The city has a good deal of acreage used for wastewater treatment facilities. The obvious use is the immediate plant and ponds. The ponds provide treatment of wastewater and also storage of the effluent that comes from the plant operations. Storage is required as the city doesn’t have a discharge point into a waterway, which is more typical of a wastewater plant. The city discharges its effluent with spray irrigation into the surrounding forest of lands we own. This can only be done in the summer months. Having adequate acreage to discharge is important as only so much can be applied to land under the permit granted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
In considering the future, the city had acquired property to provide for additional irrigation fields. Currently the city has approximately 90 acres of unused irrigation lands available for future use. This land has been idle forest land with tree growth of Birch, Aspen, Maple and Oak. Upon review of the forest trees, the Aspen and Birch are in decline and it was felt harvesting of the area makes some sense. It would be good for the forest to rejuvenate and for the city in reaping some revenues.
Crow Wing County was contacted and they were willing to assist the city with harvest operations. There services come at a price but include an inventory, notice, bid specifications and contract administration. An advertisement for bids was recently held and a bid was received. Lately the market for timber is depressed with a couple of paper mills closing and construction being down. The bid provided for summer access to the timber which is a more desirable situation as many timber plots are only assessable in the winter due to wetlands.
We were pleased with the bid from Sawyer Timber Company of Backus, MN. The bid was awarded to them and harvesting could occur at any time but likely will commence next spring as weather conditions warrant. The area will generally be clear cut but a buffer will remain along the east and north boundaries. It is expected this activity will be completed in 2013.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
Election 2012
In 2012 we had a presidential election and as is generally the case we see a large turnout. The turnout was perhaps, more than expected. Breezy Point is now the third largest city in the county and we believe were growing. We started the day with 1441 registered voters. On Election Day we had 226 new registrations for voters.
Votes cast at the polls were 1240. Absentee votes cast numbered 180 making the total votes cast in Breezy Point 1420. In 2010, not a presidential election, we had 907 at the polls and 90 absentee voters for a total of 997. This represents about a 43% increase in voters.
When you think about our estimated pollution of 2388 and all the residents who can’t vote we either had a very high percent of voters turn out for the election or more population than we think, or both. I would tend to think we had both.
I want to express my sincere thank you to the election judges who worked that day. It is always a long day starting, at 5:00 am for some and going to several hours after the polls close. Not all judges’ work all day but a few do. They did an exceptional job. They were professional in their actions and voters moved through the polls with limited delay. I was very pleased with the way in which it worked out.
I can only assume we’ll see more voters in the years to follow as Breezy Point continues to grow in year round residents.
Votes cast at the polls were 1240. Absentee votes cast numbered 180 making the total votes cast in Breezy Point 1420. In 2010, not a presidential election, we had 907 at the polls and 90 absentee voters for a total of 997. This represents about a 43% increase in voters.
When you think about our estimated pollution of 2388 and all the residents who can’t vote we either had a very high percent of voters turn out for the election or more population than we think, or both. I would tend to think we had both.
I want to express my sincere thank you to the election judges who worked that day. It is always a long day starting, at 5:00 am for some and going to several hours after the polls close. Not all judges’ work all day but a few do. They did an exceptional job. They were professional in their actions and voters moved through the polls with limited delay. I was very pleased with the way in which it worked out.
I can only assume we’ll see more voters in the years to follow as Breezy Point continues to grow in year round residents.
City Council Salaries
I don’t know if any of you have considered what City Council members do and what they get paid to do it. There is the obvious, attend a monthly meeting and the occasional special one to deal with governmental decisions. Some of these fall into the routine and others definitely fall into the “policy” area. The policy area are those questions that can’t be addressed by staff or anyone person. Sometimes these are those where there is no right or wrong answer. It comes down to what is the best decision for the majority of the people. Just saying that brings to mind that all decisions have those that approve and oppose the outcome.
