I have never met Willie Mays, but I do have a story.

In one of the last seasons the Reds played their games at the old Crosley Field, in the late 1960s, my friend Jack Mitchell and I drove down from Indy area to see a Reds game.

There was an empty seat next to us and a very drunk teenager, I would guess about 17, sat next to us.  He insisted that he would shake Willie Mays’ hand before the night was done.  We smiled, said, yeah, right, and he left.

Two innings later, we saw someone running out on the field.  Yes, it was that same drunk teen that sat next to us.  The San Francisco Giants were in the field, and Mays was in his usual position of Center Field.

As you might imagine, Reds security was running in pursuit, but behind the teen, who got to Mays.  At first, Mays wanted nothing to do with this kid and began to walk away.  But the boy pleaded with Mays for a handshake.  Mays saw the teen was about to be arrested anyway, so Mays extended his hand, shook the hand of the clearly inebriated kid, just before security tackled him and escorted him off the field.

I felt lucky just to see Willie Mays play in person.  He was one of a kind, a tremendous baseball talent.

Willie Mays has died at the age of 93.  No other player in the history of the game could hit, field and run the bases like Mays.  He was the full package.

If there is baseball in heaven, Willie Mays is the starting Center Fielder, hands down, the best there ever was.

Over 300 people had lunch together Tuesday at the Noblesville Embassy Suites Conference Center, bringing together those involved with the Hamilton County Leadership Academy (HCLA), past and present.  Andrea Davis of HAND Inc. received the Distinguished Alumni Award.  Brenda Myers of Hamilton County Tourism was the recipient of the Honorary Alumni Award.

However, the main draw for this event was a panel of 4 Hamilton County mayors:  Scott Fadness of Fishers, Chris Jensen of Noblesville, Sue Finkam of Carmel and Scott Willis from Westfield.  Fadness joked that when he began going to events such as this, he was the young, less experienced mayor…Tuesday, he had the most experience of anyone on that panel.  Terry Anker, HCLA Dean of the 2014 class, moderated the discussion.

Much of the back-and-forth centered on economic development and the contours of rules over competition.  The Central Indiana Regional Development Authority (CIRDA) is led by Scott Fadness, and the other mayors admitted there was some suspicion Fadness would favor Fishers in any CIRDA endeavors.  Those fears are long gone.  The mayors realize Central Indiana is competing among areas around the nation and the world to land economic development projects.  Once a prospect has selected Central Indiana as a destination, then there is competition among the many communities in the area.  All the mayors want more flexibility and more funding from the state.

There was also talk about management styles, work-life balance,  along with listening to the voices of their own staff and their local communities.

If there was anything negative about the event, many told me they expected more humor, but there were a few guffaws during the panel discussion.

Terry Tolle has served one term on the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board and has now filed to run in this round of elections for the Fall Creek Township Seat.  Incumbent Suzanne Thomas has already filed her candidacy.

Dr. Tolle is a local chiropractor.  During his previous term on the board, his major issue was ensuring HSE Schools had sufficient funding.  He was an advocate for the previous funding referendum vote taken during his term in office.

This story will be updated.  I have reached out to Dr. Tolle for more information about his candidacy.

Monday was an important day in the history of Fishers.  At mid-day, the ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to officially open the new City Hall & Art Center.  At 7pm, the Fishers City Council convened its first meeting in the new City Hall auditorium.

But the meeting was more than ceremonial, there were some important issues resolved.

The first issue was approving the grant from the city to local nonprofit organizations.  The Council Nonprofit Committee looked at a number of applications from area nonprofits and presented its proposal to the full Council.  Councilors Pete Peterson and Todd Zimmerman voted no, arguing the city should support nonprofits more aimed at serving Fishers residents.  Both emphasized they are supportive of nonprofits doing good work in Hamilton County, but are not supporting the idea of Fishers tax dollars going to some groups that serve a wider clientele.

The vote was 5-2 with Bill Stuart casting his vote  remotely.

Here are the nonprofits receiving grants from the City of Fishers:

$65,000   Hamilton County Youth Assistance

$45,000  Youth Mentoring Initiative

$55,000  Conner Prairie

$3,000   Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse & Suicide

$5,000   Humane Society of Hamilton County

$5,500   Indiana Parkinson Foundation

$10,000  Outside the Box

$10,000  HSE Education Foundation

$10,000  Same As U

$12,500  Recovery Cafe Hamilton County

In other items before the Council:

–An incentive package was approved for a pharmaceutical firm planning to use a currently vacant space at Exit 5.  The city did not disclose the name of the firm, but Mayor Scott Fadness told the Council Fishers is competing with a site in North Carolina, and the company has indicated it will choose Fishers if the incentives are approved.  The Council voted in favor of the incentives.

–The city has received a grant of $30,000 for an outdoor fitness facility.  The city has not decided where this equipment will be located.

On the same day Sarah Donsbach, the incumbent Delaware Township Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board member, announced she will not seek another term, Latricia Schooley filed her candidacy for that seat.

In a statement posted to her campaign Web site, Ms. Schooley says she and her family have lived in Hamilton County for 17 years and she is the parent “of a current senior and sophomore and a 2020 graduate of Fishers High School.”

“I will bring a wide variety of experiences to the HSE School Board,” said Schooley. “These experiences include being a Mom of a child with exceptional needs, a business owner, a community volunteer, a spouse of an educator, and the valuable experience of being a therapeutic foster parent. Through these experiences I have learned how to be an advocate for those whose voices need to be heard.”

Her main goals as a school board member would be to “support initiatives that are student centered, data driven, and outcome based.”

