May 2011
Caring People
Quality Programs
Exceptional Service
City Side
Inside
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Host a Rain
Garden Party
Spring Animal
Concerns
Parks & Recreation
Guide for Summer
Smart Energy
Programs
Tree Planting
Information
The Energy
Guy
City Offices Closed
for Memorial Day
City Hall and most City
offices will be closed in
observance of Memorial
Day on Monday, May 30.
Be Prepared During
Unpredictable Spring Weather
It’s no secret that weather conditions in Iowa can develop quickly, change rapidly, and be
difficult to predict. Being ready for whatever Mother Nature throws in our direction is
the best way to weather the storm. The City of Ames continues to take steps to monitor
threatening conditions and to provide information that will
assist citizens in responding. When threatening weather
occurs, monitor local media and make sure your weather
radio is properly programmed to alert you whenever an
emergency situation develops.
Last year, upgrades to Ames’ outdoor warning system
increased each siren’s range and improved system
reliability. The outdoor siren is tested at 10 a.m. the first
Wednesday of each month. This improved system is designed to alert people who are
outside of approaching severe weather. For those who are inside a home or business, a
weather radio is a vital link to this emergency information. When activated, the outdoor
sirens will sound for three minutes. If you hear the sirens sound a second time or more,
that means a new warning has been issued. There is no all clear siren.
In addition to the weather radio, the City of Ames and Story County may use Code Red
to provide infromation about an emergency or an emergency response. Code Red is
a mass notification system that can provide telephone calls, text messages, and email
messages. To take full advantage of Code Red, make sure your name is included in the
system. Go to the City of Ames website (www.cityofames.org) and register by clicking
on the Code Red link.
Ames residents should take steps now to be prepared for any emergency situation.
Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. Being prepared is the best way to cope.
Homewood Is Ready for the Season
Ready to swing those golf clubs again? Why not test
the greens at Homewood Golf Course? You may be
surprised by all the improvements and to learn how
active and busy Homewood is.
AM E S
Homewood Golf Course
Enjoy this beautiful, well-groomed,
nine-hole, par-34 golf course located
at 20th Street and Duff Avenue.
(515)-239-5363
For league players or those spur-of-the-moment
golfers, Homewood is the place to enjoy a round during the week or weekends. The
nine-hole course features recently rebuilt tee boxes #4, #6, and #9. Also, a new cart path
for motorized golf carts has been added to enhance your golf experience. Homewood
has a friendly and responsive clubhouse staff ready to meet your golfing needs. Tee
times are recommended, but walk-ins are always welcome.
City Council Meetings
The following meetings will
be held in Council Chambers,
515 Clark Avenue:
7 p.m. May 10
7 p.m. May 24
The Council workshop will
be held at 7 p.m. May 17.
The public is encouraged to
attend. For the most current
information, go to:
www.cityofames.org.
Fun Ahead!
The 2011 Spring/Summer
Parks & Recreation
brochures are here. They
list all of our summer
programs and make it easy
to plan summer activities
early. Day camps, tennis,
golf, T-ball, dance, gymnastics,
cheerleading, and swim
lessons are just some of
the offerings. Pick up a
copy at the Community
Center Gym, 515 Clark
Ave, or view online at www.
amesparkrec.org.
Don’t forget to purchase
your Furman Aquatic
Center season pass before
May 22. Buy early and
receive a 10% discount. For
2010 season pass holders,
the discount is 20%. Passes
may be purchased at the
Community Center Gym or
renewed by phone at (515)
239-5350.
Page 2
Rain Gardens Protect Local Rivers
Calendar
Rain Garden Parties Encourage
Clean Streams and Lakes
The City of Ames’ Smart Watershed Program promotes good
environmental stewardship by encouraging the planting of rain gardens.
Rain gardens capture and infiltrate stormwater generated in residential
yards including runoff from
rooftop rainwater.
Rain gardens serve many
purposes, but one of their
most important roles is
protecting neighborhood
streams and lakes by
reducing the volume
of stormwater that is
discharged to storm sewers.
Are you interested in
learning more about the
benefits of rain gardens? Consider hosting a Rain Garden Party in your
neighborhood. As the host, all you have to do is invite your neighbors.
