Happy  New Year 2016

City of Ketchum
P.O. Box 2315
480 East Avenue N.
Ketchum, Idaho 83340
"Small Town, Big Life"

December 31, 2015
In This Issue
Message From Mayor Nina Jonas: Life is as ephemeral as snow. Enjoy it today.

Nina and Bob The Passing of the Year
Robert W. Service, 1874 - 1958

My glass is filled, my pipe is lit,
     My den is all a cosy glow;
And snug before the fire I sit,
     And wait to feel the old year go.
I dedicate to solemn thought
     Amid my too-unthinking days,
This sober moment, sadly fraught
     With much of blame, with little praise. 
    
Old Year! upon the Stage of Time
     You stand to bow your last adieu;
A moment, and the prompter's chime
     Will ring the curtain down on you.
Your mien is sad, your step is slow;
     You falter as a Sage in pain;
Yet turn, Old Year, before you go,
     And face your audience again.

Snowflakes That sphinx-like face, remote, austere,
     Let us all read, whate'er the cost:
O Maiden! why that bitter tear?
     Is it for dear one you have lost?
Is it for fond illusion gone?
     For trusted lover proved untrue?
O sweet girl-face, so sad, so wan
     What hath the Old Year meant to you?

And you, O neighbour on my right
     So sleek, so prosperously clad!
What see you in that aged wight
     That makes your smile so gay and glad?
What opportunity unmissed?
     What golden gain, what pride of place?
What splendid hope? O Optimist!
     What read you in that withered face?

Snowflakes And You, deep shrinking in the gloom,
     What find you in that filmy gaze?
What menace of a tragic doom?
     What dark, condemning yesterdays?
What urge to crime, what evil done?
     What cold, confronting shape of fear?
O haggard, haunted, hidden One
     What see you in the dying year?

And so from face to face I flit,
     The countless eyes that stare and stare;
Some are with approbation lit,
     And some are shadowed with despair.
Some show a smile and some a frown;
     Some joy and hope, some pain and woe:
Enough! Oh, ring the curtain down!
     Old weary year! it's time to go.

My pipe is out, my glass is dry;
     My fire is almost ashes too;
But once again, before you go,
     And I prepare to meet the New:
Old Year! a parting word that's true,
      For we've been comrades, you and I --
I thank God for each day of you;
     There! bless you now! Old Year, good-bye!

ASK NINA
In your past enewsletter, you indicated that the city is exploring snow removal on sidewalks in the city core. That is an unnecessary expense for the city. It should be the responsibility of the property owner facing the particular sidewalk. That is the law in New York City--and snow must be removed within a certain time frame.

Thank you for your input. Ketchum does have an ordinance requiring adjacent property owners to remove the snow the same day or within the first 6 hours of daylight after the cessation of an overnight snowfall, whichever period is longer. However, it may be preferable for the city to coordinate sidewalk snow removal with street snow removal. 
 
The city is researching this possibility. The city invests in alternative transportation such as buses and bicycle lanes with the goal of lessening reliance on cars throughout the year. It also is important to encourage walking by maintaining sidewalks. Once we have estimates on the cost of sidewalk snow removal, the city will consider creating a downtown business improvement district. Businesses within the district would pay a fee for city snow removal services, rather than bearing the expense individually.
 
Happy holidays. 

Do you have a question for Mayor Nina Jonas? AskNina@ketchumidaho.org

Note: If you submit a question to "Ask Nina," your name may be published unless you request that it be withheld.
Keep Snow Out of Streets
Sable
Dumping of snow in the city right of way is becoming a major safety concern in some residential areas.
 
With the recent heavy snowfalls, some property owners and snow removal contractors are placing snow plowed from private driveways and walkways alongside the street, Robyn Mattison, public works director and city engineer, said. The result is that streets are too narrow for access by emergency vehicles.
 
In addition, visibility at intersections is impaired and daytime parking is limited or non-existent. Illegal dumping of snow also increases the cost and time needed for the city to plow the streets.
 
Please store snow on your property or hire a contractor to haul it away. There are over 360 fire hydrants in town. Avoid covering them and help to keep them clear.
 
Living with Snow - Lots of It
After the storm ... 
It's been so long since we've had this much snow that it's sometimes hard to remember how to cope with it. Here are some tips to help enjoy the snow safely.
 
Overnight parking on streets is prohibited between 2 and 7 a.m. for snow removal operations. Crews plow downtown streets first and then move to residential areas. If cars are blocking the streets, plowing may be delayed until evening or the next morning.
 
