Ottumwa Mayor Dale Uehling has signed a proclamation for "Preservation Month" to be held during the month of May in the City of Ottumwa.  The May observation coincides with the National Historic Preservation Month sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.   Preservation Month is an annual, nationwide celebration to spotlight grassroots preservation efforts in America.   "This Place Matters" is the theme for the 2008 observance, emphasizing the significance of local landmarks as tangible aspects of our local heritage.  Historic Preservation Week highlights the role historic preservation plays as a successful tool for revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering local pride and maintaining community character.

The Southern Iowa Response Group (also known as HazMat) has a new piece of equipment for identifying unknown hazardous materials.   The new FirstDefender equipment is a lightweight hand-held electronic device that can quickly analyze and identify over 6,500 substances like hazardous chemicals and explosives. The FirstDefender unit and the operational training were funded entirely by a U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant at a cost of $49,500.

Make Ottumwa Shine Week 2008 is complete and officials are calling the event a tremendous success.  The annual event is designed to focus attention on cleaning up the City and to encourage citizens to take an active role in improving community appearance.  Over 60 volunteer crews signed up to tackle clean-up projects at 100 different locations around town.   

Director of Health, Inspections and Solid Waste, Jody Gates, said, “Volunteers make a huge contribution to the Make Ottumwa Shine campaign.   We are grateful that so many are willing to pitch in to clean up areas or help at the drop off site.  Everyone who helped deserves a pat on the back.” 

An unusually harsh winter has left City streets riddled with potholes.  While potholes are a common experience toward the end of winter and spring, the extreme freezing the thawing have caused the problem to reach excessive highs this year.  City Public Works Crews are applying cold-mix asphalt patches to potholes around town, focusing primarily on high traffic areas.  Motorists are urged to drive with caution around patching crews.  When conditions are favorable for patching work, Street Crews are placing over two tons of patching material a day.  

The Ottumwa City Council has approved the hiring of Joseph Helfenberger as City Administrator.  He will begin his duties in February.  Mayor Dale Uehling said, "The Council and I are pleased that Mr. Helfenberger has accepted our offer to be Ottumwa's new City Administrator.   He comes to us with over twenty years of public administration experience.  I'm sure that he will do an excellent job for the people of Ottumwa."   Noting that the City Council evaluated four well-qualified candidates, Uehling added, "Joe will be an excellent fit for the Council, city organization and our community." The City Council approved Helfenberger's appointment at a Special Meeting on Monday, January 14^th.

City dog licenses for 2008 are now available at the City Clerk's Office. The license fee is $2.00 per dog.  Municipal Code requires all dogs in the City over six months old to be licensed. All City dog licenses issued in calendar year 2007 have now expired.  The owner must present a certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian showing the dog has been vaccinated against rabies and the vaccination will not expire within six months from the date of issuance of the license. 

In addition to being a City law, licensing also provides the Animal Control Officer with a means of identification for reuniting lost pets with their owners.  Dogs kept in a State licensed kennel for breeding and sale purposes are exempt. 

The City of Ottumwa has established a tree limb disposal site.  Residents can dispose of limbs and branches for no charge at the marked area on the east side of Ottumwa Park near the American Legion Baseball Field.    Loads coming into the park should be tied securely or covered.  The site intended for tree branches; not for regular trash or demolition debris.  Disposal at the Ottumwa Park site is reserved for residential users only. Contractors and commercial haulers should dispose of limbs at the Ottumwa/Wapello Landfill.

Tree limbs may also be disposed of at no charge at the Ottumwa/Wapello Landfill.  The Landfill is open 7:00AM to 4:00PM, Monday through Friday, and 7:00AM to Noon on Saturdays.  All loads going to the Landfill must be covered.  

The National Weather Service is forecasting an ice storm for Ottumwa and Wapello County overnight tonight and through the day on Tuesday.   While the duration of the storm is not long, significant accumulations of ice are forecasted.  Ice accumulations of up to an inch can lead to loss of overhead power lines, falling tree branches and hazardous traveling conditions.  Residents are urged to closely monitor the local media for the latest weather information.

Residents should be prepared for possible winter emergencies that could affect their ability to travel or threaten utility connections. Every family should discuss a plan of action in the event of a winter weather emergency.  Battery powered radios and flashlights should be checked as well as your supply of spare batteries.  All households should have enough non-perishable food, water and medical supplies on hand to last at least three days. One gallon of water a day, per person, is recommended. Make plans now to ensure the needs of someone you know who is elderly or dependent on life sustaining or health related equipment such as a ventilator or respirator.

The Ottumwa / Wapello County Solid Waste Commission has approved a landfill ban on commercial source corrugated cardboard.  Beginning January 1st, 2008 the Ottumwa / Wapello County Landfill will no longer accept corrugated cardboard from commercial or business sources.   The ban on commercial source cardboard is aimed at reducing the volume of materials going into the landfill. 

Recycling Coordinator Janice Bain said, "Recycling corrugated cardboard helps decrease waste disposal at the landfill and provides recycled fiber that is easily reused.  It's a win-win situation; the reduction helps our landfill last longer and we use less raw material for making new cardboard." 

Ottumwa experienced its first snow storm of the winter season on December 6^th as heavy snow began to fall in the early afternoon.  As snow was accumulating, the Police Department responded to 41 weather-related traffic accidents in 4½ hours between 2:00 - 6:30 PM.  In response, the Police Department would like to offer the following winter driving safety tips:

• Be aware of the weather forecast in your area and where you are traveling to.  If snow or ice is predicted, make plans to leave early or arrive later.  If you can move a night trip to daylight hours, do so.  Not only is visibility better, but if your vehicle is stalled, you are more likely to receive prompt assistance during the daytime.

• Be sure to prepare your vehicle for winter driving, including making sure windshield wiper blades are working properly; placing an ice scraper/snow brush in your vehicle; having the anti-freeze/coolant tested for the correct level; installing snow tires if necessary and ensuring tires are inflated properly; keeping your gas tank at least half full at all times; and, adding extra weight to in the trunk of rear-wheel drive vehicles.

• Try to remove ice and snow from your shoes before getting in your vehicle.  As they melt, they create moisture build-up, causing windows to fog on the inside.  You can reduce this fogging by turning the air recirculation switch to the OFF position.  This brings in drier, fresh air.  You can also run your air conditioner which serves as a dehumidifier for a few minutes.

• Adjust head rests. Rear-end collisions are common in winter driving and a properly-adjusted head rest can prevent or reduce neck injuries.

• Before you shift into gear, plan the best route to your destination. Avoid hills, high congestion areas and bridges if possible.

• Although your radio can provide helpful traffic information, it can also be a distraction for some drivers.  Since driving is more a mental skill than a physical skill, you may want to keep it turned off.

• Don't use a cellular phone when driving on ice or snow.  Even if you have a hands-free model, you need to concentrate on driving, not on a telephone conversation.

• Drive slowly and remember that posted speed limits identify the maximum speed allowed when weather conditions are ideal.  Law enforcement agencies can write citations to motorists driving the posted speed limit if weather conditions warrant a slower speed.