About the Association

Through the Historic Meridian Park Neighborhood Association, many programs and activities are planned throughout the year. The Association holds monthly meetings for all residents the third Monday of each month at 7:15pm in the Fortune Room of Trinity Church. Residents elect a nine- member board each December at the association’s Annual Meeting. Basic association dues are $10 per year, and for those who can afford a higher level of support, patron-level dues are $25, $50, and $100. Dues go toward newsletter publishing, gardening materials for public space, social events, signage, Historic Urban Neighborhood Association dues, and Board meeting materials and postage, among other items.

The 2009 Board of Directors

The following individuals are serving on Historic Meridian Park’s 2009 Board of Directors.

Doug Day, President

Since purchasing his 33rd Street home in 2005, Doug has been quite active in the neighborhood serving as both a newsletter and a Safe Neighborhood Awareness Program block captain. He also coordinated sponsorship and ad sales for the 2006 Centennial Home Tour. After a lengthy career in high technology sales and marketing mostly for small startup companies, Doug took a break from business life to rehab his mission-style home on 33rd Street. He has a BS from Purdue in Engineering, an MS from Wright State University in Computer Engineering, and an MBA from Harvard University. Doug enjoys singing in the St. Luke’s United Methodist Church choir. He has four kids, all grown, and a dog.

John Carmer, Vice President and Treasurer

John moved to HMP in 2005 from Anderson. There he worked for Delco Battery engineering (Delphi Corp.) from 1984 until 2005 when the battery business was sold. John joined a friend to form Carmer Watson Properties, Inc. and purchased the Esplanade Apartments at 3015 N Pennsylvania St (cwphome.com). The company has spent several years renovating and restoring this National Register listed property. John has been involved in historic preservation for many years and restored several homes in Anderson. He served on the Anderson Historical & Cultural Preservation Commission for more than ten years overseeing properties in two historic districts. He was also a member of the Anderson Downtown Neighbors Association (adnahome.org) where he served as president, Web site administrator, newsletter author, and helped to pursue affiliation with Historic Landmarks Foundation for property renovation and restoration. John joined the HMP board of directors in 2007.

Christy Krieg, Secretary

Christy Krieg moved into HMP in 2005, seeking an older, larger house for entertaining friends and family. The move also brought her closer to her job at Methodist Hospital, where she is a nurse practitioner. Born in Indianapolis to parents from Indianapolis, Christy has traveled the world and is surprised to find herself here, but delighted nonetheless! She was lucky enough to move into a house on Washington Boulevard lovingly restored by Jerry Johnson. Within two months, a stray dog had also learned to enjoy the home’s finery. Christy loves being outside in nice weather: hiking, kayaking, camping and biking. In the winter months she has more time to cook and read and cook and read. She has been a volunteer for Historic Meridian Park at such events as alley clean-ups and quarterly social events, prior to committing herself to service on the board of directors.

Jerry Johnson, Director

After three years rehabbing his HMP house at 3346 Washington Boulevard, Jerry and his wife, Stephanie, moved to Washington Court in December 2005, where they have nearly completed renovation on another home. A graduate of the Herron School of Art in 1994 with a major in painting and a minor in photography, Jerry owns his own home painting and home restoration business, Pennsylvania Painting. He served on the 2006 Centennial and Home Tour Committees and is a newsletter block captain and active participant in neighborhood alley cleanups.

Karla Johnson, Director

Karla moved to HMP in February 1998. She works as acting administrator for the Marion County Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Department. Her job allows her extensive community interaction with housing-related issues as she works to ensure safe and affordable housing for families and children. Karla has two sons and a daughter. Karla has a masters degree in public health from IUPUI School of Medicine and sits on several work-related advisory committees including: the Indiana Lead Safe Task Force, Indiana Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Conference Planning Committee and the Improving Kids Environment Advisory Committee. She enjoys spending time with her children as well as outdoor activities such as jogging, hiking, horseback riding, swimming and working around the house. Karla has served on the HMPNA Board since 2006.

Jess LaNore, Director

Jess LaNore moved from Seattle to Indianapolis in 1995 and has called HMP his home since 2001. Last May he moved from Pennsylvania Street to Washington Boulevard where he has begun restoring his second home. Jess is the editor of the Meridian Park Mirror and has been a home tour and alley cleanup volunteer. Professionally, Jess works for the Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity where he manages the day-to-day operations of its educational foundation, including all activities relating to annual, major and planned giving. He has a bachelor of fine arts degree from Washington State University and is a past president of the College Fraternity Editors Association. He is also an active member of the Indiana Society of Association Executives and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Cassie Mehlman-Rhys, Director

Cassie moved to the neighborhood in 2001 from Orlando. She works as a Six Sigma Black-belt in Global Marketing at Eli Lilly and Company. She is also the founder and owner of 2 Dog Books—an Internet-based book and CD business. She has a bachelor of health science degree and an MBA in management. Cassie recently married Lee Rhys during a sunset beach wedding in Awahu, Hawaii. She has two dogs (Nelly and Gus) and one cat that rules the household (Gypsy). She and Lee are licensed foster parents and are hoping to adopt children within the next year. Cassie also enjoys travel, historic home renovation, reading, musicals, snorkeling, and politics. Cassie has been involved in numerous neighborhood initiatives including Crime Watch, the 2005 HMP Arts & Crafts Symposium, and delivery of the Urban Times to residents. She is co-chairing the 2009 Historic Meridian Park Home Tour this year and had her own house on tour in 2006. She encourages everyone to take the tour this year!

Ora Triplet, Director

Moving to the neighborhood in 1974, Ora is a long-time resident of HMP. She has served on the HMPNA Board since 1998 and coordinates HMP’s Alliance for Senior Advocacy Program, which assists several of the neighborhood’s senior citizens with a variety of needs. In honor of her loyal support and acts of kindness and compassion toward neighbors and friends, Mayor Bart Peterson proclaimed April 22, 2007 as “Ora Triplet Day” in the City of Indianapolis. For more than 35 years, Ora has been an active member of Eastern Star Church as well as a softball coach at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, where she played softball for many years. Ora routinely helps at M.T. Triplet Cleaning, which opened in 1978. Ora and husband, JT, have been married for 50 years and have raised five children.

Brenda Truedell-Bell, Director

Brenda is a true Gemini. She is a retired Lilly research scientist and a female pioneer in the restoration of historic homes. Her spouse, Richard, is a retired quality control inspector for the State of Indiana. They have one son and three grandchildren. The home on Washington Boulevard, where Brenda and Richard now reside, was boarded-up and scheduled for demolition in 1974. An urgent call came from her grandparents, George and Sarah King of Washington Boulevard, to save this historic property from the wrecking ball. She accepted the challenge with the aid of family members from Historic Savannah, Georgia. The family has restored other properties in Indianapolis and Historic Savannah. Brenda was a member of the first docent team for Indiana Historic Landmarks Foundation. She served on the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce Infrastructure Commission and the Mayor’s Educational Task Force. She is a Purdue University Old Masters Scholar and an adjunct instructor of environmental science for Northwood and Martin Universities. For thirty years, Brenda has been active in the Children’s Museum neighborhood science programs, specializing in presentations on Dr. George Washington Carver.