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A WORD FROM PUBLIC WORKS STREET SWEEPING begins around October 2, 2023 (weather dependent) HYDRANT FLUSHING began around September 15, 2023 SMART SALTING Salt helps melt ice on roads and sidewalks and protects drivers and pedestrians, but when the snow melts, de-icing salt, which contains chloride, runs into nearby bodies of water. Chloride accumulates in the water over time, and there’s no feasible way to treat or remove it. Residents and business owners can do their part to reduce chloride levels in local water bodies by using a few simple tips: Shovel: Manually remove as much snow and ice as possible. Apply Less: A coffee mug of salt will cover about 10 sidewalk squares or a 20-foot driveway. Sweep Up Extra: If you see salt on a dry surface, it is no longer working. Sweep up and reuse excess salt. 15 Degrees (F): Most salts stop working at this temperature or colder. Use sand for traction. YARD WASTE Bring leaves, grass clippings, brush, tree waste, and other plant materials to Wash- ington County’s Northern Yard Waste col- lection site at 5527 170th Street N. It is free for Hugo residents and open the following hours through November: Wednesday: 11:00 am -7 pm (or dusk) Friday: 8:00 pm - 4:30 pm Saturday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Sunday: Noon - 4:30 pm For more information, go to https://www.co.washington.mn.us/ 3261/Northern-Yard-Waste-Site PREVENT STORMWATER POLLUTION REPORT ILLICIT DISCHARGES An illicit discharge is an unlawful act of disposing, dumping, spilling, emitting or other discharge of any substance other than stormwater into the streets, gutters, ditches, and ponds that make up our stormwater drainage system, or directly into streams or lakes themselves. As a community mem- ber, you play a large part in identifying and reducing illicit discharges in our community. What can you do about illicit discharges? If you see anyone discharging any material other than rainwater in roadside ditches or storm drains, please report it to Public Works at 651-762-6301. For potentially hazardous materials and petroleum spills, call 9-1-1 FIRST when there is an immediate threat to life or property. WINTER PARKING ORDINANCE Between November 1 and extending through March 31, parking is prohibited on all City streets from 2:00 am to 7:00 am. Also, if we receive two inches or more of snow in one snow event during the year, parking is prohibited at those times. This is to allow the Public Works Department to clear the snow from the roadways in a safe and efficient manner. Please be aware that violations of parking restrictions set forth in § 90-253 shall constitute a petty misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $50.00. SNOW REMOVAL With winter knocking on our doors, now is a good time to talk about some of the issues that we all face regarding snow removal on local roads and sidewalks. The City of Hugo maintains more than 100 miles of local roads. It takes crews about eight hours to cover all routes in the city during an average snow event. Starting times vary depending on storm size, expected amounts, time of day and when the storm is expected to pass. The City of Hugo would like to remind every- one that it is against the law to plow snow into or across a public roadway. Minnesota State Statute 160.27 prohibits plowing, shov- eling, blowing, or otherwise placing snow onto any public road right-of-way, and doing so is punishable by a misdemeanor. Snow that is moved to the public right-of-way can create hazardous situations, including slippery areas, frozen ridges, bumps, sight obstructions and drainage problems. Property owners are liable should an accident occur as a result of improper snow placement. Another issue that we experience from time to time is mailbox damage. Occasionally, a mailbox is actually struck by a plow. In those cases, city crews will repair or replace the mailbox. The City ordi- nance states that damaged mailboxes will be replaced with a standard mailbox mounted on a 4” by 4” treated post. More commonly, mailbox damage occurs from the force of the snow moving off the end of the plow, or from shifting snow- banks. When this happens, the damage is not repaired by the City. Keeping these things in mind makes getting through a Minnesota winter a bit easier! 3