5TH EDITION WINTER 2017

A PUBLICATION FOR AND BY THE RESIDENTS OF OAK MANOR

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PRESIDENT: Nestor Rivera (317) 701-2017

VICE PRESIDENT: Kevin Connor (317) 417-6018

SECRETARY: M J Kurdys (317) 514-2032

TREASURE: Matt Howard (574) 215-8417

DIRECTOR AT LARGE: Brian Huff (317) 213-33438

COVENANTS & COMPLIANCE: Ben Brown

James Embry

LANDSCAPING: Tom Linnen

PONDS: Len Salvaggio

CLUBHOUSE USAGE: Dan & Carol Oberbroeckling

POOL: Chip McLean

SOCIAL COMMITTEE: Marisa Embry, Linda May

COMMUNICATIONS: Pam Clarino

Larry Clarino

(Gazette Newsletter Staff)Larry Clarino (Editor)

Pam Clarino (Designer)

Mike Birk (Local Government News Editor)

Sue Kappen (Real Estate)

Joanthan Dilley(Special Features)

If for any reason you need to get in touch with a board or committee member please contact:

info@myoakmanor.com and they will put you in touch with them.

The Oak Manor Board of Directors and all the Oak Manor Committees want to thank all ourresidents for the tremendous support you give us. It is truly appreciated and honestly, we are theenvy of so many other neighboring communities because of that.

We still need your help. All of our committees need additional volunteers. Our board of directorsserve two year terms so be thinking about volunteering for the board in the fall for next year. Also,don’t for get about our committees they can always use the help. Marisa is new on the social committee and I am sure she could use some help. It is a fun committee to be part of. Lets keepour community a great place to live.

Welcome to the fifth addition of the Oak Manor Gazette. At the moment we arepublishing quarterly, but if you send us news we will go to a more frequent schedule. We need your news.

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m Club House Committee News:

Everyone in Oak Manor wants to thank Dan and Carol Oberbroeckling for talking over duties at theClubhouse. Dan and Carol will be working with the board to do some minor improvements andtouch ups making the place a little more attractive for upcoming neighborhood events.

Remember you can use the clubhouse for graduations, birthdays, and so on for just a tiny use fee.Simply contact Dan and Carol at Dan Oberbroeckling danobo@gmail.com/317-507-2615 or Carolat carolndano@comcast.net/317-459-0061 (Carol).

m Social Committee News:

Thank you so much Marisa Embry and Linda May for stepping up and volunteering for the SocialCommittee. Hopefully, we will have a few more people who who like to help you. If you are interested send a note to info@myoakmanor.com or call Larry Clarino at 317-896-9689 for moreinfo or to sign-up to help.

m Landscape Committee News:

Money magazine says landscape improvements increase home value and selling price more than anyother home improvement. So with spring right around the corner, now is the time to get your lawncare and landscape plans ready.

Here are a few tips to get you started. Spring is the best time to apply a preemergence herbicide to control both your grassy and broadleaf weeds, like crabgrass and dandelions. A combination fertilizer with preemergence herbicide is an easy and effective strategy to get your lawn green andreduce the weed pressure. Look for a granular fertilizer with Dimension® herbicide or dithiopyr atyour local garden center, SiteOne store or big box retailer. It is the only non-staining preemergenceproduct in the market place today. Dimension is one of the most effective products for crabgrasscontrol and is available in many store-brand fertilizers such as Lesco, Jonathan Green, and Menards’brand.

When applying fertilizer with preemergence herbicides, here are few things to keep in mind:

• Apply when soil temperatures approach 55 degrees or when the forsythia blooms start to drop.

• Clean up leaves, branches and other debris from your yard before applying.

• If you plan to aerate your yard in the spring, do the aeration first and wait about two weeks beforeapplying.

• If rainfall is not in the forecast, be sure to water in. 1/2 inch of rain or irrigation is needed to activate the herbicide to create the soil barrier.

If anyone has any lawn questions or would like me to visit your yard to give guidance, please let meknow. Remember, by maintaining a healthy, lush lawn, you help the environment and protect yourinvestment at the same time.

Tom Linnen

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m Pond Committee News:

I have one new announcement regarding continued pond maintenance efforts.

