Dryer Jam

The jammed coin mechanism on the middle dryer in the laundry room was fixed today. The culprit, a damaged quarter.

We have had issues with jams caused by Canadian (or other non-U.S. coins), but this one was the result of someone not only using a damaged quarter, but jamming it into the mechanism in an effort to get it to work.
It is unlikely that you will be visually checking all of your quarters every time you do laundry, but if in handling them you happen to notice that a quarter is warped, or knicked on the edge, do not put it into the slot, and more importantly, if the coin slider mechanism is proving difficult to push it, don't force it, check your quarters and try another quarter.
This particular jam was caused by someone really forcing it. Luckily this didn't damage the mechanism permanently, but it did render the dryer inoperable for almost two weeks. With only 3 washers and 3 dryers for 39 units, that makes for a lot of inconvenience. Please be more mindful in the future. Thank you.

Alternative Parking Options During Snow Clean-Up

With the huge amount of snowfall we have received during the last two weeks and are likely to continue receiving, and with Riley Plaza looking more like Ice Station Zebra than a parking lot,  you may have had trouble finding off-street parking during the snow emergencies. Here is a list of possible alternative locations. It never hurts to have a plan "B".

The City of Salem offers the following locations as alternative off-street parking options for residents as snow clean-up gets underway. Please note that parking in school lots is only permitted during snow emergencies. Once the snow emergency is lifted, cars must be removed from school lots. Park and playground parking lots and the Salem Wharf lot may continue to be used for alternative parking. In addition, Salem has added some additional options (see below) and reminds folks about the existing lots that can be used for off street parking, as follows:

Church Street parking lot

Residents may park for free here overnight (6pm to 7am). After 7am, regular lot rates will apply.

Universal Steel parking lot (297 Bridge Street)

Residents may park here for free. There will be no charge to park in this lot, pending further snow clean-up efforts. There are approximately 120 spaces here.

Salem Willows parking lot

DPW is performing additional plowing in this lot. There are approximately 125 spaces here. Meters will not be in effect.

Forest River Park

Currently a designated snow emergency lot. Parking may continue in this lot until further notice. There are approximately 30 spaces here.

Gallows Hill Playground lower lot

Currently a designated snow emergency lot. Parking may continue in this lot until further notice. There are approximately 70 spaces here.

Mack Park upper and lower lots

Currently a designated snow emergency lot. Parking may continue in this lot until further notice. There are approximately 35 spaces here.

Castle Hill Playground

Currently a designated snow emergency lot. Parking may continue in this lot until further notice. There are approximately 40 spaces here.

Blaney Street/Salem Wharf parking lot

Currently a designated snow emergency lot. Parking may continue in this lot until further notice. There are approximately 45 spaces here.


Good luck!

13th Annual Salem's So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival

February 6 - 15, 2015
Is living in a polar vortex getting you down? Is cabin fever making you cranky and unpleasant? Not sure what to do with your significant other on Valentine's Day?
Well help is on the way with the 13th Annual Salem's So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival! A week-long festival of food, wine, chocolate and winter-time fun!

Salem's So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival officially kicks off with a Chocolate and Wine Tasting, on Friday, February 6 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm, at Colonial Hall, 227 Essex Street. This luscious tasting event features wine and chocolate samplings from premier Salem restaurants, stores and sweet shops. To reserve your tickets please click here.

In celebration of the chocolate weekend, many of Salem's finest restaurants will feature special chocolate offerings on their menus, including deserts, cocktails, and inventive sauces. Participating Salem retailers will also take part with in-store events and promotions, displays and items geared toward chocolate and Valentine's Day. For more information about Salem's So Sweet please visit www.salemmainstreets.org/festivals/salem-so-sweet/. 

There will be more than 15 large ice sculptures around downtown Salem, with themes including a a mermaid, ruby slippers, a film projector, and many more! A map of sculptures and locations will be available below and on brochures distributed around town closer to the festival. The Salem Trolley will be offering trolley rides around the festival route weather permitting on Feb. 7 and 8 from 12 pm to 4 pm for $2 a person.  Pick-up locations will be at the Visitors Center, Pickering Wharf, and near Rockafellas on Washington Street.


HAVE FUN!

