The City of Windsor Heights has made the difficult decision to postpone the 4
th
of July fireworks show. City Staff has been in constant communication with Polk County Health Department officials over the past few days and they have identified a significant surge in COVID-19 related cases in Polk County, the State of Iowa, and nationwide. Yesterday, 114 new cases were reported in Polk County, over 500 new cases Statewide, and nearly 50,000 new cases throughout the United States.
While this decision is disappointing, the City of Windsor Heights understands our responsibility to ensure the safety of our community, even in light of difficult decisions such as postponing the fireworks show. With the surge in COVID-19 cases, the City does not want to create situations where exposure can occur through group events. Sadly, postponing the fireworks show is the best way for the City to do our part in helping prevent groups or crowds from gathering.
We thank our community for their continued support and we encourage you to watch the City's social media channels and website for an announcement of a make-up date in the future. For now, please remember COVID-19 is still a very real threat to public health. This weekend, please be sure to wear a mask if you are out in public, do not attend large gatherings, and keep you and your family safe over the holiday weekend!
As a reminder, the Windsor Heights Chamber of Commerce canceled their 4th of July Parade and the Windsor Heights Foundation canceled the Nights in the Heights 2020 Concert Series.
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As a reminder, setting off your own fireworks is prohibited in the City of Windsor Heights, per City Code 40.02.12 (2). Please do not discharge fireworks in the City. Violations of this ordinance are a simple misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $625.
Also, there have been questions about why fireworks are being sold in the area if they cannot be used. The City has no legal authority to restrict or prohibit the sale of fireworks. Iowa State Law and Federal Court rulings bar municipalities from banning or further restricting the sale of fireworks beyond normal requirements for all businesses.
We want to keep everyone in our community safe this 4th of July, and we thank everyone for doing their part by complying with the City Ordinance.
If you need to report fireworks in your area, please call our non-emergency police department number at 515-286-3632.
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City of Windsor Heights buildings will be closed on Friday, July 3rd in observance of Independence Day. They will reopen on Monday the 6th.
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Effective July 1, 2020, all Windsor Heights residents have the opportunity to be full-access patrons of the Des Moines Public Library.
Library Benefits
- Access to the catalog and the 500,000+ books, CDs, DVDs, and audiobooks offered for checkout. A dedicated team of librarians works daily to make purchases specifically for DMPL patrons based on wait times, requests, and industry trends.
- Free access to tens of thousands of downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks on multiple platforms and apps, selected specifically by the team of collection librarians.
- Free access to Kanopy, the streaming video service with thousands of classic and modern films for adults and children.
- Dozens of digital resources, educational tools, digital programming, community resources, and much more at dmpl.org.
FAQ
- How do I get a card?
- Visit https://www.dmpl.org/get-card to get your card online. You can apply anytime and Windsor Heights residents will automatically get digital access on July 1st.
- Is the Des Moines Library open?
- The Des Moines Library is closed to the public due to COVID-19, but they do offer curbside pickup. Learn more at https://www.dmpl.org/now-available-curbside-pickup.
- Do I no longer have access to the Urbandale Library?
- Windsor Heights residents still can use the Urbandale Library, but no longer have digital access there.
- I had a Des Moines Library card years ago, can I still use it?
- The Des Moines Library purges inactive members every three years so any cards older than that will not work. You will need to sign up for a new card.
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Come to Colby Park every Tuesday in July and August at 10 AM for Storytime in the Park.
While the books will be geared to the 3-6 year old age group, ALL age groups are welcome. Our goal is to create a warm and friendly atmosphere, where kids can be kids and you can enjoy quality time with your children, as they explore new experiences.
To help keep everyone safe, we are not doing crafts this year. Individual snacks and drinks will be provided. Please stay 6 ft away from people who are outside your household and consider wearing a mask.
Please register on the Facebook event to help ensure we have the proper amount of food. We also encourage participants to sit at least six feet from others as they listen to the story.
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Cowels Montessori School will have over 20 children attending their Summer Metro program starting July 6th. Residents may encounter additional traffic in the area in the mornings and afternoons as children are dropped off and picked up from the program. The decision to have the summer program
was made at the district level and included input from the CDC, Polk County Health, and family requests. The program will run for five weeks.