Previously we introduced maintenance grass carp into the Oak Manor ponds to help control invasiveweeds. This 2017 season we will additionally introduce non-toxic blue dyes to all the ponds in thesubdivision to retard the sunlight that stimulates deep growing weeds. These new approaches willhelp reduce the need for spraying service which is necessary to control weed growth during the summer months. The dye applications will be better for the aquatic life and should add a nice aesthetic look to all our ponds.

Scheduled applications will start May after the rainy season, then July and September.If you have any concerns or questions relating to the Ponds please contact Len Selvaggio at info@myoakmanor.com.

m Communications Committee News:

Oak Manor Board notes:

MetroNet — Your board met with representatives from MetroNet, the fiber optic cable company onFebruary 23, 2017, to straighten out a number of issues as to the internet, phone, and TV provider’scoming to Oak Manor.

Over the next few weeks you will be getting mail, email, and door hangers from MetroNet. You willalso be contacted in person at your home by their street team. They will ask you to signup for theirservice. This solicitation has been approved by the city. According to MetroNet when a certain percentage of this service area has signed up construction will start in Oak Manor.

This is for your information only, the decision to signup with MetroNet, is not endorsed one way orthe other by your board.

Email List — This is very important. Please be sure to check with your neighbors, especially newneighbors, to be sure they are getting our email blasts and announcements from info@myoakmanor.com. If they are not, please tell them to send a note to info@myoakmanor.comwith name, street address, email address, and a contact phone number.

Ash Trees —The board has started a comprehensive program to get a handle of the ash tree problemin Oak Manor. Bids are out for the first phase of this long term project.

Sidewalk Trees — Please remember it is each home owners responsibility to maintain trees by thesidewalks in front of your homes. Be sure to prune them up to a safe hight for walking under.

Plants — The Master Gardener Annual Plant Sale is Saturday, May 20, 2017 at the HamiltonCounty Fairgrounds. Great plants and trees at great prices! Go early for best selections,everything goes quickly

Clubhouse Rental — Dan and Carol Oberbroeckling have taken over the Clubhouse Committee. Toarrange for rental of the clubhouse please contact them directly. Their information is on page 2 inthe Gazette. The forms and agreement can be downloaded from myoakmanor.com. You will see alink on the front page of the website to the forms.

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MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS

Kristen Tragesserby Larry Clarino

Oak Manor resident, Kirsten Tragesser, is a winner of a 2017 Indiana Business Journal Health Care Hero Award, for her work as a volunteer at Riley Hospital for Children, working as a Certified Child Life Specialist, along with a dedication toAmerican Lung Association helping to find cures for people with lung diseases.

This amazing woman suffered the tragedy oflosing her little daughter Maddie just before

her 3rd birthday from devastating battle with pulmonary hypertension, a lung disease that also

involved the little girl’s heart. That was in November of 2002.

Kirsten, not the sort of woman to simply give up, got her advanced degree at Ball State and went to work as a volunteerat Riley, providing psychosocial care and support for kids andfamilies facing hospitalization, as well as, acting a an advocate

for the kids. Weather it is for a short term stay or a child facing a long termchronic illness she will be there to help and guide them through. She teachesskills to help decrease anxiety for both kids and their families facing what issometimes a whole new way of life, living with illness. Certainly the hardest ishelping children and families facing a terminal illness with end of life support.

To win the prestigious Health Care Hero Award, Kirsten was nominated by herfellow workers at Riley Children's Hospital at IU Health North in Carmel. Simply talking to heryou will immediately understand why they cared enough to nominate her. This is a woman withseemingly unending energy.

After marring husband Joel four years ago, the Tragesser’s got involved with the AmericanLung Association, ALA, with volunteer fund raising efforts to honor Maddie. The two havesince worked untiringly to rase funds for this worthy cause. They recently had a fund raiser attheir Oak Manor home to rase money for ALA with the help of the Indianapolis Fuel hockeyteam that had more the 100 friends and neighbors digging deep into their pockets. They alsohelp organize and participate in, the annual fund raiser; Fight For Air Climb in Indianapolis.

Joel and Kirsten are also rising four great kids in their blended family, all teenagers in the Westfield school system. That certainly is challenge in its own right.

