City News - April-June
2002
Washington
Recreation Department offering Catch & Release Program (June 17,
2002)
Washington to celebrate new waterfront on June 21
(June 15, 2002)
Washington Waterfront Factsheet (June
5, 2002)
Brown Library displays scale model of famous ship
USS Constitution (June 1, 2002)
Brown Library featuring works by Ann Bell in June
(June 1, 2002)
Local
public libraries feeling squeezed by state budget crunch (May 24,
2002)
Final
paving to start on Memorial Day
(May 23, 2002)
City addressing concerns about new lighting Downtown
(May 23, 2002)
Brown Library now registering for 2002 summer reading
program (May 22, 2002)
Boardwalk, waterfront now open in Washington (May
20, 2002)
City to run free-chlorine residual in water system
May 20-June 3 (May 16, 2002)
Registration coming up for 2002 Recreation Summer
Programs (May 3, 2002)
No charge for bulky trash collection in Washington
May 14-17 (May 3, 2002)
Brown Library waives fines for overdue items returned April 14-21 (April 12, 2002)
Automated utility meters to save time and improve
employee safety (April 12, 2002)
Due to safety concerns, waterfront, boardwalk continue
to be closed to the public as construction enters final month (April 4, 2002)
Tree-trimming reduces chances of power outages for
Washington Electric Utilities customers (April 4, 2002)
Washington
Recreation Department offering Catch & Release Program
(June 17,
2002)
Youth of all ages
are invited to learn freshwater fishing through Washington Recreation
Department's Catch and Release program this summer.
The program is offered
Friday, June 28 and again on Friday, July 12 at Haven's Gardens. The cost
is $1 per participant. Register at the eastside picnic shelter and bring
a fishing pole. Bait will be provided. Fishing is from 9-11:30 a.m.
For more information
call Washington Recreation Department at 975-9367.
Washington
to celebrate new waterfront on June 21
(June 15, 2002)
Washington celebrates
its new waterfront with a Waterfront Grand Re-Opening and Stewart Parkway
Rededication on Friday, June 21, on the lawn of the NC Estuarium, 223
E. Water St.
The event starts at
5 p.m. with an outdoor HeART of the City concert featuring local musicians
and singers followed by ceremonies at 6 p.m. Activities will include ribbon
cuttings for both the Stewart Parkway promenade and the wetlands boardwalk
in front of the Estuarium, a promenade walk, and unveiling of plaques
next to the west end flag pole. Shuttle service will be available during
the event for those requiring assistance walking the length of the promenade.
Scheduled to perform
on the Estuarium deck are St. Peter's Episcopal Church's contemporary
musicians and singers, the Bill Bagwell Handbell Choir from First Christian
Church, Bill Ebison with Jeffrey Gatling of the City of Washington, and
Washington High School student Noel Barefoot. General George Washington
also is scheduled to be in attendance.
In case of heavy rain,
activities will be moved to the Washington Civic Center.
The City of Washington
is finishing improvements along a six-block area of the Pamlico River
waterfront. In addition to giving the waterfront a more stylish look,
the city has expanded boat docking facilities, improved lighting, increased
greenspace, rerouted Stewart Parkway to improve vehicle traffic flow,
renovated parking lots, created a scenic wetlands park and extended pedestrian
access to the water with an elevated boardwalk.
"These latest improvements
build upon the vision launched with completion of Stewart Parkway in 1969
by making our historic waterfront and downtown more pedestrian- and boater-friendly
and, at the same time, protecting the water quality of the Pamlico River,"
said Carolyn Stroud, Communications Director for the City of Washington.
"The Washington waterfront is a great place to be day or night."
These improvements
mark the completion of the Urban Stormwater Management and the Riverside
Renaissance projects. The Urban Stormwater Management project diverts
the dirtiest "first flush" of stormwater runoff from downtown Washington
into a created wetland, where it undergoes a natural treatment process
before flowing into the Pamlico River. The Riverside Renaissance project,
part of Washington's citizen-driven Downtown Washington Master Plan, strengthens
the connection between the waterfront and the business district and makes
the area more inviting for pedestrians and boaters.
