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In this Issue City Manager’s Message City Council Members 2013 City Offi ce Closures Fire & Ice Stay Safe in Your Home Painting of the Garfi eld Footbridge 101 T ings to do around Laramie Police Department Invites Parnerships with Citizens COL Financial Outlook Transmission Line Project All About the Turner Tract? Are you Greening COL Phone Numbers City of Laramie P.O. Box C, Laramie, WY 82073 [PHONE REDACTED] I www.cityofl aramie.org City of Laramie February 2013 1 A Spark in the Night Thomas Alva Edison, sitting next to one of his early phonograph designs. CREDIT: The Edison Museum Thomas Alva Edison in 1878, aged 31. PHOTO: Wikipedia, public domain City of Laramie I Community Newsletter I February 2013 I Vol. 1 No. 1 W ikipedia notes Laramie is the “Gem City of the Plains,” but the Web site does not elaborate on how that came about. Most area residents know of the city’s namesake, French furtrapper Jacques La Ramie. The surprising story behind “the Gem City of the Plains” is rather less known. Thomas Alva Edison, the consummate inventor, created the incandescent lamp which now lights the world. He planned, installed, and operated the first central power plant which was the foundation of the world’s electric industry, and he held 410 patents by the end his career. Early Wyoming newspapers document that in July of 1878, Mr. Edison, along with more than a dozen distinguished international scientists traveled to Separation, Wyoming, (now nonexistent, but then 13 miles west of Rawlins) to view the solar eclipse in totality. The trip required much preparation, but little diversion. This was arranged in a second trip – a game hunt – with pack horses through the mountains to Battle Lake in the Sierra Madres, southwest of Laramie. The Sheridan Press (Jan. 7, 1932) quotes Separation’s telegrapher, noting “their combined knowledge of game killing was about equal to mine of parallaxes and spectrums, and when they (returned)…their total bag consisted of one sparrow hawk!” Edison’s “take,” however, came in the form of inspiration. As with most inventors, genius comes in flashes, and seldom fullfledged. Others had developed variants of shortlived incandescence as early as 1800. Edison worked years on the concept before his flash of genius that very night in camp at Battle Lake in Wyoming. His bamboo fishing rod and the light of the bright stars in the Wyoming mountains created inspiration for the right material with an extended filament life. Edison and others had tried platinum, cord, wire, hair, and silk, but Edison’s new concept of a high resistance lamp in a very high vacuum employing carbonized bamboo successfully created the first commerciallypractical incandescent light of a longer life. Returning to his labs on the East coast via Laramie, Edison quickly perfected the concept in December 1879, employing “a filament of carbon of high resistance,” to successfully complete his patent. In January 1932, The Republican Boomerang, reported that Laramie’s Robert Galbraith, and master mechanic at the Laramie Union Pacific Railroad shops in the 1880’s, was the organizer of that very hunting party. Galbraith returned to Laramie in 1932 for a visit with UW’s Dr. Grace Raymond Hebard, to confer on the possibility of formally changing Battle Lake’s name to “Lake Edison” through the Wyoming State Legislature. Renaming Battle Lake did not occur, but research provides much corroborative anecdotal material. “Everything Wyoming claims about Battle Lake is true,” Denver Post’s Zeke Scher wrote in 1979. Laramie was home to the first electrical plant in the Rocky Mountains, thanks to Edison’s experience here, and his motivation to develop electricity’s necessary infrastructure. From the earliest of its availability, Laramie has lit up the night sky like a gem, fittingly having earned its name “Gem City of the Plains.” ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Laramie February 2013 2 W hen you contact your City govern ment through email, telephone or a personal visit, you’re almost certain to run into a friend, neighbor or acquain tance. To provide the varied services and products required by Laramie’s 30,816 citizens, the City employs a staff of about twohundred and fifty. Staff members pride themselves on adding value to our community by working hard every day to provide a variety of services from quality drinking water to emer gency medical care, policing services to recreation and wellness activities, as well as planning for Laramie’s future. Of course, providing highquality service to citizens isn’t possible without consistent, timely and reliable information. Communication is the core component of any successful endeavor, whether in business, personal relationships, or in a community. Toward that end, the City has suc cessfully established new avenues for informationsharing and dialogue in the last few years. Many citizens have taken the opportunity to express a concern, share kudos with elected officials or staff members, or ask