Jim Polito, Jeff Bates and Cathy Babcock met with Brooke Klejnot, Executive Director of the BRVA on January 21. Here is a list of subjects discussed during the meeting. If you would like more information, please get involved ~ volunteer, come to our meetings, become a block captain!  For a printable and complete PDF of these talking points, click HERE

Who we are:

A grassroots effort consisting of Warfleigh neighbors and other concerned citizens working together to compel the City of Indianapolis to work with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and devote the resources required to complete expeditiously the Indianapolis North Flood Damage Reduction Project.

Our mission:

Our mission is to raise awareness of the benefits of completing the Indianapolis North Flood Damage Reduction Project in an effort to preserve life, the stability of Warfleigh, and property values in Warfleigh and surrounding neighborhoods.

Why we exist:

Warfleigh and surrounding areas lie in a 100-year flood plain. The Indianapolis North Flood Damage Reduction Project (“Project”) seeks to remove Warfleigh and surrounding areas from the flood plain. Most recently, the City of Indianapolis began to oppose the Corps’ plan to complete the project and now seeks to set the project back approximately 20-years by pursuing an infeasible plan that the Corps has already studied and rejected (see Corps’6/27/14 comment on proposed “West Bank” plan, following page). Meanwhile, while the lives and homes of residents remain at risk, Congress acted in 2012 to impose additional hardship upon affected residents by passing the Biggert-Waters Act. The Act sharply increases premiums and rates charged to homeowners for flood insurance.

We are concerned about the impact of the Project’s delay on life, public safety, property values and the quality of life in Warfleigh and surrounding area. We feel the City has put the interests of every Project stakeholder except those who live in the flood plain before the interests of those who actually live in the flood plain. We are emerging as an independent action coalition and watchdog because we are concerned neither the BRVA nor the WNA is adequately representing and pursuing our interest on this matter.

< The early success of our efforts demonstrates residents need and support our initiative >

What we hope to accomplish:

We wish to establish Save Wafleigh as a respected and vocal participant in dialogue concerning the Indianapolis North Flood Damage Reduction Project. We hope our unity, mass and future activities compel the City of Indianapolis to work with United States Army Corps of Engineers to complete the Indianapolis North Flood Damage Reduction Project in an expeditious manner.

What we have done so far:

• Light Up Broad Ripple Parade
• Web site (www.savewarfleigh.org) and social media presence
• Flyers and other print material for distribution
• Neighborhood districting: maps, addresses, district volunteers
• Petition drive (boots on ground beginning mid-Feb)
• Signage effort
• City-Council representative (tentatively) to attend February meeting

What is the BRVA role?

If the BRVA is the community organization on record with the City of Indianapolis, and if the role of the BRVA is to investigate issues and advocate for improvements on behalf of both the Warfleigh and Broad Ripple areas, then the BRVA should not be silent on the flood plain issue. If the BRVA has stewardship over Warfleigh development and redevelopment matters, then the BRVA should consider addressing actively and aggressively the most fundamental development issue the Warfleigh neighborhood faces – finishing the Indianapolis North Flood Reduction Project.

Our questions include:

(1) does the BRVA have a position on this matter?
(2) does the BRVA have any plan to promote aggressively Project completion?
(3) is the BRVA interested in supporting the Save Warfleigh initiative?
(4) how can the BRVA support our initiative?
(5) what recommendations does the BRVA have for our initiative?

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