REO March 2013 newsletter

Freeport's Winter Parking Rules Go Into Effect!

CITY OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS

WINTER PARKING REGULATIONS

• Winter Parking Regulations apply every day of month from December 1 to March 31 

• Even days of the month you must park on even-numbered side of street - generally West and North

• Odd days of the month you must park on odd-numbered side of street - generally East and South 

• Streets that have designated parking on one side only for an entire city block, shall be exempt

• 8:00 am is the beginning hour for all streets in City (except in the Business District - see below)

• Odd-Even parking does not apply in Business District. Parking in the Business District is not allowed between the hours of 2:00 am and 5:00 am throughout the entire year. Business District is area bounded by Jackson Street, the Pecatonica River, Douglas Street, and Cherry Avenue, excepting the 300 block of West Douglas Street.

• No person shall pile or cause to be piled any snow on avenues, streets, boulevards, alleys, sidewalks or any other City-owned property, except at the direction of the Public Works Director. Further, no person shall pile or cause to be piled any snow to obstruct the vision at any intersection of any street, avenue, boulevard or alley within the City.

For questions, please call City of Freeport City Hall at 815-235-8200;
Freeport Police Department (Non-emergency) at 815-235-8222; or
Street Department at 815-235-8210.

City of Freeport Flushing Hydrants Sept 17-27

When?

The City of Freeport Water and Sewer Department conducts annual fire hydrant flushing. They will be flushing fire hydrants and water lines from Sept 17-21 and Sept 24 - 27.  Flushing will occur during the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Why?

This annual maintenance is done to remove minerals and sediment that accumulate in the water lines over the course of a year.  This preventative maintenance also allows the City to check and record water pressure to ensure the water system is functioning properly.

What to expect:

During the hydrant flushing, you may observe a fire hydrant with water coming out of the side opening; and, on occasion, the water in your home may have an orange or rusty appearance. The water is safe to use and drink. The discoloration is caused by the iron sediment in the water main being disturbed by the hydrant flushing. If this occurs, please run your COLD water for several minutes to clear your lines. You should also run your water for 5 to 10 minutes prior to doing laundry during this time to avoid staining clothes and you should also flush your toilets once or twice. The water should run clear within a few minutes. If water discoloration persists for more than 24 hours after running water for 5 to 10 minutes, the Water Department will re-flush the water mains that serve your area.  If this occurs or if you have any questions or concerns regarding the hydrant flushing process, contact the Freeport Water and Sewer Construction Dispatch at 815-233-1686, leaving a message with your address and flushing request..

Electronics Recycling in Freeport

An Electronics Recycling Collection will be held on Saturday, September 22 from 9AM to 1PM at Highland Community College Parking Lot "B".  The Electronics Recycling Collection is sponsored by the University of Illinois Extension and the Stephenson County Health Department.  There is NO FEE for this collection and the collection is open to the public.  Items that will be accepted at the collection include:

•  televisions 
• CRT and LCD monitors
• computers
• laptops
• printers
• scanners
• fax machines
• copiers
• VCR's
• keyboards
• computer mice
• DVD players
• stereos
• speakers
• microwaves
• miscellaneous cables, computer parts and peripherals
• telephones
• cell phones
• PDA's
• game counsels 
• handheld electronics (iPods, cd players, Game boys)

Only items on this list will be accepted.  For more information about this event or other recycling opportunities, please call the University of Illinois Extension at 815-235-4125 or visit their website at web.extension.illinois.edu/jsw.

This is a GREAT opportunity - for example, if you were to hire a hauling company - they are charged $35 per TV they take to the transfer station, and would have to pass that cost to you along with the pick-up charge.  This is such a great deal - scour your house and drop your old/broken electronics stuff off at Highland on Sept 22nd!

Scary day today - luckily with a "Happy Ending". One of our tenants noticed an outlet they were overloading with a window air conditioner was getting HOT! The wall was very HOT also. 1st mistake made was calling us 1st. In the case of a possible fire - CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRST! The 2nd and biggest mistake was that they admitted to throwing water on the outlet.

Electrical fires are different than other fires. Because water conducts electricity, throwing water on an electrical fire can cause the fire to get LARGER.

In case of an electrical fire (or suspicion of one) Here is what to do:

1. NEVER use water on an electrical fire.

2. Tell an adult to turn off the main power to the house, if possible.

3. If the fire can be put out safely, tell an adult to use a proper chemical fire extinguisher. If the fire cannot be put out safely, leave the house and take everyone with you.

4. Call 911 or your emergency number and tell them it is an electrical fire.

Luckily the 3rd thing our resident did was call the Fire Dept. who responded immediately. There was no fire but there could have been. And, if there was, it could have become quite tragic when they threw water at it. So, Praise God, all is well. Please, if you are not sure what to do in an emergency - call 911. And, then get yourself educated for the future. When you moved in, we supplied you with a "Tenant Orientation Handbook" that covers basic emergency situations. Now is a good time to pull it out and review it with your family or roommates.

Stay SAFE!

One more Simple SAFETY tip

If you've read the June REO newsletter - you'll see it's all on safety this month.

Here's one more simple, yet smart tip!

Put your car keys beside your bed at night.

Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents, your Dr.'s office, the check-out girl at the market, everyone you run across. Put your car keys beside your bed at night.

If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. 

Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this: It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. 

If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won't stick around. After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.

This would also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, where you can't reach a phone. Older people should think about carrying their car keys with them in case of a fall. All they have to do is activate the car alarm and then others close by will know there's a problem.

Please pass this on even IF you've read it before. It's a reminder.

Please share this with all the people in your life.

Think Twice Before Getting A Pet!

At Real Estate Options we are VERY pet-friendly.  But, before you jump in and get a pet - you should make sure you can truly afford one.  In 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, we Americans as a whole spent over $60 BILLION on our critters.

Some pets are less expensive to maintain than others.  Did you know the MOST EXPENSIVE pet to own is a rabbit?  Bunnies come in as the most expensive pet to feed and maintain at $730 per year!

Here's how other animals rate in cost per year:

Fish - $35;  Small Dog - $355; Small Bird - $200; Large Dog - $650; Cat - $495; Medium Dog - $470; Guinea Pig - $635 and a small mammal (like a gerbil) - $300.

If you decide to get a pet while you are living with us - be sure to get permission first. You will need to sign a Pet Agreement and pay a one-time pet deposit.  While we can rent to any dog breed, there are a handful of dog breeds that require that you also have Renters Insurance that covers the dog.  Of course, Renters Insurance is a smart decision whether you have a dog or not -- but that's a whole 'nother blog for another day!  If you do make the decision you CAN afford a pet - you are in for a lifetime of love, joy and fun!