questions through the City’s relatively new social media outlets and redesigned website. We have worked hard to estab lish an active partnership with local radio and newspaper media. We are reaching out directly to citizens through this – your Gem City Spark citizen newsletter. City Manager Jordan The City’s redoubled communication effort is a first step, but the next step remains with you. Building a vibrant, desirable and sustainable community requires a strong team effort and part nership between citizens, City staff, and elected officials. Some choose to partici pate directly in governance decisions by volunteering to serve on City boards and commissions. Others provide construc tive suggestions and observations through formal public meetings, or through in formal communication with staff and council members. But no matter how it occurs, your involvement in local govern ment shapes the future and we welcome your participation as we work together to build and sustain a great community! Laramie has been fortunate to be able to make significant investments in our community in recent years. We’re rehabilitating water and sewer systems, making roadway improvements, and constructing an environmentally friendly sanitary landfill that will be compliant with Federal and State regulations. Great things continue to happen for Laramie, but it is the strength of the partnership between City staff, citizens, and elected officials that ultimately determine how we achieve the community we envision for ourselves and our children. What does the City of Laramie What does the City of Laramie What does the City of Laramie Human Resources Department do? Human Resources Department do? Human Resources Department do? y H R D t t y H R D t t y H R D t t y H R D t t y H R D t t y Human Resources is a diffi cult-to-defi ne department. What we do is not obvious to most citizens, unlike some departments. A few of the services we provide to our employees and community are: • Manage employment opportunities • Provide supervisor and leadership training • Manage benefi t and compensation • Maintain all personnel records • Manage the Employee Wellness Program • Mitigate employee concerns • Maintain Federal and State record compliance CALL US AT 721-5247 INFORMATION 721-5200 CITY MANAGER JANINE JORDAN 7215226 ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER DAVE DERRAGON 7215304 CITY CLERK SUE MORRIS-JONES 7215233 CITY ATTORNEY DAVID CLARK 7215319 WARD 1 PAUL WEAVER, VICE MAYOR 742-2471 pweaver@cityofl aramie.org VICKI HENRY vhenry@cityofl aramie.org ROGER MCKINLEY 3433164 rmckinley@cityofl aramie.org WARD 2 DAVE PAULEKAS, MAYOR 742-7687 dpaulekas@cityofl aramie.org JAYNE PEARCE 742-0393 jpearce@cityofl aramie.org JOE SHUMWAY 7429951 jshumway@cityofl aramie.org WARD 3 KLAUS HANSON 7454982 khanson@cityofl aramie.org JOSEPH VITALE 7453426 jvitale@cityofl aramie.org LEE KEMPERT 7457978 lkempert@cityofl aramie.org Laramie City Council Let us know... How can we serve you better? In what ways does City government bring the most value to you and the larger community? Dear Citizens, January 1 ~ New Year’s Day February 18 ~ President’s Day May 27 ~ Memorial Day July 4 ~ Independence Day September 2 ~ Labor Day November 11 ~ Veterans Day November 28 & 29 ~ Thanksgiving December 25 ~ Christmas Day Check the City calendar on our website for current events and meetings. 2013 City Holidays ---PAGE BREAK--- F or a guy whose job involves battling heat, Russ Matheson spends a lot of time in the cold. As a company officer and shift trainer for the Laramie Fire Department, Russ prepares his department to respond to emergencies, that often involves Wyoming’s cold weather. In 1995, he instituted LFD’s Ice & Moving Water Program to train for extreme environment rescue conditions. When he’s not working, he regularly patrols the slopes at Snowy Range Ski and Recreation Area as a longtime member of the National Ski Patrol, and he assists with search and rescue situations. His love of winter sports travels with him as a professional and a volunteer. It’s no surprise that Russ has participated in the National Firefighter’s Ski Races since they began 24 years ago. A charitable fund raising event whose proceeds go to firefighters, their families, and burn victims, the Ski Races bring up to 150 participants from 10 states together in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Firefighters and their guests competed in January to raise money for the Denver Firefighters Burn Foundation and the IAFF Burn Foundation. Perhaps the most notable event is the Hose Race, in which firefighters ski in full protective gear carrying a 50foot fire hose through a series of obstacles. On a Full Giant Slalom course (over 900 vertical feet), Russ won the Gold Medal in the Expert Over 50 division. As the fastest firefighter in the downhill event, bragging rights are justified, but when asked about the accomplishment, Russ notes skiing is his family’s passion. Or, he focuses on the fact that professional and retired firefighters from all