City of Alma E-Newsletter

News that's important for you!

May 2015

Highland Festival & Games

The 48th Alma Highland Festival and Games will take place May 22, 23 & 24 on the Alma College Campus. This year's festival is sure to be a great time! On the schedule are the Saturday morning parade, Solo Piping & Drumming Championship, Choreography Dance Competitions, Athletic Events, Country Dancing, Entertainment Tent, Border Collie Exhibition, 5K Road Run/Walk, 10K Run, Kids Fun Run, Arts & Crafts Show, Clan Tents, The Celtic Caterer, Chelsea House Orchestra and Mother Grove.

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. Buy your tickets online by May 22 and save!

KAB Flower Planting Day

Mural Flower Pot

Be sure to keep Saturday morning, May 16th open and join the KAB Committee from 9:00 a.m. - noon for the 5th annual Alma in Bloom flower planting downtown. The KAB Committee will have a total of 37 pots in the downtown area. Volunteers are asked to meet in front of the Chamber of Commerce Office. Bring your gardening tools and friends.

We're also recruiting volunteers to help maintain and water the flower pots throughout the summer and fall. Please consider gathering a group of friends, co-workers or anyone who wants to contribute to this great community service project. If you have more questions about how to get involved please email or call Aeric Ripley at 463-8336.

Property Inspections

A reminder that the Assessing Department will be annually conducting on-site property inspections from spring through the fall months. This process helps to ensure like properties are assessed uniformly and accurately. Assessing members can be identified by their photo ID and will be equipped with a camera, record card information and measuring device. For your convenience, questions and concerns regarding this process can be e-mailed to assessing@ci.alma.mi.us .

W. Superior Construction

Construction on W. Superior St. (from Wright Ave. to Charles Ave.) will begin shortly after Memorial Day. The project will include replacing water and sewer lines. The new street will continue the feel of downtown to the college area by installing new LED lights and bump outs. The sidewalk on the north side will be widened to 10 feet to allow for bicycles. The center turn lane will be removed, allowing for a striped bike lane on the street's south side and parking on the north side. The project should be completed by the end of September or early October.

2014 Neighborhood

Street Reconstruction Program

After being cut short by early winter weather in the fall of last year, the neighborhood street reconstruction program streets (S. Court, Hill, McCann, Moyer, and W. Elizabeth) will be finishing up by the end of May. South Court and McCann will get its final course of asphalt, Moyer and Elizabeth will get their two courses of asphalt, and Hill will get the rest of the grass seed spread. If residents would like the grass to grow faster, fuller, and thicker, they should water the newly placed seed in the evenings.

2015 Neighborhood

Street Reconstruction Program

The 2015 Neighborhood street reconstruction program will kick off around the first week of June. Thee streets scheduled to be reconstructed are Argyle, Orchard (Charles to Argyle) and Slater Street. In addition to the road being reconstructed, Argyle and Slater receive new sanitary sewer mains as well as the installation of storm water interceptor lines. Argyle and Orchard will also have new sidewalks constructed. The project is stated to be completed by Mid-September of this year.

Michigan Avenue

Water Transmission Main

Michigan Avenue is closed between Bridge Avenue and Jerome Road to thru traffic due to the installation of a 16" Water Transmission Main from Alma to St. Louis. Construction is ongoing and is scheduled to be completed by mid-October. Detour routes change daily so follow the detour route signs.

2015 Sidewalk

Replacement Program

Surveying has begun on the 2015 Sidewalk Replacement Program. This year's project will focus on the north-central part of the city with Wright Avenue being the west border and Euclid being the projected east line. The arrows painted on the sidewalk point to the sections that will be replaced. The City of Alma shares in the cost of replacement with the adjacent property owner 50-50. For more information, please contact the City of Alma's Engineering Department at (989) 463-8346.

Water

Conservation Tips

Take 5-minute showers instead of baths. A full bathtub requires up to 70 gallons of water.
Install water-saving aerators on all of your faucets.
Drop tissues in the trash instead of flushing them and save water every time.

Garage & Yard Sale Sign Regulations
The City of Alma encourages residents to conduct garage sales, but urges them to follow the regulations concerning garage sale signs. Follow this link to be "in the know" on the do's and don'ts of garage sale signs and yard sale regulations.

Yard Waste
The Yard Waste program is now in full swing. Yard waste is 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.

Household Hazardous Waste Program
The HHW program runs May 5 - 7. Appointments are necessary. Phone 463-8339 to schedule yours.

Noxious Weed Program
The City enforces a noxious weed ordinance. All property owners are required to keep weeds and grass mowed. Owners must cut the weed or the weeds will be cut and the costs will be assessed against the property by special assessment. If you have questions, phone 463-8356.

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