In this month’s Village Voice:
August Concerts at Lincoln Park
VRA Presidents Letter
August may mean the start of the school year, but it doesn’t have to mean the end of summer. The summer concert series from the Zionsville Cultural District shifts from Lions Park in Lincoln Park this month. The concert series takes place at the gazebo on Wednesdays from 7 – 8:30 p.m. Look for the schedule below.
A benefit to the evening concerts is enjoying dinner or a treat while listening to the music. Read below for recommendations of places in the area to enjoy a scoop of ice cream, and keep summer alive a bit longer.
As the start of the school year means busses back to their routes in Zionsville, early morning drivers should pay close attention to students at bus stops and be ready to stop for slowing school busses. Other students will be heading to college, some for the first time. Read first-hand advice for what students really need their first year.
We’re not too far away from October, which in Zionsville also means GhostWalk. The annual event benefits SullivanMunce Cultural Center, the repository of town history. It’s thanks to events like this that we can continue to help keep history alive. For anyone who would like to be part of a scene, open auditions are August 13 from 1 – 3 p.m. Volunteers can submit a virtual video audition by August 12 with details at www.sullivanmunce.org/ghostwalk.html.
And August 9 we have a VRA meeting scheduled at 7:30 p.m. We were going to have an update on zoning for the town, but with staff changes we’re in the midst of figuring out how we can still accomplish that. This will potentially require a different location than Elm Street Green. If you have questions about the new zoning plans, please send them to president@zvra.com no later than August 4. And check your email for an update over the next week for the meeting location.
Stay safe,
Heather
Town Council Letter
July is a typically slow month for the Town Council as it is for many organizations. We only had one meeting in the first part of July, with the typical second meeting cancelled due to a lack of a quorum due to Councilor’s personal and work travel.
The meeting that we did have only had one item that required a vote. This was a request by DPW Superintendent Lance Lantz for an additional appropriation of $198,500 for land acquisition related to the construction of a roundabout at the corner of Oak and 800 E. (Kissel) on the West side of Zionsville.
Appropriations are additional requests for funding that did not make the initial budget. There are several reasons why this may happen including a new request that wasn’t thought about during the budgeting process or a cost that is unknown and therefore hard to budget. The Council takes these additional appropriations very seriously. It is important to understand the cash balance and sustainability implications of these requests because they represent spending above and beyond what was originally budgeted and therefore creates a deficit in spending.
While we continue to experience issues and concerns with the financial system that was implemented, in this case it was easy to understand the cash implications as it is a one-time and capital project. In addition, this appropriation was expected as Mr. Lantz had previously identified this as a long-term project for both safety and traffic flow implications. Even with this additional appropriation, it still falls below his initial estimate and therefore represents a savings compared to the original proposal.
The appropriation itself came from two different sources:
- Motor Vehicle Highway Fund (#201) – $38,500 for new right of way necessary for construction of a roundabout at CR 800 E. and Oak St. The balance of this fund is $3,465,851.61 and is funded by a State formula based on road miles and gas tax collected.
- Road Impact Fee Fund (#454) – $160,000 to fund tree and vegetation clearing contract to allow utility relocation activities to proceed. The balance of this fund is $2,838,064.02 and is funded by new residential and commercial development to offset the additional traffic new construction creates.
I expect a few more additional appropriations to come throughout the year. I will continue to look critically at these requests to determine if they should be in the budget (or replace something else requested) or it makes sense for the additional spending to happen.
Enjoy the rest of the Summer!
Josh Garrett
Zionsville Cultural District’s August Concerts
The Zionsville Village Residents Association is a concert sponsor in 2022.
The concerts will be held in Lincoln Park from 7 – 8:30 p.m. Bring a blanket or chairs, a snack and enjoy the music.
August 3, 2022 Zionsville Concert Band
August 10, 2022 Molter Brothers
August 17, 2022 Brenda Williams
August 24, 2022 Gabriel Harley
August 31, 2022 Zionsville’s Got Talent
A Sweet Treat
By Ruth Cronin
July 17th was National Ice Cream Day! Highlighted below are some of the best ice cream spots near Zionsville. This is your perfect excuse to stop by a new spot, or an old favorite, for a sweet treat!
The Scoop: Located right on Zionsville’s Main Street, The Scoop is the perfect spot to grab a delicious cone, sundae, or shake. Stop by after dinner on Main Street, a baseball game in Lions Park, or an evening stroll through the village. Enjoy your treat indoors or outside on their big patio or front porch with lots of seating.
Fundaes: Fundaes in Whitestown is the perfect family-owned ice cream shop with flavors for everyone. They have outdoor seating and board games inside, the perfect hangout spot to bring family or friends. Try out the homemade waffle cones or specialty sundaes like “brownie blitz”.
Ice Cream Paradise: Located in Lebanon is the wonderful Ice Cream Paradise and has a drive-thru, walk-up window, picnic tables and a playground that kids will love. They are family owned and operated and have the best hot fudge sundaes around.
Handel’s: Handel’s homemade ice cream is located in Carmel and has the creamiest ice cream and huge scoops. Order outside at the walk-up windows, with tons of unique rotating flavors to choose from! Stop by to try a cone, dish, sundae, shake, or famous hurricane.
Homemade Ice Cream and Bakery Cafe: Fresh churned ice cream is offered daily at the Homemade Ice Cream Bakery Cafe on Michigan Road. They make unique flavors like red raspberry fudge, cinnamon, and crème brulé. In addition to ice cream they offer cakes, pies, cookies and more. Everyone will find something they love here.
Sub Zero: Sub Zero ice cream is such a whole new experience – you create your own ice cream that starts in a liquid state. After choosing your base, flavors, and mix-ins, you get to watch your creation freeze with liquid nitrogen and turn into your own unique treat. They also offer “specialty sensations” that you can choose such as Chocolate Conduction or Peanut Butter Bonds. on their menu Located in downtown Carmel and Indianapolis.
6 College Must Haves
by Ruth Cronin
Transitioning to dorm life is both difficult and exciting. I felt at home in my room by making the space cozy and personalized. Bringing lamps, rugs, blankets, photos, posters, and anything that fits your style or personality will help make you comfortable. Getting into a new schedule and living with a new roommate might be tricky at first, but with time you’ll find the routine that works for you! Check out the list below for some items that will make dorm life much easier! These are the things that I wouldn’t move into your new dorm without:
- Three-tiered rolling cart: These carts are the perfect dorm storage. Great for storing makeup, toiletries, and accessories. OR… use it as your mini kitchen and store snacks and dishes on it. Easy to put together, move, and such a great size. Every student can find a use for this!
- Power strips: Dorm rooms don’t have very many outlets. Between a mini fridge and microwave (other necessities), and all your chargers, you’ll need a power strip to add some extra outlets – trust me! Also, make sure you have a portable charger to keep in your bag.
- Hanging bedside caddy: Storage that hangs from your bed rails or from beneath your mattress is a life saver, especially if you have a lofted bed. The perfect place to store your phone at night and other necessities you want close by!
- Fan: Dorm rooms get hot, and noisy! A rotating fan is great to cool you down and add some white noise while you sleep.
- Shower caddy: A mesh shower bag to transport all your toiletries in is essential! You’ll also want shower shoes (any flip flops or slides will work) and a robe for communal bathrooms.
- Mattress topper: College mattresses aren’t great, and a good night’s sleep is so important. Get a twin XL mattress topper that you can use all throughout college.