over the country show up to support Burn Foundations each year. Matheson’s enthusiasm for coldweather endeavors is invaluable to his community and his profession. February 2013 3 E ach year, one in every three adults ages 65 or older falls, and 2 million are treated in emergency departments for fallrelated injuries. The risk of falling increases with each decade of life. The long term consequences of fall injuries, such as hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries, can impact the health and independence of older adults. Fortunately, falls are not an inevitable part of aging. In fact, many falls can be prevented. Everyone can take actions to protect themselves or the older adults they care about. GET SOME EXERCISE. Lack of exercise can lead to weak legs which increases the chances of falling. Exercise programs like Tai Chi can increase strength and improve balance, making falls much less likely. BE MINDFUL OF MEDICATIONS. Some medicines—or combinations of medicines—can have side effects like dizziness or drowsiness. Having a doctor or pharmacist review all medications can help reduce the chance of risky side effects and drug interactions. KEEP VISION SHARP. Poor vision can make it harder to get around safely. To help make sure they are seeing clearly, older adults should have their eyes checked every year and use the right prescription strength. ELIMINATE HAZARDS AT HOME. About half of all falls happen at home. A home safety survey can help identify potential fall hazards that need to be removed or changed, like tripping hazards, clutter, and poor lighting. The Laramie Fire Department will provide a Home Safety Survey to identify potential hazards in your home. Theses hazards may be tripping hazards, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, combustibles stored too close to heat producing appliances, electrical outlets, flammable liquid storage, etc. The Home Safety Survey will take approximately 3045 minutes. This service is provided free of charge for City of Laramie residents. There are no requirements to change or modify any identified hazards. These are merely safety recommendations for the occupant. If a home is found to be without functioning smoke detectors, detectors will be installed free of charge. The Wyoming State Fire Marshall’s Office has available smoke detectors through grant funding. Anyone wishing to schedule a Home Safety Survey can contact the Laramie Fire Department at 7215330 to set an appointment. OM OM OM O R R R U OU OU OU YO YO YO Y Y Y N E E E F A SA SA SA Y S Y S Y S AY AY AY TA TA TA ST ST ST S O O S S E M H R U Y N I E F A Y A T E S S A A M R N E M O H R U O Y N I E F A S AY AY AY AY AY AY TA TA TA S O O R A A F or a guy whose job FIRE & ICE?? Calling for Great Photographs! www.cityofl aramie.org W E NEED YOU and your AWE SOME PICTURES from around Laramie and Albany County. Who better to contribute than YOU? The City of Laramie would like to attract excellent photos for the City website, newslet ters, advertising, and communications. FORMAT: Send pictures as a .jpg or .pdf. If you are not sure what format your pictures are, send them anyway! Most formats can be accommodated. SUBJECTS: We’re completely open, as long as the picture has some connection to Laramie/Albany County. Scenery, events, people, places and things – the sky is the limit (as long as it’s local sky). Please let us know in your email what the picture is about, unless it’s clear from the photo itself. HOW LONG ARE YOU ACCEPTING PHOTOS? We would love for you to send photos all year long. We need several right away so we can start using them immediately! Submit what you have now, and send us your new ones later! If you would like photographer’s credit noted on the picture when it is published on the Web, please let us know how you would like that to appear. Editorial staff reserves the right to crop or adjust for color and contrast. WHERE DO I SEND MY PHOTOS? Send photos to: [EMAIL REDACTED] Thank you for your creative contributions! If you have questions, please call 7215247 ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Laramie February 2013 4 girders, modified steel cantilever girders, and hotriveted steel plate girders. He noted that if the footbridge was built today, the structural design would likely be the same across the entire span. The landings on the stairs at the East end were previously believed to be failing due to possible foundation settlement issues. The structural engineer determined that the footbridge stair structure was designed to accommodate expansion and contraction of the steel, however the handrails on the stairs were attached directly to the landing deck, thereby not permitting the handrails to properly expand or contract. This design issue resulted in the failure of the concrete decking of the stair landings where the handrails were permanently attached. With the repainting project, the stair landings were repaired and replaced to accommodate future expansion and contraction. After a twentythree year effort to complete