If you are voting for the first time in this year’s general election, and have some trepidation about it, Hamilton County wants to put your mind at ease.

The Hamilton County Clerk’s Office will host a webinar on Wednesday, October 2, at 6:00 p.m., for new and first-time voters. Hamilton County Election Administrator Beth Sheller will offer advice on how to register to vote, the process for requesting an absentee ballot, and details on early voting opportunities.

“We understand that voting for the first time can be a bit intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be,” says Sheller. “Our goal is to help young voters, and their families navigate the voting process with confidence. Whether you’re in college and away from home or just looking to understand your options, this webinar will cover everything you need to know to make your vote count.”

“This webinar is an excellent opportunity for first-time voters to familiarize themselves with the voting process,” says County Clerk Kathy Kreag Williams. “We hope to engage young voters and ensure they are well-informed and ready to participate in the democratic process.”

Participation in the webinar requires advance registration. To secure your spot and gain  insights into the voting process, you can register at this link.

Voters in the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District will vote on three township races for seats on the local school board.  One of the candidates from Wayne Township is John Stewart.  I sat down with John Stewart to talk about his campaign.

With the local school board election set for November 5th, and early voting expected to start in early October, the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA), the local teachers’ union, announced on social media Tuesday the candidates the union is supporting in the balloting.

In this round of the election, voters residing in the Hamilton Southeastern School District will all cast ballots in three elections, one for each township – Fall Creek, Delaware & Wayne.

In Fall Creek Township, Suzanne Thomas, an incumbent, is supported by HSEA.  Terry Tolle is the other candidate in Fall Creek.

In Delaware Township, Latrica Schooley is HSEA’s choice.  The other candidate in that township is Greg Lannan.

Finally, in Wayne Township, incumbent Sarah Parks-Reese is HSEA’s choice.  John Stewart is the other candidate in Wayne.

If you are not registered to vote, use this link to check on your current registration or register to vote online.  The deadline for voter registration in Indiana is Monday, October 7.

Today, September 17, is designated as Voter Registration Day nationally.  It is a day set aside to remind eligible voters to register.

In Indiana, the deadline to register is Monday,  October 7.  In order to register, or check on your current voter registration status in Indiana, use this link

In Indiana, early voting generally begins once voter registration closes.  Early voting varies depending on where you live in the Hoosier state.

Election day is Tuesday, November 5.

The Hamilton East Public Library (HEPL) is gearing up for its second “Bike Rodeo,” an event designed to promote safety and wellness for children ages 7-10. Partnering with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the program will take place on Saturday, September 28, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. outside the Fishers Library, near the Nickel Plate Trail.

Children attending the event are encouraged to bring their bikes and be ready for a fun, educational experience. The event will focus on teaching young riders essential safety skills for traveling on bike paths. Following a brief lesson on safety basics, participants will test their knowledge by navigating an obstacle course, giving them the chance to build and improve their riding abilities.

Free helmets will be available for attendees, provided by the Friends of the Library, while supplies last. A properly fitted helmet is mandatory for all participants in the event.

“We’re excited to offer another Bike Rodeo at the Fishers Library,” said Julie Stephens, HEPL Youth Services Librarian. “The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Bike Team brings infectious enthusiasm, and their encouragement creates a fun and engaging learning environment for the children. We’re especially grateful to the Friends of the Library for providing free helmets to help keep participants safe.”

This event comes on the heels of HEPL’s successful Bike Rodeo held earlier this year, which received positive feedback from the community. Buoyed by the support of the Sheriff’s Office and a generous sponsorship from the Friends of the Library, HEPL is excited to offer this opportunity once again.

To learn more about the upcoming Bike Rodeo and register for the program, visit HEPL’s events calendar at this link.

At Wednesday’s Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board meeting, members of the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association bargaining team spoke before the board with comments about the upcoming negotiations between HSEA, representing district teachers, and HSE administrators.  One point the two members of the HSEA negotiating team made was a change from interest-based bargaining to a more traditional, also called positional, bargaining model.  What is the difference between these two methods of conducting bargaining?

