MONTHLY
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zionsvillemonthlymagazine.com
JANUARY 2024
Unveils Her Vision for Progress and Community Growth
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MONTHLY
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Deputy Mayor Kate Swanson Unveils Her Vision for Progress and Community Growth Zionsville Monthly is pleased to feature Deputy Mayor Kate Swanson on its latest cover. We sat down with Swanson, who offered insights into immediate goals and ongoing projects aimed at fostering progress and community growth within the town. The new administration wasted no time and hit the ground running as soon as the new year commenced, demonstrating a proactive approach to initiating positive changes and advancements for the benefit of Zionsville. Writer // Janelle Morrison • Cover photo // Laura Arick
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Paul Davis of Northwest Indy: The Experts in Water, Fire and Mold Cleanup and Restoration
10 Center Presents: Bruce Hornsby and yMusic present BrhyM 12 Immerse Yourself in Musical Excellence with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra in 2024!
ZIONSVILLE MONTHLY PUBLISHER / Neil Lucas neil@collectivepub.com / 317-460-0803 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / Neil Lucas neil@collectivepub.com / 317-460-0803 PUBLISHER / Lena Lucas lena@collectivepub.com / 317-501-0418
14 The Civic Presents: Romeo and Juliet
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JANUARY 2024
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JANUARY 2024
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A WOMAN-OWNED SERVICE AND COMMUNITY-MINDED COMPANY General Manager Kate Thoe, Vice President Andrew Thoe, and Vice President
Chris Jacobson, whose wife Heather grew up in Zionsville, transcend their roles as business owners and restoration specialists. As residents of the east Zionsville and west Carmel areas, they are not only deeply rooted in these communities but also profoundly committed to serving them in both a professional and philanthropic capacity. Their dedication extends beyond the realm of business, reflecting a genuine investment in the well-being and prosperity of local residents. Through their combined professional expertise and community-focused ethos, they exemplify a holistic commitment to enhancing both the business landscape and the quality of life within the east Zionsville and west Carmel areas. Andrew and Kate have been actively engaged in the field of property management for more than a decade. “We got out of [property management] during COVID to take care of our small children,” Andrew said. “While we were thinking about what we wanted to do next, we knew we wanted to be more entrenched in our local community…that was a high priority for us. When we learned about Paul Davis of Northwest Indianapolis, [their] brand values, and what the network is all about, it was a natural fit for us.” Kate added, “One thing that sets us apart from other restoration companies is being a woman-owned business. I think women bring a different perspective to the industry and tend to be heavily involved in the community, prioritizing that social responsibility compo-
PAUL DAVIS OF NORTHWEST INDIANAPOLIS EPITOMIZES CUSTOMER ADVOCACY
nent of the industry. Paul Davis of Northwest Indianapolis has just partnered with the Red Cross as of January 1, 2024, so we’ve reached out to our local Red Cross branch to see how we can collaborate and assist with their community efforts.” Chris Jacobson’s upbringing in the property development industry within the Wisconsin market has profoundly shaped his professional journey. Immersed in his family’s business, Chris gleaned invaluable insights into the intricate dynamics of collaborating with individuals and absorbed the significance of prioritizing excellent customer service experiences. “I have a huge appreciation for the trades and for the complexity that is involved, especially when dealing with such high-touch items and emotional investment [as you see in a] home,” Chris stated. “Our phone line will be answered 24/7, weekdays and weekends. I think something that Paul Davis of Northwest Indianapolis has ingrained in us and something that we believe in is making sure that we have the right people involved in a project, and the steps that we take very seriously are making sure that our employees have background checks and are well-versed [in] our values and how we want to integrate ourselves within our communities. We are very particular about the talent that we interact with as an organization to make sure that the customer[s], as well as the insurance providers, are getting the interaction that we expect and that we stand for.” ZIONSVILLE MONTHLY
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JANUARY 2024
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CENTER PRESENTS:
BRUCE HORNSBY AND yMUSIC PRESENT BrhyM THE PALLADIUM // SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 8 P.M. ET
Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Sarah Walor, Kat Fisher, Graham Tolbert
Bruce Hornsby, the eclectic singer-songwriter and pianist, gained fame with his Grammy-winning debut album, “The Way It Is,” and its title track, the most-played song on U.S. radio in 1987. With 24 albums as a leader, this 3x GRAMMY winner and songwriting legend toured with the Grateful Dead and contributed to over 100 records for artists like Bob Dylan, Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt, Sting, Mavis Staples and Willie Nelson. Currently, Hornsby is touring with the classicalpop ensemble yMusic, known for original compositions and collaborations with artists like Ben Folds, John Legend, Paul Simon and St. Vincent.
