HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-2006 Newsletter SOUTHA11 .
BEND
APRIL 2006 11 a j/ n �}" 6 v1
"%� MAYOR STE n L Luecke
Letter from the Mayor THIS MONTH...
Hometown Pride... Mayor's Letter
Downspout Disconnection
Dear Neighbors: Program
Last month I reported on the "behind the scenes"work that our Legal and SBSO Celebrates Polish Sister City
Administration and Finance Departments provide. Tbis month, I'd like to highlight Notre Dame/Mexico Soccer Games
some of the "on the ground" work of that directly serves our community. Yard Waste Pickup Program
My hat is off to the men and women of Public Works who provide us with
safe drinking water, clean the waste when we're done, pick up the trash and yard •• • • • • • • • • • • • • •Kwaste, pave and plow the streets, maintain the traffic signals, and all the other
infrastructure work that keeps our City functioning well. South Bend's drinking
water exceeds every standard established by the EPA, and the Environmental
Services quality testing laboratory received a perfect score on its annual review.
Sewer crews not only keep the wastewater system running efficiently, but initiated
an award-winning program to plant wildflowers in retention basins,reducing labor
costs and adding beauty to our landscape. This past year, the Street Dept. was
able to boost our street paving and repair program to a higher production level, and
our new RoadPatcher pothole unit helped to increase our efficiency and respond • tam
more quickly to complaints. In addition,we completed several major road rebuilds . Let's celebrate South Bend's rich
on the north and west sides of the City, and have several more planned for 2006. and diverse Polish culture and the 14"
We're puttingyour tax dollars to good work all around the City! . anniversary of our sister city,
Maintaining our streets and utilities is a key function of government. Czestochowa, Poland!
Maintaining neighborhoods requires cooperation and partnership. Code • The South Bend Symphony
Enforcement plays a vital role in this effort,partnering with neighborhoods and Orchestra will welcome Czestochowa
property owners to improve and maintain our housing stock and provide • pianist Maciej Zag6rski to perform with
environmental and animal control enforcement. The Adopt-A-Block program, . the Symphony on Saturday, May 13 at
which helps residents clean up debris and litter in their neighborhoods, continues the Morris Performing Arts Center.
to expand, and we continue to work with residents to revitalize our sense of pride . Compositions include Chopin's
of ownership in our homes and community. Polonaise Militaire and Tchaikovsky's
Our Community and Economic Development staff is driving planning efforts • Symphony No. 3, `Polish, plus Maciej
all around the City, setting goals and objectives for growth. The critical : Zag6rski performing Chopin's Piano
component in this process is community participation from businesses and • Concerto No. 1. The Symphony will
residents. Not only does it make a better plan,but it also engages the community . also showcase local Polish musicians
in a positive way which makes the plans more likely to succeed. City Plan,the • and dancers and Polish cuisine will be
City's first comprehensive growth plan in over forty years, will knit these . served in the Bistro.
components together and provide a blueprint for years to come. Join us for this very special
Our Community Development staff works directly with neighborhoods and • performance. Tickets start at $18 for
the community to build pride and capacity. From over 500 Building Block Grants adults, $5 for students and children.
awarded in 2005 to major initiatives like the Commercial Corridor Program,they a Call 574-235-9190, 800-537-6415 or
are at the center of good things happening in South Bend. Eight new businesses . visit www.SouthBendSymphony.org.
opened on Western Ave., and a new mural was completed at Walnut. Community •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••
Development planners support five Neighborhood Partnership Centers,providing SI USTED NO ENTIENDE INGLES Y
focus sites for public investment, community outreach and neighbor-to-neighbor NECESITA AYUDA PARA TRADUCIR
interaction, and efforts like our nationally-recognized Weed& Seed program. ESTEDOCUMENTO,OSITIINEALGUNA
Economic Development staff provides business assistance and manages six PREGUNTA,PORFAVORLLAMEALSR_
development areas. At Blackthorn, in the Airport Economic Development Area, FEDERICO THON (ASISTENTE DEL
years of planning and public investment continue to generate new jobs and growth. ALCALDE)ALTELEFONO(574)235-5858
-Mayor's Letter continued on back page- X1000.
Visit Our New Website at www.SouthBendIN.gov!
