OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Indianapolis City County Council Meeting Summary - January 5, 2026

City-County Council — Monday, January 5, 2026
BodyIndianapolis, Indiana
SessionCity-County Council
DateMonday, January 5, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:14:37

Transcript — Verbatim
0:02

Good evening.

0:04

We begin our meeting with a prayer and pledge of allegiance led by Councillor Wells.

0:32

Thank you, Mr.

0:33

President.

0:34

Good evening, Councillors, Council staff, honored guests and attendees here in the chamber with us tonight.

0:41

Thank you all for coming together with this body as we join in doing the work of local government in Indianapolis.

0:47

I humbly request we bow our heads and hope you will join me in prayer.

0:52

Lord, we are gathered here tonight in the public assembly room, and we are blessed to once again serve our great city on this council.

1:00

As we begin a new year, we pray that you will cover Indianapolis and her people in blessings and abundance of love and peace.

1:08

We implore you, Father God, to make this a place, a beacon for all who live in and visit our city.

1:16

Lay your hand upon the heads of our leaders.

1:19

As the mighty one, we call on you to lift our minds away from politics and toward those we serve.

1:26

Open our hearts and ears and help justice prevail in our decision making.

1:30

Protect this council, protect our staff, protect our families as this work is never easy.

1:36

Lord, we know the power we possess was given to us by your people and through your will and your grace.

1:43

We know the Bible says we should always follow your word over the word and the will of mankind.

1:49

I pray you help us stay mindful of our power and our purpose.

1:54

That we may have discernment over what is your will and what is the will of mankind.

2:00

We know it's your will to have the people fully invested in the election process.

2:04

And tonight we pray that you use the leaders on this council and the people in this room, God, to ensure your will is done.

2:13

We want you to work through us, use the platforms given to us to engage and involve every neighbor, every voter in the county, young, old, veteran, and rookie voter alike, Lord, let 2026 be the year Indianapolis voters restore moral integrity to our governments.

2:31

Proverbs 29, verse 2 asks us to elect the righteous.

2:36

We know when we elect the righteous in those people in authority, the people will rejoice.

2:42

But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

2:44

Let this prayer call for an end to mourning, Lord.

2:47

We pray this onto you and in your name tonight, and may the whole chamber join me in this exaltation and say amen.

2:56

Thank you.

2:57

Before we move into the pledge, I'd like to observe a moment of silence, Mr.

3:00

President, in honor and remembrance for those who lost their lives in the Holocaust.

3:04

Thank you.

3:05

While January 27th is the official day that we observe this global day to pay homage and respect to those victims, I thought it would be an appropriate place tonight to observe the moment of silence because I hope to soon see an end to anti-Semitic rhetoric and acts of hate and violence across our globe, still to this day, and even here at home in Indy.

3:25

So please join me now for a moment of silence to honor the lives of the victims of the Holocaust.

3:37

Thank you.

3:38

And now for the pledge.

3:48

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

3:55

Thank you, Mr.

3:56

President.

4:28

Counselors, please select your green button to indicate your attendance.

4:37

There are 25 members present.

4:41

And as we have no guests with us this evening who are not already on the agenda, the next item on our agenda is organization of council.

4:48

And fellow counselors, if you would not mind, I'd like to ask for a point of personal privilege.

4:54

Um to say thank you.

5:00

Uh serving as your city county council president for the past eight years has been one of the greatest honors of my public life.

5:06

And this role is never held alone.

5:08

It is sustained by trust, collaboration, and mutual respect.

5:12

And you gave me that trust.

5:15

Public service is not abstract.

5:18

It is late nights and early mornings.

5:21

Budgets argued line by line and ordinances shaped by compromise and moments when conviction has to walk hand in hand with restraint.

5:32

Over these eight years, we have lived all of that together.

5:37

We also face what none of us expected, a global pandemic that tested our city and our institutions.

5:44

In those uncertain days, we had to make hard decisions quickly, carefully, and with the weight of real consequences.

5:52

And through COVID and through the long recovery after it, the council showed up.

6:00

We kept government moving, protected the vulnerable, and helped Indianapolis regain its footing.

6:08

Throughout my tenure, I've tried to lead with simple, with a very simple principle.

6:13

Equity and fairness are not side conversations.

6:18

They are the work.

6:20

Whether the the issue was housing, public health, public safety, or budgets.

6:25

We asked who benefits, who is burdened, and how to make the city work, not just in theory, but in practice for every neighborhood and every family.

6:36

We did not always agree, and that was a strength.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████24%
Data Center Regulation██████████████14%
Election Procedures███████████11%
Parks and Recreation██████████10%
Community Engagement█████████9%
Public Engagement█████████9%
Public Safety████4%
Environmental Protection████4%
Zoning and Land Use████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Indianapolis City County Council Meeting Summary - January 5, 2026

The City County Council of Indianapolis convened on January 5, 2026, for its annual organizational meeting. The session began with a prayer led by Councillor Wells, a moment of silence honoring Holocaust victims, and the administration of the pledge of allegiance. The primary focus was the election of 2026 officers, resulting in a new leadership team. The council also adopted several resolutions recognizing public servants and community organizations, addressed a contentious issue regarding data center development which failed on the floor, and reviewed numerous administrative appointments and zoning requests before adjourning.

