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Citizen of the Year Reception Postponed: The Citizen of the Year reception honoring Sylvia Owens, to be held on Monday, November 7 at the Windsor Heights Community & Events Center, will be postponed. Sylvia was called out of town on a family emergency. A new date will be set once Sylvia returns. The council meeting, scheduled for the Community and Events Center, will now move back to City Hall at the normal 6:00 p.m. start time.
Click here to view the council agenda for Monday.
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Fun Budget Facts!
It is that time of year again that city leaders are working on developing the budget year that will begin July 1, 2012. Recently Windsor Heights compared ourselves to cities throughout Iowa who share similar property values. The below graph shows the amount of debt those cities have compared to Windsor Heights. The average level of outstanding obligations for communities with similar valuation (excluding Windsor Heights) is $17,422,172 and the median level of outstanding obligations is $15,902,106. Windsor Heights has $12,820,000. Some examples of outstanding debt for Windsor Heights include bonds that have helped pay for the widening of University Avenue, 63rd Street, new bridges at Buffalo Road leading into Wal-mart, the new Community Center and economic development projects including Hy-Vee, Wal-mart, and the Town Center. The cities most recent bond includes an effort to redevelop and widen sections of Hickman Road and 63rd Street.
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City Council Election
The city council election is on Tuesday, November 8th. Windsor Heights has three voting districts designated as WH1, WH2, and WH3. WH1 residents vote at the Windsor Lutheran Church, 1240 66th Street. WH2 residents vote at City Hall, 1133 66th St. WH3 residents vote at the Walnut Creek Community Church, 900 64th St. Election time is a popular time for temporary and civic signs. Many people choose to participate in the process by showing their support through such a sign.
Temporary signs for non-profit civic campaigns or events are permitted in any zoning district. Please note, however, the maximum size sign is 10 square feet when located in a residential district. When placing the sign in your yard, choose a place that will not obstruct the clear view of vehicles and pedestrians. The signs may not be placed in the City's right-of-way. If you have any questions or need information on how to register or where to vote, please call City Hall at 279-3662.
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CALL for ENTRIES
Windsor Heights Special Events Committee presents:
Miss Wonderland Pageant
What do Oprah Winfrey, Diane Sawyer, Halle Berry, and Sharon Stone all have in common? Each of these accomplished women is a former pageant winner!
If you have ever dreamed of entering a pageant and have not known how to get started or if you are a pageant contestant who enjoys the thrill of the spotlight, Miss Wonderland is the pageant for you.
On Thursday, December 1, beginning at 6:30 pm, the Windsor Heights Special Events Committee is hosting a pageant, open to anyone between the ages 3 - 21. Prior experience is not required. In fact, first timers are encouraged and each contestant has an equal chance of winning. From the experience, pageant contestants gain valuable skill sets, such as poise and public speaking. It can help build confidence that will serve you well always.
To enter, there are three age categories.
Little Miss (3-7)
Jr. Miss (8-14)
Miss Wonderland (15-21).
Sponsor fees are $25, $50 and $75 respectively. These fees cover all areas of the competition.
Jr. Miss and Miss Contestants will compete in evening gown, creative theme-wear and on-stage question categories. Contestants will also be judged on a résumé that is filled out prior to the pageant. Little Miss Contestants will give a personal introduction on-stage in a holiday party dress or evening gown and a name will be drawn at the end of the night to determine the winner.
The winners in each category will receive a crown, banner and trophy. Each candidate will receive a rose on stage and a goody bag. The first runners up in the Jr. Miss and Miss categories will receive a trophy.
If you have never been in a pageant before, there is an optional training class presented by one of the pageant sponsors, Kelly's Pageant Coaching. The two-hour class will be held on November 30th and is offered for $25.00.
All events will take place in the Windsor Heights Community and Events Center, located at 69th and School Street in Colby Park.
A full set of rules and application can be found on the City's website at www.windsorheights.org. Completed applications are due Monday, November 14. For additional information or questions, call 645-6821.
