Toll-Free Enforcement Numbers

Ordinance

1-877-442-0072

Animal Control

1-877-816-8136

Non-Emergency Numbers

Security Gate

693-4110

City Hall

693-6840

Public Works/POA

693-2951

Golf Course:

693-3300

Allied Waste:

693-3513

Greetings!

 

"Whether we want them or not, the New Year will bring new challenges; whether we seize them or not, the New Year will bring new opportunities."  

~ Michael Josephson              

Work session:  Monday, January 19th at 9 a.m. 

Regular monthly business meeting:  Tuesday, January 20th at 7 p.m. 

All meetings are held at the Municipal Building.

Winterizing Around Your Home

With the onset of another freeze upon us, unpredictable weather can sneak up on us and wreak havoc on unprepared water pipes. Nothing is like waking up in the morning to no water or worse yet having to fix a broken outdoor faucet when it is 20 degrees outside. By winterizing your home now, not only will you save money, but you can relax in your warm cozy home.

Below is a listing of a few of the many precautions that can be taken to help minimize these impacts upon our life:

Before the Freeze  

• Disconnect and drain hoses from outside faucets.
• Turn off and drain your irrigation system, make sure that your backflow devices are drained and insulated.
• Wrap outside faucets or install faucet insulation covers.
• Insulate hot and cold water pipes in unheated areas, such as the garage, crawl space and attic.
• Locate and show everyone in your household where the main shut off valve is located, in case of an emergency.

During the Freeze  

• Open cabinet doors under sinks, especially where the plumbing is on an outside wall; this will allow the interior heat to warm the piping.
• If you are going to be away for any length of time leave the heat on at least 55 degrees. Shut off water to the house and open all faucets to drain the pipes. Make certain you turn off the power to your hot water heater to prevent burning out of elements.

If Your Pipes Freeze  

• NEVER thaw a frozen pipe with an open flame. It is very easy to start a fire with an open flame. Use hot air from a hair dryer or a closely monitored heat lamp or electric heater.
• If your lines are frozen, assume that they may be broken or split somewhere. Be ready to shut off your water in a hurry when the line thaws.
• If your pipes break, shut off the water at the shut-off valve and make certain that you turn off the circuit breaker to your hot water heater.

Shutting Off Your Water

Protecting Your Pets During Cold Weather

By Robbie Galaway, Animal Control 

Don't leave dogs or cats outdoors when the temperature drops. Regardless of the season, short-haired, very young or old dogs and all cats should never be left outside without supervision.

Pets are sensitive to severe cold and are at risk for frostbite and hypothermia when they are outdoors during extreme cold snaps. Exposed skin on noses, ears and paw pads can quickly freeze and suffer permanent damage.

Dogs and cats are safer indoors, except when taken out for exercise. During walks, short-haired dogs may feel more comfortable wearing a sweater.

You will probably need to shorten your dog's walks in very cold weather to protect you both from weather-associated health risks

Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.

A warm vehicle engine can be an appealing heat source for outdoor and feral cats, but it's deadly. Check underneath your car, bang on the hood, and honk the horn before starting the engine to encourage feline hitchhikers to abandon their roost under the hood.

The Helping Center is looking for a few good folks.....

The Helping Center is headed into their busiest time of the year and they are finding themselves a little short handed. The illness of a key volunteer has left a lot of slack in their days.

The Helping Center is the local food pantry for many people in our area. The current need for volunteers is over a wide range of talents. The greatest is for folks (male or female) to stock shelves and fill bag orders. There is also an ongoing need for data entry and filing. If there is someone around that has talent in website design, they could use some of your time also. The Helping Center is located just down Avenue N at the intersection with Broadway so you could be there in less than 5 minutes from the time you walked out of the house. Their hours are 10 am to 12 noon Monday thru Friday, 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm Monday thru Thursday and closed on Friday afternoons. Stop by and talk to Sam Pearce and see what talents you have to offer. Better yet, take a friend or neighbor along! The main thing to remember is that they will take whatever time you have to offer, from hours daily to minutes weekly.   They are located at 1315 Broadway St, right across from Janie's Mexican Restaurant. Phone 830-693-5689

WE'RE GOING SOCIAL!

In our efforts to find more ways to keep you, our residents, better informed about important updates and items of interest, we have created a Facebook page and a Twitter account: