After some discussion and division, the Fishers City Council has decided not to continue with a plan eliminating the Nonprofit Committee.  The Council approved first and second readings of a measure to scuttle the panel and allow the mayor to include nonprofit financial support within the mayor’s budget proposal.

Council President John Weingardt tells LarryInFishers there will be no third reading full council vote on the proposal and the situation will remain unchanged.

For the past few budget cycles, a City Council committee would review the requests for support from local nonprofit groups, decide which groups will receive financial help from the city, then decide how much each of the chosen organizations would receive, based on money available in that year’s city budget.  That decision would then go to the full council for a vote.

Many council members complained that they were receiving aggressive pressure from some organizations wanting city funds.  When council members discussed the proposal, there was a split among the councilors.

When the council considers the 2024 budget later this year, the Nonprofit Committee will once again sort through the requests and make a recommendation to the full council for a vote.

There has been much publicity on the development plans for what is described as the “Allisonville Road Corridor,” spanning north from 106th Street up to 126th.  The City of Fishers revealed more on the results of the 96-page study Monday.

The city confirmed an Indianapolis Star report that Kroger will relocate from the west side of Allisonville Road near the 116th Street intersection to build a new, expanded store on the east side of Allisonville Road.  According to a City of Fishers news release, this plan includes road and walkability improvements, a boost in greenspace, and encouragement for new development along the corridor.  The Kroger move and expansion is part of that plan.

The Steering Committee that oversaw the study consisted of:

• Corby Thompson, Co-Chair
• Joe Eaton, Co-Chair
• Selina Stoller, Fishers City Council
• David Giffel, Fishers City Council
• Ed Sahm, Sahms Restaurants
• Kelly Marburger Novak, EF Marburger Fine Flooring
• Pat Sullivan, Allisonville Home & Garden by Sullivan
• Mike Colby, River Glen Neighborhood Representative
• Brad Rochford, River Highlands Neighborhood Representative
• Jim Trueblood, Trueblood Real Estate
• Drew Bender, VS Engineering
• Allen Bourff, Retired Superintendent at HSE
• Stephanie Perry, Resident
• Marissa Deckert, Resident

“The community was really involved in every aspect of the Steering Committee’s work,” said Joe Eaton, co-chair of the Allisonville Road Steering Committee, Allisonville Road resident, and partner at Barnes & Thornburg. “We hosted a community workshop, focus groups, and an online survey where over 1,500 residents provided feedback and input about what they wanted to see, both in the short-term and long-term, with the corridor.”

More green space in the area is called for in this plan, along with better parking and walkability.  The city also plans to replace the current traffic signals at 116th & Allisonville Road with a roundabout in 2024 or 2025.

“The transformation of Allisonville Road is a long-range project that will take some years to complete, but we have significant things happening in the early chapters of that transformation—road improvements, a new park on the southern end, and several economic development projects,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness in the city news release. “All of these are catalysts to jump start the transformation of the entire corridor.”

The new 120,000 square foot Kroger store on the east side of Allisonville Road will include features such as an expanded food assortment, expanded Kroger Pickup, wider aisles, Starbucks, and popcorn made in the store. Kroger and the City of Fishers will hold a public meeting about the project in the coming months.

“Over the years, Fishers has become a destination in a way its founders never could have imagined. Our location is a gateway to this vibrant community, and we’re excited to commit the new investment as another ingredient in the energy and entrepreneurial spirit of the city.”

Other priorities in the area include boosting greenspace and enhancing the streetscape to achieve vibrancy and improved care for the corridor. The City is in the early stages of these improvements, but new median designs and beautification efforts by the Department of Public Works are already improving the vibrancy of this area.

John Tuohy of the Indianapolis Star posted a story on the newspaper’s Web site Monday with more details on Kroger’s plans.  Read his story at this link.

In 1991, I married Jane and we lived in a nice ranch home just south of 126th Street and east of Allisonville Road.  There was plenty of commercial activity in the area around 116th Street and Allisonville Road at that time.

The 1990 census pegged the population of Fishers at right around 7,500 souls.  The community was just beginning its massive growth yet to come.

That area around 116th & Allisonville was the center of commercial activity when I moved here in 1991.  In recent years, the area still has a bustling commercial buzz, but it has lost some of its luster.

The City of Fishers commissioned a study of the Allisonville Road corridor north of 106th Street.  The findings were released in a 96-page report that will be discussed and possibly voted upon by the Fishers City Council Monday night.

That report includes some very interesting developments.  John Tuohy of the Indianapolis Star was quick to read the report and found that the Kroger store, north of 116th just west of Allisonville, has notified the city there are plans to move across Allisonville Road to the shopping area located there. Also, the report forecasts a community area to be developed where Kroger is now located.

Many of you may recall that Kroger initially announced a similar plan years ago but pulled back due to market conditions at that time.  There was also a plan for the city to use the old Kroger location, where the grocery is currently located, as some sort of community space.  So, the current study contains some generally familiar concepts.

The question now is, where does all this go from here?  The City Council will be briefed on the study and has a vote accepting the report on the Monday night agenda.

The corridor study began with a great deal of input from homeowners and commercial interests along Allisonville Road.  A gathering held months ago asking for input drew a large crowd, so there is a lot of public interest in this issue.

As someone that began living in Fishers in that area, I hope these plans come to fruition.  The IndyStar story quotes Mayor Scott Fadness as describing plans in the study as “long term” in nature, but he appears on-board and ready to make this happen.

Road work in and around Fishers is picking up steam, even if spring weather isn’t exactly here yet.  Look for more lane restrictions, closures and other work planned for the work week beginning March 20.

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

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You may recall that the Kroger Store near 116th Street and Allisonville Road was planning to move across Allisonville Road to a shopping center that once housed a Marsh grocery, but Kroger decided to shelve those plans at the time.  Now, a new study indicates Kroger may be willing to move across Allisonville Road after all.

John Tuohy of the Indianapolis Star posted a story on the IndyStar Web site (link here) Friday citing a study by a consultant hired by the city to study development along the Allisonville Road corridor in Fishers (read the entire report here).

The City Council is scheduled to discuss the report at a 6:30pm work session Monday night prior to the regular council session.

Tuohy’s story says any redevelopment recommendation “is contingent on Kroger shutting down its store at 7272 Fishers Crossing Drive and moving across the street to the site of a former Marsh grocery at Fishers Station.”  The report says Kroger has notified the city of its intention to move.

If Kroger moves, the current location could be transformed into a gathering place for the local community, according to this study.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness told reporter Tuohy the report is part of a longer term vision.

“We asked HWC to put different options out there,” he said. “But we would have to roll up our sleeves and get to work. Nothing is imminent on that end,” the mayor told the Star.

WTHR News reports that there are parents, and now school officials, concerned about an Instagram account posting “rumors and claims about Fishers High School students.”  No names are attached to the account, but school officials are working to find the person or persons behind the account.

For more on the WTHR story, use this link.

A Fishers man is under arrest following an investigation by the Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force.

Nathaniel Cornelius, 40, was taken into custody Wednesday facing 7 counts related to possession of child pornography.  The investigation began with a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Authorities say digital evidence was collected from Cornelius’ home and child sex abuse material was located on a computer. Cornelius is currently being held on a $100,000 bond at the Hamilton County Jail.

The Task Force, headquartered in the Fisher’s Police Department, consists of detectives from Westfield, Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s office. The task force focuses on internet crimes against children and investigates child exploitation cases in Hamilton, Hancock, Madison, and Tipton counties.

Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School board members have held several discussions this year about the expiration of the current operating referendum that goes away at the end of calendar year 2023, but now board members are expressing their views.  The consensus building among the 7 board members is to place on the November general election ballot a continuation of the current operating referendum property tax rate of .2275, which generates roughly $26 million per year for the local school district.

At a meeting of the Referendum Committee Wednesday morning, board member Suzanne Thomas expressed support of keeping the referendum rate the same when placed before voters.  She expressed the same view at a Wednesday evening work session with the entire board.

Ben Orr said he supports placing the current referendum rate before voters, because he cannot see a way to eliminate or cut the referendum rate without losing teaching positions.

Juanita Albright cited the activities and classes her own children are taking and voiced strong support for placing the current operating referendum rate on the ballot.

Board President Dawn Lang argued that a strong school system results in a demand for housing in the community and impacts property values.  She says it is important to support the school district through the referendum vote.

That indicates a majority of board members support placing a measure on the November ballot asking voters to continue the current operating referendum rate.

The board will be asked for a referendum consensus at the March 22 meeting to continue the process of placing the referendum question before voters.  A final vote is expected in June with the precise referendum ballot rate & language, which must by approved by the state.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools generate roughly $26 million in annual revenue through a referendum property tax rate approved by voters in 2016.  That referendum is set to expire at the end of 2023.  The questions before the school board include – whether to request that voters approve the same .2275 rate, a lower rate or some other language on the November ballot.

Wednesday morning, a Referendum Committee composed of 3 board members, top administrators and some involved in the 2016 referendum process gathered to look at the referendum options before the board.

HSE Schools Chief Financial Officer Katy Dowling told the committee she does not feel an increase in the referendum rate is needed as things stand now., and she does not feel she can weigh-in on decreasing the rate until the 2-year state budget is approved by the General Assembly in April.  For example, there is a proposal in the legislature to remove book fees, including some technology, that would cost HSE Schools about $8.4 million, with the state not providing any funding for local school districts.

Administrators are asking the board for a consensus on how to move forward with referendum plans at the regular March 22nd board session.  A final vote by the board on any referendum rate is expected sometime in June.

Once a final vote is taken by the board on a referendum rate, special rules take effect for school employees, except a handful of top administrators.  During work hours, most school employees would not be allowed to advocate for or against a referendum vote, but could provide information about the referendum if asked a specific question.

Any referendum rate vote by the school board would be submitted to the County Auditor’s office, then to the state for a review of the precise language appearing on the ballot.

Dowling told the committee school staff will create a budget task force to determine what spending reductions would be required if a referendum does not pass.  The process of coming up with that plan takes 3-4 months.

The school board has scheduled a work session Wednesday evening to ask questions about the referendum and will also discuss student handbooks.

A First Grade Teacher, Audrey Lash, at New Britton Elementary, is the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year for the Hamilton Southeastern Schools.  Mrs. Lash took time out of her busy day to join me in a podcast, which is linked below.