The public previewed
the future look of the waterfront when Phase I bulkhead renovations were
completed in 1996. At that time, a course of red brick pavers, blue railings
and lighting and t-style boat slips were added to the west end of Stewart
Parkway. Construction proceeded on the remaining improvements in 2001,
coinciding with installation of an underground stormwater collection system
as part of the Urban Stormwater Management Project.
These latest projects
cost $5.7 million and were paid for through a $4.073 million grant from
the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund and $200,000 in CAMA grant funding
through the NC Division of Coastal Management. The Division of Coastal
Management also provided a $100,000 grant toward completion of Phase I
of bulkhead improvements.
Washington's innovative
Urban Stormwater Wetland Project has retrofitted an existing stormwater
drainage system draining a 96-acre urban area to divert dirty stormwater
into a five-acre created wetland. The project became possible after the
City of Washington acquired the 13-acre Moss Planing Mill property, site
of a lumber mill for 96 years, in 1998. At the suggestion of the Cleanwater
Management Trust Fund staff and with help from the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation
and volunteers, the City developed a project proposal and successfully
applied for $4.073 million in funding from the NC Clean Water Management
Trust Fund to build the project.
The CWMTF was established
1996 to help finance projects that enhance or restore degraded waters,
protect unpolluted waters, and/or contribute toward a network of riparian
buffers and greenways for environmental, educational, and recreational
benefits. With the support of the North Carolina General Assembly, CWMTF
has awarded a total of 314 grants totaling over $258 million, including
$14.3 million in the Tar-Pamlico River Basin. Yet, CWMTF estimates that
over $10.5 billion is needed to protect and restore water quality in North
Carolina.
The five-acre wetland
features deep and shallow pools connected by channels and planted with
20,000 indigenous wetland plants, shrubs and trees. In the weeks since
plantings were completed in Spring 2002, wildfowl and other aquatic life
already have established habitat in the wetland.
A 1,982-foot elevated
boardwalk extends the length of the wetland. It features two lookout stations
for pedestrians to pause and enjoy the natural vistas of the wetland,
the Pamlico River and Castle Island. A railroad trestle crossing the Pamlico
and featuring a swivel-style draw and historic homes along Water Street
enhance the serene view. The boardwalk connects with the Stewart Parkway
promenade to create a combined ¾-mile continuous waterfront walkway.
The June 21 event
is coordinated by the City of Washington with assistance from the staffs
of the Beaufort County Arts Council and the NC Estuarium.
Washington
Waterfront Facts
Come by boat
- 36 boat slips available
for up to 72 hours free docking by the general public. Electricity,
water and pump-out facility available.
- Additional boat
tie-ups available on five 80-foot parallel docks (no electricity or
water at parallel docks).
- Free canoe launch
area from floating dock on the west end of the bulkhead.
Come by foot
- The "riverwalk"
is a six-block, uninterrupted walkway along the Pamlico River consisting
of the Stewart Parkway promenade and an elevated boardwalk through a
scenic wetland area for a combined distance of .74 mile one way.
Come by car
- Free parking for
357 vehicles in lots along Stewart Parkway and Water Street, plus streetside
parking and additional parking lots throughout Downtown.
Upcoming
events
- Friday, June 21,
5 p.m., Grand Reopening Celebration and Stewart Parkway Rededication
- July 4 fireworks,
9 p.m.
- Summer Festival
will return to waterfront July 26-27.
Brown
Library displays scale model of famous ship USS Constitution
(June 1, 2002)
A model of the 44-gun
frigate USS Constitution, constructed and owned by Robert E. Kubicek of
Washington, is on loan for public display in the John A. Wilkinson History
Room at Brown Library.
The original ship
was built in 1797 in Boston. Kubicek relates the following history of
the vessel:
"After more than 200
years, the USS Constitution is today the oldest commissioned ship in the
U.S. Navy. Known as ‘Old Ironsides' she floats alongside a pier at
the Charlestown naval yard in Charlestown, Massachusetts, where the public
may still go aboard to tour the vessel. She recently underwent a refurbishment
and shakedown coastal cruise, but otherwise her cruising is limited to
an annual turn around for sun and element damage control as part of her
continuing maintenance.
"Old Ironsides was
the flagship of Commodore Edward Preble in the War of 1812 with Tripoli.