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Enjoying fall leaves, 'til the rake has to come out
Fall is your last hurrah to enjoy the weather and the fall leaves - until you have to rake them up. Collection for yard and garden waste ends the last week of November (Nov. 28 to Dec. 2) on your garbage collection day. Make sure your lawn and garden is ready for winter by raking up leaves and clearing out any rotten vegetables.
Residents have two options with Metro Waste Authority's Compost It! program:
Bag & Sticker Program - Residents can bag leaves and grass and bundle brush, using Metro Waste Authority Compost It! bags and stickers. Bags are available in bundles of five for $7.75 and stickers cost $1.15. You can purchase them at local hardware, grocery or home improvement stores. The stickers are used for brush bundles as well as if residents choose to purchase store-brand bags vs. the Compost It! bags, which covers the cost of collection.
Cart Program - Residents have the convenience of a 96-gallon wheeled cart for weekly collection of yard waste. Every spring, residents must purchase a renewal sticker to attach to the cart, confirming service for that yard & garden waste collection season.
Learn more about our solid waste, recycling and yard waste curbside collection by visiting www.MWAtoday.com/communities or calling 515-244-0021.
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Ever had your toilet not flush?
If your toilet has ever not flushed due to a clog in your sewer pipes from roots or a collapsing line, it is time to fix your sewer line. Effective September 1, 2011 the S.O.S. (Save Our Sewers) program offers partially forgivable loans to property owners who need to make upgrades and replace their sewer lines. The loans are up to 50 percent forgivable, depending on property owners' income levels. We are excited to be able to offer this to residents, thanks to the partnership and support with Polk County, the Urbandale-Windsor Heights Sanitary Sewer District and the Neighborhood Finance Corporation. However, there is limited amount of funding available to provide the forgivable portion of the loan. In other words, future funding levels for the S.O.S. program are uncertain so this may be available for a limited time only, meaning it is important to act quickly.
Visit www.windsorheights.org for more information. For more details about the financing your repairs, you can call the Neighborhood Finance Corporation at 515-246-0010. As always, feel free to call City Hall at 515-279-3662 if you have any additional questions. |
Windsor Heights residents can schedule collection of household hazardous waste just outside their door
Windsor Heights residents can easily dispose of their household hazardous waste (HHW) just outside their door. The City of Windsor Heights has teamed with Metro Waste Authority (MWA) for a new collection program for items such as lead and oil-based paints (not latex*), chemicals such as insecticides, poisons and solvents, lawn products, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), sharps and cleaners.
Windsor Heights residents can sign up on an as-needed basis at City Hall, where they must pick up 18-gallon bins, specific handling instructions and a list of accepted and not accepted items. The cost of collection is $25 for up to two bins.
Once residents fill their bins, they call MWA to schedule collection. MWA collects on the second Friday of each month, starting November 11. The collected material is taken back to MWA's Regional Collection Center in Bondurant where it is recycled or safely disposed.
Emptied bins are returned to City Hall for future "check-outs" by residents. |
Windsor Heights Foundation Sponsors Annual Holiday Lighting Contest
The Windsor Heights Foundation is pleased to announce the annual holiday lighting contest. The Foundation will divide the city into six zones, and award a $50.00 prize to the winner in each zone. The Foundation will award an additional $50.00 for the "Best of the Best." The contest winners will receive a recognition signs to place in their yard. The Foundation also appreciates the businesses that decorate for the holidays.
The Foundation will continue a tradition started last year, by awarding a $25.00 prize for the best decorated door. Residents who wish to compete for the best door honor will need to notify Carroll Bennink at 252-6122, or George Hanusa at 255-6367, during the judging period.
Judging will take place between 6:30 and 9:00 p.m. from Tuesday December 6, 2011 through Tuesday December 13, 2011, and the Foundation is asking residents to have their decorations in place and lit during this time.
The Foundation has selected these criteria for judging the displays:
1. Consistent theme (not a mix of secular and religious).
2. Balanced design; not cluttered or overdone.
3. Creativity in design.
4. Originality, including "hand-crafted" elements.
5. Minimum use of "plastic."
6. Display looks good by day as well as by night.
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