The Sunday Post - March 8, 2026: AES Questions, SmartIndy Engagement, and Council Updates
- Michael-Paul Hart
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
A weekly report from Councilor Michael-Paul Hart — Building the Smartest City in America.
Volume 2, Issue 10
Hammer and Nigel: Council Updates
This week included a full meeting of the Indianapolis City-County Council.
Two major confirmations happened during the meeting:
• Chris Bailey was confirmed as the Mayor’s new Chief of Staff
• Tanya Terry was confirmed as the new Chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
Public safety leadership matters, and I will be meeting with Chief Terry on March 18.
One of the concerns already raised to me involves traffic safety near Mitthoeffer Avenue, which I plan to bring up during our conversation.
If there are specific traffic or public safety concerns you want me to raise directly with the Chief, please send them to me.
As it is a privilege after each full council meeting, I joined Hammer and Nigel for our monthly conversation about what's happening at the council.
This week we discussed:
• AES and rising energy concerns
• Senate Bill 284
• And a controversial comment from a fellow councilor that sparked a strong public reaction
The segment runs about 12 minutes, and I’ve attached the video below if you want to watch the full discussion.
AES: Why This Story Did Not Start This Week
The AES story got much bigger this week.
Indiana Treasurer Daniel Elliott publicly raised concerns about the proposed BlackRock-led
acquisition of AES, warning that Hoosiers deserve transparency and protection from higher costs.
For Indianapolis residents, that is the core issue: affordability.
That is also why I took public action last year, leading with a council resolution urging AES to withdraw its proposed rate increase, or for state regulators to reject it.
If Indy is serious about becoming the Smartest City in America, we have to pay attention to the systems that shape everyday life. Energy policy is one of them.
SmartIndy: Community Engagement in Lawrence
Tuesday night we held a SmartIndy community engagement event in Lawrence Township, and it was a great example of the kind of grassroots involvement Indy needs more of.
About 25 residents joined us, and the goal was simple:
Bring together people who care about their community and give them a way to help shape better policy.
One of my core beliefs is that the greatest untapped asset in Indianapolis is our people.
Across Marion County there are incredibly smart residents who understand their neighborhoods better than anyone.
If we want Indy to become the Smartest City in America, we have to make it easier for those voices to participate.
During the event we introduced a new initiative that will help us document communities across the county.
Through a simple form, residents can help identify:
• What is working in their neighborhood
• What is not working
• Which streets are problematic
• Which local organizations are making a difference
• What assets deserve more attention
The goal is to collect information that can help improve outcomes related to:
• Public safety
• Roads and Infrastructure
• Health
• Economic development
• Neighborhood quality of life
Lawrence Township was our starting point.
Wayne Township will be next.
The Lawrence team will meet again on April 7 to review what we learned and identify next steps.
If you would like to participate, you can fill out the survey here:
Other Notable Meetings This Week
There were also several other conversations worth mentioning.
Washington Square Mall Check-In
We held another check-in meeting regarding the future of Washington Square Mall.
Redevelopment projects of this scale require patience and alignment between multiple partners. Progress is continuing, and I remain focused on ensuring the Eastside is part of Indy’s future growth story. The purpose of this meeting was to determine dates and locations for Community Input sessions, more to come on that soon.
John Boner Center
I also met with James Taylor at the John Boner Center to learn about their experience leading neighborhood-based quality of life planning.
With the Far Eastside Quality of Life Plan now underway, I wanted to hear directly from organizations that have successfully led this kind of work before. The conversation produced several ideas worth continuing.
Elevance Health
I also had the opportunity to meet with Elevance Health.
Healthcare is one of the most important issues affecting Indianapolis. Elevance is a major player in the national healthcare landscape, and conversations like this help ensure the right organizations are involved as we think about the future of health outcomes across our city.
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Accountability, Transparency and Local Leadership
See you next week with more updates from the Neighborhood.
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