City Hall belongs to the people of Seattle. That’s why for the third year in a row, we’re asking the community to come downtown to City Hall and enjoy local music and food, learn about resources the City provides, meet local elected officials and connect with opportunities to make our community a better place.

Please join us for an Open House at City Hall on January 28th, from 10 AM to 2 PM. Mayor McGinn, the Seattle City Council, City Attorney Pete Holmes and representatives of City departments will be available for questions and discussion, along with:

• live music,
• on-site farmers market,
• local food trucks,
• dogs from the Seattle Animal Shelter who are looking for a good home,
• Q&A with elected officials,
• tours of the mayor’s office and Council offices, and
• workshops on understanding your credit and how a bill becomes a law.

We hope you can join us on January 28th.

Posted by: Words: April Thomas, Pictures: Jen Nance

Pioneer Square is Seattle’s first and oldest neighborhood. It’s a thriving center of our city, with innovative businesses, popular restaurants, an active nightlife, and a home to many. Since December 2009, neighborhood business owners, residents and the City of Seattle have built a coalition to address some of the ongoing challenges facing Pioneer Square and come up with solutions. It’s called the Pioneer Square Commercial District Revitalization Project, and over the past two years, City and Community members have been working to promote the neighborhood’s competitiveness and strengthen the health of its businesses.

In June 2010 the committee finalized “Pioneer Square 2015: A Strategy for Seattle’s First Neighborhood,” a report on community and city strategies for bolstering the neighborhood’s economic health. These priorities include improving public safety experience and perception; supporting residential density and adaptive reuse of historic buildings; supporting infrastructure for economic growth; and building organizational capacity around business advocacy.

Yesterday we met with the Pioneer Square Revitalization Committee and community members to report back on our progress so far and discuss ongoing challenges. We reported on recent accomplishments and projects launched in Pioneer Square:

North Lot Project: Introducing more market rate housing to Pioneer Square has been a priority in the community for decades. The long-planned North Lot redevelopment project will produce 513 units of housing, just in the first phase. Our Office of Economic Development (OED) is investing $1.7 million in equity and $7.2 million in low-cost debt financing via New Market Tax Credits to help move the project forward.

First Hill Streetcar: Access to high-capacity transit has long been a neighborhood priority as well. Recently the City confirmed that the new First Hill Streetcar will serve Pioneer Square with a stop at South Jackson and 2nd Avenue South. Construction begins later this year.

Only in Seattle funding: Only in Seattle is an initiative from OED that supports neighborhood business districts through grant funding, technical training and support for businesses and marketing. To support the Alliance for Pioneer Square’s efforts in retail recruitment, neighborhood marketing during viaduct replacement and Business Improvement District expansion, OED has awarded them a grant of $120,000. Over the past two years, OED has invested $220,000 in the Alliance for Pioneer Square to engage businesses, property owners and residents in strategies to improve safety, brand and market the neighborhood, and develop a business attraction plan.

King Street Station: The City acquired the station in 2008 and has been making continuous improvements to repair the original façade and remove the non-historic renovations. Three construction phases have been completed, including: station roof replacement and clock tower repair; Jackson Plaza rebuilt; and renovations to Amtrak’s new operations and administration areas. Next up is building and clock tower seismic retrofit, mechanical/electrical/plumbing systems distribution, and select interior and exterior restoration including the restoration of the ornamental plaster in the main waiting room. Construction began in March 2011 and will be completed in spring of 2013.

Broadband: Pioneer Square has an active and growing tech business community, and for those companies, access to very high-speed internet service is a must. We’ve been working to improve access to broadband internet service in Pioneer Square. Last May we launched a project to bring broadband to Pioneer Square by laying conduit underneath 1st Avenue South that internet service providers could use to serve nearby businesses. We recently learned that Comcast is in conversation with the owners of 14 buildings along 1st Avenue South in order to gain access to building tenants via the areaways. If successful, Comcast anticipates providing broadband service to 50 new customers.

Artist Space Assistance Program (ASAP): In response to the displacement of the artists from the 619 Western Building artist, the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs is working to provide relocation and placement services for artists and arts organizations seeking affordable studio, live/work, exhibition, performance and/or rehearsal space.

New businesses: Several new businesses have moved in to Pioneer Square recently, including EMC/Isilon, online retailer Blue Nile, game developer Zynga, and Jones Soda.

