Dear Friends,
A new state law that went into effect on Jan. 1 requires battery-powered smoke detectors to have 10-year sealed battery units. This change will affect many properties that do not have hard-wired smoke detectors.
The new equipment is powered by long-life batteries that never need to be replaced – homeowners can rest assured that their alarms are always on.
After 10 years, the entire units must be replaced.
Starting immediately, properties without hard-wired detectors must have the new 10-year sealed battery smoke detectors to pass inspection for transfers of title and rental units.
The new equipment is readily available at local hardware and home improvement stores. Click here for more information.
Earlier this week, crews demolished a building on city-owned property along the marshes near 36th Street and Bay Avenue.
This structure has served many purposes over the years – from a rescue squad station to a dryland training facility for local crew teams – but it is no longer viable.
I have instructed the city team to preserve this site as open space. Because it has a little elevation, we may try to create a few unpaved parking spots to accommodate cars during flood tides, and we may install some small playground equipment. But no new buildings are planned for the site.
The city team is finishing work on the draft municipal budget for 2019 and the capital plan for 2019-2023. On Thursday, Feb. 28, I will deliver my annual State of the City address, and my administration will make a capital plan presentation and deliver the draft budget to City Council.
The public meeting will be in Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall. It starts at 6 p.m., but Council is expected to go into executive session for 30 to 45 minutes to conduct interviews for a Zoning Board appointment before moving on to the rest of the agenda.
Warm regards,
Mayor Jay A. Gillian
