As the days get longer and warmer, and we are out more frequently to enjoy the beautiful weather, please keep in mind the following tips for keeping our neighborhood safe and enjoyable:
1. With the economy in crisis, please be on a special look-out for elderly neighbors who are homebound. Some recipients of programs like Meals-on-Wheels may be affected by budget cuts, and they may be experiencing trouble without anyone checking up on them.
2. Please make sure that your pets are registered, and leashed when taking them for walks. Remember that owners are responsible for their pet’s droppings, so have your poop bags ready to pick up after them!
3. If you see an unleashed dog with no owner in sight, please notify the City’s Animal Control (ACO) Unit at 301-864-8877 or 240-375-3165 or alightning@collegeparkmd.gov. If you have an animal-related emergency and cannot reach the City’s ACO, please call Prince George’s County Animal Management Division at 301-499-8300.
4. If you notice a street light that is out or not working properly, please call PEPCO at 1-877-737-2662 to report it. Then notify the following and ask them to join you in reporting the problem to PEPCO:
· City of College Park’s Department of Public Works at 301-474-4194
· Our City Councilwomen: Karen Hampton at 301-935-5810 & Mary Cook at 301-345-2375
· Your CPW-NW Block Captains and Coordinators – Use your 2009 CPW Directory!
5. Our CPW Neighborhood Park is officially closed at dark, according to MNCPPC rules. If you see any suspicious people going into the park after dark, please notify the Park Police right away at 301-459-9088.
6. Please pick up trash from your lawns and the street in front of your house – let’s do our part to keep our neighborhood attractive!
7. If you see suspicious trash – such as drug paraphernalia – please notify the county police using the non-emergency number (301-333-4000), and ask them what you should do. For example, if you see a metal spoon and syringes lying on the curb, you will definitely want to call the police and have the items disposed of properly as soon as possible.
8. Tips for Proper Trash Disposal:
· Paint Cans – Oil-based paint cans should be taken to the landfill. Latex paint cans can be disposed with regular trash after taking the top off and letting the can dry out first.
· Special Trash — April is designated as “Spring Clean Up Month.” The Public Works facility (301-474-4194) will be open 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. all four Saturdays during the month of April for residents of College Park. Proof of residency is required. There may be a charge for items such as tires, A/C units, heat pumps, refrigerators and freezers. Hazardous waste will not be accepted but there will be a separate area for electronics. These special clean-up events are the only times that you may bring items other than used motor oil to the Public Works Yard for disposal.
· Yard Waste – Except for leaves during the special pickup season, grass clippings, leaves and yard trim (not brush or branches) must be set at the curb for collection in paper yard waste bags or in approved reusable containers. Yard waste includes grass clippings, leaves, and trimmings. Grass clippings provide an excellent source of nutrients when left on your lawn. If you bag your yard waste, it will be picked up on regular trash days if it is at the curb by 7:00 a.m. You must use paper yard waste bags or an approved reusable container (see below for more information).
· Reusable containers must be less than 32 gallons in size (available at many places, Home Depot has them for about $15). The container must weigh less than 75 pounds to be collected, and display a yard waste collection decal. The decal is available for pickup at Public Works, City Hall, and Public Services (and NW Coordinator Rex Powell has a few on hand). Residents may use more than one container, however each one must display a decal in order to be collected and have the decal facing the street in order to be collected. Please put a few small holes in the bottom of the container to allow water to drain out.
· IKEA will recycle your CFL (compact fluorescent lights) and dry-cell batteries. They also take regular bulbs and even the 4’ fluorescent ones. For the latter, there is not always a box so if you can put them in the box they come in, that would be best. The recycling area is inside, by the exit. The quickest way to get there is to ignore the “Do Not Enter” signs and go in through the exit.
