Ask the Chief

(1) Summer camping is upon us and it is important to remember that you cannot park a camper, trailer, or motorhome on the street overnight. We do however make reasonable accommodations for those who need to pack their camper on the street to load it and leave for the campground the following morning. Please call me at 507-360-7864 if you have questions.
(2) Grass grows fast in the spring and that means weekly mowing. City ordinance says your grass can not be any longer than 10 inches. Please keep your grass cut and do not blow the clippings into the street or your neighbor’s yard. If you do you must clean it up.
(3) Be a responsible pet owner. If you own a dog or cat YOU need to take care of it and keep it on your property. If you walk your dog and it poops YOU need to pick it up or be willing to pay a fine. Don’t let your cat out to roam the town. It is dangerous for your cat and it is disrespectful to your neighbors. Don’t feed stray animals or leave food/garbage out for raccoons, skunks, or opossums. We live in a rural environment and these animals come into town looking for free food and shelter If you leave food out for your cat or dog it only encourages the wild animals.
(4) Talk to your kids about bike riding safety and paying attention to traffic. Every year I see kids on foot or bike pulling out in front of cars. Kids also need to be reminded about being respectful and kind to each other while at the parks and the pool. I often get calls about bullies or kids being very profane and vulgar. Keep in mind that your kid's behavior is a direct representation of you.
(5) Sump pump hoses need to discharge onto your yard or the street. You cannot discharge your sump pump into the sanitary sewer during the summer, or your neighbor's yard or the sidewalk. If you have a sump pump line crossing the sidewalk it must be a flat collapsible line to avoid tripping someone.
(6) If you are having a BBQ, fire pit, or other outdoor gatherings at your home you need to keep the noise down after 10 PM. Be respectful of your neighbors.
(7) All firepits or open fires must be attended by an adult and be put completely out before leaving it for the evening. You also can not burn leaves or garbage in town.
(8) Recycling is now picked up at 4 AM. Please make sure you put your recycling can out the night before.
(9) Remove your valuables (electronics, purse, wallet, guns, etc.…) and lock your cars at night. Prevention is always better than trying to recover stolen property. We have never had items stolen from a locked car.
(10) Finally, be kind and respectful to each other. Limit your drinking. 99.9% of the problems I get called to deal with are because people are being nasty to each other and almost all of those cases are because people are either drunk or high. A little personal restraint could save you a lot of money, a night in jail, and avoid criminal charges.