City-county councilors have a lot of sway when it comes to projects in their district.
That was evident as recently as last month, when Councilor Michael-Paul Hart successfully rallied his constituents — and his fellow councilors — to oppose a massive Google data center in Franklin Township. Hart won that fight.
Councilors can wield their influence in other ways, too.
Last year, each member was allocated $1 million in the 2025 budget to spend on a park or road project. Most of the 25 councilors chose asphalt.
Two of those councilors are using their piece of the pie to repave the street in front of their house, Mirror Indy has learned.
Hart, who lives in southeastern Warren Township, plans to use his share to resurface the Forest Creek neighborhood — including a section of roadway that abuts his home.
When asked by a Mirror Indy reporter why he chose that location, Hart cited constituent feedback and poor road conditions.
Hart said he didn’t consider the location of his home when making his decision, though he acknowledged that he often hears from his neighbors more than any other group.
“I’ve got folks here, they’ve got my ear,” Hart said. “I hear from them very often, probably more than anyone else, but it wasn’t the only factor in my decision.”
Hart wasn’t alone in choosing a project that’s close to home.
Avon Creek Estates
Councilor Jared Evans, a westside Democrat, asked the Department of Public Works to repave several streets in his Avon Creek Estates neighborhood.
Part of that project will involve resurfacing the street in front of his house.
Evans said the fact that he lives in the neighborhood didn’t factor into his decision. He said the head of the homeownership association was “pretty vocal” about getting the streets repaved.
“We don’t get to pick specific streets. We have to pick an area,” Evans told Mirror Indy. “At no point did I advocate for (my street) to be repaved.”
Evans also hopes to use a portion of the $1 million to purchase land for the White Lick Creek Trail, but talks with the property owner have stalled, he said.
Sunset Ridge Parkway
Brian Mowery, a southside Republican, is using his share to resurface a roughly half-mile stretch of Sunset Ridge Parkway, between Five Points Road and Moonstruck Parkway.
While his project doesn’t involve redoing the stretch of road that abuts his home, it does include resurfacing the road that serves as the entrance to his Franklin Township neighborhood.
When asked if that played a role in his decision, Mowery said he didn’t want to disclose where he lives. He said he chose the neighborhood after hearing from his constituents.
“There was a large outpouring of support for that street to get redone,” Mowery told Mirror Indy. “I honestly didn’t hear a lot from other constituents on the selection process, so I went with what I thought was best.”
Quail Ridge
Carlos Perkins, a Democrat who lives on the northwest side, is spending his portion to resurface the roads in a neighborhood directly across the street from Bethel Cathedral AME Church, where he preaches every Sunday.
Perkins said he chose the Quail Ridge neighborhood because residents there have been asking for help since he ran for public office in 2023.
“This was a promise I made to that community during my campaign,” Perkins told Mirror Indy. “Let me be clear: This was not tied to the location of my church. It was tied to this neighborhood being in my district.”
What’s next?
Construction on the projects is expected to begin as early as November, with completion expected by summer 2026.
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Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.
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