Consent Calendar

  • Organization of Council: Officers were elected, and caucus leaders were certified.
  • Elected Officers:
    • President: Maggie Lewis (Green button vote passed).
    • Vice President: John Barth (Red button vote passed).
    • Clerk of the Council: Yolanda Winfield (Unanimous vote).
  • Caucus Leaders: Jared Evans certified as Majority Leader; Brian Maori (listed as Maori/Maury/Maori in transcript) certified as Minority Leader.
  • Certificates of Excellence: Awarded to President Maggie Lewis, Councillor Ron Gibson, and Councillor Brienne Delaney for perfect attendance.
  • Resolutions Passed:
    • Resolution 17: Recognized Greg Stowers Jr. for his outstanding service and retirement from public office.
    • Resolution 18: Recognized the Indianapolis 10-Point Coalition for 27 years of reducing urban youth violence.
    • Resolution 29: Recognized Don Colvin for over 35 years of service to Indy Parks prior to retirement.
  • Appointments Passed:
    • Proposal 348: Reappointment of Still Hoffman to the Marion County Stormwater Management Technical Advisory Committee.
    • Proposal 373: Reappointment of Larry Bates to the Parks Board of Parks and Recreation.
    • Proposal 371: Approval of the 2026 budget for the Greater Virginia Avenue Corridor Economic Improvement District (25-0).
    • Proposal 372: Approval of the 2026 budget for the Woodruff Place Economic Improvement District (25-0).
    • Proposal 376: Modification of the holiday ordinance for Marion County Public Defender Agency employees (25-0).
  • Zoning & Traffic:
    • Proposal 19: Scheduled for public hearing on February 2, 2026 (25-0).
    • Proposals 20-28: Passed into law.
    • Proposals 377-396: A package of traffic, parking, and speed limit modifications (e.g., 25 mph speed limits in various subdivisions, U-turn restrictions) passed (25-0).
  • New Introductions (Referred): Multiple proposals including reappointments to boards, budget appropriations, and code amendments were introduced and referred to their respective committees.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Greg Stowers Jr.: Expressed deep gratitude to God, his family, over 7,000 city employees, and council members for their support and humanity during his tenure. He emphasized the importance of building trust and working together to evolve institutions.
  • Pastor (Representing Indianapolis 10-Point Coalition): Accepted the recognition on behalf of the coalition, attributing their 27-year success to divine vision and thanking the council for their partnership.
  • Don Colvin (Retiring): Expressed humility regarding his 35-year career with Indy Parks. He thanked his team, directors, council members, and his family. He highlighted the joy of seeing communities benefit from parks and greenways and noted his legacy through the staff he mentored.
  • Councillor Wells (Author of Data Center Resolution): Stated that while the resolution failed, it was intended as a starting point for conversation regarding community input. He expressed shock at the vote but acknowledged the democratic process.
  • Vice President John Barth: Expressed agreement that the resolution was a starting point but emphasized his personal support for a full moratorium on data centers. He announced a forthcoming Environmental Sustainability Committee meeting to discuss policy options, including potential ordinance changes and national presentations, to address community concerns regarding water, power, and environmental impact.
  • Councillor Osley: Expressed that the city should not ban infrastructure but support establishing "guardrails," including transparency on power/water consumption and prohibitions on specific locations. He announced a draft proposal will be circulated within 30-60 days.
  • Councillor Perkins: Repeated that the council hears community concerns and invites the public to the upcoming committee meeting to build consensus on moving the city forward with growth and safeguards.
  • Councillor Kael: Voted against the data center resolution. Expressed support for the idea of not providing tax abatements to billion-dollar companies but argued the resolution failed because "data center" was not clearly defined, making a moratorium problematic.
  • Councillor Hart: Voted against the resolution, advocating for work on specific proposals regarding zoning and compliance standards rather than a vague resolution. Emphasized that accepting data centers cannot come at the expense of residents without community improvements or jobs.
  • Councillor Gibson: Voted against the resolution, arguing that data centers cannot be "put in the same box." Expressed support for vetting and educating the community to ensure responsible development while avoiding excluding potential economic opportunities.
  • Councillor Graves: Voted against the resolution, clarifying that his "no" vote was not opposition to the community but a stance that the current proposal was not the right vehicle to achieve community goals given they had "inside information" about upcoming robust presentations.
  • Councillor Allen: Voted against the resolution, emphasizing the need for public education regarding different types of data centers while reiterating his stance of standing with constituents.
  • Chairman Boots: Voted against the resolution, stating he stands with constituents but believes the resolution was not the right vehicle to meet their objectives, advocating for education instead.

