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November 2014 City Connection CITY CONNECTION Volume 11, Issue 2 November 2014 Calendar November 2014 4 - General Election 5 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 6 - Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 6 - Development Code meeting - pg. 2 10 - Development Code meeting - pg 2 12 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 18 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 19 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 19 - Development Code meeting - pg. 2 20 - Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 26 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste December 2014 2 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 3 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 4 - Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 12 p.m. 10 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 16 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 17 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 18 - Planning & Zoning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 31 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection Submit requests for Heavy Trash pick-up before noon on Monday, the week of the pick-up at 294-5796. Learn more about City events at www.huntsvilletx.gov Sign up for our digital newsletter, “This Week in Huntsville!” The City’s new bi-monthly, digital newsletter is really taking off, with new residents signing up and new features to keep everyone informed. Never miss an event again - sign up for your free This Week in Huntsville newsletter! Did you notice the disaster preparedness kit special issue on our Web site? Check it out! To subscribe, log onto the City’s Web site, www.huntsvilletx.gov, click “e- news Subscriptions” on the left-hand side of the page, enter your email address and select “This Week in Huntsville.” You’ll automatically receive a free, digital newsletter twice each month! The City of Huntsville has safety tips to those residents who choose to deep-fry their turkeys this holiday season for preparation and grease disposal. According to Fire Chief Tom Grisham, there are several key points to remember when frying a turkey in grease, and keeping them in mind may help prevent dangerous accidents. “Every turkey fryer comes with instructions, and it’s very important to read those completely before commencing your cooking,” Grisham said. “Also, make sure when you do begin cooking that your turkey fryer is not in a garage or under any kind of structure. Many of the calls we have had in the past have been the result of grease boiling over onto a deck and setting the wood on fire. “Also, make sure you have the correct level of grease. This can be tested by placing a turkey in an empty fryer, filling the fryer with water to just cover the turkey, removing the turkey, then pouring out the water and filling the fryer with grease to the previous water line.” Turkey preparation, Grisham said, is also a source of trouble if not conducted properly. “If you put a wet or partially thawed turkey into 350 degree grease, it will boil over,” he said. “Make sure your turkey is completely thawed and dry, and make sure to keep children and pets away from the fryer just in case.” Finally, both when placing a turkey in grease and removing the turkey, use caution and move the turkey 1 to 1½ inches at a time. “When putting the turkey in or removing the turkey from the fryer, use caution,” Grisham said. “Wear gloves, a long sleeved shirt and closed-toe shoes. Also, have a fire extinguisher available that has a Class B rating, an ABC or BC, for flammable liquids.” Alternate methods of turkey preparation including the use of infrared fryers may also be considered. "Citizens may also consider switching to an oil-free fryer, which would not only be safer all around but performs at the same rate of speed of a traditional fryer," Grisham said. Proper grease disposal is also very important. According to Mark Reed, city wastewater superintendent, grease is a waste the sewer system cannot handle and thus should be kept out of the system. “Grease should not be poured down the drain because, as the wastewater flows through the sewer line, the grease would continue to build, restricting the flow of wastewater,” he said. “It is better to put grease in the garbage instead of the drain. Residents should put used grease and oil in a jar, coffee can, or other suitable container. Put paper towels or some type of absorbent material in, seal the container, wrap it in newspaper, then place it in the trash. Food service establishments require a grease interceptor to properly remove oil and grease. “With your cooperation, the city of Huntsville can reduce sewer backups, lower maintenance costs, and keep the sewer system operating smoothly year-round, especially during the holiday season,” Reed said. Turkey tips: Holiday cooking safety The Good Shepherd Mission 1005 Avenue F (MLK Blvd) - (936) 291-8156 Walkercountyonline.com/org/mission gsmission@suddenlink.net Several food items are needed in preparation for Thanksgiving including frozen turkeys, frozen hams, dry beans and rice, canned goods, and other holiday meal items Volunteers are also needed, especially in the food bank, to help sort donations and prepare meal bags for local families. The Good Shepherd Mission also works with Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church each year to collect toys for the Santa’s Helpers program, benefitting 350 local families with 485 - 515 children. Santa’s Helpers is held every year on the second Saturday in December - this year it will be held on December 13th. Coat and blanket drives will also be conducted throughout the holiday season. Boys & Girls Club of Walker County 119 FM 980 – (936) 291-6054 - info@bgcwc.org Businesses and individuals are encouraged to participate in the Boys & Girls Club’s annual “Operation Santa” program. Children involved in the club provide “Wish Lists” including clothing sizes and toys, and those who wish to “adopt” a child receive a list and purchase the items included. Lists are available through the club, and the gifts should be returned by November 21. As well, volunteers will be needed to help package, tag and sort the gifts between December 13 and the club’s Christmas party on December 18. For more information, to adopt a child or to volunteer, contact Diane Balderas, Director of Operations, at dbalderas@bgcwc.org or (936) 291-6054. Community Service Ideas Citizen input sought for Development Code revisions The City of Huntsville Community and Economic Development department will seek citizen input during the month of November regarding updates to the Development Code. According to Aron Kulhavy, CED Director, participant input will be welcomed on the entire document, but especially on a handful of specific points identified during previous outreach efforts. “We are nearing completion on a final draft of the Development Code, and we would like to get public feedback on a few key issues before moving forward,” he said. “We will hold public meetings and offer a survey on the City’s Web site throughout the month of November. “The information we gather will be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission and eventually City Council to help them in their decision-making process before approving the final draft.” The first of the three meetings will be held on Thursday, November 6 at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers as part of a regular Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The second meeting will be held on Monday, November 10 at 6:00 p.m. in the Huntsville Public Library Community Room, and the third meeting will be held in the same location on Wednesday, November 19 at 6 p.m. The survey, which will be available at www.huntsvilletx.gov/survey, will include approximately 25 questions and will mirror the live survey to be conducted during the informational meetings. “The online survey will allow those interested in the Development Code revisions who cannot attend any of the meetings to submit their comments and input,” Kulhavy said. “Our plan is to have the online survey available throughout the month of November and to reconcile both the live data and the online data we receive in December.” During the month of November, Kulhavy said a draft of the development code will be available on the City’s Web site – www.huntsvilletx.gov – for review. “From our home page, scroll over Departments, then Development Services, and click on Planning, and the draft Development Code will be available for review,” he said. “A link is also available on the front page of the City’s Web site in the News and Notices section.” For more information, contact Kulhavy at (936) 294-5793. The results of the November 4, 2014 regular election will be canvassed during the November 18 City Council meeting. All citizens are encouraged to either attend or watch the meeting on KSHU Channel 7. Miss a meeting during the last few months? Not a problem! The City archives City Council meetings for a full year. Just visit the City’s Web site, www.huntsvilletx.gov, and click on “Live and Archived Meetings” on the left-hand side of the page. Stay informed! Huntsville Head Start will conduct its annual Adopt a Family for Thanksgiving program through November 20. Call 936-291-9190 for more information. THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS SERVICE CHANGES Thursday, November 27, 2014 CLOSED Residential Recycling Collection will be picked up on the following Thursday, 12/4/14; Extra recycling on side of blue cart will be picked up. Commercial Garbage Collection scheduled for Thursday, 11/27/14 will be picked up on Wednesday, 11/26/14 or Friday, 11/28/14 Friday, November 28, 2014 CLOSED Residential Recycling Collection will be picked up on the following Friday, 12/5/14; Extra recycling on side of blue carts will be picked up. Commercial Garbage Collection will run regular scheduled routes. Solid Waste/Recycling holiday closures: Residential and commercial users affected 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 reducing your water usage during these months could lower your sewer charge. Methods to reduce usage include limiting or completely eliminating outside watering. The new sewer average charge will be effective with the April billing (due in May). “Basically, the City of Huntsville would just like to advise residents to curtail any kind of 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, residents 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. Remember - Recycle Grease and Antifreeze! Like many other residential customers, do you plan on replacing the antifreeze in your vehicle this winter? Do you plan on disposing of other kinds of liquids, including motor oil, peanut oil or cooking oil? Don’t run those materials down the drain – recycle them! The City of Huntsville Solid Waste Services Department offers free, year-round recycling for these liquids 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. Unfortunately, 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. The City of Huntsville will close for its second annual Charity Bowling Tournament on Thursday, November 13. Non-essential business functions of the City will close to the public at 2:30 p.m. and resume Friday, November 14 at 8 a.m. CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS SERVICE CHANGES Wednesday, December 24, 2014 CLOSED There will be no Heavy Trash pick-up scheduled for residential customers. Commercial Garbage Collection WILL RUN regular scheduled routes on Wednesday, 12/24/14. Thursday, December 25, 2014 CLOSED Residential Recycling Collection will be picked up on the following Thursday, 1/1/15; Extra recycling on side of blue carts will be picked up. Commercial Garbage Collection will scheduled for Thursday, 12/25/14 will be picked up on Wednesday, 12/24/14 or Friday, 12/26/14. City staff to participate in second annual Charity Bowling Tournament NEW YEARS HOLIDAYS SERVICE CHANGES Wednesday, December 31, 2014 OPEN All regularly scheduled residential and commercial pick-ups will occur. Thursday, January 1, 2015 OPEN All regularly scheduled residential and commercial pick-ups will occur. City of Huntsville Recycling Guidelines Direct questions to (936) 294-5743 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 vehicles 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 removed 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, shredded paper, glass/oil/filters, batteries, cell phones, electronics, Styrofoam or aluminum foil. 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 customers 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, place in plastic trash bags. 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. Put the cans in plastic trash bags. 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 staples 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, 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. Place these items in plastic trash bags by themselves. Keep these jugs separate from soda bottles or colored plastic. Other #1 and #2 Plastic Containers - Examples of other recyclable containers: syrup bottles #3, snap-on coffee lids #4, cottage cheese containers #5, yogurt containers #6, and ketchup bottles #7 Plastic bags - Must have recycling symbol visible on the bag. These can be some grocery bags, shopping bags, dry cleaning bags, etc. Place all plastic bags into one and tie shut. No plastic wrap, shrink wrap or bubble wrap. No Styrofoam, even if it has a recycling number and symbol on item. Drop-off Center Also Accepts: Used motor oil, oil filters, cooking oil and antifreeze. Visit www.huntsvilletx.gov for Area curbside recycling schedules and more recycling information. Yard Waste Specifics Collection Service: 1st, 3rd and 5th Wednesday 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 bagged, canned or bundled yard waste 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 (bags not to exceed 30 gallons) or placed in personal garbage; (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 exceed 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 garbage service and dispose of your yard waste at the City Transfer Station free of charge. This excludes commercial 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. The yard trimmings must not be bagged. For more information on yard waste trimming collection services, contact the Solid Waste Services Division at (936) 294-5743.