Property owners are responsible for removing snow berms across driveways caused by city snow-plowing operations.
 
Property owners must clear sidewalks on the same day of cessation of the fall (snow, sleet or freezing rain) or within six hours of daylight after a snowfall.
 
Clear fire hydrants close to your property.
 
Icicles Remove icicles for safety, as falling ice can be dangerous. Be sure that vents in walls and roofs are clear of snow so that fumes can escape.
 
Gas meters should be kept clear to keep fumes from being pushed back into the homes and so the meter can be shut off in case of fire. Be aware, too, that snow sliding from roofs onto gas meters are a common cause of gas leaks.
 
If you live on a private street, be sure that a lane wide enough for emergency vehicles is plowed.
 
Be careful around slow-moving snow removal vehicles.
 
Set thermostats to a minimum temperature of at least 55 degrees to prevent frozen pipes. The city recently investigated a situation where a broken pipe at an unoccupied home resulted in a loss of almost 200,000 gallons of water in a week, or about 20 gallons per minute. For additional advice on preventing frozen pipes, click here
 
Prevent children from building snow forts and caves in snow stored in the right of way. Remember that plow drivers cannot see children hiding in the snow.
 
The Idaho Natural Resource Conservation Service can help you determine the snow load for your roof.

As noted in the previous article, do not push snow from sidewalks and driveways in the street or in the right of way. The city uses its right-of-way to store snow plowed from the street until it can be carted away.

WHAT WE'RE READING ... AND WRITING
2014.07.17Rick LeFaivre, member, Ketchum Energy Advisory Committee

Kristin Poole, artistic director for the Sun Valley Center for the Arts
New York Has Solved the Problem of Public Art. But at What Cost?

NEWS AT A GLANCE
Take the Bus Tonight
Mountain Rides is offering New Year's Eve bus service until 2:30 a.m. tonight.

Attend Mountain Rides Board lMeeting
The Mountain Rides board meets the third Wednesday of every month at 12:30 p.m. Next month's meeting will be Jan. 20 at Ketchum City Hall. View meeting schedule  here.

Yew City Will Assist in Identifying Poisonous Plant
A city representative will assist property owners concerned about whether plants on their property may be Japanese yew, a low-maintenance evergreen identified as the cause of death of 10 elk in the Hailey Cemetery. Ketchum does not have Japanese yew on city property and Hailey has since removed the plants. For assistance, contact participate@ketchumidaho.org.

Another Idaho Power Rebate Check for Water and Wastewater Plant
The city has received a rebate of $13,884.19 from Idaho Power for installing LEDs, high-efficiency fluorescent lights and motion sensors to limit the use of electricity at the water and wastewater plant. The project cost approximately $30,000 and the payback in electrical savings is expected in less than three years. This is in addition to a $52,626.75 rebate from Idaho Power received earlier this year for installing more energy-efficient equipment.

Poo Poo Wright-Pulliam's Art to Be in Washington, D.C. Exhibit
Artwork by Poo Wright-Pulliam, a youth program leader for the city parks and recreation department, has been accepted for display in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Botanic Garden.

9th Annual Idaho Pond Hockey Classic Set for Jan. 16-17
The Ninth Annual Idaho Pond Hockey Classic, sponsored by the city of Ketchum, will be Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 16-17, at the Christina Potters Outdoor Ice Rink at Atkinson Park. Register now. Space is limited. For additional information, contact John Kearney at jkearney@ketchumidaho.org or call 726-7820, ext. 100.

City Needs Equipment Operator
The city has a job opening for an equipment operator in the street division. Applications are due by Monday, Jan. 4. Visit ketchumidaho.org/jobs for job description and application.

Coming Up at City Council
City Council will meet Monday at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall to discuss appointments to the Uran Renewal Agency. Mayor Nina Jonas will administer the oath of office to Michael David and Jim Slanetz, elected to begin new terms in 2016.

MEETING INFORMATION
City Council 
Attend the next City Council meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 4. City Council meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month in Ketchum City Hall. Click here to see the agenda and staff reports or scan the QR code.

Planning and Zoning Commission 
Planning and Zoning Commission meetings are held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. The next P&Z meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 11 in Ketchum City Hall. Click here for agendas and staff reports or scan the QR code.

Public Comment 
If you cannot attend the Council or P&Z meetings and have an opinion, please submit your comments via email to participate@ketchumidaho.org. Your input and engagement is encouraged. All comments will be reviewed. 
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City of Ketchum
208-726-3841