We also discussed some of the ongoing challenges facing Pioneer Square and what we can do together to address them:

Public Safety: Several recent incidents have focused attention on some of the longstanding public safety challenges in Pioneer Square. We’re taking several steps to protect public safety. The Seattle Police Department (SPD) has deployed four dedicated footbeat officers to Pioneer Square. These are augmented by regular car patrols and bike patrols. Patrol officers are also directed to stop and patrol problem areas on foot. ACT teams have recently targeted the area for buy-bust operations to address drug dealing problems. SPD has worked in concert with the City’s Human Services Department (HSD) and the Department of Transportation to address the encampment issues. Prior to any enforcement action, extensive outreach was done for those persons living on the street to find them alternatives to camping under the freeway, particularly along James and Cherry Streets.

Restorative Justice Pilot: City departments are working with Pioneer Square partners in exploring a program that would bring a special enforcement focus on individuals committing civility infractions. The Municipal Court’s Community Court program can connect individuals cited for low level civility infractions to the Seattle Human Services Department to provide services these individuals may need.

Restrooms: The City is working with a community committee on an analysis of using Fire Station HQ restrooms to provide public facilities. Parks has prepared updated cost estimates for an Occidental Park kiosk/restroom. Both will inform a City and community decision on how to proceed.

Special Events: We’re working with the community to develop ways to better manage tailgating and other community impacts from the sporting events at the stadiums. We’re also identifying efforts that are working now (such as port-a-potties on event days) to see if we can use that model at other times. We’re also looking at other successful models so we can maintain robust, safe, and civil public spaces.

Posted by: Mayor Mike McGinn

THE READER
From the Office of Mayor Mike McGinn
News, Updates, and Information
Click here to receive this via email.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

Emphasizing pothole repairs after winter storm
In the wake of last week’s winter storm, the City of Seattle is focusing on roadway repairs. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has deployed four Pothole Rangers crews to address potholes created by the recent freezing weather.

“Freezing weather and heavy precipitation mean that we’re seeing more potholes. We’ve added dollars to respond to pothole repair requests,” said Mayor McGinn.

These efforts build on work done in 2011 to address potholes and street repairs. SDOT crews filled 25,110 potholes in 2011, two and a half times the number filled in 2010. With the start of the new year, the department has $9 million available to address street surface repairs including potholes. Approximately $8.5 million of this is dedicated to arterial streets.

You can report potholes by calling 206-684-ROAD (7623) or by visiting www.seattle.gov/pothole. Or track pothole requests by visiting the City’s pothole map at web1.seattle.gov/SDOT/potholemap/.

Join us at City Hall for Saturday’s Open House
Saturday’s agenda will include tours of the Mayor’s Office and City Council Offices, a Q&A session with Mayor McGinn, workshops on the legislative process and interpreting credit reports, tabling by City departments and the City Attorney’s Office, live music, a farmer’s market, and more.

Download this poster to help spread the word. We hope to see you there!

School attendance is improving — and the Harlem Globetrotters are coming to celebrate
Preliminary data suggest the Be Here. Get There. attendance campaign launched in September by Mayor McGinn and Seattle Public Schools is producing results. According to the data, the rate of students missing school at its lowest level in five years.

There’s still a lot of work to do, and our campaign is continuing with new incentives. For the entire month of January, the school with the best attendance record will receive a visit from a Harlem Globetrotter and an assembly for the entire school. Additionally, each high school will receive a prize pack with four Harlem Globetrotters tickets and a free large pizza donated by Papa Murphy’s to raffle off in the month of January.

Incentives help, but we know that many families need a greater level of assistance to address problems affecting school attendance. The renewed Families and Education Levy will help by directing services to help students get to school and succeed.

Read more about those investments and our attendance campaign.

Welcoming CityU to Seattle
This week CityU of Seattle, a not-for-profit university, announced it is moving its headquarters from Bellevue to downtown Seattle, where they expect to have 200 employees and 3,500 students at the new Seattle campus.

“City University of Seattle will help enhance innovation and improve Seattle’s quality of life — two key elements of a city that can compete in the global economy,” said Mayor McGinn.

