The Fishers City Council is going through the process of annexing an area of southeast Hamilton County, near the Hancock County town of McCordsville, into Fishers.  This would impact 2,000-4,000 residents.  Six people living in the area to be annexed voiced their strong opposition to the proposed annexation during a public hearing required by law as part of the annexation process held Monday.

One speaker said she was a fifth-generation resident of the area and is now on a fixed income.  She does not see how she can continue to afford living in the same home.  She also claims signing an agreement when the homes were purchased not to fight an annexation created a “stacked deck” for those homeowners about to be annexed by Fishers.  If there are benefits for her and other homeowners as a result of this annexation, she hasn’t seen one.

Another speaker claimed the annexation will not provide homeowners with anything they don’t already have.  Another said the annexation will add $1,200 per year to the family’s property taxes.

Several of those speaking reside in an area just east of Flat Fork Creek Park.

The Council is expected to take final action on the annexation at the December meeting.

In other news from Monday’s monthly Council session:

–The Union and the Crossing developments received allocation areas to clarify the boundaries of their Tax Increment Financing (TIF) map.

–A second amendment to the Andretti Headquarters project agreement was passed by the Council.

–A tax abatement was passed for DMC Insurance, clearing the way for $1.5 million in improvements to their Fishers building.

–A new fee schedule was established for the Fishers Health Department, allowing it to expand services provided.

–The city’s salary ordinance was amended, creating the position of Customer Support Manager.

–A rezone and voluntary annexation received final passage, clearing the way for a new day care center, Kid City, on Cyntheanne Road near Southeastern Parkway.

–A proposed housing development, Balmoral Village, received first reading approval.

–First reading was given to the Autumn Estates development on Southeastern Parkway near Cyntheanne Road.

–Five members of the Fishers Fire Department were recognized for 25 years of service.  They are, Brian Reeves, Stephen Feckete, Scott Booster, Scott Carr and Andrew Ebbert.

–A resident in the area of 116th Street and Allisonville Road complained during Community Comment about loud car and truck noises that are sometimes so loud her house shakes.  City officials say work is ongoing to enact a new noise ordinance, but it is unclear whether vehicle noise will be a part of that measure.

Kilwins in Fishers has officially opened its doors.  The shops is located along 116th Street, near the newly-opened Kura Revolving Sushi Bar and Torchy’s Tacos.

“We look forward to creating memories and serving our community with a friendly, welcoming atmosphere,” says JoAnna Brown, Manager of Kilwins Fishers, in a company news release. “We can’t wait for the customers to experience the store and enjoy our sweet
treats.”

Kilwins will be offering a special ice cream flavor in Fishers, Mudsock Mud.

Store hours are 12:00pm to 10:00pm daily.

Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools revealed details Monday of an agreement reached Friday with the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) covering the teaching staff for the 2024-2025 school year.

According to the HSE Schools news release, the tentative agreement includes a base salary increase of $1,400 for returning teachers, recognition of advanced degrees for those that have obtained them since the last contract, and up to a $2,000 employer contribution towards a Health Savings Account for qualifying members.

The district is transitioning to a new High-Deductible Plan and corresponding Health Savings Account (HSA) to minimize the overall financial impact on both the district and its employees in health insurance premium rates.  The district will contribute between $1,000 – $2,000 to a Health Savings Account for members who elect this plan.  The traditional PPO health insurance plan premiums will increase 8.5% for teachers choosing that option.

HSE Schools say this financial package to district teachers is valued at over six (6) times the amount of new State revenue received.

HSEA said last week the district had proposed to eliminate the teacher salary schedule, but that provision of the contract was left intact in this agreement.

Teachers are being provided details of the agreement today (Monday) and a virtual ratification vote will take place by the teaching staff tomorrow (Tuesday).  The school board plans a public hearing on the tentative pact Thursday at 5pm and will likely vote to ratify next week, assuming teachers ratify the contract.

The full text of the tentative pact is available at this link.

There will be no shortage of news events this week around Fishers.

Friday, The Fishers Event Center will host its first event, a concert by the Turnpike Troubadours.  That morning, area media will be invited to see the completed product.

