Frequently Asked
FAQs
Answer:
To obtain electric, water, sewer & garbage services or when moving from one address to another with-in the city, visit the Light & Water Department billing office in the Park River City Office building at 514 Briggs Ave. S. or call 701.284.6150
Meter deposits are required: $150 required when moving into a residence or apartment. Commercial deposit is $200. This deposit will transfer (if your bill is current) should you change your residence within the City of Park River. This deposit will be applied to your final billing. Should your deposit exceed your final billing total, a refund for the difference will be sent to you. A $25 hook-up fee is also required. The hook-up fee is non-refundable and must be paid each time you change your residence.
The billing office requests that you give at least 1 week of notification prior to moving into or changing your place of residence.
Montana Dakota Utilities provides natural gas –
call 800.638.3278
Polar Communications provides, telephone, cable, internet services –
call 701.284.7221 or 800.284.7222
LP – Propane is provided by the following:
Heartland Gas – call 701.284.7480
North Star Coop – call 701.284.7161
Northdale Oil, Inc. – call 701.284.6732
Fuel Oil is provided by the following:
North Star Coop – call 701.284.7161
Northdale Oil, Inc – call 701.284.6732
US Post Office – call 701.284.6106
Please call the City Office Building
@ 701.284.6150.
To rent the City Auditorium for a Wedding…F.A.Q.
2 checks are required & are to be paid the week of your event.
Check #1 is for Rent = $150.00
Check #2 is a damage deposit = $200.00 (This check will be returned to you after your wedding has been held & the City Janitor checks the building & you have turned in the key(s).)
Decorating: Rent includes the 2 days prior to your wedding date. Additional days are billed at $50.00 per day. The use of staples, nails & screws are prohibited. Only pins, 3M Command Strip products, & tape may be used to hang decorations.
How large is the building?
Upstairs: 74’x 41′ = 3,034 sq.. ft
Tables = 24 – 8′
Chairs = 200
Basement: 26′ x 63.5′ = 1,651 sq ft
Tables = 16 – 8′
Chairs = 120
Clean-up… You are responsible for the clean-up.
If alcohol will be served, please have the bar contact the City Office and have the transfer of the liquor license put on the City Council agenda a minimum of 1 month prior to your wedding. City Council meets the second Monday of the month unless it is a holiday. Only bars located within Park River city limits are licensed to serve alcohol at events.
For a Wedding Dance you will need to fill out & turn in a dance contract to the Walsh County Sheriff’s Department. (Click on doc. below.)
You may pick up a list of rental properties at the Park River City Office Building located at 514 Briggs Ave S. or click on the Rental Properties document below.
Answer:
The City Office Building, located at 514 Briggs Ave S,
is open Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
The office may be closed over the noon lunch hour.
The Park River Library is located in the Park River Area School located at 605 6th St W.
Hours:
School Schedule
Closed M-F 11:25 AM – 12:25 PM
Mon-Fri 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Mon & Thurs 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Summer Schedule
Mon 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Tues 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Thurs 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Sat 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Answer:
IN PERSON: You can stop at the City Office Building located at 514 Briggs Ave S.
DROP BOX: There is a secured mail slot located under the window on the North side of the office building.
MAIL TO:
Light & Water Department
PO Box C
Park River, ND 58270-0702
(Remember to include the stub with your payment.)
AUTO PAY: This payment plan method authorizes the City of Park River to deduct your monthly utility bill from your bank account. Your utility bill will still be mailed to you. The billing amount will be deducted from your account 14 to 18 days after the billing date by your bank. To sign up this form is available at the City Office Building or on the file listed below.
Credit/Debit Card or E-check:
On-line bill pay is available for payment of your monthly Light & Water Bill. Click here.
At this time on-line bill pay can not be used to pay for Utility Deposits & Hookup fees.
Click below to print off the AUTO-PAY form.
Answer:
Yes.
Please contact the City Office for information required on a building permit.
ORDINANCE 4.a. – SECTION 1.