Typically the salaries that are paid to council members don’t amount to much more than enough to cover expenses incurred in their actions as a council member. Many look at the salary as a token amount in appreciation for the work they do. But even in the realm of a low paying job the compensation for council members can amount to pennies an hour.
In Breezy Point the City Council has been paid $150 per month and mayor at $200 per month since 1995. It was recently discussed that the council is the lowest paid council in the area and perhaps an increase in pay was warranted. Councils set there own salaries but can only increase salary for an upcoming council. So a decision made today will not take effect until after the next election with a new council coming on board.
The city council discussed the possibility of an increase in salary of a $100 per month per member. Doing this would still continue Breezy Point City Council as the lowest paid council in the area. This increase amounted to $6000 overall for the year. The budget could be adjusted to accommodate the increase and a draft ordinance was written.
The council discussed the possibility and felt that an increase is probably warranted but it really should be brought up in budget discussions early on. Accomplishing this change at this point in the budget cycle isn’t appropriate and making a change at a later date would be in the best interest of the city. The council voted down the ordinance providing for a change in their salary. The next option for a salary change would be after the 2014 elections to take effect in 2015.
Typically the salaries that are paid to council members don’t amount to much more than enough to cover expenses incurred in their actions as a council member. Many look at the salary as a token amount in appreciation for the work they do. But even in the realm of a low paying job the compensation for council members can amount to pennies an hour.
In Breezy Point the City Council has been paid $150 per month and mayor at $200 per month since 1995. It was recently discussed that the council is the lowest paid council in the area and perhaps an increase in pay was warranted. Councils set there own salaries but can only increase salary for an upcoming council. So a decision made today will not take effect until after the next election with a new council coming on board.
The city council discussed the possibility of an increase in salary of a $100 per month per member. Doing this would still continue Breezy Point City Council as the lowest paid council in the area. This increase amounted to $6000 overall for the year. The budget could be adjusted to accommodate the increase and a draft ordinance was written.
The council discussed the possibility and felt that an increase is probably warranted but it really should be brought up in budget discussions early on. Accomplishing this change at this point in the budget cycle isn’t appropriate and making a change at a later date would be in the best interest of the city. The council voted down the ordinance providing for a change in their salary. The next option for a salary change would be after the 2014 elections to take effect in 2015.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Brine a Win-Win
Last year the city started using brine on roadways to assist with winter maintenance activities. The brine was used instead of granular salt in some situations. This was used as a pretreatment prior to a storm event in intersections and other key areas. It was also used at other times to increase melt replacing granular salt that has been used in the past.
Using a brine mixture has a number of advantages but also is one tool in the tool box of winter road maintenance. Using it to pretreat roadways is helpful in preventing a bond of ice forming on the road itself. Using it after an event is helpful in that the same benefit derived from granular salt is obtained at a fraction of the expense and with better results. The application is more consistent. This practice is also more environmentally friendly as the use is kept to a minimum keeping excess salt from surrounding properties.
Salt or brine isn’t recommended for all roadway situations. Salt looses it effectiveness when it gets very cold. At that point the use of sand is recommended. Roadway temperatures are checked to manage the use of brine when conditions are right. Having brine at the right concentration is also important. Too weak of solution will freeze and is a waste of resources in application.
With the experience gained this past year using a system that was built by the public works crew we have been working at fine tuning our efforts. This system was problematic in that the mixing of the salt and water was slow, salt additions were done by hand being somewhat unsafe in practice, and our product was not adequately filtered to remove fine particles that affected application. Commercial systems are designed for a more mechanized and safer approach to brine making and were considered for purchase in 2013.
The city worked with a vendor in getting prices available for the 2013 budget. This vendor understood that the city was interested in acquisition of a commercial brine unit. He had a demonstration unit available that could be had at a significant discount. After discussing this with them they would make the unit available to us prior to the end of the year with payment occurring in 2013. Essentially the city would recognize a 20% discount in the equipment and get a 90 day no cost loan.
