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City of Alma E-Newsletter
November 2012 |
Don't Forget to Vote on November 6th
The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012.
The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Precinct 1
Presbyterian Church
495 Charles Rd.
Precinct 2
Peace Lutheran Church
325 Warwick Drive
Precinct 3
Alma Public Library
351 N. Court
Absentee ballots are available at the City Clerk's office. Follow the link for the precinct map .
If you would like to see a copy of your ballot, make sure you're registered to vote or find where you vote if you do not live in Alma, vist the Michigan Voter Information Center and enter your name. Detailed information and a copy of your ballot will be available.
If you have any questions, please call Barb Gager at 463-8336. |
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We Now Accept Credit/Debit Cards
The City of Alma is now able to accept your credit/debit cards for payment of your water bills, invoices, park reserations and other services. We cannot accept credit/debit cards for taxes, but you may pay your taxes and water bills using credit/debit cards on our website. Also remember, we still have bank drafting for your water bills.
The Police Department, Library and DART will also soon be accepting cards for your convenience. Call 463-8346 if you have any questions. |
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November Events
Leaf Collection Continues
The City of Alma Leaf Collection Program continues throughout the month of November. Residents are asked to rake their leaves to the curb prior to their collection date. Please do not put the leaves in the street or on the sidewalk. Follow the link for a copy of the collection map.
American Red Cross Community Blood Drives
With fall here, the American Red Cross encourages all eligible donors to wrap up summer with the gift of life. Please help save a life. Upcoming blood drives are:
Tuesday, November 6: noon - 5:45 p.m.
Commission on Aging
515 S. Pine River St. - Ithaca
Monday, November 26: 9:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Breckenridge High School
Monday, November 26: noon - 5:45 p.m.
St. Louis Church of God
For more information, please call 463-3209. |
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 Come Home to Alma for the Holidays!
The Annual Come Home to Alma for the Holidays celebration will be Friday, December 14th from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. in downtown Alma. Completing the weekend will be the 2nd Annual Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk and Reindeer Trot on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. To get the most up to date information, please go to Facebook and "like" the Come Home to Alma for the Holidays page. There you will find the activity schedules, forms and meeting dates and times. All are welcome to join the meetings and get involved in the activities. |
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Alma Police Athletic League (PAL)
Registration is now open for the 2012-13 Alma PAL Basketball season. PAL is offering the following programs:
- K-2 Coed Clinics: January 12th, 19th, 26th, February 2nd @ Don Pavlik Middle School
- Boys and Girls Panther Leagues for 3rd and 4th Graders - Clinics on December 8th and 15th @ Don Pavlik Middle School
- Travel Teams in the Central Michigan Youth Basketball League for Girls and Boys in 5th and 6th grade, and Girls 7th and 8th - Clinics on December 8th and 15th @ Don Pavlik Middle School
The Registration Deadline is December 1st - We have to know the number of participants for planning purposes - Don't Wait - Register Today! Go to our website at www.allplayers.com/g/almapal/ for further details and online registration. |
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Get To Know Your Public Safety Department
In an effort to inform the community of the exceptional caliber of people within the Alma Department of Public Safety, we will be publishing short biographies of our employees in our newsletters. Our hope is that the community takes this time to learn a little about the fine men and women that help keep our City safe. This installment features the Director and one officer from the Alma Police Department.