Monday, the Fishers City Council will have its regular monthly session with many items on the agenda.  There will be a public hearing on annexing an area of southeast Hamilton County into the City of Fishers.  This area is close to the Hancock County town of McCordsville.  The public hearing is part of the process to annex 2,000 to 4,000 additional residents into the city,

The Hamilton Southeastern Schools and Hamilton Southeastern Education Association jointly announced Friday that they have reached agreement on a new contract covering the district’s teaching staff.  Teachers will vote to ratify the new pact Tuesday.  If ratified, the school board will meet Thursday at 5pm to conduct a public hearing on the agreement.  The contract provisions will be revealed to the public at that session.  At 6pm, the district will conduct a community forum on a proposed charter high school at Launch Fishers.  You can register to attend the forum at this link.

The debate is heating up over that proposed charter school.  Opponents of establishing the charter will begin placing signs throughout the school district voicing opposition

And those are just the items we know now.  No way to forecast what else may come up in a busy and growing place like Fishers, Indiana.

The Indy Fuel wrapped up their weekend road trip with a tough 5-2 loss to the Wheeling Nailers on Saturday night at WesBanco Arena. Despite a strong second period that cut Wheeling’s early three-goal lead to one, the Fuel couldn’t complete the comeback.

1st Period: Nailers Strike Early and Often

The Nailers wasted no time taking control of the game. Kyle Jackson opened the scoring just over five minutes in, assisted by Matty De St. Phalle and Jack Beck. Six minutes later, David Jankowski doubled Wheeling’s lead with help from Jackson and De St. Phalle.

Tensions flared between the long-time rivals, but no penalties were assessed as players exchanged shoves and heated words. Atley Calvert’s tally at 16:30, following De St. Phalle’s third point of the night on an assist, made it 3-0 for the Nailers.

Although Indy outshot Wheeling 12-11 in the opening frame, they headed into the first intermission trailing by three.

2nd Period: Fuel Spark a Comeback Attempt

The Fuel found life early in the second period. At 2:38, Matus Spodniak found the back of the net with his first goal of the season from a sharp angle, assisted by Gagnier and Lombardi.

Just over six minutes later, Colin Bilek capitalized on a second chance opportunity to pull Indy within one at 8:53. Kyle Maksimovich and Jalen Luypen earned the assists on the play.

The period was punctuated by penalties and physical play, but neither team could capitalize on special teams. The Fuel continued to dominate the shot count, outshooting Wheeling 24-15 through two periods.

3rd Period: Wheeling Shuts the Door

The final frame saw both teams trade chances early, but the Nailers struck the decisive blow at 13:57 when Jackson scored his second goal of the night to put Wheeling up 4-2.

The Fuel pulled goaltender Strauss Mann in favor of an extra attacker late in the game, but Wheeling’s Lou-Felix Houde sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 17:30. Despite a late two-man advantage for Indy, the Nailers held on for the victory.

Key Takeaways

• Fuel’s Resilience: After a rough first period, Indy showed grit in the second, cutting the lead to one and controlling much of the play.
• Outshooting the Opponent: Indy held a 32-19 advantage in shots but struggled to solve Wheeling goaltender Taylor Gauthier.
• Standout Performances: Wheeling’s Matty De St. Phalle had a standout night with three assists, while Kyle Jackson added two goals and an assist.

The temperatures may be colder as we move through the month of November, but road construction news has not abated.  Some good news for area motorists – the lane restrictions on State Road 37 in the area of 141st Street ended November 7.  Watch for lane restrictions on 96th Street and sidewalk work in the Avalon and Meadow Brook neighborhoods.

For the details, see the weekly update below, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Road construction update for the work week beginning Monday, November 18 →

The Indy Fuel traveled to Wheeling, West Virginia, for their first meeting of the season with the Nailers and their first matchup since Wheeling moved to the North Division. In a game brimming with playoff revenge energy, the Fuel ultimately fell 2-1 after an intense shootout battle.

First Period: Quick Start and Early Drama

The Fuel wasted no time making an impact. Just 19 seconds after the puck dropped, team captain Chris Cameron unleashed a blistering slapshot that sailed past Wheeling’s goaltender, giving Indy an early 1-0 lead. Brandon Saigeon and Cam Hausinger provided the assists, marking only the second first-period goal for the Fuel this season.