Talk arts education with mayor, youth, superintendent at Feb. 16 forum
Join Mayor McGinn, Seattle Public Schools Interim Superintendent Susan Enfield and youth for a discussion about arts education, creative learning and student success at the 2012 Arts Education Forum, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 16, at Seattle University’s Pigott Auditorium.

Bring your questions for the panel of students and policymakers and learn how the City of Seattle and Seattle Public Schools are partnering to help ensure arts learning can be a part of a basic education for all students.

The forum will also launch a coordinated effort to create a comprehensive K-12 visual and performing arts plan for the school district, which recently received a grant from The Wallace Foundation to engage the community in developing a plan to provide greater arts education access citywide.

The forum is presented by the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, Seattle Arts Commission, and Seattle Public Schools. For more information about the forum go here.

Upcoming Events (for more see http://seattle.gov/mayor/Engage/access.htm):

Jan 28: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – City Hall Open House (601 5th Ave)

Jan 29: 12:00 p.m. – Community Budget Conference, Seattle Center Northwest Rooms (305 Harrison St)

Feb 1: 10:00 a.m. – Women and Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) Wednesday Workshop, Seattle Municipal Tower Room 4050/4060 (700 5th Ave)

Feb 6: 5:30 p.m. – Mayor’s Town Hall, University Heights Center (5031 University Way)

What we’re reading:
Targeting an Achievement Gap in One of the Country’s Most Educated Metros

AG Sues Over San Diego’s Transportation Future

Gay Marriage Secures Final Vote Needed to Pass

Infographic Of The Day: Could Twitter Help Us Create Smarter Transit Routes?

To subscribe to The Reader via email, click here.

Posted by: Nathaniel Merrill

Mayor Mike McGinn recently participated in an awards ceremony to honor the winners of the 2010-2011 Design Excellence Awards, put together by the Seattle Design Commission.

Five civic projects of note were highlighted. Each project represents a substantial local investment as well as a substantial public benefit and included public-private partnerships of some kind. They were chosen because of either their seamless integration with their surroundings, their innovation in sustainability, their effectiveness as an investment, their high quality design, or some combination of the above.

Projects honored include:

Fire Station 30 in Mount Baker
The Fire Station “deserves recognition for its clear planning concept, innovative use of materials, and comprehensive sustainable design strategy – exceeding the city’s requirements by achieving LEED Gold Certification.” The plan also included a balcony designed to encourage interaction between firefighters and the community nearby– including Franklin High School students.

Summit Slope Park on Capitol Hill
This park, which includes a community garden space, is “a clear example of how simple design and detailing can become a backdrop to the neighborhood, enhance our experience of the city and create a well used and loved space for the community.”

King Street Station transit hub strategy
This project was tasked with weaving together access to a long list of transportation possibilities. In addition to those needs, it “addresses the social realm, art and culture, providing integrated urban strategies that look to strengthening the area as a place rather than simply a location to change modes of motion.”

Amazon.com headquarters’ Block 101 alley redesign
By allowing use of a former City of Seattle alley, this project “raises the bar and expectation of what private developers can do in the name of civic benefit.”

The Swale on Yale in South Lake Union
Highlighted as an “In the Works” project, the Swale on Yale will exemplify green infrastructure (infrastructure providing an environmental benefit) when built. In addition to being an inviting green space and streetscape, it will process stormwater for treatment.

See project information, including full descriptions, project teams, designers, and developers.

Posted by: Rebecca Deehr

The snow and ice from last week’s winter storms may be gone from our roads, but their legacy is still there in the form of a growing number of potholes. As the storm began winding down, we started making preparations to deal with the storm’s effects, including potholes. As crews finished their snow and ice removal work, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) began redeploying resources to fill potholes. SDOT has deployed four Pothole Rangers crews to address potholes created by the recent freezing weather.

These efforts build on work done in 2011 to address potholes and street repairs. SDOT crews filled 25,110 potholes in 2011, two and a half times the number filled in 2010. With the start of the new year, the department has $9 million available to address street surface repairs including potholes. Approximately $8.5 million of this is dedicated to arterial streets, and that includes $1.65 million in money allocated from the sale of the Rubble Yard property.

