SHERIDAN — Hamilton County has doubled its population since 2000, but one community hopes to preserve its small-town charm by taking control away from the county.
Sheridan and Adams Township would merge if voters in the community approve a ballot measure in the November election.
If the measure passes, the two governments would combine and Sheridan would have jurisdiction over all municipal functions within the township's current borders.
"We know we're going to grow; we just don't want to explode and we want to have control of it," said Adams Township board member Ron Stone, who is also president of the Sheridan Historical Society.
Stone believes the move is necessary because Sheridan's vision to stay intimate does not align with Hamilton County's goals for growth.
"Sheridan has no control over the zoning outside of the Sheridan limits. The county can pretty well do what they want to do," Stone said. "I think every small town wants to have control of their community."
3,106 people live in Sheridan, according to the 2020 Census. It only grew by about 600 people since the 2000 Census.
In comparison, Hamilton County's population grew from 182,740 in 2000 to an estimated 371,465 in 2023.
Artist and Sheridan native Melinda Spear-Huff initially moved away for college, but came back and opened up an art studio on Main Street.
"We turned the upstairs into our living space," Spear-Huff said. "It's low-key, and I think I'm a low-key person so it fits."
Both Spear-Huff and Stone still want more people to move to Sheridan, as long as the community keeps its small-town charm.
"I want what's best for the community and I don't want our town gobbled up by what's coming closer to us," Spear-Huff said. "It's important to protect it, but it's also important to move forward."
"You look at Whitestown, Zionsville, and Thorntown. They're having the same issues," Stone said. "They want to protect their identity and that's what we want to do here."
