How useful is the new City of Mandan website?

September 2 – “The Brain is Part of the Body: Equal Treatment and Equal Opportunity”
A discussion on mental health issues. Presented by Susan Helgeland, Executive Director of Mental Health America of ND.

September 9 – “Overcoming Barriers: A Hispanic Perspective”
Presented by Emily Bonilla Gonzalez, Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Conservationist, Hispanic Emphasis Program Manager

September 16 – “A Place At the Table”
Attention to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) issues.
Presented by Brenda Eslinger

September 23 – To be Announced

The mission of the Human Relations Committee is to protect and promote the personal dignity of all Bismarck citizens and to eliminate any discriminatory barriers that prevent them from reaching their full human potential.

For more information visit www.bismarck.org or call 701-355-1300.

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Latest statistics from NFPA say that one out of every three home fires started in the kitchen and more than 150,000 fires a year were related to cooking.  Most of these fires occur by leaving cooking unattended.

The bottom line is that there’s really no safe period of time for the cook to step away from a hot stove.

Key Cooking Safety Tips:
• Never leave cooking food on the stovetop unattended, and keep a close eye on food cooking inside the oven or microwave.
• Keep cooking areas clean and clear of combustibles (e.g. potholders, towels, rags, drapes and food packaging).
• Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a “kid-free zone” of three feet around the stove.
• Keep pets from underfoot so you do not trip while cooking.
• Never use a wet oven mitt, as it presents a scald danger as the water turns to steam if the moisture in the mitt is heated.
• Always keep a potholder, oven mitt and lid handy. If a small fire starts in a pan on the stove, put on an oven mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Don’t remove the lid until it is completely cool. Never pour water on a grease fire and never discharge a fire extinguisher onto a pan fire, as it can spray or shoot burning grease around the kitchen, actually spreading the fire.
• If there is an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you and your clothing.
• If there is a microwave fire, keep the door closed and unplug the microwave. Call the fire department and make sure to have the oven serviced before you use it again. Food cooked in a microwave can be dangerously hot. Remove the lids or other coverings from micro waved food carefully to prevent steam burns.
• A cooking fire can quickly turn deadly.  Please heed these simple safety rules. For more information visit www.bismarck.org/fire

Would you be in favor of a $3 per month increase for garbage collection if large totes were issued to each property owner by the service provider?

In a mobile home: Get out immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes.

The best place to shelter is in the center of the basement under a sturdy workbench or under the stairway. If you do not have a basement, go to the lowest level of a sturdy building and put as many walls between you and the outside as possible and avoid areas with exterior windows and doors. In a school or other large building, go to the lowest level and into a bathroom or a hallway near the center of the building. Stay away from large wide open rooms like an auditorium or gymnasium. For more information visit www.bismarck.org or call 701-222-6727.

In order to qualify, participants had to register online at KFYR AM radio or listen for the cue to call during the PH Factor morning show on KFYR AM Radio. The winner was selected live on the air via a reverse drawing on Friday, July 30. There were 30 finalists, but only one lucky winner was selected.

United Airlines offers daily, nonstop service to Chicago O’Hare from Bismarck Airport. Once in Chicago, the opportunity to connect domestically as well as internationally is available on United Airlines including locations such London, England and Frankfurt, Germany. Book your travel today at www.united.com or at www.bismarckairport.com and see what the “Windy City” has to offer!

The Human Relations Committee meets the third Monday of every month at the City/County Building. The committee has adopted a policy that four consecutive absences from meetings will result in a request for resignation.

The mission of the Mayor’s Human Relations Committee is to protect and promote the personal dignity of all Bismarck citizens and to eliminate any discriminatory barriers that prevent them from reaching their full human potential.

Interested Bismarck residents should send Mayor Warford a letter describing their qualifications, background, and why they would be interested in serving on the committee. Please visit www.bismarck.org and click on application. The letter and or application should be mailed to:

Mayor John Warford
City of Bismarck
PO Box 5503
Bismarck, ND 58506-5503

For more information you may contact: Bismarck City Administration at 701-355-1300 or
visit www.bismarck.org

Representing each of the four strategic plan initiatives, which include Leadership, Pride & Image; Economic Opportunity & Prosperity; Quality Places & Destinations; and Education & Workforce, the chairpersons will lead a discussion about their respective projects, encourage participant feedback and outline their committee’s next steps.

A quorum of the members of the Mandan City Commission, Mandan Park Board, Mandan School Board and Morton Commission may be present as all have been invited to attend.

The agenda is as follows:

A. Introductions
B. Presentation of Mandan Tomorrow Mid-Year Update 2010
C. Committee Members Available for Public Input & General Comments
D. Next Update January 2011.

Location:

Mandan Fire Station No. 1
110 Collins Ave
Mandan, ND 58554

Homeowners must request the City Forester to come and inspect boulevard trees that they desire to remove prior to removal. A permit will then be issued if approved by the Forester. As a practice, requests to remove trees due to fruit or seed drop issues are not granted.

Placement of trees in the lawn area must accommodate proper spacing between trees and minimum distances from: intersections, fire hydrants, street lights, overhead wires, driveways, mailboxes, street lights, and water service lines.

Contact the Bismarck Forestry Division for a Permit to Plant or Remove Trees on Public Rights of Way (boulevards). Call the Forestry Division at 355-1733 or fill out the online form at www.bismarck.org/forestry to schedule an appointment for a Permit, and to inquire about the cost share incentive program, Partners in Planting.