After years of battling in and outside of courts, City Yes clinched victory last week with the support 20,051 Fishers residents that voted yes on question two.
A total of 23,483 voters said no to the reorganization question.
“I’m really happy for the community of Fishers,” City Yes Chairman Doug Allman said. “I’m happy that we have an intelligent group that deciphered a very complicated issue and made the decision intelligently.”
City officials will be voted upon in 2015 and will take office in 2016, according to Fishers Town Council President Scott Faultless. City Yes member Greg Purvis said it’s possible to have city officials voted on in the 2014 general election.
“That’s what the voters decided, and I respect that decision,” Faultless said.
“My first reaction was a bit surprised, but it is what it is,” Citizens to Reorganize Fishers Chairman Wayne M. Crane said. “I have to respect the process.”
As the election results came in last Tuesday night, Allman and Crane would or could not cast a prediction of who might be the first elected mayor of Fishers.
“It feels surreal,” Allman said.
Crane said he sees several individuals on and off of town council as good candidates, and in general, isn’t sure of what he wants to do in terms of public service.
“I have to do some soul-searching,” he said. “I have no idea what my next move is at this point in time. I would like to serve, but I have to evaluate and make sure that I feel the benefits will outweigh the costs.”
He had strong words for the campaigning done and personal attacks.
“I think the personal attacks on my integrity and credibility have been in error,” Crane said, “and they’ve been offensives and hurtful. But I do respect the process.”
Faultless said that thoughts on who the mayor might be haven’t occurred to him.
“The transition is in the hands of the town council,” Purvis said, “and I would like to work with them to make sure it goes smoothly.”
The future holds an election that will result in an elected mayor, but the question of unincorporated Fall Creek Township’s annexation hangs in the air.
Allman doesn’t believe it will happen in the near future, but he does believe if a win-win scenario is presented to both sides, annexation could be possible.
Crane said he feels bad for unincorporated voters because some of their property rights would have been preserved in reorganization, while an annexation would put them under the city’s laws.
“Annexation will happen soon,” he said.
Purvis said, “I hope we can all pull together in the transition and be effective in the future.”