Hello residents,
Enjoy these summer months and all that Zionsville has to offer. For instance, visit the eight Zionsville locations graced with large butterfly wings decorated by local artists. See the Charm Club Quilt Show at the SullivanMunce Cultural Center. And every Saturday continue to visit the farmers market from 8 to 11:30 a.m.
Also below are some suggestions for water conservation. Conservation is incredibly important for saving our environment, saving energy and even saving money.
Heather Lusk
From Josh Garrett:
During our first June meeting I discussed some of the recent shootings that have occurred around our country. Regardless of your views on gun control, the pragmatic reality of how those rules is created are done at the State and Federal level. That includes access to firearms, background checks, conceal carry permits, etc. We as a Town Council cannot create laws that override those State and Federal laws that would make access to guns more or less available. You the voters choose representatives at those levels to enact those types of laws, and whatever changes happen at those levels become the reality that we as a local government must work within.
What we can do as a local government is to use our budget to find pragmatic solutions around prevention and response. I want to explore how we can use that budget to do our best to prevent a mass shooting from happening in our community. While no action by this Council can guarantee everything will be prevented, I also want to have the resources that we can respond if necessary.
You may have seen or read that the Town Council has since created a Public Safety Task Force. The mission of this group is: “The Public Safety Task Force is setup to assess public safety in Zionsville. This group will look at current practices for police, fire and mental health and identify needed changes to support our growing school system and overall community. The goal is to make best practice recommendations that support upgrades in staffing, training, equipment, communication and other public safety needs to the Town Council and Mayor.”
This group is going to be meeting with the following community leaders to discuss their needs and ideas around this subject:
- ZPD Chief Spears
- Boone County Sheriff Nielson
- ZFD Chief VanGorder
- Boone County Health Department (Mental Health)
- Superintendent Robison and Associate Superintendent Coffman
- Town CFO Kellie Adams / Town Financial Advisor Crowe, LLC
The goal of these meetings is to do an assessment of what is already in place (schools, enforcement, response, etc.) and identify any gaps that exist within those areas. From that assessment, we hope to overlay it within our budget and understand the ramifications of making additional investments and/or cuts in other areas to fund those changes.
Stay tuned to future Council meetings as we continue to build out this plan and find sustainable funding for areas where there are gaps.
Winging It
Inspired by the town’s commitment to the National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Pledge, eight Zionsville locations display a pair of large wings decorated in various styles through the end of summer. The pledge was created to bring awareness to saving monarch butterflies, whose populations have declined by at least 90 percent across the nation.
You can find the wings at SullivanMunce Cultural Center, town hall and the library. They’re also located at parks around town: Lincoln Park, Turkey Foot, Mulberry Fields, Elm Street Green and Starkey Park.
Design inspirations came from VanGogh’s “Starry Night,” butterfly patterns in nature or calligraphy.
Considerate Conservation
As drought conditions continue to worsen across the state, there are things that can be done now to help conserve water and be thoughtful about water management.
Water in the evenings. If you plan to water plants or a lawn, do it when the sun has set and water won’t evaporate so quickly.
Reuse water when possible. Instead of pouring the remainder of water in cups or bottles down the sink, collect into a pitcher in the kitchen and use to water outdoor pots. Water used for boiling corn or pasta can also be cooled and reused outdoors. Rinse produce in a bowl instead of under running water, then reuse that water in the garden.
Get a rain barrel. When it does rain, a water barrel can save gallons of water in the community.
Shorten showers. Shaving just two minutes off of a shower can save gallons as well.
Compost. Rather than running the garbage disposal which requires a great deal of water, composting is better for the environment and reduces water use.
Full loads only. Whether it’s washing dishes or clothing, only run water-using appliances when they’re full. If possible, replace old appliances with those that are conscious of conserving water.