Poetry on Brick Street - Thursday, November 1st

Poetry on Brick Street is a project of Brick Street Poetry, Inc., which is a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit based in Zionsville, Indiana. Brick Street Poetry also publishes the internationally-known literary journal, the Tipton Poetry Journal, and hosts other poetry-related events.

Eagle Elementary has been a mainstay in Zionsville’s Village since 1955. I went to a small town elementary school just like it. Kids walked to school. Students could walk to the library. The shouts and laughter of children at recess were a common sound to neighbors surrounding the school just as they are at Eagle.

Eagle is in need of help. The last major renovation at Eagle was in 1999—13 years ago. This year 71 students in full day kindergarten fill the halls with 4 kindergarten teachers. The district has identified that Eagle Elementary is in serious need of repairs to its foundation. It is vital that we work to keep Eagle a safe and positive learning environment.

I believe that managing these challenges requires a long and historical viewpoint of what a Village school actually means to its residents and know that I will continue to bring that perspective to our school board. The Board does not have all the answers which is why I have worked to increase the communication between the Board and parents, taxpayers and the Town Council. This has paid dividends in our long term planning and in saving taxpayer dollars

As a school board member, I want to see Eagle remain healthy and strong for its Village neighbors, families and students. To do this, our community has to be fiscally strong while also taking a long-term view about our community and its needs. Zionsville is currently dealing with a new state funding formula which reduces the amount of dollars we receive from the state by millions of dollars. In recent years we have been prudent with taxpayer dollars, cut unnecessary spending and sought private partnership to help our bottom line. Recently, we announced we are working with the state to provide additional state dollars to high performing school districts like ZCS. Zionsville is intimately tied to the Village and it must remain strong--it is the first image that comes to mind when people think of our community.

As a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and the Fuller Center for Housing, I have learned the value that people place on their home and surroundings. Maintaining a healthy elementary school like Eagle not only adds to that value but enhances it by making the Village what we all want it to be, a small town community feeling of pride in where we 
live and where our children go to school.

While some folks will argue that fiscal responsibility is the only attribute that a school board member needs, I would respectfully argue that we must remember that where we live and the values that we all live by are also critical to our community lifeline. Strong schools and a strong community go hand in hand. As a school board member, former educator, and community volunteer, I strongly believe that I am uniquely situated to help meet these needs and so I ask for your support on November 6th. 

Sue Gentile

Government Updates

RDC Report from the VRA Legislative Affairs Committee

Zionsville Rd., both west and east sides, between Eagle Creek and 106th Street:

-  Property is owned by Harris FLP.  Bob Harris is a Zville resident.
-  Property will be developed by Harris FLP and Paul Kite.  Paul Kite is also a Zville resident.
-  Attorney for developers is Matt Price (former Town Council President), also a Zville resident.

-  Consists of 2 large projects: 
1)  west side of Zville Rd., currently a vacant lot.
2)  east side of Zville Rd., currently the Love Furniture building (Nana's flowers and Wildcat Creek Outfitters).

-  Address on both sides will be "Main St." to be consistent with the "Village Expansion District" called for in the Economic Strategic Development Plan.
-  Total money requested by developers:  $539thd.
-  Total money granted to developers by the RDC by majority vote:  $400thd.  One RDC member voted Nay.  Details of the agreement to be worked out at a special mtg. on 11/13 at 6:30pm, including a claw-back option, perhaps a 2nd lien or a personal guarantee.
-  All funds granted by the RDC were reallocated from the line item in the 2013 budget for the "First St. Project".  It was decided that the Harris project is a higher priority than the First St. project, given that plans have not been agreed upon nor submitted for approval for the First St. project - it is still in a draft creation/revision phase.  It was noted by the RDC that the First St. project is not "dead", nor will funding be unavailable for the project, however the timeline for available funding is being pushed back, I believe 5-ish years, which is when the tax revenue from the Harris project is expected to replenish the RDC budget by this amount.
-  Per Boone EDC, the grant for the Harris development may have had a negative impact on the anticipated public/private partnership with the future DOW property owner, had the funding come from a line item other than the First St. project.  Line items in the budget such as "Economic Development Incentives" are needed for the anticipated DOW public/private partnership, therefore could not / should not be used for the Harris project.
-  Grant money from RDC for Harris project to be used for:  site work, earth moving, paving, utilities, landscaping.


