In the January Village Voice:
VRA president letter
Town Council president letter
Recycling and tree disposal
Creating an exercise routine in 2022
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VRA President Letter
Welcome 2022!
As we greet this new year, the VRA board has mapped our schedule. As of now, we’re planning to continue meeting in person primarily due to the high vaccination rate in Zionsville. Of course, this might change based on current health recommendations. We will offer a virtual option when we’re unable to meet outdoors. Most meetings will be held at the SullivanMunce Cultural Center, and if we’re able to be outside we’ll meet on their patio area between the museum and art center. If things change or if the weather is frightful, we may opt to have a virtual meeting on the selected date. And we can ALWAYS use volunteers for these events.
For TBA dates, keep an eye on the monthly newsletter:
Feb 1 – meeting at SullivanMunce Cultural Center at 7:30
April 19 – meeting at SullivanMunce Cultural Center at 7:30
April 23 (rain date, April 24) – Porch Party – VRA members only
June TBA – Pitch in / movie night
Aug 9 – VRA meeting at Elm Street Green (via Zoom if rain is forecast)
Sept. 17 – picnic
Nov 1 – meeting & elections at SullivanMunce Cultural Center
Nov/Dec – Holiday Decorating Contest
December 3 (tentative) – Progressive dinner – VRA members only
I’ve also put together a schedule for Village Voice articles. If anyone would like to contribute an article or suggest a topic, I’m all ears. If you’re an expert or hobbyist in a certain area I’d love to hear about it. Last year we featured a neighborhood beekeeper and those who keep history alive at the SullivanMunce, and I’d like to continue to highlight the unique lives of our residents.
One last note. With more VRA events planned earlier in the year, the board decided to clarify how dues are collected and accounted. Dues are applicable for the year in which they’re paid. For instance, paying in December of 2021 applies to 2021 and doesn’t carry over to 2022. Since this hasn’t been clear (and our previous events have been held in September and December), anyone who paid dues last year is covered for 2022. If you didn’t pay dues in 2021, paying now will cover you for the entire year. If you’re not sure if your dues were paid, contact treasurer@zvra.com. You can pay via PayPal or Venmo on our website: https://zvra.com/join-the-zvra/
Let me know if you have questions.
Happy new year, everyone.
Heather Lusk, president@zvra.com
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Letter from Josh Garrett
I hope each of you had a wonderful Holidays and a Happy New Year! Last night (December 22nd) we drove around the Village looking at all the wonderful decorations. I appreciate everyone that tries to spread some holiday cheer, whether it’s a single strand of lights or an entire yard filled with wonderful inflatables.
The past year remained a busy one for the Zionsville Town Council. In addition to our normal duties which include setting fees, appointing boards and commissions, and approving a salary ordinance, we have continued to work on other initiatives to better enable Zionsville to attract economic development investment and continue to make Zionsville the preeminent location to eat, shop and live.
The most important task of the Council in any year is to adopt an annual budget. In 2020, the Council turned a $6 million proposed budget deficit into a balanced budget which enabled our town to weather tough challenges through the pandemic while other communities across the state faced difficult challenges from an economic slowdown. The Council’s fiscal discipline continued in 2021 as we passed another balanced budget while continuing to invest in our community.
Infrastructure remains a priority for the Council, and we continue to support the Department of Public Works and their many efforts to build and maintain our streets and trails. In 2021, this included financially supporting the construction of a roundabout at 800 East & Oak Street as well as the expansion of a downtown parking lot at the site of the former PNC building. Pedestrian traffic was also assisted with the acceptance of Holliday Road from the County for a future trail, as well as the paving of golf cart paths at the Zionsville Municipal Golf Course. Lastly, we supported a process for approving new crosswalks which included funding the first recommendation for a new crosswalk at CR 975 East at Oak Ridge Drive.
