Issuu

December 1, 2020

A Town of Zionsville Publication

In This Issue • Top 10 Highlights of 2020 • Fire Department Santa is Back • Zionsville’s Resilience in the Time of COVID-19

December 1, 2020

Top 10 Town of Zionsville Highlights of 2020

RLL will be building headquarters at Creekside Corporate Park Chief Spears meets with residents at Mulberry Fields to discuss diversity and inclusion

\Grants were awarded to eight local businesses, including Frances + Parke This year may be remembered most by what we have endured throughout COVID-19, but outside of the events and issues that dominate our news, the Town of Zionsville continued to persist. Despite the challenges, we have a lot to celebrate and be proud of in Zionsville. In the style of Indy native David Letterman, here are the top 10 highlights of 2020 from the Town of Zionsville.

10. Grant program

Launched a grant program for local businesses in response to COVID-19, awarding $73,500 in grants to eight local businesses.

Future dog park at Heritage Trail Park

9. Dog park

Broke ground on Zionsville’s first dog park at Heritage Trail Park.

8. Diversity and inclusion

Zionsville Police Department committed to discussing diversity, inclusion and systemic racism and strengthening policies and practices through the creation of the Use of Force review board, bias training for all officers, an intentional recruitment campaign to reach more female and minority candidates and more.

7. Climate Action Plan

Completed Zionsville’s first greenhouse gas inventory and began a Climate Action Plan in partnership with other Indiana communities.

6. Boone County Peer Support Team

Zionsville Fire Department, in coordination with the Local 5195, Lebanon Fire Department and Whitestown Fire Department, implemented the new Boone County Peer Support Team to assess their peers for signs of stress.

The Little Free Library at Zionsville Town Hall opens

Mayor Emily Styron and her son watch the demolition of the locksmith shop and PNC bank building

5. New amenities

Added new community and parks amenities including two new playgrounds, repair of the skate park, new pickleball courts, Little Free Library at the Town Hall plaza, public art and more.

4. Community engagement

Engagement and transparency were taken to a new level with Live Sessions with the Mayor and Town Council President, live streams of board/ commission meetings, Creekside Chats with residents and local groups, Zionsville Gateway

Skate Park is repaired and receives improvements Area in-person and virtual listening sessions, Overley-Worman Park virtual open house, development signs and more.

3. Zionsville Gateway Area plan

Tore down the PNC bank building and locksmith shop and involved the public in virtual and in-person listening sessions to help build a redevelopment plan for the gateway into the Village Business District.

2. Economic development

Announced Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

will be building their corporate headquarters in Creekside Corporate Park, the first development in Creekside in four years. RLL Racing will add 80 high wage jobs to our local economy in 2021.

1. Zionsville’s resiliency

We masked up for each other, supported our businesses through carry out, shopped online, dined outside during Night on the Bricks, celebrated 4th of July from Mulberry Fields and creatively came up with safe trick-ortreat solutions. We seriously leaned into being Zionsville Strong!

December 1, 2020

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Holiday Safety Tips from Zionsville Fire Department According to the National Fire Protection Administration, house fires generally increase during the fall and winter with fire incidents peaking in December and January. To keep your family safe, Zionsville Fire Department asks you to think: HAPPY H.O.L.I.D.A.Y.S.

Zionsville Cultural District By Carla Howie, Zionsville Cultural District President

H – Heating Sources

The Zionsville Cultural District (ZCD) was the brainstorm of a small group of fellow Zionsville residents in 2013 who held a passion and a desire to bring a more diverse and recognizable presence of arts, culture and history within the Zionsville area.

Choose a portable heater that is UL certified and has a “tip over switch.” Make sure it is placed at least three feet from other items in your room and never leave a space heater unattended.

O – Overloaded Circuits

Their first action step was to obtain a nonprofit status as an organization necessary to apply for state designation through the Indianapolis Arts Commission. The Commission has since changed their process to obtain State Designation from an application process to an invitational process, however the ZCD has built upon this momentum.

The US Fire Administration attributes roughly 24,000 fires each year to electrical overloads and failures. Know your home’s electrical capacity. Plug appliances directly into wall outlets.

L – Lighting

Make sure to string lights dedicated for outside or outside use only in their suggested environments. Extinguish candles when leaving a room. Consider using LED candles as a safe alternative.

We applied twice for designation prior to their process change. Twice, we were denied. With the first application, we were not presented with any feedback. Upon the second try, we took their limited feedback and went to work. One of the items the Commission made clear was the need for collaboration with the town and with other community organizations.

I – Inspections

Take time to have your chimneys and fireplaces professionally inspected and serviced prior to using them this season. Inspect all ornaments and other holiday items.

