MARK YOUR CALENDARS! This year the annual meeting of the membership of HVHA will hear of the progress of many projects underway for the benefit of our neighborhood. This will include a report on the research of various options for street lighting. You may be asked to vote on one or more of those options. There will be a presentation by Judge James Payne on some surprising aspects of juvenile crime. Please come to the meeting and be a part of the process of strengthening our neighborhood and serving each other. Let your voice be heard.

There are a number of activities for which we could use volunteers. These include welcoming new residents, removing litter from the islands, newsletter folding and mailing, monitoring vacant houses, and helping with the web site. If you would like to volunteer for any of these projects, no matter how infrequently, please let us know during the meeting or leave your name with Steve Scheidler.

As members, you are welcome to attend the Board meetings and voice your thoughts. If you would like to be included on the agenda, please call the HVHA President. 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 issues from members before the business meeting continues. Please be prepared, as there is limited time

Fellow Members, Many of you call me with your complaints. The one I hear the most is about animals running loose. It is illegal to let your pets run loose outside your yard and your neighbors have a right to call the police. It is not fair to your pets to leave them run and risk getting caught.

We had a great Summer Social! Thanks to everybody who helped with this event. We had a good time together. We have a lot of new residents. I hope you will come to our Annual Meeting this month. Happy Holidays everybody. Fraternally, Steve

In 2003 the Board sent a survey to all member households regarding the issue of streetlights. About 20% responded of which two-thirds supported the concept and one-third had no interest in street lights. Even though only 76 households out of 650 expressed positive interest, the Board promised to investigate the cost of installing streetlights in key locations. Frank Hogan has been working with an Indianapolis Power and Light representative to identify key locations and develop the cost of installing and servicing economical lighting. The IPL analysis is still ongoing. We hope to have some firm information for the Annual Meeting. If the IPL information is complete, we may ask for a sense of the membership whether the Board should seriously consider any of the options. Keep in mind that 80% of our members did not respond to the survey and that street lighting will probably be an expensive proposition.

The Summer Social was a huge success. A good time was had by all because of the hard work of our many neighbors who volunteered. We had 466 in attendance, 341 adults and 125 youth This was the largest turnout in recent years, so large that we had to go out and buy more brats and hotdogs. We are sure the members will join the Board in thanking all the volunteers who helped make this event so much fun. Working the front gate was Membership Chair John Renault, assisted by Ed Kiesel, Martha Smart, Chris Mazur, Ron Hunt and Teresa Bradley. Past-president David Olmstead was the "security guard" at the back gate. Frank Hogan, Don Smith and Steve Smart grilled the delicious rib eye steaks, brats and hot dogs. Side dishes, chips and sweets were kept available by Joan Smith, Patrick Smart, Dorothy Scheidler and Ernestine Nicholson. The drink bar was kept busy by President Steve Scheidler and his team - Larry Jubin, Sara Jubin, Pat VanBuskirk, Bob Evans, John Scheib, Larry Allen and Jan Whitmore. Martha Smart handled the door prizes, making all the winners very happy and the hula hoop contest winners a little richer. Our resident clown, Judy Morrison was a hit, as usual. Thanks also to the others who supported us – the Perry Township Fire Department and their robot friend, Sparky; the Golf-to-Go and Whispering Meadows Equestrian Center; and, Mr. and Mrs. Dick Morgan who were our wonderful musical entertainment.

Christmas in October? No, but the holiday season will be upon us very soon. Hill Valley Homeowners will be decorating their houses for the Annual HVHA Christmas Decoration Contest. Prizes will be given for First, Second and Third in East Hill Valley and the same for West Hill Valley. No one can win first prize two years in a row. Over and above those prizes there will be a Grand Prize for all of Hill Valley. Grand Prize winners cannot repeat for two years. All prize winners must be members of the HVHA. Choose from one of three themes - Religious, Elegant, or To a Child's Eyes. The judges will drive through the neighborhood the second week of December, December 13-19. That week please leave your lights on until 10:00 p.m. each evening.

Under the leadership of Board Member Linda Mershon, the HVHA was awarded a Neighborhood Action Grant by the City of Indianapolis for $2,500 to purchase materials to beautify the entrance islands. The Board has approved the overhaul of the islands and will be refinishing the entrance signs as well. We hope you will enjoy the results of this beautification project.

You need to know that you may not leave boats, hauling trailers, or travel trailers unhooked and parked on the street. Not only does this situation pose a traffic and safety hazard but it is illegal. All motorized vehicles must be licensed, in running condition, and insured. If it is not, you as the owner can be cited and/or the vehicle can be impounded.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the August garage sale and special thanks to those who let us put their location on a map of the area. The maps were a great success with the bargain hunters. This August we had more participants and many more customers than in recent years.

A friendly reminder for all residents of Hill Valley Homeowners Association area. Please be forewarned there will be on-going, random sheriff patrols with the intention to cite traffic violators and be on the lookout for criminal activity and loose animals. This time of year they will also be on the lookout for persons burning leaves. Leaf burning is illegal in this area and is extremely dangerous with even the slightest wind.

Halloween is fast upon us so please be careful. That night there will be lots of kiddies out.

John Renault reports that following the rash of mailbox vandalism on Parish Lane, the company that makes the plastic mailboxes that so many of us use sent replacement flags for those that were destroyed. Thanks to a good corporate "neighbor" the Step2 Corporation, 10010 Aurora Hudson Rd., Streetsboro, OH 44241.

The Friedens United Church of Christ has been a presence in our community since the beginning and has been a good neighbor to the association and its members. They gladly allow us to use their building for our Annual Meeting. This congregation invites the Hill Valley community to consider its new Sunday worship schedule: Traditional worship at 8 and 10:30 a.m. with church school at 9:15 for all ages. Casual worship at 5:30 p.m. preceded by a simple supper at 5:00. Middle and senior high fellowship and adult bible study at 6:30 p.m.

John Renault, Membership Chair, reports that we now have 672 households as members for 2004.

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.

8342 Parish Lane

Indianapolis, IN 46217