December 2017
Welcome to Geneseo's monthly e-newsletter.
City Offices will be closed for the holidays on the following days:
Monday, December 25
Tuesday, December 26
Monday, January 1
City Ordinance Reminders For Snow

Sidewalk Shoveling Requirements
 
92.55  DUTY TO CLEAR SIDEWALK.
   (A)   It shall be the duty of the owner and the occupant of all premises abutting any sidewalk in the city to keep the sidewalk, in front of or along the same, free from snow or other obstruction. Sidewalks shall be cleared within 24 hours of the accumulation of one inch of snow or other deposits on the sidewalk and within 24 hours of the conclusion of  a snow event. With regard to the owners and occupants of corner lots which abut sidewalks which include ramps to the street, it shall be the duty of the owner and occupant to keep the ramps free from snow or other obstruction within the same time frame as well. This duty shall include all owners and occupants of business premises, regardless of hours of operation. In the event that the person or persons responsible for the snow removal pursuant to this section fails to do so, such person or persons shall be subject to the penalties set forth in § 92.99(E). In addition, the city may in its discretion give notice to the property owner by mail or signage posted on the property, cause the snow to be cleared by its employees or outside contractors and charge a fee for such service to the owner of the property abutting the sidewalk. The city may also choose to clear, without charge, those sidewalks where the City Council determines such clearing to be useful or necessary and in the interest of commerce or transportation. The determination of City Council shall be resolution identifying the adjoining parcels by their PIN numbers. Where a charge is imposed by the city, the charge by the city for clearing snow from a sidewalk or ramp shall be the actual cost incurred for clearing the snow, whether that is by city employees or contracted by another party, plus $125 administrative fee. Each day that snow or other obstruction shall remain on the sidewalk after the initial 24-hour period shall constitute a separate offense.
   (B)   Lien for failure to pay snow removal charge. If snow is removed off the sidewalk by the city, or by someone directed by the city, and a charge is imposed by the city for such service, the charges shall be itemized on an invoice and mailed to the owner of the relevant property.  The invoice shall be paid within ten days of the date of mailing. If the charges are not paid to the city within ten days after the date on which the invoice was mailed, then the city shall serve, by mail, a notice of lien for the invoiced amount upon the property owner and the city may record the lien in the office of the Recorder of Deeds. The notice or lien shall be filed within 60 days after the cost and expense is incurred, and shall consist of a sworn statement setting out:
      (1)   The legal description of the real estate sufficient for identification thereof;
      (2)   The amount of money representing the cost and expense incurred or payable for the service; and
      (3)   The date or dates when the cost and expense were incurred by the city.
   (C)   Upon payment of the cost and expense after notice of lien has been filed, the city shall release the lien and the release shall be filed of record in the same manner as filing notice of the lien. The City Administrator or the Director of Public Works is each authorized to execute the release of lien on behalf of the city without further action of the City Council.
(Prior Code, § 7-5-1) (Ord. O-14-101, passed 3-11-2014; Ord. O-15-151, passed 11-10-2015; Ord. O-16-187, passed 12-13-2016)  Penalty, see § 92.99
Where Can You Put Snow?

§ 92.56  PLACEMENT OF CLEARED SNOW.
SNOW MAY NOT BE PLACED IN STREETS, ALLEYS or RIGHT OF WAYS THAT ARE PLOWED
A reminder that there is a requirement to keep the snow on private property.     
   (A)   It shall be unlawful for the owner or occupant of any premises to cause snow from that premises to be placed onto any city street, alley, or other right-of-way which has been plowed.
   (B)   This section does not apply to snow removed from sidewalks in front of commercial properties in the downtown business district on State Street, from Second Street to Brown Street, on Second Street, from Oakwood Avenue to Center Street, on First Street, from Oakwood Avenue to College Avenue, on Exchange Street, from Oakwood Avenue to Center Street, and on Orange Street, from Oakwood Avenue to State Street.
(Prior Code, § 7-5-2)  Penalty, see § 92.99
Snowfall Parking Restrictions 
 
