Mayor Jensen highlights flood response, volunteers and recovery needs in State of the City

Mayor Chris Jensen opened the 2026 State of the City address by centering the speech on the community response to recent, widespread flooding in and around Noblesville.

"As devastating floodwaters flow into neighborhoods, a flood of donations is pouring into the Hamilton County Fairgrounds," Jensen said, thanking local nonprofits, volunteers and corporate donors for immediate relief work.

Jensen described the flood as unprecedented in recent memory and tied it to historical benchmarks, saying the community had not seen comparable flooding since 1913. He said nearly 475 residential properties were evacuated and that many residents may face total loss of homes. The mayor credited SERV Village (led by Michelle Smith) with mobilizing roughly 1,400 volunteers and named the Hamilton County Community Foundation and Good Samaritan Network as coordination points for donations.

The mayor also thanked private firms that provided in-kind support—dumpsters, food for crews and on-site cleanup assistance—and neighboring municipalities that assisted in on-the-ground recovery. Jensen said local government and volunteer networks took early, decisive action rather than waiting on state or federal assistance.

Looking ahead, Jensen urged continued public and private coordination for cleanup and rebuilding and asked residents and organizations to stay engaged in recovery efforts.