The City of Cannon Falls has designated Saturday, September 29th as a coordinated volunteer cleanup day from the massive storm that rocked the area last Thursday night.  Scores of power poles and trees were damaged and a large portion of the community was without power for an extended period of time.

Cannon Falls Police Chief McCormick says until the downed power lines were repaired it was unsafe for the City to request volunteer assistance.  Chief McCormick says that has been accomplished.  Details of the volunteer effort are still being finalized and will be posted on the City of Cannon Falls Facebook page, the Cannon Falls Police Department Facebook page and the City of Cannon Falls website.

At this point the plan is for the volunteer times Saturday to be between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., with lunch provided to cleanup volunteers.  Tree services that wish to volunteer are asked to call 507-263-3905.  All other people interested in volunteering are asked to wait until Wednesday as details are finalized.

For city residents, if you have any trees that need to be cut down or cut up, please either have them cut before Saturday or put a sign in your yard Friday, so trained and approved volunteers will know where the cutting is needed.  The city reminds residents only brush should be placed out to be picked up.  Residents with the means to do so are requested to haul your own brush to the City Brush Dump.  "This ensures that resources can be used for residents without the means to do it themselves,"  Chief McCormick notes.

The Brush Dump currently is open 24 hours, 7 days a week.  While every location may not be cleared by Saturday most of it should be removed from the city by following this process authorities believe.

The State of Emergency declared Friday in Cannon Falls has been lifted.  However, all city parks and trails remain closed and the city is asking residents and visitors to please stay out of the parks and off the trails because those are one of the cleanup focus areas in the next couple days.

Chief McCormick says the safety of residents, "is very important so we want to remind everyone that there may still be suspended branches in trees that pose a hazard.  The city will be doing a tree survey over the next few weeks, but if you are in an area with trees, please look around and up to ensure your safety."

"The Cannon Falls Police Department wants to remind our residents to report anything suspicious that thye may see or hear as soon as possible so an officer can check what might be occurring.  The easiest way to report suspicious activity is calling 911."

Statue of William Colvill at Cannon Falls Cemetery, Cannon Falls, Mn. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
Statue of William Colvill at Cannon Falls Cemetery, Cannon Falls, Mn. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
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