also cited excess costs for Special Education programs, saying the district will incur about a quarter million dollars in additional expense “due to a change that came midstream.”
These additional expenses will come from the Education Fund, the same account that finances teacher compensation.
The message from Dowling is this: due to these changes requiring the district to tap into the Education Fund and cover the expenses once funded through state and federal grants, this will leave less money to pay teachers.
At a time when teachers are leaving the profession for other opportunities, it is discouraging that the funding available going into bargaining with the local Hamilton Southeastern Education Association will be lower due to less funding from state and federal grants.
This is an important week for the City of Fishers, but it brought back memories of 31 years ago for me.
That’s when I married Jane and moved to Fishers. The year was 1991. I had to conduct some business with the town. It’s been so long I honestly do not remember what that business was, but I had to find the Town Hall.
I found Town Hall in an old house along 116th Street. It has housed an art gallery and botanical garden in recent years, located just south of the current Depot Building.
The new Town Hall was nearly completed and the town staff I saw that day in 1991 could not wait to move into their new offices. Keep in mind, the 1990 census gave the Town of Fishers population as 7,508, compared to just short of 100,000 in the 2020 census count.
The downtown Fishers I encountered in 1991 was nothing like what we see today. The major downtown growth began under the leadership of the Town Council, then as Fishers transitioned to a city, Mayor Scott Fadness and the 9-member City Council continued the aggressive march to development.
Our old Town Hall became City Hall in 2015. But there was a problem with the old hall. It was sinking into the ground.
Daniel Bradley of the Indianapolis Business Journal wrote a story (Page 3 of the July 29 edition) about how our city is transitioning out of the old City Hall and why. There are many quotes from local historian David Heighway about how Fishers was built upon what was once a swamp. That water table beneath the surface caused part of City Hall to slowly sink into the ground.
This became expensive over time. That’s when Mayor Fadness told the City Council the only fiscally responsible answer is to demolish the current City Hall and replace it with one that will have the construction plan to prevent the structure sinking into the ground once again.
August 1 is the official closing day for City Hall but most of the staff is out of their offices by now. A small contingent of the mayor’s staff will be housed at the new First Internet Bank Building just south of the municipal complex. Many staffers will crowd into the City Services Building next door, others will work out of the co-working space Launch Fishers. And, of course, some will be working at least part of the time out of their homes.
The City Council will hold meetings at Launch Fishers. Other boards and commissions will meet at the Fire Department Headquarters nearby, the City Services Building and other locations between now and the spring of 2024, when the new structure is projected to be complete.
City officials are not calling the new building City Hall. Instead, it is now named as the “Arts & Municipal Complex.” There will be an arts center on the ground floor and city office space will be built on the upper stories.
So, the old Town & City Hall has been vacated. For the next few weeks, staff will recover electronic equipment that can be used in the new building. Then public safety personnel will conduct training exercises.
It is expected that the wrecking ball will be swinging on the building in October.
I have been covering meetings in City Hall and have conducted more interviews there than can be counted. There are plenty of memories in the old City Hall for me.
But there is plenty of excitement about the new complex set to replace it in a little less than 2 years. There will be a new set of memories to come in the new Arts & Municipal Complex.
Other communities near Fishers have a tradition of hosting a district-wide celebration to mark the start of a school year. In 2022, Hamilton Southeastern Schools hosted their first Before the Bell event at the downtown Nickel Plate Amphitheater, involving the entire district and more.
The weather was perfect, which helped draw a big crowd, visiting booths from each school in the district.
Students first day of classes will be Wednesday, August 3rd.
Here are some photos from the Saturday evening gathering:
People have been talking about this for months and I have been writing about it ever since Mayor Scott Fadness first broached the subject of building a new City Hall. The current building is sinking into the water table underneath, and keeping it afloat would be so expensive over time it has been determined the best solution is to construct a brand new facility.
But the new structure is not being called City Hall by local officials… the name is the Arts & Municipal Complex. Mayor Fadness described this building as an arts center with some city offices above.
Those working in the current City Hall are preparing to move into temporary space during the construction. Public safety staff in Fishers will be using the vacated City Hall for some training exercises before demolition begins, so be aware of that.
We now have a date certain – August 1 – as the official closing day for our City Hall. The City Services Building (3 Municipal Drive) will continue to serve as a one-stop-shop for residents who need to conduct business with the City such as court and utility payments, zoning assistance, and public bids. The City Services Building will also take over existing functions of City Hall, including housing City mailboxes and the main information desk. The building is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except holidays.
Demolition of City Hall is expected to begin in October. However, events located in the area of the Nickel Plate Amphitheater will continue. The Nickel Plate Pavilion, the building between City Hall and the Amphitheater, will remain open during construction. So the splash park at the pavilion will be open during construction.