The collaborative project BryhM, featuring Bruce Hornsby and yMusic, announced their album, “Deep Sea Vents,” set to release on March 1 via Zappo Productions/Thirty Tigers. To celebrate, they released the single “Deep Blue,” a funky, meditative strut featuring electric sitar. yMusic, a prominent American chamber ensemble in its 16th year, consists of Rob Moose, CJ Camerieri, Nadia Sirota, Gabriel Cabezas, Hideaki Aomori and Alex Sopp. They explore both classical and popular music, contributing their recognizable sound to projects by various artists, including Andrew Norman, Anohni, Missy Mazzoli, John Legend, Paul Simon and Caroline Shaw. Bruce Hornsby remains an inspiration for young artists and a dedicated collaborator. Don’t miss this opportunity to see this concert! Get your tickets at thecenterpresents.org!
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that way, spoke to me. Then, as songwriters, I always felt that they were underrated. I think they have one of the greatest corpuses, bodies of work, in the history of popular music. I always said that those 40 to 50 Grateful Dead songs that make up the hymnal of the Grateful Dead are a religious experience for Dead Heads. It’s ecstatic. You talk about the chills…the chills abound in Grateful Dead music.
Janelle Morrison: I think the ‘80s was one of the greatest times in the history of [American] music because there is such a variety of genres and sounds that came out in that decade. How were you able to find your voice in all of that, with so many different genres hitting the charts? Bruce Hornsby: Well, it was a singular personal pursuit for me. I was in pursuit of myself, of finding my voice that was unique to me. And so, in my case, it was about following the goosebumps…following the chills. It’s still about that, frankly. JM: Who were some of your early influences, and how did they impact you as a singer/songwriter and pianist? BH: Your influences become that because these people move you deeply, and they give you chills. People like everyone from Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, the [Grateful] Dead, and on and on. Those are some real luminaries for me. I just put all of those influences together into a pot and stirred them up and came out with this thing that was most instant and sort of quickly represented by the song “The Way It Is” in the sense that it was the only song on that first record that had improvised piano solos. That was something that I was really about then, and so it was just a wonderful accident that it broke in England, and that became our calling card. JM: You said that the flagbearers of American music at that time were artists like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and John Mellencamp, and then there was you…an acoustic musician, topping the charts.
BH: I was just a piano version of that, lyrically and musically, although I didn’t have the power that they had because I was an acoustic musician. So, I couldn’t turn my amp up to 10 and reach the back of the arena with my sound. But I think I resided in that sort of Americana rootsy world—“Mandolin Rain,” for instance, using the accordion and the mandolin, having the great David Mansfield and the Range band originally playing all of this, and they are multi-instrumentalists in that way. JM: All of your collaborations stand the test of time. I can go back and listen to any of your songs, including your most recent work, and they hit the same. You spoke about the chills, and I still get them—that’s a testament to you and the artists you work with. I read a while back an interview where you were talking about touring with the Grateful Dead. I imagine you could write a book on those experiences themselves. BH: I could write a pretty good chapter, that’s for sure. I ended up getting my degree in jazz music from the University of Miami, so I was deeply involved in spontaneity, and so the Dead’s music, in
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JM: The way that you command the keys and work the piano is pure brilliance. I can hear every single keystroke in my head. It’s amazing how you bring such life to it. BH: Why, thank you. This gig that I’m going to do with yMusic will showcase that. yMusic is a chamber music group from NYC, and they are incredibly adept, very malleable. They have some of the greatest rhythmic precision of any classical musical group that I’ve ever worked with, and I’ve worked with a bunch of orchestras through the years. They are top drawer, top of the heap, in that way. JM: “Deep Sea Vents” is set to release on March 1. This collaborative project features you and yMusic. You shared that you first saw yMusic perform at Bon Iver’s Eaux Claires festival in 2016, then asked them to perform at your festival, Funhouse Fest, the next year. yMusic first appeared on your 2019 album, “Absolute Zero,” and then you toured together in late February and early March 2020. You and Rob Moose [yMusic multi-instrumentalist] kept on writing throughout the shutdown, and your collaboration produced this latest album, “Deep Sea Vents.” BH: We had all this time on our hands, and we used it wisely. About every six weeks, they would send me a new track, and I would write a song and send it back to them. That resulted in this record that’s coming out. We had nothing but time, so why not take that deep dive and try to be really creative? So, I feel that this music is very creative, and I feel like we carved out our own stylistic area that is unique to us. That is something I’ve always been interested in throughout my entire career.
Event Series: Masterworks
Bohemian Delight & The Firebird March 16 at 7:30 p.m. Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Courtesy of CSO, Dubbie Buckler, Moonbug Photography and IBC
Prepare to be captivated by the soul-stirring masterpieces of Antonín Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 8,” Bedřich Smetana’s “The Bartered Bride,” and Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” on an unforgettable evening taking place on Saturday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Palladium.