While supporting current needs is important, we also continue to spend time on long-term projects. This past year our town participated in a wastewater capacity study to ensure our future needs are met as Zionsville continues to grow. The Council was also an active participant in the Gateway Study which evaluated a plan for the entrance to our downtown. We are also excited to learn more about the Carpenter Nature Preserve (formerly Wolf Run Golf Course) and approved master planning for that future park. We approved a new bond for the Hussey-Mayfield Library system that will create a second branch to support the western sections of Zionsville. That bond allows us to support growth without raising taxes which will always be a priority for this Council.
It’s also important to look back and appreciate all the things that make Zionsville special. Councilor Joe Culp has been working with residents to determine the need to create a historic preservation committee and possibly a historic preservation district in our Village. More to come on this in 2022.
Finally, economic development is the engine that will support our future needs for services and expansion. This past year saw us approve commercial projects for Appaloosa Crossing retail center, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the Creekside Corporate Park and the HUB Phase 2 which adds to our growing inventory of distribution space along Interstate 65.
We have much to be thankful for and proud of as a town after a challenging 2021 following the pandemic. We look forward to 2022 and the many opportunities we will have to continue moving Zionsville forward for our citizens and our future.
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Recycling and tree disposal schedule
With a new year comes a new recycling schedule. Ray’s Trash collects recycling in the Village on a bi-weekly basis starting the week of January 3. If you’re ever confused about the correct week to put our recycling, you can visit their calendar:
http://www.zionsville-in.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3758/2022-Rays-Trash-Calendar
If you have live trees to dispose after the holidays, Ray’s will pick up one tree per residence curbside the weeks of January 10 and 17. Trees must be bare of plastic bags, tinsel, ornaments, etc. They can also be disposed at specific locations.
- Boone County Resource Recovery, 985 South US Highway 421, Zionsville. Drop off trees for a $3 fee during business hours. Hours after Jan. 3: Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Earth and Turf Partners, LLC, 5095 West 106th Street, Zionsville. Drop off trees for recycling for no fee with donations accepted for Boone County Professional Firefighters Local 5195. Drop off takes place on Jan. 2, 2022 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. For those who cannot make it to this event, drop off trees anytime during business hours and leave the donation with Earth and Turf.
- GreenCycle, 4227 Perry Worth Road, Whitestown. Drop off trees for recycling for no fee. Hours after Jan. 3: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
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Creating an exercise routine in 2022
Exercise is one of the most common resolutions each year, and one of the hardest to keep. A few steps can help you get started and stick to it
- Establish goals: Some people may wish to lose weight, others might want to increase flexibility, and for other people it might be to maintain their current fitness. Figuring out your goal will help you determine which form of exercise is best.
- Find a location / assemble equipment: Now that you know your goal, you know what type of equipment you might need. For someone looking to lose weight, cardio activity is generally most effective. Those looking to increase flexibility may wish to try yoga or Pilates. One of the best ways to stick with exercising is to create an area full-time for exercise; a rowing machine or treadmill folded against the wall is less likely to become a clothes hanger if it’s located in a dedicated spot. Alternatively, look into options away from home: Body Outfitters, Dance Fit, TLC Fitness, Max Impact Fitness and Blooming Life Yoga are all locally-owned small businesses in or near the Village. Eat the Frog, Body One, Anytime Fitness and Club Pilates are all corporate-owned or franchised options very nearby. Many of these businesses offer January discounts and incentives.
- Establish a routine: Figure out which days you’ll exercise, what kind of exercise you’ll do each day, and stick to it. Sound easy? Usually it’s not. That’s why step 4 is so important.
- Accountability: For some, being accountable is why exercising away from home is more effective. Knowing that you have an appointment for a specific class, or that you’ll be charged extra to cancel a class, can be a necessary incentive. Our family all received fitness tracking bands this year so we can compete with one another in our exercise programs. Even keeping track of your own goals privately with a fitness tracker can be effective. FitBit and Garmin are among the most popular options with many different versions to try, but Oura, Amazon Halo, and Mi Smart Band are also highly rated.