Spring Clean Up Day

The annual Arnolds Park City-Wide Clean Up is scheduled for June 7, 2004. This is offered to all residents in Arnolds Park to dispose of items that are not collected on regular garbage pick up. Please place small items in boxes or bags. White and brown goods will be disposed of for $10 a piece and will have to have a sticker. You will need to purchase this sticker at City Hall prior to June 7, 2004. No lawn waste or recycling will be collected.

If you need to dispose of building structures or other large objects that two men cannot easily handle, please call City Hall at 332-2341 to make special arrangements, and we will try to accommodate you.

The City will not pick up any hazardous waste materials, such as oil, paint, insecticides, weed control products, etc.

Please place all debris curbside and have it ready for pick up by 8:00 a.m. on June 7, 2004.

Dickinson County Green Waste Site

Recycling facilities opened for the season on April 3. Materials accepted include yard waste and white goods.

The facility is located on 13th Street in Milford, 1/2 mile east of the Highway 71 and 13th Street intersection.

Hours of operation are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Input is requested on the public's need of an establishment of a "Sharps" (hypodermic needle) disposal program for county residents. Please contact the Dickinson County Conservation Board with any thoughts that you might have on the need of such a program.

Contact information for any of these items is (712) 338-4786 (ext. 1).

Curbside Recycling

Recycling is collected curbside on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of every month. Please clean containers before placing them in the recycling containers. Make sure all recycling is in the containers and not stacked beside them. A community recycling facility is located next to the water tower.

Yard Waste

Yard waste will be collected on Tuesdays. The yard waste must be in city bags, tied shut, and at the curbside in the morning.

Please do not rake or blow leaves and grass in the streets. It's impossible to keep the material out of the storm sewers. There is no burning allowed in the street.

At the Library

The library is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. On Thursdays and Fridays it is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday's hours are from 10 a.m. to noon.

We have added the Sioux Falls Argus Leader to our newspaper subscriptions. The other papers are the Wall Street Journal, Des Moines Register, Sioux City Journal, Spencer Reporter, Omaha World Herald, N'West Iowa Review, and Dickinson County News. Come in this summer, have a cup of coffee, and catch up on all the newspapers.

Kids, from preschool to fourth grade, the summer reading program will start at the end of June and continue on Wednesdays in July. Stop in to get a program guide. If you complete the reading and other activities, you'll win a prize. This year's theme is western: Lewis and Clark and Cowboys and Indians. Our goal is to keep you reading all summer long.

Utility Billing

The City now has the ability to directly deduct the utility bills from checking accounts at any bank. You would still receive a bill at your home stating paid by bank. Utility bills are billed quarterly; or for your convenience, you may change to annually. Just contact City Hall if you would like either of these changes. Also, we have changed the due date to 20 days from the print date instead of 10 days, as it was previously.

Police Department

The Arnolds Park Police Department is looking forward to another busy tourist season for our area businesses. We are always striving to enhance police protection for our citizens and our tourists to make Arnolds Park as safe as possible.

We have been actively recruiting new Reserve Officers and now have 16 Reserve Officers on board. We are looking to build the force to 20 officers. Last year the reserves saved the city almost $30,000 in cost over hiring Off Duty Officers. The reserves allow us to have an adequate number of officers on duty over the busy weekends and three holidays. If anyone is interested in joining, please contact our office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday thru Friday.

This year's D.A.R.E. Graduation was held on Monday, May 3 at the Middle School in Arnolds Park. Sixty-two 5th graders made a commitment to be Drug and Alcohol Free. Graduates and their family members enjoyed cake and ice cream following the ceremony.

Our K-9 officer, Todd Schillinger, and Rambo were just re-certified for Narcotics Detection and Police Service. Rambo has been a great asset to not only our department, but also to the entire lakes area in assisting officers in drug detection and apprehension of suspects.

The police department has purchased a new 2004 Chevrolet Impala Police Cruiser to add to our fleet. We now have five squad cars, which comes in handy on busy weekends and special events.