W
ith Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 8: A Joyful Celebration of Life,” get ready to experience the sheer exuberance and jubilation of this masterpiece that exudes warmth, charm and boundless energy. The second half of the evening starts with Smetana’s festive overture, “The Bartered Bride.” Next, experience a world of mythical creatures and magical landscapes while listening to the spell-binding power of Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.” Inspired by Russian folklore, this lush and evocative ballet uses vibrant, soaring melodies to envelop you in the firebird’s mystical journey.
The Palladium for the Performing Arts, renowned for its acoustics and grandeur, provides the perfect setting for this symphonic extravaganza. The Carmel Symphony Orchestra’s exceptional musicians will give you a night to remember. Buy your tickets at thecenterpresents.org. CSO Maestro David Commanday and Executive Director Anne Marie Chastain shared how the organization continues to raise the bar and showcase its exceptionalism in exciting ways this season! “It is a matter of balancing the flow and timing of this March program,” Commanday shared. “We have the overture to ‘The Bartered Bride’ from Smetana, which is a
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delightful piece, and [Dvorak’s] ‘Symphony No. 8,’ which is one of my favorites. There are so many wonderful things in it, and it also features gorgeous cello solos, which is always fun—the wonderful cello section of CSO will do beautifully with that. ‘The Bartered Bride’ overture is a tour de force; there’s a lot of notes. But the symphony can do it, and I’m looking forward to that. Then we have ‘The Firebird’ suite, which I’ve done quite a number of times, and with ballet. It is magical, and not that he ever went crazy in a bad way, but it’s Stravinsky before some people think he went crazy.” CSO Executive Director Anne Marie Chastain spoke about the collaboration between CSO and Carmel’s Indiana Ballet Conservatory (IBC) for this upcoming concert, tipping us off that CSO continues to seek out collaborations with Carmel organizations such as the Carmel Clay Public Library. “We’ve been working on a lot of great things this year,” Chastain stated. “Indiana Ballet Conservatory is dancing with us for ‘The Firebird.’ That’s going to be super cool and fun! And we’re working on a leadership program with the library. We’re going to have two panels at the library in March with women leaders talking about mental health in the workplace, mentoring and other topics affecting women. We will have chamber music by some women musicians representing CSO, who will be playing female composers for about 20 minutes.” Look for more information about this exciting collaboration with CCPL to be released soon! Bringing another layer of exceptional artistic talent to the upcoming BOHEMIAN DELIGHT & THE FIREBIRD concert are IBC’s Chris Lingner and Clara Crane. Lingner has been a featured guest artist with Midwest Repertory Ballet, Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre, New Albany Ballet, Peoria Ballet, the Young Stars of Ballet
Gala (presented by Indianapolis City Ballet), Dayton Ballet, Ballet Virginia, and Chamber Dance Project in Washington D.C. Lingner also helped found Indianapolis Ballet as an original company member. He is currently an instructor and the Business Operations Manager at IBC. Lingner looks forward to continuing to share his love for the art form by helping cultivate
the next generation of dancers with IBC. Crane, 15, is a freshman at Westfield High School. She has been training at IBC in Carmel, IN for over 12 years. At the age of nine, Clara participated in the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) ballet competition for the first time and has since been awarded 2nd, 3rd (twice) and Top 12 in Classical and placed in the Top 12 in
contemporary solos. Clara has also been invited as a soloist to the YAGP Finals in Tampa, FL in the past three years. She has been awarded scholarships from the Next Generation Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet NY/CT and the John Cranko School NY/ CT. Outside of dance, Clara enjoys playing flute in the Westfield High School Wind Symphony Orchestra and piano. IBC Founding Artistic Director Alyona Yakovleva commented on working with Chastain and CSO on what will be their second collaborative project. “I love Anne Marie, and I love to collaborate with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra,” Yakovleva said. “I think our first collaboration with CSO’s Holiday Pops was successful, and based on that experience, I’m really looking forward to ‘[The] Firebird.’ It is my dream to give opportunities to my students to perform with a live symphony orchestra; that’s how ballet was [historically] performed, and it’s an unforgettable experience for the performers and the audience.”
