January 2005

www.hillvalley.org

Check our web page, www.hillvalley.org, for pictures of our winners.

Fellow Members, The snow season is here again. Please do not park your car on the street if snow is forecast or you may be plowed in. There are 58 miles to plow in a few hours. If you have a storm drain in front of your house please remove leaves and debris so melting snow can drain. For problems please call David Olmstead at 888-5270. The 2005 membership form is enclosed – annual dues are now due. Have a happy and joyous holiday season. Steve

Christmas week we were hit with two storms back-to-back. Contractors everywhere were struggling to get streets and parking lots cleared a second time in 24 hours. We spared no expense to try to get the work done but did not fully succeed. The problem was compounded by the city workers. They left huge mounds in front of driveways and their red truck did at least one street they weren’t supposed to and did it poorly. Our contractor was overwhelmed with exhausted employees. We could not get extra help because everyone else was busy. We have not faced this severe a situation before and hope that we will never see it again. We are searching for options to get backup help in case it does recur. Thank you for your patience and courtesy and we will continue to work night and day to deliver on our promise to keep Hill Valley streets clear.

2005 EVENTS CALENDAR

Newsletters will be sent out during first or second week of January, April, July, and October Any news must be submitted before the end of previous month.

Garage Sales: Thursday through Saturday, June 9-11 and again August 18-20
Annual Summer Social: Friday, August 12, 5:00 p.m.

The Board meets the 3rd Monday of every month (except December) generally at St. Barnabas church at 7:30 p.m. The first 20 minutes are devoted to input from visitors before the business meeting continues. Please be prepared, as there is limited time. Dates for 2005 are as follows:

Jan 17 Feb 21 Mar 21 Apr 18 May 16 Jun 20 Jul 21 Aug 15 Sep 19 Oct 17 Nov 21

Many people need help understanding the various cards and programs that are available. The places to go for help are: Indianapolis Senior Center (317) 263-6277 or the Senior Health Insurance Information Line (800) 452-4800. You can talk with a trained counselor who will help you with the applications and supply information to decide which card is best for you.

INFORMATION FOR NEW RESIDENTS OF HILL VALLEY

There are 1100 homes in Hill Valley. We have grown together over the many years to support a Homeowners Association with a Board of Directors. Joining is only $25. per year and that includes the cost of snow plowing. We publish a quarterly Newsletter to inform everyone what¹s coming up next including information from the local Crime Watch organization with whom we cooperate. We have an annual picnic which is free to all members of the Hill Valley Homeowners Assn. which includes a full meal, recreation for the children, and dancing for the adults. We have a website, www.hillvalley.org, where you can find our mission statement, a map of the whole neighborhood so you can find where the Crime Watch incidents occurred, a list of all board members, a yearly calendar, past Newsletters, and important area phone numbers.

A Crime Watch meeting was held on Monday, November 25, 2004 to fulfill the request from concerned residents regarding the convicted child molester who has moved into East Hill Valley. Crime Watch hosted a meeting and invited Christine Kerl, Supervisor of the Sex Offender Unit at the Superior Court of Probation and probation officers Kevin McCleese, Josh Herman, and Melissa Mullen to share the sentencing requirements of the child molester, educate residents about their rights, answer questions and provide resources for information on this important topic. Kevin McCleese is the probation officer responsible for monitoring the probation requirements of the convicted child molester living in East Hill Valley.

Marion County employs a community-based monitoring program for sex offenders who are on probation and living in our community. Offenders on probation are still serving out their sentence; the monitoring program is an alternative to serving in a correctional facility. An offender on parole has no sentence left and is only required to maintain current information in the sex offender registry. Monitoring is done using a "Containment Model" that places the sex offender in the middle and the probation officer, the treatment program and the polygraph tests in a triangle around the offender. Polygraph tests are administered to obtain honest accurate information from sex offenders; even if that information indicates the offender has violated his/her probation. The polygraph enables probation officers to enforce sanctions of the court and obtain court action against an offender if necessary. Sex offenders on probation are visited where they live, work, worship, etc. The probation officers work nontraditional hours in order to maximize their opportunities to have face-to-face contact with the offenders. Probation officers cannot by law share everything they know about a sex offender’s specific case with an inquiring resident. The probation officer’s job is to monitor the offender and report information back (as an agent of the court) to the judge so further disciplinary action can be taken against an offender if needed. The primary goal of community-based monitoring is to modify convicted sex offender behavior to prevent future offenses