West side vacant lot, Zionsville Rd. between Eagle Creek and 106th St.:

-  West side lot to consist of: 

2 small commercial spaces on far south end of lot
Car entrance from street just to the north of these 2 commercial spaces
5 additional commercial spaces connected in a row
Stand alone restaurant at the far north end of the lot by creek

-  Total SF of all buildings on west side lot summed = 12,500 SF.
-  83 total on-site parking spaces, mostly behind the buildings.
-  12 on-street parallel parking spaces.
-  Many more parking spaces are planned than are required.  This is due to anticipated need from the restaurant, and also so that people can park, shop, and walk into downtown shops and/or future DOW development spaces, all via existing pathway systems.
-  Architecture/aesthetics to be consistent with Village Expansion District desires (i.e. varying heights, varying facade materials, extras...I believe similar to the concept of downtown Main St. buildings, but new).
-  Total investment by developers on west side = $3mln.
-  Of note:  original development plan for this lot was proposed and accepted in 2006/2007 as a 20,000 SF strip-type center.

-  2 development phases on the west side lot: 

Phase 1)  4,000 SF stand alone building:
-  Locally owned non-chain family restaurant (owner lives in Zville, has restaurant in Carmel). 
-  10 year lease has been signed. 
-  Name of restaurant slipped at the meeting, but to keep restaurant owner's confidentiality, I will not divulge.  I believe the name is to go public this week. 
-  Located on far north end of lot, with an outdoor patio overlooking Eagle Creek.
-  To break ground ASAP - within the next several weeks.
-  Restaurant scheduled to open early summer 2013.
-  Developer investment for this phase = $1.8mln (restaurant building and all paving)
-  Property taxes to go into TIF bucket, however food/beverage taxes to go to appropriate Town bucket.

Phase 2)  7 smaller office/retail spaces - exact square footage per space is somewhat flexible.
-  Zero leases in place - developer hoping for a mix of mom/pop shops and chain shops.
-  Developer will be seeking long-term leases for all spaces.
-  2 small commercial spaces at far south end of lot, very close to 106th St. - total SF of the two summed is 1,875 SF.
-  Car entrance is just north of these 2 commercial spaces.
-  Between the car entrance and the stand alone restaurant are 5 additional commercial spaces, all connected, but all varying in heights and facades.  Flexible space - can be made custom sizes.  Total SF of 5 spaces summed is 6,625 SF.
-  Timeline to break ground on commercial spaces not set in stone, but developer wants to complete the project within the next 3 years. 
-  Developer investment for this phase = $1.2mln.


East side lot, Zionsville Rd. between 106th St. and Voyles residence / Eagle Creek:

-  Deal for existing Love Furniture building lease not signed yet, but negotiations should be completed by the end of this week, and deal signed.  Negotiations are with a Zionsville business owner for a 12-year lease. 
-  Deal would bring 22 jobs to Zionsville, with an average salary of $195thd.  Does this mean 1 or 2 high paid execs. with 20 or 21 lower paid employees?  Or a more even salary across the board?  Formulation of average was not discussed.  Payroll taxes will go to appropriate Town bucket, property taxes to TIF bucket.
-  Business owner wants to be in by mid-2014.
-  Love Furniture building currently fully leased for the next 18 months.  SF = 15,500.
-  Sketches call for a "Planned Building" to the east of the Love Furniture building where the existing storage building exists.  It was not discussed if the "Planned Building" is the existing building, or if the existing will be replaced by a new building.  SF = 16,170 up to 18,000. 
-  $3mln. total investment by developers for east side project.


DOW Property:

-  Rockland Development LLC currently has the option to buy the DOW property.
-  None of the members of the RDC had heard of Rockland before, nor had the Boone EDC.  Boone EDC had zero information on the LLC.  This raised concern with one RDC member.  No offer to research the company was extended.
-  Rockland requested $41thd from RDC, broken out as follows:

$8,000 Environmental
$8,000 Survey
$10,000 Engineering (geotech soil tests)
$6,500 Title Insurance
$3,500 Appraisal
$5,000 Financial impact analysis

-  Some discussion took place re: getting the money back if the deal doesn't close between Rockland and DOW.  No money would be refunded, however the RDC would own the intellectual property (survey, appraisal, soil tests, etc.) and the Title Insurance cost would not occur. 
-  Boone EDC asked RDC to consider this "seed money" to get the DOW property "going". 
-  Money was granted to Rockland with a unanimous vote.

Collection to benefit Homeless and at-risk Veterans November 10-December 16, 2012