Ron Hamilton, Shelbyville News staff writer
Hundreds of motorists leaving the Indiana Downs parking lot Thursday night took turns giving each other the right of way - instead of road rage and obscene gestures.
Despite deep passions about the Indiana Commerce Connector issue, civil, courteous and respectful democracy held sway before a capacity audience of more than 1,500 gathered in the second-floor clubhouse.
In what was by far the most heavily attended ICC field hearing held thus far; the seven members of the House Committee on Transportation came to listen - and got a lesson - in civics, decency and old-fashioned Hoosier values.
Rarely has an issue been so divisive or inflamed such passions as the proposed ICC toll road. Yet the speakers at Thursday night's information-gathering hearing kept their remarks brief, professional and on topic. Personal insults stayed at home.
Although there were obvious points of contention between supporters and opponents of the toll road, there were also areas of agreement. For instance, there was universal consensus that traffic congestion is a problem that needs addressed, and just about everyone agreed that jobs, prosperity and economic opportunity are important.
But growth at what cost? How do you define progress? Different visions of the county's future are held by honorable and caring people on both sides, and Thursday night those contrasting visions were expressed by articulate and passionate people.
Tim Barrick, a local business executive and member of the Shelbyville Board of Public Works and Safety, shared a bit of his vision with House committee members. He talked about the loss of Hoosier manufacturing jobs generally and lamented the decline of Triton school enrollment specifically - and the subsequent decrease in state funding.
"Jobs follow roads, and industry always locates near infrastructure," Barrick said. "It's important to attract new industry to spread the tax base. Some people think that if you're for the toll road, you're against agriculture, and that's not true. In order to have a healthy economy, all three areas - agriculture, business and industry - have got to succeed."
"Roads bring jobs in the absence of roads," countered Shelby County resident Bryan Fischer. "If developers were ready to develop in the county, why isn't Interstate 74 developed throughout the county? This road will not bring the growth that people want."
County farmer Richard Stead made no attempt to hide his emotions when he addressed House committee members.
"I don't want to see a cherished way of life come to an asphalt end," Stead said.
Tim Paige received a sprinkling of laughter and applause when he wondered out loud why the ICC toll road issue erupted "just two days after the November election."
On the other side of the issue, Johnson County real estate broker Ron Kelsey told the committee that three out of four of the nearly 950 real estate brokers he surveyed in Marion and Johnson counties were in favor of building the toll road.
"There is a belief that the road will encourage widespread residential development," Kelsey said. "It will generate new industry and jobs and promote home construction."
Shelby County farmer Keith Theobald addressed the committee in his capacity as chairman of the board of directors for Shelby County Farm Bureau Co-op. Declaring the board's opposition to the toll road, Theobald gave House committee members a brief history lesson.
"Just to show you how important this issue has become, this is the first political action taken by the co-op since it was founded in 1928," Theobald said. "Although we did come out in favor of the Second World War back in 1942."
On this night, passion was more the property of those who spoke against the road, than those who spoke in its behalf. The casual observer, if there was one at the track, could not help but wonder what triggered this huge response, this large turnout of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Part of the answer was revealed by activist and businessman Mark Fischer. According to Fischer, two events over the last few months served to "fire up" and motivate grassroots opposition to the toll road.
"The first was that secret, and probably illegal, meeting between business leaders from the Morristown and Shelby County chambers of commerce," Fischer said. "The arrogance of those people was insulting. It was like they were trying to ram the road down our throats before we found out about it. The second event was state Sen. Bob Jackman suggesting that the toll road should go south along the Rush-Shelby county border. People near Milroy in Rush County started to see that road gobbling up their farms and businesses. After that, we began to get a lot of support from down there - and it's snowballed ever since."
The next House committee field meeting on the proposed ICC tollway will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Franklin College in Franklin.