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NOTICE AND REMINDER

TO ALBANY RESIDENTS

DOG LICENSES
 
All dogs 6 months and older, owned and harbored within the City limits of Albany, are required to wear a current dog tag.  The annual license fee is $10.00 per dog and must be paid at City Hall by May 1st.  Evidence of rabies vaccination must be provided.
 
BUILDING PERMITS
No building, sign or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered (includes re-shingle, window replacement, decks, reside) without first obtaining a permit from the City. 
STORM SEWERS

It is unlawful to pour rain or ground water into the sanitary sewer lines.  Sump pump water must be directed into the storm sewers or on lawn.  It is illegal to hook up your sump pump to the City's Sanitary Sewer. 

 

                                       GOLF CARTS

Golf cart permits are required for all carts driven on City streets.  Obtain permit annually by providing proof of insurance and paying $10.00 fee at City Hall.
NORTH PARK RESERVATIONS
The Jaycee or Lions North Park Shelters can be reserved by calling Diane at City Hall.  The reservation fee is $50/daily for city residents and $100/daily for nonresidents.
HOUSE NUMBERS
Owners, lessors, or occupants of every residential, commercial, industrial or other building in the City shall have a properly affixed building number.  This is very important for police and fire personnel to assist in the correct location in the case of an emergency.
 
WOOD PILES

 

Fuel Storage. Outdoor fuel storage is limited to eight cords of wood stored during the period October 1st through March 31st and one cord of wood from April 1st to September 30th. Other fuel sources are similarly limited to a volume not too exceed eight cords of wood and shall be set back ten (10) feet from side and rear property line, be neatly stacked, covered, split, and shall not be located in front yard.  Fuel may not be stored outside in or on a trailer, gravity box or similar mobile container, or in a vehicle.  Any structures constructed to contain or store fuel for Biofuel Burners must be constructed in accordance with applicable zoning regulations.

 

OVERNIGHT PARKING

No vehicle, trailer, or other object shall remain parked for more than forty-eight (48) hours upon any street or alley, and any vehicle which is moved less than one (1) block shall be deemed to have remained stationary.  It is unlawful to remove any mark made by a police officer to determine the length of time a vehicle, trailer or other object remained parked.

 

SEWER GAS

What is sewer gas?

Sewer gas is a complex mixture of toxic and non-toxic gases that can be present at varying levels depending upon the source. It is formed during the decay of

household and industrial waste. Highly toxic components of sewer gas include

hydrogen sulfide and ammonia.

Sewer gas also contains methane, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous

oxides. In addition, chlorine bleaches, industrial solvents, and gasoline are

frequently present in municipal and privately owned-sewage treatment systems.

How are people exposed to sewer gas?

Sewer gas can enter a home through a floor drain, from a leaking or blocked

plumbing roof vent, or (if the gases are in soil adjacent to the house) through

cracks in foundations. Sanitary and farm workers can be exposed to sewer gas

during the cleaning and maintenance of municipal sewers, manure storage tanks,

and home septic tanks.

What are the effects of exposure to sewer gas?

The principal risks and effects associated with exposure are:

 Hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide

causes irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. Other symptoms include

nervousness, dizziness, nausea, headache, and drowsiness. This gas smells

like rotten eggs, even at extremely low concentrations. Exposure to high

concentrations can interfere with the sense of smell, making this warning

signal unreliable. At extremely high levels, hydrogen sulfide can cause

immediate loss of consciousness and death.

 Asphyxiation. High concentrations of methane in enclosed areas can lead to

suffocation as large amounts of methane will decrease the amount of oxygen in

the air. The effects of oxygen deficiency include headache, nausea, dizziness

and unconsciousness. At very low oxygen concentrations (<12%),

unconsciousness and death may occur very quickly and without warning.

Sewer gas diffuses and mixes with indoor air, and will be most

concentrated where it is entering the home. It can accumulate in basements.

