TODAy’s WeaTHER WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2019 Today: Mostly, then partly sunny. Tonight: Clouding up. SHERIDAN | NOBLESVILLE | CICERO | ARCADIA Scattered showers after midnight. IKE ATLANTA | WESTFIELD | CARMEL | FISHERS NEWS GATHERING L & PARTNER FOLLOW US! HIGH: 62 LOW: 45 Former county employee files suit . Stoesz wants Special Prosecutor in Treasurer’s Office investigation By JEFF JELLISON claims and to assure the Prosecutor's office, letter to Prosecutor Buckingham. I'm not Reporter Publisher them that their tax dol- but did not know the going to stop until I've exhausted all of my lars are being managed outcome. remedies." Westfield-based attorney Tim Stoesz properly.” “I believe there is The Reporter's attempt to reach Prosecu- has issued a letter to Prosecutor Lee Buck- Stoesz feels the an inherent conflict of tor Buckingham for comment prior to press ingham, requesting a Special Prosecutor be "impartial party" interest when one Ham- time was unsuccessful. assigned to an investigation of alleged mis- should also include the ilton County elected Stoesz represents a former Treasurer’s conduct by the Hamilton County Treasurer’s Prosecutor. official investigates an- Office employee, Susan Diane Byer, in a Office. Stoesz, in his letter other elected official,” lawsuit that alleges Byer was unjustly termi- The Treasurer's Office was the focus of a to Buckingham, stat- said Stoesz. "In order to nated from her job. recent Indiana State Police investigation af- ed, “It’s a well-known Stoesz Buckingham avoid an appearance of Court documents in the Byer civil case al- ter a former employee alleged penalties were secret that the Indiana impropriety, Bucking- lege Deputy Treasurer Kim Goode may have waived for late tax payments. State Police has pro- “I believe there is an inherent ham should immedi- gone through the desk of a recently terminated In December, Hamilton County Com- vided you with an in- conflict of interest when one ately appoint a Special employee and shredded documents. Because missioners asked the State Police to conduct vestigation report of the Hamilton County elected official Prosecutor.” of that, Byer, through Stoesz, filed a request an investigation regarding alleged actions of Hamilton County Trea- investigates another elected official.” In his letter, Stoesz asking the court to restrain the Treasurer's the Treasurer's Office. surer’s Office several – Tim Stoesz concluded, “For the Office from shredding or destroying further Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt said, weeks ago. During the sake of good govern- documents related to Byer's complaint. “While the county does not believe there is past several weeks I have received informa- ment and legal ethics, I strongly encourage In addition, a county employee the Re- a factual basis for these charges, we feel it tion that you have failed to appoint a Special you to seek a Special Prosecutor to review porter has chosen not to name stated ex- is our duty to ask an impartial party to in- Prosecutor to review the investigation report the Indiana State Police investigation report plicitly they had seen Susan Byer’s name vestigate the claims. That’s why we have and make determination if criminal charges of the Hamilton County Treasurer’s Office on shredded documents prior to Byer’s asked the Indiana State Police instead of the are warranted.” and make determination if criminal charges termination. Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for help. Heirbrandt recently confirmed the State are warranted.” The Byer case, filed in November of last We owe it to the taxpayers to investigate the Police investigation had been turned over to Stoesz told the Reporter, "I stand by my year, has not yet been set for trial. Voter registration deadline is April 8 By FRED SWIFT election day polling place. ReadTheReporter.com The majority of those af- fected are in Fishers. The deadline is April 8 The primary election for those who are not reg- will be for those voters istered to vote and want to within the city limits of participate in the May 7 pri- Hamilton County's eight mary election. New voters cities and towns. There is no may register at the county election this year for those Government and Judicial in unincorporated areas of Center or a license branch. the county. County Clerk Kathy The County Election Photo provided Williams said last week that Board meets Friday, April (From left) Noblesville mayoral candidates Mike Corbett, Julia Kozicki, Vince Baker and Chris Jensen requests for absentee ballots 5 for approval of this year's will have one final opportunity to speak directly to voters in a forum fashion on Monday, April 8. are trickling in at the rate of ballot and voting machines. about 10 per day. Early vot- Williams said that during the ing will be available again meeting the board may or this year at satellite loca- may not consider a request