UPCOMING CONCERTS AT THE CARMEL SYMPHONY BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY
3.16.24
Bohemian Masterpieces & The Firebird
4.13.24
Drama & Opera: Verdi’s Requiem
4.21.24
Antonia Bennett in Concert, conducted by Joel Smirnoff
5.4.24
Carmel Young Talent Showcase, conducted by Joel Smirnoff
www.carmelsymphony.org COME HEAR THE CARMEL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LIVE IN CONCERT | AT THE PALLADIUM 13
THE CIVIC PRESENTS:
ROMEO AND JULIET
marginalized by the adults…not being heard is extremely relevant right now. Another thing that is awesome about the story underneath the story is there are two factions against each other. Again, I feel like we’re not so far away from that being a relevant topic. Sadly, [Romeo and Juliet] is still timely, and like all of Shakespeare’s tragedies, it still resonates with people. I feel like the character of Lady Capulet, she’s kind of awful, but she’s of her time. Women were expected to live a certain way, make a good match, and marry well. Being “comfortable” gives you access and ease of life. She couldn’t imagine not wanting that, so the idea that Juliet’s “in love” is foreign to her. It’s been interesting delving into that because I’m very much about my kids and am involved in their lives. This [role] is a way of exploring the “mean mom,” and it’s always fun to play a villain.
EMILY ROGGE TZUCKER – DIRECTOR
FEBRUARY 9 - 24, 2024 SHOWTIMES: THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS @ 7:00 P.M. SUNDAYS @ 2:00 P.M. STUDENT MATINEES: 2/14, 2/15, 2/16, 2/21, 2/22, 2/23 @ 10:30 A.M. *Please contact Group Sales at groups@civictheatre.org for more information on bringing your student group. Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Courtesy of Civic and Joshua Hasty Photography
In this 90-minute version of the Shakespearean classic, you’ll be transported to fair Verona, where we lay our scene. In this new interpretation, adapted especially for the Civic stage by director Emily Rogge Tzucker, you can expect the romantic tale of star-crossed love with an extra dash of energy and excitement. Dark, contemporary and just a little bit rock-and-roll, Civic’s production promises the best of the old while breathing new life into a classic tale of love and loss. PURCHASE TICKETS AT THECENTERPRESENTS.ORG.
STEVE KRUZE – FRIAR LAURENCE Shakespeare is my spouse’s [Christine Kruze] favorite. We met during Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” back in college 30 years ago. For me, [performing in this production] is a chance for me to watch [Christine] do her thing. As far as the part of the friar, I think it’s about understanding the history of what was going on at the time when this play was written, 50-plus years after the [Catholic] Reformation began. Shakespeare places a Catholic priest in a pretty pivotal part, and it doesn’t always go well. I think of my character as the “road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” My character doesn’t want bad things to happen…he wants good
things to happen. But by interjecting himself into these things without being able to see the whole picture, it causes some chaos.
CHRISTINE KRUZE – LADY CAPULET Any opportunity that we [Christine and Steve] get to do a show together is great! Shakespeare, especially in this story, wrote quintessential stories about people. I love the idea and the opportunity to expand on what people think they know about Romeo and Juliet. I feel like there are depths to the relationships that can really be explored beyond, “Oh, they’re so in love and can’t be together so they kill themselves.” How the family treats Juliet contributes to the idea of isolation and being
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I think [Civic] chose [Romeo and Juliet] because out of all of Shakespeare’s plays, it’s the one a lot of people know, and because we have the wonderful opportunity to do student matinees that will bring in somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 students to see this production. When you see [Romeo and Juliet] live, it’s a whole different experience. These plays were not written to only be studied…they were ultimately written to be performed. It’s really exciting to see the characters brought to life. I’ve adapted it and took it from 3 ½ hours down to a solid 90 minutes. It’s going to be a very clean, sparse set, but it’s kind of out of time…it’s not in one particular time period because it is a timeless story. We’ve set it in a timeless way, and you’ll see the costumes in a fun combination of Renaissance elements with jeans and combat boots. You’ll see a Renaissance jacket made of denim and leather. We’ve got some solid sword fighting and have a wonderful fight choreographer who’s doing all of that work for us.
REBECCA PIÑERO – JULIET CAPULET I think so much of [the character] is just Juliet being a teenage girl and being allowed to feel everything that she feels and start to be more in tune with the world around her. At the beginning of the play, she has been sheltered and doesn’t really connect with anyone other than her nurse. But
when she meets Romeo, she discovers more about herself, and she sees the world in such a beautiful way and expresses how she sees the world, so it’s really beautiful to see that character arc throughout the show. I think it’s really easy to see the other characters as villains through the lens that we have now, but if we look at their relationships and their economic statuses, we’re really similar to the way things are now. Parents now are similar to parents then, trying to do the very best possible things they can for their families. In this play, part of that was making everything kind of transactional, getting rid of emotions, and that was [the Capulets’] way of taking care of Juliet, and it may not seem like that through the lens we have now. I think part of it was written as a cautionary tale of overbearing and overprotectiveness and the effects of trying to control and limit what [young people] are capable of.
KENDRELL STIFF – ROMEO MONTAGUE At the start, Romeo is this really bold guy who isn’t afraid to say what’s on his mind. He does whatever he wants, pretty
much, and that is very different from how I live my life. I like to let other people talk; I don’t like to be outspoken. But once he meets Juliet, you start to see his layers. You see he is just a regular person. He’s not this guy that has this bravado that can’t be touched. He’s just a teenage boy…he’s got hormones flowing. He just wants to be loved, and he wants someone that he can love. I think that’s something that I can definitely relate to, and that’s something that everyone can relate to, really. In our production, Romeo’s dad is dead. That automatically adds a completely new dynamic to Romeo. His dad is gone, and all of his titles are gone, and with that, all of his money. I think he’s sort of acting out, in a way, and his mom really wants to try to get through to him, but she’s also trying to figure things out. She wants Romeo to be the head of the house and to be the head of everything, but that’s not really what he wants. He wants to live his own life. I think anyone who has dealt with that kind of loss, that’s a really big thing that they can connect with. I think as tragic as this story is, in reality, there’s a story of hope. Even with Romeo and Juliet’s death…and Mercutio and Tybalt’s death, and, well…a lot of people die, but even
with all of that tragedy, there is, in the end, a union of the two households. They finally see that all of this turmoil was stupid, and it caused all of this hurt. The message of hope in that all of that tragedy is if you keep going, there is a light at the end of it.
CAST LIST Romeo Montague................. Kendrell Stiff Juliet Capulet....................Rebecca Piñero Lord Capulet....................Parrish Williams Lady Capulet..................... Christine Kruze Lady Montague...................Carrie Reiberg The Nurse.................................Angi Parks Mercutio.............................. Shelby Myers Tybalt................................. Nicholas Gibbs Count Paris........................Jeffrey Weimer Prince Escalus............... Evangeline Bouw Friar Laurence........................Steve Kruze Benvolio............................Ryan Moskalick Chorus (Brother John, Apothecary, Watch, Servant)......................... Kelsey VanVoorst Sampson/Various............ Nolan Daugherty Gregory.................................. Kyarah Love
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Healthy Living in Boone County Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Amanda Vela and submitted
In the 2023 County Health Rankings, Boone County secured the position of the third healthiest county in Indiana. This accomplishment underscores the county’s persistent dedication to promoting the health and well-being of its community members. Published on an annual basis, the County Health Rankings provide essential insights into the determinants impacting health within the county and furnish a roadmap for prospective advancements.
A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO STAY HEALTHY
T
he third-place designation for Boone County as the healthiest county in Indiana is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the Healthy Coalition. Made up of committed community partners,
this coalition has diligently mobilized and delivered coordinated services through a unified public health system. Through the promotion of healthy lifestyles and targeted interventions addressing critical health needs, the Healthy Coalition has played a pivotal role in securing this noteworthy achievement.
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The County Health Rankings are available at countyhealthrankings.org. President of the Boone County Commissioner Don Lawson expressed his enthusiasm for this recognition, stating, “We are incredibly proud to be named the third healthiest county in Indiana. This achievement reflects the dedication and
hard work of our community partners, healthcare professionals and residents who have come together to prioritize health and well-being. It is a testament to our commitment to creating a healthier, happier and more vibrant Boone County.” Lisa Younts, RN, Boone County Health Dept. Administrator and Nursing & Vital Records Director, discussed what it takes to be listed as one of the state’s healthiest counties and how the county’s health department has been firing on all cylinders since the start of the pandemic in 2020. “We’ve gotten back to the normalcy of what we were doing before COVID,” Younts said. “All of our programs are back in full swing. Even though COVID-19 is still circulating, we’re fortunate enough to still have COVID tests that we are providing to the public for free. It is nice to do our normal day-to-day duties on top of that.” When asked what factors are considered to be ranked at the top of the health rankings, Younts replied, “There are quite a few factors that go into the overall understanding of the health rankings
of a population. Where Boone County has its best numbers in terms of health outcomes that represent how healthy a county is right now [is] length of life and quality of life. The health factors that we can modify are behaviors such as smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity. Where Boone County differs from other counties [in] a reporting aspect is that 84% of our residents reported having access to exercise opportunities. [It] is huge to have that access because not all communities have that.” Younts commended the county’s communities for their collaborative efforts in connecting and extending trail systems and expanding parks and green spaces, all of which provide access to physical activity to all of the county’s residents, employees and visitors.