She met and defeated the British frigate ‘Guerriere' in a sea battle
that lasted thirty minutes off the coast of Massachusetts. Four months
later, off the coast of Brazil, she engaged the British frigate ‘Java'
in a running gun battle, forcing a surrender after a two-hour exchange
of cannon fire. On her last wartime cruise in 1815 she captured two British
sloops of war.
"The Constitution
was at sea more often and won more battles than any other early American
warship. She was nicknamed ‘Old Ironsides' because her hull was so
little damaged in these sea battles. But following a long period of inactivity
and neglect, she was slated to be condemned in 1830 as unseaworthy. She
was saved from the ignominy by public clamor stirred by Oliver Wendell
Holmes' poem ‘Old Ironsides.' The middle verses are as follows:
"'Her deck, once
red with heroes' blood.
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood.
And waves were white below.
"'No more shall feel the victor's tread,
Or know the conquered knee;
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!'"
"Later the vessel
became a training ship for the Naval Academy at Annapolis and in 1861
Maryland secessionists tried to take Old Ironsides and make her the first
warship of the Confederate Navy.
"As a child I was
taken to Boston to tour the ship, which was the beginning of my fascination
with her," Kubicek recalls. "It was because of this I built the model
and displayed it in my law office. One day, when a client named Royal
Higgins saw it, he spoke admiringly about it, asking polite questions
about its construction, and then, ever so proudly, informed me that Captain
Charles Stewart was his great-grandfather. I suppose that knowing Mr.
Higgins and his relationship with Captain Stewart deepened my interest
in the vessel and her remarkable history in Naval Annals. The model remained
on display in our law offices for over 25 years.
"I started this ship
building in the late sixties. It took six years to construct, and I think
I aged considerably during that time. It began from the keel up with a
replication of every detail possible from bow to stern. Even the helm
will actually turn the rudder. The rigging is authentically precise in
every detail. The painting is historically correct, even to the gold leaf
on the bowsprit and fantail as well as the patina on the copper shield
plates on the hull below the water line.
"In the beginning
my hands were steady and nimble. After six years of detailed work on the
model, my hands were no longer steady or nimble, my eyesight became strained
and I definitely had aged considerably. Like Old Ironsides herself, I
had to rescue the unfinished ship from threats of being thrashed because
it was ‘hanging' around the house too long! While I vowed never to
do it again, I'm glad I did build it if only for the pride of accomplishment
alone.
"The model is on loan
to Brown Library for display as long as they chose to have it. I am hopeful
that those who view it will see not just a ship model, but through it
will see what the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Oliver Wendell
Holmes, saw in this majestic "'Eagle of the sea.'"
Brown
Library featuring works by Ann Bell in June
(June 1, 2002)
Brown Library is featuring
paintings and illustrations by Ann Bell in the Adult Fiction Room and
lobby showcase during the month of June.
Mrs. Bell describes
herself as a painter, writer, publisher, and sharecroppers's daughter.
"I always knew I could paint," she said, "but when my children were growing
up, I just didn't have time." On her website at www.a-bellgallery.com
she explains how she finally started painting. "One evening while she
was preparing dinner for herself and her husband, Ann decided it was time.
‘I stopped cooking supper long enough to find my grandson's 98-cent
set of watercolors, and I painted my first painting standing there at
my kitchen counter.' My kids had grown bored with my stories and how it
was when I was growing up, so I started to paint my memories from the
early years instead."
"Now, more than a
decade later," the website continues. "Mrs. Bell has painted hundreds
of pictures depicting life in Martin County, NC, and surrounding areas."
She also has written and illustrated a series of books call The Early
Years Series, which focuses on early 20th century life in the
area.
The public is invited
to a book signing and reception for Mrs. Bell on Tuesday, June 18, from
7-8 p.m. at the library.
Each month Brown Library
features the works of area artists and collectors. Those interested in
scheduling an exhibit may contact Carol Newman at the library at 946-4300.
Brown Library is a
department of the City of Washington. Hours are Monday-Tuesday, 9 a.m.-9
p.m.; Wednesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday,
9 a.m.-1 p.m.; and Sunday, closed.
