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Philomath
City News
Published
for the Citizens of
Philomath, Oregon
“City of Volunteers”
 Summer
2001
|
Newsletters
from the past >>click
here<<
Newsletter
contents
scroll and/or click hyperlinks to view this newsletter
water conservation |
A
Job Well Done | Public
Works Report | Utility Rate
News
INSTALL
WATER SAVING DEVICES | ECONOMIZE
| SAVE
OUTDOORS
REPAIR
LEAKS |
Got
a License?
| progress
continues on Council Goals
improve the City’s infrastructure and facilities
| development
of commercial business in Philomath
Russ Hunt Police Memorial Fund | Municipal
Court Happenings
|
water
conservation important THIS summer |
|
Water
conservation can be more than a way to save money and be a good
neighbor. This
year, it could be a good habit to get into.
The
Oregon State Water Resources Department has predicted the Marys
River water flow this summer will be similar to that of 1977.
Instead of the summer average of 15 cubic feet per
second, that summer it was 3.5 cubic feet per second.
“Pretty
low,” said Public Works Supervisor Beau Vencill.
While he isn’t expecting a water shortage in Philomath,
it is still a possibility.
The city has a curtailment policy in place if it is ever
needed. In the
meantime, conservation “just makes good sense,” he said.
Here
are some tips for conserving YOUR water, and lowering your bill:
ECONOMIZE:
top ^
Be aware of the amount of water you use, and look
for ways to use less.
v
Fill sinks or bowls with
water instead of letting water run when you wash, shave, brush
your teeth, or clean fruits and vegetables.
v
Wash full loads only in
dishwashers and clothes washing machines.
It is more efficient.
v
Don’t shower too long
or fill the tub too full. Five
minutes for showering and about five inches in the tub is
plenty.
v
Stop using the toilet as
an ashtray or wastebasket. Every time you flush a cigarette butt
or facial tissue, for instance, you waste five to seven gallons
of water.
REPAIR
LEAKS:
Lots of water flows
from little leaks. Tighten
up your home and save.
v
Conduct a leak check.
First, turn off all faucets and taps.
Then, read your water meter.
After a half hour, recheck your meter.
If the dial has moved, you have a leak somewhere.
v
Leaking faucets as small
as 1/16 inch can drip away 100 gallons very quickly.
Replace worn washers and valve seals.
Toilets are notorious for their silent leaks and
can steal thousands of gallons of water.
Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank and
wait a few minutes. >>
|
If
the color
shows up in the bowl, you probably have a leak around the ball
at the bottom of the tank.
INSTALL
WATER SAVING DEVICES:
top ^
Easy to do
and they yield long term results.
v
Modify or replace
your showerhead. A
flow restrictor can be inserted into your showerhead to
reduce the rate of flow to about three gallons per minute.
v
To reduce the amount
of water used per flush in toilets, fill a plastic bottle
with some pebbles or sand and water and put it in the toilet
tank to reduce the fill amount.
Better yet, install an ultra-low flow (1.6
gals/flush) toilet.
v
Install low flow
(2.2 gals/minute) aerators on bathroom and kitchen faucets.
SAVE OUTDOORS:
Hundreds of gallons a
day are poured needlessly onto lawns and gardens.
v
Develop an awareness
of when your lawn needs watering.
A simple test is to step on the lawn briefly and see
if the grass blades spring back up (no water necessary) or
tend to stay flat (time to sprinkle deeply.)
v
Water early in the
morning to avoid excess evaporation from the hot summer sun
and afternoon winds.
v
Keep grass at least
two inches high to shade roots and hold moisture.
v
The key to
successful lawn irrigation is to water slowly, deeply and
infrequently. Really
soak the lawn by applying an inch or more of water, but let
it dry out between applications.
This method produces deep root systems and thus a
more drought tolerant lawn. Arrange sprinklers carefully to avoid watering paved area.
v
Mulch flowers and
vegetable gardens, shrubs and trees to hold more moisture in
the soil.
v
Don’t run the hose
while washing your car.
Clean the car with a pail of soapy water and just use
the hose to rinse it off.