HEALTH EDUCATION IS KEY Younts emphasized that educating the public is essential to preventing illness and maintaining a healthy, vibrant county. The Boone County Health Department continues to offer and promote its
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programs and services. It has elevated its public education offerings by utilizing its public information officer Claire Houghton even more as the county’s population grows exponentially. “The health department’s community efforts are aimed at the prevention of disease and the promotion of health,” Younts said. “We are constantly working to get the information out there to prevent things from happening. We’re able to do what we do because of the community partnerships that we’ve created throughout the years, especially with the Boone County commissioners, Witham Hospital and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office. All of these community partners came together for the COVID response, and because we were fortunate to already have these relationships in place, it made it easier for the county to move forward.” Younts shared that the health department’s biggest programs are its immunization and food safety programs. “We participate in the state’s immunization program, which allows us to give low-
Lisa Younts, RN, Boone County Health Dept. Administrator and Nursing & Vital Records Director
cost or no-cost vaccines if you qualify,” Younts said. “That is huge in that it allows us to break down that barrier and enables us to give vaccinations to our residents.” The health department also provides required vaccinations to students of the county’s three public school districts. Younts explained that they provide clinics for routine vaccinations and flu clinics for the general public as well. Younts ranks educating the public on the importance of staying up on vaccinations as a high priority and a requirement to maintain a healthy county status. “While not all vaccines prevent [illness], they will make it less severe and reduce the risk of hospitalization and death,” Younts emphasized. “We work to provide education on all of the various vaccinations so that individuals can make informed decisions. We do homebound vaccines for those individuals [who] cannot come out to us. It’s another way that we can break down those barriers.” Younts spoke about the health department’s goals to have its PIO available to
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as many organizations throughout the county as possible. She mentioned that no health-related topic is off-limits. “The more the word gets out, the more we can hopefully help,” Younts said. “If any company, events or organization would like more information on a health topic, we are making Claire available to everyone in the county as much as possible. We offer all sorts of health education programs to the community. Claire’s been doing a lot in the [county] schools, but we’re hoping to get her in front of a lot of different organizations as well.” Younts is hopeful that as the county’s population grows and more companies relocate to the county, her budget will allow her to expand the PIO department and reach even more people and businesses by adding another public information officer to her staff in the next couple of years.
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JANUARY 2024
Kate Swanson D e p u t y M ayo r
Unveils Her Vision for Progress and Community Growth Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Laura Arick and submitted
Zionsville Monthly is pleased to feature Deputy Mayor Kate Swanson on its latest cover. We sat down with Swanson, who offered insights into immediate goals and ongoing projects aimed at fostering progress and community growth within the town. The new administration wasted no time and hit the ground running as soon as the new year commenced, demonstrating a proactive approach to initiating positive changes and advancements for the benefit of Zionsville.
IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS
F
rom the inception of his campaign and continuing seamlessly after taking the oath of office, Mayor John Stehr has prioritized the enhancement of communications from the mayor’s office as a central focus of his administration. This commitment extends to improving both internal and external communication channels, reflecting Mayor Stehr’s dedication to fostering transparency and efficient information flow throughout the community and within the administration itself. Swanson said, “This administration is an open book. We are meeting with every town councilor, one-on-one, to keep them informed and updated. A big priority for this administration is going to be developing South Village…we are super excited about that. We don’t have final plans in place
yet, but we want to keep the council in the know beforehand. There’s no reason to hide anything from the town council, and we are going to share everything that’s going on with them throughout the process. The mayor is going to provide honest, concise, and transparent updates all of the time.”
DEVISING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND DEVELOPING SOUTH VILLAGE Swanson reiterated the mayor’s statements that emphasize the need for commercial growth to secure the town’s economic viability. Throughout Mayor Stehr’s campaign, he and Swanson highlighted the town’s heavy reliance on residential property taxes. This administration aims to alleviate this burden on homeowners by attracting more commercial development. In pursuit of this goal, Swanson shared how the administration envisions the redevel-
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opment of South Village. This proposed development is part of the mayor’s broader strategy to not only diversify the tax base but also enhance the vibrancy of downtown Zionsville by drawing in more visitors. “We’re lucky in the way that we can really start developing South Village. At the same time, we will be working on the comprehensive plan—which takes 12 to 18 months to complete—because we want to get the entire community involved, review all of that input, and really start to make moves there,” Swanson shared. “We are looking at this [development] holistically. We’re not going to look at it as one individual project. It’s a comprehensive plan of 100 acres from Pine Street all the way south to the old 106th Street where the cemetery is. The Gateway Project is a project within South Village…it is a portion of the entire development.”
me when somebody brings me a piece of paper to sign. There are so many ways that we can make things more efficient and secure for not only the town employees but for the residents. We have the IT resources, and the state is giving grants to municipalities to stay up to date on cybersecurity measures because you can’t do one [digitization] without the other [cybersecurity].”