ZFD’s Santa will be back for 2020 and a neighborhood schedule is posted on the Town’s website

D – Decoration

Keep decorations away from heat and light sources. Choose to replace and recycle items that may be in a less than fair condition. Regularly water real Christmas trees and plants.

Zionsville Fire Department Santa is Back for 2020

A – Alarms

Zionsville Fire Department’s Area Familiarization with Santa is back this year. Santa is preparing to ride atop a fire engine and visit Zionsville neighborhoods.

Y – Your Family

Nightly routes start on Dec. 11 and continue through Christmas Eve. All routes start at 6:30 p.m. and end no later than 9 p.m. As Santa approaches a neighborhood, residents may see emergency lights and hear holiday music. Be sure to turn on porch lights and keep watch out your windows. Listen as the holiday music fills the air on the night Santa is scheduled for your neighborhood.

Vacuum clean and test all your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. Replace batteries that are approaching six months old and alarms that are approaching 10 years old.

Review and implement a drill of your family’s fire escape plan. Remember, sleeping with bedroom doors closed slows the spread of smoke and fire.

S – Stove Safety

Stay with a dish while it is being prepared. If using a deep fryer or other appliance, make sure to follow preparation directions as advised while using safe kitchen and meal prep practices.

Dahlias on display at the annual Dahlia Exhibition

With health and safety the priority, Santa will not be able to stop and greet people at the usual gathering spots this coming season. ZFD encourages responsible social distancing and all other recommend health-centered practices for the duration of this year’s Area Familiarization with Santa training routes.

Santa won’t be able to make it down every street, but ZFD will attempt to cover as many as time permits. Note: emergency runs are the first priority and routes and times are subject to change as a result. Zionsville Fire Department Public Educator Vincent Randolph said, “Zionsville Fire Department uses this opportunity to provide quality hands-on training to our engineers in diverse weather conditions. This year we will follow the safety guidelines of social distancing as well-wishers greet us with waves and smiles along the routes. It’s our goal, by cautiously continuing this year’s festive driver training tradition, that we can help to bring a little cheer this holiday season.” Follow the ZFD Facebook page (www.facebook. com/zionsvillefiredepartment) for the schedule of neighborhoods and updates.

Our first collaboration with the Town of Zionsville was for the ZCD’s Sidewalk Poetry Contest. This project took almost a full year to develop for Zionsville and continues to this day with wide support from students and adults. Garnering community collaboration support, along with the Town’s support of the mural project of Abraham Lincoln, the ZCD established an Arts Review Panel, consisting of three community artists to weigh in on the project paying homage to the long-established Lincoln Park. Right upon the heels of the mural project, the Town supported our Dahlia painted traffic control box, again paying homage to Zionsville’s history and connection to the dahlia flower – Zion’s Pride. Since the inception of the ZCD, our longest running program has been the Concert Series where each year from June through August our committee members secure a variety of bands and community sponsors to welcome our residents and visitors for an evening of music. Due to the pandemic, we were not able to expand our program as planned this year. We had anticipated June and July’s evening of entertainment to be held at Lion’s Park and August’s entertainment to be held at Lincoln Park. The Concert Series will implement this lineup of musical entertainment once we get the “all clear.”

In 2020, the ZCD has been able to maintain a full board capacity of 15 volunteer members. We have structured ourselves into working committees with objectives and strategies to obtain them. Our vision has kept our feet firmly planted in our commitment to make art, history and culture accessible and obvious through support, promotion and coordination.

Lincoln Mural on First Street

We are aware of the unlimited opportunity for the expansion of our vision. Zionsville is a vibrant community with residents who enjoy and appreciate what Zionsville is and what yet, it can become. Our desire is to make Zionsville a destination for art, history and culture. We are excited for our continued and growing relationship with the Town and with our community members and organizations. Why not take a peek at our website: www.zvillecd.org and if you feel compelled to make a donation, you can rest assured – it is greatly appreciated.

December 1, 2020

Zionsville Police Department Focuses on Mental Health

Zionsville’s Resilience in the Time of COVID-19: Creativity from Adversity Keeping Halloween Alive Even with COVID-19 temporarily altering our reality, leaders, residents and businesses in Zionsville have come together with creative solutions tailored to our community. Most recently, neighborhoods, residents and families united to come up to safe but fun alternatives to traditional door-todoor trick-or-treating. Neighbors creatively strategized with candy placed on tables on the end of their driveways, pre-packed treat bags, scavenger hunts, trickor-treat trails and even candy chutes on front porches or from second floor balconies. We are stronger together!