§ 92.57  PARKING RESTRICTIONS DUE TO SNOWFALL.
   (A)   It shall be unlawful to park any vehicle on any public street in the city at any time within 12 hours after a snowfall of three inches or more has occurred, unless the snow has been plowed off or otherwise removed from the street.
   (B)   Whenever the Mayor, City Administrator or Chief of Police perceives an emergency to exist in the city, or in any section(s) thereof, because of snow, freezing rain, sleet, ice, drifting snow, or other precipitation or natural phenomena which create hazardous conditions or impede the free movement of fire, police, ambulance, emergency or other vehicular traffic or otherwise endanger the safety and welfare of the public, the Mayor, City Administrator or Chief of Police may declare an emergency to exist and the period during which said emergency shall exist.  If no duration is expressly stated, the duration of the emergency shall be twenty four hours from the time of the declaration.
   (C)   Primary notification will be made by sending notice of such emergency and duration thereof to the local media with a request to broadcast the emergency declaration.
   (D)   It shall be unlawful for any person to place or permit to stand any vehicle for a period of more than ten minutes for the loading or unloading of passengers or materials on any public street or right of way within the city during an emergency as declared pursuant to division (B) above.
(Prior Code, § 7-5-3) (Am. Ord. O-15-152, passed 12-8-15)  Penalty, see § 92.99
Richmond Hill Park Master Plan

 
The City of Geneseo is leading an initiative to improve the recreational function and value of Richmond Hill Park. The park is a core recreational destination for the City of Geneseo and the surrounding community.
 
The City and design team are looking for your feedback on the preliminary design. The first of two community meetings was held on October 17th and an online survey was available to solicit community input on preferences for park improvements. Based on that input, a preliminary design has been prepared and will be presented at the second community meeting on January 11th at 6pm. Can't make the community meeting? That's no problem, simply go to the website listed between January 12th and 26th to see the preliminary design plan and provide your input.

Location of the meeting on January 11th:
Geneseo Community Center
Dedrick Room
541 East North Street

To provide your input after January 12th click here
Holiday Crime Prevention Tips

Nothing can ruin the Christmas spirit faster than becoming the victim of a crime.
  • Burglars view the holiday season a little differently...for them, it is a time of opportunity to burglarize your home for cash, credit cards, and gifts.
  • Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave your house or apartment, even for a few minutes.
  • Don't openly display your Christmas tree and gifts in the front window so it's easily visible from the street. It's too tempting for a potential criminal to smash the window and grab the wrapped packages. Or plan a later break-in based on their earlier observation.
  • Don't advertise...Burglars look for occupancy cues like outdoor lights burning 24 hours a day, piled up newspapers, mail, or advertising flyers hanging on the door knob.
  • Use an inexpensive light timer when you are away and ask a neighbor to pick up your newspapers and mail or contact the post office and paper to put a temporary stop to delivery.
  • If you go out for the evening, turn on lights and a radio or television so the house or apartment appears to be occupied.
  • Burglars know to look for the hidden door key near the front entrance. Don't hide spare keys under rocks, in flowerpots, or above door ledges. Instead give the spare key to a trusted neighbor.
  • Burglars prefer to enter through unlocked doors or windows. A holiday problem can occur when exterior Christmas light extension cords are run inside through a window and prevent it from being secured.
  • Don't post your family name on your mailbox or on your house. A burglar can call directory assistance to get your telephone number and call your home while in front of your house to confirm that you are away.
  • Don't leave descriptive telephone answering machine messages like, "You've reached the Wilson's...we're away skiing for the Christmas holidays...please leave a message." Bad guys love to hear that they have plenty of time to break in and completely ransack your home.
    • Employee Recognition

    Congrats to the City employees that were recognized for their years of service by Mayor Kathy Carroll-Duda and the City Council. From left to right: Brian Ludwig, Park Foreman 30 years, Jamison Weisser, Police Sergeant 15 years, Mayor Carroll-Duda, Tom Wurslin, Wastewater Operator 10 years,  Sherry Mugrage, Utility Billing Administrator 30 years. Not pictured: Rick Preston, Line Foreman 15 years.
    Prevent Freezing Pipes
     