Local
public libraries feeling squeezed by state budget crunch
(May 24,
2002)
The Friends of Brown
Library, the Brown Library Board of Trustees and the staff and volunteers
of Brown Library have invited elected and public officials of Washington
and Beaufort County to the library for breakfast and a chance to see first-hand
the resources and programs Brown Library provides for the Washington area
on Friday, May 24, at 8:30 a.m.
Brown Library, like
public libraries across the state, is being hit doubly hard by the current
state budget shortfall. In addition to cutting state aid directly to libraries,
the state also is withholding revenues due to the cities, towns and counties
that support public libraries, forcing a reduction in local aid as well.
"We need the
community's help in restoring state aid so that we can keep Brown Library
open full-time and serving citizens in our community," said Julie
Hicks, Brown Library Director.
In March Brown Library
was forced to cut evening and weekend hours as a result of loss of local
revenue through the state of North Carolina. Brown Library houses a 50,000-volume
book collection and circulates approximately 95,000 items a year. Of the
10,661 registered borrowers, 3,610 live in Washington, 6,510 live in Beaufort
County outside of Washington, and 542 live outside of Beaufort County.
Libraries around the
state are forced to shut their doors and forced to offer local residents
less in terms of books, programs and basic services. "Libraries will
play a vital role in the state's economic recovery," Hicks said.
"When people are looking for work, they use the library as a resource."
She added that public
libraries are an important part of the education in the community. "Children
who don't have books and computers at home go to the library to use these
resources," she pointed out.
Final
paving to start on Memorial Day
(May 23, 2002)
Contractors will begin
final paving of streets and parking lots downtown on Memorial Day, Monday,
May 27, according to the City of Washington.
Portions of Stewart
Parkway, Water Street, South Bonner Street, South Main Street and Gladden
Street and parking lots along Stewart Parkway and at Bonner and Water
Streets may be closed temporarily during the week for paving activities.
Alternative routes and parking will be available.
The paving should
be completed by the end of the week, weather permitting.
City
addressing concerns about new lighting Downtown
(May 23, 2002)
In keeping with the
Riverside Renaissance plan, the City of Washington has installed new street
and parking lot light fixtures the length of Stewart Parkway, on Water
Street to the NC Estuarium, and on South Bonner Street. This lighting
was designed to preserve the same street-level lighting coverage that
the old fixtures provided to enhance security in public areas. While the
city has received many compliments on the new lighting, some residents
have complained about the brightness of lighting near their homes.
Several factors impact
the effects of the lighting. Use of shorter North Yorkshire style poles
and bulbs that cast a white light required increasing the number of poles
to preserve street-level brightness and coverage at night. The Washington
Post style luminary (the glass fixture that encases the bulb) spreads
the light horizontally rather than vertically, as was the case with the
old fixtures, thereby hitting the eye more directly.
City staff is now
working to address lighting issues in transition areas between the residential
and business districts while retaining the benefits of adequate lighting
for public safety and security.
Staff also has been
questioned about the light pole color scheme. Poles and fixtures along
the promenade are blue, and poles in the parking lots and along the streets
are black. "The street light poles were painted a standard color,
of which the choices were black, bronze, white or green," said Carolyn
Stroud, Communications Director for the City of Washington. "Keep
in mind that the Renaissance plan calls for eventual use of this style
of street lighting throughout the downtown area." Staff advised both
the Historic Preservation Commission and the Downtown Washington Development
Commission about the color choices prior to installing the fixtures.
The street light poles
were manufactured using the same techniques as 100 years ago: sand casting.
"If you look at each pole, you will notice that each one is a little
different from the next one," Stroud said.
Brown
Library now registering for 2002 summer reading program
(May 22, 2002)
Brown Library is now
registering for its annual children's summer reading program.
Weekly programs for
ages 3-12 will begin June 4 and conclude on July 18. Ages 3-5 will meet
on Tuesdays, and ages 6-9 and ages 10-12 will meet separately on Wednesdays.
This year all 10-12 year olds will have an opportunity to participate
in some new and exciting programs on Thursday mornings. Brown Library
Director Julie Jones Hicks will lead the older kids in a book discussion
group, scavenger hunts, mystery games and more. All sessions run from
10:30-11:30 a.m.
