- Town Council election results
- ALERT: House break-in Tuesday

—
Town Council election (unofficial) results

–
House break-in Tuesday

At approximately 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, someone reportedly attempted to break into a home on Riverview Drive at 53rd Street. Witnesses observed a mid-90s black Chevrolet Impala near the scene. Apparently a baseball bat was used to bash a hole in the door so the intruder could reach in to unlock the door. Several witnesses later observed three white males apparently casing other properties, even entering the property of a home. It is unknown at this time if the incidents are connected.

Remember to keep your doors locked–to your house, your garage, your vehicles, and your storage sheds. Keep valuables out of site, away from your windows.

Also, if you hire anyone to do work in or around your house, make sure you know and trust them.

The Indianapolis Marion County Police Department has prepared a tip-sheet to help you better protect your property.

http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPS/IMPD/Documents/CrimePreventionTips.pdf

A training is also being planned, details forthcoming.

Rocky Ripple is unique in that it has its own RREM/CERT effort and needs your participation.

Visit www.shakeout.org/centralus/ for more information on how you can participate.

From the Town Ordinances, 2-3-3 Sec. 11:

Duties of Property Owner (a) The owner of any private property in Rocky Ripple which borders or lies adjacent any public street, alley, right-of-way, place or park and upon which any trees or flora may be standing shall trim or cause such trees or flora to be trimmed, either at the property line, or to a clear height of at least eight (8) feet above the surface of any abutting right-or-way or place, and fourteen (14) feet above any public street or alley. No person shall plant or maintain any tree or flora so close to any property line as to obstruct the vision or free passage of pedestrians or motorists along the streets or public right-of-way. Rocky Ripple or its contractual agents may enter upon private property to do such cutting or trimming as may be necessary to remove any offending and obstructing tree or flora that is prohibited by the provisions hereof.

(b) An owner shall, and Rocky Ripple may, remove from flora all dead, decayed, broken or dangerous limbs, branches or parts thereof or any that overhang or are close to any public street, alley, right-of-way, or place, and, when any such flora is dead, the owner shall completely remove the same, or after notice to and failure of the owner so to do, the Town of Rocky Ripple or its lawful agents may cause such removal and charge the cost thereof to the owner.

“A little proactive trimming now will be appreciated by your neighbors in the summer time,” said Mike Kiefer, Town Marshal.

This proposed plan includes substantial modifications, some of which may have an impact on Rocky Ripple and the Central Canal water supply for 600,000 Indianapolis residents.

The minutes from the February 28 special meeting held at the Riviera Club are available for review.

This proposed plan includes substantial modifications, some of which may have an impact on Rocky Ripple. We will keep you posted as we learn more. Here is a copy of the U.S. Army Corps plan. Here is a photograph of the revised proposal.

The Town Hall will be opened to residents who have nowhere to go in the event of power outages in the community. Contact Robert Tomey 374-3270 if you have no power. If the Town Hall is opened to residents, Robert suggested bringing personal provisions such as food, pillows, and blankets.

Meanwhile, extra salt has been scattered on the canal path and the bridges into Rocky Ripple have been salted.

Should this winter storm cause downed branches that block roads, residents with chain saws are invited to volunteer to clear roads so that emergency access through town remains open. Contact Robert Tomey if you have a chain saw and can help.

As with any weather emergency, the American Red Cross posts information on how to prepare you and your family for an emergency.

Visit http://indysnowforce.com/ to hear a message from Mayor Greg Ballard regarding things we can all do to help ensure the safety of everyone in Indy during winter weather events.

Also, visit http://indysnowforce.com/ to learn more about Indy Snow Force and Mayor Greg Ballard’s commitment to keeping Indy’s streets and roads clear of snow and ice and keeping Indy residents safe. Residents can view safe driving tips as well as a Defensive Driving in Winter Weather video online to help ensure a safer commute.

Call the Indy Snow Force Coldline, the city’s hotline for up to date snow removal information at (317) 327-8000 for further updates or to report emergency snow or ice conditions.

Please contact me with further questions regarding Indy Snow Force and winter weather plans for city roads. For information regarding interstates and state roads, please contact Ashley Hungate with the INDOT at (317) 467-3479.

Thanks!

Steven R. Hardiman II
City-County Council Liaison and Executive Assistant / Department of Public Works
Office of Mayor Greg Ballard – City of Indianapolis
steve.hardiman@indy.gov P: (317) 327-2053 C: (317) 223-1065

Receive your own updates by e-mail

To be added to Catherine Moore’s updates directly, write to her at Catherine.Moore@indy.gov. Catherine is the liaison between Rocky Ripple and the Mayor’s office.

Hohlt Park will be home to Rocky Ripple’s 11th annual Art Festival from 11 am to 6 pm. To find out more, visit the Community Association Web site.

THANK YOU to the Community Association and the many community volunteers who make the Festival and so many other events possible in Town!

–

Fountain Park Update

Thanks to an IPL Golden Eagle Grant, made possible earlier this year through the Center for Urban Ecology at Butler University (CEU@BU), ecological restoration is in process at Fountain Park, located at 53rd Street and Patterson. So far, mulched trails have been created, some native plant seed has been scattered, and invasive honeysuckle has been removed from the interior of the park. Benches and a new sign will be installed, and educational programs will be scheduled for the community. This property was originally donated to the Town by Butler University and has been rezoned as a park.

As the work continues in the park, residents are invited not to dump debris or build fires in the park.

–

Continued Dry Conditions Require Extra Care
Mayor Announces Burn Ban

With Rocky Ripple having received only just over 1/2 of an inch of rain since the beginning of August, residents are urged to take care not to accidentally spark a fire. According to Indiana officials, “seemingly harmless actions such as driving over or parking on dry grass, or dropping a lit cigarette on the ground could cause a sizeable fire.”

For more information on how to prevent fires, read the notice issued last week by government officials:

http://www.in.gov/portal/news_events/57515.htm

Despite Wednesday’s scattered showers, a burn ban has been declared in Marion County.

–

Update on Jansen Case

Last Wednesday, Anne Jansen was convicted of two counts of D felony theft. She had been accused of stealing money from the Town of Rocky Ripple and the Rocky Ripple Community Association (RRCA), respectively, when she served as Clerk/Treasurer and Treasurer. The guilty plea comes nearly two years after Council President Robert Tomey filed an embezzlement report against Jansen after he was notified by Jansen’s family that she had committed the crime to support her gambling habit over a number of years while in service to the community.

According to Matthew Bavender, deputy prosecutor at the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, Jansen plead guilty to both charges and that the sentences for both counts will run concurrently. He said the judge had full discretion on all sentencing, handing Jansen one year probation minus the time she had already served.

Mitigating factors in the case included the unlikelihood that Jansen would commit this type of crime again, Jansen’s age as well as her lack of prior criminal history. Aggravating factors included the position of trust Jansen once held in the community as an elected official.

Bavender added that Jansen is required to seek help for her gambling addication while on probation. He added that final restitution to the Town and RRCA has not been determined, noting that the money she already has returned to the RRCA and the $30,000 bond that was paid to the Town will be subtracted from the total amount of money she owes.

Jansen was accused of taking $60,320.90, according to the State Board of Accounts (SBOA) report. (That amount does not include that which was taken from Community Association accounts.)