Potholes occur when street pavement cracks and breaks because of water and traffic. During the winter, water under the pavement can freeze and expand, and then thaw and contract. This freeze/thaw cycle can cause old pavement to crack so that it deteriorates quickly under the weight of traffic, and then streets seem to break out in potholes overnight. Work by the Pothole Rangers helps address any isolated trouble spots and prevents deterioration of the remaining street surface.

You can report potholes by calling 206-684-ROAD (7623) or by reporting potholes online. You can also track pothole requests outstanding and filled by visiting our pothole map.

Posted by: Mayor Mike McGinn

With ice and snow continuing to cause challenging travel conditions, the City of Seattle is encouraging people to get home before dark if possible. After dark, icy conditions may worsen and ice will become more difficult to see.

Pedestrians should exercise caution – many sidewalks are icy, and there is danger of falling ice from trees, buildings and power lines.

Residents are discouraged from all but essential travel to help keep roads open and safe for emergency vehicles, transit and snow removal. Streets may appear bare and wet but may be covered with ice, which will be difficult to see after dark. Ice accumulation could lead to snapped power lines and falling tree branches, a danger for both drivers and pedestrians.

If residents experience a power outage, they should stay warm in their homes by blocking drafts around doors and windows and dressing in layers. Be sure to check on vulnerable neighbors, particularly the elderly and disabled, to make sure they have adequate food, water and blankets to keep warm. Never bring barbecue grills, generators, or any charcoal or gasoline powered appliances inside, as they can lead to deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

For more information about weather safety tips, and to find out about city facility closures, please go to www.seattle.gov. To report a power outage call (206) 684-7400.

Posted by: Nathaniel Merrill

With the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing an ice storm warning for the Seattle area, residents are strongly discouraged from travelling until conditions improve. A thin sheen of ice creates danger for vehicles and pedestrians. The Seattle Emergency Operations Center is fully activated and monitoring the situation.

According to the NWS, an ice storm warning means “severe weather conditions are imminent or occurring. Significant amounts of ice accumulation will make travel dangerous or impossible. Travel is strongly discouraged…Ice accumulations will likely lead to snapped power lines and falling tree branches that add to the danger.” 

On traffic cameras, television or from your window, streets may appear bare and wet but they may still be covered with ice. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) continues to treat major arterial roads with salt brine and granular salt. Some secondary or neighborhood streets are very slick and changes in conditions between treated and untreated roadways can be very sudden. Four wheel drive is not a solution – vehicles need chains to have traction. Keeping the roads clear of traffic is extremely helpful for emergency vehicles.

Many sidewalks are icy. Pedestrians should use caution while walking and crossing streets. It is the responsibility of property owners to keep their sidewalks clear of ice to protect pedestrian safety. SDOT is dispatching 22 crews to activate the Pedestrian Safety Element of the Winter Response plan to clear and salt pedestrian landings, crossings, and intersections.

Icy conditions also impact trees and power lines. Seattle City Light (SCL) is monitoring the situation. If you experience a power outage please call SCL’s Outage Hotline at 206-684-7400. If you see a downed power line, call 911 to report it. Do not handle a downed power line or attempt to move it out of the way. Electricity can travel along the ground, so maintain a significant distance. If a broken power line should fall on your vehicle, stay inside the vehicle. Use your cell phone to call for help. If someone makes contact with a downed power line, don’t try to rescue them because you risk becoming a victim yourself. Call 911 for help. SCL’s power outage map is available at: http://seattle.gov/light/sysstat/. You can download the SCL mobile phone app at: http://www.seattle.gov/light/mobile/.

Be careful choosing heating or lighting sources in the event of a power outage. Open flames and unattended candles are dangerous. Do not bring barbecues or gas grills inside. The fumes can be poisonous and deadly.  Keep an ample supply of battery-powered flashlights and a battery-operated radio on hand.

All branches of the Seattle Public Library and Parks Community Centers are closed today. For a complete list of city facilities that will be closed, please visit www.seattle.gov.

All residential trash collection is cancelled for today. There will be limited commercial trash collection.

Emergency Preparedness information is available in multiple languages at: http://www.seattle.gov/emergency/prepare/language/default.htm.

People should avoid travelling this morning. SDOT’s Winter Weather page at http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/winterweather.htm includes maps of the City’s snow routes and real-time information on road conditions. If you must travel, do your best to use transit.

