What is the Ourstreet Materials Rebate Program?
The Purpose of the Ourstreet Materials Rebate Program is to encourage investment in properties in the Ourstreet Target Area, by offering rebates of up to $1,500 for materials to repair or improve the exterior of properties.

Who Qualifies for the Materials Rebate Program?
Home owners, including non-owner occupied homes, within the Ourstreet Target Area. This program is available for all income levels.  If you spend $1,500 for materials, you can get a materials rebate of between $750 and $1,500 depending on income.


What Types of Improvements Are Eligible?
Rebates are issued to help defray the cost of materials for exterior improvements only on approved renovations and may not be used for labor costs or other expenses.  Aesthetic Improvements (i.e. landscaping) must be 80% visible from the centerline of the road.

Examples of exterior improvements include:

• Roofing Materials
• Paint
  
• Landscaping
• Gutters
• Driveways
• Windows
• Exterior Doors
• Replacing Porch Columns
• Adding/replacing railings to porches
  

Other Important Information:

1. You must be approved for the project prior to the start of construction.  We will not reimburse projects that were not approved.
2. The work must be completed within 3 months of approval.
3. You must submit two estimates which clearly show the cost of materials for the project.
4. Once the work has been completed, inspected and receipts have been turned into the Ourstreet Office, a check for the rebate will be sent out to the home owner within 10 business days.
   

For an application for the Materials Rebate Program, or for additional information regarding all of our programs, click here.

We've already had some warm days this past May, so here are a few tips to reduce your cooling costs this summer from an article on www.MSN.com, entitled "25 cheap ways to keep your house cooler". 

• "Open windows and use portable or ceiling fans instead of operating your air conditioner. Even mild air movement of 1 mph can make you feel three or four degrees cooler."

• "Install white window shades, drapes, or blinds to reflect heat away from the house. Close curtains on south- and west-facing windows during the day."

• "Avoid landscaping with lots of unshaded rock, cement, or asphalt on the south or west sides. It increases the temperature around the house and radiates heat to the house after the sun has set."

• "Deciduous trees planted on the south and west sides will keep your house cool in the summer. Just three trees, properly placed around a house, can save a few hundred dollars in annual cooling and heating costs. In summer, daytime air temperatures can be 3 degrees to 6 degrees cooler in tree-shaded neighborhoods."
  

• "Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent; they produce the same light but use a fifth the energy and heat."

• "Caulking and weatherstripping will keep cool air in during the summer."

• "Using light shingles on a new roof can cut the amount of heat the house absorbs. Repainting in a light color, especially south- and west-facing exterior areas, helps as well."

Click to read the rest of the article.

 

When should you use 9-1-1?               Dial 9-1-1 for police, fire, and medical service when a Emergency response is needed.

What happens when I call 9-1-1?
When you dial 9-1-1, your call will be received by a communications specialist who takes your information. Then, the appropriate police, fire, or medical team located in your area is notified and service is dispatched.

How do I use 9-1-1?
Remain calm. Speak Clearly. Provide the communications specialist with the following information:

* Your Name
* Address
* City you live in
* What is happening

Please stay on the line with the 9-1-1 Communications Specialist until told to disconnect.

When should you use the toll free non-emergency number?
1-800-249-0911
The non-emergency number is to assist the public when the use of 9-1-1 is not an urgent request or life and property are not in danger. The non-emergency number is toll free, and answered twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Call 1-800-249-0911 when there is no immediate danger to life or property. (Non-Emergency).

Examples:

Animal Control calls (no threat to public safety)
Miscellaneous Crimes or any type of incident that has occurred at an earlier time/date that needs a police investigation and/or a report.
Miscellaneous calls for service where police or fire assistance would be helpful.
Informational requests related to police or fire activity

Remember...
9-1-1 is only a telephone number. A quick response depends upon the vital information which you provide about what is happening, its location, and how well your residence and driveway is marked.

 
This article is courtesy of Ottawa County Central Dispatch Authority.  More resources on this topic, including a coloring book for children, can be found on their website.