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November 2015 City Connection CITY CONNECTION Volume 12, Issue 2 November 2015 Calendar November 2015 3 - Election Day - returns at City Hall from 7:00 p.m. (no Council meeting) 4 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 5 - Planning Commission - City Hall at 12 p.m. 11 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 17 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 18 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 19 - Planning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 25 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 26-27 - Thanksgiving - City offices closed December 2015 1 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 2 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 3 - Planning Commission - City Hall at 12 p.m. 9 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 15 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 16 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 17 - Planning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 23 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 24-25 - Christmas - City offices closed 30 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection Submit requests for Heavy Trash pick-up before noon on Wednesday, the week prior to pick-up, at 294-5796. Learn more about City events at www.huntsvilletx.gov Charity events hosted by the City help the community Dr. Sherry McKibben, Director of the Neighborhood Resources Department, and Lindsey Owings, Program Administrator, coordinated the City’s Charity Bowling Tournament, the United Way Campaign, and the United Way Socks and Undies Drive this past year. 2015 will mark the third year City staff has generously given their time and efforts to help raise funds for local non -profits that are vital to the residents of Huntsville. Employees have also donated non-perishable food items and money to help support these local charities. The Annual Bowing Tournament, held each year in November, allows staff to assemble at the Huntsville Lanes Bowling Alley to enjoy friendly competition and win raffle prizes donated by local vendors. The tournament in 2014 raised $12,124.34 to support the SAAFE House, Walker County Senior Citizen Center, Rita B. Huff Humane Society, and the Community Organization for Missionary Endeavor (COME Center). Non-perishable food items were donated to the Good Shepherd Mission. During the fall of 2014, City staff pledged $2,360.00 to the United Way of the Piney Woods through their Annual Giving Campaign. These funds are used to help Walker County non-profits with their programming. For the second year in a row, the City has raised money to support the United Way Socks and Undies Drive, raising $500.00 for this charity. The funds are used by the Huntsville Independent School District to assist students in need. Dr. McKibben said, “We are very proud of the way City staff embraced these events. This is a way to give back to the community and we truly enjoy coordi- nating these events.” The City is proud to be a part of these positive impacts in the community. Upcoming Public Library Events There is a lot going on at your public library - all the time! Programming for adults, teens, and children, along with special events. To keep up with it all, be sure to subscribe to This Week in Huntsville and Between the Pages publications from the City (use the blue Stay Notified button on the home page at www.huntsvilletx.gov). We’ll see you at the library! Whether you have been attending the Essential Oils (EOS) classes these past few weeks, or have just heard about them, then you’ll be excited to learn about the special holiday event being held on Monday, November 30th, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Library’s Community Room. Melissa Gonzalez, EOS instructor, will demonstrate several “recipes” for attendees who will then be able to create their individual essential oil beauty product, natural health remedy, or cleaning product. Essential Oils have long been used for food preparation, beauty treatment, and health- care practices. Refreshments will be served and everyone who attends will have an opportunity to win a grand door prize. Please register for this event online at www.myhuntsvillelibrary.com or by calling Mary Kokot at (936)291-5471. A Christmas Holiday Concert will be presented by the Huntsville Public Library on Monday, De- cember 21st, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Library’s Community Room. Local musician Jan Cole will be performing on the keyboard and says she welcomes requests of holiday favor- ites. Whether you prefer to sing along or just sit back and listen, come prepared to enjoy your- self. Refreshments will be served. Registration is not required for this free program. For more information, call Mary Kokot (936) 291-5471 or visit www.myhuntsvillelibrary.com. Stay tuned for election results! This issue of the City Connection will go to the printer before the November 3 gen- eral election day, and readers in the second billing cycle will not receive it until around November 25. Public copies are also placed in restaurants and public fa- cilities across the community monthly. Whenever and wherever you read this, be aware that the City may have a runoff election for the mayoral race, which would, if needed, take place in early Decem- ber. Be sure to follow the City website at www.huntsvilletx.gov for more infor- mation on voting dates and locations, and other election-related information. Our December and January issues will highlight the results of any elections held. Voting is a right and a privilege. Don’t hesitate to contact the City Secretary’s of- fice at 936-291-5403 or citysecretary@huntsvilletx.gov if you have questions. CITY CONNECTION Page 2 City of Huntsville residential customers: It’s time to “winterize” your sewer charge Water meter usage for the months of November through February is used to calculate your new sewer average charge for the next year. Consciously reduc- ing your water usage during these months could lower your sewer charge. A method to reduce usage in- cludes limiting or completely eliminating outside wa- tering. The new sewer average charge will be effective with the April billing (due in May). “We advise residents to limit outdoor watering, such as washing cars, in order to keep water consumption down during winter months,” said Jerri Weaver, City of Huntsville Billing and Revenue Manager. “Also, resi- dents should be aware of any water leaks and make sure to have those repaired.” For more information, contact City of Huntsville Utility Billing at (936) 291-5431. Recycle Grease and Antifreeze! Like many other residential customers, do you plan on replacing the antifreeze in your vehicle this win- ter? Do you foresee disposing of other kinds of