City of Ottumwa departments and offices at City Hall, Ottumwa Cemetery, the Ottumwa Public Library, Ottumwa Water and Hydro, the Ottumwa / Wapello Recycling Center and Landfill will all be closed on Monday, September 6th, in observance of Labor Day.

Non-commercial trash and recycling will be postponed one day due to the holiday. Collections normally done on Monday, September 6th will be picked up Tuesday the 7th. Bulky items and yard waste normally collected on Tuesdays will be picked up on Thursday, September 9th. Whaley Waste Rural Collection, normally done Tuesdays, will be postponed until Thursday, September 9th, the week of Labor Day only.

The City has conducted a safety inspection of the Market Street Bridge, determined that it is safe and has re-opened the bridge to regular traffic.

The Market Street Bridge was closed to all traffic on August 11th when high water on the Des Moines River began to flood over the steel understructure on the south end of the bridge. City Engineering staff had to wait for the river to lower enough to safely navigate a boat under the bridge to inspect the structures that were underwater.

The City regrets the inconvenience caused by the bridge closure and appreciates the community's patience and support through the recent flood fighting efforts.

Wapello County Emergency Management is asking residents who have suffered flood damages this summer to pre-register with FEMA. Any one who has suffered flood losses since June 1st should register. This would include flooding from the river plus stormwater flash flooding. Federal assistance to Wapello County residents affected by flooding has not been authorized yet, however, residents who have suffered damages or losses due to the flood are encouraged to pre-register with FEMA to help speed the approval process along.

Pre-registration can be done over the phone by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Residents can also apply online at www.fema.gov  - click on the "Apply for Assistance bar." Persons with hearing or speech difficulties can call FEMA's TTY number at (800) 462-7585.

The City Engineering Department will be holding a public information meeting about the $1,042,400 Ferry Street Reconstruction Project (Mary Street to Finley Avenue) and Water Main Replacement Project from Finley to Chester. The meeting will be Thursday, July 15th, at 6 PM at the Evans Middle School Library. Attendees should use the west entrance door.

Engineers and contractors will be on hand to explain the scope of the project, construction schedule, road closures, trash collection changes and how communications with residents and businesses in the area will be handled. All interested citizens, especially those who work or live in or near the project area, are encouraged to attend the meeting and learn more.

The Wapello County Sheriff's Department is recommending immediate evacuation for residents in Valley Village Trailer Court and adjacent, low-lying areas, in anticipation of a 19.2 ft crest on the Des Moines River on Tuesday, July 6th.

Residents evacuating should take these essentials with them:
· Medical supplies: prescription and over the counter medications, medical equipment, test kits, dentures.
· Personal Papers: identification, checkbook, photos, medical records, insurance papers.
· Personal Supplies: A change of clothes, personal hygiene items, baby supplies, snacks, glasses.
· Disaster supplies: flashlight, batteries, radio, first aid kit, and bottled water.
· Bedding: Sleeping bag or bedroll and pillow for each household member.

The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers forecast for the Des Moines River in Ottumwa indicates a rising river stage for the next several days. With additional rainfall expected in the Des Moines River basin, the river is expected to rise to an 18.5 ft crest on July 6th.

The National Weather Service's "Flood Warning" for the Des Moines River in Wapello County remains in effect until further notice.

The City of Ottumwa is protected by a levee up to a 25-foot river stage. The levee system in Ottumwa is intact. Additional stormwater pumps are being put into place to deal with storm related flash flooding behind the levee system. No city street closures are anticipated at this time.

The City of Ottumwa's Independence Day fireworks display will be held at dusk on Sunday, July 4th in Ottumwa Park. Three local businesses have contributed a total of $ 4,000 for this years' display. The donors include: John Deere Ottumwa Works, Cargill Meat Solutions and United Food & Commercial Workers Local 230. In the event of rain, the fireworks will be postponed until July 5th.

On Sunday night, traffic on the Wapello Street Extension will be restricted to right turns only coming in and out of Ottumwa Park. Left turns crossing the median will not be allowed. Motorists approaching from the south will only be allowed to pull into the southeast quadrant; drivers approaching from the north will only be allowed to pull into the southwest quadrant. Motorists should plan ahead for especially heavy traffic and long delays in the Ottumwa Park area.

Residents are advised that that possession of most fireworks is prohibited in the City limits. The Ottumwa Police Department will be working to reduce the use of illegal fireworks in Ottumwa Park through seizures of illegal fireworks and making arrests, if necessary. Possession or use of illegal fireworks is punishable by a fine up to $500. Sparklers, snakes and caps used in toys are the only allowable types of fireworks in Ottumwa.

The City has received complaints about suspicious persons driving neighborhoods at night to scavenge recyclable materials from the curb. City Code prohibits anyone, except the City or Whaley Waste employees, to remove recyclable materials or appliances from the curb.

Theft of recyclable goods, especially aluminum cans and appliances by private individuals, reduces the revenue the Recycling Center receives. Ottumwa's Director of Health, Inspections and Solid Waste, Jody Gates said, "The price for scrap metal is good right now. More people are working the streets at night, unlawfully collecting metal cans and taking appliances for personal profit. There are even organized rings trafficking in stolen appliances in Ottumwa. The Recycling Center has seen appliance collection numbers cut in half in the past year. This translates into a significant revenue loss for the recycling program."

The City of Ottumwa Health and Inspections Department has started its seasonal canvassing the City for public nuisances. The Ottumwa Municipal Code generally defines a nuisance as; "Whatever is injurious to health, indecent, offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property so as essentially to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property is a nuisance." Examples of nuisances that inspectors are looking for include: tall grass or weeds over twelve inches tall, trash or brush piles in yards and junk motor vehicles.

City Code allows Health Inspectors to enter private yards to investigate any nuisance or source of filth. Inspectors record and document nuisances they find. The resident will receive a written notice from the Health Department with specific information about the nuisance and a date for re-inspection. If the violation is not resolved by the listed date, a civil citation can be issued. Civil citation fines are $250 for a first citation in a 12-month period, $500 for a second violation and $750 for third and subsequent violations within the same 12-month period. In addition, if the property owner does not resolve the nuisance, the City can then take action to abate the nuisance. The cost of the action will be billed to the owner.

Residents are asked to be cooperative with the Health Department staff. Attempting to prevent any public employee from performing their duty is a misdemeanor. Residents with questions about nuisance canvassing can contact Health, Inspections and Solid Waste Director Jody Gates at 683-0694.

The City is reminding residents that it is unlawful to use a skateboard or bicycle in the downtown parking ramp or on any sidewalk in the downtown and Church Street business districts.

Skateboards, bicycles and roller skates may be used on the sidewalks in residential areas, but riders must always yield the right of way to pedestrians. Riders should turn off sidewalk when meeting or passing any pedestrians. If riding in the street, bicyclists should follow the traffic rules and skaters should yield to all traffic.

Parents of youth who skate or bike are asked to remind their children about these "rules of the road."
The City encourages skateboarders and cyclists to use the skatepark.