Most of the regional transit agencies are currently running on snow routes including King County Metro (http://www.kingcounty.gov/metro/snow) and Sound Transit (http://www.soundtransit.org/Schedules/Alerts/Winter-Weather.xml). Riders are encouraged to check bus status online as conditions change rapidly.

Posted by: Nathaniel Merrill

This post is by Dannette R. Smith, Director of the Seattle Human Services Department

Here in Seattle, we are committed to ending hunger and helping get meals to people who need it. Each year, the City of Seattle spends more than $30 million to prevent and end homelessness, including “emergency food” programs such as meals programs and food banks. We have worked hard to protect funding for these services and programs. Working with Mayor Mike McGinn, we crafted a budget that preserved human services funding. When the federal government cut $1.2 million in funding to human services programs, we quickly found ways to backfill those cuts and maintain our services.

We measure our community by how we serve those in need. The Outdoor Meal Program, operated by OPERATION: Sack Lunch, is currently located on property leased to the City by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) under Interstate 5 at 6th Avenue and Columbia Street, serves more than 3,000 meals a week (Sunday-Saturday) at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and more than 156,000 a year. The program has been serving meals at that location since January 2007. OPERATION: Sack Lunch has provided meals to vulnerable populations in Seattle with dignity and humanity for over 20 years. Beverly Graham has done excellent work bringing together fourteen partner organizations and volunteers to help feed the hungry, and I am grateful to her for her continued dedication to this work.

However, the current location of the program is not ideal. The City does not have long-term control over the use of the property, and we believed it made sense to look for a place where we could ensure a stable, long-term presence for programs to feed the hungry. That’s why the Seattle Human Services Department began working with OPERATION: Sack Lunch to explore relocating meal service to several other possible locations.

We know it’s important that this move be done correctly, in a way that best serves the hungry, and in a way that honors and respects the work that service providers have been doing to help people in need. We are going to take the time needed to work with OPERATION: Sack Lunch to find an appropriate location. We will relocate the outdoor meal program only when we know that alternative venues are in place to serve the same number of people who currently are served by the outdoor program. The alternative location must also allow meals to be served outside to those who feel uncomfortable coming inside. Our goal is to provide food to those who need it, no matter where they wish to be served.

We remain willing to work with OPERATION: Sack Lunch and the 14 other organizations that provide outdoor meals to find the best way to feed those who are in need.

Dannette R. Smith
Director, Seattle Human Services Department

Posted by: Robert Cruickshank

Seattle deployed a fleet of 30 plows, de-icing trucks, and graders to remove snow from approximately 750 miles of priority roadways in the city today. Residents are discouraged from traveling to help keep roads open and safe for emergency vehicles, transit and snow removal.

Road crews continue to focus on plowing and salting major arterials and transit routes for emergency vehicles and buses. If you must drive, be prepared with tire chains, warm clothes and sturdy footwear. Be aware of the potential for icy or slippery conditions.

On residential streets, residents should be cautious about accumulated ice and snow which will not clear until temperatures rise above freezing for an extended period.

Melting snow can overwhelm storm drains by filling them with ice, leaves and accumulated street debris. Clogged drains can result in flooding and hazardous road conditions. In Seattle, there are about 80,000 storm drains — far more than city crews can clear quickly. Residents are asked to clear storm drains on their streets if it can be done safely.

Please use caution if sledding today. In 1989, a 12 year old girl was killed in a sledding accident in Magnolia. 

Discovery Park, Camp Long, Carkeek Park and Seward Park are open for snow play.

Businesses and residents are reminded to keep their sidewalks clear to help pedestrians walk safely. Pedestrians should be cautious on snow or ice covered surfaces.

The City of Seattle recommends that residents:

• Stay off the roads if possible.  
• Move cars off streets, if possible, to aid with snow removal.
• Check on neighbors, especially the vulnerable.
• Do not use barbecues or gas grills inside. The fumes can be poisonous and deadly.
• Have coats, hats, gloves and blankets on hand to stay warm during possible power outages.
• Bring pets indoors.
• Only call 911 in a life-threatening emergency.