Discussion Items

  • Data Center Development (Proposal 30):
    • Context: Introduced by Councillors Brown and Wells, this special resolution urged data center developers to engage transparently without NDAs and discouraged tax abatements. It referenced community protests against proposed developments, concerns over water usage, and the use of NDAs in the planning process.
    • Discrepancy Note: The transcript explicitly states the motion failed by a vote of 11 to 13 after a call for the board vote. However, the text immediately following the vote count lists "All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye." before stating the motion failed. Additionally, Councillor Brown's co-sponsor, Allen, and others reference the failure and their positions. The vote tally and the text sequence are contradictory in the provided transcript, but the outcome (failure) is the operative result discussed by members.
    • Abstention: Councillor Allen stated he had advised he was abstaining due to an ongoing rezoning case in his district, though he later voted against the measure in his comments.
    • Debate: The discussion shifted to the definition of "data centers," the need for specific environmental guardrails, the prohibition of tax abatements, and the necessity of a formal policy discussion rather than a special resolution. Several members indicated they were supporting the concept of community input but opposed the vehicle of the failed resolution.

Key Outcomes

  • Leadership Change: Maggie Lewis sworn in as Council President, replacing the previous President (Osley, implied). John Barth elected Vice President. Yolanda Winfield re-elected as Clerk. Jared Evans (Majority) and Brian Maori (Minority) certified as Caucus Leaders.
  • Tributes Passed: Unified recognition and resolution passed for Greg Stowers Jr., the Indianapolis 10-Point Coalition, and Don Colvin.
  • Data Center Resolution Failed: The special resolution urging transparency and discouraging tax abatements for data centers failed with a vote of 11 in favor to 13 opposed (with 1 abstention noted by Councillor Allen prior to voting).
  • Next Steps on Data Centers:
    • Vice President Barth scheduled an Environmental Sustainability Committee meeting to discuss policy, national landscapes, and constraints.
    • Councillor Osley drafted a proposal with "guardrails" to be circulated within 30-60 days.
    • Multiple councillors committed to educating the community and moving toward specific ordinance changes rather than moratoriums based on vague definitions.
  • Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned with motions in memory of Ernest Bartlett Jr., Merriel Metcalf, Ingrid Gardner, James Guthrie, Mary Ann Hunt, and Spencer 2. A letter bearing the council seal was requested to be sent to the families of the deceased.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. We begin our meeting with a prayer and pledge of allegiance led by Councillor Wells. Thank you, Mr. President. Good evening, Councillors, Council staff, honored guests and attendees here in the chamber with us tonight. Thank you all for coming together with this body as we join in doing the work of local government in Indianapolis. I humbly request we bow our heads and hope you will join me in prayer. Lord, we are gathered here tonight in the public assembly room, and we are blessed to once again serve our great city on this council. As we begin a new year, we pray that you will cover Indianapolis and her people in blessings and abundance of love and peace. We implore you, Father God, to make this a place, a beacon for all who live in and visit our city. Lay your hand upon the heads of our leaders. As the mighty one, we call on you to lift our minds away from politics and toward those we serve. Open our hearts and ears and help justice prevail in our decision making. Protect this council, protect our staff, protect our families as this work is never easy. Lord, we know the power we possess was given to us by your people and through your will and your grace. We know the Bible says we should always follow your word over the word and the will of mankind. I pray you help us stay mindful of our power and our purpose. That we may have discernment over what is your will and what is the will of mankind. We know it's your will to have the people fully invested in the election process. And tonight we pray that you use the leaders on this council and the people in this room, God, to ensure your will is done. We want you to work through us, use the platforms given to us to engage and involve every neighbor, every voter in the county, young, old, veteran, and rookie voter alike, Lord, let 2026 be the year Indianapolis voters restore moral integrity to our governments. Proverbs 29, verse 2 asks us to elect the righteous. We know when we elect the righteous in those people in authority, the people will rejoice. But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. Let this prayer call for an end to mourning, Lord. We pray this onto you and in your name tonight, and may the whole chamber join me in this exaltation and say amen. Thank you. Before we move into the pledge, I'd like to observe a moment of silence, Mr. President, in honor and remembrance for those who lost their lives in the Holocaust. Thank you. While January 27th is the official day that we observe this global day to pay homage and respect to those victims, I thought it would be an appropriate place tonight to observe the moment of silence because I hope to soon see an end to anti-Semitic rhetoric and acts of hate and violence across our globe, still to this day, and even here at home in Indy. So please join me now for a moment of silence to honor the lives of the victims of the Holocaust. Thank you. And now for the pledge. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Mr. President. Counselors, please select your green button to indicate your attendance. There are 25 members present. And as we have no guests with us this evening who are not already on the agenda, the next item on our agenda is organization of council. And fellow counselors, if you would not mind, I'd like to ask for a point of personal privilege. Um to say thank you. Uh serving as your city county council president for the past eight years has been one of the greatest honors of my public life. And this role is never held alone. It is sustained by trust, collaboration, and mutual respect. And you gave me that trust. Public service is not abstract. It is late nights and early mornings. Budgets argued line by line and ordinances shaped by compromise and moments when conviction has to walk hand in hand with restraint. Over these eight years, we have lived all of that together.

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