The City Council at the October meeting considered the request and agreed the purchase was in the best interest of the city in a number of ways. The obvious is the saving of money with the purchase itself. The city also benefits from a better and safer system of brine production. The residents benefit from a continued effort to keep our roadways safer in the winter months as well as keeping maintenance costs in check. It’s a win-win situation for all.
Using a brine mixture has a number of advantages but also is one tool in the tool box of winter road maintenance. Using it to pretreat roadways is helpful in preventing a bond of ice forming on the road itself. Using it after an event is helpful in that the same benefit derived from granular salt is obtained at a fraction of the expense and with better results. The application is more consistent. This practice is also more environmentally friendly as the use is kept to a minimum keeping excess salt from surrounding properties.
Salt or brine isn’t recommended for all roadway situations. Salt looses it effectiveness when it gets very cold. At that point the use of sand is recommended. Roadway temperatures are checked to manage the use of brine when conditions are right. Having brine at the right concentration is also important. Too weak of solution will freeze and is a waste of resources in application.
With the experience gained this past year using a system that was built by the public works crew we have been working at fine tuning our efforts. This system was problematic in that the mixing of the salt and water was slow, salt additions were done by hand being somewhat unsafe in practice, and our product was not adequately filtered to remove fine particles that affected application. Commercial systems are designed for a more mechanized and safer approach to brine making and were considered for purchase in 2013.
The city worked with a vendor in getting prices available for the 2013 budget. This vendor understood that the city was interested in acquisition of a commercial brine unit. He had a demonstration unit available that could be had at a significant discount. After discussing this with them they would make the unit available to us prior to the end of the year with payment occurring in 2013. Essentially the city would recognize a 20% discount in the equipment and get a 90 day no cost loan.
The City Council at the October meeting considered the request and agreed the purchase was in the best interest of the city in a number of ways. The obvious is the saving of money with the purchase itself. The city also benefits from a better and safer system of brine production. The residents benefit from a continued effort to keep our roadways safer in the winter months as well as keeping maintenance costs in check. It’s a win-win situation for all.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Auditing firm
I spoke of doing Requests for Proposals in seeking auditing firms in a previous blog. The city is obligated to conduct an audit on an annual basis. The city received 3 proposals from governmental accounting firms. The auditing firm the city selected was Schlenner Wenner. They have offices in St. Cloud, Little Falls, Albany, Maple Lake and Monticello. The office the city will be working with is in St. Cloud.
In doing the Request for Proposals we solicited proposals which included a price for the annual audit for a three year period. They will conduct the audit for 2012, 2013, and 2014. This firm gave us a price that was $5000 per year less than the current audit quote.
You may ask how they can do this. They have found some economy in the way they conduct audits. They provide a detailed list of those documents they require prior to the audit. These are things that we typically provide but having them available prior to the audit gives us time to deal with them and minimizes their time during the physical audit. They also download materials directly from our accounting system. Having the information readily available only makes their job easier. Our books are not complicated or extensive. We have minimal number of transactions and limited personnel. They still spend time at city hall going though our data but the operations are far more efficient.
You also may ask what quality they may provide. Are they doing what’s required? The state requires that all governmental audits meet required standards. The firm has certified public accountants. They maintain a positive peer review. Their references were checked. The people we spoke with were very pleased with the auditing experience and outcome. They indicated they were easy to work with, have a large client base, and do a good job.
We look forward to working with them.
In doing the Request for Proposals we solicited proposals which included a price for the annual audit for a three year period. They will conduct the audit for 2012, 2013, and 2014. This firm gave us a price that was $5000 per year less than the current audit quote.
You may ask how they can do this. They have found some economy in the way they conduct audits. They provide a detailed list of those documents they require prior to the audit. These are things that we typically provide but having them available prior to the audit gives us time to deal with them and minimizes their time during the physical audit. They also download materials directly from our accounting system. Having the information readily available only makes their job easier. Our books are not complicated or extensive. We have minimal number of transactions and limited personnel. They still spend time at city hall going though our data but the operations are far more efficient.