Moments later, the game turned physical. Cameron and Wheeling’s Matthew Quercia reignited an old rivalry with a spirited bout, earning both five-minute fighting majors.

The Nailers tried to capitalize on a power-play opportunity after Jordan Martin was penalized for slashing midway through the period, but the Fuel’s penalty-kill unit stood firm. The first period ended with Indy holding a 10-6 edge in shots, but not before tempers flared during a post-whistle skirmish near the boards.

Second Period: Nailers Strike Back

The middle frame saw both teams trading chances and penalties. The Fuel failed to convert on two power-play opportunities, as Wheeling’s penalty killers held their ground.

At 16:46, the Nailers found their equalizer. Quercia, playing a pivotal role throughout the game, capitalized on a feed from Kyle Jackson and Matt Koopman to tie the game 1-1.

The Nailers outshot the Fuel 10-6 in the second period, and the evenly matched contest carried its tension into the final frame.

Third Period: Stalemate Intensifies

The physicality persisted in the third as Jack Beck was sent to the box for cross-checking early in the period. Despite yet another power-play chance for Indy, the Nailers continued their penalty-kill dominance.

Both teams exchanged chances but failed to find the back of the net. The Nailers outshot the Fuel narrowly in regulation, but neither side could break the deadlock, sending the game into overtime.

Overtime and Shootout Drama

Overtime brought end-to-end action, with both teams generating quality opportunities. The Nailers outshot the Fuel 8-2 in the extra frame, but Indy’s goaltender held firm, forcing a shootout.

In the shootout, Wheeling’s Jack Beck emerged as the hero, scoring the lone goal in the second round to secure the Nailers’ 2-1 victory.

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It appears the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools and the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) have reached a tentative agreement on a contract covering the HSE Schools teaching staff.

HSEA posted the announcement on social media and said teachers will receive details of the tentative pact Monday.  The school district announced the deal at the same time.   The contract must go to a teacher ratification vote.

“We are grateful for the hard work, dedication, and collaboration that made this agreement possible,” said Superintendent Pat Mapes. “Our students have the best and brightest educators working with them each and every day.”

Had there not been an agreement, the parties would have entered into mediation.

This contract, if ratified by the teaching staff vote and a vote by the school board, covers the 2024-2025 school year.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board will hold two additional meetings in late November.  The district posted the additional meetings on its Web site Friday.

The board sessions are scheduled for Thursday, November 21, and Tuesday, November 26.  Each meeting starts at 5pm.  No agenda has yet been published, so it is not known what the board plans to consider at these meetings.

The special board meeting on November 21 is set to start just one hour prior to the start of a community meeting on the proposed “Fishers Prep” charter high school, at Launch Fishers.  You can register for the community meeting at this link.  If the number of people registering balloons to a big number, the district may move the event to a high school auditorium.  This is the first in-person session, the previous events about the proposed Opportunity Education school have been online.

Sarah Donsbach’s final regular school board meeting is December 11 as her 4 -year board term comes to an end.  She chose not to seek re-election.  Wednesday night’s board meeting was not her last, but she chose to speak out on her board experience then.

“Our community, state and country have dramatically changed in the last 4 years and this past election cycle proved to be one of the worst,” said Ms. Donsbach.  “Vitriol and deeply personal attacks we wage against each other online, and most recently, in an effort to win elections, have only continued to pollute and divide our community and district.  Frankly, we are allowing it to destroy our civility.”

She then turned to comment on some of her fellow board members.

“The behavior of this board and its members have engaged in the last 4 years cannot be the example we set for our youth,” Donsbach said.  “This board cannot continue to show our students that partisanship and promises to outside groups are more valuable than statesmanship, honesty and respect.”

She implored her fellow board members, all returning in January except for Donsbach, to do the work necessary to earn back trust from the stakeholders, students and staff.

The late Senator Richard Lugar and President George H.W.Bush were quoted on how public service is done.

Sarah Donsback ended her statement with this.

“Stop the games, stop the drama, stop the politics and focus on the needs of the students.”