Tell the kids not to play with the hose and
sprinklers!
top ^
|
Newsletter contents
water conservation
| A
Job Well Done | Public
Works Report | Utility
Rate News
INSTALL
WATER SAVING DEVICES | ECONOMIZE
| SAVE OUTDOORS
REPAIR
LEAKS
| Got
a License?
| progress
continues on Council Goals
improve the City’s infrastructure and facilities
| development
of commercial business in Philomath
Russ Hunt Police Memorial Fund | Municipal
Court Happenings
|
 |
A Job Well Done!
Congratulations are in order for the Philomath Fire
District Board, staff, and volunteers as a result of a
very positive review of their operations by the
Insurance Services Office, Inc.
This organization evaluates fire departments with
an eye towards establishing insurance ratings for
property within the covered city.
This information is then used in the calculation
of insurance rates paid by all property owners.
In Philomath, as of June 1, 2001, the classification
drops from a Class 4 to a Class 3.
Insurance policy holders should contact
their agent or company to determine the effect this
change in classification might have on their policies.
As 40% of the evaluation criteria is dependent on the
condition of the City water system, the City Council and
Public Works Department are also deserving of
recognition at this time.
Since this review was last conducted in 1990, the
City has made it a priority to develop a long-range
vision on maintaining and upgrading critical utility
systems. This
strategy recognizes that over the long term, the utility
ratepayers will realize positive benefits and lower
costs of services.
Starting with the July utility bill, residential
customers will notice a $.10 increase in the water meter
base rate and a $.25 per unit increase.
One unit equates to 748 gallons of water.
Sanitary sewer service base rates will increase by $.70 with no increase in the per unit
charge. Storm
drain utility rates will remain unchanged.
The new rates will support the utility system’s
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and the ongoing efforts
to repair aging infrastructure as well as expand systems
to meet future growth.
A particular focus in the CIP will be to more
aggressively begin replacing the 1950’s sanitary sewer
collection systems in older parts of the City that are
leaking. Groundwater
that enters these collection systems during winter
months ends up being treated before eventual discharge. This unnecessary treatment adds cost and diminishes the
storage capacity of the sewer treatment lagoons. >> |
 The City’s goal is to provide a reliable and safe
utility system and to deliver those services in the most
cost effective manner possible.
Since 1996, the average annual utility bill
increase for a typical residential customer has been
4.1%. In
comparing water and sewer bills for the typical
residential customer in other area cities, Philomath
rates are very competitive and less than the average of
the comparison group as a whole.
The College Street and Applegate Street Bridge
projects are both underway and progressing on schedule.
The City Council awarded Werbin West Contracting
of Portland the bid to construct water, sanitary sewer
and storm drain improvements on College Street, as well
as sections of 14th, 15th and 18th Streets for a
total cost of $766,720.
This project is the first phase of an Urban
Renewal Project which will be completed during the
summer of 2002 with the construction of curbs, gutters,
and street paving for the above mentioned streets.
The Applegate Street Bridge project should begin in
August with scheduled sanitary sewer improvements
preceding the actual bridge construction over Newton
Creek. It
is expected that the bridge will be open for pedestrian and vehicle use by mid-October.
The City Transportation and Traffic Safety
Commission invites citizens to their July 12th
meeting at 7 PM at City Hall to present their questions
or suggestions on how to effectively manage the
increased traffic on Applegate Street resulting from the
bridge construction.
Your thoughts on additional traffic control
devices or increased police patrols are encouraged.
Anyone who owns and rides a bicycle on the
streets of Philomath is required by City Ordinance #544
to have a bicycle license. The purpose of this license
is to create a record for the Police Department so that
the bicycle can be returned to you if it is stolen or
lost. Each year dozens of bicycles are picked up by
officers or turned in to the Police Department as found
property and go unclaimed by their owners.
For a license fee of $5, good for two years, a record
including the bike’s model and serial number is
maintained by the Police Department. Do yourself or your
children a favor and get your bicycle licensed at the
Philomath Police Department, 1215 Main Street. |
|
Newsletter contents
water conservation
| A
Job Well Done | Public
Works Report | Utility Rate
News
INSTALL
WATER SAVING DEVICES | ECONOMIZE
| SAVE OUTDOORS
REPAIR
LEAKS |
Got
a License?
| progress
continues on Council Goals
improve the City’s infrastructure and facilities
| development
of commercial business in Philomath
Russ Hunt Police Memorial Fund | Municipal
Court Happenings
|
| Municipal Court
Happenings
top ^ |
|
July
9th will mark the end of a year long process that
has resulted in a complete overhaul of the City’s
Municipal Court service. The impetus for this change stemmed
from a desire to improve accounting procedures between the
Court and the Finance Department, improve productivity of
Court staff and to provide a service that reflects community
values.
