[Durham INC] Durham Citizens' Newsletter - Jan./Feb. 2010 Edition

Wed Jan 13 16:32:01 EST 2010

Join City Council For Coffee and Conversation

In February and March, Durham City Council will host a series of
community meetings entitled, "Coffee with Council." These face-to-face
meetings with residents will be held throughout the city and are
designed to give citizens the opportunity to provide direct input to
council members on budget items for the upcoming 2010 - 2011 fiscal
year.

The Coffee with Council sessions will include a review of the City's
budget outlook for FY 2011 and time to address citizen concerns.
Residents who have ideas or comments on the use of City resources are
welcome to attend any of the meetings scheduled below:

* Saturday, February 13, 2010, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Irwin R.
Holmes, Sr., Recreation Center at Campus Hills, 2000 South Alston
Avenue, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.- PAC 4

* Saturday, February 20 - Holton Career and Resource Center, 401 N.
Driver Street, 9:30 a.m. -  11:30 a.m. - PAC 1

* Saturday, February 27, Neighborhoods Coffee with Council, Holton
Career and Resource Center, 401 N. Driver Street, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

* Monday, March 8, Durham County School Resource Center, Hillandale and
Carver streets, 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. -  PAC 2.

* Thursday, March 11, Committee Room, City Hall, 101 City Hall Plaza,
5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. - PAC 5 (Spanish translation).

* Saturday, March 13, Community Family Life and Recreation Center at
Lyon Park, 1309 Halley Street, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. - PAC 3

There will also be two budget public hearings held in conjunction with
regular City Council meetings. The first public hearing will be held on
Monday, March 1 and the second on Monday, June 7. These are regular City
Council meeting dates.

City of Durham Non-City Agency Application Assistance Session Set for
February 17 <http://www.durhamnc.gov/news/NewsDisplay.cfm?vNewsID=1929> 

City of Durham 2010-2011 Non-City Agency (NCA) grant applications will
be available through a new, online application process beginning
February 17 on the City's Web site
<http://www.durhamnc.gov/departments/bms/grants.cfm> . NCA grants fund
operations between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011.  NCA grant funds can
be used for any type of expenditure (personnel, operating, capital and
administrative or programmatic).  Agencies interested in applying for
this funding should provide services that support Durham City Council's
eight goals.  NCA funds can only be used for operations occurring within
the city limits. In order to be eligible for NCA funds, the agency must
be recognized as a 501(c) 3 non-profit by the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS), must be incorporated in North Carolina, and must provide services
in the city.

Sustainable Landscapes Workshop Offers Guidance for "Greener" Gardens
Feb. 15 <http://www.durhamnc.gov/news/NewsDisplay.cfm?vNewsID=1926> 

Next month, gardeners interested in learning how to create productive
garden beds while protecting Durham's water quality at the same time
will get their chance at a workshop focusing on sustainable garden
management techniques.

On Monday, February 15, 2010, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., workshops
participants will learn about a wide variety of techniques to help
protect Durham's water sources, such as how to manage soil for best
results; smart watering techniques; how to install rain gardens; and how
to create raised vegetable beds. 

The workshop will be held at the Durham County Cooperative Extension,
located at 721 Foster Street, Durham.  The cost to attend is $25 per
person, which includes lunch.  The registration deadline is Monday,
February 8.

Subscribe to the City Manager's Report

Receive the latest information and important City news via e-mail with
the City Manager's Report. The report from City Manager Thomas J.
Bonfield highlights the latest happenings in Durham City Government. To
subscribe, visit www.durhamnc.gov/managersreport.

Police and Fire Alarm Ordinance Update

On January 1 of each year, all alarm users who are currently registered
and permitted will have their alarm occurrences reset to zero in
accordance with the City's police and fire alarm ordinance. In January
2006, the City revised its police and fire alarm ordinance to encourage
proper use of alarm systems. The ordinance requires residents and
businesses to acquire a permit to operate an alarm system after they
have an alarm incident deemed to be false. There is no fee to obtain the
permit.  The civil penalty fee schedule for false alarm activation can
be found on the City's Web site at 
http://www.durhamnc.gov/council/false_alarm.cfm.  For information on the
ordinance or to get a permit form, see the City's Web site
<http://www.durhamnc.gov/council/false_alarm.cfm> , call the City's
General Billing and Collection Division at (919) 560-4700, e-mail 
mailto:falsealarm at durhamnc.gov, or call Durham One Call at (919)
560-1200.

Protect Your Pipes From Freezing This Winter
<http://www.durhamnc.gov/news/NewsDisplay.cfm?vNewsID=1927> 

As North Carolina battles this most recent bout of winter weather and
below-freezing temperatures, Durham residents should implement these
quick and easy tips to prevent water pipes from cracking - and the
headache and expense that comes with broken water pipes in the home.
According to the City of Durham's Department of Water Management, when
unprotected water lines are subjected to freezing temperatures for
several hours, the water in the pipes freezes. As water freezes, it
expands and can cause pipes to crack or split - which can lead to
significant leaks that can cause extensive water waste and substantial
property damage. For a list of tips to prevent pipes from freezing,
visit the Web site
<http://www.durhamnc.gov/news/NewsDisplay.cfm?vNewsID=1927> .

Durham ... Beyond the Headlines

It's that time of year, when organizations are looking for speakers.
The City of Durham is available to talk to you on a wide variety of
topics about your city.  For us, it's simple.  We want to build strong
partnerships with our residents by providing presentations on topics
ranging from where your tax dollars go, our water quality, code
enforcement in neighborhoods, to parks and recreation and the list goes
on...  Frankly, we want to be your best resource for getting answers to
important questions about Durham.  Call us at 560-4123 or email us at 
speakersbureau at durhamnc.gov.  We're waiting ...

Toilet Rebate Program Still Available

The City of Durham is offering rebates valued at $100 for qualified
water customers who replace theirexisting toilets with EPA WaterSense
labeled High Efficiency Toilet (HET) models. Any toilet that meets the
criteria and is purchased after January 1, 2008, is eligible for the
rebate. Rebates will be applied as credits to customers' water bills.
For information and the rebate form, visit www.DurhamSavesWater.org
<http://www.durhamsaveswater.org/> . 

Your City - Your Channel

DTV8 provides programming to keep Durham informed on the important
issues and services involving citizens every day. City government
produced programs include scheduled meetings of the Durham City Council
and the Durham Planning Commission. The City also produces "City Hall
This Week," a program dedicated to informing citizens on what is going
on inside Durham's city hall, and "CityLife," a show featuring
information on current City issues and upcoming events. For a
programming schedule, or to watch DTV8 live on the Web, visit 
www.durhamnc.gov/dtv8.

Notice Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

A person with a disability may receive an auxiliary aid or service to
effectively participate in city government activities by contacting the
ADA Coordinator, voice (919) 560-4197, fax 560-4196, TTY (919) 560-1200,
or mailto:ADA at durhamnc.gov, as soon as possible but no later than 48
hours before the event or deadline date.

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