Martin Village Spring 2013 Newsletter
Spring Clean Up Day - Saturday, May 18th
-The Village and Township will again host a cooperative clean up day on Saturday, May 18th. Collection will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Dumpsters will be located at the Township Hall parking lot by the Fire Station. Items must be delivered to that site. Items NOT accepted are: Appliances, tires, pipe or metal longer than 4 feet, brush, leaves, wood, garbage, rocks, concrete, dead animals, or building materials.
Spring and Summer Leaf, Grass, & Brush Pick Up
-Brush pick-up will begin April 9th. and run until November 5th. The Salter will not be removed from the brush truck until April 9th. The Village will continue to provide curb side pick-up of small quantities of brush and limbs (up to 4 feet in length and 2 inches in diameter). Items need to be placed by the street for early Tuesday pick up. Disposal of large quantities of brush from major trimmings or tree removals are the responsibility of the home owner. Brush in large quantities or over the size limit will not be picked up by the Village. Grass clippings and leaves can be bagged in paper or plastic and placed near the street for pick-up. Please do not mow loose grass into the street as it clogs storm drains.
Fall Leaf Disposal
-When leaves start falling they may be placed near the street in bags for pick-up or loose to be vacuumed. Grass clippings and leaves mulched together with a lawn mower must be placed in bags. Mulched grass mixed with leaves plug the vacuum and is more time consuming. Vacuuming will start on Tuesday October 22nd and continue until Tuesday morning November 19th. Leaves must be placed by roadside Monday night on November 18th for the last pickup on Tuesday November 19th. Leaf burning is still permitted, but you should first obtain a burn permit from the County @686-5222
Memorial Day Activities - May 27th
-Plans are well under way for the annual Memorial Day activities. Parade line up begins at 9:30AM in the High School Parking Lot. The parade begins at 10:00 and proceeds westward on Allegan Street to Main Street, then north to Memorial Park for observance ceremonies. If you wish to participate be at the line up. If you have ideas or questions, please call the Village Office at 672-7777 or event coordinator Gary Brinkhuis at 672-5264.
-NOTE: NO political floats or hand-outs are allowed to be any part of this Parade or Observance.
Water and Sewer System Notes
-NOTE: For those of you on metered water, your sewer usage is equally metered under the theory of what comes in goes out. However, with summer coming, it is understandable that with lawn and garden watering, etc., your water usage may increase, but all would not be going into the sewer. We can address these situations by metering and billing for actual water use, but billing sewer, for the months of May through September, at a flat rate based on your average established during the winter months. Please submit a written request to the village office (by mail to PO Box 234 or in our drop box on front of Lions Hall), to make this happen. Those requesting this service in past years will automatically be switched this year unless you advise not to. All fire hydrants will be flushed on April 19th and 20th. If water is discolored, let run until it clears.
All residents are billed, monthly, a water Ready-to-Serve flat charge of $14.00. $4.00 is added for every 1,000 gallons recorded. All residents are billed, monthly, a sewer Ready-to-Serve flat charge of $12.23. $6.25 is added for every 1,000 gallons recorded (or 6,000 gallons for those not connected to water). This is the exact amount Plainwell charges us and their residents for processing sewage. This will be increasing July 1st to $7.00 per 1,000 gallons.
Village Permits
-Residents contemplating the building of new structures, or making additions to existing buildings, should check their plans with Professional Code Inspections (PCI), 1575 142nd Street, Dorr, MI 49323, phone 800-628-3335, or have your builder do so before starting the project. PCI also issues electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits for the village.
Garage Sales
-A reminder to all residents. Village Ordinance No. 55 restricts the number of garage sales (or anything of that nature) to 3 sales per year of not more than 72 hours each. The Ordinance requires obtaining a permit, but all we are currently requiring is for "you" to call the Village Office prior to the sale (672-7777) and record a message with the location and dates of your sale. The complete Ordinance can be viewed on the Village website.
Village Website
-You're encouraged to visit the Village of Martin website at "www.martinmi.org." View recent Council Meeting minutes, area links, an event calendar, community projects, and other "stuff." There is also a link to Village Ordinances. You can view and print from this link. Let us know if there is something else you would like to "see" and let us know if there is some event you would like placed on the calendar.
Village Office
-Normal Office open hours are: Monday through Friday, 9:00-11:00 a.m. and most Saturday mornings for a short time.
-For questions or concerns, you are welcome to stop by during these hours or, at any time, call 672-7777 and leave a message. Response will be as soon as possible.