Burlington Spotlight
February 2004

 

RETURN TO THE PAST

 

The City of Burlington hasn’t had much for snowfall this year, however, residents should be reminded that keeping the sidewalks clear of snow and ice is something that is not only a courtesy to other citizens for safety of walking, but is also required by City Ordinance. The owner, occupant or person in charge of each lot must remove any and all snow and ice that has fallen or accumulated on the sidewalk in front of the premises owned, occupied or cared for by them, within 18 hours after cessation of the snowfall. When ice has formed on any sidewalk and it cannot be removed, the sidewalk must be sprinkled with salt or sand to prevent the sidewalk from being dangerous. Upon notification by the Police Department, Public Works will have all sidewalks which have not been cleaned or sprinkled in the manner described above, the cost will be assessed and collected as a special tax against the abutting property. The amount charged for snow removal shall be at an hourly rate, per man, plus equipment. Any damage to equipment and repairs for such, will also be charged to the property owner. Any concerns or questions regarding snow/ice removal from sidewalks may be called to the Department of Public Works at 763-2060.

2004 park reservations can now be made at the Department of Public Works located at 824 Milwaukee Avenue. The costs include $35.00 for residents and $75.00 for non residents with a $100.00 security deposit required by all. For additional please call 763-2060.

If you notice a street light out, please get the address where the light pole is located and report it to the Department of Public Works at 763-2060. We will in turn report it to WE Energies for repair. At times due to the workload it may take up to a month before WE Energies can dispatch someone to Burlington to make the necessary repairs. Your help and patience regarding this matter is appreciated.
 

To make paying your income tax somewhat less painful, Burlington Public Library provides many of the Wisconsin and Federal tax forms and instruction booklets. Federal forms are also available online at www.irs.gov and Wisconsin forms are online at www.dor.state.wi.us. We will be happy to help find the forms you need, but we cannot give tax advice.

Four classes of preschool storytimes begin again the end of January and run through the end of February. Parents with babies through kindergartners can call the library to sign up for age-appropriate storytimes. The Lapsit and 3-4's classes are on Tuesdays and the Toddler and 5-and-up classes are on Thursdays. See Ruhama for more details, or stop by the library for a flyer.

Both the Youth Book Discussion Group and the Teen Book Club are meeting in February, and we've got some exciting books lined up. The Youth Book Group will be reading Bull Run by Paul Fleischman and the Teen Book Club will be reading Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman. See Ruhama for more information or to join.
 

Racine County T R I A D’s File of Life program helps members of the Police and Fire Department provide services at times when you or a family member may not be able to communicate effectively due to medical reasons or personal injury. Residents with severe medical problems, seniors, and other interested citizens are provided a FREE File of Life packet. The packet consists of a File of Life information envelope and a magnet for placement on your refrigerator door. The File of Life information envelope has areas to record personal information concerning medical conditions, drug allergies, emergency contact numbers for friends and family members, doctors information, prescription information and any special circumstances rescue personnel should know. In an emergency, rescue workers responding to your home will look for the File of Life envelope on your refrigerator door. Your File of Life information will help guide on-scene treatment and notification of your doctor and your family members. Immediate access to this information greatly helps rescue personnel provide the best in quality care.

You can obtain a File of Life Packet from the City of Burlington Police Department (342-1100) or The Burlington Library (342-1130). We will request your name and address so a follow up may be done to see if you have any questions.
 

Rechargeable batteries, like nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) or small sealed lead-acid (SSLA) batteries, contain toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury, and lead. These batteries are commonly found in cordless power tools, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, camcorders, digital cameras, and remote control toys. When thrown away these batteries can cause serious harm to human health and the environment if they are discarded with ordinary household or workplace waste. Approximately 73 percent of municipal solid waste is either landfilled or incinerated. Neither of these methods is suited for the disposal of rechargeable batteries.

The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) can help you recycle your portable rechargeable batteries. Listed below are following participants in which you can drop off your old rechargeable batteries.

Talk of the Town
682 Milwaukee Ave.
Burlington, WI 53105

Ace Hardware
26404 Oakridge Dr.
Waterford, WI 53185

Radio Shack
737 W. Main St.
Lake Geneva, WI 53147

Countryside Humane Society will be offering a rabies clinic in Burlington on February 21, 2004 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in cooperation with the Burlington Police Department. Rabies shots for dogs and cats will be available for $10. Other preventative vaccines will also be at this clinic, including canine Distemper, feline vaccine as well as identification chipping. For more information please contact Countryside Humane Society at 554-6699 or Michelle Cannon of the Burlington Police Department at 342-1100.
 

The only local issue on the February ballot is the school referendum. This is the first year that the Presidential Primary will be held in February rather than on the usual April date. This change was made in 2003 by our state legislature in an effort to give Wisconsin voters more of a say in the presidential primary. The election for City’s Mayor, Alderman and Judge will be held on April 6, 2004. The only contested election is the 3^rd District Alderman position.

On Election Day the polls will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. In the State of Wisconsin we have voter registration on the day of election, but be sure to bring proper identification with you. If you are unable to be at the polls on Election Day you still have the ability to vote by requesting an absentee ballot. These ballots are available in the clerk’s office several weeks prior to an election and you may stop at city hall and vote during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you are going to be out of town and cannot come to city hall and vote, you may request a ballot be mailed to you.

We are always looking for poll workers. If you are interested in being part of the election process and doing something nice for your community this is the job for you.

If you have any questions regarding elections, you may contact the City Clerk at 342-1171.