Burlington Spotlight - October 2007

Burlington Spotlight
October 2007

MEETINGS

10/02 5:30 p.m. Community Development Authority 10/18 6:30 p.m. Park Board

10/02 6:30 p.m. City Council 10/23 4:00 p.m. Library Board

10/03 6:30 p.m. Police & Fire Commission 10/25 6:00 p.m. Airport Committee

10/09 6:30 p.m. Plan Commission 10/25 6:30 p.m. Historic Preservation Commission

10/16 6:30 p.m. City Council

Trick or Treat – Sunday, October 28th from 2-5 P.M.
Please be safe and have fun!
Remember to always check all candy before eating

AUTUMN CARE & CLEAN UP

By: Debra Rintamaki, Department of Public Works

LEAF COLLECTION
Leaf pick-up begins the first of October and continues through mid-November (weather permitting). Leaves should be raked into the gutter. It is advisable to rake them 6-8" out from the edge of curb to allow storm water to flow unobstructed.

BRUSH PICK UP
Local, at the curb, brush pick-up is a service offered to our residents, on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, to help with the removal of brush and larger branches. In order for this service to be cost effective, we only pick up brush that has been called in. Please call 763-2060 to have your address placed on the Brush Pick-Up list each time that you need this service. Unfortunately if you do not call in your address, your brush will not be picked up. Please call in your address for a pick-up by no later then the prior Tuesday, and place your brush and larger branches next to, but not on, the street next to your home on Tuesday evening before the Wednesday pick-up.

COMPOST AREA
The Compost Area located on Maryland Avenue is a valuable asset to the City of Burlington, and is open daily. There are designated areas for you to drop off your yard waste, leaves, brush, branches, oil and antifreeze. Also available free of charge at this site are wood chips and compost.

Concrete, building materials, appliances, carpet and any garbage may not be dumped off at the Compost site. When these materials are dropped off at the compost area then the taxpayer ends up paying to have the items removed. So please remember that Veolia, the City's residential garbage collector, will pick up these materials at your home and the service is free of charge. You must contact Veolia at 1-800-232-0860 to arrange for a pick up.

AUGUST LIBRARY NEWS

By: Carole Rybarczyk, Circulation Supervisor

Seniors! On Monday, Oct. 15 at 10:30 area Seniors are invited to the program "THE GREAT COVER-UP". We will be discussing quilts, is there anyone who has never experienced the joy of snuggling down under a quilt on a cool, crisp night? For hundreds of years, people have used and treasured quilts. You are invited to SHOW AND TELL your favorite quilt. We will provide coffee and snack, you provide the quilts and stories. We meet on the main floor in the storytime area–no stairs. No registration is required.

Join the Burlington Public Library Adult Book Discussion group when they meet on Oct. 22 at 7:00pm to discuss PLUM WINE by Angela Davis-Gardner. What makes this book powerful is its' commentary about the long-term effects of war, the inability of human beings to ever get over the past or to really understand each other's cultures, and the devastating consequences of American foreign policy. Enter post-war Japan and become immersed in Barbara, a young American teacher, as she tries to bridge two worlds, two eras, and two lives.

WATER & SEWER UTILITY - DIRECT PAYMENT PLAN

By: Connie Wilson, Utilities Manager

The City of Burlington quarterly utility bills for water and sewer are due in January, April, July and October. The City offers customers a Direct Payment Plan option, similar to payment programs offered by electric, gas and telephone companies in Wisconsin.

The utility bill payment is made automatically from your checking or savings account on the due date. The Direct Pay customer continues to be sent the quarterly utility bill with the notation "Do Not Pay - Direct Pay". Many customers find the Direct Pay automatic deduction a great convenience, with fewer checks to write, savings on postage and the payment is always made on time. It is easy to sign up for and easy to cancel.

For more information on the Direct Payment Plan, please contact the Water Utility at 262-342-1173.

OCTOBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

By: Scot Eisenhauer, Chief of Police

The Western Racine County Family Violence Community Coalition (WRCFVCC) began in 2002 to address issues of child abuse, domestic violence, elder abuse and sexual assault specific to victims and their families in Western Racine County. The mission of the Coalition is: Western Racine County Family Violence Community Coalition is committed to developing, nurturing and sustaining a community free of abuse and violence.

The goals of the WRCFVCC are to:

To develop sensitive and effective responses to survivors.
Promote and develop practices that hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.
Increase community awareness of abuse and violence issues.
Provide opportunities for collaboration between service providers.
Improve access to appropriate services.

The Coalition is open to any individual who has an interest in working toward the above goals and mission. The meetings are held the third Thursday of every month from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Aurora Wellness Center, Classroom B located at 300 McCanna Parkway. Lunch is provided. For more information about the coalition, please contact Co-Chairpersons, Vicki Biehn at 262-763-6226, ext. 31 or vbiehn@lsswis.org or Laurella Thomas at 262- 767-6806 or laurella.thomas@aurora.org

The Coalition has participated in fund raising opportunities, candle light vigils in April honoring survivors of sexual assault which is Sexual Assault Awareness month, and in October honoring victims of domestic violence which is Domestic Violence Awareness month, display of silhouettes in honor of sexual assault victims and domestic violence survivor victims, held activities for fathers and their children, prepare and distribute donated cell phones that can be used by survivors to call 911. The coalition also supports and works with a group a young people called Teen + Vice. This is a group of teenagers from the Burlington area who have created and developed a variety of skits on issues that many teenagers face today. The group has performed at different events to help raise awareness on these various issues. They have performed at Sexual Assault Services's Take Back the Night for the past two years, freshman orientation sessions, and at Racine's YWCA for Youth Connections.

This year the focus of the coalition is primary prevention and posters will be distributed and displayed in all high schools throughout Western Racine County. As part of the primary prevention focus, Women's Resource Center of Racine, Western Racine County Family Violence Advocacy Network and the Western Racine County Family Violence Community Coalition are hosting "Off the Beaten Path" on Thursday, October 11 from 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. at Eagle Lake Park, 23705 Church Road in Kansasville. Food, beverages and transportation will be provided. Together we will eat, play and learn about ways to build healthy relationships. For more information, please call 262-763-6226 ext. 29. Please join us in honoring victims of family violence and learning healthier ways to build relationships.