December Meeting

A copy of the December Newsletter can be found at the link below.  Our meeting will be held at Harbel at 7:45 PM on December 7th. 


December Newsletter

Thanksgiving Day & Mandatory Furlough Day Closings

Director Alfred H. Foxx reminds Baltimore City residents that, since Thanksgiving Day is a City holiday, Department of Public Works’ offices and yards will be closed on Thursday, November 24, 2011, a holiday; offices will also be closed on Friday, November 25, a Mandatory Furlough day.

On Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 24:

• Trash and recycling, both curbside and City containers WILL NOT BE COLLECTED.
• Saturday, November 26, 2011, will be the make up collection day for trash and recycling in those areas that are regularly scheduled for pick up on Thanksgiving Day.
• There WILL BE NO BULK TRASH collection scheduled.
• Citizen drop off centers WILL BE CLOSED (all yards including Quarantine Road Landfill, the Northwest Transfer Station and the Eastern, Western and Northwestern Sanitation Yards).
• All City buildings WILL BE CLOSED.
• Parking meters WILL NOT be in effect.

On the Mandatory Furlough day – Friday, November 25:

• Trash and recycling, both curbside and City containers, WILL BE COLLECTED as regularly scheduled.
• There WILL BE NO BULK TRASH collection scheduled.
• Citizen drop off centers WILL BE CLOSED (all yards including Quarantine Road Landfill, the Northwest Transfer Station and the Eastern, Western and Northwestern Sanitation Yards).
• All City buildings WILL BE CLOSED with the exception of the Police Headquarters complex.  Citizens will be unable to pay City bills or obtain permits at City offices.  Some bills can be paid online; please visit www.baltimorecity.gov.

Bulk Collection is still FREE

Curbside Bulk Collection is currently provided to Baltimore City residents at no additional charge. The service will remain FREE through June 30, 2012.  A fee for service WILL NOT be instituted on January 1, 2012.

 

Budget challenges continue to drive the evaluation of all services for efficiency. Bulk Collection is being reviewed and a fee for this premium service is being considered.  A fee will not be implemented before July 1, 2012. City residents will be given advance notice of any changes to service.

 

To schedule bulk collection, residents must call 311 at least three days in advance of their communities’ regular bulk collection day, and place no more than three items for pick up.

Foam Polystyrene (Styrofoam) Recycling to Begins Today!

WHO: Dart Container Corporation and the Baltimore City Department of Public Works.

WHAT IS NEW?  New for Baltimore! Foam polystyrene (Styrofoam) Recycling! Accepting CLEAN polystyrene (#6) foam foodservice items (such as foam cups, foam plates, and foam egg cartons), as well as foam protective packaging typically used to protect consumer goods and electronics at the Citizens Convenience Center at Sisson Street ONLY!

WHEN: Beginning Friday, November 4, 2011 – regular hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon. – Sat.; Summer hours (Memorial Day through Labor Day are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mon. – Sat.

WHERE: Northwest Citizens’ Convenience Center, 2840 Sisson St., Baltimore, MD 21218

HOW:

• Must bring to Citizens Convenience Center at Sisson Street ONLY! This is NOT a curbside recycling program.
• Make sure clean foam has the #6 symbol on it
• Rinse cups/containers
• No straws, lids, tap or stickers
• No foam peanuts or insulation material
• Must be brought in see-through plastic bags (FREE bags made available on site by Dart while supplies last)

WHY: Dart is working to collect a variety of foam products and help the City divert waste from disposal. Through this, and similar programs nationwide, the company is helping to raise awareness of the recyclability of foam. The collection and transport of materials are provided at no charge to the City, eliminating costs associated with this recycling expansion.

Increase in Auto Theft in Northeast Baltimore

The police of the Northeast District have noticed a recent increase in automobiles being stolen in Northeast Baltimore.  Here are some tips that might prevent your car from being stolen.  Please note that as the weather becomes chillier it is illegal to start your car and leave it unattended to warm it up when you leave your home.

HOW TO PREVENT STOLEN AUTOS

• Always lock your car

• Do not leave your keys in your car

• Do not leave your car running and unattended
• Leaving your car running and unattended is actually illegal and you can potentially receive a traffic ticket for doing it
• If you report your car as stolen to the Baltimore City Police and you left it unattended and running, you will more than likely receive a moving citation.

• Use a steering wheel locking device such as the “Club”

• Consider having a “kill switch” installed
• This is a switch that is placed somewhere in the interior of the car that when in the off position does not permit your car to be started by turning of the key or the forcing of the ignition switch

• WATCH YOUR CAR
• WATCH YOUR CAR is a national vehicle theft prevention program funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance Office of Justice Programs, United States Department of Justice. It is a voluntary vehicle registration program designed to deter auto theft and assist in the apprehension of auto thieves. Vehicle owners sign an agreement stating their vehicle is not normally used between the hours of 1:00am and 5:00am. If a police officer observes the vehicle being driven anywhere in the United States during these hours, they may stop the vehicle and verify the vehicle owner is operating it, or a person designated by the owner.
• The Watch Your Car Program is administered by the Maryland Vehicle Theft Prevention Council and is provided as a public service, free of charge, to owners of vehicles registered in the State of Maryland.
• To register your vehicle(s) in WATCH YOUR CAR set your internet browser to: http://www.mdautotheft.org/wyc/wycapplication.cfm and complete the online application