City Compost Facility is open for Yard Waste

Residents can haul brush and other yard waste to the City’s Compost Facility for free. Large amounts of brush may be subject to a disposal site fee.

Yard Waste Compost Site is located at 1800 Hwy 75 N (Just north of Centennial Park baseball fields, right on Hwy 75)

Drop off hours are Monday thru Friday 8:00 am to 4:15 pm. Saturdays 8:00 am to 11:45 am.

Elm material, even oversized material, will be picked up at no charge as part of the Dutch Elm Disease Program.

The pickup program is volume based. A homeowner can have a small pile of brush picked up once a week at no charge. If a homeowner has a large pile of brush, it will be picked up for a fee. A large pile of brush is defined as exceeding 8 feet wide, 12 feet long, and 4 feet high.

Pickup fees are in effect after storm events unless they are specifically suspended by the City.

Curbside Brush Pickup Service

Forestry operates a curbside brush chipping and pickup service from April through October. Pickup will occur on your regular garbage day. November through March you can submit a brush pickup request and read the guidelines by contacting Forestry at www.cityofmoorhead.com.

Moorhead City Council Action April 14, 2014

Tax incentives approved for economic development projects

The city council unanimously approved two property tax exemptions at the public hearings held Monday night. The tax incentives are deemed necessary to increases the community’s long-term economic vitality through the creation of additional housing choice, new jobs, increasing employment opportunities for Moorhead residents, and expanding Moorhead’s property tax base.

The first project approved was the redevelopment of the second floor of the historic Moorhead building known as “Townsite Center” which was the Moorhead High School from 1920 to 1987. The project is to construct 47 loft-style apartments, each between 800 and 1,300 square feet with a mix of 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units. The first floor will remain commercial with plans for a possible expansion of the commercial use in a future phase.

The second approved project will construct a 6-unit townhouse style apartment complex located at 814 10th Avenue South. Each townhome will have three bedrooms, one full bath and two ¾ baths. The units will also include a 2-stall, tuck-under garage and one parking space in the driveway for 18 off-street parking spaces.

North Moorhead street

improvements approved

The Council approved the 11th Street North project. As stated by the City, the total cost to the City of Moorhead for the proposed street improvements, including fees, is currently estimated at $2,485,000. The cost of the improvements would be financed through the PIR Fund, with a portion of the project cost (currently estimated at approximately $1,381,785) to be assessed to the benefiting properties, and the remaining $1,103,215 to be paid by the City. The estimated property tax impact of the City share of the project cost on the median value home would be an increase of approximately $5 annually.

Moorhead moves forward

with underpass financing

The railroad underpass at Main Avenue and 20th/21st Street has been a top priority for the city of Moorhead for several years, but has not been selected by the federal government for funding. The city council for the fourth time has approved an application to complete the project. Because of the structure of the funding program, the present request was reduced to $19 million from a high of $23 million in order to be more competitive with the numerous other submitted projects from around the country.

However, with each reduced funding requests, it will require a larger amount from the Moorhead taxpayers from $3.2 to $7.6 million share. The exact funding formula has not been formalized between citywide assessments to a more localized area and will be decided upon if the request is received.

Clean up Week! May 5-9, 2014

Clean Up Week is an annual event held at the same time each year in Moorhead, Fargo, West Fargo and Dilworth to help residents dispose of items not accepted during regular garbage collection.  During Clean Up Week, there is no additional charge for collection of large items and extra materials; however, if garbage is set out before Clean Up Week officially starts, homeowners will be assessed fees for any garbage in excess of allowed amounts.

Clean Up Week crews will not collect: Televisions, computer monitors or building and demolition materials, such as: sheet rock, lumber, concrete, windows or doors.

DON’T THUMB IT UP BEHIND THE WHEEL — EXTRA TEXTING ENFORCEMENT APRIL 16th and 17th

Texting While Driving Illegal in Minnesota

The Moorhead Police Department, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the MN State Patrol are highlighting the issue with the assistance of the Moorhead School District. Officers will be riding onboard school buses during this time looking for distracted drivers. Other officers will be stationed along the route to make contact with drivers violating distracted driving laws. During the 2013-2014 school year, approximately 80 school bus violations have been turned over to the Moorhead Police Department. Both law enforcement and the school district want drivers to be aware of their surroundings near schools and around school buses.

Twenty-three MSUM

students set to travel to Finland

MOORHEAD, Minn., April 14, 2014… Dr. Mary Dosch and Valerie Ritland, both professors in the MSUM School of Teaching and Learning, are taking 23 students to Finland on a two-credit study tour May 3-16.

“Our 23 students will be working in small groups to conduct educational research while they are studying the educational practices and economic differences of our two countries. It is because Finland has been number one in the world in education for the last three to four years that we decided to make this trip,” Ritland said.