Board Update: Holiday Lights Contest, blood donation recap, food truck this week, last leaf pickup Tuesday

Hello Eagle Nest residents, 

Here’s a look at neighborhood news for the week of November 30/December 1:

HOLIDAY LIGHTS CONTEST JUDGING ON DECEMBER 7

The holiday season is upon us, and that means it’s time for the annual Eagle Nest Holiday Lights Contest. Want in? The rules are simple: The most festive lot wins! Simply have your exterior lights on and lot decorations on display by 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7, so our panel of judges can pick a winner. First place earns a $50 gift card, with prizes for second and third place, too. We’ll post the winners on the blog and Facebook, so stay tuned. Happy holidays, everyone!

VERSITI BLOOD DRIVE A SUCCESS!

Thanks to the 15 donors who turned out for our Association’s first blood drive in partnership with Versiti (formerly the Indiana Blood Center). Your generosity was perfect timing, because of a critical supply shortage during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Versiti says each donation can save up to 2½ lives – trauma victims, cancer patients and others at area medical centers, including nearby Community Hospital North. That means Eagle Nest helped save nearly 40 lives! Click here for information about more donation events in our area.

NEXT FOOD TRUCK ON DECEMBER 2 – AND IT’S CAJUN!

If you’re tired of Thanksgiving leftovers, we have the perfect dinner solution on Wednesday, Dec. 2: Chef Dan’s Cajun food truck (@chefdansindy)! Check out this menu:

• Po’Boys: alligator, Andouille sausage, catfish, crawfish, shrimp
• Sandwiches: fried pork chop, Southern fried chicken
• Dinner plates (comes with two sides): Cajun seafood, catfish, catfish and shrimp, fried chicken, chicken and sausage jambalaya, Cajun chicken pasta, perch, fried pork chop, red beans and rice, jumbo shrimp.
• Sides: mac and cheese, coleslaw, collard greens, fresh sauteed green beans, jambalaya, red beans and rice Cajun fries, yams
• Desserts: banana pudding, bread pudding.

As always, please observe CDC guidelines on social distancing and mask use, and use caution entering and exiting the Clubhouse parking lot. Be sure to watch the blog Events link for more upcoming food vendor events.

A WORD OR TWO (AGAIN) ABOUT BARKING DOGS

The Board has received several complaints recently about barking dogs in the neighborhood (namely near Teel and Mockingbird), but as noted in previous communications the Association has no regulatory power in such matters. It’s really a city issue, or better yet handled neighbor-to-neighbor. Some suggestions to resolve the problem:

• Nicely address the neighbor directly. We know that may be awkward for some, but sometimes neighbors don’t realize their pets are annoying.
• Leave the neighbor an anonymous note stating your concern. Don’t be threatening. Simply state their disruptive pet isn’t being neighborly.
• If those options don’t work, contact the city and file a complaint. Indianapolis City Code includes a nuisance ordinance for such issues: 

Sec. 531-204. - Animals causing nuisance prohibited

(a) It shall be unlawful for a person to own or keep any animal which by frequent or habitual howling, yelping, barking, screeching, other vocalization or otherwise shall cause serious annoyance or disturbance to persons in the area.

(b) A person who violates any provision of this section shall be punishable as provided in section 103-3 of this Code; provided, however, a fine imposed for the first such violation shall not be less than $25; subsequent or continued violations may also subject the owner to impoundment of the animal by a person having authority to impound such an animal.

You can contact the Mayor’s Action Center to file a complaint and cite the ordinance: https://www.indy.gov/activity/how-to-report-animal-complaints

In other news:

LAST LEAF PICKUP TUESDAY: DPW’s last free pickup of leaf bags is Tuesday, Dec. 1. Remember: 40 bags max; bags must be out by 7 a.m. and away from your trash cart; and plastic bags recommended, but paper is accepted. More info: indy.gov/activity/leaf-collection-season. Also, open burning of leaves is illegal in Marion County and carries fines up to $2,500 for each offense. If you see neighbors burning leaves, call the Mayor’s Action Center at (317) 327-4622.

COOKIES WITH SANTA CANCELED: Out of an abundance of caution amid COVID-19 concerns, the Board has canceled the annual Cookies with Santa event on December 13 at the Clubhouse. We know this is disappointing for many families, but we want to ensure everyone has a safe and healthy holiday season.

On behalf of the Board,

Scott Thien, President