ZPD members (from left to right): Officer Mandie Heitz, Sergeant Brad Kiefer, Officer Chris Wheeler and Officer Thomas Lucas. Zionsville Police Department officers are participating in two new programs: de-escalation training and REACH (Resources, Evaluating, Assisting in Community Health). As part of these programs, ZPD officers are being trained on nonviolent ways to resolve conflicts. Four ZPD officers recently completed a two-day Realistic De-Escalation Instructor Course and are now teaching it back to all department officers. The goal of the program is to equip officers with the scientific knowledge of resolution methods for potentially violent confrontations between officers and subjects. Through this course, officers are trained on helping people who are in a state of mental health crisis or whose perception of reality is altered. This helps officers assess the circumstances accurately and defuse those situations without violence when possible. One of Chief Spears’ goals has been to create a use

of force model that clearly identifies strategies for deescalation. This course helps accomplish that goal. Chief Spears said: “The Zionsville Police Department is committed to professionalism and ensuring officers receive the most contemporary instruction in techniques to resolve situations without the use of force. The De-Escalation Instructor training helps officers be better prepared to serve our community and increase safety for all. I am extremely proud of our police department as we facilitate this valuable training and help lead the way to resolving potentially dangerous situations in a peaceful manner.” After this training, officers will have better skills in establishing contact and building rapport. Officers have not had a use of force situation in 2020, but there is always an opportunity for additional training. As part of ZPD’s REACH program, officers are focusing on public safety, mental health and personal and

community wellness to reduce the risk of injury for first responders and individuals in crisis, reduce and prevent crime, maximize self-sufficiency and improve quality of life. These efforts are planned and implemented in partnership with community partners, service providers and citizens. “Since starting with Zionsville Police Department, one of the first things Chief Spears did, even before George Floyd’s death, was to begin reviewing our policies and to align them with a standard that is recognized across the country,” said Mayor Emily Styron. “Earlier this year we announced the Use of Force review board. Members will investigate instances of when force of any kind is used and make recommendations to Chief Spears. Also, this year members of the Zionsville Police Department have received specific training on implicit bias and systemic racism.Chief Spears and I are aligned in that fairness, respect and compassion for others are our priorities and expectations for police officers.”

Zionsville’s First Dog Park – Progress Update Progress continues on the future dog park at Heritage Trail Park. The fence is installed, new trees have been planted around the perimeter of the dog park and dog agility equipment has arrived. Coming soon: sun shades, benches and trash cans. A special thank you to Girl Scout Troop 3633 from Zionsville Middle School for partnering with the Zionsville Parks & Recreation Department to raise funds for a pet and human drinking fountain at Heritage Trail Park. With the combined funds from product sales, cookie sales, donations and a movie night, they were able to raise $6,000 to cover the purchase and installation of the fountain.

December 1, 2020

In Memoriam – Zionsville Police Department K-9 Jelka

End of watch: July 31, 2020 When Zionsville Police Department (ZPD) K-9 Jelka passed away, the community came together to remember a dog that was a local hero and that came to be known as a fighter and miracle survivor. On July 31, 2020, Jelka was put to sleep at MedVet Animal Hospital due to an untreatable form of cancer. She was joined by her handler, K-9 Officer Josh Stutesman and his family, ZPD officers, officers from surrounding departments and doctors and nurses. Jelka was a female Belgian Malinois who joined ZPD in September 2016. After a six-week initial training, she started patrol with Officer Josh Stutesman working the night shift. In 2017, K-9 Jelka made a remarkable recovery after being struck by a truck while training with Officer Stutesman. She was rushed to MedVet where she was treated for a compound fracture in her left hind leg and a hole in her abdomen that pushed her organs forward and made it difficult to breathe. Vets were able to save her and when she later needed a second major surgery on her rear leg, she survived that surgery too. Together, Jelka and Officer Stutesman worked tirelessly to make the K-9 team highly respected within the department and outside agencies. Jelka was purchased solely on donations made by the community. The cost of a single K-9 can be as much as $10,000 upfront and that doesn’t include

the training of the dog and its handler, which can cost thousands more. Additionally, there are other expenses such as insurance and specialized patrol vehicles. In Zionsville, K-9s are considered full-fledged police officers. Besides being terrific companions, they assist the department in reducing the number of officers needed for a search. K-9s also perform more thorough searches. ZPD currently has one K-9, Thor.

Chief Spears said, “Jelka was beloved by all. The Zionsville Police Department and I are very proud of its K-9 officers and their canine partners. Together they form a team which provides valuable services and significantly aids in keeping Zionsville among the safest towns in the US. Officers in this assignment invest a significant amount of time training with their K-9 partners to provide a variety of important duties including searching for lost children or at risk elderly persons who may have wandered from home, detecting illegal drugs, tracking suspects who may have fled from an officer or a crime, as well as valuable community relations activities. Our K-9 teams are very committed to this specialty. They are devoted to service and protection of our town.” Donations to the Zionsville Police Department K-9 Fund are tax deductible. Donations can be made to: Zionsville Police Department K-9 Fund 1075 Parkway Drive Zionsville, IN 46077