FISHERS, Ind. -- Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness isn't disillusioned about the main problem people have with his city. When asked Wednesday at his 2017 State of the City address what would keep Fishers from success over the next 5-6 years, his (albeit joking) answer was just two words:
"The traffic."
Instead of a traditional, stand-at-a-podium address, Fadness opted for a more conversational one, first with an interview conducted by IndyStar opinion editor Tim Swarens. He then took questions from the audience about many different topics at the Fishers Chamber of Commerce.
BY THE NUMBERS
Fadness, a self-proclaimed numbers guy, gave a list of facts about the growth of the city. Fishers has the lowest tax rate of any city in Indiana, while it added more than 1,550 new jobs to the area in 2016.
Fishers took 53,000 police calls and 5,000 fire calls last year. Fadness also said Fishers is the only city with a AAA bond rating in Indiana.
"Only about 1-and-a-half percent of all communities in the country are able to achieve that type of credit rating," Fadness said.
IKEA
It's been about a year since Fishers announced IKEA was coming to the city. With only a few months left before its fall opening, some people are happy and others are still concerned, but Fadness said he's felt both sides.
"I went through the same emotions that they did," he said. "It's a transformative project, but it could transform the city in many different ways and we have to explore and be sure it fits the ultimate vision of our community."
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Fadness said Fishers took a proactive step in potential problems to re-zone the area around it, making sure Fishers doesn't get the traditional retail around IKEA. He wants corporate headquarters nearby, controlling the growth around the store.
But the elephant in the room -- what happens with traffic when IKEA opens?
TRAFFIC
Fadness said the city is prepared for the traffic increase that will inevitably come with IKEA. But the short-term adjustments aren't good enough.
"Last year, we put $30 million of road infrastructure into this city, particularly around things like IKEA and Top Golf. We're having another probably $200 million -- in you include State Route 37 -- over the next five years that will happen in our city."
MORE | Will IKEA worsen northeast side's traffic woes?
The long-term key to improving Fishers' traffic problem, Fadness said, is bringing more jobs to Fishers. He wants people working closer to where they live in Fishers.
"I don't want to see 40,000 people leave Fishers every day," he said. "I would rather see a more balanced development approach to the entire region."
TECHNOLOGY
Fadness is aware and is making adjustments for the oncoming technological shifts coming to Indiana's industries.
"Indiana does three things well: we make things, we move things and we grow things," he said. "Agriculture, manufacturing and distribution. All three of those have something in common. They are about to be disrupted by technology in a way they've never seen before."
He gave many anecdotes of what he's seen in a shift toward automation in those industries: Reading books while on a tractor, receiving Amazon.com deliveries of diapers to his front door and a $100 million manufacturing facility Anderson, Indiana that came with just 200 jobs.
So what does Fishers do about it?
He said the economy has to pivot to support that idea, putting investments into the city's IoT (Internet of Things) lab. The retail industry must also pivot to become more experiential, with things like IKEA, microbrewing and Top Golf, which is on pace for a fall 2017 opening.
"The work starts today, and a decade from now, we'll know whether we did a good job or not," he said.
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