The theme of this
year's program is "Exercise Your Mind: Read!" Activities include:
- Exercise with the
City of Washington Parks and Recreation Department
- Imagination and
music for exercise with Jo Lewis
- Weather by local
TV meteorologists Carrie Duncan and David Sawyer
- Endangered species
provided by Goose Creek State Park
- Songs and Spooky
stories around the campfire with Larry and Lougene
- Fishing and water
safety presented by Pettigrew State Park
- Reptiles and Amphibians
with Goose Creek State Park
Summer Reading Program
activities will conclude on Thursday, July 25, with a picnic on the library
grounds starting at 11 a.m. The Mountain Marionettes, a full-time professional
puppet company, will perform for the young and young at heart. Visitors
are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs for seating.
Also this summer,
young readers can earn prizes and a T-shirt by keeping a record of the
books they have read or have had read to them. Sign up for the reading
program starting May 29. Reading for prizes must be completed by July
18.
For more information
about the summer reading programs, call Brown Library at 946-4300.
Boardwalk,
waterfront now open in Washington
(May 20, 2002)
The City of Washington
has opened the new wetlands boardwalk and Stewart Parkway promenade to
pedestrians.
The boat slips, boat
parallel docks and canoe launch area also are finished and available for
use. All construction is now complete in these areas except for some minor
"punch list" items on the waterfront and installing lighting
along the boardwalk and in the Commerce Square parking lot. Reconstruction
of South Respess Street is expected to be finished by early June. Paving
should be completed by Memorial Day.
The wetlands boardwalk
is for pedestrians only. Wheelchairs and strollers are permitted. Leashed
pets are allowed, and owners must clean up after pets. Skateboards, roller
skates or blades, bicycles and fishing are not allowed on the boardwalk.
The Stewart Parkway
promenade, sidewalks and greenspace also are for pedestrians only. Wheelchairs
and strollers are permitted. Leashed pets are allowed, and owners must
clean up after pets. Skateboards, roller skates or blades, and bicycles
are not allowed. Fishing is allowed from the Stewart Parkway bulkhead.
At present, use of
the boat slips and docks follows the current city policy, which is no
charge for up to 72 hours. Water, electricity and pump-out facilities
are available at the boat slips.
The city is planning
a public ceremony to mark the re-opening of Stewart Parkway and the opening
of the wetlands boardwalk on Friday, June 21. The time for the late afternoon-early
evening event will be announced.
The city will be installing
two bronze plaques mounted on separate granite slabs near the flagpole
on the west end of Stewart Parkway. In addition to the original plaque
denoting completion of Stewart Parkway in 1969, a new plaque marking the
latest renovations will be installed. The city also is constructing a
monument to note the location of the former Moss Planing Mill and to recognize
the significance of the lumber industry in Washington's history. The monument,
located at the entrance to the wetlands boardwalk next to the NC Estuarium,
consists of a kiln door and old brick salvaged when manmade structures
were demolished for construction of the stormwater wetland.
City
to run free-chlorine residual in water system May 20-June 3
(May 16, 2002)
The City of Washington's
Regional Water Treatment Plant will be running a free-chlorine residual
in the distribution system May 20-June 3 to comply with terms of its operating
permit.
Free-chlorine is a
different form of the chlorine already used in water treatment as part
of the disinfecting process.
Most customers probably
will not detect the difference; however, those with a keen sense of taste
or smell may detect a slight chlorine smell in the water during this period.
This would be due to the presence of residual chlorine rather than odorless
residual chloramine, which is used at other times by the city as a disinfectant.
The city's operating
permit issued by the state Division of Environmental Health requires that
the city run a free chlorine residual in its system annually for two weeks
each year. This routine change provides additional assurance that the
proper disinfection of water mains in the distribution system is maintained.
Water treated at the
city's water plant is distributed to city customers and sold to Beaufort
County for distribution to its customers.
Please call the City
of Washington at (252) 975-9371 or (252) 975-9310 with questions about
the water treatment process.
Registration
coming up for 2002 Recreation Summer Programs
(May 3, 2002)
For more information
contact Philip Mobley, Recreation Director, 975-9367
Looking for some summer
fun for a vacationing youngster? The City of Washington Parks and Recreation
Department will offer an array of activities through its 2002 Summer Program.
