September 1, 2010

Energy & Environmental Fair

All Black County residents are invited to the annual Energy & Environmental Fair, Saturday September 25th at Cedar Falls Utilities. The fair runs 9:00- 2:00 and is co-sponsored by Cedar Falls Utilities and the Black Hawk County Solid Waste Management Commission.

The commission is funding a free household Hazardous Materials Drop-Off Event for Black Hawk County residents (pdf).

To see a list of toxic materials that will be accepted at the event, click here.

The commission is subsidizing a one-day sale of backyard compost bins ($40) and new this year, 55 gallon rain barrels, ($50). For more details about the compost bin or rain barrel, view the flyer.

To further promote backyard composting, free composting workshops will be held for the public.

Information can also be found at WasteTrac.org or call the Waste Trac Education Team at (319) 266-8722.

August 26, 2010

CITIZENS OF WATERLOO:

Notice of Public Hearing and Comment Period on the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report

The Community Development Board of the City of Waterloo, Iowa will hold a Public Hearing on September 21, 2010 in the City Council Chambers, 715 Mulberry Street, Waterloo, Iowa at 4:00 p.m. The purpose of the hearing is to receive comments on the Community Development Block Grant progress and performance for the past year. Input from this hearing will be taken into account in preparing future Community Development Block Grant applications.

The Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (C.A.P.E.R.) covers the period between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010. The C.A.P.E.R. will be submitted to the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development for review and processing on or before September 30, 2010.

A 15-day public comment period begins on August 30, 2010 and ends on September 14, 2010. Comments may be presented orally at the public hearing or submitted in writing to Rudy D. Jones, Director, Community Development Board, Carnegie Annex - Suite 202, 620 Mulberry Street, Waterloo, Iowa 50703. Any comments received will then be incorporated into the final document submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Draft copies of the annual C.A.P.E.R. are available for review to interested persons upon request at the Community Development office, the City Clerk’s office, and the Waterloo Public Library.

Submitted by: Rudy D. Jones, Community Development Director

August 25, 2010

ATTENTION DEVELOPERS:
Notice of Third Round of Funding for Single Family New Construction Unit Production Activity

The Iowa Department of Economic Development has initiated their third round of funding for the Single-Family New Construction Unit Production Activity. If you are interested in participating, start putting your development team together and request a copy of the guidelines from the City of Waterloo, Community Development Office. Contact us at (319) 291-4429 or email, rudy.jones@waterloo-ia.org. As before with the first rounds of funding, the program will require a quick turn around time for the application submittal. An informational meeting will be held on Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. in the Carnegie Annex Conference Room, 620 Mulberry Street, 2nd floor.

Please be aware of a couple of proposed revisions from the first round of funding that would require greater attention. They are as follows:

• Waterloo’s proposed allotment is $880,227, which would be less than the last round of funding. I estimate this would allow for between 15 – 20 new units.
• One-half of all units constructed must be held to a total production cost (purchase price) of $150,000 per unit.
• The acquisition subsidy level (down payment assistance) is proposed to be 25% of the purchase price/fair market value; the same as Round 2.
• 50% of all units constructed must be sold to persons or households whose incomes are at or below 80% median family income.
• We request that all proposals be submitted to this office by September 17, 2010 to give our office time to prepare the final proposal for review and submittal by the CDBG Board and Waterloo City Council to the Iowa Department of Economic Development.
• Development plans from the City of Waterloo must be submitted to IDED no later than October 15, 2010.

Submitted by: Rudy D. Jones, Community Development Director

August 18, 2010

CITY OF WATERLOO ANNOUNCES ANNUAL FALL CITYWIDE CLEANUP “BUCK DAY”

The Waste Management Services Department is happy to announce the Annual Fall Citywide Cleanup.

This cleanup event will be held on Saturday, September 18, 2010 from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm at the Waste Management Services site at 3505 Easton Avenue in Waterloo. It is open to all City of Waterloo residents. I.D. may be requested.

To help defray the cost for this event, each vehicle entering the site will be charged $1.00. An additional charge of $1.00 will be collected per tire or household appliance, with a limit of 4 tires and 4 appliances per household. Residents are asked to have the exact change for your load to assist in expediting their visit.

WHAT YOU CAN BRING

1. Appliances: limit 4 per household; air conditioner, dehumidifier, freezer, refrigerator, clothes dryer, clothes washer, dishwasher, kitchen range, oven/stove, microwave oven, furnace, thermostat, water heater, etc.
2. Tires: limit 4 per household; automobile and pick-up truck tires (rim or no rim).
3. General bulk items “trash”: furniture, televisions, lawn furniture, worn out clothing, bedding, scrap lumber and building remodeling and repair scrap materials, carpet, house wares, toys, bicycles, etc.
4. All gasoline powered equipment: lawnmowers, weed eaters, tillers, snow blowers, etc. Power equipment must be drained of gas and oil prior to dumping.

WHAT YOU CANNOT BRING:

1. No garbage (please use your weekly garbage service)
2. No hazardous materials
3. No paint
4. No liquids: fuels, oils, pharmaceuticals, etc.
5. No batteries
6. No yard waste or tree debris
7. No propane gas tanks
8. No tractor or semi tires

Please remember to properly secure your loads when transporting them to the Easton Avenue facility. Use a tarp or enclose waste materials for safety and sanitation purposes.

The yard waste portion of Waste Management Services will be open September 18.

We ask the citizens’ cooperation in following the guidelines established for this event. Questions or concerns can be directed to the Waste Management Services offices at 319-291-4553.

August 6, 2010

The City is serious about getting rid of graffiti. Please report graffiti as soon as you see it. The sooner we are able to respond and remove graffiti, the more our community will send a message that we will not tolerate graffiti in our City.
Graffiti complaint number 319-291-3820.

