TODAy’s WeaTHER SATURDAY, SEPT. 15, 2018 Today: Partly to mostly sunny. Tonight: Partly cloudy. SHERIDAN | NOBLESVIllE | CICERO | ARCADIA IKE TLANTA ESTFIELD ARMEL ISHERS NEWS GATHERING L & A | W | C | F PARTNER FOllOW US! HIGH: 85 LOW: 66 Destination: Atlanta, Indiana Reporter photos by Stu Clampitt How do you cut the ribbon on the grand opening of a new destination rail service? You drive a train through it! The Nickel Plate Express VIP event on Friday in Atlanta drew crowds from across the county. Passengers rode from Atlanta to Arcadia and back and it was a fun day for young and old alike. (Right) Ona Altman enjoyed walking the rail before the train arrived under the supervision of her grandmother, Hamilton County Commissioner Christine Altman. See more photos on Page 4 and online at ReadTheReporter.com. Why are high-quality Fishers to use body cams for teachers leaving Noblesville Schools? We have a seri- all city police officers in 2019 ous challenge at No- By LARRY LANNAN department to test several differ- ing, some city departments will blesville Schools that we have been strug- LarryInFishers.com ent systems and providers. The begin their move out of city hall video data will be stored on the to what has now been named gling with since 2017. The City of Fish- cloud, not stored on a city system. the City Services Building (old High-quality teachers ers will be initiating In other matters raised at the police HQ). The Clerk’s Office, are leaving our district a program to outfit all budget briefing: the Controller staff, along with in the midst of a signif- icant, statewide teach- DR. BETH NIEDERMEYER police officers with The Allisonville Road lane Permitting and Inspections, will Noblesville Schools body cams, budgeting expansion project will not be eventually all be housed on the er shortage. Superintendent the body cam program completed this year, according first floor of the City Services Replacing expert as part of the 2019 city to the mayor. Two lanes will re- Building. The second floor will teachers when they leave isn’t as easy as budget. main open throughout the winter Fadness house the Business Solutions it used to be, and this is especially true Mayor Scott Fad- months, with the four-lane construction Group (modernization) and the city’s In- of teachers with specialized skills sets ness, during a Wednesday media briefing projected to be completed in the spring of formation Technology staff. Additional like science, technology, engineering and on the 2019 city budget proposal, told re- 2019. Fadness says he expects the Allison- space at City Hall will allow more confer- math. Evidence and experience have de- porters the city had run a body cam pilot ville Road project to be complete before ence rooms and loosen the tight quarters cisively shown that strong teachers are the program this year. the major work begins next year on State many city workers have endured. The new most important factor in student academic “These body cams, in our opinion, will Road 37. Weather and utility-related issues City Services Building will allow citizens and interpersonal success, so their loss is do nothing other than ensure that our police caused the delays in completing the work and contractors to handle financial trans- especially troubling. officers are adhering to the core values of this year, according to the mayor. actions with the city on the first floor of See Teachers . Page 2 the department,” said Fadness. As the police department completes the structure, according to Deputy Mayor The pilot program allowed the police its move to the new headquarters build- Elliot Hultgren. Section 8 housing Noblesville roundabout construction starts next week voucher wating list The REPORTER opening in Noblesville Crews will be mobilizing to begin the transformation of the intersection of 19th The REPORTER and Pleasant streets to a roundabout on The Noblesville Housing Authority Monday, Sept. 17 – weather permitting. recently announced it will be accepting The overall project will cost approximate- pre-applications online for its Housing ly $1 million, but because of funding re- Choice Voucher Waiting List, beginning ceived from the Indiana Department of at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 2 until 4 p.m. Transportation the City of Noblesville’s on Tuesday, Oct. 9. Pre-applications must portion is $194,284. be submitted online at waitlistcheck.com/ Utility relocation was previously com- IN2939. There is no fee to apply. pleted and construction signs are installed Applicants will be able to apply online in the work zone. The public should be at waitlistcheck.com/IN2939 from any aware that construction activity will occur computer, tablet, or smart phone with on- while the intersection is open to traffic. line access any time of day during the one- During Phase 3, a 21-day closure of week pre-application