Fishers council hears funding plan for city hall, art center

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The Fishers City Council held a regular meeting May 16 and heard an introduction to a resolution that would allow for American Rescue Plan Act funds to be used for the new City Hall building. The council also approved several amendments to allow bond proceeds to be used for other projects and recognized Hamilton Southeastern Schools We the People teams for placing nationally. For more, visit fishers.in.us.

What happened: The council heard an introduction to a resolution that would adopt a capital plan and identify funds to be used for the new combined City Hall and art center.

What it means: The resolution would allow the city to use $6.3 million of its $6.9 million in ARPA funds for a down payment on the new Fishers City Hall and art center building, which will begin construction later this year. The rest of the $22.8 project will be funded through a general obligation bond.

“We are excited to kick this project off,” Mayor Scott Fadness said. “We think it’s an incredible opportunity for the community. We think we have an arrangement with Indianapolis Arts Center that will really fund the arts programs in our community in perpetuity going forward. So, we think this is a really unique opportunity.”

Fadness said other bond documents related to the project would appear before the council for approval at a later date. Council member Brad DeReamer asked if it would be possible to sell naming rights to rooms in the art center to assist with raising money. Fadness said it would be possible.

 

What happened: The council unanimously approved an amendment to an ordinance for the use of unused funds from the City of Fishers’ Indiana Sewage Works Revenue Bonds.

What it means: The city has excess bond proceeds available after it completed the transaction for the HSE Utility sale last year. The amendment broadens the project definition of the ordinance, which allows the city to use the unused funds to invest in sewer infrastructure throughout the city.

 

What happened: The council unanimously approved an amendment to an ordinance in respect to unused funds of the City of Fishers’ Indiana Taxable Economic Development Revenue Bonds.

What it means: Bonds were used to construct the North of North development in downtown Fishers, including the Spark apartments on North Street. The city had cost savings in the bond and planned to use the unused funds to complete the Nickel Plate Trail tunnel under 116th Street. Fadness said the city was at the point of closing out all costs for construction of a tunnel, which the amendment will do.

 

What happened: The council held a public hearing for a request to approve an additional appropriation from the excess levy fund to aid in the city’s neighborhood matching grant program.

What it means: The excess levy fund has $34,000. City Controller Lisa Bradford said the fund exists because two years ago, the state issued an excise tax on vehicles. Bradford said the city had not yet used the money. The city’s planning department recently received applications for the city’s neighborhood matching grant program, and the cost to fund the projects is $95,000. The planning department only budgeted $75,000, so the city appropriated $20,000 from the excess levy fund to complete all the applications.

 

What happened: The council approved an ordinance authorizing the city to become a member of the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority.

What it means: Other local municipalities, such as Noblesville and McCordsville, have also approved the ordinance, which allows cities and counties and private and public sectors in central Indiana to have a unified vision and compete with regions across the nation for grants.

What happened: The council recognized Hamilton Southeastern Schools’ We the People teams for placing at the April 29-May2 We the People National Invitational.

What it means: Fishers Junior High placed first in the middle school division. Fall Creek Junior High placed third in the middle school division and Fishers High School placed second in the high school division.

 

What happened: Fishers Fire Dept. Chief Steve Orusa recognized three firefighters for 20 years of service.

What it means: Rick DeCrastos Jr., Ky Ragsdale and Maria Rhea were recognized.


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