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Kirsten was born and raised in Chicago, but loves living in Oak Manor. Her husband Joel, an intellectual property attorney is a partner at the firm of Quarrels & Brady, LLP, in Indianapolis. Theymoved into Oak Manor four years ago and enjoy the community we have become. We are proud tohave folks like the Tragesser’s living in our community.

Working to build a stronger c

ommunity.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS

We recently reached out to Westfield Police Chief, Joel Rush, to get anupdate about the concerns of Law Enforcement in Westfield. Westfieldis a very quiet and safe city as reflected in the local crime rate.

We did have one violent occurrence early this year resulting in an individual losing their life. Being an active case, Police Chief Rushsaid that he would rather not comment on the specifics but assures that it was an isolated instance and his department had the situationremedied within the same week.

Our biggest problem in Westfield seems to be Property Crimes; theftsof items in cars and garages. Chief Rush emphasizes that it is imperative for Westfield residents to be alert to strangers in your neighborhood as many times outsiders will watch housesand wait for an opportunity to strike. Here are some recommendations to keep you from becominga victim.

• Be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times

• Be the eyes and ears for you neighborhood and report suspicious activity

• Keep your cars garaged if possible.

• Never leave your keys in your car

• Never leave valuables such as a purse or briefcase in your car Always lock you vehicle but remember not to have valuables in site. Windows can be quickly broken.

• Keep your garage door closed as much as possible and keep your doors locked

When comparing the safety of Westfield, IN compared to every other city in Indiana as well as theentirety of the United States, the gauges found above illustrate that Westfield, IN ranks safer than90% of every city located within Indiana along with 78% of the all the cities located in the UnitedStates. The results of these graphs are created after analyzing each of the cities in Indiana and in theUnited States as a whole. It is then established the total amount of cities that have a lower crime rate than Westfield, IN. As a result, Westfield, IN is ranked above average when compared to the majority of US cities.

by Mike Birk

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For those people who love to run, walk and provide supportfor charities Sue Kappen has provided us a list of events thatrun through December that might interest you.

Westfield Citizens Academy

The Westfield Police Department is committed to working in partnership with the residents of Westfield. To this end, they have a wonderful program to get to know the residents but more importantly, for the residents to get to know the Law Enforcement Department and their operations.The Fall program will run for 11 weeks from the first of August thru November. For more information contact Officer Michael Seagrave at mseagrave@westfield.in.gov.

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RUNNING FOR CHARITY

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TIRE RACK STREET SURVIVAL

The Westfield Lions along with the Central IndianaPorsche Club will be presenting another Tire Rack Street Survival Teen Driving School at Grand Park onOctober 1, 2017.

This is not driver’s ed, we teach car control, and emergency handling that will save your kids life! Yourkid will grumble about “Another Driving School?” At the end of the day they will thank you and tellyou how much they learned and how much fun it was.

The cost is only $75 the best money you will ever spend on your kids driving.

The school is now open for registration at; streetsurvival.org. Like last year, it will fill fast.

Check out these three very short videos for information on Street Survival;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2GN4cBUolU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKgLX1xAeoo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trKWDq8rwdk&t=20s

For questions call Larry Clarino at 317-896-9689

Larry Clarino, president of the Westfield Lions Club was awardedthe Westfield Lion of the Year for 2016/17, by his fellow members,for his work in organizing the Street Survival Teen Driving Schoolat Grand Park. This annual event teaches teen car control andbuilds confidence in young drivers.

The Westfield Lions motto is “We Serve,” and the Westfield Lions certainly do that. From free eyetests and providing glasses for the poor around the world to helping local charities like the Heart and Soul Clinic and grants to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts for Eagle and Gold Award projects, toscholarships for Westfield kids, the Lions serve.

For more information or to join, the Lions Club call Larry at 317-896-9689 or go towestfieldlions.org.

Congratulations to Oak Manor resident Ron Pelletier. His company, Pondurance was nominated for a TechPoint MiraAward. From 180 applications, independent judging panels selected 90 companies, schools, organizations and individuals toadvance as Mira Award Nominees

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CONGRATULATIONS CORNER

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Winners will be announced during a black-tie awards ceremony and gala on Saturday, April 29,at The Westin Indianapolis

TechPoint, the growth initiative for Indiana’s technology ecosystem, has announced the nomineesfor its 18th annual Mira Awards presented by Angie’s List, Genesys, and Salesforce.

