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Home My WebLink AboutUBI 2011 DECCITY OF COLLEGE STATION result, the city now saves as much as $7 per can. Creativity and Innovation Fleet Services’ capable personnel have shown tremendous creativity in finding meaningful ways to save money: • When College Station Utilities needed a new utility pole dolly, a mechanic used his own ingenuity to build one with scrap metal and the axle from the old dolly. His innovation saved the city around $700. • This same mechanic fabricated removable and lockable barricades for the Parks and Recreation Department, eliminating the need for new parts to be purchased. • Division employees used scrap metal to design and build swinging marksmanship targets for the Police Department’s SWAT team. • A mechanic devised a new way to clean a diesel engine exhaust system component on a sanitation truck rather than having it replaced, saving the city about $1,800. Inside College Station * * * * * * * City of College Station * Home of Texas A&M University® * College Station, Texas * * * * * * * Employees of the City of College Station strive daily to give city taxpayers the best bang for their buck, whether it’s providing high levels of service or finding clever ways to save money. The city’s Fleet Division is a prime example of this innovative mentality at work. As part of the Public Works Department, the division purchases and manages fuel for all city-owned equipment and maintains about 678 vehicles and other equipment, including police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, light trucks, cars, heavy trucks, off-road equipment, trailers and generators. Bulk Purchases The division has realized substantial savings by making economical bulk purchases. For example, it previously purchased one-gallon bottles of windshield washer fluid, but now it buys the fluid in 55-gallon drums that contain an automatic pre-mix of washer solution and water. This change decreased the use of concentrated washer fluid. Through vigorous price comparing, cheaper, high-quality degreaser and brake cleaner also was discovered. As a December 2011 Learn more about your city at:cstx.gov/blogs Employee Innovations Save Money Exploring Fuel Efficiency The city has fuel stations that supply about 450,000 gallons of diesel and unleaded fuel to city vehicles each year. In addition to the recent purchase of flex fuel engines and hybrids, Fleet Services is proactively conducting pilot studies to determine appropriate strategies to reduce fleet fuel consumption. These studies compare fuel consumption for vehicles with nitrogen-filled tires and synthetic oil with equipment that has regular air-filled tires and traditional lubricants. If the study’s results are favorable and prove to be cost effective, then the entire fleet will be converted at considerable savings. By encouraging employees’ creativity and ingenuity, the City of College Station is dedicated to finding responsible ways to save taxpayers’ money. Want to Know More? Learn more about the creativity and innovation of City of College Station employees by subscribing to our city government and city council online blogs. Our government blogs give you another way to connect with your city council and city staff as you learn what’s on their minds related to a wide variety of community endeavors. city committees, advisory boards and even been elected to the city council. Enrollment is limited to 24 students, who are selected from the applicant pool by a committee of past graduates. Online applications are available at cstx.gov/cu. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Jan. 4. For more information, contact Lacey Lively at 979.764.3445 or llively@cstx.gov. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Freezing Weather - Protect Pipes! Never lose pipes to the freezing temperatures again by following these steps: • Disconnect and drain garden hoses from outside faucets. This allows water to drain from the pipe, so an overnight freeze doesn’t burst the faucet or the pipe. • Insulate exposed pipes or faucets in unheated areas with Styrofoam cover, rags or paper. • Find your home’s master water shutoff valve. If you have a leak, you can quickly shut off water to your house with this valve. The master valve is usually located between the water meter and your house. In-Ground Irrigation Systems Before the freeze hits • Shut-off and drain in-ground sprinkler systems, including the backflow prevention device on the irrigation system, and then turn off the water to your sprinkler system. • Wrap or tape exposed PVC pipes and above-ground backflow preventers. Simply turning off the controller will not protect pipes from freezing. • If you don’t feel comfortable performing these steps yourself, contact a licensed irrigator. During freezing weather • Set your irrigation controller to OFF. • Do NOT run your irrigation system during freezing weather. Irrigation runoff on streets and sidewalks can freeze and pose a hazard to drivers and pedestrians. For more tips like these, visit cstx.gov/water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CITY OF COLLEGE STATION Flashing Yellow Left-Turn Signal Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will begin construction on a new left-turn signal starting in January at the intersection of FM 2818 and George Bush Drive. The signal includes a flashing yellow arrow that indicates that left turns are permitted, so the driver must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. The signal will display the following phases: • Red Arrow = Stop. No left turns allowed. • Green Arrow = Left turns allowed. • Steady Yellow Arrow = Prepare to stop. • Flashing Yellow Arrow = Left turns are permitted, but you must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. This is the new standard that will eventually replace the green dot in left-turn signals. For more information about this project, visit cstx.gov/publicworks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apply for Citizens University Applications are being accepted for the City of College Station’s Citizens University, a free, 10-week course that focuses on city departments, budgets, services and activities, along with the roles and responsibilities of city staff and the city council. The course begins Jan. 23 and runs through April 2, with no classes scheduled during spring break. Sessions are conducted Mondays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Participants must be at least 21 years old and have lived in College Station for at least one year. In addition, applicants must be registered to vote locally and not be candidates for political office. Since the program’s inception in 1998, many of its hundreds of graduates have served on Inside College Station December 2011 {PAGE 2} events coming in January Jan. 2 - City Offices Closed Jan. 14 - 5:45 p.m. MLK Musical Tribute & Celebration Lincoln Recreation Center, Call 979.764.3779. Jan. 16 - City Offices Closed Jan. 18 - 11:30 a.m. Exploring History Lunch Lecture “The Magic & Mystery of Millican” by Col. John Vilas. College Station Conference Center, 1300 George Bush Drive. Call 979.764.6351 or email kkelbly@cstx.gov to RSVP. SPORTS REGISTRATION Jan. 9-27: Challenger Basketball Jan. 17-27: Adult Slow-/Fast-pitch Jan. 3-TBD: Youth/Adult Team Tennis Learn more at cstx.gov/sports. For more information, visit:cstx.gov/calendar Home Buyer Education Class Would you like to learn more about the process of buying and maintaining a home? If so, be sure to sign up for the Home Buyer’s Education Course presented by City of College Station Community Development. The course will cover how to budget, understand credit, obtain a mortgage loan, shop for a home and protect your investment. The fee is $15, which includes the cost of a course book. Classes will be held Jan. 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in room 106 at the College Station Conference Center. For more information and to register, contact Susan Sharp at 979.764.3779 or ssharp@cstx.gov.