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Come meet the final candidates for the City Administrator of Windsor Heights! This is a chance for residents to ask questions and get to know the candidates for this position. It is a casual event and no formal presentations will be given.
Please bring your own mask to wear and stand six feet from others at the event.
Friday, July 10th
5:30 - 6:30 PM
Community Events Center
6900 School Street
A possible quorum of City Council members will be present, but no formal action will be taken at this event.
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Soil Quality Restoration Projects
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Stormwater is water from rain, snowmelt, and surface drainage that runs off impervious surfaces such as paved surfaces, roofs, and compacted lawns. Stormwater can collect sediment, litter, contaminants, and other pollutants. As part of the metro-wide #RainCampaign, the City Council approved reimbursements for soil quality restoration projects to be covered under this program.
The City of Windsor Heights is dedicated to smart stormwater management. The City aims to increase both water quality and water quantity through the implementation of stormwater best management practices (BMP’s).
Learn how you can get reimbursed for stormwater best management projects by clicking the button below.
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Stay tuned to our social media and windsorheights.org for the draft of our Parks Plan that will be released next week. We will be asking the public to comment on the proposal to let us know what they think of the suggestions.
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Road construction projects in Windsor Heights have encountered some delays recently due to conflicts with utility providers. We understand that this can be frustrating and appreciate our residents patience. Every week, we release updates on these projects on windsorheights.org and on our social media.
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City Hall and the Public Safety Building are now open to the public. I
f you are unable to make it in, there are several services that you can access online.
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Please call City Hall at 279-3662 or Public Safety at 277-4453 with questions . The Public Safety building is not currently offering fingerprinting services and doesn’t have a set date to resume. If you are in need of this service, please reach out to the Iowa Department of Public Safety or the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
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The Windsor Heights Community Center is open and operating at full capacity. Online reservations are also available and we are booking into 2021. For more information on available dates, visit windsorheights.org.
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Starting next week, Ankeny Sanitation will move appliance pickup and new cart deliveries to Tuesdays.
Please call 964-5229 before putting old appliances on your curb.
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You can now purchase your yard waste cart online. Starting July 1st, the price for a new cart sticker drops to $160.
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You can still renew your current sticker online. The annual renewal fee is $106.
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Order Yard Bags & Large Trash Item Stickers Online
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You can now order yard waste bags and large trash item stickers online. Metro Waste Authority will mail them to your home. Click below to order bags and stickers.
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City Council Meetings
Recordings of City Council Meetings are now available to view on
windsorheights.org
as well as the City's Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube accounts.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, City Council Meetings will be conducted via Zoom. Zoom meeting information will be posted on windsorheights.org and on social media.
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Prefer a Printed Newsletter?
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We are giving our residents the option to receive their City newsletter in printed form. If you would like to (or know a neighbor who would) please email your name and address to Communications/Recreation Coordinator Whitney Tucker at wtucker@windsorheights.org or call 515-645-6819.
Residents have to opt in to receive the newsletter in printed form, they will not automatically be mailed to every resident.
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- July 1 — Des Moines Public Library Access Begins
- July 4 — Fireworks at Colby Park
- July 6 — City Council Meeting on Zoom
- July 7 — Storytime in the Park
- July 10 — City Admin Meeting and Greet
- July 14 — Storytime in the Park
- July 20 — City Council Meeting on Zoom
- July 21 — Storytime in the Park
- July 28 — Storytime in the Park
- August 3 — City Council Meeting
- August 4 — Storytime in the Park
- August 6 — Movies in the Park
- August 11 — Storytime in the Park
- August 17 — City Council Meeting
- August 18 — Storytime in the Park
- August 25 — Storytime in the Park
- October 22 — Movies in the Park
The City Council Chambers are located at 1133 66th Street
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Phone Numbers
City Hall
515-279-3662
Police Department
515-286-3632
Police Admin/Records
515-277-4453
Building Inspections
515-333-4161 (Safe Building)
Fire Department
515-279-9450
Public Works Department
515-645-6825
Community Events Center
515-645-6819
Animal Control
515-286-3632
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