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    City of Havre de Grace Weekly Briefing Week of Monday November 20, 2017

    1. Havre de Grace
    2. City of Havre de Grace Weekly Briefing Week of Monday November 20, 2017

    City of Havre de Grace Weekly Briefing
    Week of Monday November 20, 2017

     
    Office of the Mayor:
    From Thursday, November 16, 2017 through Sunday, November 19, 2017 the downtown district was illuminated blue in honor of fallen Baltimore City Police Detective Sean Suiter.

    • On Saturday, November 18, Mayor Martin attended The Great Havre de Grace Oyster Feast.


    Department of Administration

    • City Hall will be closed Thursday, November 23 and Friday November 24 in Observance of Thanksgiving.

    Department of Planning:

    • Building permits are required for sheds, fences, renovations, decks, and other alterations to buildings and property.  If your property is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area, there may be State requirements to comply with also.  When hiring a contractor, be sure they are licensed by the State of Maryland.  Contact the Department of Planning (410) 939-1800 ext 1102 for permit fees and details.
    • Seasonal reminder to business and property owners:  You are responsible for removing leaves, snow and ice from public sidewalks fronting your properties.  
    • As noted by DPW Division of Stormwater Management, keep your storm drains clear of leaves, grass, trash and tree debris at all times to minimize flooding in the streets and on your property.   Please contact DPW if you notice anyone dumping into a storm drain or stream.
    • Home values and neighborhood quality are negatively impacted when property is not kept up.  If you notice a property that has abandoned vehicles, appliances, furniture, trash, or tall grass and weeds, please contact the Department of Planning (410) 939-1800 ext 1102.

    Police Department:

    • On Thanksgiving Eve, if you choose to go out to the bar, please do not drink and drive, take a taxi or get a designated driver. This is a major drinking night and the police will be aggressively patrolling for impaired drivers.
    • We are continuing to collect Christmas donations for families in need, please contact PCO Mia Kilgore or Cpl. Petz at 410-939-2121 if you would like to make a donation.
    • Thanks to everyone who made donations for Thanksgiving they were dispersed to those in need.
    • PFC Coleman and PFC Persuhn ran the Havre de Grace Elementary School Turkey Trot. Afterwards, PFC Coleman ran the Havre de Grace middle School Turkey Trot with the top HdGES Turkey Trot finishers who were invited to the middle school run.


    Department of Public Works:

    • Holiday – Curbside Collection – Thursday (Thanksgiving Day) the collection moves to Friday. Friday collections then move to Saturday. No large item (bulk) collections this week.
    • See a Street Light Out? If you see a street light that needs to be repaired, you can report it directly to BGE. Please be sure to have the exact location of the fixture. To make a report online or report outages using your mobile device, visit bge.com and click “Lighting Outages” under the “Contact Us” section, or by calling 1-800-685-0123.
    • Tydings Park Handicap Ramp: The concrete work on  ​the ra​mp​ leading from the Yacht Basin up to the park will be completed this week.
    • Recycling Data: For the month of October, City residents recycled 50.18 tons of material.  This beats the month of September which was 35.47 tons.  
    • Lighting Up the Town – DPW has been busy installing Christmas lights all around the town from Otsego Street to Tydings Park and the Yacht Basin.
    • ​Fire Hydrant Flushing​ – We are in the process of flushing hydrants throughout the area. If you find your water is discolored, please run the cold water faucet for a few minutes until the water runs clear.

    Stormwater management updates
    Reminder:  Please keep your storm drains clear of leaves, grass, trash and debris at all times to minimize flooding in the streets and on your property when we have a weather event.
    CURRENT HAPPENINGS:

    • Design of pedestrian bridge abutments over Lilly Run near the Lock House will begin this month.  Watch for more information on this connection of the Joe K Trail loop.
    • Please report any illicit activity on the storm drains by calling City Hall at 410-939-1800 or by using the “REPORT” button on our website.
    • Stormwater pond revitalization and landscape infiltration areas work will begin at Concord Point Park after the first of the year.  These improvements will help protect the River and Bay from stormwater runoff and the pollutants it carries.
    • Design services for the dredging of the City Yacht Basin will begin this month.  Watch for updates on this work to commence.
    • Repairs being made to the storm drain pipe running under Canvasback Drive in the vicinity of Teal Ct.
    • WATCH for other stormwater pollution removal projects happening in the City.

