[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6086349,"mediaKeyId","2896385-882455b5683e761fbda2a3913d94e294","parentId",2896385,"title","Carmel council begins drafting CHAMP long‑term emergency relief plan, asks for business and resident assessments","audioSeconds",2465,"startMs",1681000,"endMs",4146000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896385-882455b5683e761fbda2a3913d94e294&start=1681&end=4146","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896385-882455b5683e761fbda2a3913d94e294/thumbnail_1681000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6086349/Carmel/Hamilton-County/Indiana/Carmel-council-begins-drafting-CHAMP-longterm-emergency-relief-plan-asks-for-business-and-resident-assessments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086349-88a6dde4c8619d2113311ddef8757dbe/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171399&Signature=jdBk06kgAUrWNSqClWQnNR~~KZS3cNnLUFN3YZGjTG576L-Fbja1yh3eVeFSN7KJ3ND38N1Hgjq3ZFlyaz9h6kL2nUgx0yRKFX4Ge9aF6XaFeTKGUt2-kNkj3X~CsHoYu944Zs0A~7-ROA5774kSy1Quc7r9ZBbQVE7VfRrhE4IZL1HUeT-lOE2Ny2asi-1-OgSob3g7~0jrhCgXd-gNzHp5ri8VIMPDHvXU2bZtgb7m1Ot733AuZ-NLbUtqCgc3-UVSVgMfxjdaLyMc9~soo8s4jqxeQA6BlvOkrdcSZR-kplE~tvEjTZP9Su4T8wv5zCp7t2WZArB~tvOXcqPSeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Carmel IN","date","2025-04-08T15:22:04.307Z","article","Councilor Snyder told the Carmel Common Council on Monday that staff and council members are drafting a long‑term emergency response framework called the CHAMP program to guide relief for residents and businesses after events such as the April 7 storms.

Snyder, Councilor Snyder, said the draft would be a living document \"broken down into kind of blue and gold sections for commercial and residential outlining, here's the kind of relief and assistance.\" He said the framework would be enacted only when the mayor declares a state of emergency and that the goal is to capture lessons while response work is fresh.

Former Sullivan Mayor Clint Lamb, appearing as a subject‑matter witness, urged the council to name an administrator for any relief program and to use established volunteer and nonprofit partners. Lamb said local government often lacks staff capacity to both respond and administer dollars: \"I would encourage the city to consider to really identify of who is going to be the administrator.\" He recommended tracking in‑kind contributions and partnering with organizations such as United Way and Salvation Army to channel assistance.

Why it matters: Councilors repeatedly said Carmel's damage footprint is small enough to allow the city to tailor a local response where federal aid likely will not be available. Councilors framed possible city roles as bridging short‑term gaps (e.g., cleanup, boarding, temporary relocation or other immediate needs) and creating a longer playbook the next council can use in future emergencies.

Immediate steps discussed: councilors asked staff to continue direct outreach to impacted businesses and residents to catalog needs and costs. Several councilors said they would support case‑by‑case assistance for urgently impaired businesses while a formal CHAMP program is finalized, but no appropriation or specific dollar amount was voted. Samantha Carne, the city corporation counsel, reminded the council that fund appropriations outside an active executive order require the normal ordinance process, including hearings and public notice.

Volunteer response: Council members reported strong volunteer turnout. Councilor Schneider said all Volunteer Carmel shifts were full and thanked community organizations that had offered help.

