In Memory of Kevin Peterson

Please read the messages below-- I have been working towards putting on the ballot the question of should Fishers remain a Town or become a City with a few other individuals. After what has happened I think it became even more important to get this question on the ballot and put some responsibly into local government which a city would bring. In a few weeks we will be putting a group together to move forward and if you want to help please let me know. I would like to have people at Fishers polling places to obtain petition signatures on voting day. By doing this we could in one day obtain signatures to get this question on the ballot.

I met Kevin a few times and here was someone willing to fight for his own rights. This was a 3 1/2 year battle for him. As you read what is below you will get the feeling a town that does not care. It's time we the people take action to stop this form of government in our area. PLEASE sign up to help work this worthwhile project - send me an e-mail if you can help to mrmac@aol.com. We will have a meeting very soon.

Joe Weingarten

----- Original Message -----
From: Art Levine
To: Doug Allman
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 10:34 AM
Subject: Re: Peterson's

Dear Doug,
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and my prayers are most certainly with family at this time.
Sincerely,
Art Levine

--- On Thu, 9/25/08, Doug Allman wrote:

From: Doug Allman
Subject: Peterson's
To: "Charlie White" , "David George" , "Art Levine"
Date: Thursday, September 25, 2008, 10:02 PM

So this is what it has to come too. A guy takes his life because a group of individuals running a town is hell bent with running over longtime rural Hamilton county residents with building a town to their liking. All the Peterson's and neighbors wanted was a fence to block out noise and car lights and a commitment to not light the complex till we move from the area. What kind of values do men have that show no respect and compassion for their fellow man to which they adversely impact their lives. Kevin Peterson was a good man. He would do anything for you. All he wanted was a few reasonable commitments that anyone living next to such a facility would expect. Fishers has not been a respectful new neighbor.

So what does the town do now? Sue the widow Peterson for the court cost to show other residents what happens to those who try and stand up for themselves? I will not waste time sending this to the other 4 as they would not even pause to reflect on what has happened and I am sure Church and Bucher are already working on a positive spin for the town.

When is one or all of you going to do the right thing for the people ?

Judge dismisses Fishers residents' due process lawsuit

A U.S. District Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit four Fishers residents filed against the town in federal court earlier this year.

Kevin Peterson, one of the plaintiffs, was found dead from a gunshot wound to the chest this morning in his garage, said Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Vicky Dunbar. She said foul play was not suspected.

Kevin Peterson and his wife, Caroline Peterson, along with another couple, filed the lawsuit over the town's construction of Cyntheanne Park near 126th Street and Cyntheanne Road, which bordered their property. They alleged in the lawsuit that the town violated zoning laws, as well as the residents' right to due process.

Kevin Peterson had complained about the noise and crowd the park would bring.

"What they are building here is a sports complex, not a park, with a public address system, lights and a huge parking lot," Kevin Peterson said in August. "When we tried to talk to the town about how this was (intruding) on our privacy, they wouldn't listen, so we were forced to go to court."

Judge Richard Young threw out the case because the plaintiffs didn't "state a claim upon which relief can be granted," Young wrote in his order to dismiss the case.

The trial was a waste of the town's time and money, Fishers attorney Doug Church said Wednesday afternoon. He couldn't estimate how much it cost the town.

"Any dollar we spent was a dollar more than we should've had to," Church said.

Though the case failed in court, it played a role in the fall voter referendum that could strip Fishers of its zoning authority over areas in Fall Creek Township that are outside the town's boundaries. The Geist residents who collected signatures for the referendum to appear on the ballot used the case as an example of why Fishers should no longer be in charge of zoning outside its boundaries.
Call Star reporter Carrie Ritchie at (317) 444-5506.