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City of Alma E-Newsletter
 May 2011

City Commission Nominating Petitions


Nominating petitions for vacancies on the City Commission are due Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 4:00 p.m.
petition

 

Any qualified elector of the City of Alma is eligible to run for City Commission.  If you are interested in running for office, please pick up a nominating petition from the City Clerk office at the Municipal Building.  

 

In the event that nine or more candidates file petitions, a primary election will be held on August 2, 2011 to elect the eight candidates who will appear on the November 8th ballot. 
 
Call Barb Gager at 463-8336 or email at [email protected] for more information. 
Highland Festival & Games

 

The 44th Alma Highland Festival and Gamesbagpiper highland fest will take place May 27, 28 & 29 on the Alma College Campus.  This year's festival is sure to be a great time!  On the schedule are the Saturday morning parade, the Great Lakes Highland Dance Championship, Stars & Stripes NASCAR simulator, the US Open Pipe Band Championship, Heavyweight Professional Athletic competition on Saturday and the Great Lakes Heavyweight Amateur Athletic competition on Sunday.  Special events include a "Harp for All" workshop where anyone can learn to play the harp, border collie sheep-herding exhibition, Scottish cattle, the Royal Scottish Country Dancers, children's games and the 42 Royal Regiment Re-enactment Group.

 

The vending area provides visitors with the opportunity to buy a kilt, bagpipes and just about anything Scottish.  The food vendors will be located outside the festival gates as well as the Arts & Crafts Fair.  To get the most up to date information on the Festival including rain plan locations, follow the link to the Highland Festival website.

Also on Saturday, the Steam Railroad Institute will offer an hour long train ride from the Highland Festival.  The train leaves at 1:00 p.m. and returns at 2:00.  Take a brief pause from the festival activities and relax onboard the train.  Tickets are $15/adults, $10/children and are available online at www.mstrp.com or by calling the SRI at (989)399.7589.  Tickets will also be available on Saturday, north of Iowa Street. 
 
The Alma Highland Festival Road Race runner highland festivalis getting bigger each year, with this year's event expecting over 800 runners!  Please note that the race course will include Superior St., the Fred Meijer Trail, and N. State Street.  These streets will be closed to traffic beginning at approximately 8:30 Saturday morning.  Check out the Highland Festival website for more information.

Highland Festival Road Closures

 

With the reconstruction of the Bridge Ave. bridge, access routes to the City during Saturday morning of the Highland Festival will be limited.  Also, several roads will be closed due to the parade and road races.  Please look at the attached map to best plan your route to all the festivities.

Household Hazardous Waste Program   


The City of Alma in conjunction with the City of St. Louis, conducts a Household Hazardous Waste Program.  Residents

bagpiper2

may drop off unwanted items

such as batteries, paints, pesticides/herbicides and cleaning liquids.  New to the program this year will be the collection of fluorescent bulbs (tubes only).  This year's collection dates are:

 

    May 3:  8:00 am - 4:30 p.m.

    May 4:  8:00 am - 7:30 p.m.
    May 5:  8:00 am - 4:30 p.m.
 
Collection will take place at the Public Works Garage, 800 Washington Ave.  Appointments are required and can be made by calling 463-8339.  

Remember... Dispose of your prescription drugs safely.  They are NOT accepted as part of the Household Hazardous Waste Program.

Fluorescent Bulb Collection for
Alma & St. Louis Businesses

 

The cities of Alma and St. Louis will also be providing their annual service for local businesses that coincides with our Household Hazardous Waste Program.  This service will allow businesses a way to properly dispose of hazardous fluorescent bulbs (tubes only) at a minimal cost.  Compact bulbs will not be accepted.

 

The program will be held on Monday, May 2, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  at the Public Works Garage, 800 Washington Ave.  Appointments are required and can be made by calling 463-8339.  The cost will be:

 

     Tubes four feet or less  - $1.00 per bulb
     Tubes four to eight feet - $2.00 per bulb

 

Fluorescent bulbs contain toxic chemicals that can be a threat to people and the environment if improperly discarded.  Let's all do our part.  Please call to set up an appointment today.

Alma Public Library May Activities

 

English Tea

English Tea 

The Friends of the Alma Public Library will be sponsoring an English Tea and Fashion Show on Saturday, May 7th at 2:00 p.m.  Come and enjoy a spot of tea and enjoy the period costumes.

 

 

 Republic Truck

Republic Truck Day

 

Another exciting event for our local history buffs will be on Saturday, May 21, 2011.  The Alma Public Library will be sponsoring a display and presentation of the Republic Motor Truck Company of Alma, Michigan.  "Republic Truck Day" will feature local author David McMacken and his new book titled Flash and Fizzle: the rise and fall of the Republic Motor Truck Company of Alma, Michigan.  The book is being published by the Alma Public Library.  Mr. McMacken will be available for questions and book signing.  There will be a tent in front of the library displaying  a collection of actual Republic Trucks and stationary McVicker engines.  The exhibit will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Refreshments will be served.