You also may ask what quality they may provide. Are they doing what’s required? The state requires that all governmental audits meet required standards. The firm has certified public accountants. They maintain a positive peer review. Their references were checked. The people we spoke with were very pleased with the auditing experience and outcome. They indicated they were easy to work with, have a large client base, and do a good job.
We look forward to working with them.
Compensation Plan
People work at jobs for many reasons. Some of the reasons include the rewards of the job itself. Some involve the reward of helping others. Some are rewarded in the personal pride of doing a job well. All of us work to receive a paycheck. That paycheck provides for our subsistence but also our quality of life.
Recently the city was involved in the negotiations with a labor union. Union goals, among other things, are to help maintain and grow the quality of life for their members. The quality of life that remains of a primary focus is that of compensation. A labor contract provides for a set amount of wages for the type of job being accomplished and the growth in rates that can be expected over time. In simple language how much do I make this year and what can I expect for a raise next year? A contract may only last 2-3 years but expectations in wage rate growth are defined so employees know what to expect. A contract was agreed to and those in the union have a clear expectation as to what will happen concerning wage rates.
Other employees of the city have the same concerns as those of union members. They want some assurance of how they will move through the salary range. They understand that you don’t start at the top of the range but want to know that if they work hard and do a great job, they will receive some rewards in an increase in salary.
The city has been working on a pay plan to do just that. The plan provides for an approach to periodic increases in salary that are given employees that do quality work. Increases are not automatic as positive performance reviews are required. Increases are not guaranteed at times of extreme fiscal stress. The policy does however give an expectation that good employees have the ability to move through the salary range.
Recently the city council recognized the need to give non-union employees some assurance in how they would be compensated over a period of time. They adopted a pay plan for these employees starting in 2013. The plan is somewhat in keeping with the pay arrangements made for the union employees, trying to maintain some parity among all employees of the city. With parity in mind, fairness to all employees is important in managing an organization and its personnel.
Recently the city was involved in the negotiations with a labor union. Union goals, among other things, are to help maintain and grow the quality of life for their members. The quality of life that remains of a primary focus is that of compensation. A labor contract provides for a set amount of wages for the type of job being accomplished and the growth in rates that can be expected over time. In simple language how much do I make this year and what can I expect for a raise next year? A contract may only last 2-3 years but expectations in wage rate growth are defined so employees know what to expect. A contract was agreed to and those in the union have a clear expectation as to what will happen concerning wage rates.
Other employees of the city have the same concerns as those of union members. They want some assurance of how they will move through the salary range. They understand that you don’t start at the top of the range but want to know that if they work hard and do a great job, they will receive some rewards in an increase in salary.
The city has been working on a pay plan to do just that. The plan provides for an approach to periodic increases in salary that are given employees that do quality work. Increases are not automatic as positive performance reviews are required. Increases are not guaranteed at times of extreme fiscal stress. The policy does however give an expectation that good employees have the ability to move through the salary range.
Recently the city council recognized the need to give non-union employees some assurance in how they would be compensated over a period of time. They adopted a pay plan for these employees starting in 2013. The plan is somewhat in keeping with the pay arrangements made for the union employees, trying to maintain some parity among all employees of the city. With parity in mind, fairness to all employees is important in managing an organization and its personnel.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
2007 Crown Victoria
The Breezy Point Police Department generally replaces a vehicle on an annual basis. This year the city will be selling on sealed bids a 2007 Crown Victoria. The vehicle has slightly over 102,000 miles on it.
Sealed bids will be accepted until October 30th at 3:00 pm. A bid form can be found on the city website at www.cityofbreezypointmn.us under the section entitled Surplus Property. Forms can also be received at City Hall or the Public Safety Building. The vehicle can be viewed at the Public Safety Building at 8361 Co. Rd. 11.
Bids may be delivered or mailed to:
Sealed Bid
Breezy Point City Hall
8319 County Road 11
Breezy Point, MN 56472.