“In just over a decade, Indiana has seen more than $6.5 billion in acquisitions and IPOs from ourtech community. More recently, in 2016, two-thirds of all the venture capital dollars and three-quarters of all the deals raised in Indiana went to tech companies,” said TechPoint President andCEO Mike Langellier. “The Mira Awards exist to celebrate our state’s tremendous tech successstories and amplify them to media, investors and technology buyers nationwide.”

Nominees were selected by 50 independent subject matter experts who evaluated and ranked theapplications. Later this month, all nominees will deliver presentations and answer questions in-person with one of the independent judging panels, and then the judges will select the winnersfollowing their deliberations.

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Spring Time Change

Rise and Shine

SPRING FORWARD on March 12th

Just a reminder to move your clocksforward by an hour the night ofMarch 12th.

OAK MANOR IN LIGHTS

We know this is probably not the time you want to bethinking about holiday lights, but since our last issuecame out November, we thought you might want to see how some of your neighbors decorated for the holidays. There were so many beautiful lighting arrayswe could only pick a few.

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Resident James Embry and his real estate team have supplied us some helpful tips for your home: Courtesy of NewsUSA / Photo: © sergojpg - Adobe Stock

Prevent Water Damage and Cut Insurance CostsWater damage is one of the largest sources of insurance claims, so making aproactive effort to monitor leaks and minimize the possibility of water damagecan help reduce your home insurance premiums. Plumbing-related water damage accounts for 22 percent of homeowner claims filed each year and accounts for 25 percent of the claim dollars that insurance companies pay out.This is second to damage caused by acts of nature.

How Can You Monitor Leaks?An automatic water shut-off system can identify leaks before they lead to major water damage.These systems act as a circuit breaker for home plumbing. The water is automatically shut off and the homeowner is alerted with an alarm so the leak can be identified and repaired, limiting the water damage.

Save on InsuranceHomeowners who install and use a water shut-off system may be able to avoid the costly insuranceclaims associated with water damage. Some homeowners' insurance companies recognize thebenefits of such systems and may offer discounts to homeowners who install devices to protectagainst water damage.

Other smart steps to save money on home insurance include:

Improve Your HomeSome insurers offer discounts to homeowners in older homes who upgrade outdated heating, electrical, or plumbing systems. Also a home security system may increase your chances of getting a lower premium.

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Pump Up What You’ll PayIf you choose a higher deductible (the amount you pay for any damages to your home), you will paylower premiums. Be prepared to cover damages up to $1,000 so you can save your insurance claimsfor larger damages.

Shop AroundRead up on information about home insurance rates and also about complaints related to price, customer service, and a range of other issues. You can find many insurance quotes online, as well as customer feedback about the company. You may find that paying slightly more for home insurance from a company with mainly good reviews is worthwhile.

Double UpConsider using the same company for home insurance and auto insurance. It’s not uncommon to get a reduced home insurance rate from a company if you also have car insurance or other types ofinsurance with them.

Oak Manor Real Estate Review:

Active Homes: 2Avg. List Price: $539,000Avg. Sq. Feet: 3531Avg. Price Per Sq. Ft.: $152.45Avg. Days on Market: 58Pending Homes: 2Avg. List Price: $494,950

Avg. Square Feet: 3266

Avg. Price Per Sq. Ft: $152.32

Avg. Days on Market: 97

Sold Homes: 4Avg. List Price: $479,475

Avg. Sale Price: $468,613

Avg. Sq. Feet: 3137

Avg. Price Per Sq. Ft.: $150.42

Sue Kappen

Remax Legends Group

Cell: 317-432-9770

skappen@remax.net

*Data pulled from MIBOR on 02/18/17 and includes all active, pending, and sold homes in the last 180 days. GoodNews! Home are selling on average within 97% of their list price.

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Joel Tragesser Recommendation

I write to recommend Doug Cooper of iCare Lawn Care who has

been caring for my lawn the last couple of years. Doug is

conscientious, proactive, and communicative. And, he already has

10 active customers in Oak Manor. Doug would enjoy mowing

and/or treating additional lawns.

