What is a Tree City USA^®?  The Tree City USA^® program, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities that more than 135 million Americans call home.  Did you know that over 135 million people live in a Tree City USA?

                      

LAKE DOUGLAS EAST SEWER PROJECT

WEEKLY UPDATE #3

02/10/2012

• The wet well at the intersection of College Road and Highway 84 was installed this week.
• With the wet well installed, the contractor can begin installing the line along College Road.  We anticipate this beginning around the Thomas Drive area and going north, toward the wet well.  This line will be installed on the East side of College Road, between the paved surface and the College property. 
• The contractor began well-pointing to allow the installation of the line from the Woodridge Drive wet well and lift station to Leggette Drive.  Expectations indicate that it will be dry enough to install this line beginning the week of February 13.
• Next week, the contractor expects to also begin installation of the sewer line along Woodridge toward Hughes Street.

1. You will not be required to tap into the sewer system, even when the construction is complete.  Connecting to City sewer is not a requirement of the City of Bainbridge for existing residents with functioning septic systems.  However, once it is available to your residence, you will notice a slight change in your City utilities bill.  Specifically, you will be charged a monthly sewer service fee equal to your monthly water usage (not to exceed $15.90 per month).
2. When you decide to tap into the sewer system, a one-time assessment of $1670 is due.  This cost includes the sewer tap fee and the calculated assessment of the service lines for each property.  Remember, this fee is not due until you tap into the system, a decision that will be made at your convenience.
3. During construction, the contractor will be forced to dig up the right of way to install the sewer lines.  This will sometimes include the roadway, and at other times, may include the areas adjacent to the pavement.  Every possible effort will be made to make this as smooth as possible.  You will have access to your driveways and the road will be clear for mail delivery and emergency vehicle access as well.  If navigation for garbage pickup is not available, we will accommodate you in any way possible.  Simply roll your can out to the normal pickup location and we will take care of the rest.

Weekly updates will be available on the City’s website at www.bainbridgecity.com, channel 96, and our facebook page.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  Thanks!

Dustin Dowdy

229-248-2000 ext. 122

dustind@bainbridgecity.com

Where can I find information online about public meetings, trash collection changes, sports registration and general information about city happenings?

The city uses a number of online resources to update citizens on changes and happenings.  The best place to locate information is on the city’s website, www.bainbridgecity.com.  We have a brand new site that launched in January that is much more user friendly than in the past.  On the home page, you will find three columns featuring City Services, Recent News and the city’s calendar.  The city services section is where you will find RFPs, service requests, City Council Agendas and Minutes, the city’s Municipal Code and facility rental information.  You can also find the online bill pay section here.  Recent news is displayed in the center of the page.  This will be where you can find the most up to date information on city happenings.   Finally, the city’s calendar is located on the right side of the page.  This features both city and community events, including city holidays and trash collection changes, City Council and HPC meetings, camps and clinics and much more.  One neat feature of the calendar on the new website is that you can link it to your own online calendar such as Google calendar and Outlook.

Are you looking for information on the city’s Leisure Services programs?  You find information about any of our programs by clicking on the “Recreation” tab at the top navigation bar on the website.  On the recreation page, you will find things like registration forms, clinic information, scores and standings for each sport and much more. This is a fantastic tool for parents to take advantage of!

There are also other ways to find out about information regarding the city.  Connect with your city government through social media!  Did you know that you can find the City of Bainbridge on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr?  The city also has a blog, www.bainbridgecity.wordpress.com.  The city uses social media to interact with our citizens and keep you informed constantly with almost instant information.  You can find links to all of our social media sites on the homepage of our website, www.bainbridgecity.com.  We love for our citizens to use social media to engage with us, so please “friend” us on Facebook and follow us on twitter so we can keep you informed of all that we have going on.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau, a branch of the city, sends out a weekly email which features upcoming community events as well special sections with information about city happening and Main Street activities.  If you would like to receive this email in your inbox each Monday, email cvb@bainbridgecity.com and ask to be added to the mailing list.

Finally, each year, the city is required to send citizens an Annual Report.  In December, all city utilities customers should have received their Annual Report calendar in the mail.  This year’s Annual Report is a new and updated design that is much more useful to our citizens than past reports.  This year’s report, while featuring the city’s 2010-2011 information, is a 2012 calendar with all of the city’s important dates such a sports registrations, special events, holidays and the like.  This comprehensive calendar is a great tool to have hanging on your refrigerator or above your office desk so that you don’t miss anything happening in the city.  If you did not receive your copy, you can pick one up at City Hall and most other city offices or you can download it from our website by clicking on the “Publications” tab located on the top navigation bar.

As you can see, the City offers many ways to stay up-to-date with what is going on.  Our hope is that you use the tools we are offering to work together with your government to continue to make Bainbridge a great place to live, work and play!

