Nickel Plate rail advocate announces campaign against Fadness

An outspoken critic of Fishers’ plan to convert the Nickel Plate Railroad into a trail has filed to run against Mayor Scott Fadness in May’s primary election.

Logan Day, who previously served as the spokesperson for the Save the Nickel Plate organization, on Friday morning officially filed to run in the Republican primary.

Last month, Day formed an exploratory committee to gauge whether he’d have the financial and political support to run for office.

Now, he feels confident he’s ready to proceed, he said.

“It is my greatest hope to serve the residents of Fishers as a conduit of their needs and desires directly in the administration,” he said in a prepared statement. “I’m so excited to continue sharing my vision and work with citizens to build a future for Fishers together.”

Day has been the face of a grassroots campaign to prevent the railroad tracks from being ripped out and replaced with a trail.

Fadness, who is completing his first full term as mayor, filed to run for re-election last week.

As Fishers’ first mayor, Fadness has led the city though a period of fast growth and several large economic development projects. His vision for Fishers is to create and maintain a smart, vibrant, entrepreneurial city. Already, the city is home to Launch Fishers and the Indiana IoT Lab, both tech hubs that give entrepreneurs a place to innovate.

“As long as we have the courage and entrepreneurial spirit to recognize what is happening globally, innovate and adapt, we will continue to be a strong community, poised for success,” he said in a prepared statement issued last week.  

In his campaign, Day is calling for more transparency and sustainable spending. His platform includes providing more communication and clarity about the city’s contracting process with taxpayer money, he said.

He said he plans to spend every Wednesday morning at The Original Pancake House in Fishers, where residents can meet him and talk about their concerns, meetings that will continue if he’s elected.

May’s primary will be held May 7. Friday was the deadline for candidates to file to run in the primary.