Registration for recreation
summer programs will be held May 6-17 for City of Washington residents
and May 13-17 for all participants. Program dates are June 3-July 12,
unless otherwise noted.
The registration fee
is $10 for city residents and $40 for non-residents, plus an activity
fee for each program as noted below. Camps require payment of the camp
fee only. Cash, check or credit cards are accepted. Participants must
be required age as of Oct. 16, 2002, unless otherwise stated. A birth
certificate is required for proof of age for first-time participants in
Washington Parks and Recreation Department programs.
Register for the camps
or any of the following programs at the Recreation Office, 310 W. Main
St., Suite 200, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participants
also may register online from May 13-17. Go to the City of Washington
website at www.ci.washington.nc.us, click on "Register for Recreation
Programs," and follow the directions. For more information, call the Recreation
Office at 975-9367.
The following programs
are available:
Arts and Crafts
(ages 6-12). Oakdale Recreation Center. Ages 6-8 will meet Wednesdays
from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Ages 9-12 will meet Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m., $20.
Beginner Tennis Classes. Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and
Thursday at 8:15-8:55 a.m., 9-9:40 a.m. or 9:45-10:25 a.m., Bug House
Park, $10. Participants need to bring tennis racket.
Catch and Release (all ages). June 14, June 28 and July 12 at
Havens Gardens. Register at 8:30 a.m., Fish from 9-11:30 a.m. Prizes
awarded. Bring fishing pole. Bait will be provided. $1 per session.
ECU Basketball Camp (ages 8-18), 9 a.m.-12 noon, July 15-19,
7th Street Recreation Center, $50.
Hook A Kid On Golf. (ages 7-14). Ages 7-9 meet Tuesdays from
8:30-10 a.m. and ages 10-14 meet Thursdays from 8:30-10 a.m., location
to be announced, $15. Equipment provided. Sponsored by the US Golfers
Association.
Hulbert Memorial Fund Swimming Lessons (ages 5 and up - must
have completed kindergarten). Washington Aquatic & Fitness Center. Two-week
sessions run Monday-Thursday at 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and 12 noon. Sessions
are June 3-13, June 17-28 and July 1-12, $10.
Introduction to Tumbling (ages 7-12). Mondays and Wednesdays
or Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-3:30 p.m., Seventh Street Recreation
Center, $10.
Kayaking (ages 9-12). Meet Wedneday, June 5 at 9 a.m.; times
for subsequent sessions to be announced. Conducted by Wilderness Adventures,
$20.
Kiddie Cookin' (ages 8-12). Boys, Mondays, 1:30-3:30; Girls,
Tuesdays or Thursdays, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Peterson Building, 310 W. Main
St., $15.
Shoestring Theater (rising third through rising seventh graders).
Practice July 8-19, 1-5 p.m., Civic Center. Perform July 19, 3 p.m.
and 7 p.m., Civic Center, $25.
Soccer Camp. (ages 5-15), time and dates to be announced, $50.
Tot Lot (ages 4-6). Featuring arts and crafts, trips and games.
Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m.-12 noon, Oakdale
Recreation Center, $15.
Wrestling (boys, ages 7-15). Tuesday and Thursday from 4-5:30
p.m., Seventh Street Recreation Center gymnasium, $10. Protective gear
suggested.
No
charge for bulky trash collection in Washington May 14-17
(May 3, 2002)
For more information,
call Carolyn Stroud, Public Affairs Director, 975-9354.
The City of Washington
is collecting bulky trash items from residences at no charge from May
14-17.
Bulky trash items,
such as discarded furniture or appliances, are too large to fit in the
garbage cart. Accepted items will be carried away for disposal by the
city on the neighborhood garbage pick-up day. Items should be placed in
the yard next to the street for collection. Residents are asked not to
put bulky trash items out prior to the free collection week.
There is a limit of
one truckload collected per residence at no charge. The city does not
collect any of the following items: construction materials, tires, hazardous
materials, or appliances that contain or did contain Freon.
The city provides
bulky trash collection at no charge on the second full weeks of February,
May, August, and November. The next free pick-up period will be Aug. 13-16.
At other times of
the year, residents and property owners can dispose of bulky trash items
at no charge at any Beaufort County Solid Waste Convenience Center, arrange
for private haulers to carry items away, or request the city to pick up
bulky items for a charge of $50 per trip. For more information, call the
city's Public Works Department at 975-9302.
