City Council - Regular Meeting

I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [Music] Good evening. Welcome to the city council meeting. Uh, President Peterson is not available um tonight. So, I am pinch hitting. We'll just jump right in. So, no finance committee, right, John? Uh, no, no finance report, but certainly we have our budget for second reading and final approval this evening. So, looking forward to getting that behind us.

Yep. Then from the department, the the health department reports accessible. We won't go through that tonight. So, first up then is the uh consent agenda. Make a motion to approve. Motion by John, second by Selena. All those in favor? I opposed. Yeah. I'd like to commend Todd Zimmerman on being his birthday. Oh, that was yesterday. That's history. I'm a day older now, right? So, thank you very much.

All right. Happy belated birthday, Tom Zero. Put that in the minutes. Um, okay. As John alluded to, first up on the um regular agenda is 091525 um request to approve the 2026 municipal budget.

For the record, this is the second adoption of the municipation. [Music] The budget for you is the same budget that you saw from [Music] there. No questions. I'd entertain a motion.

I I'll make a motion. I'll make a comment first. I want to thank Lisa and Elliott and my budget finance team for uh working with us. This was a long process, took months. Um I think every city in the state would like to have our budget but uh we do and uh we've done uh an excellent job in bringing forth a really quality budget that uh has raises for a team and also investments in our infrastructure. So I'll make a motion to approve. I'll second. Motion by John, second by Todd. All those in favor say I. I.

Opposed? All right. Passes. [Music] Good evening. [Music] No questions with that. Uh 091525A. I would entertain a motion to approve. [Music]

Okay. [Music] All right. Motion by Tiffany, second by Selena. All those in favor say I.

I. Any opposed? All right, motion passes. [Music] Okay, next up we've got uh 10625C. [Music] [Applause] There's Ch. [Music] City number [Music] is president. [Music] This is particular. [Music] [Music]

[Music] But I have to make sure [Music] I would say [Music] so. resource. [Music] [Music] I think building [Music] You will always [Music] group. [Music]

She [Music] process question. assisted living or nursing homes res a nurse or a nursing facility. [Music]

Okay, Chief, two points. I love section G. I love that you included the appeal process so that the care facilities understand if they disagree how they can go about having that conversation with you. And the second point is I love that you're doing this because this further extends our taxpayer dollar. I love that you're doing this reach back to get more money because like I love what you said about you know it's taxing you it's taxing our system and if you can get some relief that helps our taxpayer dollar go even further. So thank you so much for doing this. Yep. It's first reading. Can we approve on first reading? Yeah. [Music] [Applause]

Motion to suspend the rules. Second. Okay. Motion by Selena to suspend the rules. A second by Tiffany. All those in favor? I opposed. All right. We're a motion. Yeah. Motion to approve. Second. A motion by Tiffany, second by Brad to approve. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? All right. Thank you, Chief. Good job.

I think uh Chief Gart's going to be jealous considering the noise ordinance took several months and got that done. Maybe it's because Pete's not here.

All right. 10625A Megan. The first item is item 11. There's three specific changes that we're requesting as part of the first commercial district. will impact us. Um there's conflicting information. So it should be a minimum amount. Sorry, it should be maximum amount of 4500 in the peritt. started different.

Okay, I have a quick question. Somebody did reach out to me about car condominiums. How much land in Fisers is left undeveloped? I believe we're at four and a half% and most of that is resial. Okay, great. Thank you. Okay, first reading. First reading. Thanks. Thank you, Megan. Okay, then R625A. Yes. Item 12 are both related to this parking.

How many homes? Four homes. Great. Welcome. I would entertain a motion to motion. Motion to approve. Second. Motion by Todd, second by Bill. All those in favor? I opposed. All right. Motion passes. and uh one Z625B. Um if we can have the vote for the ordinance as well. Oh, I'm sorry. Um okay, so we did 13. So

I'm sorry. I was voting on 13, just so you know. I made a motion to approve it. Y 091525 B then I would Now we go to B. I'll make a motion to approve item B. There we go. And I'll second it. Let's do a motion by John, second by Todd. Yep. All the apologize. All those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? All right. Motion passes. All right. Sorry, Megan. It's all right.