the improvements identified within the original analysis of the footbridge, the eighty three year old footbridge is in great shape, and will remain a historic downtown icon and major pedestrian and bicycle route over the Union Pacific rail yard for many years to come. Painting of the Garfield Street Footbridge T he Garfield Street Footbridge was painted in the fall of 2012. With generous grant awards from the Wyoming Department of Transportation in the amount of $200,000 for a Transportation Enhancement Activities Local (TEAL) grant, and a Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund grant in the amount of $30,000 along with $65,000 from the city, the project was completed at the end of October for a total cost of $292,906. With this project’s completion, several interesting facts were discovered. The Garfield Street Footbridge is one of only two remaining original pedestrian bridges over the Union Pacific Railroad main lines west of the Mississippi. The footbridge structure is over 1,226 feet in length, and spans the Union Pacific rail yard from First Street to Pine Street. UPR constructed both the Garfield Street footbridge and a vehicular viaduct at University Street. It is interesting that the footbridge remains pretty much as it was originally constructed in 1929, and the viaduct at University Street has been replaced with a viaduct at Clark Street, and is scheduled to be replaced again in 2016. The original agreement between the City of Laramie and the Union Pacific Railroad, executed on April 8, 1929, for the construction and maintenance of the viaduct and footbridge, remains in effect today. The premise of the agreement is “for the purpose of constructing a safe highway across the tracks and the voter’s preference for the viaduct to be located along University Avenue.” The Garfield Street footbridge was in such disrepair by 1989, that the City, in cooperation with the Union Pacific Railroad, completed a structural review and analysis identifying structural issues and concerns with the footbridge; primarily focusing on the deteriorated concrete pier footings, foundations, and decking. With the completion of the footbridge analysis, WYDOT awarded the City a TEAL grant in 1992; the first ever received by Laramie, to repair and replace the deteriorated concrete piers and footings. The second phase of the project in 199394 replaced the majority of the concrete decking. The analysis identified two other areas of minor concern for future repair: to reestablish the footbridge lighting, and to repaint the structural steel of the footbridge. Fastforward to 2009 when the City, with the assistance of the Laramie Main Street Alliance, along with a Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund grant, replaced the original light fixtures on the footbridge. Based on old photos of the footbridge, the original lighting consisted of shrouded light bulbs over the footbridge walkway. The final phase of the project began in 2011 with an assessment of the structural integrity of the steel along with analyzing the coatings for the presence of lead for recoating the structural steel. The structural engineer, who worked on the initial analysis in 1989, was retained to evaluate the footbridge for recoating. The assessment determined that the slight corrosion and rust that was visible has not damaged the structural integrity of the steel footbridge. The engineer also noted that the footbridge construction encompasses a number of different type of structural bridge designs for the varying length of the spans. He noted that the use of different structural bridge designs were likely the result of the Union Pacific Railroad using structural designs previously completed for other railroad bridges.” The bridge includes riveted steel “Warren trusses” that span over one hundred feet, along with rolled steel A new Parks & Recreation Master Plan is being developed. Join us for public meetings to present the general plan elements and gather public opinion. Help us plan for the future! February 27 12 – 2 pm Recreation Center 5:30 – 8 pm Recreation Center February 28 12 – 2 pm Fire Station 2 6 – 8 pm Lincoln Community Center Questions? Email... PTRMasterPlan@cityofl aramie.org ---PAGE BREAK--- For more information on how we can become partners call [PHONE REDACTED]. 