State of the County fills 4-H hall

By DENISE MOE

For The Reporter

Hamilton County Commissioners Christine Altman and Mark Heirbrandt delivered the annual State of the County address on Wednesday at the Hamilton County 4-H Exhibition Center, 2003 Pleasant St., Noblesville. The lunchtime event was hosted by the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce.

Commissioner Steve Dillinger prepared most of the address over the last four weeks and was looking forward to delivering the address to a sold-out crowd for the 34^th straight year; however, Dillinger tested positive for COVID-19 and said he was disappointed he had to miss this year’s presentation.

According to the Commissioners, Hamilton County is in a great financial position with over $50 million in reserves and rainy-day funds. Hamilton County stands alone in Indiana with a AAA bond rating. The county tax rate did not go up, but the value of property increased, which will lead to a larger tax bill for property owners even though local taxpayers enjoy the sixth-lowest property tax rate in Indiana.

The first topic discussed was infrastructure. As the fastest-growing county in the state, infrastructure is key to prompting business and economic development and eliminating gridlock, which falls under the direction of Brad Davis, PE, Director of the Hamilton County Highway Department.

The Commissioners spoke at length about the State Road 37 improvement projects which are a joint venture between the county, the Indiana Department of Transportation, and the cities of Fishers and Noblesville.

According to the Commissioners, the grade-separated free-flowing traffic interchanges and upgraded intersections of the improved SR 37 will reduce the current daily traffic backups. In addition, the SR 37 projects will have the crossroads elevated so there are no visual barriers for surrounding businesses. The project also includes improved drainage and pedestrian accommodations.

Other upcoming infrastructure improvement projects include a grade-separated interchange at 146^th Street and Allisonville Road, a bridge rehabilitation at 146^th over White River and the 146^th Street West Reconstruction from the Boone County line to Spring Mill Road, which is a step in connecting Interstate 65 and Interstate 69 along 146^th St.

Other improvements to 146^th Street include grade-separated intersection upgrades at Carey Road, Gray Road, and Hazell Dell Parkway. These improvements to 146^th Street are needed because two of the top three crash locations in the county are along 146^th Street. Since 2000, traffic along the 146^th Street corridor has increased by over 300 percent.

There are also several improvements proposed to help alleviate traffic congestion along the Pleasant Street Corridor.

Even though tourism and economic development took a major hit because of COVID lockdowns, Commissioners said they were happy to report that those industries in the county are now 85 percent recovered. The county has over four million visitors every year, with over 1.1 million hotel rooms sold, $60 million in sales tax collected, and over $10 million reinvested locally since 2005. Tourism supports 9,913 local jobs.

The Commissioners gave an update on parks and recreation. They spoke about the acquired property at 216^th Street and Hinkle Road, which will become the new HC Farms, for which the county is hoping to receive partial reimbursement from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The proposed park amenities include an outdoor classroom, amphitheater, shelters, nature play areas, miles of trails, and connectivity to Bray Park.

The Commissioners said they were excited about the new White River campground expansion, which is already rated among the top 100 camp sites in the United States.

The new wastewater treatment facility near the U.S. 31 and 236^th Street area will also be the site of a new interchange. The new wastewater treatment facility will be a transformational project that will serve as a foundation for development along the U.S. 31 corridor in northern Hamilton County. This project will be constructed in phases to maximize potential grant funding.

The Logan Street Bridge of Flowers, which is a joint County and City of Noblesville project, will connect downtown to Federal Hill Commons. It should be completed by Labor Day.

The new women’s shelter is intended as a facility to provide a safe and secure environment for domestic violence victims and their children. There are currently no emergency shelters in Hamilton County. The county is currently working with Prevail, Inc. to determine the design of the shelter and to establish the operation of the facility, which will be located on nine acres of land off State Road 38 just west of River Road in Noblesville.

“Hamilton County is a special place to live,” Dillinger said in a phone interview. “I think those who came were excited about what is happening in our county. So many of the projects we are working on directly impact our everyday lives.”