Sealed bids will be accepted until October 30th at 3:00 pm. A bid form can be found on the city website at www.cityofbreezypointmn.us under the section entitled Surplus Property. Forms can also be received at City Hall or the Public Safety Building. The vehicle can be viewed at the Public Safety Building at 8361 Co. Rd. 11.
Bids may be delivered or mailed to:
Sealed Bid
Breezy Point City Hall
8319 County Road 11
Breezy Point, MN 56472.
Memorial Day 2013
The All Veterans Memorial at the Pelican Woods Cemetery will be taking one more step towards completion. The immediate project has been completed with the construction of the site, installation of the sculpture and benches. These improvements were paid for using donated dollars.
The next phase of construction will include a bronze plaque naming the memorial “All Veterans Memorial” and installing a flag pole to fly the United States Flag. The Cemetery Commission wants to ensure these are installed yet this fall to provide for a dedication ceremony to be held on Memorial Day in 2013.
The City Council approved this phase of construction again using donated funds for the improvements. The final details for these improvements have been worked out budget of $1600 designated for the construction. We will have a 16 by 20 inch plaque and a 20 foot flag pole. The Cemetery Commission, being frugal by nature, hopes to limit the expense for these improvements but now has a budget to work with. A rock for the plaque has been moved in. The plaque has been ordered and the flag pole has arrived. Installation of these will be accomplished as soon as possible.
The commission would like to install two other flag poles for the memorial in the future. These would include a POW-MIA flag and also a State of Minnesota flag at the site. They are seeking donations for these. If this is something you have an interest in please contact city hall.
The next phase of construction will include a bronze plaque naming the memorial “All Veterans Memorial” and installing a flag pole to fly the United States Flag. The Cemetery Commission wants to ensure these are installed yet this fall to provide for a dedication ceremony to be held on Memorial Day in 2013.
The City Council approved this phase of construction again using donated funds for the improvements. The final details for these improvements have been worked out budget of $1600 designated for the construction. We will have a 16 by 20 inch plaque and a 20 foot flag pole. The Cemetery Commission, being frugal by nature, hopes to limit the expense for these improvements but now has a budget to work with. A rock for the plaque has been moved in. The plaque has been ordered and the flag pole has arrived. Installation of these will be accomplished as soon as possible.
The commission would like to install two other flag poles for the memorial in the future. These would include a POW-MIA flag and also a State of Minnesota flag at the site. They are seeking donations for these. If this is something you have an interest in please contact city hall.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Preliminary Levy
Each year the city develops a budget for the following year. The process starts along about June and continues through the summer. The budget process involves a look at current finances, service levels and needs of the city. There is also consideration given to the revenue side of things. We all have to work within our means.
The council has concerns with the level of taxation as the city has experienced a reduction in the overall market value of the city. Property values have sided lower with changes in the market. Tax appeals have occurred reducing values and some property formally part of the city is no longer within the city. The State of Minnesota has also changed tax policy in reducing overall values. There have been lots of factors that come into play in reducing overall values of property.
Keeping this in mind the council had established goals for the 2013 budget and levy. They wanted to maintain or possibly reduce the overall levy. They also wanted to maintain current service levels and have departments live with the current expenditure limits that exist for 2012. With that in mind each department looked at priorities for spending, working their budgets to meet these needs.
A balanced draft budget was accomplished working around the same levy request as that for the 2012 budget year. The preliminary levy saw increases in the debt service levy with some reductions in the general fund levy. In the end, the preliminary levy certified for 2013 is the same levy as that requested for 2012. We continue to work on the budget and hope to find additional economies to further reduce the final levy. The final levy will be accomplished at the December meeting with an overview to our budget.
The council has concerns with the level of taxation as the city has experienced a reduction in the overall market value of the city. Property values have sided lower with changes in the market. Tax appeals have occurred reducing values and some property formally part of the city is no longer within the city. The State of Minnesota has also changed tax policy in reducing overall values. There have been lots of factors that come into play in reducing overall values of property.