1. Crosscountry ski at Happy Jack 2. Friday Night Fever at the University Union 3. Ice fi sh at Lake Soda Green 4. Ice skate at the Ice and Event Center, www.cityofl aramie.org 5. Attend an Open Mic Night at Coal Creek Coffee www.coalcreekcoffee.com 6. Attend concerts at Night Heron Books, www.nightheronbooks.com 7. Square dance at the Quadra Dangle www.quadradangle.squaredancing.org 8. Visit the Anthropology Museum, www.uwyo.edu/anthropology/museum 9. Participate in the Murf the Surf’s Round the Town Poker Run Benefi t, www.laramielowdown.com/index.php?view=details&id=30%3Amurfthe surfsqroundthetownqpokerrun&option=com_eventlist 10. Join a Snow sculpting competition www.sunset.com/travel/rockies/frostyfantasies00400000022113 11. Go bowling at Laramie Lanes 12. Go to a High School Horse Show, http://lhs.acsd1.org/index. php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21&Itemid=210 13. Check out UW events, www.uwyo.edu/uw/calendar 14. Downhill ski and snow shoe at Snowy Range Ski Area www.snowyrangeski.com 15. Snowmobile in the Snowy Range Mountains 16. Snow shoe in Happy Jack and the Snowy Range www.cyclewyoming.org/snow.htm 17. Visit the University of Wyoming’s Geological Museum www.uwyo.edu/geomuseum 18. Visit a Laramie art gallery, www.artisansgallery.net 19. Camping both summer & winter 20. Go sledding on Pole Mountain, www.mbna.pbworks.com 1 Cross co ntr ski at Happ Jack 1 Cross co ntr ski at Happ Jack 101 Things To Do In & Around Laramie www.cityofl aramie.org February 2013 5 Visit our website for the rest of the list at www.cityofl aramie.org H ello, my name is Commander Mitch Cushman. You may recognize my name from the paper since I do many of the informational releases for the Laramie Police Department. I have raised my children here and my wife has worked in the schools for 30 years. I have worked at the Laramie Police Department for 31 years. We laugh at home that between the two of our positions, we know almost all of Laramie. As individuals, you may know police officers as neighbors, but do you know what influences your Police Department or why we do things the way we do? Do you think all police are alike no matter where they live in the country? Let me present you with some information that may help you understand us better. In Wyoming, all sworn officers are known as “Peace Officers” in State law. Much of what peace officers do is based on constitutional law, state law, municipal ordinances and the specific rules that each department has. ‘Peace Officer’ also suggests the goal of police and sheriff’s departments as well. Our intent is to keep the peace. This can be accomplished by enforcing laws. But being part of “law enforcement” is philosophically different then the goal of enforcing law. Officers bring reasonableness to enforcement, rather than just enforcement based upon the letter of the law. Much of what we do is measured by how reasonable we are when we act. Our ‘reasonableness’ is a result of our training, our perception, and this may be surprising to you—where we live. Sir Robert Peel said, “Police are the public and public are the police”. This is ultimately a partnership between Laramie Police Department invites Partnerships with Citizens the community and the police who serve them. Because we know and come from the same community, we treat you with respect; because you know us, you trust us to act justly. How do we get to know each other better? Conversations with friends, decisions that judges make after enforcement has occurred, the stance our department sets as policy, and feedback we get from our community through direct communication. Direct communication includes talking with officers when a crime occurs, calls to our Department, letters to the editor, social media, and communication with City leadership. The partnership and understanding we already have is why your officers in Laramie are unique from peace keepers anywhere else in the world. We serve you, not the people in Los Angeles or New York. We have different expectations here, than do people there. Consequently, we learn acceptable levels of enforcement from many sources—including you. How we enforce equates to what you believe to be reasonable; together we create the ‘community standard’ for Laramie. One of the ideals we hold dear is our Code of Ethics. This embodies what is best in our profession and we believe this as an ideal to emulate. The excerpt here is from the Laramie Police Department General Orders and part of our policy in how we behave. We are all looking for the same thing. Your “Peace Officers” make you safer and you are looking to be safer. Let’s work together. recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I will accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the police service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession…law enforcement.” -LPD General Order excerpt ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Laramie February 2013 6 T he staff of the Administrative Services Department created a new report titled the “City of Laramie ‑Financial Outlook.” Council members and the staff of Administrative Services wanted to provide the citizens of Laramie with key finnacial data and provide financial transparency. T he COL Utility Division has contracted with Camp Creek Engineering of Laramie and Mechanical Systems, Inc. of Cheyenne to evaluate approximately 28 total miles of 20” and 24” water transmission pipelines between the water treatment plant and the City of Laramie. The purpose of this project is to clean, evaluate, and address pipeline flow from the water treatment plant to the City. The maximum amount of water that can be treated from the surface water near the water treatment plant is approximately 9.2 million gallons per