-Mayor's Letter continued from front page-
USF Holland and the Woodwind&Brasswind invested over$11 million in new
or expanded facilities, and Imagineering Finishing Technologies broke ground for
a new state-of-the-art facility for its corporate headquarters and metal finishing
operations. We will nourish this entrepreneurial spirit to grow more jobs and to
be at the forefront of innovation. From Portage Prairie on the north to the SPRING YARD WASTE
Erskines on the south,we are seeing major investment and development plans, PICKUP BEGINS
and believe that this will help to bring new businesses to South Michigan and
South Main as well. The City encourages all residents to help
South Bend is the regional center for commerce, finance and culture, and make South Bend a"Clean City,"by taking
we are committed to continuous improvement. There are many great things advantage of our Yard Waste Pickup Pro-
happening all over South Bend, and there is great energy in our town. I ask gram:
everyone to join in. Take pride in your home. Take pride in your neighborhood. • Until April 7-the Bureau of Solid Waste
Take pride in your city. South Bend is our hometown. Let's join together to will collect bagged or bundled yard waste on
keep it growing strong. a call-in basis only -please call 277-8823 for
Sincerely, curbside pickup.
• Beginning April 10- Solid Waste will
officially begin its standard Yard Waste
Mayor Steve Pickup Program. Yard Waste Pickup will
take place weekly on a resident's regular
trash collection day. Pickup is automatic,
FREE DOWNSPOUT DISCONNECTION call-in is not necessary. Please place yard
On many older homes, downspouts that collect rainwater Waste at curbside, in bags or containers, by
6:00 a.m.
connect directly to the City's sewer system, causing sewers to
receive both waste and rain water. A single residence can deposit Please follow these guidelines for the Yard
as much as 27,000 gallons of rain water to the system each year! Waste Program:
During heavy rainfall and melting snow, combined sewer overflow can cause 1. Yard waste and brush must be bagged
flooding, sewer backup into basements, and odors that escape into the air or bundled(no more than 4 feet in
through downspouts rather than remaining underground. length or 6 inches in diameter).
To help reduce these occurrences, City residents are urged to call the 2. Use suitable containers(30 gallon trash
Division of Engineering to schedule a downspout disconnection. The City will container or smaller) -do not place yard
send a two-person crew to disconnect the downspout, cap the entry pipe to the waste in City automated trash containers.
sewer, and redirect the downspout to release rain water into the yard, where it is 3. Please place yard waste at the curb
naturally absorbed into the ground. A downspout disconnection can cost as and separate from trash and debris.
much as $200,but this service is offered at no charge to South Bend residents. 4. Do not place yard waste in the alleys.
Since the program began in 2004, we have disconnected 320 homes from the Residents are reminded that in order to
combined system,reducing our overflow volume by 8.6 million gallons! protect our air quality, burning of leaves is
Working together we can help eliminate sewer backups and overflows. If completely prohibited in the City of South
you have a downspout connected to the sewer system, please call 235-9251 to Bend and is a violation of City ordinance.
schedule a free disconnection today, and help make South Bend a"Clean City."
South Bend's yard waste is recycled at
the City's Organic Resources Facility,
IN \i,9 INTERNATIONAL SOCCER , thereby diverting this material from our
X1 RETURNS TO SOUTH BEND. community's landfill and providing quality
mulch for reuse. City residents can reap the
South Bend and the University of Notre Dame are excited to welcome back rewards of their efforts by going to Organic
the Mexican Women's National Soccer Team, and the Mexican Men's U-17 Resources to pick up high quality mulch and
Soccer Team, for three games at Notre Dame's Alumni Field: compost for free if you self-load, or at a
• FRIDAY,APRIL 21, 7:00 p.m. -Notre Dame Men's Soccer takes on the minimal sliding scale fee if you request
Mexico National Men's Team assistance with loading. Organic Resources
• WEDNESDAY,APRIL 26,5:00 p.m. - Illinois Women's Soccer battles it out is located at 4340 Trade Drive, off of Nimtz
against the Mexico National Women's Team Parkway just '/a mile west of Bendix Drive.
• FRIDAY,APRIL 28, 7:00 p.m. -Notre Dame Women's Soccer takes on the Organic Resources is open 8:00 AM to 3:45
Mexico National Women's Team PM,Monday through Friday. Please call
Presented by St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. Tickets are$5 for adults 287-6841 for more information.
and$2 for children 18 and younger, and can be purchased by calling the Notre For more information on the Yard Waste
Dame Ticket Office at(574) 631-7356, visiting Gate 1 at the ND Joyce Center Program,please call Environmental Services
Box Office, or online at und.com (click tickets). at 277-8823.
Visit Our New Website at www.SouthBendIN.gov!