Ending: Council leaders proposed a Committee of the Whole meeting the following week to refine the CHAMP draft and, if the mayor renews the executive order, consider any immediate actions during an emergency session. Mayor Lamb offered to assist as the council develops a long‑term strategy.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Carmel City Council Special Emergency Meeting - April 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Councilor Snyder introduced a draft CHAMP emergency response framework to codify short‑ and long‑term assistance for residents and businesses. Council discussed outreach to affected businesses, possible short‑term ‘bridge’ assistance, volunteer coordination and timing tied to the mayor's emergency order.","taxTitle","Carmel, Hamilton County, Indiana","taxId",3929,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6086352,"Carmel council approves fee-waiver resolution for storm repairs; amendments add one-year deadline and reapplication option",741,928000,1669000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896385-882455b5683e761fbda2a3913d94e294&start=928&end=1669","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896385-882455b5683e761fbda2a3913d94e294/thumbnail_928000.jpg","/articles/6086352/Carmel/Hamilton-County/Indiana/Carmel-council-approves-fee-waiver-resolution-for-storm-repairs-amendments-add-one-year-deadline-and-reapplication-option","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086352-03a3d5f2ef2ebba58578582be5d21791/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171399&Signature=Lt7vhForPbCnPKXSKwp6gNM1TmcoyopI~pzxGFKlVRldsSZu71NhZkDYBmqk12u9QvEg~K9wEpkeMMiwyGbl2ixRmwAn5t6LA8x608YAs~PxCoTHNXDwB045dfU4G2seLo81TZ7Fw~a2LXA-nGu2q1S4eSveKm376bImKBmMIFQZFnRBNdmBKcF8Q0UuzNaMP6oVrSoxVb0weyEf8ZP5QghnleIF5nUpU7qTdB~XYF2GQMet8uILvqIsvfgDw9fP95nJB8b6GTNVm0HqYlmcDGZ5nFtxOHmO11Ez5B4YlVgNMrDqRiA6xiefVRa2r-L6XwxBr98xjsEnw4coHhCLhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Carmel Common Council on Monday unanimously approved Resolution CC04072501, authorizing city officials to waive certain Department of Community Services fees for residential and commercial repairs connected to the April 7 storm under Executive Order SFD-25-2025-3.

Nick Weber, Nick Weber, executive director of economic development for the City of Carmel, described the resolution as a way \"to let those dollars flow back into what they lost.\" He told the council the waiver would apply to plan-review and permit fees and other charges collected by DOCS and related city functions, and that the administration would define a validation mechanism for applicants.

Councilor Snyder moved amendments to the resolution to add a termination date and an appeal/reapplication process. Snyder said the amendments would add \"an end date, which I would propose be 1 year from today or 1 year from execution of the document,\" and a provision allowing applicants denied a fee waiver to reapply if they have new information. The motion to amend was seconded and debated; the council then voted on the amended resolution.

Why it matters: the fee waiver is designed to reduce upfront costs for homeowners and businesses trying to repair storm damage and could directly lower short-term expenses for those using insurance proceeds to rebuild. The council directed staff to broadly apply the waiver where appropriate and to report back at the program's conclusion on how many used it and the value of waived permits.

Key details and limits: The resolution ties the waiver to the city's emergency executive order (SFD-25-2025-3) and was drafted to allow the DOCS director discretion, with the administration indicating it will consult other departments (including engineering and Carmel Utilities) to apply the policy \"in the same spirit\" where appropriate. The council and staff repeatedly noted that the waiver program does not yet include a defined dollar amount and that the city will determine operational details for validating storm-related claims.

Vote and amendments: The council adopted the amended resolution by a 9-0 recorded vote. The amendments explicitly add (1) a one-year application window from execution of the resolution and (2) a reapplication right for applicants denied a waiver who can supply new information.