day (MGD). The treated water is conveyed to the city by gravity using water-transmission lines. However, under gravity flow, these transmission lines currently can only convey about 7 MGD, creating a bottle neck situation. The 20” transmission line was installed between 1945 and 1946. It was initially used as a raw water line conveying raw river water to the water treatment plant located on Pine Street. When the current water treatment plant was constructed on Hwy 230 in 1963, this line was converted to a treated water transmission line. The 24” transmission line was installed in 1963, when the current water treatment plant was built. It has been a treated water transmission line since construction. The transmission line project started on November 26, 2012, and is scheduled to be completed by March 2013. There are two parts to this project. The project will start at the water treatment plant and will end at mile marker 6 on Hwy 230 where blow offs exist for each of the transmission lines. This is approximately 14 miles for each line. One line will remain in service while the work is being done on the other to ensure water service to the City is not interrupted. (continued p.7) The report provides information on all operational funds such as the General Fund, Recreation Center Fund, Utility Fund (Water & Wastewater) and Solid Waste Fund. The Financial Outlook Report summarizes income statement information including revenues, expenditures and trends. Balance sheet information is reported using a current financial resources measurement focus so that users can see the City’s available resources, as well as the restrictions of those resources. As you can see in the General Fund Revenue chart, over 50% of the budgeted General Fund revenues come from both sales and use tax (34%) and supplemental state funding The City of Laramie controls some revenues such as charges for services to a lesser degree franchise fees and miscellaneous expenses The General Fund Expenditures chart expenses which include capital and equipment, operating (by division/department), and debt. The City of Laramie Financial Outlook Report is available at www.cityoflaramie.org/Administrative Services Department/Accounting/Finance, and includes a Frequently Asked Questions guide to assist users. City of Laramie Financial Outlook Transmission Line Cleaning and Analysis Project ---PAGE BREAK--- S outh of Grand Avenue and including the Recreation Center, Laramie County Community College, Mountain West Farm Bureau and WalMart is Laramie’s Turner Tract. The Turner Tract is a 628acre area of land bounded by Garfield Street and Grand Avenue on the North, Vista Drive on the east, Interstate 80 on the South and what would be the future extension of 30th Street on the West. The Turner Tract was acquired in 1942 from James J. and Mary Elizabeth (Turner) Feese. At that time, Grand Avenue was still the main highway into town (Interstate 80 did not exist) and the town was barely developed east of 22nd Street. Back then people probably wondered why the we would be interested in land outside of the City. The progressive thinkers of the past enabled the City to attract businesses to the community due to this land. In the late 1990’s development talks occurred. In 2001, the City sold its first parcel of land to the Mountain West Farm Bureau; which is now their corporate headquarters. Since then, the City has accommodated other tenants, including Laramie County Community College and CBMA Associates to this property. The City has also invested in the Turner Tract land by constructing the Recreation Center, trails and Gateway Park. The City also has additional land still for sale and actively negotiates with potential private buyers and companies looking at coming to Laramie. If you or somebody you know has a business in need of space to grow, contact the City Manager’s office and for assistance. The City has interest in several lots, and is open to new interests. In 2001, the City Planning Commission passed a Resolution directing staff to create a plan for the City’s land. The Planning Commission envisioned an area of town that could be used to locate businesses that would create a mixeduse development of homes, apartments, and offices; and bring highpaying jobs to Laramie, effectively expanding the City’s tax base. The Planning Commission noted that companies such as Mountain West Farm Bureau, and the City, have made significant investments in the area, and want to ensure quality development remained. A vision was established to create an active neighborhood, complete with recreational opportunities such as parks, trails, and open space. In 2003, after almost two years of Planning, the City Council adopted the Turner Tract Plan. This plan is a “visiondocument” – a guide to what will occur generally in the area. The plan maps generally the type of developments and where they will occur—including retail, office, residential, and multifamily. The actual development pattern has changed as the land has been developed. However, the