Coffee with Council is This Saturday
Longmont City Council will host Coffee with Council from 9 to 10 am on Saturday, March 26, at Ziggi’s Coffee, 1139 Francis Street. At this event, you can talk informally with at least two council members on any topic of your choice, and the coffee’s on us! Council members Brian Bagley and Joan Peck are scheduled to attend. For more information call the City Clerk’s Office at 303-651-8649.

Community Open House: Review the Draft Plan!
Join us on Wednesday, March 30, 2016 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Longmont Public Library for an introduction to the public review draft of the Envision Longmont Comprehensive Plan. During the open house, you will be able to review and provide input on key components of the draft plan. Project team members will make a brief presentation at 6 pm, but feel free to stop by anytime between 5:30 and 7:30 pm. We hope to see you there! Click here for more information about this event. 

Public Input Sought on Train Horns
In 2005, the Federal Railroad Authority (FRA) issued new rules regarding the use of locomotive horns at highway-rail crossings. The rule made several significant changes to how trains operate horns at railroad crossings such as establishing the minimum volume and length of time the horn blows, removing train engineers’ ability to use discretion on whether or not to blow the horn at night, and mandating one-size-fits-all specifications for establishing Quiet Zones near rail crossings. For more information about the rule, visit https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-04831. To provide a comment, click the link near the top of the webpage that reads “Submit a Formal Comment.”

Hard to Recycle Event Cancelled for March 26
The City of Longmont’s residential “Hard to Recycle” event planned to occur at the Waste Diversion Center on Saturday, March 26 has been cancelled. Due to heavy snow on Wednesday, March 23, many trees have been damaged across Longmont and increased traffic is anticipated at the Waste Diversion Center as residents work to clean up. In addition, further snow is expected on Saturday. Find more information about how to deal with fallen tree branches at LongmontColorado.gov/news, and find information about special sanitation services and events at LongmontColorado.gov/solidwaste or by calling 303-651-8416.

Be Ready for Curbside Tree Limb Collection
The City of Longmont offers residents FREE curbside collection of tree limbs each spring. To participate, your tree limbs must be placed curbside by 7 am on the Monday of your scheduled collection week. Limbs will be collected at residences north of 9th Avenue the week of April 4 and at residences south of 9th Avenue the week of April 11. Limbs must be stacked and cut into lengths no longer than 6 feet. No limb can be larger than 6 inches in diameter. For all guidelines, visit LongmontColorado.gov/solidwaste or call 303-651-8416.

Building Better Cities Dialogue Series
Join the Longmont DDA, the City of Longmont and Boulder County for the second in the Building Better Cities Dialogue Series at 5:30 pm on Thursday, March 31, at the Dickens Opera House, 300 Main Street. The topic for this discussion is National Trends and Best Practices for Parking and Access Management and will include a progress report on the current Downtown Longmont parking study. Email LDDA@LongmontColorado.gov to reserve your place. 

Underwater Easter Egg Hunt
Egg hunters of all abilities will have the opportunity to collect weighted eggs from the bottom of Centennial Pool, 1201 Alpine Street, from 1 to 4 pm on Saturday, March 26.  A paying adult must be in the water with children age 5 and younger. The cost is $10 per family/ $3 per swimmer/ $1 per observer. No registration is necessary. For more information, call 303-651-8406 or visit LongmontColorado.gov/rec.

Register Now for Emergency Response Training
Disasters can severely restrict and overwhelm emergency responders and cut off communities from outside emergency support. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training beginning April 9 teaches community members how to prepare for emergencies and how to take care of themselves and help others until first responders arrive. For more information and to register visit LongmontColorado.gov and search “CERT.”

Ralph Price Reservoir Fishing Permits Available
Annual fishing permits for Ralph Price Reservoir go on sale on Friday, April 1. A Colorado Parks & Wildlife fishing license is required at all City of Longmont fishing areas. An additional, special permit from the City of Longmont is required at Ralph Price Reservoir inside Button Rock Preserve. Permits will be on sale in Longmont and Lyons at a cost of $20 for City of Longmont and Town of Lyons water utility customers and $30 for non-utility customers. Get all the details, including where and how to purchase, at LongmontColorado.gov/parks, or call 303-651-8446.

Start-up Essentials for Small Businesses
Learn about the nuts and bolts of starting your own business, including taxes, liability protection, registering your trade name, the organizations that can provide assistance, and more at this workshop from 6 to 9 pm on Tuesday, April 5, at the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce, 528 Main Street. The cost is $45, but it’s free for current and prospective Longmont businesses. To register, visit BoulderSBDC.com/training/workshops.

Singers Wanted for Final Longmont Idol
Children, Youth & Families and the Friends of Longmont Youth are accepting applications from Boulder County youth and adults ages 11 – 21 for the Farewell Final Longmont Idol Competition. Find an application, as well as rules and the competition schedule, at LongmontColorado.gov – search “Longmont Idol.” The application deadline is 5 pm on May 9.