 

For more information, contact the Alma Public Library at 463-3966

Pending Ordinances

Gavel

  
The following ordinances have been introduced and are up for adoption at the May 10, 2011 City Commission meeting:


 
Ordinance No. 740: An ordinance to amend Section 60-86 to acknowledge Child Care Centers as Special Uses in the G-I, General Industrial District to correctly refer to the appropriate state licensing authority  and to assure adequate ingress, egress and setbacks.

  
Ordinance No. 741An ordinance to amend Section 60-60 to permit Child Care Centers as Special Uses in the G-I, General Industrial District.

Meetings start at 6:00 p.m.  Everyone is encouraged to attend.

American Red Cross Community Blood Drives

 

Mark your calendar for the upcoming drives:

 

Tuesday, May 3: noon - 5:45 p.m.
Ithaca Community Center
Thursday, May 5: 10:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Alma Firstbank
Monday, May 9: noon - 5:45 p.m.
St. Louis Church of God
Tuesday, May 10:  8:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.
Ithaca High School*
Thursday, May 12: 8:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Alma High School*
Friday, May 13: 10:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Fulton High School*
Friday, May 20: 11:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Monday, May 23: noon - 5:45 p.m.
ZCBJ Hall, Bannister
 
*This is a competition - may the best school win!

For more information or to schedule an appointment call 463-3209.

dont forget
FY2012 Annual Budget & Capital Improvement Program documents are available on our website.

 

jackhammerConstruction Info:  Bridge Ave. bridge reconstruction is under way and will continue until mid-July.  Follow the map for your detour route. 

 

Other major street, sewer and water projects include construction on Superior Street, Luce Road, Golfside, Pineview Ct., Mechanic, Ferris, Virginia, N. Court Ave. and Ely Street.  Check out the map to see exactly where the projects are and to help you plan alternate routes.  We appreciate your cooperation and understanding through this busy time.  If you have questions, please email or call us at 463-8346. 

 

Free Compost and wood chips are available for self loading, free of charge, outside the yardwaste gates on Washington St., north of the Public Works Garage.  Help yourself!

 

Garage & yard sale sign regulations

 

Peddlers & Solicitors must be registered with the City in order to solicit door to door.

 

Dog Rules to Remember:  All dog owners walking their dog within the city limits must cleanup any dog feces left by their dogs.  Dogs may not be allowed to run at large.  Dogs may not howl or bark to the annoyance of others in the neighborhood.

 

Spring Downtown Flower Planting Day is May 21st.  Meet the KAB (Keep Alma Beautiful committee) at the Alma Chamber of Commerce building at 9:00 a.m.


Yard waste will be collected on your regular trash collection day and must be in paper bags, cardboard boxes and/or trash containers marked "yard waste".  Tree limbs should be placed in piles, not bundled, with all stems lying in the same direction.  To get the complete info on the yard waste program, follow this link 
  
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Issue: 26

City of Alma

In This Issue
City Commission Nominating Petitions
Highland Festival Info
Household Hazardous Waste
Alma Public Library Presents...
Pending Ordinances
Red Cross Blood Drives
DON'T FORGET!

City of Alma offices/services closings:  

  

Memorial Day
5/30/11

 

July 4th
7/4/11

 

Labor Day:
9/5/11

Thanksgiving:
11/24/11
11/25/11

Christmas:
12/23/11
12/26/11

New Year's
1/2/12

City of Alma Officials:

 

Mayor

 

Vice-Mayor

 

Commissioner 

 

Commissioner

 

Roxann Harrington 
 Commissioner

 

Commissioner

Nick Piccolo
Commissioner

City Manager

 

Asst. City Manager/ DDA Director

 

Public Safety Director

 

Public Services Director

 

City Clerk

 

City Assessor

 

Assistant
Building/Zoning/Code Enforcement Director

 

Finance Director

 

Transportation Services Director

 

Library Director

 

Controller

Contact Us: 

  
Emergency
911
 
City Manager
463-8336

 

City Clerk
463-8336

 

City Assessor
463-8356

 

City Treasurer
463-8346

 

City Engineer
463-8346

 

Building/Zoning
463-8356

 

Downtown Development Authority
463-8336

 

Public Safety
463-8317

 

Fire (business)
463-8359

 

Public Services
463-8346

 

Municipal Garage
463-8339

 

Cemetery
463-8901

 

Forestry
463-8901

 

Library
463-3966

 

DART
463-6016

 

Water
463-8349

 

Wastewater
463-6506

 

Public Access
463-5883

 

Housing Commission
463-4200
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City of Alma
 www.ci.alma.mi.us
525 E. Superior St., PO Box 278
Alma, MI 48801-0278
(989)463-8336