Dawn Sommers, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, 612-221-9155
Matt Laible, City of Minneapolis, 612-270-8811
City of Minneapolis and Park Board respond to storm damage
Focus is on safety and clearing streets; tree debris collection begins
July 1 for residents
June 22, 2013 (MINNEAPOLIS) The City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Park
and Recreation Board are working together to remove trees and reopen city
streets following last nightâs storm. A tree debris collection has also been
planned for July 1-12 to help folks get rid of tree debris from their
yards.
If thereâs storm damage in your neighborhood, or if your area doesnât
have power, please check in with your neighbors, especially if they are
elderly or may need assistance. With more storms in the forecast, please help
your neighbors stay safe.
Downed power lines
Residents should stay away from downed power lines and report their
location to Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-4999. All downed power lines, even if
theyâ
re not moving or sparking, are dangerous and should never be approached. To
report an outage, or to receive outage information or restoration
estimates, customers are asked to call Xcel Energyâs outage line at
1-800-895-1999.
Traffic signals
Traffic signals are out in areas without power. Itâs important for drivers
to remember that if the signal at an intersection is not working, treat
the intersection as a four-way stop.
Street flooding
This morning, there is still some localized street flooding in parts of
town. City crews are out clearing catch basins where needed help the water
better drain away into the storm sewer. If you have a catch basin along the
curb at your home thatâs clogged with leaves, folks can help by clearing
those out, but only do so if youâre sure itâs safe.
Tree Removal and Reopening of Streets
Park Board and City crews have been busy since 7 a.m. this morning
assessing tree damage and removing trees to reopen streets. Major streets are
their first priority, followed by secondary streets. Crews will continue to
work through the weekend and as long as necessary until all streets are open
and all damaged city boulevard trees have been removed. To expedite the
process, crews are bringing tree debris to a temporary transfer area at 37th
Street and 5th Ave in Northeast Minneapolis before moving all materials to
the Park Boardâs site at Fort Snelling for processing.
For information or to report a down tree blocking a sidewalk or street,
please call 612-313-7710 or email <email obscured>. The Park
Boardâs Forestry Department has set up a storm response team to respond to
calls today until 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 23 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tree contractors
Since there are so many downed trees in yards throughout the city, many
residents will be looking for a contractor to take care of the problem. Itâs
important to make sure the tree company you use is licensed, because
unlicensed companies may not be insured for damage they might cause to your
property, and their workers may not be properly trained to protect themselves
and your property from damage. Here are some things residents should know
when choosing a tree company:
To find out if a tree service contractor is licensed in Minneapolis, look
at this list on the Cityâs website.
A licensed contractor must submit a copy of a written estimate to the
property owner for approval prior to any work to be performed.
Licensed Tree Service contractors have marked vehicles and display a City
of Minneapolis license decal.
Licensed Tree Service contractors maintain insurance in the event of
damage to your property, your neighborsâ property, or if anyone is injured on
the job site.
In addition, the City requires that each tree service company hire at least
one employee who has a current certification as an arborist or a college
degree in urban forestry or arboriculture. This ensures the company is
educated in plant health, pests and pathogen control, and other aspects of
urban
forestry.
Tree Debris Collection
Park Board crews will collect tree debris that can be brought to the
boulevard beginning July 1 through July 12 for properties affected by the
storm.
This service is for property owners clearing their property of tree debris
after storm damage onlyâit is not for contractors doing work for property
owners or for regular tree pruning. It is only for tree debris, not
construction or other materials.
Here's how residents in the area can prepare downed trees and branches for
collection:
Move larger limbs, branches, and trunks to the boulevard area in front of
your house. Park Board crews will pick up and dispose of these items at no
charge.
Property owners adjacent to tree debris placed on the boulevard are asked
not to park vehicles near the debris, to help crews in the removal process.
âNo parkingâ signs may be posted and enforced to facilitate the cleanup
operation.
Park Facilities
The Park Boardâs primary focus is the safety of residents, clearing streets
and removing downed boulevard trees. A number of the Park Boardâs 47
recreation centers are without power and are closed. Columbia and Hiawatha
golf
courses are currently closed; all other courses are open with some limited
access. A number of park amenities such as fishing docks and trails have
been impacted. More detailed updates on parks, recreation centers, and other
amenities will be available later this afternoon. Visit
www.minneapolisparks.org for updated information in the âNews and Eventsâ
section and/or
subscribe to get weather-related emails by clicking on the red envelope icon
at www.minneapolisparks.org, submitting your email address and selecting the
âWeatherâ topic.
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