Keeping this in mind the council had established goals for the 2013 budget and levy. They wanted to maintain or possibly reduce the overall levy. They also wanted to maintain current service levels and have departments live with the current expenditure limits that exist for 2012. With that in mind each department looked at priorities for spending, working their budgets to meet these needs.
A balanced draft budget was accomplished working around the same levy request as that for the 2012 budget year. The preliminary levy saw increases in the debt service levy with some reductions in the general fund levy. In the end, the preliminary levy certified for 2013 is the same levy as that requested for 2012. We continue to work on the budget and hope to find additional economies to further reduce the final levy. The final levy will be accomplished at the December meeting with an overview to our budget.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Walkways at City Hall
The city hall will soon sport new sidewalks.
If you have been to city hall you may have noticed the sidewalks have seen some deterioration. They were installed when the building was built in 1995. Exposed aggregate was used presumably to retard slipping in winter months. This may have been the thing to do at the time but with application of salt over the years the sidewalks have really taken a beating. The main walkway into the building has a large crack and hole creating a tripping hazard. They need to be replaced.
It was also felt that an additional sidewalk for handicap accessibility could be created on the east side of the building adjacent to the ramp to the council chambers. Recently we added door openers for accessibility on both entrances to the building, thus further improving access.
Quotes were received for this replacement. Quotes ranged from $1,200 to $1,625. The low quote was awarded and sidewalk replacements should be accomplished in the next week or so. Along with that installation we’ll take the time to do some minor repairs and staining of the wood boardwalks and railings. During the construction there will be some shifting of accesses as the main entryway will be closed. With any luck the disruption will only last a few days.
In the end, the sidewalks will be installed with a smooth broomed finish. A sealer will be applied to the concrete to aid in its durability. The concrete strength will be improved to stand up to salt applications that winter brings. And besides looking better, we’ll also have improved access with safer conditions.
If you have been to city hall you may have noticed the sidewalks have seen some deterioration. They were installed when the building was built in 1995. Exposed aggregate was used presumably to retard slipping in winter months. This may have been the thing to do at the time but with application of salt over the years the sidewalks have really taken a beating. The main walkway into the building has a large crack and hole creating a tripping hazard. They need to be replaced.
It was also felt that an additional sidewalk for handicap accessibility could be created on the east side of the building adjacent to the ramp to the council chambers. Recently we added door openers for accessibility on both entrances to the building, thus further improving access.
Quotes were received for this replacement. Quotes ranged from $1,200 to $1,625. The low quote was awarded and sidewalk replacements should be accomplished in the next week or so. Along with that installation we’ll take the time to do some minor repairs and staining of the wood boardwalks and railings. During the construction there will be some shifting of accesses as the main entryway will be closed. With any luck the disruption will only last a few days.
In the end, the sidewalks will be installed with a smooth broomed finish. A sealer will be applied to the concrete to aid in its durability. The concrete strength will be improved to stand up to salt applications that winter brings. And besides looking better, we’ll also have improved access with safer conditions.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Charter Improvements
Perhaps you have seen some construction near the ball fields at City Park. The area in question is just off North Drive on the west end of the ball field. There has been survey stakes at this location for about a month. What’s this all about?
Charter Cable has been operating their cable system from a small metal box at the intersection of Co. Rd. 11 and North Drive. You may have seen a Charter Cable truck there from time to time. This metal box has become too small to house all the equipment that serves the city with Cable TV. It is also subject to problems such as high temperatures. Charter had requested to build a larger box at this location but doing that would create safety issues with sight lines at the intersection. In working with them it was discussed that what they really wanted was a building that could house their equipment. Then it could be air conditioned to maintain proper operations and better quality with all the room they needed.