overall development plan remains essentially the same. The City is currently working with a consultant to update the 2003 plan to reflect recent development trends and proposed new development, including the high school. In Spring 2013, Turner Tract property owners and citizens will be able to participate in this exciting proces. We encourage quality development to continue to occur in the Turner Tract and encourage citizens to be involved as the plan is updated. www. cityofl aramie.org February 2013 7 All About the Turner Tract Pipe cleaning is done by installing a cylindershaped device with cleaning brushes attached to the outside, and is smaller than the inside diameter of the pipe. This is called a “pig.” There are usually three or more “pigs” connected together to remove material attached to the inside of the pipe. The pig is placed in the pipe from a “launching pit,” and recovered on the other end at a “receiving pit.” The speed of the pig through the pipe is controlled by both the flow of water released at the blowoff and water pumped down the pipe. Cleaning reduces the friction on the flowing water. The next step evaluates the integrity of the pipe walls on both transmission lines. This is done in conjunction with the pipecleaning by increasing the operating pressure within the pipelines as the “pig” moves through the pipelines. The location of the pig will be tracked as well as the pressure in the pipe and if the pressure drops significantly, it is an indication of a failure. The failure will need to be located and repaired before the cleaning process can continue. This step provides information to determine whether pumps should be installed at the water treatment plant to convey more water to the city through these pipelines or if other options, such as lining or replacement, will be necessary to address the additional required flow. When the project is complete, a report will be compiled on the condition of the pipelines. An action plan will then be written to address solutions to pipeline shortcomings. ---PAGE BREAK--- www.cityofl aramie.org February 2013 8 City of Laramie PO Box C Laramie, WY 82073 Postal Customer Green Dumpsters Spring is approaching! Did you notice that green dumpsters are placed at a variety of locations around town? These green dumpsters are a hit and provide residents with an environmentally friendly option to dispose of small branches and grass clippings. Look for these dumpsters to return again in upcoming months. You may also deliver these items to the City dump for the compost pile yourself, free of charge. For more information, contact the Solid Waste Division at 7215279. Christmas Tree Recycling Did you know that every year the City of Laramie recycles Christmas Trees? There is no need to stuff them in a trash can! Each Christmas the City sets up a variety of pickup locations to turn the trees to valuable mulch! If you leave your tree on the curb and we will pick it up. Community Gardens The Parks and Recreation Department has 10’ X 15’ community garden plots available so you can grow your own vegetables! They can be reserved for $20 per growing season –water included! Contact the Parks & Recreation Department at 7215267 and say Green Thumb! Garbage Can and Rack Disposal We’ll take your old trash cans and racks off your hands! Contact the Solid Waste Division at 7215279 if you would like to dispose of your garbage can rack and cans used previously with the manual waste collection system. Community Cleanup Day Community Cleanup is scheduled for APRIL 20th. Picking up trash and hazardous material will help improve Laramie and get rid of potential harms to the environment. Volunteers should meet at 8 a.m. at Shelter #1 in Washington Park for bags and location assignments. In addition to cleaning up Laramie, you can haul your unwanted junk to the landfill, and the basic fee for the landfill will be waived! Fees for hazardous items, large items and tires will still apply. Contact Code Enforcement at 7215285 if you have questions. Mulch pile at the landfi ll Compost Dumpsters available around town Are You Greening Up? C u Gre g U i G g G e G e G e G ee g ee g ee g ee g G g ng ng ng ng ng ng ng Gre Gre Gre Gre Gre Gre Green een een een een een een G e n re re re re re re re ree ee ee ee ee ee ee e G e G i G g G n e ee e g r g n i n g i e e Gre Gre Gre Gre Gre Gre Green een een een een een een G en en en en en en en re re re re re re reen een een een een een een g ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng ng G e g EMERGENCIES Dispatch–non-emergency ....721-2526 INFORMATION Animal Control Accounting City Clerk 721-5220 City Manager 721-5226 Code Administration Engineering Greenhill Cemetery Fire Administration Human Resources...............721-5247 Municipal Court.................721-5205 Parks and Recreation Planning Police Administration .........721-3547 Solid Waste 721-5309 Streets Utility Billing 721-5222 Utilities 721-5206 City Contact Numbers STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LARAMIE, WY PERMIT NO. 8