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Friday, January 22, 2021
2021 brings new leadership to the Carmel City Council
Carmel City Council will be under new leadership in 2021 as council members elected Sue Finkam as president and Kevin “Woody” Rider as vice-president for the new year. Finkam served as vice-president in 2020 under former Council President Laura Campbell. In addition to those changes, several new council committee changes have been announced.

Councilor Finkam, who represents the North East District, has been an elected member of the Council since 2012. She previously served as president in 2017 and vice president in 2016 and 2020; as well as serving as finance committee chair for a number of years. Finkam boasts a diverse professional background that includes more than 20 years of marketing, business management and human resources leadership and is also a healthcare management fellow. She is President and Chief Executive Officer of Fire Starter LLC, a certified women-owned marketing consultancy and recently launched Ionic Woman, dedicated to helping companies provide safe indoor air to employees and customers.

Councilor Rider has served as an At-Large member of the Council since 2008 and, for the past eight years, has also served as a Council appointee to the Carmel Plan Commission. Rider and his wife Richelle are the owners of two Carmel restaurants, Woodys Library Restaurant which opened in 1998 on Main Street and Divvy which opened in 2011 at Carmel City Center.

Council Committee assignments are as follows:
Finance Committee – Jeff Worrell (Chair), Adam Aasen, Tony Green, Miles Nelson
Land Use Committee – Kevin Rider (Chair), Laura Campbell, Tim Hannon, Bruce Kimball
Parliamentarian – Jeff Worrell
Chaplain – Kevin Rider

The Carmel City Council meets the first and third Monday of each month, in addition to various special meetings throughout the year. For more information on the Council, click here.  
2020 Year in Review 
The past year was not without its many challenges for everyone, everywhere. Here are some positives we would like to share. 
COVID-19 Vaccine Virtual Town Hall 

The Hamilton County Health Department will host a COVID-19 Vaccine Virtual Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, January 27 at 6:30 p.m. Interim Administrator Jason LeMaster, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Christian Walker, and Health Education Specialist Jim Ginder will present the latest information about the vaccine, answer questions about eligibility, and offer tips on securing appointment times.

“As we roll out the vaccine, we understand there is a great deal of excitement, mixed with some degree of uncertainty around the process and the vaccine itself,” says LeMaster. “Our goal here is to help the community better understand the process and to answer any questions they may have.”

All residents of Hamilton County are encouraged to participate in the live event. It will be broadcast as a Teams Event at the following link: http://ow.ly/LvkB50Dcrjg

“We’ve had a remarkable response to the vaccine so far in Hamilton County,” Walker adds. “Our clinic is booked out through February, but that’s a wonderful problem to have. That means our community is embracing the science behind the vaccine and is willing to do its part to put an end to the pandemic.”

For information about the COVID-19 vaccine for Indiana residents, 

visit www.coronavirus.in.gov/vaccine  or click on the image below. 
A celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Pictured: Aaniyah Anderson of KJI Institute for the Arts delivering a "We Shall Overcome" monologue

Carmel’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration was held virtually from the stage of the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts. Mayor Jim Brainard and Dee Thornton of the Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Human Relations hosted the celebration of the life and impact of American Civil Rights Leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Please click here or on the image above to view  the amazing performances by KJI Institute for the Arts, Blair Clark and his daughter Erica Thompson, Actors Theatre of Indiana as well as comments from representatives from the Carmel Interfaith Alliance and United Negro College Fund to honor Dr. King’s legacy and achievements.
Continue to show your support 

As Hamilton County remains in red status and COVID-19 challenges the country, please remember to continue to support local businesses who are particularly affected. A few things to do: 
  • Continue to use curbside pickup and delivery options offered by retail and restaurants
  • Follow social media pages and be sure to share photos and tag locations
  • Order items for friends, family or coworkers 
  • Be kind, patient and gracious as restaurant workers are truly valuable and putting themselves at risk 
To learn more about Carmel's main districts, visit these links: 
CarmelCityCenter.com
CarmelArtsandDesign.com
MidtownPlazaCarmel.com
Welcome! Carmel Police Department hires 4 new officers

The Carmel Police Department welcomed its four newest officers on January 19. Officers Crystal Froelich, Darby Morris, Jacob DeSchepper and Christian Wilhite started their careers with a swearing-in ceremony at CPD headquarters. All four officers are already certified law enforcement officers and have previous law enforcement experience. They will spend the next several months in orientation and field training.  

Read more about each new officer here.
 
Left to right: Officer Crystal Froelich, Officer Darby Morris, Chief Jim Barlow, Officer Jacob DeSchepper, Officer Christian Wilhite
Movies at Midtown
Movies at Midtown will take a break for the winter but will resume May 3, 2021. Please check the Midtown Plaza Facebook page for the most up to date information.

Please click on the image below for a message from our partners at Carmel Clay Schools regarding COVID-19 protocols.
This week at City Hall...
Upcoming Public Meetings
 
Board of Zoning Appeals - Monday, January 25, 6 p.m.
Land Use and Special Studies Committee - Tuesday, January 26, 5 p.m.
Finance, Utilities and Rules Committee - Wednesday, January 27, 5 p.m.

 
How to Watch Public Meetings Virtually
 
City of Carmel government meetings will continue to be available in real time in a number of ways. Public meetings will be broadcast live on the City's website as well as local access television. Here are the ways to watch Public Meetings on CarmelTV:

Cable Providers:
AT&T Cable Channel 99
Digital Channel 64.45
Metronet 33
Spectrum Cable C. 340

Streaming Devices:
carmel.in.gov -  click on the CarmelTV icon at the bottom of the page
Facebook.com/CityofCarmel - click 'Follow' for notification settings
YouTube.com/CityofCarmel - click 'Subscribe', then click the bell image for notification settings

To view archived Government Meetings with Closed Captioning visit the City's video archives


Select your meeting and once the video window opens on your computer screen or phone, select the CC box on the bottom right hand corner next to settings. 
Traffic Alert
The first phase of utility relocations are expected to begin on Monday, January 25 at the northeast corner of the intersection of Range Line Road and Westfield Boulevard and 116th Street. This phase of work is expected to take 10 days, weather dependent.
 
Temporary closures will include the northern most west bound lane of 116th Street and the far east northbound lane of Range Line Road. Access to the gas station, on that corner, will be maintained during this phase of work.
 
More work is expected to take place on the west side of the intersection. Dates will be announced once that phase is confirmed. Lane restrictions will be in place for approximately four weeks. No full closure are necessary.
Local restaurants continue to Feed the Frontlines
Thank you to Jamaican Reggae Grill and Carmel Rotary for providing meals!

Hospitals in Carmel, Indiana continue to work 24/7 to respond to COVID-19. Independent restaurants, still challenged from the initial wave of the pandemic are facing additional setbacks and possible closures. The Feed the Frontlines initiative continues to help provide hot meals to frontline workers at IU Health North and Ascension St. Vincent Carmel Hospitals.

Carmel Cares is a community partnership with Carmel Clay Schools, Carmel Clay Parks Department, Carmel Clay Public Library, Good Day Carmel, the Carmel Police and Fire Departments, Center for the Performing Arts, and others.
 

Follow #CarmelCares on Facebook 
Twitter: @CarmelCaresIN
Instagram: @carmelcaresin

And don't forget to buy your Carmel merch! Visit AllThingsCarmel.com for great t-shirts ($5 from every purchase goes towards post-COVID relief).
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One Civic Square - Carmel, Indiana - 46032

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