“Our community is fortunate to have a school district that continually strives to be the best. Though we are not without challenges, our district has a history of excellence in Indiana and continues to have great success, but I know we can aim higher and achieve more,” according to Schooley.

Latricia Schooley is the first candidate to file for the Delaware Township board seat.  As of the end of filing for Monday, June 17, Suzanne Thomas has filed for re-election in Fall Creek Township, and incumbent Wayne Township board member Sarah Parks-Reese has filed for re-election, as well as John Stewart.

This is an at-large school board election meaning all voters living within the HSE Schools boundary can vote for the candidates in the three townships, and the candidates must reside in that township.

The deadline to file as a school board candidate is noon, Thursday, June 20th.

In the final year of her first term on the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board, Sarah Donsbach announced Monday she will not not be a candidate for another term on the board representing Delaware Township.

In a statement, she says in some ways she struggled with this decision, in other ways it was not a struggle.

“The only thing I struggle with is the disappointment that so many hours of my time spent serving on this board were wasted on responding to issues and problems created by adults instead of focusing on what matters most: the students and cultivating innovative programs and courses to address their needs,” said Donsbach.

She also pointed to the state of political discourse at all levels of government.

“The venom, vitriol and deeply personal attacks we are willing to wage against each other online and more specifically to win elections are polluting our future and destroying our civility, ” Donsbach said. “These cannot be the lessons we teach our youth. This cannot be the legacy we create.”

Donsbach encourages those running for local school board to propose ways to make the school district better, rather than “pointing to perceived flaws in your opponent.”

She praised the HSE Schools teaching staff and thanked her family for their support during her term on the board.

“Hamilton Southeastern Schools is a remarkable district because of its remarkable teachers, students and families and it has been an honor to serve this community,” Donsbac said as she ended her statement .

As I walked toward the new Fishers City Hall, Art Center for Monday’s ribbon-cutting, I had a few thoughts on my mind.

When first moving to Fishers in May of 1991, the Town Hall was nearing completion.  People were excited to have the new building as the center of government for a growing town.

In May of 2021, The City Council held a work session at Conner Prairie, where Mayor Scott Fadness and Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren told councilors the 2-story wood frame City Hall building, constructed in 1991, was sinking into the water table below ground.  It was costing a fortune to keep the then-City Hall upright and above ground. That was the first public comment from city officials that a new City Hall was likely the most fiscally responsible solution to the problem.

At around that same time, the city was asking for comments on what residents wanted in a new community center.  Arts classes and programs were at the top of the list in what people living in Fishers wanted.

it was decided an arts center would be part of the new City Hall.  That is the building that had its ribbon cut Monday morning.

The new Hall has received high marks from city staff, with floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing plenty of natural lighting into the work place.

The complex also includes a theater, which can seat as many as 300 people, or fewer for some events, depending on the configuration needed.  City Council and other city government meetings will be held at that theater.

The Art Center at Fishers City Hall, under the programs offered by the Indy Art Center, is already up and running.  Both Mayor Scott Fadness and Indy Arts Center Director Mark Williams offered remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

There was a good crowd on hand, including people from the architectural firm, contractor Meyer-Najem, city staff and many from the local Fishers Community.

Fishers has come a long way since the Town Hall opened in 1991.  The process that began in May of 2021 has produced the new City Hall & Art Center.

Below are a few photos from the ribbon-cutting:

Continue reading Ribbon cut for new Fishers City Hall/Arts Center →

As you know, this news blog and my podcast series are mostly volunteer activities.  I have also volunteered to help out in other ways around the Fishers Community.

One of the best decisions I have ever made was to apply for the HSEngaged program.  If you have some time during the work day you can carve out for this activity, I would highly recommend applying.

It provides you with a wide look at what happens behind the scenes to keep the 4th-largest school district running.  I have covered the local school board for nearly 13 years and thought I knew a lot about HSE Schools.  Yet, I learned quite a bit by participating in HSEngaged.

There are a limited number of spaces, so you must apply.  The deadline is 5pm, Wednesday, June 26.

To look at the schedule, and apply online, use this link.

Here are some comments from those that have participated in HSEngaged:

“The program was very well-organized. Every presenter shared information in a way that was easy to understand.” – Amber Hudson

“Thank you for investing in the public by providing a better understanding of what takes place in our school district.” – Christina Stenske

“I was already a huge supporter of HSE Schools, and I was just filled with so much pride and gratitude having the opportunity to dig in even more.” – Tabbatha Collier

“This program was run so well, and I am thankful to have been a part of it. As an HSE parent, I am proud to be in such a great school district and I look forward to finding other ways to stay engaged.” – Kelsey Sweet

Applicants will be notified of their of their status by mid-July.

This will be another busy week for road construction crews.  Allisonville Road is now open north and south at 146th Street, but no left turns are allowed.  This will lead to the construction beginning at 141st Street and State Road 37, so be alert to lane restrictions in that area.

Below is the full weekly road construction report, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Fishers area road construction update for the week of Monday, June 17 →

When Brian Murphy took over as Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources at Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools, it would appear he and the President of the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA), Abby Taylor, are not getting out to a good start working together.

That’s according to a story written by WFYI radio reporter Rachel Fradette, posted to the station’s Web site Friday.  She cites an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) filing by HSEA alleging HSE administrators of interfering with union practices.

Based on Ms. Fradette’s reporting on filings at the state level, Murphy and Taylor accuse each of bad behavior toward the other.

There are many details contained in Rachel Fradette’s reporting.  You can read her story at this link 

NOTE:  WFYI has no pay wall