Brown
Library waives fines for overdue items returned April 14-21
(April
12, 2002)
In recognition of
National Library Week, Washington's George H. and Laura E. Brown
Library is not charging fines on any overdue items returned during the
week of April 14-21.
"From Sunday,
April 14, to Sunday, April 21, overdue books, videotapes, audiocassettes
and other items can be returned to the library and no fine will be charged.
It doesn't matter whether the item is a few days or a few years overdue,"
said Julie Hicks, Brown Library director.
Any existing fines
for items returned before that week still will be assessed. The library
will resume charging fines for overdue items returned April 22 and thereafter.
Brown Library is closed
on Sundays through June 30; however, overdue items may be placed in the
drive-up drop box in front of the library entrance when the building is
closed.
Brown Library is a
department of the City of Washington. Hours are Monday-Tuesday, 9 a.m.-9
p.m.; Wednesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday,
9 a.m.-1 p.m.; and Sunday, closed.
Automated
utility meters to save time and improve employee safety
(April 12,
2002)
The City of Washington
is now using an automated meter system to take readings from utility meters
in two neighborhoods as part of a pilot project to determine whether such
meters should be expanded.
The city is upgrading
all electric and water meters in Smallwood and all electric meters in
the Clark's Neck Road area from Tranter's Creek to the River Creek
subdivision to automated meters. These new meters are providing data used
to calculate the April utility bills for both areas. By May the city expects
to finish upgrading all City of Washington utility meters in these neighborhoods.
Like conventional
electric and water meters, automated meters keep track of a customer's
usage. Monthly readings from the meters are used to determine the amount
of a customer's bill. Where automated meters differ from conventional
meters is that readings can be taken using a remote hand-held device from
a distance as far away as 1,800 feet and while the meter reader is walking
or driving by the meter location. An unobstructed path between the reading
device and the meter is not required. In contrast, readings from traditional
meters must be taken manually, requiring the meter reader to walk onto
private property, find the meter and record data.
This technology has
been around for more than 20 years. In addition to local field tests,
other utility company's experience and manufacturers' tests
have shown that readings from the automated meters are extremely reliable,
with no discrepancies between automated and manual readings.
Automated meter reading
will improve the efficiency of the meter reading process by saving time.
Using this system also will reduce exposure of city employees to on-the-job
hazards, such as unfriendly animals, insect bites and vehicle accidents.
"Ordinarily it
takes 12 man hours to read all 665 utility meters in Smallwood,"
said Ed Pruden, Electric Substation and Controls Supervisor, who is coordinating
this project with Brenda Ruffin, Meter Services Supervisor. "On April
9, we completed reading all meters in just four hours. We expect to cut
the total read time to an hour when we finish replacing water meters in
Smallwood with automated versions."
The customer will
notice nothing different except the look of the water meter box, an oblong
metal box embedded in the ground near the street. A six-inch round, black
electronic radio transmission (ERT) module, shaped like a shallow dome,
will be attached to the topside of the meter box cover. This ERT module
is wired to the meter itself, which is concealed underground, beneath
the meter box cover.
The ERT module can
be damage by lawn mowers, so customers are asked not to drive or push
lawn mowers, bicycles or heavy equipment over the water meter box. Care
also should be taken not to kink or disconnect the wire inside the meter
box. A damaged ERT will fail to give an automated reading and will require
that the meter be visually read until the ERT can be replaced.
While readings from
the meters have proven to be extremely accurately, customers in these
areas should notify the city at 975-9300 about any usual meter readings
on their bills.
Due
to safety concerns, waterfront, boardwalk continue to be closed to the
public as construction enters final month
(April 4, 2002)
It's springtime
in Washington and residents and visitors alike love getting close to the
river by visiting the waterfront. However, the City of Washington reminds
the public that construction areas remain closed to the public until released
from the contractors to the city upon completion of construction, in about
a month.
"As inviting
as the boardwalk and the promenade are right now, due to safety concerns
we ask people not to use them at this time," said Carolyn Stroud,
communications director with the City of Washington. "Please be patient
for just a little while longer as the contractors finish the remaining
work." The city expects all work to be completed by mid-May, weather
permitting.
