In this week’s issue, Current takes a look ahead to 2013.
I had the chance to talk to a few organizations about what they’ve got planned for Fishers this year, and now more than ever, the community proves to have exciting news items for me to write about.
What I’m witnessing, and I hope you the readers agree, is a time of change for the town. There seems to be no slowing down for Fishers.
Big ticket items will quietly simmer on the back burner while different issues will push themselves to the forefront.
The big ticket items quietly simmering?
Downtown redevelopment, for starters. The nature of the beast makes it difficult to get extra information. Multiple town councilors have told me they can talk about certain projects and some they can’t. That’s how business deals go, but make no mistake, that’s one of the projects on the minds of your elected officials.
Then there’s the issue of the transition from being a town to a city. I’m told there will be bureaucratic steps taken, but the next election is a long way off.
The changes that you’ll see boil over and happen sooner rather than later?
The Hamilton Southeastern School District putting the future of education in the hands of voters this May with a referendum.
Superintendent Dr. Brian Smith says that the new senior academies need to happen to accommodate a large crop of students working its way through the school system. They’ll need the space by August 2015.
Of course, that will depend on the outcome of a referendum in May.
Funding for the academies lives and dies by the voting taxpayer. Will the people of Fishers accept an increase in taxes to make the academies a possibility? Time will tell. Look for the school district to start a big information push in the coming months.
These academies could set a different tone for kids going through the system, as the structural updates to Fishers High School and HSEHS are only mere components of the district’s plans.
They’re also tip-toeing into their HSE 21 initiative that will eventually put an electronic device into the hands of each student, districtwide.
Big town means big news. Thank you for your continued readership, and I can’t wait to get into the thick of these stories.
Coffee hours at Hearthstone Coffee House & Pub resume on Jan. 8. from 3 to 5 p.m.