The Smart Watershed Program staff will take care of the details.
At the Rain Garden Party, guests learn more about the benefits of rain
gardens, design and installation details, and the City’s Rain Garden Rebate
Program. Contact Jake Moore in the Public Works Department for more
information at (515) 239-5287 or by e-mail at jmoore@city.ames.ia.us.
Be a Courteous Pet Owner
Ames residents can help keep our city a pet and animal friendly community by
remembering some common courtesy and tips. In the spring, the top four human/
animal mediation requests to Ames Animal Control are:
1. Barking Dogs -- Barking dog laws are designed to curb unreasonable barking
and noise disturbances. Ames pet owners are expected to keep barking at bay.
2. Accumulated Animal Waste -- Sanitation laws require owners to immediately
clean up and dispose of animal waste should a pet relieve itself on property other
than the owner’s. When waste is deposited on the owner’s property, regular and
timely removal is required to keep property free of odors and vermin.
3. Loose cats -- Cats, as well as dogs, are required to be kept on their owner’s
property. The sad fact is cats suffer more frequently than dogs because they are
not protected and kept home as much. Ames Animal Control plans to enforce cat
restraint laws (to increase cat safety) more effectively in the future.
If you notice a cat that roams freely, try talking with your neighbors in a friendly
manner. If your pet is causing a disturbance, and you want your neighbors to
call you first, exchange contact information including cell phones and email. Put
yourself in each other’s shoes and be understanding. Unresolved conflicts can be
reported to Animal Control. In Ames, we are proud to have animal laws that are
good for pets, people, and property.
4. Wildlife -- Spring is a busy time for wildlife. A good source of information to
answer your wildlife questions is the Internet. What you think is unusual behavior
may be more common than you think! By midsummer, most wildlife activity will
have passed.
Smart Energy Programs
Education, Incentives, and Rebates
Smart Energy is the City of Ames Electric Services’ program that helps save energy
four ways, providing education, developing renewable energy resources, controlling
summer load, and offering energy audits and rebates to customers to help improved
efficiency. With 14 individual programs, Smart Energy has something for everyone,
and all electric customers of the City of Ames are eligible to participate.
City of Ames Electric Services
Smart Energy began in July of 2007 and to
date has saved 6,161,441 kilowatt-hours (kWh)
of electricity, reduced summer peak demand
by 7.4 megawatts (MW), and removed 5,053
tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. Total
program cost so far is $2,273,945 and the
future avoided cost savings to the utility are
$8,642,574.
Prime Time Power
Smart Energy has programs aimed specifically at both residential and commercial
customers. Residential customers can receive rebates for purchasing high
efficiency lighting or energy efficient appliances such as refrigerators, washing
machines, and dishwashers. Also, all Ames Electric Services customers are eligible
for a free, comprehensive energy audit.
conditioner during peak
As the weather warms, residential customers may be interested in learning more
about the air conditioner rebate, which provides an incentive for installing a properly
sized a high-efficiency air conditioner. Other programs such as Prime Time Power,
provide a summer credit on your bill for having a radio-controlled switcher placed on
your air conditioner to briefly cycle off during periods of high demand.
information, call (515) 239-
For more program information on Smart Energy programs available, go to www.
cityofames.org/smartenergy, or call (515) 239-5177.
Tree Planting Program
It’s easy to be green!
City of Ames Electric Services and Ames Trees Forever are offering a tree-planting
program for Ames residents and businesses on Saturday, April 30, at two local
garden centers. Participants are asked to attend a brief program on proper tree
selection and planting before receiving a $50 tree voucher and a bag of mulch.
Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., and the program will start at 10 a.m. at Earl May
Nursery & Garden Center, 1601 South Kellogg Ave.,
and at Country Landscapes, 56985 Lincoln Highway.
Anytime is a good time to sign
up for Prime Time Power. In
return for allowing the City
of Ames Electric Services
to control your central air
demand times, you will receive
a $5 credit for each of four
summer months. For more
5177 or visit www.cityofames.
org/smartenergy.
Free Energy
Conservation Packet
Need to improve your home’s
efficiency? Call (515) 239-5177
for a free energy conservation
packet.
