IndyStar: Noblesville police, firefighters to receive $2K bonus; other city employees will get $1K

Friendly reminder: By voting “no”, the Indiana Republican Party voted to defund the police and deny officers hazard pay

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today celebrated the continued relief President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan is delivering for Indiana and Hoosier families. This time, the Rescue Plan has allowed the City of Noblesville to provide $2,000 in bonuses to the city’s police officers and firefighters who were on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, this news is yet another example of how Indiana Democrats have delivered for Hoosier families, and because of the Democrats’ Rescue Plan, Indiana now has the ability to put the pandemic in the rearview mirror. 

Not a single Indiana Republican in the state’s Congressional delegation supported the American Rescue Plan. If Republicans had it their way, their “no” vote would have prevented Noblesville’s first responders from receiving their bonuses and their extreme partisanship would have ultimately defunded law enforcement agencies across the state — despite deploying the rhetoric against Democrats on the very topic.

Indiana Republicans have made it clear that they are searching for their identity. But it is the Democrats who are putting in the work and delivering for Hoosier families right now. This includes the vote for the Rescue Plan, which provided $250 million in broadband expansion, $5.8 billion for the state and its communities, and $2 billion for Indiana’s schools. But this work is only the start as Democrats are set to champion the upcoming American Jobs Plan, which will revitalize Indiana’s infrastructure and create better opportunities for Hoosier workers. 

Noblesville police, firefighters to receive $2K bonus; other city employees will get $1K

IndyStar // John Tuohy

 “Noblesville plans to give police officers and firefighters bonuses of $2,000 and other city employees $1,000 with its haul of federal coronavirus economic aid.” […]

“Noblesville is the second government in Hamilton County to use some of its American Rescue Plan Act funds for bonuses. Hamilton County is giving its employees $3,000 each. County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt said those bonuses have already been delivered. The county will receive $65 million.

Jensen said the police and firefighters would get more under the plan because they were more at risk of contracting COVID-19 than other workers.

“They were out answering calls and in close contact with people,” Jensen said.

The city plans to use $900,000 from its $6.2 million allocation in Rescue Plan funds for the bonuses to 400 employees.” […]

“The city plans to use $4.5 million on storm water and drainage improvements for its Pleasant Street road reconstruction project and $800,000 on sewers in Wayne Township.

The city has dedicated $113 million to rebuild Pleasant Street from SR-37 past the White River, with bridges erected over the White River and Cicero Creek.

Jensen said the $4.5 million in COVID-19 funds would cover the entire cost of storm water upgrades for the $50 million first phase of the project.

The American Rescue funds can’t be used directly for road building but can be used for water and sewer projects, which are part of road projects.”

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