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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10October 2016 Volume 19, Issue 10 a.r Mavor's Newsletter Street Operations As many of you know, I often take time to work with the different city departments. Last month I had the opportunity to work with the Street Operations Department. It became obvious very quickly they do a lot! In a single day, they asked me to make a street sign, pave Foothill Boulevard and drive a street sweeper. While I was there, I had a chance to talk about our Pavement Management Plan. Yes, there are some streets that need work, but for the most part, our streets are in very, very good shape. This past year we had 247 miles of streets surveyed with a new laser technology. The goal was to find out what the pavement condition index (PCI) is for Pocatello. The national average for a city our size is 60-65%. Pocatello's PCI is 70%, which is well above the national average. As we've worked on the streets this summer, we've improved our PCI to 73%. According to the experts, it is very difficult to increase a PCI by 1 % a year, but we've increased ours by 2%. Our goal moving forward is to increase our PCI again. We know we can do it because of the different treatments we use on our roads. It's fantastic to have a Street Superintendent and staff who Living Safe in a Digital World Twenty-five years ago, no one could've imagined the challenges we'd be worried about today, living safe in a digital world. No one worried about protecting their personal identifying information, such as social security numbers, birth dates, etc. Nor did most people worry about someone stealing their identity and causing significant financial hardship. Twenty-five years ago, there was bullying. However, once you took yourself out of the situation, you had a degree of peace and safety. Today, our children no longer have a harbor of refuge available to them. Bullying has extended to cyberspace and can be a 24/7 terror for our children. Twenty-five years ago, our reputations were limited to those who knew us personally. Today, people post everything about their lives on social media. If you want to find out something about someone you've never met, it's just a click away, and once information about you is online, it's almost impossible to remove it. With all that said, there is still hope. It lies in knowledge and taking an active role in staying safe in a digital world. As I mentioned last month, there will be cyber safety classes are focused on improving our ability to move around the city. They truly have our best interest at heart as they go about doing their jobs every day. If you have an opportunity, please thank them for the work they do. Whether it is paving roads, replacing signs, working on traffic signals, sweeping streets or plowing snow, they work hard, and I am very grateful for what they do. The City has an incredible workforce, and I'm proud of them. I'm also proud to be your Mayor! offered throughout the month of October at the Marshall Public Library. The City will also be providing additional cybersecurity safety tips all month long on the City of Pocatello Information Technology Facebook page, as we participate in National CyberSecurity Awareness Month. For additional digital world safety information, please contact our Information Technology Department staff at 234.6220. For more information about the October classes at the Library, call Amy Campbell at 232.1263 extension 106. Don't Forget ... The annual leaf collection will be November 14 through December 2. We will only collect leaves set out in compostable bags. Participants in the yard waste program should put leaves in their autocart with the brown lids. Please set out compostable bags of leaves by 7 a.m. on your regular garbage day. For more information, call the Sanitation Department at 234.6193. Smoke Alarms Fire Chief David Gates asked me to talk to you about smoke alarms. He's worked in the fire service for 22+ years and seen firsthand the life-saving difference working smoke alarms can make in a home fire. He's also seen the devastation that can happen when smoke alarms aren't working properly. That's why it's so important for you to have fully functioning smoke alarms in your homes. Don't assume that because you have smoke alarms you're automatically protected in the event of a fire. It's not quite that simple. Smoke alarms not only need to be installed but also maintained and tested regularly to ensure they're working properly. Part of that effort includes knowing how old your smoke alarms are, because they don't last forever. October is Fire Prevention Month. In coordination with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Pocatello Fire Department is actively promoting this year's campaign theme, "Don't Wait - Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years." The theme reinforces Utility Service changes the importance of knowing how old your smoke alarms are and the need to replace them after 10 years. To find out when it's time to replace smoke alarms, simply look on the back of the alarm for the manufacture date. Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years from that date and NOT the date of purchase or installation. To learn more about smoke alarms, visit NFPA's website at www.firepreventionweek.org or call the Fire Department at 234.7083. The second change allows the City to hold onto the $150.00 deposits until the account is closed. The deposit is then applied to the final balance, and any remaining deposit funds are refunded to the customer. Existing accounts are "grandfathered" under the old system and will still receive their deposits if they make timely monthly payments for 15 months. However, if an existing account has had their deposit returned but is then shut off for non-payment, the new deposit of $150.00 will apply. Here are some helpful hints from the Utility Billing (UB) Department. Make a payment arrangement if you are unable to pay your utility bill by the due date. All payment arrangements must be in writing and accepted by UB. Email an arrangement request to utilities(ja pocatello.us or stop by 911 North 7cn Avenue. Consider your various payment options. We have drop boxes, online bill pay, pay with credit/debit card, and bank drafting available. . Contact UB at 234.6241 anytime you have questions or need assistance. If there is a topic you'd like me to address in future newsletters or if you want to comment or ask a question, write it down, tear off this part and send your comment to me. If you wish to call or e-mail, my number and address are listed on the front page. While I cannot respond to all comments individually, I do pass them on to the appropriate departments. vis,n10 My question/comment is Name Address Telephone As you may know, the City Council recently approved changes to the Utility Billing Services section of the Municipal Code. The ��Pocatello L]L purpose for the changes was to minimize the amount of revenue loss due to unpaid ..... • • utility accounts that eventually " • • -' • • • • .... go to collections. Utility 5XXX accounts in collection are a 100% revenue loss to the City unless paid, and they have an impact on all utility customers. The first change increased the required single family deposit to $150.00 as of October 1, 2016. The increased deposit is to cover a 2 month balance should the account go unpaid that long, greatly reducing the amount that would be sent to collections for that account. the importance of knowing how old your smoke alarms are and the need to replace them after 10 years. To find out when it's time to replace smoke alarms, simply look on the back of the alarm for the manufacture date. Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years from that date and NOT the date of purchase or installation. To learn more about smoke alarms, visit NFPA's website at www.firepreventionweek.org or call the Fire Department at 234.7083. The second change allows the City to hold onto the $150.00 deposits until the account is closed. The deposit is then applied to the final balance, and any remaining deposit funds are refunded to the customer. Existing accounts are "grandfathered" under the old system and will still receive their deposits if they make timely monthly payments for 15 months. However, if an existing account has had their deposit returned but is then shut off for non-payment, the new deposit of $150.00 will apply. Here are some helpful hints from the Utility Billing (UB) Department. Make a payment arrangement if you are unable to pay your utility bill by the due date. All payment arrangements must be in writing and accepted by UB. Email an arrangement request to utilities(ja pocatello.us or stop by 911 North 7cn Avenue. Consider your various payment options. We have drop boxes, online bill pay, pay with credit/debit card, and bank drafting available. . Contact UB at 234.6241 anytime you have questions or need assistance. If there is a topic you'd like me to address in future newsletters or if you want to comment or ask a question, write it down, tear off this part and send your comment to me. If you wish to call or e-mail, my number and address are listed on the front page. While I cannot respond to all comments individually, I do pass them on to the appropriate departments. vis,n10 My question/comment is Name Address Telephone