A PASSION AND VISION FOR THE DEPUTY MAYOR ROLE
Swanson added, “What we want to share with people is the big-picture view of what we envision. And what we are envisioning does not take away from our ‘crown jewel’ that is the heart of our town. We want to add to that and enhance what’s already there. We want more people to frequent restaurants, [and] more shoppers, and we want more public art. Additionally, there will be more green space to tie into our trails and work into the existing [green] spaces.”
ZIONSVILLE’S REENGAGEMENT AT THE COUNTY AND STATE LEVELS The Town of Zionsville is reinforcing its collaboration with the Boone County Economic Development Corporation (Boone EDC). In a town council meeting on January 16, Mayor Stehr successfully proposed and received unanimous approval for a resolution allocating funds to the Boone EDC for their 2024 services. As a nonprofit organization, Boone EDC is committed to fostering the growth of Boone County through active engagement with businesses, developers, consultants, real estate brokers, public officials and the community. This renewed partnership signifies the Town of Zionsville’s ongoing commitment to economic development, with Mayor Stehr
prioritizing this collaboration by appropriating funds from the Food and Beverage Fund for economic development services. “You have to be able to work with your neighbors; it is vital to the health and future of Zionsville,” Swanson emphasized. “Another example of this is the mayor participating in the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority (CIRDA) board meetings. The CIRDA board is made up of all participating municipalities’ mayors. It is a huge priority for our mayor that we plant our flag in CIRDA…they have $750 million that they’re distributing to towns around the state. We’ve asked for $37 million—we won’t get $37 million—but we have really ambitious plans for South Village and would use those funds for the infrastructure of that development.”
ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS For the last few years, the previous administration has offered community enrichment grants to local nonprofit organizations funded by the town’s food and beverage dollars. “We won’t be doing the community enrichment grants going forward,” Swanson explained. “I loved the idea of an equitable way for nonprofits to apply for [grants], but those came from the food and beverage tax fund, and we’ve decided that we would like to use the [food and beverage] dollars to make an economic impact in the town. We would like to direct nonprofits to the Community Foundation of Boone County, which has been doing this work for over 30 years in our community and is well-suited for this. They do a wonderful job distributing money to local nonprofits, and we will continue to support them in other ways that we can.” “Another priority is digitization and cyber security,” Swanson said. “Municipal governments, as a whole, are behind, and coming from a software company, it’s really hard for
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When questioned about her contributions to the role and her overarching goals, Swanson articulated her unique skill set and outlined her aspirations for the position. “The mayor and I work really well together, and economic development and business advocacy are real passions of mine,” Swanson said. “When I was younger, I used to work at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C., and I used to travel all over the country, visiting chambers of commerce. I got a real taste for what business advocacy is from big business to small business. What I think I bring to this administration is that excitement and genuine interest in supporting and celebrating our business community, which does so much for the area.” Swanson added, “I’m definitely a behindthe-scenes kind of person. I love to solve problems and get things done. I enjoy working with people on ways to get things done. I enjoy being able to help Mayor Stehr’s vision come to fruition, which is how I think I can be most helpful to his administration. I think it takes big, bold leadership to move something forward sometimes. I think Mayor Stehr is prepared to support a big, bold vision with the help of a comprehensive plan, which is comprised of the entire town’s input, and lead the charge with that input.”
PUBLIC NOTICE In addition to notices and announcements posted on the town’s website and Facebook page, the public is encouraged to watch public meetings that are streamed online via the town’s YouTube channel. Mayor Stehr will speak at his first State of the Town address on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, from 7:30-9 a.m. The public is encouraged to watch online, or people can register for a seat at the town hall through the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce’s website at zionsvillechamber.org. This event is free and open to the public.
Furball 2024
A Countywide Mission of Support for Our Furry Friends Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Courtesy of HSforBC
Humane Society for Boone County plays a pivotal role in fostering compassion, empathy and responsible stewardship toward animals within our county. Guided by its dedicated leadership, HSforBC serves as a beacon of advocacy and guardianship for the well-being of our canine and feline companions.
T
he importance of humane societies and their leaders cannot be overstated. They contribute not only to the rescue and rehabilitation of animals in need but also to the cultivation of a societal ethos that values kindness, respect, and understanding toward all living beings. For 15 years, Susan Austin has been one of the many compassionate souls who have given their time, talent and treasure to HSforBC. For the last three years, she has honorably served as the organization’s executive director. Though Austin recently announced that she will be retiring as the executive director, she emphasized that she will continue to volunteer at HSforBC once her successor has been named and has taken Austin’s place at the helm.