Again, if Ross were here, he would have had it much clearer than what I did. So, I love it. Um the next item is a requester voluntary annexation for Robert Bush property. So, this is off of 136th Street Promise Road. Um they are requesting annexation to the city. Um so, next steps would be planning mission. Um and that's the city Okay. So, open the Okay. Do we do first reading first or

Yeah. We'll open up the public hearing. If anyone would like to speak on the Kinwood subdivision, please come forward. I have a public comment that the um this microphone in particular is not coming through on the live stream. It's what? It's not coming through the live stream. All right. Any other public comments? Therefore, we'll close the public hearing. first talking first. Very good. Thank you, Megan.

No other unfinished or new business. We'll do the community comment. Um, you can have up to three minutes for community comment. Hello, Fischers City Council. Thank you for allowing me to speak. My name is Michelle Fulhart. Um, resident of Fischers 123520 Star Court, resident for over 20 years. Um, I come before you to speak about Hamilton County history. Um, 100 years ago, the trial that brought down the second rise of the Ku Klux Clan Klux Clan took place just up the road in downtown Noblesville. If you don't know this important story and would like to learn about it, I highly recommend this book by Timothy Egan. It was published in 2023. It's called Fever in the Heartland: The Klux Clan's plot to take over America and the woman who stopped them. Recently, a sticker pa was pasted on a light pole in Noblesville stating, "Keep Hamilton County white." Now, it was just a single sticker that I'm aware of. Um, it was posted in the Noblesville uh chatter Facebook page. Um, this p picture brought many comments, all of them people who were horrified by this. and the sticker was quickly removed, but it just pains me to know that anybody that saw that sticker might have some ideas about if they're welcome or not in Hamilton County. Um, as a government entity in Hamilton County, I don't expect you to speak on something that

was posted in Hamilton or in Noblesville, but um or denounce it, although I'm sure all of you would. Um, but I would like to, and I I brought this up at the Hamilton East Public Library um, meeting last month when they when they met, having a like a one book, one county uh, book study. Um, Marian County has done this in the past when I used to live in Marian County, and I think this is the perfect one. It happened a hundred years ago. It it makes Hamilton County look great because they were the ones that ultimately brought down DL Stevenson who was the head of the KKK and was I mean they were starting to get a presidential candidate who was endorsed by the KKK. So I just want to put the idea in your head. Um if you haven't read the book, it's amazing. I I haven't been to the courthouse, but someone told me there's a plaque outside the courthouse where the trial took place and it was the end of the KKK's rise in the 1920s. And I think it's important that our residents know their history of history history of the county. I would love for this book to be required reading and all Hamilton County, all Indiana um high school classes, just history classes just because Indiana plays a huge part in this. So, um I have a copy of the book if anybody would like to have it. I'm willing to give it. And that's all I have to say. Thank you.

Yeah. Thank you, Michelle. Any other community comments? And is there a timer that normally I got I got Okay, I got Huh? Oh, I'm sorry. John's got No, very good. I'll get my Sure. Oh, don't worry about that. John can time it for you.

Okay. Uh, hello. Thank you, uh, city council for hearing me. Um, Casey Crosby, 6611 Manchester Drive. Um, I got some comments to make. I don't expect any back and forth because these are comments, not dialogue. Um but I will ask some questions and hopefully some of you guys will think about this um as to why uh there's still this hesitancy to address the issues of the ag park um related to that. I sent each of you and the council a letter with 13 different questions uh a couple weeks ago shortly after the last city council meeting. I have not heard back from any of you on that. I know you're busy. I know you have your own lives and I don't expect you guys to spend hours and hours responding to that particular email, but it would be nice to be considerate enough to at least say thank you. I will look into it. Only one council member, my personal council member, Mr. Stewart, uh responded to me and said he would look into it when he has the time and that he would get back to me. That being said, there are a total of three at large district council members that do also represent my particers and I didn't hear from either of them any of them. So, I would like to know um some of these questions. I'm just going to put it for the record and hopefully somebody will uh get back to me on these at some point. So my first question was do you unconditionally support the Agra Park West project? Another question was would you be supportive of an outside independent laboratory during f doing further soil lead testing at the location? Are you aware that there's anou sign

between the airport authority and the city of fisers in July 2016 that shows only aviation development for the area that's proposed for the agra park west. Do you have any concerns regarding the current zoning of Metropolitan Airport for the Agric Agra Park West despite ordinance 041921B stating that community gardens, farm animals, urban farms, and other agriculture uses are not permitted on metropolitan airport zone property. And you have about 30 seconds. Yes, I know. Thank you.