Locating at the present location was not an option. Trying to locate immediately south of the public works building was also not an option. Proper setbacks couldn’t be met. In continuing to look at property the city owns a location was found that would meet their needs. They wanted a 40 by 40 foot footprint for a concrete slab to house a 20 by 20 foot building. The slab would be enclosed by a chain link fence. The building would house the equipment needed for cable TV. The building would be outfitted with air conditioning and a backup generator to deal with power outages. As luck would have it the site was “shoehorned” into a location between the paved trail and a sanitary sewer easement. This location had little use except for green space.
The city agreed to lease this property to Charter for the purpose of improving their ability to serve the community. The process of construction has stated. We now have a small structure in this location. And with a good deal of work there will be new equipment serving Breezy Point with Cable TV.
Charter Cable has been operating their cable system from a small metal box at the intersection of Co. Rd. 11 and North Drive. You may have seen a Charter Cable truck there from time to time. This metal box has become too small to house all the equipment that serves the city with Cable TV. It is also subject to problems such as high temperatures. Charter had requested to build a larger box at this location but doing that would create safety issues with sight lines at the intersection. In working with them it was discussed that what they really wanted was a building that could house their equipment. Then it could be air conditioned to maintain proper operations and better quality with all the room they needed.
Locating at the present location was not an option. Trying to locate immediately south of the public works building was also not an option. Proper setbacks couldn’t be met. In continuing to look at property the city owns a location was found that would meet their needs. They wanted a 40 by 40 foot footprint for a concrete slab to house a 20 by 20 foot building. The slab would be enclosed by a chain link fence. The building would house the equipment needed for cable TV. The building would be outfitted with air conditioning and a backup generator to deal with power outages. As luck would have it the site was “shoehorned” into a location between the paved trail and a sanitary sewer easement. This location had little use except for green space.
The city agreed to lease this property to Charter for the purpose of improving their ability to serve the community. The process of construction has stated. We now have a small structure in this location. And with a good deal of work there will be new equipment serving Breezy Point with Cable TV.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
StormReady
The City of Breezy Point has recently been designated a “StormReady” city. This is a program that was established by the National Weather Service. Breezy Point is one of only 10 cities in the state with this designation. There are only 761 communities recognized nationwide.
To accomplish this goal an application must be made that shows we have the capability to deal with weather events in an efficient and expedient manner. The National Weather Service states:
“StormReady communities are better prepared to save lives from the onslaught of severe weather through advanced planning, education, and awareness. No community is storm proof, but StormReady can help communities save lives.”
StormReady has established a program where a community can measure just how prepared you are in the case of an emergency. It gives us some tools to look at concerning what has been accomplished and what areas need to be worked on. It helps to develop a structure or plan to deal with emergencies with expanded alert and notification capabilities, and a better understanding of threat areas and response/recovery responsibilities.
With the designation of StormReady the city will be installing signs at entrances to our community indicating our designation. We’re also allowed to use the logo as we see the need for its use.
Accomplishing this goal was an initiative of Police Officer Jason Rieber. Jason is also one of our Paramedics and has a great concern for public safety and welfare. Our thanks go out to him for this effort and with his help we have become a safer city.
To accomplish this goal an application must be made that shows we have the capability to deal with weather events in an efficient and expedient manner. The National Weather Service states:
“StormReady communities are better prepared to save lives from the onslaught of severe weather through advanced planning, education, and awareness. No community is storm proof, but StormReady can help communities save lives.”
StormReady has established a program where a community can measure just how prepared you are in the case of an emergency. It gives us some tools to look at concerning what has been accomplished and what areas need to be worked on. It helps to develop a structure or plan to deal with emergencies with expanded alert and notification capabilities, and a better understanding of threat areas and response/recovery responsibilities.
With the designation of StormReady the city will be installing signs at entrances to our community indicating our designation. We’re also allowed to use the logo as we see the need for its use.
Accomplishing this goal was an initiative of Police Officer Jason Rieber. Jason is also one of our Paramedics and has a great concern for public safety and welfare. Our thanks go out to him for this effort and with his help we have become a safer city.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)