The old City Hall building, that was constructed 50 years ago and opened in 1961, is in the process of being demolished. On December 7, the City Council awarded a demolition contract and a pre-construction conference was held on January 20. The contractor completed the abatement work and disposal of hazardous materials. During the months of February, March and April, the building will be demolished and the building materials will be removed. The site will then be graded.

Dangerous conditions created by a fire on Ballinger Island last summer have caused the island to be closed indefinitely. The island has dangerous sinkholes, hazardous trees, and the ground is very unstable.

“No Trespassing on Island” signs were posted on the island and along the shores of Lake Ballinger.  The City of Edmonds also installed signage in their public right-of-way to alert their residents. 

The City of Mountlake Terrace will continue to evaluate the condition of Ballinger Island from a public safety standpoint and will make a determination later in 2010 on what steps to take regarding restoration of the island’s natural habitat.

Until then, Ballinger Island will remain closed to the public.  If you see anyone accessing the island, please call 9-1-1 immediately.

The Mountlake Terrace Post Office will stay in its current downtown location at 23210 57th Avenue West. The U.S. Postal Service announced that they recently signed a two-year lease agreement with the property owner, Calvary Fellowship Church. The Post Office has been in this location since 1967.

No. It is unlawful for any person to sell, possess, use, transfer, discharge or ignite any fireworks within the City of Mountlake Terrace. Violations will result in confiscation of fireworks and fines. For more information about the fireworks law, please contact the Police Department at (425) 670-8260.

230th Street SW Reconstruction Project
The reconstruction will include bike lanes, sidewalks on both sides, and parking lanes.  The improvements include sidewalk ramps, drainage improvements, a new water main, and a revised vertical street profile to improve sight distance at 61st. Construction is scheduled to begin in March.

222nd Street Sidewalk Connection at Jack Long Park
The project will complete the sidewalk on the north side of 222nd Street SW between 58th and 60th Avenues W. The project includes sidewalk ramps and drainage improvements for the intersection of 222nd and 60th.  Here the new sidewalk passes the frontage of Jack Long Park, a stairway will be constructed up a steep grassy slope to the park’s south entrance.  Construction is planned to begin in spring.

East Side Water System Water Improvements
A new 12” diameter main will be installed in 228th Street SW between 39th and 44th, in Cedar Way from 228th to entrance to the 23400 block, and in 222nd Street between 39th and 44th to increase the available fire flow in the area.  Construction begins in late spring.

214th & 44th Traffic Signal
The new signal will enhance safety and increase capacity of 44th Avenue West and 214th Street SW. The project includes interconnecting the new signal with the existing signals at 212th Street SW and 217th Street SW so all three will operate in coordination. Construction is planned for spring and summer.

Residents should follow the precautionary guidance of health officials and stay informed of the situation through county and state health resources.  People who are sick with flu-like symptoms should stay home or go to a health care provider if they become seriously ill.

The City of Mountlake Terrace will continue with its strategy of public education, prevention, and coordination with Emergency Services Coordinating Agency. Protecting public health and safety during this event is the first priority.

Detailed information about this outbreak is available on the Department of Health swine flu update Web site (www.doh.wa.gov/swineflu/default.htm). The agency’s swine flu information telephone line, 1-888-703-4364, provides prevention advice in English and Spanish. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/index.htm) has the latest information on the national disease investigation.

For more information and for details, please visit the following:  
www.doh.wa.gov (State Department of Health)
CDC
CDC Fact Sheet
CDC Fact Sheet in Spanish
WHO
Snohomish Health District’s Web site at www.snohd.org
Sign up for Twitter updates at http://twitter.com/SnoCo_DEM
Call 425-388-5060 with questions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day of the week, including weekends.
E-mail flu@snoco.org
Edmonds School District for current school updates
Catch Snohomish Health District Director Dr. Gary Goldbaum on "Inside Everett" talking about H1N1.  The program is 18 minutes and explains the virus and gives tips on how to avoid becoming a victim. Facebook version.

 “Swine Flu Fact Sheet”
What is it? A Type A influenza virus that is a mix of pig, human and bird viruses.
How is it spread?  Person-to-person, through uncovered coughs and sneezes or by touching virus-laden surfaces and then toughing your mouth or nose. (It is not transmitted from pigs to humans or from eating pork products.)
What are the symptoms? Similar to seasonal flu: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue and sometimes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Prevention: Cover nose and mouth with tissue when coughing or sneezing, then throw tissue in the trash. Wash hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth. Stay home if sick and avoid contact with sick people.
Treatment: Flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza.

More information: www.doh.wa.gov or www.cdc.gov

Source: Washington State Department of Health

WNV is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. Although the risk of getting WNV is low, all residents in areas where the virus is active are at risk. Only a small number of people who become infected will develop any symptoms, usually 3 to 14 days after exposure. Persons over 50 years of age are more at risk for getting symptoms than children or pets. The median age of death is 78, so it is particularly important for older persons to take personal protective measures.

There are some simple steps you can take to reduce risk. The best way to minimize the threat of WNV is to control mosquito populations and prevent exposure to mosquitoes. To control the mosquito population, empty old tires, buckets, plastic covers, toys and other containers around your home where water can accumulate and serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Change water every week in birdbaths, fountains, wading pools and animal troughs. To protect yourself from mosquito bites, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when in mosquito-infested areas. Consider using a mosquito repellant containing DEET. (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide). Other repellents registered with the EPA include Picaridin (KBR 3023) and Oil of lemon eucalyptus [active ingredient: p-menthane 3,8-diol (PMD)], a plant-based repellent. In two recent scientific publications, when oil of lemon eucalyptus was tested against mosquitoes found in the US it provided protection similar to repellents with low concentrations of DEET.

Measures can reduce the risk of exposure to mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus:

• Get rid of old tires and other containers around your home where water can accumulate and serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
• Make sure the screens on all doors and windows are working properly.
• Schedule outdoor activities away from dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• Use mosquito repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus; follow the directions on the container.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when in mosquito infested areas.

You may report dead birds to the State Department of Health at: http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/Zoo/WNV/WNV.html
Snohomish Health District is no longer collecting dead birds for WNV testing or collecting information about the birds. However, if three or more sick or dead birds are found at one time in one area, call the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife at 1.800.606.8768.

For more detailed information on West Nile Virus, including how to prevent it and what to do if you see a dead bird, please click on the link below. http://www.snohd.org/snoWNileVirus/index.htm

Additional Links:

• WADOH
• West Nile Virus Map