Yeah. Do you know that the current runway protection zone of a th00and feet which the city staff and parks department are using for the justification to no threat to life and property does not account accurately for low visibility approaches which occur frequently with jet aircraft at Metropolitan Airport? So those are the questions of them that I've sent for each one of you and I hope that you take the time to think about them and respond to me when you can before it becomes too late. Thank you. Thanks. Any other community? When we're done, I want to make a comment about this gentleman's comments, please. Okay.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Been a Fisher resident for now almost seven years. I believe this is a great place to live. Um, especially after relocating here from New Orleans. I'm a Katrina survivor and unfortunately I have and knowledge. And ma'am, if you don't, I think you'd say your name and address. Julie Russell, 1825 Creek Lane.

I'm a Katrina survivor, and unfortunately, this has given me firsthand knowledge of how corruption, incompetence, and complacency impacts the health and safety of your con constituents. I was originally planning to address you at the meeting scheduled on October 20th and was very surprised to find that the date was changed. What was the reason for the deviation from the normal schedule? This seems very shady, especially given some of the items on the agenda tonight. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here to ask for your help in addressing something else that is very shady, very shady, and downright stupid. Mr. Stewart, thank you for responding to my email and including the link to the lead test results that the deputy mayor is so proud of. Let's talk about those test results. Miss Kbble, Miss Develen, and Mr. Zimmerman. I personally made an inquiry to ANL Great Lakes Lab Laboratories in Fort Wayne regarding lead testing. This is the lab that you all have posted on the city website as having tested the the soil. Imagine my surprise, Mr. Peterson, to learn that Not only do they not test lead in soil, but they don't perform lead testing at all. Mr. Delucha, this is very shady. Wouldn't you agree? Are any of you concerned about this? Are any of you concerned about the violation of the FAA zoning restrictions that Mr. Crosby just spoke of? No.

Okay. I'm here tonight to demand that you do the right thing. Do your jobs. Do your homework. Not all ideas are good. I implore you to consider a different location for the Agra Park West. I am not anti- Agra Park. I am not anti-development. This is downright stupid. Circling back to my roots and the days after Katrina once retired general honores said in regards to local government and their failures, let's not get stuck on stupid. Fisers is smarter than that. Let's stay in the news for the right reasons for being a great place to live, not because Aaron Brochovich and the FBI are showing up.

Uh man, I really appreciate those comments. Just for the record on the misinformation there, so A&L Great Lakes Laboratories did conduct the soil testing. They subcontract out the lead testing to a company by the name of Element that specializes in that. Element returns the lead testing results to ANL Great Lakes Laboratories. They return it back to the Hamilton County Water and Soil. Hamilton County Water and Soil returns it to us. So maybe a slight misinformation on uh who actually the lead testing is subcontracted out by ANL, Great Lakes Laboratories. They verify it, send it back to the city officials. Thanks. Any other public comments? John,

I just want to talk about this a park. We we're not going to be doing unless FA gives us permission. Correct. Correct. And we have soil testing on the lead and it has come back acceptable. Yes sir.

Um you know I'm I'm happy to meet with you and talk about this have your cup of coffee and talk about this and and uh if you want to meet happy to meet with you about it. If you want to have a conversation manto man about it I'm available for you. Okay. I one other point of clarification on the council uh meeting being moved for those of you that don't have kids in um HSC schools. Uh next week is fall break where about 35% of the population leaves Fisers to travel elsewhere and we didn't feel it would be appropriate to pass a budget with so many people out of the community. So we had an opportunity to air the budget uh with all of our folks in town. So that's the rationale behind why the agenda was moved. Okay, I would entertain a motion to adjurnn.

Motion to Right. We're journed.