Walking, wading or
swimming in the stormwater wetland is not permitted now nor will they
be when the boardwalk opens to the public, she added. "Contractors
have just planted 20,000 aquatic plants, shrubs and trees in the created
wetland. These plants need to be protected so that they can flourish and
create an ecosystem designed to cleanse stormwater runoff and support
aquatic life. The boardwalk, when it is open to the public, will provide
safe public access for enjoyment of this area while protecting the wetland
itself.
"We've also
had reports of children swimming and playing in the wetland," she
said. "This not only is destructive to the wetland but also can be
dangerous to the child. The wetland is not a public swimming area, and
the water depth varies and may not be apparent from the surface, creating
unseen hazards." She reminded parents that the city does provide
daily, supervised public swimming periods after school hours at the Hildred
T. Moore Aquatic and Fitness Center (call 948-9420 for schedule).
In other construction
news:
- Pavement of streets
and parking lots in the project area is expected to begin the week of
April 8, weather permitting. Contractors will start by completing fine
grading of gravel surfaces, followed by application of a base coat and
then a final layer of asphalt.
- All of the waterfront
parking lot between Gladden and Respess streets is expected to reopen
by the end of the week of April 1.
- South Respess Street
between Main Street and Stewart Parkway continues to be closed as contractors
prepare to build a retaining wall along the west side, which is needed
to protect the foundation of the Carter, Archie, Hassell & Singleton
law offices from the lateral pressure of the fill material in the street.
This work is being handled as a change order to Contract 2 (Allen Grading).
At this writing the city was waiting for a price from the contractor.
Once this work proceeds, it is expected to take about a month to complete.
- Work still needs
to be completed on the secondary stormwater treatment system, which
consists of a sloped grassy area between the Visitors Center and the
North Carolina Estuarium. The Stewart Parkway parking lots and Stewart
Parkway have been designed to convey some stormwater runoff to the grassy
area, where some contaminants will have time to settle out before the
runoff flows into the Pamlico River. Until the parking lots and streets
are paved and the east end of the waterfront is graded and sodded, this
secondary treatment system area will not drain as designed. Once completed,
stormwater runoff will be seen flowing through this area during rainfall;
however, this area is designed to drain runoff once the rain event is
over.
- Sodding of the
buffer area between Stewart Parkway and the bulkhead is in progress
under Contract 3 (R&G Construction). Sod will be applied to additional
areas under Contract 2 (Allen Grading) starting with the east end and
moving westward.
- Installation of
railings along the bulkhead is continuing under Contract 3 (R&G
Construction). Installation of lighting along Water Street and in the
parking lots continues to be handled by LJ's Electric (Contract
4) and Washington Electric Utilities. LJ's Electric also will be
installing light fixtures along the boardwalk.
Tree-trimming
reduces chances of power outages for Washington Electric Utilities customers
(April
4, 2002)
Washington Electric
Utilities has stepped up its tree-trimming program to reduce the likelihood
of tree-related power outages this spring and summer.
Two crews from Asplundh
now are actively trimming tree limbs and other vegetation growing within
the 15-foot right-of-way on either side of overhead electric transmission
and distribution lines on the Washington Electric Utilities system. The
system includes the City of Washington and areas east to Bayview and Terra
Ceia, north to Martin County and west to Pitt County.
In addition to reducing
the number of power outages caused by fallen limbs and brief "blink"
outages caused by limbs brushing against power lines, regular tree-trimming
also helps hold down operating costs by keeping electricity from being
lost when limbs touch power lines and draw down electricity.
Occasionally a tree
may need to be removed to prevent power line interference; in this case,
the property owner is consulted in advance, if possible. The contractor
follows guidelines for pruning trees to preserve the health and appearance
of the tree and minimize sprouting and return growth. Occasionally, trimming
may go beyond the 15-foot right-of-way to remove a limb at a notch or
close to the trunk in order to protect the health of the tree. Limbs overhanging
the service line connected to the customer's home or business are
not trimmed; keeping these limbs cut back is the customer's responsibility.
Customers with questions
about the tree trimming program can call Washington Electric Utilities'
administrative offices at (252) 975-9303 during regular business hours.
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