You can reach the Arnolds Park Police at 332-2227 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday thru Friday. After hours, please call the Comm. Center at 336-2525, and for an emergency, call 911.

As always, if our department can be of service to you, please contact our office and we will do our best to assist you with your Law Enforcement needs.

War Memorial

Progress is once again in full swing on the War Memorial. We are hoping to have the War Memorial completed by Memorial Day.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the War Memorial Project. Your contributions are greatly appreciated.

If you would like to contribute to this project, please send your donation to: War Memorial Project, P.O. Box 437, Arnolds Park, IA 51331.

We appreciate your interest in this project, and are sure you will be proud of this renovation as we continue to show respect to those who lost their lives serving our country.

Did You Know??

A census taken in the lakes region in 1911 showed there were 4,219 persons in cottages and hotels, 530 rowboats, 18 canoes, 35 sailboats, 194 launches, 505 summer cottages, and 20 campers in tents.

Tree City U.S.A.

The National Arbor Day Foundation and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources-Forestry Bureau are proud to announce that the City of Arnolds Park had received the 2003-2004 Tree City U.S.A. award.

State Forester, Mike Brandrup, presented the awards to each city at the 14th Annual Community Forestry Awards Luncheon in Des Moines on April 1, 2004.

State Forester Mike Brandrup commented, "The Tree City U.S.A. award is a symbol for communities who have made a commitment to the management of public trees. The City of Arnolds Park has provided an outstanding example for other Iowa communities, by bolstering our forest resources and demonstrating the great value of trees in providing multiple benefits for future generations."

The City of Arnolds Park was one of 129 Iowa communities to qualify for Tree City U.S.A. status. To receive the award a city must meet four minimum requirements: (1) The city must possess either a city forester or an active city tree board, (2) The city must have a tree ordinance, (3) The city must annually spend at least $2 per capita for its community forestry program, and (4) The mayor must issue a proclamation naming a day as "Arbor Day."

This is the 5th year that Arnolds Park has received the award.

Team WAVE

Arnolds Park's beautification committee has a busy summer planned. We will be kicking off our activities with a workday on May 15.

Our spring project is at the ballpark. The city has made many changes and improvements to the ball diamond and we have ordered several trees and bushes that will be the first stage of landscaping. We would like to have the ballpark all cleaned up and looking better by Memorial Day. The new War Memorial in the cemetery will probably be dedicated then and the ballpark parking lot will serve that area too. If anyone is interested in helping with the planting and clean up, please join us on May 15 at 9 a.m.; bring shovels, rakes, and gloves.

We are always looking for volunteers as we have lots of areas to maintain. Even if you are unable to help on a particular day, give the city office a call at 332-2341, or call Pat Graves at 332-2327, we have lots of other opportunities for you to contribute your time and efforts. It would be a great family project; or just a few hours by one person can make a big difference in the appearance of our community.

We have been awarded three grants this year: Alliant Energy Branching Out, Aquila/Trees Forever, and Iowa Living Roadways. We need to raise funds to match these grants and we'll be holding our annual fundraiser on August 20 at the Amusement Park Pavilion. We will also be happy to accept any money/memorials that you would like to contribute.

Team WAVE-Willing, Active volunteers for the Environment-needs you!!

Summer Fun

Be sure to stop and enjoy the City Parks that Arnolds Park has to offer. Sawmill Park is located on Rohr Street.

Overnight camping is available at the city campground two blocks east of the Amusement Park on Broadway Street; and also at the city campground on Minnewashta on Bascom Street. The rates are $20 per night with electricity and $15 per night with no electricity.

If walking, biking, or skating is your thing, come out and enjoy the Spine Trail that runs from Spirit Lake to Milford. Take in the sights and sounds that nature has to offer.

Did You Know??

The name Ho-ton-ho-washta (Beautiful Voice) inspired Abbie Gardner Sharp to name Gar Lake Minnewashta (Beautiful Water). Ho-ton-ho-washta was one of those who played a part in getting Abbie ransomed from the Sioux Indians.