Call Before You Dig
Please be careful and call
Iowa One Call at 811 or
Participants may pick up an application in
advance at the Ames Public Library, City
Hall, Earl May Nursery or Country
Landscapes. Vouchers will be
distributed on a first-come, firstserved basis.
1-800-292-8989 before you
This program is made possible by a
donation from Ames Electric Services. For
more information, contact Dianne Brotherson of Ames
Trees Forever at (515) 292-8613.
free.
dig. The helpful Iowa One
Call employees will arrange
to have your yard marked for
underground utilities -- and it’s
Page 3
Ask the Energy Guy
Q: What can you tell me about CFLs and LEDs?
A: Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are those “corkscrew”
bulbs you may have seen in stores. Light emitting diode
(LED) lamps are those little lights you see in things like on/off
indicators for electronics. Both are more efficient than traditional incandescent
bulbs, but each has its idiosyncrasies.
A typical CFL is composed of a phosphor-coated glass tube with electrodes located
at either end. A small amount of mercury is added to the lamp. When a voltage
is applied, the electrodes energize the mercury, causing it to emit ultraviolet (UV)
energy. The phosphor coating absorbs the UV energy, causing the phosphor to
fluoresce and emit visible light.
An LED is a semiconducting diode consisting of a material treated to create a
structure called a p-n (positive-negative) junction. When connected to a power
source, current flows in one direction from the positive side to the negative side.
Carrying the charge are electrons and electron holes (the theoretical opposite of
electrons) which flow into the junction. When an electron meets a hole, it falls into a
lower energy level, and releases energy in the form of a photon (light). The specific
wavelength or color emitted by the LED depends on the materials used to make the
diode.
Two common issues people have with CFLs are shortened lamp life and
contamination dangers. Heat and cold or incorrect base direction may shorten lamp
life. In addition, the CFL must must contain a specific quantity of mercury. While
not life threatening, CFLs should be disposed of properly. They can be brought
either to Electric Administration, 502 Carroll Ave., or the Resource Recovery
Plant at 110 Center Ave., during normal business hours. The bulbs are handled as
hazardous material and are properly disposed of to ensure mercury isn’t released
into the atmosphere.
People usually have two issues with LEDs as well. LEDs are more expensive up
front than other bulbs. It’s not unusual to see prices ranging from $25 to $100. In
addition, LEDs produce unidirectional light and are not good at disbursing light.
Manufacturers are getting better at using innovative LED bulb patterns and lenses
designed to diffuse the light, making LEDs more user friendly. While LEDs don’t
contain mercury, there is growing evidence they may contain small amounts of
potentially hazardous substances.
Numbers to Know
Power out ....................239-5240
Street light out ............239-5500
Utility bill question ....239-5120
Renting security lights239-5207
Energy questions..........239-5177
Heating Degree Days
February
Going to be digging?
Iowa One Call:....................... 811
Page 4
29-year
2010 2009 Average 10/11 09/10
Average
1119 1282 1104
5042
5078 5351
Cooling Degree Days
February
Season to date
29-year
2011 2010 Average
Tree growing too close to an
electric line .................239-5500
Season to date
29-year
0
0
0
2011
0 29-year
2010 Average
0 Steve Wilson
“The Energy Guy”
Energy Services Coordinator
239-5177
Energy Tips
You can save 1 to 2 percent on
your energy bills by using foam
gaskets under all exterior outlet
and switch plates.
Water saving shower heads,
faucet aerators, pipe insulation,
and hot water turn down can
save up to 50 percent on water
heating energy.
Only use bathroom and range
hood fans when necessary. Fans
pull conditioned air from the
home.
Perform Your Own
Self Audit
Improve your home’s efficiency.
Call (515) 239-5177 for a
free audit packet or visit our
Web site at www.cityofames.
org/electricweb and click the
“Energy Guy” link.
City Side is a publication
of the City of Ames, Iowa
Editor
Susan Gwiasda
Public Relations Officer
Questions?
515 Clark Ave.
Ames, IA 50010
Phone: 239-5204
www.cityofames.org
0
Degree Days are tabulated from hourly temperature data
recorded at the Electric Services Power Plant. Monthly
and seasonal degree days are averages since 1982.
More degree day information is available on our Web site:
www.cityofames.org/electricweb
AM E S