    SPOTLIGHT:  Start planning your rain garden now.  It will give you a welcome break from the colder weather and make those around you wonder what you are smiling about.
    Stormwater Management and Restoration Tracker (SMART)
    Stormwater remains one of the most difficult and expensive sources of Chesapeake Bay pollution to control.  While a great deal of attention and resources have been committed to wide scale adoption of Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs), many counties and towns receive a large volume of stormwater from smaller scale residential and private properties.  Actions on these smaller properties, such as the installation of rain barrels, rain gardens, green roofs, or changing of lawn fertilization practices on an individual property, when considered in aggregate, can show significant nutrient and sediment reductions.
    Every Practice Counts!
    http://extension.umd.edu/watershed/smart-tool
    Department of Finance:

    • Water/Sewer Late Notices were mailed 11/15/17.  Payments must be made by Monday 11/27/17 to avoid the $50 Turn Off Fee.  
    • Water/Sewer Turn Offs will be 11/28/17
    • User Benefit Fees were due September 20, 2017. Please pay by Thursday, November 30, 2017 to avoid additional penalties.
    • 2nd Half of Real Estate Taxes are due by Friday, December 29, 2017 to avoid unnecessary penalties when paying by your banks bills, please schedule payments at least 10 days in advance of the due date. Post mark is not accepted, and payments must be received by the due date.
    • Register for Water/Sewer e-Billing online or call Michele or Donna at 410-939-1800.

    Department of Economic Development:

    • Saturday, November 25, is Small Business Saturday – a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for their communities. Shop small in Havre de Grace this Saturday and use #smallbizsat when posting on social media.
    • Today is National Entrepreneurs’ Day. American entrepreneurs invent and sell fascinating and endlessly useful new products and services, creating millions of jobs and driving American global leadership along the way. Celebrate achievers on November 21, 2017.
    • The Harford County Liquor Control Board voted unanimously in support of the expansion of the liquor license held by Coakley’s Pub on St. John Street, to include the renovated space on Union Avenue known as Cornerstone. Expect announcements in the near future regarding a grand opening.
    • On Wed., December 6, at 7 p.m. the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum (100 Lafayette Street) will host the Havre de Green Team in a screening of the film Beautiful Swimmers Revisited. The film is about Maryland’s state crustacean the blue crab. Discussion will follow the free screening.

    Briefly Noted Around Maryland

    • A Federal Reserve economist is predicting a boom in cyber security will continue to propel Maryland’s economy, per the Baltimore Business Journal.<
    • The Port of Baltimore handled 8.01 million tons of general cargo through the first nine months of 2017, setting a new all-time nine-month record.
    • The iconic Berger Cookie may be changing soon. Due to an Obama-era rule limited trans fats in foods, the company is experimenting with new recipes to remove trans-fats from the fudge. Charlie DeBaufre, of Berger Cookies, has declared the process “frustrating and scary.”
    • The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the two-week firearm deer season opens November 25 and runs through December 9. Hunters may use firearms to harvest sika and white-tailed deer during this hunting season.
    • Delivery on the Hogan administration’s Customer Service Promise, the Maryland Department of Transportation joined the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Department of Transportation MVA in officially unveiling a combined service center in Bel Air. The newly combined office provides customers with access to a variety of services including: recreational hunting, fishing and crabbing licenses; vehicle and boat registration and titles; driver’s license renewals; vehicle emissions inspections; commercial fishing licenses; excise tax collections; and off-road vehicle permits. The Service Center is at 501 W. MacPhail Road, Bel Air, and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

    Office of Tourism:

    • The second annual Great Havre de Grace Oyster Feast was held on Saturday, November 18. The event was a huge success! Over $5,000 was raised by local non profits all while enjoying a delicious oyster feast! Mark your calendar‘s now for our 2018 Feast on November 17.
    • Shop Small Saturday- November 25 is Shop Small Saturday! Visit your local stores in Havre de Grace. The local businesses have decorated unique wreaths to hang on their storefronts for our merchant wreath decorating contest. Come down and see all these amazing wreaths while walking our streets lit up like a winter wonderland. What a perfect atmosphere to start your Holiday shopping….Shop Small, Shop Local!

    Cultural Center at the Opera House

    •  “Art and Craft” (POV Film Series) on Tuesday, November 21 at 8pm
    • Tidewater Players present “Beauty & the Beast” on November 24 & 25 at 8pm and on November 26 at 2pm