Moments of Reflection and Celebration For those acquainted with Austin and fortunate enough to have served with her at the HSforBC shelter or any of its noteworthy events in the last 15 years, it comes as no surprise that Austin modestly shies away from taking credit. Instead, she turns the spotlight toward the numerous exceptional individuals who contribute as volunteers or serve on the board of directors. During our conversation, Austin graciously recounted her proudest achievements and expressed her apprehensions for the future. With the county experiencing growth, the challenges surrounding the welfare of surrendered or abandoned cats and dogs persistently escalate.
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Austin shared that there has been a notable focus by the board and HSforBC’s leadership on education and advocacy for volunteerism, spanning from the recession through the pandemic. The efforts have extended to areas such as spay-neuter initiatives, pet pantry services, and vaccinations. HSforBC will expand the existing programming and introduce new initiatives as needed and as resources become available. Austin, along with her dedicated board and volunteers, deserves commendation for her unwavering emphasis on the education and advocacy of animal welfare throughout these challenging times. “We were able to raise enough money to buy the [shelter] building outright,” Austin said. “We wanted to make sure that we
were on solid footing before we made an investment like that and [that] we would be able to maintain the building. We were able and blessed to find a volunteer contractor who helped us with our initial renovation of the dog runs so that we had more than just the recovery run for the dogs. We were able to do a phenomenal job with the indoor and outdoor kennels and play yard…making sure that the animals are cared for at a greater level than what is just needed.” When asked what the most impactful lesson has been during her time with HSforBC, Austin replied, “I understand more now that things happen beyond everybody’s realm of control. People are sometimes put in hard situations and have to make difficult choices. There is a compassion piece that continues to develop. You know the saying, ‘There but for the grace of God go I’…in some cases, people are losing their homes. COVID impacted a lot of people financially, and lower-income households are only one crisis away from bankruptcy. If we can help them in some measure by keeping the animals that they love and care for in their homes, that is what we try to do. But even some of our resources are drying up, and it’s heartbreaking.” In addition to rising expenses for supplies and food, Austin revealed that the costs associated with vaccinations and veterinary services have surged significantly. Austin also explained that fewer individuals are entering the veterinary field, creating a void of trained veterinarians who can address the increasing needs throughout the nation.
It Takes an Entire County Several moving parts affect the costs and access to services and supplies need-
ed to keep HSforBC operating at the level Boone County residents have become accustomed to. The wheel of support is made up of many spokes that include volunteers, fosters, generous veterinarians and donations. “The [HSforBC] volunteers have always been the core of the care for the animals,” Austin expressed. “They’re the ones [who] are here 24/7, 365 days, as needed, twice a day, feeding, walking, scooping poop and identifying if a dog isn’t behaving quite ‘right’ and letting the care team know. Many times, we’re able to get at a situation from the beginning if the dog isn’t feeling well, has eaten something it shouldn’t have, or if they’ve come in with parasites. The dedication of the people [who] have built and grown this organization is beyond compare anywhere in this country. We’ve had so many volunteers buy and donate things when they see they are needed at the shelter. Our volunteers are probably our biggest donors, not just in terms of time and talent but also their treasure.” Austin emphasized that the need for volunteers and fosters remains critical and hopes that more people throughout
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Boone County will offer support in whatever way is optimal for each individual, family or business. As a reminder, donations made to other animal welfare organizations outside of Boone County do not come back to HSforBC. The organization does not receive any funds throughout the county via tax dollars. Generous donations and fundraising efforts are the revenue generators for HSforBC, and community partnerships are crucial to the organization’s day-to-day operations. “We look forward to growing these partnerships and working with other service organizations,” Austin said. “These relationships are so incredibly important. Nothing would have happened for HSforBC if individuals hadn’t taken it upon themselves to find a solution to the problem and the compassionate individuals who keep donating their time to provide solutions and this level of care for the animals of the county [that] have been abandoned, abused or surrendered. It’s going to continue to take each of us [residing in Boone County] to step out of our comfort zones, donate time and show leadership to keep HSforBC moving forward and ensure that it is here to take care of the issues.”
Don’t Miss THE Mardi Gras Pawty of 2024! Experience a taste of New Orleans with a delectable menu featuring authentic dishes and King Cake! This, and so much more to experience at this year’s Fur Ball, a Mardi Gras Pawty to support HSforBC! This must-attend pawty of the Mardi Gras season features delicious food, lots of fun, silent and live auctions, a dog and cat mask contest, and other surprises! Individual tickets and tables of 10 are available to purchase for this fundraising event. Join us on Saturday, February 24th in the Cardinal Room at the Golf Club of Indiana. If you’re hosting a “viewing pawty” via Zoom, join your fellow HSforBC supporters for the main event, which will begin at 7 p.m. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. and dinner begins at 6 p.m. Purchase tickets at hsforbc.org!
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