Officer Jacob Gulick
Police Department
After graduating from Alma High School, Officer Gulick received his Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice and completed his Police Academy training at Ferris State University. He has wanted to be a police officer since he was a small child. Officer Gulick now has around seven years of police experience, six years with Alma and approximately one year with St. Louis. He has also completed and continues to participate in specialized training in order to be the department's current K-9 handler. He and K-9 Castor been paired up since 2009. Officer Gulick is currently married and the father of one daughter. Contact Officer Gulick at jgulick@ci.alma.mi.us
K-9 Castor
Police Department
Castor is the department's three year old purebred silver sable German Shepherd. The Alma Police Department used funds from a grant to purchase him, but Officer Gulick personally paid for the trip to the Polish kennel Castor was housed in. Originally born in the Czech Republic, Castor was already a year old and had completed obedience and basic tracking training before he was selected by the department. He has located contraband in multiple instances, such as 7.5 lbs of marijuana in a building and 2.5 lbs of marijuana on a traffic stop. The K-9 team may also support neighboring agencies when available and upon request. While assisting the Michigan State Police, Castor was able to track and locate a subject with several felony warrants that had been at large for quite some time. Castor and Officer Gulick continue training and working together as partners today. |
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Updates from Alma DART
The Alma DART welcomes two new drivers, Chuck Simmons and Renae Widman and soon will be hiring a new Driver/Dispatcher. Ridership is up, especially early morning and mid-afternoon. We will also soon be able to accept credit/debit cards for your purchases. "Like" us on Facebook to keep up to date with the Alma DART service . |
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Fall Back on Sound Advice:
Time to Change Your Clock AND
Your Smoke Alarm Batteries
As our nation moves back to Standard Time beginning this weekend, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) encourages you to mark the occasion as a time to test your home smoke alarms and replace the batteries if more than one year old.
Every day in the United States, needless home fire deaths occur. Working smoke alarms significantly increase your chance of surviving a deadly home fire. A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm is the only thing in your home that can alert you and your family to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether you're awake or asleep, a working smoke alarm is constantly on alert scanning the air for fire and smoke.
In addition to changing your smoke alarm batteries this weekend, the USFA recommends following these simple steps to protect your life, your loved ones, and your home:
- Dust or vacuum smoke alarms when you change the batteries.
- Test alarms once a month using the test button.
- Replace the entire alarm if it's more than 10 years old or doesn't work properly when tested.
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement, and both inside and outside of sleeping areas.
- For the best protection, equip your home with a combination of ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual sensor alarms.
- Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout your home so that when one sounds, they all sound. Interconnected alarms are available at most stores that sell smoke alarms.
- Make sure everyone in your home understands the warning of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.
Finally, prepare and practice an escape plan so that you and your loved ones can get out of your home safely should there be a fire. Plan to meet in a place a safe distance from the fire and where first responders can easily see you.
For more information on smoke alarms, fire prevention and fire escape planning, visit the USFA website at www.usfa.fema.gov/smokealarms
(Submitted by the U.S. Fire Administration) |
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Daylight Savings Time Ends
Remember to set your clocks back one hour before you go to bed on Saturday, November 3rd.
Parking Ban Began November 1st
The annual winter parking ban on city streets went into effect on November 1st. Parking is prohibited on any street from 2:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. until March 31, 2012.
Permit Required to Park Overnight in Downtown Parking Lots If you park overnight in a downtown city parking lot you need to purchase an overnight parking permit for 2012. Permits are available at City Hall. The cost of the permit is $25 for those living and/or working in the downtown and $125 for anyone else who needs to park overnight in the lots. Stop by City Hall to purchase your parking pass. If you have questions please call 463-8336 and ask for Aeric.
Time's running out!
The last day to pay your taxes for credit on your 2012 income taxes is Monday, December 31, 2012. Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Remember to Shovel Your Sidewalks
Although we really don't want to think about it, it won't be long before the "white stuff" hits. Please remember that you are required by City Ordinance to keep sidewalks free and clear of snow and ice. If you have questions, call 463-8317 and ask for Chad. |
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We're Social!
Connect with us!
Visit Us Online
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Upcoming City closings:
Thanksgiving 11/ 22 & 11/23
Christmas 12/24 & 12/25 |
City of Alma Officials:
Mayor
Vice-Mayor
Commissioner
City Manager
(989-463-8336
Asst. City Manager/ DDA Director
(989)463-8336
Public Safety Director
(989)463-8317
Public Services Director
(989)463-8346
City Clerk
(989)463-8336
City Assessor
(989)463-8356
Building Inspector
(989)463-8356
Finance Director
(989)463-8346
Transportation Services Director
(989)463-6016
Library Director
(989)463-3966
Controller
(989)463-8346
Fire Commander
(989)463-8359
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 Emergency 911
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