No Hamilton County official can make a public presentation these days without acknowledging the elephant in the room – the more than 20 road projects underway this summer throughout the county.
County Commissioner Steve Dillinger did his best to run down all the projects and provide an update to the large crowd at Noblesville Embassy Suites for the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce luncheon hosting the annual State of the County address.
He joked about the difficulty in “getting there from here” these days, and tried to answer the question asked of him most often – whey can’t the road construction plans be better coordinated?
Dillinger explained the timeline from the start of a road construction project to its completion, which can often take up to 6 years. “Sometimes it takes longer,” said Dillinger. Many of the steps involved are outside the control of the county.
One reason road construction is so constant is related to the growth in population. The 2020 census pegged Hamilton County’s population at 348,000. Dillinger cites the latest data putting the population number at 377,000. Hamilton County is the 4th largest county in Indiana, behind Marion, Lake and Allen Counties.
Dillinger did not make news, but provided updates on a number of projects planned or ongoing…including:
–Plans to install the historic Bell Ford Bridge at Geist Park next year
–Work on the upgrades to the 4-H Fairgrounds in Noblesville has started and is ongoing
–A new 911 Center is planned, and must meet rigid construction standards to withstand the worst weather conditions, including tornadoes
–Plans for the new Public Safety Training facility are continuing
–With an expanding population, the Judicial Center will need expansion soon to the tune of $65 million
–With many county functions running 24 hours a day, Hamilton County is planning a child care center for county workers available to fit those work schedules.
Dillinger praised plans for a memorial honoring local firefighters that died in the line of duty.
He was proud of Hamilton County’s financial standing, with the help of the County Council. Our county is the only Indiana county with a AAA credit rating. This high rating lowers borrowing costs for the county.
Dillinger praised the 4 Hamilton County swimmers qualifying for the Paris Olympics later this summer – Drew Kibler, Aaron Shackell, Alex Shackell and Luke Whitlock.
With election season before us, Dillinger criticized “personal attacks” in election campaigns. He urged political candidates to “campaign with integrity” and “treat others with respect.
