Property Owners’ Meeting Turnout Was Fantastic!

Over 400 people turned out for the Geist United Opposition Property Owners’ Meeting (held this last Thursday, November 7th, at the HSE High School cafeteria) to hear more about annexation and the incorporation of the Towns of East & West Geist, and to ask questions.

Also in attendance and on hand to answer questions were Steve Dillinger, Hamilton County Commissioner, Sheriff Doug Carter, HCSD, Lt. Kevin Fessel, HCSD, and Chief Michael Blackwell, Lawrence Township Fire Dept/Castleton Fire Dept., as well as our legal representatives Brian Zaiger, Rob Schein, and Nigel Riggins of Kreig Devault.

There was also a large contingent of fire fighters, including a fire truck and ambulance, from the Castleton Fire Department, slated to become the Geist Fire Department should incorporation go through. They were there to show their support, which included a $1,000 contribution to the GUO to fight forced annexation and achieve incorporation.

Our heartfelt thanks to the men and women of the Castleton Fire Department!

The presentations and discussion focused on three topics: current state of affairs regarding the Fishers Town Council’s latest forced annexation attempt of Geist; status of the incorporation of the Towns of East & West Geist, including a discussion of estimated tax rates and planned services; and, finances and the need for additional contributions (see next article).

A copy of the presentation materials is posted here. You can also post questions regarding either annexation or incorporation on the website and the GUO will do it’s best to post answers as quickly as possible. We will also post the questions and answers that came up during the meeting.

Overall, there was clear and strong support from all those in attendance to continue the fight against forced annexation and to move forward with incorporation. We very much appreciate everyone coming and your strong support.

“To fight for our right to be independent….

you need to say it with your checkbook” to quote Pete Peterson, president of the GUO.

We estimate that it will take at least $400,000 to beat the Fishers Town Council in court. Based on a review of the proposed fiscal plans put forth by the Fishers Town Council, the first year alone we will collectively pay them $2,437,178 in increased property taxes.

[This number is actually higher than the one we quoted before, which we had estimated based on the NAV, whereas this number is straight from their plan.]

Divided by 2000 homes, this an average $1,219 annual tax increase for each homeowner, not counting tax rate increases from the Town Council (which have been proposed already). In that the forced annexation process began in November, 2005, this works out to an average savings, thus far, of $2,438 per homeowner.

If each homeowner contributes less than 10% of the savings already realized, or $200, we will meet our estimated financial needs to fight this battle. Of course, if you want to give more, we’d be more than grateful—fundraising is a time consuming task and the faster we can reach our goal, the more time we’ll have to concentrate on the battle at hand.

Make no mistake, the Fishers Town Council is loaded for bear and is willing to spend any amount of their taxpayers’ money to try and get us. At the recent Plan Commission meeting, at which we presented our case for incorporation, they had 6 or 7 attorneys plus financial “experts” on hand to try and dispute our case. That’s a pretty hefty burn rate.

While we don’t need that many lawyers, we do need money for legal services (and we’ll certainly guard you money with much more frugality and much more consideration than the Fishers Town Council obviously does with its citizens’ money).

Click “Donate Now” on the www.SayNoToFishers.com website, or send a check to:

Geist United Opposition
P.O. Box 56023
Indianapolis, IN 46256

Thank you very much!

PS: If you have friends in Fishers, why not ask them what they think about their Town Council’s willingness to spend hundreds of thousands, if not millions of taxpayer dollars to forcibly annex Geist. Our fight is with the Town Council, not the good people of Fishers. If they think this is a complete waste of a lot of their money, perhaps they would be willing to call their town councilor and complain.