Tired after an election season where his opponent spent six figures trying to oust him, Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard is ready for his next term and said he is happy with how election day went, because of his 63 percent victory and because all but one of his endorsed candidates won their elections. This, he said, will allow him to push forward with an aggressive agenda.
“You’re going to see a lot of announcements in our first hundred days,” he said.
96th AND KEYSTONE ROUNDABOUT
Brainard said he’s already working on a Tiger Grant from the federal government to help fund transforming the congested intersection at 96th Street and Keystone Avenue into a roundabout interchange, similar to 116th and Keystone. He said he spoke with U.S. Sen. Dan Coats and U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita May 6. City engineer Jeremy Kashman was in Washington D.C. last week to discuss the project.
ELIMINATE CLERK-TREASURER POSITION
Brainard endorsed Christine Pauley to run against clerk-treasurer Diana Cordray. Brainard came out in support of turning Carmel into a second-class city, which would mean eliminating the elected clerk-treasurer and replacing it with an elected clerk and an appointed controller. It would also mean one additional city council district and one additional at-large council seat and that the mayor could no longer break ties on the council.
Despite his endorsed candidate winning, Brainard said he still recommends removing the position, which would go into effect at the next election if approved.
“This was never about the person,” he said.
OLD IDEAS COME BACK
Brainard said there are a lot of ideas that can be “resurrected” such as:
- The idea to build a multi-level commercial structure where the PNC Bank’s parking lot is at the intersection of Range Line Road and Main Street.
- Brainard also expects to move faster with redeveloping the former Party Time Rental site, which could be a “Tavern On The Green” concept.
- He also wants to release the results of a convention center study and begin to work on that idea. “I didn’t want to see that idea get tainted by the election,” he said. “Sometimes you have a good idea and people say it’s just political.”
- Brainard also wants to redevelop the Merchants Square and Merchants Point areas between Keystone and Range Line. He said he’d love to see more work done south of 116th Street and city planning expert Jeff Speck has drawings for that idea.
NEW COUNCIL
Brainard said he got a “professional call” from mayoral challenger Rick Sharp and a nice e-mail from city council incumbent Luci Snyder, who lost to Jeff Worrell. Sharp and Snyder are among several incumbents who will remain in office for about seven months until the new council is sworn in. Brainard said he doesn’t expect any resistance from a “lame duck” council and he believes everyone will act professional.
“I think everybody will get back to business,” he said. “I think most people will do what the voters would want them to do. We are all eager to put the election behind and get back to governing.”
Brainard didn’t rule out appointing any old political opponents to city boards and commissions. To educate the newly elected, Brainard is planning a series of seminars on topics such as public safety, parks, etc.