period. Status in- 19th Street adjacent to the intersection formation regarding placement on the list is planned for the beginning of October. will be available online within 10 calendar During this period, entrance to post office days after the closing date. Instructions will come through a temporary access off regarding obtaining status information Pleasant Street. are provided during the online application Approximately 15,000 vehicles travel Photo illustration provided process. through the intersection daily. The exist- A new single-lane roundabout will be constructed at 19th and Pleasant streets. Pre-applications must be made online. ing three-leg intersection with 19th Street cles with safer and more efficient travel at For questions about the project, con- No paper applications will be accepted. under stop control will be converted to a that location. Lighting and sidewalks also tact Project Manager Andrew Rodewald at single lane roundabout – providing vehi- will be installed. 317-776-6330. See Housing . Page 3 New Earth Festival September 22-23 Over 600 Vendors! Interactive Learning! Unique arts, crafts, collectibles, and culinary delights Public Safety and Awareness Area Sponsored by and a local farmers market Hamilton County Commissioner Christine Altman Free Entertainment! New This Year! Featuring the Flying Toasters Saturday and The Indiana History on Wheels in Dolles Park sponsored Singing Contractors Sunday for morning worship by Hamilton County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt 2 Views Teachers from Page 1 In the last 18 months, didn’t have to go far. can range from Noblesville of experience. Factors that Hopefully you’ve heard other one next year for staff 70 percent of teachers who Analysis of teacher sal- teachers, with five years of impact these amounts in- already that Noblesville salaries, it just made sense left Noblesville Schools left ary data from the four larg- experience, making $10,000 clude level of education Schools has a referendum to combine all three of these specifically for a higher sal- est Hamilton County school less than their neighbor (Bachelors, Masters de- proposal that will be on the needs into one referendum. ary. The increase they left districts shows that differ- teachers, to as much as grees) and area of expertise ballot for the upcoming No- I want Noblesville for was substantial and they ences in teacher pay rates $19,000 less with 20 years (specialized areas). vember election. Schools to continue to be a This disparity in salaries While much of the me- district where the best teach- is a fairly recent develop- dia attention surrounding ers want to stay and future ment. When we asked the this 2018 referendum has teachers want to locate. A community for a continua- focused on the portion that stable, committed and in- tion of our operating refer- will fund enhancements novative teaching staff is endum in 2016 at a reduced in mental health and safe- critical to the vibrancy of tax rate, our salary offerings ty, in fact 47 percent of the the Noblesville commu- were competitive with our funds we are requesting nity and the future of the neighbor districts. However, will be used to retain and city’s workforce. those neighbors have passed recruit high-quality teachers We are leaders in educa- referendums, raised their and staff. tion thanks to our high-qual- tax rates and implemented Please know that im- ity staff. We must offer them large salary increases for proving employee salaries competitive salaries if we their staffs. was not included in the ref- hope to stay that way. Since then we’ve seen erendum proposal as an af- Our children and the fu- an increase in high-quality terthought. Before the West ture of Noblesville deserve teachers leaving for neigh- Middle School shooting it. bor districts, sometimes even occurred, we knew that For more information even in the middle of the we would have to ask the on the referendum proposal, school year, and citing sal- community soon for more including how much it will ary as the reason for their funding to address teacher actually cost taxpayers and exit. This exodus will in- salaries. Rather than run a where you can attend an infor- crease in frequency if we do referendum now for mental mational meeting, please visit not address it. health and safety, and an- noblesvilleschools.org. COME SEE OUR BRAND NEW, STATE OF THE ART FACILITY IN NOBLESVILLE! New 2018 Volkswagen The all-new 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan S FWD Jetta S VIN: #JM062815 VIN: #KM022142 Join us for 36-month lease for $2,999 due at signing plus 36-month lease for $2,499 due at signing plus 1st month’s payments, options, 1st month’s payments, options, Volktoberfest TTL, registration, & dealer fees. TTL, registration, & dealer fees. $ $ PRE-PARTY 259/mo 189/mo Offers end 10/1/18. OAC. Security deposit waived.