Ramsey Resident - 2005 - January/February

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11 Snowplowing FAQ Continued From Page 10 Salt is a good de-icing agent because it is relatively cheap and in large supply. One of the drawbacl(s of salt is it starts to lose its effectiveness at about 15 degrees. Environmental issues can also arise if salt is not applied properly. Public works staff will be testing several different chemicals this winter to see if they can help clear our roads and lower our use of salt and salt/sand. Distributors of these chemicals claim they can cut salt use by as much as 30%. This testing will be done on several problem areas where heavy tree cover keeps the sun from reaching the pavement most of the winter. The lack of sun results in a build up of ice that requires constant applications of sand or salt to control. Q. Why doesn't the large plow truck clear my cul-de-sac? A. The large plow equipment is not designed to worl( in smaller areas. The job of the large equipment is to clear the roads. Safety is one of the main concerns. A large amount ofbacl(ing up, in a fairly small area, is required to clear a cul-de-sac. The large trucks have poor visibility to the rear, so we try to avoid using them in cul-de-sacs. Efficiency is also an issue. The large trucl( can clear 5-6 blocl(s of main roadway in about the same amount of time it would take the driver to clear one cul- de-sac. Q. Why should I stake the curb/boulevard near my home? A. Stal(ing the boulevard helps the plow driver visualize the edge of the road. In a heavy snowfall sometimes the driver can not see where the road bends or the exact location of the corner. The Public Worl(s department distributes wooden lath, free of charge in the fall, to help marl( the edge of the boulevard. This lath is available at the fall recycling day in October or at City Hall. The lath will breal( off after a couple of snowfalls, but will have served its purpose by helping the driver establish the curb line. Please do not use metal stakes to marl( the boulevard. They are dangerous to install and can be a hazard to pedestrians and motorists using the roadway. City crews will remove metal stakes used in the boulevard. Q. The snowplow tore up the grass in front of my house. Who's responsible for repairing the damage in the spring? A. The City of Ramsey retains an easement on the edge of the road for snow storage and utility placement. This easement varies, depending on the development, but normally is 12' -15' from the edge of the road. When you call in to report sod damage, your name and address are recorded on a list. In the spring, city crews will go around and repair the turf damage with black dirt and grass seed. We try to avoid damage, but it does happen. The weather, especially early and late in the season, has a great impact on the amount of damage that occurs. Un-frozen ground is not very forgiving and even the slightest touch of the plow causes damage to the surrounding turf. Continued on Page 14 CHEERFUL CHUGGERS 4-H CLUB The Cheerful Chuggers 4-H Club, at their monthly meeting in November, collected items for Care Packages for local Armed Forces units now in Iraq. The 4-H Club was able to make and send 30 care packages with donations from 4-H members, families and friends. The Care Pacl(ages included candy, cards, stationary, microwaveable foods and games. The Cheerful Chuggers 4-H Club would lil(e to thank all those who gave so graciously to the cause. FREE DOLLARS INTO SENSE CLASSES Anoka County Extension Service Staff and Dollar Worl(s Volunteers will present Free Dollars Into Sense classes on January 20 and February 15, 10:00 a.m. at the Bunker Hills Activities Center (550 Bunker Lal(e Blvd, Andover) and again at 7:00 p.m. at the Northtown Library (711 County Rd 10 NE, Blaine). To register, call the University of Minnesota Extension Service, Anoka County, at 763-755-1280 at least three days prior to the class you wish to attend. Classes will cover budgeting and address credit issues, tracldng expenses, making a spending plan, goal setting and how to get help. HEAD START Head Start is lool(ing for children for our available preschool program. Head Start continues to be a free comprehensive preschool program for lower income families in our community. We offer a variety of program options and services to parents. If you have any questions regarding our programs, please contact Anoka County Head Start Administrative Office at 763-783-4300. Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance. - Samuel Johnson