Christmas Tree Disposal Reminder

Some people like to prolong the Christmas season as long as possible. We had a discarded Christmas tree make an appearance in the side lot this week. Markwood would like to remind tenants that all Christmas trees should be disposed of before the city-wide Christmas tree pick-up, which is generally the first week of January.
We had a large collection of about 6 trees sitting out by the dumpster after Christmas. (By the way, everyone did a great job of not putting their tree into the dumpster this year, thank you!) Markwood paid maintenance to come and dispose of the trees, since we were too late putting them out by the curb for city pick-up. With this late addition, rather than having it taken all at once with the other trees, now Markwood has to pay maintenance to come again and dispose of this one tree. Hopefullly next year, everyone will be on board with getting rid of their tree in a timely fashion.
Another more interesting alternative is to take your tree to Dead Horse Beach here in Salem for the annual Christmas Tree Bonfire. Which is fun, impressive, and gives your tree the Viking funeral it really deserves.

Salem's 12th Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire!

Join in the fun at Salem's 12th Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire
Friday, January 9, 6:00 p.m., Dead Horse Beach

SALEM, MA –  Mayor Kim Driscoll and the City of Salem’s Park & Recreation Department will hold the City’s 12th  annual Christmas tree bonfire at Dead Horse Beach on Memorial Drive on Friday, January 9, 2015 at 6:00 p.m., weather permitting.

“The Bonfire is one more great Salem tradition. I look forward to it every year,” said Mayor Driscoll.

Northside Carting trucks will be picking up trees curbside on the same day as your regularly scheduled trash day beginning January 5th.  If you really want to make sure your tree is part of the bonfire, you can drop it off at the entrance to Dead Horse Beach after January 2nd or bring it to the bonfire on the 10th.  Please don't forget to remove all decorations and lights from your tree.

In case of inclement weather (rain/snow/wind) the bonfire will be held on Saturday evening January 10th at 6:00 p.m.
Check www.salem.com for rescheduling information.

City-wide Christmas tree curbside collection will continue to take place January 12 -16, 2015.  Please leave your tree curbside on the same day as your regularly scheduled trash day and Northside Carting will pick up your tree.

City of Salem Offers Free Parking December 24 and 31

In order to encourage residents to shop local and support Salem’s small businesses this holiday season, Mayor Kim Driscoll has announced that parking in all City-owned locations in Salem will be free on Wednesday, December 24.

Then, on Wednesday December 31, metered spaces and City-owned surface lots will also be free after 4:00 p.m. and the Museum Place and South Harbor parking garages will be free after 7:00 p.m., in order to help encourage residents and visitors to come ring in the New Year in downtown Salem.

“I hope everyone doing their last minute holiday shopping will keep our local small retailers and shops in mind,” said Mayor Driscoll. “To make it just a bit easier for all of you late shoppers, the City will not be charging for parking on December 24th. Now you don’t have an excuse!”

The City of Salem and Salem Main Streets have also once again partnered to host “LAUNCH! New Year’s Eve Salem” at Old Town Hall in Derby Square from 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. on New Year’s Eve night. This free and family-friendly party will include music by The Dejas, New Year’s Eve related activities and crafts for kids of all ages, and will end with an early countdown and balloon drop at 7:00 p.m.

Electric Rates Are Going Up. What to do?

If you are a National Grid customer, you may have received a notice  informing you that your electric rates are going to be raised by as much as 37% next month. That is 37¢ on every dollar you spend. So a $100 electric bill will now be a $137 electric bill. Coming hard on the teeth of another brutally long and cold winter seems akin to kicking someone when they are down. What can you do? Turn down the thermostat, switch to energy efficient bulbs and appliances, sure, but many of us have already done that, in fact that is one of the reasons that National Grid is raising it's rates. People are using less energy, but the power company "needs" to make the same amount of money, therefore: higher rates. So what to do? Suck it up and pay the higher rates...or look into supplementing our energy with solar power?
The possibility of placing solar panels on the roof of 24 Norman Street is an idea that has been discussed. It is unlikely that we could generate enough power to supply the entire building, but it might be enough to keep our ever-spiraling electric bills down to a manageable level.
Here is an article about how one couple in a Chicago condominium went solar. http://www.motherearthliving.com/mother-earth-living/how-to-go-solar-condo.aspx#axzz3K1C34V4e

The main hindrances to going solar are expense, and maintenance. There are several government-sponsored incentive programs for going solar, as well as a solar initiative here in Salem.
This article is the best in explaining the incentives.
http://brightstarsolar.net/2011/02/solar-power-for-condominiums/

The first big question is: do we qualify? The second is: if not, does anyone in the building want to spend the money to have solar panels installed? Would it be economically feasible?
Like many other initiatives proposed for our building, if there is no interest, we will continue to maintain the status quo, however we would love to know your thoughts.