Conditions of probation for the convicted child molester living in East Hill Valley will be monitored for 6 years and include:

1. No contact with individuals less than 16 years old
2. No alcohol or drugs
3. Attend sex offender counseling
4. Attend mental health counseling
5. Probation officer may search residence at anytime
6. Cannot live within 1,000 feet of a school

Christine provided residents with valuable statistics regarding sex offenders in addition to her contact information and various websites where residents can go to obtain information.

These include:

• Christine Kerl 317.327-4796 e-mail: ckerl@indygov.org
• Kevin McCleese 317.327.4758
• Indianapolis Police Department Information division: 317.327.3431

Websites where residents may obtain further information about sex offenders or sex offender legislation, include:

• http://www.indianasheriffs.org/ is the Internet site of the Indiana Sheriff’s Sex Offender Registry. Indiana state law (Zachary’s Law) requires the existence and maintenance of this detailed Registry of convicted sex offenders. Residents may search this site using the name of a sex offender, street name or zip code to find where a sex offender resides and works (if the offender is employed). Residents may also read more about Zachary’s Law (see the Frequently Asked Questions), the offenses that require registration and how long registration is required.
• www.in.gov/legislative/ to find out which Indiana Legislators are sponsoring legislation regarding sex offenders
• www.csom.org provides statistics on community supervision of sex offenders

Sometimes silence speaks louder than words. Even though the response to the survey a year ago about streetlights was minimal, the HVHA Board decided to conduct a cost analysis of streetlighting. The Board obtained the services of a lighting expert from the Indianapolis Power & Light and invited input from Hill Valley residents. The Board also promised to present the results at the Annual Meeting of HVHA in October and publicized that in the September 2004 Newsletter to all residents. This analysis was completed and presented as promised. Meanwhile, not one phone call, e-mail or letter was received from anyone providing input or support for streetlights. At the Annual Meeting, those present were asked if they wanted the Board to take any further action. The answer was silence from everyone present. Earlier this year it was not clear whether there would be a genuine interest by the members in funding a streetlight project. Therefore, the HVHA Board agreed to pay the electrical costs of a streetlight that was erected by one of the residents on her own initiative. It was agreed that this funding would continue until the Annual Meeting and the will of the membership was made clear. Based on the silence of the membership on this subject, the HVHA Board will make no further efforts or investment regarding streetlights.

The lighting expert suggested that it may be more economical and less intrusive on the environment for concerned individuals to operate a coach lamp or a vapor security light on their property. We are requesting information on the cost of operating such lights and attempting to negotiate a discount program for purchase of coach or security lights.

We would like to see our quarterly publication become more of a neighborhood newsletter, but we need your help. We would welcome suggestions, comments and other newsworthy items that you feel would be of interest to your neighbors. The HVHA does reserve the right to edit such submittals for clarity and conciseness. Please submit your articles to any HVHA board member and we will try to publish it as submitted. If we have questions or concerns we will contact the author as necessary.

Steve Scheidler President S. Pennsylvania 881-1558

Martha Smart Vice-President Mandan Ct. 889-8596

Ernestine Nicholson Secretary Lockwood Lane 865-0787

Joan Smith Treasurer E. Hill Valley Dr. 865-7761

John Renault Member Parish Lane 888-9607

Frank Hogan Member W. Valley View 888-6540

Chris Mazur Member Parish Lane 865-0729

Linda Mershon Member Ottawa Dr. 881-9751

Donald Smith Member E. Hill Valley Dr. 865-7761

David Olmstead Immediate Past-President

8342 Parish Lane

Indianapolis, IN 46217