July 19, 2010

The City of Waterloo Waste Management Services Dept. is pleased to announce a new recycling drop-off location in Waterloo located behind the Leisure Services complex at 1101 Campbell Ave.

The opening of the new site will bring the total number of drop-off stations in the city to seven (7). Residents will be able to recycle cardboard, clear glass, plastic, newspapers and magazines at this location.

Residents are reminded to deposit items into the containers that are recyclable and to keep the area clean. Dumping outside the containers is not allowed and abuse of this recycling site will not be tolerated.

Questions may be directed to the Waste Management Services’ office, 3505 Easton Avenue, Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., or by calling 291-4553 during office hours.

July 9, 2010

Due to the street reconstruction of E 4th St., the City of Waterloo’s recycling site at E 4th and Esther (old Chamberlain Manufacturing site) has moved to the corner of Lester St. and E 4th St. (Lower Gates Park).

We regret any inconvenience this may cause. The City requests the public’s cooperation by following all recycling regulations, which includes not leaving unauthorized materials at the site. We remind patrons to be respectful of all neighbors adjacent to this site.

If you have any questions regarding the recycling program please call 291-4553.

May 7, 2010

Cars will face red lights in all four directions when the push button is pressed at two school crossings.Two new school signals have been installed at the intersections of Easton Avenue and W. 11th Street and Easton Avenue and Hammond Avenue, near Kittrell Elementary School. The signals now have a pedestrian button that, when pushed, causes the traffic lights to turn red in all four directions. This allows pedestrians – particularly students – to cross from all sides.

March 16, 2010

The City of Waterloo’s Easton Avenue “Yard Waste Drop Site” will be open March 18th through November 30th daily from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. This year’s opening date is two (2) weeks earlier than the scheduled April 1st opening date.

Only residents of Waterloo and/or non-resident landlords and residential property owners transporting yard waste generated on City of Waterloo residential properties will be able to utilize this site. Non-resident landlords must register at the Waste Management Services Office before using the disposal site. The office is located at 3505 Easton Avenue and is open 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday.

The site is not to be utilized by any commercial or “for hire” transporters of yard waste.

Yard Waste includes: Vegetative wastes resulting from the care and maintenance of residential yards, flowerbeds, and gardens, including but not limited to grass clippings, leaves, tree limbs, bark, garden waste, brush and small twigs and branches not exceeding two and one-half (2 ½) inches in diameter and three and one-half (3 ½) feet in length.

• Tree stumps, tree roots, trunks, logs and branches that are more than two and one-half (2 ½) inches in diameter or three and one-half (3 ½) feet in length.
• Flower and decorative products. Examples include, but are not limited to flower arrangements, decorated potted plants, wreaths, bouquets, garlands, and small bedding flats.
• Metal, plastic, rock, dirt, wire, fencing, weed barriers or other underlayment, border materials, stone, brick, masonry.
• Other inorganic material not considered yard waste.

Questions regarding eligibility status may be directed to the Waste Management Services’ office, 3505 Easton Avenue (office inside the gated treatment plant grounds), Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., or by calling 291-4553 during office hours.

December 14, 2009

The mission of Public Access television is to provide a free-speech forum open to all, without discrimination or favoritism based on content. Waterloo Community Television (WCTV) achieves this goal. Its sister channel is Waterloo Government Access (WGAT), which exists to make local government more transparent to community residents.

These two local channels, plus two educational channels, are undergoing a change to keep pace with newer technology in the cable television industry. Known as PEG channels (public, education, government), these are moving from an analog transmission to digital television beginning December 9.

For many TV viewers, this change will not be noticeable. But for those who do not use digital TV, viewing access will continue only on televisions linked to a digital tuner or adapter. Mediacom works in partnership with the City of Waterloo to make channel space available for PEG channels (15, 17, 18, 19). Customers will retain viewing access even though the signal transmission will switch to digital.

Mediacom is giving its non-digital customers FREE digital tuners that function as “adapters” – bringing the digital signals into clear view on older, non-digital television screens. The digital tuner or adapter is known as a DTA. It is a small, simple device – not much larger than a deck of cards. Simply connect it beside or behind a television and the full set of PEG channels becomes viewable. The local PEG channels retain their display numbers but will be viewable only in a digital format beginning Dec. 9.

How to view Waterloo PEG Channels after Dec. 9, based on three (3) viewing options:

1.Viewers with digital cable service (approx. 50% of Mediacom customers) – No changes; your digital cable box tunes-in digital PEG channels

2.Newer televisions with built-in QAM tuners (TVs manufactured since 2004) – No additional device needed; tune-in at 79.2, 79.4, 79.5 or 79.6

3.Cable customers with non-digital service (no set-top box) and non-digital televisions – A digital tuner (DTA) is needed; get one FREE from Mediacom (modest fee for 2nd DTA use)

For more information:
Contact Waterloo’s Public & Government. Access Channel coordinator:
ed.stoffer@waterloo-ia.org
Or, contact Mediacom’s Communications Director, Phyllis Peters:
ppeters@mediacomcc.com or 515-246-2295

September 18, 2009

Welcome to the new City of Waterloo website! We wanted to make it easier for citizens and visitors to find out more about our great city. To the left you can find dropdown menus that will assist you in finding the information you need. Looking for a phone number? No problem! The City Services guide is easily accessible from the homepage and has a list of frequently called numbers for your convenience. The City of Waterloo cares about what you think. To contact the City of Waterloo, click on the “Contact Us” link in the upper right-hand corner of the website. The City of Waterloo . . . we’re working for you!