The link below has all of Doug’s reviews and company information.

The link will also explain our services offered and why clients like

us. It's Thumbtack, a growing consumer service like Angie’s list but

for smaller businesses.

Doug Cooper, Owner

iCare Lawn Care

(317) 363-2084

doug@icarelawncareindy.com

See our reviews, and share how we’re doing at

http://www.thumbtack.com/profile/services

Mowing, Spring & Fall Clean Up, Mulch, Aeration, Yard Restoration, Fertilization and more!

Jessica McCoy and her husband Zack, Durmast Oak Drive residents,

have started a new business, Adega

Estates, selling a line of wine accessories.

We can say from personal experience,

they are terrific!

The McCoy’s are giving a very special

deal to Oak Manor, a 25% discount on

their Adega Estates Wine Aerator Pourer

set. Check it out on AMAZON at

http://amzn.to/2lwuqft.

Be sure to use the discount code

OAKMANOR at check out to get

your 25% discount.

• Adega Estates Wine Aerator Pourer and Stopper Set includes a wine aerating pourer, a wine

stopper vacuum pump and two bottle stoppers.

• Aerate to instantly release an abundance of full flavors. As you pour wine through the wine

aerator, your wine instantly filters through the oxygenation process.

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• Enhancing the aromatic profile and highlights

individual smells, flavor and finish. Delighting

your pallet with each sip.

• The pump creates an airtight vacuum which

removes the oxygen that and keeps the remaining

wine fresh.

• Prevents the oxidation process that is

responsible for the deterioration of wine.

Taste great for up to 2 weeks.

The McCoy’s will be donating 10% of the

profits of their company to charities.

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Cindy Garloch is a Professional Home Organizer

Organizing Remedies, LLC

The Cure for Your Clutter

317-442-2450

Cindy@organizingremedies.com

15% off special for OM residents!!

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From MetroNet

It’s Official: Oak Manor is a MetroNet MetroZone

Just a Few Easy Steps Can Bring Our Services to Your Neighborhood Over the past few months, you may have heard various information about MetroNet and our plans to serve your community. We acknowledge that, in some cases, this messaging may have inadvertently caused confusion. So as we move forward, MetroNet wants to make sure we’re 100% clear on our next steps in Oak Manor. As recently stated in a letter to the Oak Manor neighborhood last week, we are excited to announce that Oak Manor is officially a Metrozone Area. What does this mean for you? As a resident of Oak Manor, you now have the opportunity to get MetroNet’s 100% fiber optic services straight to your home! Each MetroZone has a goal and a timeline. Once the goal is met, MetroNet will begin the process of bringing 100% fiber optics to your neighborhood. This means if Oak Manor meets its goal, we will build our fiber optic infrastructure in your neighborhood. How it works: residents in your neighborhood must register their interest individually. The registration process is quick and easy: just visit www.metronetinc.com/MetroZone, select Oak Manor neighborhood and follow a few simple steps. Your commitment does require a $20 deposit, which is generally refundable. You’ll also find MetroNet’s product and pricing information here as well. Talking to your neighbors and encouraging them to register will be key to your success. We’ve seen strong results in MetroZones where social media platforms like Next Door or a neighborhood Facebook page has been used to get the word out. Simple communications like flyers and word of mouth are also effective to express enthusiasm and remind your neighbors to register their homes. Look for MetroZone door hangers being distributed in Oak Manor like the sample (shown to the right). Wondering what’s so great about fiber? Key benefits of fiber optic service include blazing-fast speed, clarity and capacity, reliable service and fewer disruptions. Watch “The Fiber Difference” video at www.metronetinc.com/MetroZone and learn what makes fiber optic networks superior. Any time throughout your MetroZone period, Oak Manor residents are encouraged to contact us with questions. Call (317) 763-1012, email or stop by our local store at 330 E. Main Street to test drive our 100% fiber optic services.

MetroNet asked us to include this in your Gazette.This is not an endorsement by the Oak Manor Board, pro or con, of MetroNet and their services.We are including it only as a service to Oak Manor residents.