For those doing business at the City Services Building, next to City Hall (the old police HQ), the public will have access to limited visitor parking spots located immediately south of the building. The parking lots located north of City Hall will be used for construction staging and will not be open for public parking. The public is encouraged to use garage parking located around Municipal Drive, as well as street parking. Limited spots will be available in the lot behind the City Services Building for guests conducting City business. ADA parking will be available just south of the City Services Building in addition to the parking lot directly north.
Public meetings will move out of City Hall as well. City Council sessions will be held at Launch Fishers. The Board of Public Works and safety will have their meetings in the City Services Building, at least initially.
The new Arts & Municipal Complex is projected to be ready for occupancy in the spring of 2024.
Fishers is getting down to business in planning celebrations for the Sesquicentennial. The city issued a news release with details on what has been planned so far.
I am honored to be a part of it with a series of podcasts aimed at looking a our history. You can find all the Sesquicentennial podcasts at this link.
Here is the city’s latest news release with more on what is already in the works:
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The City of Fishers is celebrating its 150th birthday with a Sesquicentennial Year celebration. Through June 2023, the community will celebrate the founding of Fishers in 1872, then called Fishers Switch, by showcasing what it means to be uniquely Fishers.
The 150th-anniversary celebration includes an interactive Sesquicentennial Trail scavenger hunt, community time capsule, podcast series, photo archiving, and more.
“Fishers and its residents have grown into the smart, vibrant, and entrepreneurial community that we can all affectionately call our hometown. In the last 150 years it has evolved from a small farming town to a bedroom community to a bustling and innovative city,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “Our Sesquicentennial is not only a time to honor our history and the people and traditions that have made our community what it is today, but also a time to look toward the future as we enter Fishers’ next chapter.”
Fishers residents can take part in celebrating the Sesquicentennial in several ways with more to be announced over the next year:
Sesquicentennial Trail Scavenger Hunt Residents are invited to embark on a self-guided tour of Fishers’ history, culture, and community favorites on the Fishers Sesquicentennial Trail! Beginning August 1, participants can pick up an official Trail passport from various locations around the city and begin checking off destinations as they explore. From historic sites such as the Ambassador House and Conner Prairie to cultural destinations such as Holland Park and the Ignite Studio to local businesses celebrating with Sesquicentennial specials and menu items, the trail is the perfect way to celebrate what it means to be uniquely Fishers. A kids’ passport book is also available for our youngest explorers! All finishers will receive an official Trail t-shirt, while the first 150 finishers will receive a gift card to a Fishers small business. Learn more and find a list of passport pickup locations at Thisisfishers.com/Fishers150.
Community Time Capsule Fishers is partnering with Towne Post’s Fishers Magazine to curate a community time capsule that will be displayed at the new Fishers arts center and city hall, debuting in spring 2024. The capsule will be opened in 50 years, for the city’s Bicentennial in 2072. The community is invited to submit ideas for items that should be included in the capsule via an online form on the Towne Post website.
Mudsock Handbook Book Signing at Fishers Arts Council’s Second Friday Fishers Arts Council presents Fishers & Hamilton County: A Historic Perspective. Meet the talented contemporary artists behind the works on display that feature the history of Fishers and Hamilton County. Larry Reynolds, a longtime Fishers resident and 1967 graduate of the original Fishers High School, will host a book signing. The Fishers Arts Council’s Second Friday art exhibition will be hosted Friday, August 12 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Collaboration Hub (11810 Technology Dr, Fishers). Light refreshments and a cash wine bar will be available.
Free Historical Photo Archiving Fishers residents can digitize their historical photos and items for free in partnership with Fishers-based Memory Ventures ScanCafe. Through this partnership, residents and individuals with historically significant photos, slides, films, and other mediums can have them digitally preserved, shared in the official City of Fishers Sesquicentennial Archives, and receive digital downloads of their files for safe keeping and personal archiving. Visit ThisisFishers.com/Fishers150 for more information on how to take advantage of this offer.
Sesquicentennial Community Mural Artist Jeannette Pomeroy Parssi will host a creating party on August 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Conner Prairie (14000 Allisonville Rd., Fishers) for Fishers residents to participate in creating a community mural based on a historic painting from the Conner Prairie archives. The public is invited to participate in recreating a 12”x12” piece of the 10’x8’ mural using various mediums and materials. Together, the 12”x12” pieces will complete the full mural which will be publicly displayed as part of Fishers’ Sesquicentennial Celebration.
Additional programming will be announced as the celebration continues through June 2023.