Sincerely,

Mayor Reynolds

                     

LAKE DOUGLAS EAST SEWER PROJECT

WEEKLY UPDATE #2

02/02/2012

• The Contractor has continued to well-point in the area of College Road and Highway 84.  Their schedule shows the area dry enough to install the lift station by February 9.  Once this station is installed, the force main that runs parallel to College Road can be connected.
• While the lift station at College Road and Highway 84 is being installed, a second crew will be installing the force main along College Road, starting around Thomas Drive and moving north toward Highway 84.  This work will be performed on the East side of College Road, between the pavement and Bainbridge College property. Traffic should not be affected during this construction. 
• Beginning the week of February 9, the sewer line from the cul-de-sac at the end of Woodridge Drive to Hughes Street is schedule to be installed.

1. You will not be required to tap into the sewer system, even when the construction is complete.  Connecting to City sewer is not a requirement of the City of Bainbridge for existing residents with functioning septic systems.  However, once it is available to your residence, you will notice a slight change in your City utilities bill.  Specifically, you will be charged a monthly sewer service fee equal to your monthly water usage (not to exceed $15.90 per month).
2. When you decide to tap into the sewer system, a one-time assessment of $1670 is due.  This cost includes the sewer tap fee and the calculated assessment of the service lines for each property.  Remember, this fee is not due until you tap into the system, a decision that will be made at your convenience.
3. During construction, the contractor will be forced to dig up the right of way to install the sewer lines.  This will sometimes include the roadway, and at other times, may include the areas adjacent to the pavement.  Every possible effort will be made to make this as smooth as possible.  You will have access to your driveways and the road will be clear for mail delivery and emergency vehicle access as well.  If navigation for garbage pickup is not available, we will accommodate you in any way possible.  Simply roll your can out to the normal pickup location and we will take care of the rest.

Weekly updates will be available on the City’s website at www.bainbridgecity.com, channel 96, and our facebook page.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  Thanks!

Dustin Dowdy

229-248-2000 ext. 122

dustind@bainbridgecity.com

01/26/2012

• The Contractor is continuing to well-point for the lift station at the intersection of College Road and Highway 84 East.  Well-pointing involves removing the ground water near the location in order to provide a solid base for the infrastructure.  With the amount of water that is directly underground in this area, well-pointing takes significant time and effort.  They are expecting to have the water table lowered enough to complete the installation next week, barring anything unforeseen.
• While the well-pointing is being completed, the contractor has continued work at the lift station at the end of Woodridge Drive.  Two manholes have been installed and they have started work laying sewer line through the easement that connects Woodridge Drive and Leggette. 
• The areas that are most likely to be affected in the near future include the Woodridge Drive, Leggette Drive, and College Road areas.  Below are some answers to a few frequently asked questions. 

1. You will not be required to tap into the sewer system, even when the construction is complete.  Connecting to City sewer is not a requirement of the City of Bainbridge for existing residents with functioning septic systems.  However, once it is available to your residence, you will notice a slight change in your City utilities bill.  Specifically, you will be charged a monthly sewer service fee equal to your monthly water usage (not to exceed $15.90 per month).
2. When you decide to tap into the sewer system, a one-time assessment of $1670 is due.  This cost includes the sewer tap fee and the calculated assessment of the service lines for each property.  Remember, this fee is not due until you tap into the system, a decision that will be made at your convenience.
3. During construction, the contractor will be forced to dig up the right of way to install the sewer lines.  This will sometimes include the roadway, and at other times, may include the areas adjacent to the pavement.  Every possible effort will be made to make this as smooth as possible.  You will have access to your driveways and the road will be clear for mail delivery and emergency vehicle access as well.  If navigation for garbage pickup is not available, we will accommodate you in any way possible.  Simply roll your can out to the normal pickup location and we will take care of the rest.

Weekly updates will be available on the City’s website at www.bainbridgecity.com, channel 96, and our facebook page.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  Thanks!

Dustin Dowdy

229-248-2000 ext. 122

dustind@bainbridgecity.com

“This renovation is something that was definitely needed,” said Bo Ladner, the city’s Utilities Director.  “Right now, we don’t have a maintenance plan for our tanks, but we hope that what we’ve done this year will be the beginning of one.”  A maintenance plan would include an outside company being responsible for the tanks for 10-15 years and would involve regular washouts and maintenance of all of the tanks.

Currently, the city is responsible for the maintenance of the tanks. “Companies that do this sort of thing do it every day and have training and equipment that we do not,” said Ladner.

The city’s main tank, located on Alice Street near Centennial Field, holds 500,000 gallons of water.  To view the city’s annual water quality report or to find out more about water services within the city, visit www.bainbridgecity.com.