Mary Bishop, Kevin Smith, Jeanne Uhle, Beth Just, Amber Houser, Angie White ,Josie Wetzler, Chad Rumbaugh, Andrew Cory, Chip Mathis

 Elkhart Community Betterment Committee

Treasurer report: Savings $1528.10    Checking $3943.07

Item of Business #1 Pancake breakfast:

Pancake Breakfast:

1.      Date Feb. 18, 2012

2.      Serving time 7:30 to 10 am

3.      Place Elkhart Fire Dept. (Back up Elkhart Christian Church)

4.      Menu: Pancakes, Sausage, Bacon, Orange Juice, Coffee

5.      Set up time Friday Feb 17, 2012 7 pm at the firehouse Saturday Feb 18,2012 6:30 am

List of supplies on hand 5-5lb bags of mix, 2 more being donated, 2 5 gallon buckets being donated. Coffee Peanut butter on hand.

List of supplies needed Supplies needed:

·        30 lb. of precooked sausage

·        30 lb. precooked bacon

·        10 gallons of Orange juice plus 10 cans of frozen juice for a back up

·        9 regular bottles of syrup, plus 1 large for refills

·        200 count 8 oz. cups

·        2 gallon of cooking oil

·        Butter patties 200 count

·        Metal scrubbers

·        400 count box of forks

·        400 counts box of plates

·        Tank of propane

3.      Set a date for purchasing items, and volunteers to purchase them Chad and Andrew will go shopping on Feb 17^th. Anyone else who would like to join us can come along.

4.      Andrew will contact the owner of the grill to get it rented for the event. (It rents for $50) Contacted and Andrew will pick it up.

Other items of discussion

1.      Andrew will check at a monument vender to see what polished Granite would cost. (Contacted memorial services of Iowa. I am waiting for a quote)

2.      Parade on July 21^st

3.      The Committee has been asked for help with an event. It was discussed and further details will come out later.

4.      It was discussed as a long term goal to start planning a remodel or replace the community center.

Meet Your New City Council and their areas of focus:

Mayor Brandon Snyder    259 NW Main St       Chief executive of City and presiding officer of Council

Council Members:

Ashley Miller            208 NE Trent Ave    Safety (Animal Control, Fire Department…)

Chad Rumbaugh    309 NE Allison Ave Mayor Pro Tem and Utilities

Doug Jones             152 NW Shaw Ave    Audit and City Hall; Liaison to Elkhart Community Betterment        Committee and Liaison to Planning and Zoning

Kevin Smith             367 NW Shaw Ave  Streets and Alleys, Maintenance and Buildings; MWA Board

Steve Nolte              164 NW Lincoln Ave           Parks and Cemetery; Liaison to Elkhart Cemetery Association, Elkhart Memorial Park Board and Alternate Member Polk County Emergency Commission

Council just renewed our contract with Slater Public Library so all residents can go to any public library to get a library card and check out books etc!

The Elkhart Community Betterment Committee is hosting a

Free Pancake Breakfast 

But donations are gladly accepted to fund community events and projects!

Saturday February 18, 2012 from 7:30 am to 10 am

Eat Inside the Elkhart Fire Department on Main Street and MEET your neighbors, Council members, City Clerk, Mayor, Fire Chief, and members of the Betterment Committee.  Special Kudos to Angie White, whose employer, Wellmark, recognized Angie's volunteer efforts with the Elkhart Community Betterment Committee and donated $2,000 to it!!  Great efforts Angie!  Next Betterment Committee meeting is January 30 at 7pm in the Elkhart Veterans Memorial Community Center and open to everyone!

New 2012 Recycling schedule Magnets are available in City Hall !

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012301190047

1st Place Residential $100 to Colton and Cayden Drey at 216 NE Elm St

2nd Place Residential $50 to Tom and Jackie Ausman at 221 NE Allison Ave

1st Place Commercial $100 to Faith Christian Fellowship at 186 S Grant Ave

HO…HO…HO…Tis the Season…

Next Special City Council Meeting/Public Hearing is Dec. 21, 2011 7pm at City Hall regarding the proposed January 4, 2012 Community Development Block Grant Application for Stormwater System Improvements. Tuesday, Jan 3, 2012 = First meeting of new Council.

Holiday Lights Contest Friday Dec 16 – judging begins at 7pm.  Register with City Hall 367-4735 or email:  cityofelkhart@huxcomm.net – list name, street address, and phone number.  Prizes will be given out Dec 17 2 pm:  Residential Prizes = $100 First and $50 Second; Commercial Award= $100

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Santa will visit the Elkhart Fire Station Saturday, Dec 17, 2011 at 2 pm.  Sponsored by the Elkhart Volunteer Fire Association, CHILDREN will have their pictures with Santa taken by Max & Liz Bechtol;enjoy Cider, Iowa State Popcorn, Cookies by Mary Jo Ward & see David Risvold's Train Display!

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Thanks to everyone who has updated their House or Building Number!  Fed Ex, UPS ,& Iowa One Call have all received the Address change information as well.  The Polk County Election Office (286-3247) will mail out new voter registration cards to all registered voters between January - April, 2012.

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 Christmas Tree and Compost It! yard waste collection set for Jan 2-13. Did you know that residents can dispose of yard waste along with their Christmas trees? This year, the late arrival of freezing temperatures and snow means that many residents are still gathering up leaves and other yard waste. Compost It! bags, generic bags with Compost It! stickers and brush bundles with Compost It! stickers will be collected with Christmas trees during the first two weeks of January. Trees must have a Compost It! sticker, be removed from stands and be free of any decorations. CONTACT: Rhonda O'Connor, MWA program manager, 323-6524. **************************************

Winter is not far away so now is the time to review the City Snow Ordinance found at City Hall (see some Reminders on Back of this Page) The City Snow Ordinance can be found on our website www.elkhartiowa.com                     Then look under

Forms/Documents/CityCode/2007CodeofOrdinances/Chapter 140

Note also that this Notice can also be read on our website!

Code 140.07: REMOVAL OF PARKED VEHICLES.  In order to facilitate the removal of snow from the streets of the City, all parked vehicles shall be removed from the streets of the City within a period of eight hours after the snow has started falling until the streets have been cleared of accumulated snow to each curb.  Any person violating this section shall be subject to a fine in accordance with Section 70.03 of this Code of Ordinances.  In addition, the vehicle may be towed and the fair and reasonable expense of towing and storage shall be at the expense of the violator.

Code 136.03:  REMOVAL OF SNOW, ICE AND ACCUMULATIONS.  Property owners must remove snow, ice and accumulations promptly from sidewalks.  If a property owner does not remove snow, ice or accumulations within a reasonable time, the City may do so and assess the costs against the property owner for collection in the same manner as a property tax.

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Please ensure your streets, sidewalks, and alleyways are clear of vehicles and debris to allow for snow removal this winter!  As a courtesy clean snow away from fire hydrants and your mail boxes as well to allow access.

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WINTERIZE:  Remember to ensure your water pipes are properly insulated when doing your annual cold weather maintenance to help avoid frozen pipes and meters this winter!

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Peddlers, solicitors, and anyone attempting to sell goods door to door in Elkhart are considered transient merchants and must obtain a LICENSE in City Hall & display it at all times.  No one has requested such license in 2011, so no one should be knocking on your door attempting to sell you vacuums or any other items.  Newspaper carriers are exempt from this License. Charitable/ religious organizations going door to door must register information with City Hall –see Code 122.04.