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Scott Faultless, President of the Fishers Town Council, and Pete Peterson, President of the Geist United Opposition, now look to the future of a united Geist and Fishers.
As Geist prepares to join the Town of Fishers, some wonder if all is forgiven. After more than four years and a bitter legal battle, Geist will officially become part of the Town of Fishers on Jan. 2. While the major issues that led many Geist residents to oppose annexation have been resolved, some wonder whether Fishers and Geist can put past differences aside and move on as one. Pete Peterson, former president of Geist United Opposition says Fishers still has fences to mend with Geist residents.
“I’m pretty sure some of the residents out here have some hard feelings on that subject,” Peterson said.
Much of the ire of annexation opponents has been directed toward Town Council President Scott Faultless, who is ironically a Geist resident and Peterson’s next-door neighbor. He says time will eventually cure all. He added Geist residents will eventually come to appreciate the higher level of service the town can provide. “We’re looking forward not backward,” Faultless said.
Faultless announced plans to annex over 2,000 residences in unincorporated areas around Geist at a press conference in November 2005. He said annexation would make delivery of town services such as road, water and sewer maintenance, as well as police and fire protection more efficient. In addition, he said many Geist residents benefited directly from town services and amenities without paying for them.
Annexation opponents viewed the action as an unwarranted grab for money and land. Within days of the announcement, Geist United Opposition was formed.
Geist residents rallied signatures at the Yacht Club to incorporate the Towns of East and West Geist.
The GUO argued Geist property taxes would rise by as much as 22 percent. The GUO launched a series of legal challenges in the courts, lobbied state lawmakers for changes in the state’s annexation laws and even investigated the idea of incorporating as the towns of East and West Geist.
While the courts sided with Fishers in the annexation debate, all arguments against annexation were rendered moot when the General Assembly backed Gov. Mitch Daniels’ property tax reform bill capping residential property taxes at one percent of assessed value.
Faultless says the town is reaching out to the town’s newest citizens. Welcome letters will be sent to Geist residents explaining town services, governmental structure and the advantages of being part of Fishers. It encourages Geist residents to express their concerns and to take an active role in shaping Fishers’ future by participating in town government. He says being part of Fishers gives Geist something it hasn’t had before, a voice.
“They can participate now. They can run for office,” Faultless said.
Some are planning to do just that. A groundswell of support for adopting a city form of government headed by an elected mayor with city council members elected by districts has taken hold at Geist. The issue will go before voters in a referendum next spring.
Peterson says much of the support for a city government structure is rooted in the lingering animosity toward the Fishers Town Council over the annexation debate. While he declined to name names, Peterson says at least half a dozen “prominent” residents have told him they are thinking of running for office.
For his part, Peterson says he hasn’t made up his mind which form of government he will support. He says town officials need to allow more open discussion on the topic. In addition, he says town officials need to articulate a clearer vision and sense of identity for Fishers.
“I can absolutely tell you that I’m not for more taxes,” Peterson said. On that note, Faultless offers a cautionary word. He says those who seek retribution through wholesale governmental restructuring may find more of what they didn’t want in the first place.
“If you want higher taxes and bigger government, you should support becoming a city,” Faultless said. Despite some lingering resentment, there are some at Geist who say it’s time to let bygones be bygones. Rachel Quade, once an outspoken annexation opponent and GUO officer has since been appointed to the Fishers Advisory Plan Commission and now takes a more conciliatory stance.
“We had our day in court and now you go forward,” Quade said. “I think the key to a smooth transition is to stay involved in the process.”
A couple of things should be noted. First, the move to change Fishers' form of government originated in Fishers, not in Geist. This has been talked about for so long, many people just assume that Fishers is already a City, as well it should be.
Second, while Mr. Faultless makes the "big government and higher taxes" claim, there is absolutely nothing in the city-town study committee report which supports that. In fact, the current town manager makes more than any Mayor would, in fact, he makes more than either the Mayor of Indianapolis or Governor Daniels. And the management structure is still in effect. The only additional personnel is two additional, and part-time, City Councilors. Mr. Faultless seems to have dropped his original "If it ain't broke, don't fix it argument".
City government is more representative, more accountable, more democratic, and has strong advantages in focused planning for the future, especially in economic development.
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all in the CITY of Fishers.
http://www.CityYesNow.com.
Faultless has zero credibility. The fact remains that he violated state law to annex his own home into Fishers, and then annexed the bottom of the lake to further the Fishers agenda of playing the victim during the annexation struggle. Those events may indeed be in the past, but they continue to speak volumes about his character, and his brand of "leadership". I noticed Fishers didn't bother to advise us that they were trying to change our postal address to say Fishers. I guess that's just another innocent oversight, right Scott? I don't take kindly to false accusations, lies and manipulation, and we'd all be better off if you moved back to the town you so poorly represent.
Umm "absolutely nothing"?
What about the comments from city reps speaking to the study committee indicating that they were jealous of Fishers lower municipal payroll?
What about the recent Star report showing that Fishers has the LOWEST municipal payroll per capita of all "cities" in Hamilton County?
What about Muncie where recently the city was going to snuff out the street lights just so the mayor could afford to keep her three "assistants" and her office coffee service?
The cost of mayors offices isn't just the mayors salary. Fishers style of council/manager government is the most popular, fastest growing and most recommended system of local government in the entire country.
Sure, vote out all of the current councillors if you're upset about the annexation. Just don't chuck a governance system that is proven to be the most modern and progressive system available.
The voters of Geist need to remember that Purvis wants the city change so that he and his party can FINALLY have a chance to get elected to the Fishers council so they can push their democrat/socialist agenda. Do you REALLY think that taxes won't rise? Purvis thinks Fishers is a "loophole" but what he won't admit is that Fishers is a shining example of low taxes, representative government and great place to live that is the envy of every broke, over-politicized and unhappy CITY in Indiana.
Fishersian, you seem to overlook that CityYes is a BIPARTISAN committee, and other supporters of Fishers becoming a City include present and former Republican office-holders. One member of our steering committee is a director of the Fishers GOP Club.
And if you think Hamilton County Democrats are pursuing a "socialist" agenda, you are so deluded as to shed serious doubt on any other comment you make. Are Hamilton County Democrats in favor of more representative government, which includes the 35-40% of citizens who routinely vote Democrat? Yes. I don't see anything wrong with that, and neither should you. The only places where one-party government is still popular are places like Havana, Hanoi, and Beijing.
It's funny that you don't like the form of government that ALL other cities our size in Indiana have. The "town" form of government in Indiana isn't even the pure council-manager form that you like so much, since the town manager does not have executive power. The City form of government, with a Mayor, with a Council elected by districts, is in fact the most popular form of government in Indiana.
The picture of Faultfull and Peterson in the recent At Geist newsletter turned my stomach! How dare Peterson pose in such a buddy – buddy picture with that scumbag. I believe that's called fraternizing with the enemy! Or were his motives not that pure when he was heading GUO? Was there some secondary agenda or backroom dealings to promote a future political career? I thought it odd that the GUO dropped their appeal so suddenly without a word of explanation to those of us involved in the fight and fund raising. And now Rachel Quade is on a Fishers advisory board? What gives? Has the GUO completely turned its back on us?
Rachel, I hope you make it clear to the people on those boards how deeply we depise the town of Fissures. I'm not quite sure why the county would be involved in appointing people to serve on a Fissures board so that part of your response didn't make a lot of sense to me. However, I don't want to sound unappreciative of the service you provided to us during our long fight. The GUO and its leaders,even though not perfect, were the only chance we had of fending off an invading force. Thank you for your efforts.