PERMITS, WHEN REQUIRED. No building or structure of any description, including but not limited to sheds, garages, fences, outbuildings, decks, gazebos, or pergolas with an estimated cost of $0.00 shall be erected or placed upon any lot or tract within the City of Park River, North Dakota, without the owner, either by himself or by his agent, having first obtained a written permit from the City of Park River, as hereinafter provided, nor shall any contractor or agent of any owner erect or place any structure as stated above without said permit, thus making it an obligation of the owner to obtain said permit. No permit will be issued until the property has been staked and approved by the City Building Inspector or designee. Applications for building permits required by this section must be submitted after the property is staked. No permit will be issued or construction commenced until seventy-two (72) hours after submission of the application, unless approved by the City Building Inspector or designee.
A moving permit is also required to bring an approved building into the city limits.
Building and Moving permits must be obtained prior to start of any construction or placement of buildings.
This service is located at 514 Briggs Ave S in the City Office Building. Call 701.284.6150.
Answer:
We try to read meters the same time each month, generally the 15th-20th, however extra days might be included due to holidays, or emergencies which need to be dealt with immediately. The beginning and ending date for each billing cycle are printed in the upper left hand corner of your Light & Water bill. At this time putting individual read out dates on bills is not available so 1 date is listed on all bills.
There are all kinds of appliances and materials used to power, entertain, heat, cool, and beautify our homes that use up resources in ways that may not be obvious.
Many things in your home, from your plasma television to your simple little toaster, draw power all day and night just by being plugged in. According to researchers a typical U.S. home has 40 appliances drawing power around the clock. Together, they consume 10% of residential electricity nationwide.
Wireless and Cable Modems
These don’t take up gobs of power, but are left on all the time, so it adds up.
Electric Gadget Chargers
Chargers that juice up cell phones and laptops upstairs and cordless drills and battery-powered lawnmowers drain power when they are plugged in, even when they aren’t connected to the devices they charge.
Phantom Loads
That benign little toaster in your kitchen? It has a chip in it that draws teeny amounts of power, even when it’s off. Estimates are that the average home has 40 gadgets that do this, from toasters to TiVo.
Air Conditioners
Air conditioners have a well-deserved reputation as fat electricity hogs. An efficient 10,000-Btu window unit is rated at 1,000 watts. Picture a glowing bank of 17 60-watt light bulbs.
Dishwashers
Dishwashers have gotten much more efficient, both with water and electricity use, but there is still a hidden problem with some. They have water heaters that boost the temperature of the hot water coming in, and these boosters can keep running even if the water is already hot enough.
The Old Fridge
A super-efficient new fridge is just another energy sink if all you do with your old fridge is put it in the basement or garage to keep a few beverages cold.
Gas Ranges
You thought your gas range was just using gas to bake your cookies. Not so. Most gas ranges use electricity to power what’s called a “glow bar,” which helps govern the gas valves. These can draw 500 watts of power, almost as much as the microwave oven you were proud of yourself for not using.
Air Leaks
An obvious and costly problem. Out goes all the cool air into the summer heat or all that toasty air into the cold in February. It’s not just leaks around windows and doors, though–critters can make hidden holes that let out lots of energy.
Insulation
It’s one of the single best things you can do to reduce heating and cooling costs.
Water leaks
Water leaks are the main culprits that cause an increase in your water usage. A leaking faucet, water softener, outside faucet/garden hose, or toilet can cause a huge increase in water usage/billing. It is not uncommon for a toilet to have 5 thousand gallons of water run through it over the course of a weekend.
Ways to check if you have a leak or a toilet that runs:
1. Read & write down your water meter reading before going to bed and first thing in the morning. If no one has used water during the night, your readings should be the same.
2. Put enough food coloring or packet of Kool-aid in your toilet tank so the color is noticeable. In the morning if the water in the tank is clear or there is color in your bowl, or there is no color in either the tank or bowl, your toilet is running and you need to have it repaired.
Other things to consider are:
1. Have you been washing vehicles or watering the lawn and/or garden?
2. Have you had company for the holidays or special occasions? Extra cooking, laundry & showers add to the electric & water usage.
3. Do you have children in sporting activities? These activities add to both laundry & showers.
4. Has a child come home from college during holidays or breaks?
Each season brings different needs to your home. Summer months many people run fans or air conditioners to help beat the heat or dehumidifiers to remove moisture from damp basements. Winter brings longer nights and cold weather which in turn keeps many people inside for longer periods of time. While indoors, extra electricity is used to operate TV’s and other appliances used for entertainment purposes. In turn furnaces, need to run more often to keep your house temperature at the selected temperature on your thermostat, especially when temperatures dip below zero and stay there for a week or two. Brrrrrrr!