    If you put a can of soda into the freezer to chill quickly and forget about it, it explodes. That's because when water freezes, it expands. When water freezes in a pipe, it expands the same way. If it expands enough, the pipe breaks. But because the water is frozen, you probably won't know about the crack until it thaws and water escapes causing serious damage. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are all vulnerable to freezing, especially if there are cracks or openings that allow cold, outside air to flow across the pipes. The size of pipes and the type of pipe (copper or PVC) have some effect on how fast they freeze, but they are relatively minor factors in pipe bursting compared with the absence of heat, pipe insulation and exposure to a flow of subfreezing air. Remove Your Garden Hoses or Risk Broken Pipes! You may or may not have used the garden hose the whole year and forgotten it hidden behind the bushes. But, it is about to become a means to burst your pipes in the cold weather. A garden hose filled with frozen water becomes a heat sink to freeze the water inside the faucet pipes and cause them to burst!  Ahh, but I have anti-freeze spigots and this does not affect me. Wrong! Anti-freeze spigots do not work if the hose is still attached. An anti-freeze spigot is designed to have the shutoff valve inside the house (or basement / crawlspace) to prevent water from being exposed to freezing temperatures. But if the hose is still attached then frozen water will extend from the hose into the spigot. The frozen water then has a chance to burst the pipes inside. Remove your garden hoses and allow the anti-freeze spigot to work.
    City Hall Toy Donations
     
    City Hall employees donated toys and games to the Toy Drive held at Geneseo Communications on December 12. In the picture left to right: Sherry Mugrage, Rick Mills, Sarah Fisher, Paula Swint, Lisa Kotter, Brandon Maeglin, Fawn Schultz, Kara Wiesemeyer, Garrett Griswold.
     
    The Safety Sentinel- IMUA and SafeElectricity.org

    Winter can bring thoughts of gently falling snow or sparkling ice, but it can also bring unpredictable weather with high winds, whiteouts, and ice storms. This can cause hazardous roads and power outages. If the electricity goes out due to a winter storm, you might be in for a prolonged power outage as crews work through the harsh weather to get the power back on. If you find yourself in this situation, make sure to contact your electrical utility as soon as you can so they know you have lost power. Other actions you can take to stay safe and comfortable are: 
    • Stay inside, and dress warm.
    • Close off unneeded rooms.
    • When using an alternative heat source, follow operating instructions, use fire safeguards, and be sure to properly ventilate. Always keep a multipurpose, dry-chemical fire extinguisher nearby, and know how to use it.
    • Place draft block at the bottom of doors to minimize cold drafts from entering the house.
    • Cover windows at night.
    • Keep a close eye on the temperature in your home. Infants and people over the age of 65 are often more susceptible to the cold. You may want to stay with friends or relatives or go to a shelter if you cannot keep your home warm.
    Winter can bring a variety of weather patterns ranging from mild snows to severe blizzards.To prepare yourself for winter storms, make sure to pay attention to weather forecasts and understand the difference between the warnings provided by the National Weather Service:
    • Winter Storm Warning - issued when hazardous winter weather in the form of heavy snow, freezing rain, or sleet is coming or occurring. The warnings are issued 12 to 24 hours prior to the storm.
    • Winter Storm Watch - alerts the public to the possibility of a blizzard, heavy snow, freezing rain, or sleet. Watches are issued 12 to 48 hours before the storm.
    • Winter Storm Outlook- this is given when winter storm conditions are possible and are issued three to five days in advance of a winter storm.
    • Blizzard Warning - issued for gusty winds of 35 mph or more, and falling or blowing snow that creates visibilities of a fourth of a mile or less. These conditions usually last at least three hours.
    If you want more Information  click here
    City Employees Donated To The Food Pantry

    City Employees donated food to the Geneseo Food Pantry during Thanksgiving Week. Pictured from left to right: Geneseo Food Pantry Director Jolynn Kitterman Brandon Maeglin, Human Resources, Chuck Croegaert, Lead Lineman and Brice Johnson, Lineman.
    If you are interested in starting Online Bill Pay for your utility bills, click here https://www.xpressbillpay.com/#/
    If you have any questions, comments, or ideas for future newsletters please feel free to contact us by phone (309) 944-6419
    or email us at [email protected].
    We look forward to hearing from you!
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