Our neighborhood is part of the 911 emergency system. Be prepared, however, to give detailed directions to your home (ambulances have been known to get lost) and also to be sure that baby sitters have this information readily available by the phone.
Scio Township- The Scio Township offices are located at 827 N. Zeeb Road (665-2123,) just before the McDonald’s. All elections, except those related to the Dexter Schools, are held there. School elections are held at the Dexter Community Education Building adjacent to Wylie Middle School (where the Dexter pool is located.)
Webster Township- Webster Township offices are at 5665 Webster Church Road (426-5103.) All elections except those related to the Dexter Schools are held at the Webster Township Hall. School elections are held at the Dexter Community Education Building adjacent to Wylie Middle School (where the Dexter pool is located.)
U.S. Post Office- Loch Alpine has an Ann Arbor address, therefore, our post office is located in Ann Arbor on West Stadium Blvd (665-1100.) The Post Office in Dexter (426-4747) is located on Baker Road.
Secretary of State- The office is located in the Maple Village Shopping Center on Maple, between Dexter and Jackson (665-0627.) This office is where Michigan Driver’s Licenses are obtained or renewed, as well as car registrations and license plates. Voter registration is also handled here. There is also an office in Chelsea (475-8800.)
Libraries- Although we have an Ann Arbor address, since we are not part of the Ann Arbor school system we must pay a fee to join the Ann Arbor city libraries. The closest Ann Arbor branch is located in the Westgate Shopping Center on the corner of Jackson and Stadium, in the bend of the "L". The downtown library is the hub of the system, and quite large. Ann Arborites are justly proud of it.
The Dexter library is located on Fourth Street and has come a long way in the past few years. Once housed in an older home on Baker Street with much charm and character, the facilities were limited. A few years ago, a millage was passed, allowing the District to expand, hire a full time director and increase its services to the community. Being part of the Library Network of Southeast Michigan means we have access to the inventories of many other libraries as well.
Dexter Schools- The main school offices are located at 7714 Dexter-Ann Arbor Road, 426-4223. Their web site is: www.dexter.k12.mi.us. Dexter High School is located at 2615 Baker Road. The two middle schools are Mill Creek Middle School, grades 7-8 and Wylie Middle School, grades 5-6. The elementary schools are Bates, grades 3-4 and Cornerstone, grades K-2. Dexter Community Education can be contacted at 426-4008. For bus information, call 426-4314.
Ann Arbor Country Club- The Country Club offers a wide range of activities including golf, swimming, tennis and volleyball as well as the club house and pro shop. For membership information, please contact the Country Club management (at 426-4693.)
Non-member information: At this time, the Club is offering a limited number of non-member swim team memberships, as well as tennis lessons and junior golf lessons. For more information, please contact the Club management.
The Sanitary Authority has no connection to the Loch Alpine Improvement Association. Any problems you may have with your water or billing should be addressed to them. (See the back of the LA directory.) For billing questions, contact Sandy Egeler 433-0835. Neil Gerl is the LAIA Rep/Chairman and can be reached at 426-2934. For water and sewer emergencies, call 1-888-218-0395.
Loch Alpine tends to get rust in its water from time to time, particularly after the lines are flushed (twice per year) and you may see a brownish discoloration. Do not wash clothes in rust water - they may take on a stain. Call the Sanitary Authority to report it. They say that the best remedy is to turn on the lowest situated cold-water tap in, or out of, your home and run it until it runs clear.
Water softeners are strongly recommended for all homes in Loch Alpine. You may consider contacting the Sanitary Authority on recommendations for softeners powerful enough to deal with our hard water over the long-term. Some softeners even filter out rust. Another thing to consider is that softened water is not considered good for houseplants, and you should water them from an outside line. If you have the option, you might consider putting hard water in through your cold waterline into your kitchen.
Calcium (quite harmless) is visible in our water as a film and as a scum forming and hardening on sink fixtures. The scum can be removed by soaking with white vinegar or rubbing alcohol. To remove the buildup from your dishwasher, run 3 cups of white vinegar through a wash cycle in an empty dishwasher, stopping it mid-cycle when the washer is thoroughly wet. Leave the washer "soaking" for the afternoon, then resume the cycle. After that, add your dishes and soap and you should discover very clean glassware. Dishwasher manufacturers recommend repeating this procedure every 3 months, or quarterly, for best results.