Final ‘Candidate Conversations’ tions in Carmel, Fishers and from Democratic County Westfield beginning April Chairman Joe Weingarten 24 as well as at the county to look into allegations of for Noblesville mayoral hopefuls elections office. a financial offer allegedly Notices to nearly 40,000 being made to Carmel may- The REPORTER rum will be held from 6:30 League of Women Voters, selected for the Candidate voters go out April 12 ad- oral candidate Fred Glynn to The Noblesville Cham- to 8 p.m. on Monday, April has created an online por- Conversations based on vising of a change in their drop out of the race. ber of Commerce and the 8 in the Noblesville High tal to accept questions. Ev- content and time restraints. League of Women Voters School auditorium. ery question asked by our However, all questions will of Hamilton County will According to Bob Du- residents will be shared be shared with the candi- co-host the third and final Bois, Noblesville Chamber with the candidates,” said dates privately. Candidate Conversations of Commerce President DuBois. Candidate Conversa- Damage to fountain event featuring Noblesville and CEO, this is a unique Noblesville citizens tions has offered a unique mayoral candidates Vince opportunity for Noblesville can submit questions for format, with specific top- at Carmel roundabout Baker, Mike Corbett, Chris residents to help shape the the Candidate Conversa- ics being addressed at each Jensen and Julia Kozicki, mayoral race conversation. tions series via a form on event. On April 8, the may- prior to the primary election “The Noblesville Cham- noblesvillechamber.com. on May 7. This informal fo- ber, in partnership with the Questions will be carefully See Mayoral . Page 2 US Rail appeals Nickel Plate decision By LARRY LANNAN The City of Fishers says US Rail is el Plate Trail to move forward still LarryInFishers.com filing the exact same arguments filed stands. last year that the board rejected. According to Save the Nickel The organi- Save the Nickel Plate asserts in Plate, US Rail says First Transit has zation “Save The the release, “…the City of Fishers is agreed to work with US Rail in pro- Nickel Plate” is- now facing a significant challenge to viding passenger rail service to Union sued a news release their trail-only plan.” The city argues Station. Photo provided Tuesday, saying otherwise. The city says it “does not support Police in Carmel are looking for information US Rail Holdings “The latest filing by US Rail Hold- any proposal that leads to freight cars after significant damage was discovered at a is appealing pre- ings is merely an attempt to re-litigate travelling through neighborhoods and fountain downtown. The damage apparently vious decisions by its failed position before the Surface clogging Fishers’ main thoroughfares happened overnight Sunday at the roundabout the federal Surface Transportation Transportation Board,” the City of multiple times a day.” at Main Street at Fourth Avenue SW. Several Board, asking the board to allow the Fishers responded in a statement. The US Rail request for an injunc- large chunks of concrete have been knocked off company to operate and purchase the The city points out that the Sur- tion from the Surface Transportation the fountain and to the ground. Tire tracks could Nickel Plate Line as a passenger train face Transportation Board’s Decem- also be seen running through the fountain. operation. ber 2018 decision allowing the Nick- See Nickel Plate . Page 2 2 “Go Teal” with Prevail! Nickel Plate from Page 1 Board wants the board to tivate the rail line. struction scheduled to begin sider a proposal to use con- rejected it. The City of Fish- planning a public meeting order Fishers not to remove Fishers is moving for- this fall. cepts allowing a trail along- ers then released an engi- “to explore the feasibility any rails along the Nickel ward with plans to begin Save the Nickel Plate side the rails. Fishers argued neering study in February and benefits of a rail-with- Plate until the board rules converting the Nickel Plate has been arguing that the its engineers had looked at 2019 conducted by Indi- trail design as an alternative on US Rails request to reac- Line to a trail, with con- city did not properly con- the rails plus trails idea and anapolis engineering firm to the trail-only concept Butler, Fairman & Seufert, proposed by the City of which estimated a trails and Fishers.” That meeting will rails plan would at least cost be held at 6 p.m. on Mon- The largest model train display in Indiana an additional $20.5 million. day, April 8 at the building Save the Nickel Plate is at Holland Park. Mayoral from Page 1 oral hopefuls will tackle better acquainted with each the Noblesville economy of the candidates and their and finances, including city platforms so that voters can www.mrmuffinstrains.com budgets, capital improve- make a well-informed deci- ment plans and economic sion in May.