Save Water and Money
http://wateruseitwisely.com
Are too many of your dollars literally going down the drain? At this site, you’ll find plenty of water conservation tips and resources. Learn 100 ways to save water in your area of the country. Take the family water audit to see how wisely you’re using water now. Find out what’s new in water-saving gadgets. There’s even a landscape watering guide to calculate how frequently to water your plants and lawn. It’s information that’s good for your wallet (and the world’s water supply).
Answer:
City Council meetings are held the second Monday of each month.
In case of a Holiday, Council meetings are generally held the next day (Tuesday).
Council meetings are held in the Council Room located in the City Office building at
514 Briggs Ave S.
Meetings start at 5:30 PM.
City Council meeting date & time are posted on the Events Calendar portion of this web site.
Answer:
An Agenda may be viewed on the city website or picked up or viewed at the City Office Building.
Minutes are published in the official city newspaper the WC Press.
Un-approved minutes may be picked up at the City Office Building 7 days after the Council meeting.
Un-approved/approved minutes are posted to the city website as a courtesy when time allows.
Answer:
Consolidated Waste, LTD provides garbage collection for the City of Park River.
Residential pick-up is every week on Monday and Tuesday.
You will be billed for this service on your monthly utility bill.
Garbage collection within the City of Park River is:
Monday
East of Railroad Tracks
From Alley East of Wadge Ave S and West
North of Hwy 17
Apt Dumpsters
Tuesday
Business District
Hilltop Drive
From Harris Ave S to Railroad Tracks (South down center of town)
Consolidated Waste Holiday Collection Schedule
Holidays Observed & Collection Day
New Year’s Day – One Day Late
Good Friday – One Day Late
Memorial Day – One Day Late
Independence Day – One Day Late
Labor Day – One Day Late
Veterans Day – One Day Late
Thanksgiving – One Day Late
Christmas Day – One Day Late
If the Holiday falls on a weekend the route will run as regularly scheduled.
Rural customers have weekly pickup up May – December with Bi-weekly pickup January – April.
A drop box for soft plastics is located at Jim’s Super Valu 103 3rd ST West. Examples of soft plastics include shopping bags & plastic that comes wrapped around flats of water.
Other items may be recycled with
Friendship Inc.
Click on the PDF brochure below for more information on recycling with Friendship.
Answer:
Contact the Park River Area School District at:
Park River Elementary School
701-284-6550
Park River High School
701-284-7164
Answer:
The City of Park River requires licensing of ALL dogs & cats.
Dogs & Cats must be current on vaccinations and owners must provide proof thereof when applying for a license.
Licenses are to be renewed every year.
Sexed cat & dog licenses are $10.00 and spayed/neutered cats & dogs $5.00.
Tags & Licenses may be obtained at the following locations:
City Office Building – 514 Briggs Ave S 701-284-6150
Agassiz Animal Hospital – Hwy 17 W 701-284-6688
The City of Park River requires that all dogs & cats must be on a leash or under physical control at all times and not allowed to run loose around the neighborhoods or a citation can be issued for any violations. Barking dogs and yowling cats are considered to be a nuisance and may be issued a citation.
Answer:
Yes.
Contact ND One Call at 800-795-0555 or dial 811 at least 72 hours in advance.
“IT IS THE LAW”
They will schedule to locate all the power, cables, water, sewer, gas and phone lines. This call is free to the public. A charge will be incurred if the same locate is requested 3 or more times.
Also contact the City of Park River to see if any restrictions apply for placement of or type of proposed installations or if a permit of any kind is needed.
DO I HAVE TO CALL NORTH DAKOTA ONE-CALL?
YES!!! Calling North Dakota One-Call is a STATE LAW
designed to protect you, your co-workers, underground facilities and the public.
For information in the North Dakota One-Call Handbook click on the following website link.
www.ndonecall.com
The North Dakota Pharmacy Association (NDPHA), North Dakota Board of Pharmacy and the State Attorney Generals’ office launched a medication disposal program – TakeAway – at the end of April 2010. TakeAway pharmacies are located in all of North Dakota’s counties, at over 225 pharmacy sites. TakeAway benefits the environment, helps patients use medications in a safer way, and prevents diversion and drug abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
For additional information please check this website www.sharpsinc.com/locator