liq- uids, including motor oil, peanut oil or cooking oil? Don’t pour those materials down the drain – recycle them! The City of Huntsville Solid Waste Services Depart- ment offers free, year-round recycling for these liq- uids as well as other items for residential customers at the Recycling Drop-Off Center, located at 590 I-45 North from 7:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Other items, including oil filters, are recycled in specifically marked collection barrels. As they are flammable, neither gasoline nor diesel from lawn equipment or vehicles will be accepted for disposal or recycling. Due to disposal restrictions, the Solid Waste Services Department is not able to pick up liquids on a curbside basis. If you have any questions, please call 936-294-5743. CITY CONNECTION Page 3 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY RESIDENTIAL SERVICE CHANGES Thursday, November 26, 2015 CLOSED Residential Curbside Recycling Collection will be picked up on the following Thursday, December 3, 2015 Extra recycling on the side of blue cart will be picked up Friday, November 27, 2015 CLOSED Residential Curbside Recycling Collection will be picked up on the following Friday, December 4, 2015 Extra recycling on the side of blue cart will be picked up THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY COMMERCIAL SERVICE CHANGES Thursday, November 26, 2015 CLOSED Commercial Garbage Collection customers with a scheduled Thursday dumpster/rolloff/compactor pickup will be serviced on WEDNESDAY, November 25,, 2015 Friday, November 27, 2015 CLOSED Commercial Garbage Collection customers with a scheduled Friday dumpster/rolloff/compactor pickup will be serviced on SATURDAY, November 28, 2015. Thanksgiving Solid Waste Schedules The Solid Waste Disposal and Recycling facility will be open Saturday, November 28, 2015 from 7:30 am to 12:00 noon. If you have any questions about the garbage collection, the Solid Waste Transfer Facility, or the Recycling Drop-Off Center, please call the Solid Waste Division at 936-294-5712. City of Huntsville Recycling Guidelines Direct questions to (936) 294-5712 Curbside recycling guidelines: 1. Rinse all plastics and cans to remove residue 2. Only plastics 1-7 stamped with number and symbol 3. Flatten items to save room inside of cart 4. Keep cart five (5) feet from all other objects including vehi- cles 5. Carts must be placed at the curb or street’s edge no later than 6:00 a.m. on the day of collection. Carts must be re- moved from the street’s edge by the end of the collection day (carts cannot be stored at the street’s edge) Items that cannot be placed in the City cart: Garbage, food waste, yard waste, loose shredded paper, glass/oil/filters, batteries, cell phones, electronics, Styrofoam, aluminum foil, or plastic bags of any kind. No plastic wrap, shrink wrap, or bubble wrap. No Styrofoam, even if it has a recycling number and symbol on item. Recycling Drop-Off Center Information: The Recycling Center accepts self-hauled recyclable items and is located at 590 I-45 North. The Recycling Center Attendant will be onsite to assist cus- tomers from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. Drop-offs can still be made Monday - Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and holiday closings are posted. Recycling Drop-off Center Guidelines: Aluminum - Soda cans, beer cans: Flattened/unflattened. Keep aluminum cans separate from steel cans. NO FOIL, BAKING PANS OR FOOD TRAYS. Steel Cans - Food cans, pet food cans, aerosol cans: Rinse out the can, you can leave the label on. Aerosol cans must be empty. Newspaper - Whatever comes inside the newspaper can be recycled. Stack and put in paper bags or cardboard boxes. Throw away plastic rain sleeves and rubber bands. Magazines - catalogs, phone books: Keep separate from newspaper. Place in brown bags or small cardboard boxes. DO NOT place in plastic bags. Paper - White or colored paper, remove paper clips, rubber bands and sta- ples if possible. Put in small boxes or paper stacks. Glass - Clear, green or brown only: Throw away lids, rinse out. You can leave the label on. Place glass in separate containers. NO window panes, light bulbs or dishware. Cardboard - Toilet/paper towel cores, food boxes, medicine boxes, shoe boxes, shipping/moving boxes, sugar bags, dog/cat food bags which in- clude a recycling logo, paper bags. NO packing materials, plastic liners or foam. Plastics - Numbered 1-7: Recycling symbol and number are required. Milk Jugs and Water Jugs - Throw away cap/lid. Rinse with warm water and try to flatten. Keep these jugs separate from soda bottles or colored plas- tic. Other #1 and #2 Plastic Containers - Examples of other recyclable contain- ers: syrup bottles #3, snap-on coffee lids #4, cottage cheese containers #5, yogurt containers #6, and ketchup bottles #7 Drop-off Center Also Accepts: Used motor oil, oil filters, cooking oil and anti- freeze. Visit www.huntsvilletx.gov for Area curbside recycling schedules and more recycling information. Yard Waste Specifics Collection Service: 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednes- day of each month - No call-in required! Yard waste is classified as leaves, grass, pine needles, yard clippings and small brush, items referred to as “green waste.” The total number of paper compostable-bagged, canned, or bundled yard waste items is limited to twelve (12) per household per collection day. All yard waste materials must be placed within two (2) feet of street’s edge no later than 6:00 a.m. on the morning of the scheduled pick-up. Yard waste such as leaves, grass, pine needles or small clippings must be: (1) Bagged in paper compostable bags (not to exceed 30 gallons) or placed in personal garbage can; (2) Cannot exceed 50 pounds each; (3) City-issued garbage and recycling carts cannot be filled with yard waste. Tree limbs and brush must be: (1) No longer than four (4) feet in length; (2) Limbs no larger than four (4) inches in diameter; (3) Must be tied securely in bundles which cannot ex- ceed two (2) feet in diameter and can’t exceed 50 pounds each. The following items and locations DO NOT qualify for Yard Waste pick-up: (1) Household garbage of any kind; (2) Anything other than green waste: NO flower pots, fertilizer, mulch, bags, dirt, potting soil, sand, rock, gravel, etc. (3) Commercial businesses or commercially generated yard waste. Bring your City utility bill showing that you pay for gar- bage service and dispose of your yard waste at the City Transfer Station free of charge. This excludes commer- cial customers, yard waste contractors, and any lawn service providers. The customer must be present with their current City garbage bill at the time of disposal. For more information on yard waste trimming collection services, contact the Solid Waste Services Division at (936) 294-5712.