For more information about weather safety tips, and to find out about city facility closures, please go to www.seattle.gov or directly to the following tools:

• SDOT travel cameras
• SDOT street closures and snowplow routes
• SnowWatch forecasting
• Emergency Closures

Posted by: Nathaniel Merrill

The Emergency Operations Center continues to operate, monitoring weather conditions and coordinating the City’s response to the winter storm event. The Joint Information Center activated at 6 a.m.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has trucks out working to keep major arterial streets clear. Crews are mostly spreading granular salt and monitoring snow routes for accumulating snow. Please consider transportation options for essential travel and avoid driving if possible. The City continues to urge that drivers use caution during their commute. Public transportation information can be found at http://www.KingCounty.gov/Metro and www.SoundTransit.org.

SDOT crews will continue their operations through the morning commute and the following hours. Salt and salt-brine were applied overnight in many areas as a preventative measure in anticipation of forecasted freezing temperatures.

For a list of city facilities that will be closed today or with reduced operations/services, please visit www.seattle.gov.

A report from the Human Services Department (HSD) on emergency shelters will be released by HSD later this morning.

An embeddable safety and information widget is now available. Residents, web publishers, bloggers and the media can embed the widget online, providing links and current information for their readers. The new widget is available at http://1.usa.gov/xN5pX6.

The City of Seattle recommends that residents:

• Consider options now for any essential travel, staying off the roads if possible.
• Move cars off streets, if possible, to aid with snow removal.
• Check on neighbors, especially the vulnerable.
• Wrap pipes and outdoor faucets to prevent ruptured pipes and possible flooding inside homes.
• Turn faucets to a slow drip to prevent pipes from freezing.
• Be careful choosing heating or lighting sources in the event of a power outage. Open flames and unattended candles are dangerous. Do not bring barbecues or gas grills inside. The fumes can be poisonous and deadly.  Keep an ample supply of battery-powered flashlights and a battery-operated radio on hand.
• Have coats, hats, gloves and blankets on hand to stay warm during possible power outages.
• Find and clear street storm drains. Snow followed by rain can clog drains and cause flooding.
• Bring pets indoors.
• Only call 911 in a life-threatening emergency.
• The following is a directory of non-emergency helplines: http://www.kingcounty.gov/LinksByZip

SDOT’s Winter Weather page at http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/winterweather.htm includes maps of the City’s snow routes and real-time information on road conditions.

For information on public transportation options, please visit King County Metro (www.kingcounty.gov/metro/snow) and Sound Transit (http://www.soundtransit.org/Schedules/Alerts/Winter-Weather.xml). Riders are encouraged to check bus status online as conditions may change rapidly.

Businesses and residents are reminded to keep their sidewalks clear to help pedestrians walk safely. Pedestrians should be cautious on snow or ice covered surfaces.

For more information about weather safety tips, and to find out about city facility closures, please go to www.seattle.gov.

Posted by: Aaron Pickus, Assistant Communications Director

With weather forecasts predicting significant accumulations of snow in Seattle, Mayor Mike McGinn urged residents to be prepared for a series of winter storms over the next few days. The National Weather Service predicts lowland areas, including Seattle, could get three to seven inches of snow through Tuesday morning. They are also forecasting the possibility of another six to 12 inches of snow over the lowlands on Wednesday.

“With the possibility of significant snowfall, we are urging residents to be prepared,” said McGinn. “The Seattle Department of Transportation is treating major streets around the clock, our Emergency Operations Center is activated and other city departments are taking readiness steps. The public should get ready as well, making sure they have needed supplies in the event we do get a lot of snow.”

The City of Seattle also recommends that residents:

• Consider options now for travel, staying off the roads if possible.  
• Move cars off streets, if possible, to aid with snow removal.
• Check on neighbors, especially the vulnerable.
• Wrap pipes and outdoor faucets to prevent ruptured pipes and flooding inside homes.
• Turn faucets to a slow drip to prevent pipes from freezing.
• Be careful how they choose to heat or light their homes. Open flames and unattended candles are dangerous. Do not bring open stoves or gas grills inside as the fumes can be poisonous and deadly. 
• Find and clear street storm drains. Snow followed by rain can clog drains and cause flooding.
• Have coats, hats, gloves and blankets at hand to stay warm during possible power outages.
• Bring pets indoors.
• Only call 911 in a life-threatening emergency.

Businesses and residents are reminded to keep their sidewalks clear to help pedestrians walk safely. Pedestrians should be cautious on snow or ice covered surfaces.

Posted by: Aaron Pickus, Assistant Communications Director