Ending: Council members asked staff to return with program metrics at the end of the waiver period, including the number of applicants and the value of fees waived.","The council unanimously adopted Resolution CC04072501 allowing the Department of Community Services to waive fees for storm-related residential and commercial repairs tied to Executive Order SFD-25-2025-3. Councilor Snyder's amendments added a one-year application deadline and a reapplication option for denied applicants; the measure passed 9-0.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6086354,"Carmel fire chief reports 54 residences, 13 businesses damaged after April 7 storms",192,91000,283000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896385-882455b5683e761fbda2a3913d94e294&start=91&end=283","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896385-882455b5683e761fbda2a3913d94e294/thumbnail_91000.jpg","/articles/6086354/Carmel/Hamilton-County/Indiana/Carmel-fire-chief-reports-54-residences-13-businesses-damaged-after-April-7-storms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086354-15008c2435930b8e5609d5ccc86c34ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171399&Signature=jwi2FFFn8i2K9NWVwQN-qnnPAxg2~XJxsTbirb8DT9c~oEw8jhwxqaFdA~uTY0pq2CAeP5BdeLOvnZ43fCy-vpktMflF2RdLmfhfVGuDV4l1KMAsX2LkPv4wkSRuY9o8mWWBkvqCT6Vitw1a0mMpGo5PureR5r1QdyyV-rkDfppRUsjBZcQYJnY1SopGKaz~cijAhMxVmELTbsLIKpNLFr6ZtDppnxlX9ofeJBvFwlC5XlVTC67To1~8~3LcldDSA4TLGdkvzHz3G63rSOfXF6EYTbe0aqN1sTesngeXfMf9HfoSqCebebGHn0bA1gAMvQ2hRSmpyzK2DrEM5Ibjww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Carmel Fire Chief Joel Thacker reported to the Carmel Common Council on Monday that emergency responders visited 54 residences and 13 businesses after storms that struck the city on April 7.

Thacker, Joel Thacker, fire chief for the City of Carmel, told the council: \"We had 54 residences, that we visited that were impacted. 5 of those were major damage, 22 minor and 27 affected.\" He added that among businesses assessed there were \"13 businesses. 6 of those, with major impact, 7 with minor and 1 affected.\"

The update said the city's emergency operations center (EOC) had been activated and later reduced to a level 3 monitoring posture. Thacker said the EOC at its peak included \"over 18, individuals representing all different departments within the city\" and that the street department, police and fire had been heavily involved in response and recovery efforts.

Why it matters: those damage counts will determine whether the city meets thresholds for state or federal aid and will shape short-term relief and longer-term recovery planning. Thacker told the council that the city is coordinating damage assessments with Hamilton County Emergency Management and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and that the data will inform any future requests for assistance.

Supporting details: Thacker said most affected residences were being cared for through insurance, family or temporary lodging: \"A couple of the residents of the major damage, . . . their insurance company's put them up in a hotel or they're with family and friends.\" He also said two of the 13 businesses he knew of were not operating at the time of his briefing. When asked what businesses were closed, Thacker said, \"2 out of the 13.\" Councilors asked for those names to be shared privately so the council could explore assistance.

The council and staff emphasized there are no dollar amounts available yet for recovery costs. Thacker said the city had received donated equipment and that street crews and mutual-aid crews from Whitestown, Westfield and Noblesville had been assisting with debris removal. Street Commissioner Matt Higginbotham reported earlier that crews had hauled multiple loads of tree and storm debris.

The chief cautioned that the city is not yet near numbers that would trigger a federal declaration: \"You know, we're not close to numbers for federal declaration and we're really, still short of any type of small business administration assistance.\" He said city staff will continue to monitor possible gaps between insurance coverage and needs for residents and businesses.

Ending: Council members asked staff to continue outreach to impacted residents, especially the elderly and people on fixed incomes, and to track in-kind and direct city support so the council could review the scope of city assistance in coming weeks.","Fire Chief Joel Thacker told the Carmel Common Council that emergency teams visited 54 homes and 13 businesses after April 7 storms; 5 residences and 6 businesses sustained major damage. The city reduced EOC activation to level 3 and continues damage assessments with county and state partners.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Carmel council begins drafting CHAMP long‑term emergency relief plan, asks for business and resident assessments

Carmel council approves fee-waiver resolution for storm repairs; amendments add one-year deadline and reapplication option

Carmel fire chief reports 54 residences, 13 businesses damaged after April 7 storms