News from BG: May 10, 2023
Bowling Green Municipal Utilities Recognized for Reliable Electric Service

Bowling Green Municipal Utilities has received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability in 2022. The recognition comes from the American Public Power Association (APPA), a trade group that represents more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities. 

APPA helps electric utilities track power outages and restoration data through its subscription-based eReliability Tracker service. Once per year, APPA’s Reliability Team compares this data to national statistics tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for all types of electric utilities.

“It’s encouraging to see year after year that public power’s track record for providing highly reliable service is backed up by data,” said APPA Director of Research and Development Paul Zummo. “These utilities are the best of the best when it comes to keeping the lights on. And these communities should be proud of their local power providers and appreciate the hard work that goes into earning this recognition.”

Nationwide, the average public power customer has their lights out for less than half the time customers of other types of utilities do.

Jim Odneal, Assistant Utilities Director, shared, “Electricity is available to Bowling Green customers 99.9952% of the time, well above the national average. In the rare occasion that power is lost, Bowling Green customers have their power restored within an average of 25 minutes versus the national average of 108 minutes for a utility our size.”

“This award is a testament to our staff and the remarkable effort they put forth to ensure that we keep Bowling Green powered,” said Brian O’Connell, Director of Public Infrastructure/Utilities Director.
May Brush Collection
The window to schedule a May Brush Collection has closed.

For those who registered, the collection is scheduled to begin on May 15. Those who did not call in or go online to register by May 8 will NOT be included on the collection route! This will be the second brush collection for the year. The next collection will be in September 2023.
Historic Self-Guided Walking Tour

The Historic Preservation Commission, the Wood County Museum, and the Wood County District Public Library are excited to celebrate May as National Historic Preservation Month. The month celebrates the nation's heritage through historic places. Preservation is about protecting the sites and structures that represent meaningful history to our community and future generations. The City's Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is excited to take this month to bring awareness to local buildings and the histories that have shaped them!

The HPC is proud to have worked with several historic home/building owners to create the City's first Historic Self-Guided Walking Tour.

Access the map to view each building’s history and photo. Start your self-guided tour from any point on the map, but beginning and ending in Downtown Bowling Green is recommended. Each participating property will also display a "History Lives Here" yard sign indicating their participation in the month-long tour, and a QR code to the map which explains the fascinating history of each building....Read Full Historic Preservation Release
Keep Grass Clippings Out of Street & Storm Drains

Residents and landscapers are reminded to keep grass clippings out of the street and the City’s storm drains. Blowing grass and other yard debris into the sidewalk, street, or storm drainage
system is a violation of the City’s littering and stormwater ordinances.

Grass clippings, leaves, and other lawn debris can clog storm drains, resulting in street and private property flooding. Also, storm drains flow directly to local waterways untreated. Grass clippings add unnecessary nutrients, which help feed harmful algal blooms. In addition to environmental
harm, you may be creating a safety hazard. When blown into the street, clippings can create a slippery and dangerous surface for traveling motorcyclists and bicyclists.

Using a mulching mower puts clippings back into the turf and keeps the nutrients where they belong. Should you choose to use a discharging mower, please be sure to point the blower toward
your property (away from the street) to prevent clippings from leaving the lawn.

When finished mowing, please be sure to use a blower, broom, or rake to clean up any grass clippings or debris that have inadvertently made their way into the street, sidewalk, or storm drain.
Sustainable Landscaping Free Native Garden Plans

Lawn and garden activities can contaminate stormwater with pesticide, soil, and fertilizer runoff. Proper
landscape management effectively reduces water use and contaminants that pollute our streams and eventually travel to Lake Erie. Through careful planning and design, environmentally-friendly landscape management can protect the environment with use of practical turf areas and mulches, appropriate plant
selection, efficient water use, and maintenance. Native plants also provide valuable food and habitat for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife.

Do you want to start your first native garden this spring but don’t know where to begin? No fear, Wild Ones can help! They have FREE, beautiful, professionally designed, native garden plans you can download.

Access additional local resources and learn more about how planting natives in our landscapes helps local water quality on the regional Clear Choices Clean Water webpage.
2023 Summer Guide
The Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department is excited to release the 2023 Summer Youth Program Guide, which contains information on camps, sports, safety town, swim lessons, theater programs, and more.

Resident registration began on April 24th, and non-resident registration begins on May 8th. For questions or more information, please contact the Parks and Recreation Office at 419-354-6223.