Board Update: Crime Watch meetings this month, sports court repairs, storm drain request, yard sign reminder and more!

If you’re interested in neighborhood safety or learning ways to keep your property secure, we invite you to attend our upcoming Crime Watch meetings at the Clubhouse. We’ll have an organizational meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, and our first quarterly meeting of 2024 is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23.

At our organizational meeting, you’ll meet new Crime Watch Coordinator Deana Armstrong, who brings decades of experience in local city government and law enforcement. (Deana succeeds former resident and longtime coordinator Carolyn Goldenetz, who moved out of the neighborhood.) The meeting will be an opportunity to learn best practices in property and personal safety, share concerns, and create a network of like-minded residents interested in keeping our wonderful neighborhood safe and peaceful. Light refreshments will be provided.

At the Oct. 23 quarterly meeting, conversations continue on general safety awareness. lighting safety and how to prepare for a safe Halloween holiday. If you’re looking to get involved with our neighborhood, these meetings are the perfect opportunity. Questions? Email enpoa_sec@att.net.

Reminder: Please keep those storm drains clear!

As Indiana weather goes, our rainstorms can be especially heavy at times (like we saw from last month’s remnants of Hurricane Helene), and that means street flooding is almost certain. To help keep our roads open and maintain safety for residents, please do the neighborhood a solid and keep all curb storm drain inlets open and clear.

Yes, technically the sewers are the city’s concern, but let’s be honest: When’s the last time we saw a street cleaner roll through the development? It only takes a few minutes to sweep up and dispose of leaves and other accumulated debris near your property, and our neighborhood will be safer and cleaner as a result. The Board and your fellow neighbors thank you in advance for your help.

Good news and bad news about our sports courts

First off, thanks to all the residents who turned out this summer for our Pickleball Meet-ups, coordinated by longtime resident Chuck Mayfield. (Thank you, Chuck, for your efforts!) It’s exciting to see new life and renewed interest in our tennis/pickleball courts. That’s the good news.

The bad news: The Board was unable to secure an affordable vendor to clean and repair the many cracks in the playing surface yet this year. It’s been about five years since the courts were last repaired (at a cost of $10,215, by the way), and recent users will agree the time has come again.

Some might ask, “Why aren’t the courts repaired annually?” The answer is simple: money. We just don’t have the funds to fix everything every year. The Board picks and chooses projects based on resident feedback and usage, then staggers expenses. The Pool and Playground are used much more frequently than our sports courts, for example, so we focus on those assets first. Eventually, all amenities get their due, but some have to wait longer than others.

All that said, the Board has budgeted funds to repair the courts next year, targeting completion by May 2025. We’ll keep you posted as more information becomes available. Thanks for your patience.

Got a yard sign? Make sure it complies with our neighborhood rules

With the general election just weeks away and the seasonal crush of home improvement contractors working in our development, the Board reminds residents to observe our Association's Signage Policy. The Signage Policy was created to maintain neighborhood aesthetics free of distractions and excessive or garish promotions.

Per the Declarations of Restrictions, Section 5(B): “No signs or advertisements shall be displayed or placed on any lot or structure in the Development without the prior written approval of the Committee.”

There are exceptions, of course. The following signs do not need approval, per a Board vote in 2011:

• Board business
• Clubhouse and neighborhood activities
• Elections for candidates (national, state, city and county elections)
• Garage sales
• Not-for-profit associations or events for houses of worship
• For Sale and Open House realty signs
• School athletes provided by districts (not homemade)
• School fundraising events
• Utility/municipal repairs
• Any sign (i.e. social causes) submitted to the Board for review and approval

A maximum of five (5) signs are permitted 30 days before a qualifying event and must be removed immediately when over. Indiana Code permits the display of election signs 30 days before and five days after an election. All signs other than the aforementioned must be approved by the Rules and Restrictions Committee. Signs in violation of our rules will be removed by the Board.

For more about the types of permitted signs, approved placement, display duration and realtor restrictions, please see the Signage Policy posted on the Eagle Nest blog. Thanks for helping keep our neighborhood a commercial-free zone.

And last but not least, a big thank you to our Pool team!

This summer’s Pool season marked a first not seen in several years: continuous operation with no closures. That’s right, no green water, no temporary closures to address water quality. How did that happen?

We attribute the non-closure streak to a combination of factors, including:

• Pool Manager Sam Burns’ and her team’s constant proactiveness and responsiveness to sampling and monitoring water quality, and taking immediate corrective steps when quality dipped;
• Support from our third-party pool servicing;
• Fewer violent summer storms that typically dump dirty debris into the water;
• Fewer incidents of waterfowl tainting the water;
• 
  Pre-season power washing of the pool deck and chairs led by John and Cindy Spicklemire and an amazing team of resident volunteers (shown at right), a project that saved the Association thousands of dollars in professional service fees. (Thanks to all, and we hope we can count on your assistance again in 2025!)

We're already taking lifeguard applications for 2025, so if you know someone who's interested email scottthien@comcast.net.

As always, neighborhood feedback is welcome. Feel free to contact any Eagle Nest Board member with questions and suggestions.

On behalf of the Board,
Scott Thien, President