Council Policy Research Priorities:

• Discuss solutions to water shortages with federal, state, and local officials.

• Create an online water bill payment system.

• Prepare for water acquisition this summer and find a permanent solution to annual water shortages.

Dear Sodaville Citizens,

Happy autumn! Meteorological Fall begins September 1, while Astronomical Fall begins September 22.

This month, many residents will see previous month unpaid balances for water bills included on the bills you receive. Water payments are due on the 5th day of each month. Late fees accrue if the bill is not paidwithin 61 days of the bill date. Residents who see an unpaid balance from August 9th must pay before October 9th to avoid paying a late fee.

Reminder, all City Ordinances are digitized and a link to the Ordinance portal is available online at the City Website, www.sodaville.org/ordinances-and-codes.shtml/. Once on this page, click “City Ordinances Online (External Site),” which redirects to sites.google.com/view/sodavillecityhall/ordinances. Many cities host their ordinances on external sites, such as the platform Municode. City Ordinances were digitized by staff and compiled on a free Google Site, at a substantial savings to residents when compared to the cost of procuring an alternative platform.

Best regards,

- Alex McHaddad, City Recorder (Personal Cell 541-805-2630)

CITY HALL HOURS

I have heard some concerns about whether City Hall is actually open since a car is rarely in the parking lot. While I maintain regular office hours of 8AM-2PM during the week, I take the bus to work, so my car is rarely parked there. If you want to ensure that City Hall is open, call my personal cell (541-805-2630) or the office. I appreciate listening to the community’s questions!

FRIENDLY CITY ORDINANCE REMINDERS 

• City property and parks are CLOSED from dusk until dawn. 

• Absolutely NO alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes are allowed on city properties or in parks. 

• Please maintain your lawns, keep all grass & weeds below 10” tall. 

• Please keep all grass, weeds & blackberry bushes out of ditches & out of roadways lining your property. 

• Quiet time is from 9PM until 6AM, please be respectful to others. This includes EXCESSIVE dog barking! 

• While walking your dog, clean up your dog’s poo in the yard/driveway they use. YOU ARE ON CAMERA! 

• If your trashcan spills over into the streets and ditches, please clean it up. 

• Vendors who wish to use City facilities for garage sales, merchant sales, food sales, etc. require written permission from the City Recorder. The fee is $25 for residents within City limits and $50 for vendors outside of City limits. Proof of liability insurance is required in order to receive permission for sales. Contact City Hall prior to holding events on City property to ensure that facilities are available for use and paperwork may be processed.

Thank you everyone for keeping Sodaville clean and a beautiful place to live for all of us!! 

Yes water restrictions are still in effect. We will start trucking in water this month. Thanks to the majority of citizens that have been conserving water.

September facts

September’s name is really quite inaccurate these days. It was originally the seventh month of the ancient Roman calendar, and as such is was named Septem, which translates into “the seventh month”. It wasn’t until 451 BC that the months of January and February were added to the calendar, making September the ninth month.

September also used to only have 29 days. Thanks to Julius Caesar’s reform of the Roman calendar in 46 BC the month now has an additional day!

The Romans would quite often associate different months with different gods. The month of September is associated with Vulcan, the Roman god of fire, quite possibly because it was a fiery hot month back when it was the seventh month of the year.

September has some pretty interesting holidays spread throughout the month! Firstly, in the US, September is National Happy Cat Month! We also have Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day (US) on September 13th, International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th, as well as National Punctuation day (US) on September 24th.

J D Burns

Public Works Director

City of Sodaville

541-258-8882

Cell 541-801-1053

Sodaville residents who need assistance paying water bills may now receive assistance through Community Services Consortium in Albany. The winter application  season for the general public opened December 1st. Individuals who need urgent utility assistance due to emergencies, including service shutoff, may contact CSC at any time.

• Call 541-926-7163

• Visit www.communityservices.us/utility-assistance/