 Explosion and fire. Methane and hydrogen sulfide are flammable and highly

explosive.

How can I avoid being exposed to sewer gas?

 Flush floor and sink drains with water to prevent the traps in pipes to the

sewer from drying out.

 Occasionally check the roof plumbing vent for blockage from debris such as

leaves or bird nests.

 Never enter a municipal sewer line, manure-storage tank or any other large

storage tank without proper training and equipment.

What should I do if I suspect a problem?

First, following the odor, try to locate the point of entry, such as a basement floor

drain. Check for a blocked rooftop plumbing gas vent. By adding water to the

floor drain or removing debris from a roof plumbing stack vent you may be able

to prevent sewer gas from entering your home. In the unlikely event that a leak in

gas vent plumbing is behind walls, a plumber may be needed to find and fix it.

Some local public health departments may be able to offer home inspections.

Symptoms of headache, nausea, dizziness, or drowsiness may indicate exposure to

an odorless gas like methane or carbon monoxide, or to hydrogen sulfide, which

smells of rotten eggs. Persons experiencing severe symptoms should seek

immediate medical care.

If you suspect that high concentrations of sewer gas have accumulated in an

enclosed space, you should evacuate the area and contact the fire department for

assistance. Avoid creating an ignition source such a spark from an electrical

appliance, match, or cigarette lighter.

Community Services

 

POLICE - Stearns County operates under the Enhanced 911 system. The Albany

Police Department has three full time police officers with the cooperation of the

Stearns County Sheriffs Department to provide 24 hour hour protection for the community. The Albany Police Department is also very active in community services.

 

FIRE/RESCUE DEPARTMENT - The Albany Fire Department has 25 trained volunteer firefighters. The Department has eight units including: one Brush truck, three Tankers and two Pump trucks with a total pumping capacity of 2,750 GPM. The Insurance Service Office (ISO) rate for the Albany Fire Department is 6. Mutual aid agreements exist with surrounding communities and townships ensuring cooperative fire suppression backup support, if needed. The Melrose Ambulance Service of Melrose, MN, and Gold Cross Ambulance Service of St. Cloud, MN, provide emergency transportation via ground vehicle with Life Link II providing helicopter transportation for the Albany Area Hospital.

 

POST OFFICE - Albany has a first-class Post Office. The Albany Post Office has all mail services available, with Express mail overnight delivery.

 

LIBRARY -

 

The Albany Public Library, located at 400 Railroad Ave in the new City Hall, is in a newly constructed 3,000 sq. ft. spacious building, and is one of thirty-one libraries that make up the Great River regional Library. With your free library card, you can check out books, videos, cassettes, DVD's, compact disks, books-on-tape, and popular magazines. Using the varied reference resources, your questions will be answered, plus a public Internet station is available for your use. Daily deliveries bring requested items to patrons within several days, and children's programs are presented several times a year.

 

CHURCHES - Albany has several churches available including:

Immanuel Lutheran Church (LCMS) (320) 845-2620    
Our Savior's Lutheran Church (320) 845-2405    
Seven Dolors Catholic Church (320) 845-2705    
Grace Alive! Evangelical Free Church (320) 845-7676    

 

HOUSING - Albany has 623 occupied households and a variety of apartment buildings. This diversity provides housing for varied incomes and family sizes. Many housing sites are available in the Sterling Heights Addition and the Highlands Addition.  Call City Hall for more details on each residential development.

 

NEWSPAPERS - The Stearns Morrison Enterprise is Albany's "official" weekly

newspaper. Additionally, the city has daily delivery of the St. Cloud Times,

Minneapolis Tribune, USA Today, and St. Paul Pioneer Press.

RADIO - KASM (1150 AM) Oldies and KDDG (105.5 FM) are Albany's radio

stations.

 

TELEVISION - Bresnan Communication (800-892-0310) is the cable service that services Albany and the surrounding area with a total of 30 channels. Premium channels are also available, such as HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Stars, Encore, and Disney.

 

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