The Court and its administration functions will
physically relocate from the Justice Building (Police
Department) at 1215 Main Street to City Hall at 980
Applegate Street. Arraignments and trials will be held in
the Council Chambers on the second and fourth Mondays of each month starting at 9:30 am.
>> |
 The Council Chambers are ADA accessible
(Americans with Disabilities Act), which was not the
case
with the Courtroom at the Justice Building. Individuals
who have other Court business may see the Court Clerk at
City Hall on Mondays from 8 am to 4 pm and Wednesdays and
Fridays from 8 am to 12 Noon.
The City Council has appointed Mr. Larry Blake as
the new Municipal Judge. Judge Blake brings a broad range of
experience to this position as a judge, educator, defense
attorney, hearings officer and public prosecutor. Judge
Blake has a special passion for education and youth, and
plans to spend time at Philomath High and Middle Schools
interacting with our students in the capacity of a mentor
and role model. |
|
Every
year the Philomath City Council sets goal statements to help
them keep the city running smoothly while planning to meet
future needs of Philomath’s citizens.
A recent update on the goals the Council adopted for
the fiscal year 2000-2001 indicated goals had been met or
progress was underway.
Goal statements covered everything from improving the
efficiency of city government to making tobacco less
accessible to youth. Below
are some of the actions taken by the City to meet goals of
improving the city’s infrastructure and developing local
commercial business.
In
an effort to continue to improve the City’s infrastructure
and facilities, the City:
top ^
·
constructed
a new skateboard park.
·
obtained
a grant and prepared for construction of the Newton Creek
Bridge.
·
obtained
a loan for the #1 priority project and completed engineering
to begin implementing the Storm Drain Master Plan.
Due to delay in obtaining Corps permits, construction
is now planned for 2002.
·
worked
with PHS students and Grace Lutheran Church on the possible
siting of a neighborhood park.
·
supported
legislative efforts to implement school System Development
Charges.
·
improved
the North 9th Street crossing with construction
of sidewalks to make it more safe and accessible for
pedestrian and bike crossings.
·
adopted
a sewer lateral policy to deal with failing private lateral
lines. A
$200,000 project to repair leaking public mains was included
in the 2001 College Street project.
·
approved
the development of a new wastewater plan in the city’s
Capital Improvement Plan for 2001-02.
To
support development of commercial business in Philomath, the
City:
top ^
·
completed
the Downtown Visitor Enhancement Project.
·
contacted
several existing businesses to promote the façade loan
program. Marys
River acupuncture, CD&J Restaurant, and Frink-Walker
Barber Shop took advantage of the program to improve their
exteriors.
·
assisted
Gene Tools in construction of a new facility at Philomath
Industrial Park and had a less successful effort to bring
Pelton Reforestation to the old Willamette property.
·
began
construction of Phase 1 of the College Street Improvement
Project.
·
completed
a report assessing feasibility of establishing a second
Urban Renewal District.
|
|
Newsletter contents
water conservation
| A
Job Well Done | Public
Works Report | Utility Rate
News
INSTALL
WATER SAVING DEVICES | ECONOMIZE
| SAVE OUTDOORS
REPAIR
LEAKS |
Got
a License?
| progress
continues on Council Goals
improve the City’s infrastructure and facilities
| development
of commercial business in Philomath
Russ Hunt Police Memorial Fund | Municipal
Court Happenings|
top ^
|
|
top ^
Graduates of Philomath High School
who plan to pursue college level education in the areas of law
enforcement or teaching including special education of
disadvantaged children would be eligible to apply for these funds.
The first award is planned for the end of May 2002 to mark the
one-year anniversary of Chief Hunt’s death. During the coming
months, the City will develop details of how the fund will
operate, including application criteria.
Donations may be made to the Russ
Hunt Police Memorial Fund at the Philomath branch of Citizens
Bank, PO Box 1629, Philomath, OR 97370.
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City of
Philomath
PO Box 400
Philomath, OR. 97370 |
Newsletter
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