During my 28 years as a federal civil servant, I spent time as both a union official, and a part of management, at different times during my career.  I have seen both types of bargaining up close and personal.  There is a difference.

One of my college professors likened traditional (positional) negotiations to a football field.  Both parties start the talks in their respective end zones, both knowing the final agreement will end up at mid-field, between the 40 yard lines.  It takes longer and can sometimes (but not always) be confrontational.  It takes a long time to keep exchanging proposals with small or no concessions from each side.  Putting it another way, it is a long slog.

Interest-based bargaining is a much different approach.  Here, each side knows what they want in a final agreement and lay it out during the first bargaining session.  The parties immediately look for ways to end up in a place where both sides can achieve most of what they want, without the lengthy process of keeping that goal hidden in traditional negotiations.

For interest-based bargaining to succeed, both parties must be honest and trust each other.

HSEA is saying the interest-based negotiations of past years have produced contracts praised by both parties and the community as a whole.  And it normally only takes a few days.

Also, HSEA is concerned that the current school board and administration are hiring attorneys to conduct the bargaining on behalf of the district.  The teachers’ union argues that local administrators headed-up the management side of the table in past years, and voiced concern about the change.

Indiana law says teachers-school district bargaining can begin now and the deadline for a deal is November 15.

Will traditional bargaining, not interest-based, produce a fair agreement for teachers and the HSE District?  Will having attorneys represent the district help get a final agreement or become an obstacle to a deal?

Only time will tell whether these changes in HSE Schools’ approach to bargaining a new contract with HSEA will be a good thing, or not.

The Hamilton East Public Library system (HEPL) has two buildings, one in Noblesville and another in Fishers.  Should Hamilton East expand with another library building, or expand services to a growing community in another way?

That is the question library officials are trying to answer.  The public is being asked to participate in the future path by completing a survey (find it at this link).

The Library does own land at 15100 Olio Road, between 146th and 156th Streets (near Ruoff Music Center), but Kelsey Sweet, Director of Marketing and Communications for HEPL, says “no decisions will be made until we know more about the wants and needs of our community and we are in the very early phases of planning.”

Ms. Sweet says the library is looking to “adjust our services and future plans to grow alongside our community. This could result in additional programming opportunities, collaboration with other like-minded public entities, additional deployment of the Library outreach vehicle, remote holds lockers at locations throughout the community, or an additional branch location.”

So, as the communities served by HEPL continue to grow, the library is looking at many options on how to serve the growing population.  That could mean a third library branch building, or an enhancement of services from HEPL.  That is why the library system is reaching out to the public, asking what they want from their local library.

Bottom line, no decisions have been made but many options are open on where HEPL goes from here.

The weather feels more like summer than fall this September, and the Fishers area road construction report reads like one in mid-summer rather than the middle of September.

Below is the weekly update on road construction for the work week beginning Monday, September 16:

Continue reading Fishers area road construction – work week starting Monday, September 16 →

it is tradition that before the band takes the field at halftime of the Mudsock Football Game (Fishers vs. HSE) the teachers of the year for the district are honored.  On September 13, 2024, the teachers took the field to have their names announced.

Here is the video, at the link below.

I spoke to a number of people around town this past week on what to expect in the annual Mudscock rivalry football game pitting crosstown rivals Fishers and HSE against each other.  The consensus from those “in the know” on the local football scene was that HSE was the better team and would likely win.

Those with experience in this qualified their prediction with this – it is a rivalry game and anything can happen.  It did at HSE High School Friday night.

The first half was all Fishers, although the Royals did score a touchdown.  HSE came out with a lightning strike, a long pass that gave the Royals a quick touchdown to start the second half.

It became a dogfight after that throughout the second half.

In the end, the Fishers Tigers pulled the upset and won the Mudsock trophy on the Royals home field.

Most of these games in the past have been competitive, even when one of the two teams would appear to be the better squad.

But the biggest part of the Mudsock Game is the spectacle, the huge crowd and the energy everyone could feel being a part of the contest.

Congratulations to the Fishers Tigers for a well deserved win.  The HSE Royals fought to the very end and made this a close game, with Fishers winning 37-35.

I always enjoy the Mudsock Game.  This year, I was once again reminded why.