It is Friday and the City of Fishers has provided the latest update on road construction, which can be read below:
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STATE ROAD 37 IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
STATE ROAD 37 AND 146TH STREET All left-turn lanes are currently restricted on SR 37 and on 146th Street with traffic moved to the interior lanes. Thru traffic and right turns on SR 37 and 146th Street will remain open. Drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes for all left turn access. View an alternate route map here.
STATE ROAD 37 AND 131ST/135TH STREET 135th Street, west of SR 37, is currently closed as work progresses on the project. SR 37 will remain open both northbound and southbound and allow right in/right out access at 131st Street. View the detour map here.
Please drive with caution through this area. To learn more about the State Road 37 Improvement Project and sign up to receive text updates, visit 37Thrives.com.
PROJECTS NORTH OF 116TH STREET
TECHNOLOGY DRIVE (NORTHEAST COMMERCE PARK)
The inside lane of the Technology Drive is currently closed to traffic to allow for construction of new pavement in the inside lane. One-way traffic will be in place in the outside lane as shown here. Access to all businesses will be maintained during the construction.
SOUTHEASTERN PKY. & CYNTHEANNE ROAD
The intersection at Southeastern Pky. & Cyntheanne Road is currently closed for roundabout construction and is anticipated to reopen by the end of July. View the detour map here. Schoolhouse 7 Café will remain open for business during construction. View how to access their business here.
PROJECTS SOUTH OF 116TH STREET
OLIO ROAD
Olio Road between Geist Reservoir and Haven Cove Lane, the first road south of the Geist Reservoir Bridge, may have daily lane restrictions for the reconfiguration and installation of access to Geist Waterfront Park and the Marina. These lane restrictions will occur between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday thru Friday. The estimated completion date is August 1, 2022.
FALL CREEK ROAD
During the week of August 1, there will be lane restrictions on Fall Creek Road, west of Geist Road, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to allow for Duke Energy to do utility pole maintenance.
104TH STREET
Beginning on Friday, July 29 through Tuesday, August 2 road resurfacing will be taking place on 104th Street, east of Olio Road to Cyntheanne Road. Flaggers will be in place to help direct traffic.
PROJECTS ON 116TH STREET
Comcast will have daily lane restrictions in place on westbound 116th Street between Cameron Drive and Allisonville Road and northbound Allisonville Road between 116th Street to the Kroger signal for overhead work. Restrictions will be in place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
2022 RESURFACING PROJECT
ADA ramp and curb reconstruction has started taking place in Delaware Point, Eller Run, Eller Commons, Hickory Woods, Overlook at Beaver Ridge and Waterford Gardens as part of the 2022 Resurfacing Project. Homeowners will be notified via door hangers prior to any curb reconstruction near their home. After ADA ramp and curb reconstruction is completed, those areas will be restored with topsoil and seed. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to water the seed for the seed to germinate. Prior to road resurfacing, residents will be notified via street signage for street parking restrictions.
Janet Pritchett previously announced her intention to run for another term on the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board in the November election. Ms. Pritchett officially filed her paperwork with the Hamilton County Election Office in Noblesville Thursday in District 2.
Here are the candidates that have officially filed as of the close of business July 28:
District 1
Tiffany Pascoe
District 2
Juanita Albright
Janet Pritchett
District 3
Dawn Lang
District 4
Ben Orr
The filing period for HSE School Board seats ends at noon, Friday, August 26th.
Every nonprofit organization relies on fund-raising in order to provide services to everyone, even those unable to afford it. The Fishers YMCA provides fund-raising activities throughout the year, and a major one is coming up on Labor Day. The 2022 Give Hope Ride is calling on cyclists in the community to be a part of it. The local Y is also accepting sponsorships
I spoke with Jennifer Mealy, Senior Wellness Director for the Fishers Y, and talked about the Fishers YMCA and the Give Hope Ride in this podcast, linked below.
WTHR posted a story on its Web site Thursday afternoon citing court documents in Wisconsin relating to the arrest of an assistant swim coach at HSE High School.
The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board welcomed 2 new administrators approved at Wednesday night’s meeting.
Erika Collins is now an assistant principal at HSE High School. She comes to HSE from North Central High School.
Brandon Cloud is now the director of The Academy.
The Board also approved changes in the cost of school meals for the coming school year. The cost increase for secondary meals is $0.05. This increase is to ensure HSE Schools are compliant with paid lunch equity requirements. The price increase for student breakfast is $0.15. This increase is necessary because the overall cost of our student breakfast exceeds the school district’s cost to produce it. The price increase for adult/staff breakfast and lunch is $0.15. Below is a table showing the changes:
Finally, several members of the HSE School District staff received an award, Black Excellence in Education, sponsored by JP Morgan Chase, Marian University and Innopower. Here is a listing of the local recipients, honored at the school board session:
