The City of Oak Ridge is welcoming its newest member of City Council, Derrick Hammond, who was appointed unanimously earlier this month to fill the seat vacated by Hans Vogel.

Hammond, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, is the pastor of Oak Valley Baptist Church in Oak Ridge. Prior to becoming pastor, he served as Church Business Administrator for First Mount Zion Baptist Church in Dumfries, Virginia. In this role, he functioned as the senior operations manager for a 4,500-member church with oversight of an annual budget of about $6 million and responsibility for all aspects of risk management, food service, fitness center operations, safety, security, human resources, information technology, document retention, fleet management and volunteer mobilization. Prior to that, Derrick served as Church Business Administrator for First Calvary Baptist Church in Durham, North Carolina, where he secured a $6 million construction loan during the 2008 recession and coordinated the $8 million subsequent project that established a new church campus in the low income neighborhood.

	Hammond takes his oath of office after a unanimous vote to appoint him to City Council during the July meeting.

Derrick holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University. He also completed the dual master's degree program at Samford University in 2006, earning a Master of Divinity and a Master of Business Administration. His technical experience includes two years with Mead Coated Board as a process engineer co-op and eight years of military experience with the U.S. Army Chemical Corps as a Chemical Operations Specialist, receiving an honorable discharge from the Army Reserves in 1999.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Derrick is heavily involved in local and surrounding community affairs. He is a 2015 graduate of both Leadership Oak Ridge and the Citizen's Police Academy. He is also an active board member of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, Emory Valley Center, and United Way of Anderson County. Additionally, he is a member of the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club and East Tennessee Economic Council. 

Outside of Oak Ridge, Derrick serves as the Finance Commissioner for the Knoxville Baptist District Association, an adjunct professor for Tennessee Technical University, teaching Personal and Professional Ethics and Organizational Behavior, and a member of the Beeson Divinity  School Alumni Advisory Board in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Derrick and Davyda, his wife of almost nineteen years, moved to Oak Ridge in August of 2014 when he accepted his call to the pastorate. He has two children, Ruth, who is a 2018 graduate of Oak Ridge High School and Alexis, who is a rising senior. Both young ladies have served as members of the Youth Advisory Board of Oak Ridge.

Please join us in welcoming Council Member Hammond!

All elementary school parents and pupils will be notified of room assignments by mail before Monday, July 30, the first day of school.

For additional information, parents and/or students should contact their respective school or the Oak Ridge Schools Pupil Services Department at (865) 425-9009.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ORIENTATIONS

Jefferson Middle School - An orientation program for incoming fifth grade students will be held in the Jefferson Little Theater on Friday, July 27, starting at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 10:30 a.m. Bus service will not be provided. A new student orientation for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students attending Jefferson Middle will be held on Thursday, July 26, between 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Students attending this orientation should report to the guidance department.

Robertsville Middle School - An orientation program for incoming fifth graders and 6th, 7th and 8th students new to Robertsville will be held on Friday, July 27th, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the auditorium. No bus service will be provided.

OAK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL ORIENTATION

Freshman Orientation is Thursday, July 26, from 8 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Students will pick up their schedules and badges in the food court and then make their way to the Auditorium. There will be a welcome session in the auditorium that will last about 30 minutes. Then students will be following their entire schedule (except lunch). They will stay in each class for 10 minutes and they will be able to meet their teacher, learn their way around and see who is in their classes. After orientation is over, students will be following instructions to pick up their laptops and have their school pictures taken. Parents are welcome to attend. While the students are going through their classes, parents will be attending informational sessions.

10th -12th graders new to Oak Ridge Schools are invited to attend a new student orientation at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 26, in the ORHS Amphitheatre. Parents are welcome to attend.

The City of Oak Ridge announced a decision to wait until the Oak Ridge High School football season is complete to begin renovations on Blankenship Field. The decision was based on the contractor's estimate that the project could not be completed without impacting the first three home football games.

City Manager Mark Watson explained the rationale behind the decision. "Rescheduling three home football games would have significant impacts on the Oak Ridge Schools, the football team, students, band members, cheerleaders, parents and other fans. While disappointing, the parties agreed that postponing construction until after the football season ends is the best approach under the circumstances in order to give the construction team the necessary time to complete the renovations."

Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch added, "On behalf of the City, I want to thank the Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation, all of the citizens, businesses, and boosters who have donated to the project, and a special thanks to Deputy Governor Jim Henry, Lt. Governor Randy McNally, and Mayor Pro Tem Rick Chinn for their leadership. Regrettably, the grant approval process took much longer than anyone anticipated, but that is finally completed. We are going to have a state-of-the art football field and a gathering place that the entire city will be proud of."

David Bradshaw, Treasurer of the Blankenship Revitalization Foundation, added, "Foundation members met with the City and the School three times in last two weeks to determine if project construction could start now or would interfere with the football season. Final conversations with the contractor indicated that the project could be completed by September 10, requiring differing location options to be considered for three home games. This was not acceptable to the group and the decision was made to delay construction until the end of the season."

Oak Ridge Board of Education Chairman Keys Fillauer acknowledged, "The BOE is disappointed that this project could not be completed for this season, but understands the necessity for the delay to make sure that a quality project is completed. The project will be completed for the 2019 Graduation and the 2019 football season."

According to Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers, "This project involves coordination among City and School work crews and equipment, as well as the contractor. With an already tight time frame that could be impacted by the weather, I am confident that the decision to postpone is prudent given all of the community resources at stake."

About the Grant: The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has approved a $496,000 Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant award to the City of Oak Ridge for the purpose of renovating Blankenship Field. The grant will receive an equal match from the Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation.

The funds, totaling roughly $1 million, will be used to make a number of upgrades to the facility, including, but not limited to: installation of synthetic turf, concrete walkways, synthetic track, new fencing, signage for the Cedar Hill Greenway trail head, and additional restrooms. All work is expected to be completed by April 30, 2019.

The TDEC grant includes a stipulation that the entire facility be open for public use during non-event times. As per that requirement, Blankenship Field and its amenities will be operated like a City park, meaning it will be open to the public from dawn until dusk every day. The only exception would be during scheduled sporting events or other scheduled community activities that may take place inside the facility throughout the year. The City has coordinated with the Oak Ridge Board of Education to create a joint operational agreement for management and maintenance of the stadium facilities moving forward. TDEC has overseen the community's plans and gave approval to issue a notice to proceed on July 9, 2018. The City has split the project with the replacement of the field turf first. The contractor Field Turf has been selected as the provider through a national bidding consortium.

About Blankenship Field: For over 70 years, Blankenship Field has been the home of the Oak Ridge High School Wildcat Football team. The facility, named after former superintendent Alden Blankenship, is located on Broadway Avenue near Historic Jackson Square. After opening in 1943, it quickly become the largest gathering place for Manhattan Project workers and their families. Learn more online: blankenshiplegacy.org/.

Ms. Julia Bussinger has been named Director of the American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE) in Oak Ridge effective July 16, 2018. As the Director of AMSE, Bussinger will be responsible for supervising staff and managing the daily operations of the AMSE. 

"We welcome Julia to Oak Ridge and are extremely pleased to have someone of her caliber to oversee the day-to-day operations of the AMSE," said Ken Tarcza, Manager, Integrated Support Center - Oak Ridge U.S. Department of Energy. Bussinger holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Sofia University (Bulgaria), a Master of Philosophy in Conservation and a Doctoral Degree in Conservation from Gothenburg University, Sweden. She also has significant experience managing a variety of museums and has managed multiple projects and collaborations with businesses and community organizations.  From 2009- 2015, she managed the Aerospace Museum of California and concurrently served as Museum Director for the City of El Paso Museum of History and Museum of Archaeology. She most recently served (January 2017- July 2018) as the Executive Director of the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum in Palm Springs, California, where she was the driving force behind the development and construction of the TouchCity 3-D Digital Wall - the first of its kind in the U.S. and the biggest in the world. 

"I am extremely passionate about science and museums and I am humbled to use my education in chemistry and conservation for the benefit of the American Museum of Science and Energy," said Bussinger. Bussinger will report for her new role on July 16, 2018.

The new AMSE facility renovations, designed by museum professionals and fabricators, began in January 2018 and are expected to be completed July 2018. The new facility is slated for public opening in fall 2018 and will include a newly-designed exhibit gallery (for permanent and temporary exhibits), a lobby area with information desk and monitors, retail shop, state-of-the-art classroom facility, lecture hall with 150-seat capacity, and office space for museum staff and volunteers.

In order to begin the transition to the new AMSE, the current AMSE (Tulane) facility will officially close to the public on July 29. The DOE Facilities Public Bus Tour will continue to operate on its regular schedule, however the specific location from which the Tour will operate is still under development. Residents and visitors can expect that information to be released soon on the AMSE website, through the media, and other official information outlets used by DOE and its partners in the area.

The City of Oak Ridge sponsored its annual fireworks show in A.K. Bissell Park to celebrate Independence Day. The display was held on the evening of July 4th. The Oak Ridge Community Band, now in their 74th year, performed prior to the fireworks. In case you missed it, take a look at the photos below submitted to us after the event. Thanks to all who made it a success!

Friends, family and City of Oak Ridge staff filled the auditorium inside Oak Ridge Public Library on Friday, June 15, to celebrate Library Director Kathy McNeilly's amazing career. After more than 47 years of service to the City, 19 of those years as Library Director, McNeilly is retiring.

Kathy McNeilly received a Master's degree in Library Science from the University of Tennessee. She was hired by the City of Oak Ridge in 1971 as a reference assistant just a few months after the library's new location opened its doors in the Civic Center. Since then, she has served as head of the Reference Department, head of Technical Services and Assistant Library Director before taking on her role as director nearly 20 years ago.

In her time with the library, McNeilly has watched services change from print-based to computer and was instrumental in guiding the library through many technological changes. Most recently, she helmed the library's inclusion of e-books and streaming video. McNeilly is perhaps most proud, however, of the library's work with COROH (Center for Oak Ridge Oral History). Under her guidance, the library has been able to collect, bind and make available online the oral histories of more than 800 Oak Ridgers whose lives and work helped create the Oak Ridge of today.

McNeilly also witnessed one of the most beautiful cosmetic upgrades at the library beginning in 2003 with the addition of stained glass windows. Individual windows, funded by donations from private citizens, local companies and other groups, now grace transoms above the entrances and replaced the windows in the magazine area. Windows titled "A Lifetime of Reading" circle the clerestory in the center of the library and gorgeously celebrate the value and pleasures of reading.

At the retirement celebration, McNeilly was gifted cards and mementos, including a piece of pottery by a local artist and a necklace presented by Interim Library Director Julie Forkner. The necklace's charm, engraved with McNeilly's years of service, is a tradition among long time library employees, presented to those who have given 25 or more years of service.

During the gathering, City Council members Kelly Callison and Jim Dodson also read a proclamation honoring McNeilly that had been presented at their most recent meeting.

Kathy says she and her husband, Greg, plan to stay in Oak Ridge during retirement. They are looking forward to traveling and enjoying more free time together. Kathy also plans to continue her work with the library as a volunteer, particularly with the COROH project.

Please join us in thanking Kathy McNeilly for her many years of service to our wonderful public library and wishing her well in retirement.

Students in the 2018 Oak Ridge Junior Police Academy graduated from the program this summer, part of the largest JPA class ever! 

Cadets were grouped by grade, allowing them to interact with other cadets of similar age and knowledge. Two sessions were held: one focusing on basic policing and another covering forensics and crime scene investigation.

Thanks to everyone for participating! If you know of a student interested in taking part in this annual program, watch for updates in the spring of 2019 for announcements regarding classes and registration.

Check out the photos below for a look at the program and graduation ceremonies...

• Monday - Friday: 100m lap swim, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.*
• Monday - Friday: Kiddie/Shallow Open Swim, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.*
• Wednesdays: After school open swim, 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday: Open swim, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

• August 1: Senior Citizens' Day, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• August 18: Movie Night at the Pool, Gates open at 9 p.m. (Showing "Wonder," fundraiser for teacher supplies)
• August 19: Puppy Pool Party, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

The USA Cycling Individual Time Trial (ITT) National Championships were held in Oak Ridge on June 21. In partnership with Explore Oak Ridge and Visit Knoxville, the City was proud to host these professional athletes on scenic Melton Lake Drive.

A 7-mile section of roadway that included portions of Melton Lake Drive and Union Valley Road made up the course. The course was relatively flat with three technical u-turns, allowing spectators to see athletes pass multiple times from one viewing location.

As the 'race of truth,' the ITT is distinct in its format for participants to race against the clock rather than in a big group against each other. Both women and men compete in waves, with each individual rider being separated at the start by a one-minute gap. You can view the results of the ITT online, just click here and choose "Time Trial."

We are happy to say the event was a great success with cyclists complimenting the scenery and technical aspects of the course. Thanks to all the volunteers and spectators who came out to support the athletes and enjoy a major cycling competition!

The Oak Ridge Electric Department was recently honored as a leader in the Top 10 utility green power programs in the nation. The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) granted the award to the City of Oak Ridge Electric Department (CORED) in recognition of their leadership in voluntary renewable energy programs. Oak Ridge Electric was ranked #4 on the NREL list for Top Green Power Sales Rate in 2017, achieving a sales rate of 7.09%.

The City of Oak Ridge Electric Department has made great strides in promoting renewable energy solutions, and CORED customers are active participants in TVA's Green Power Switch (GPS) and Green Power Switch Southeastern RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates) programs. These programs allow residential and commercial customers to support the environment through the purchase of renewable energy. Both programs are Green-e Energy certified.

"We've been working toward the goal of being in the top 10 in green power generation for years," noted Jack Suggs, the City's Electric Department Director. "This recognition aligns with the CORED values we defined for our organization in 1998."

"We are excited about the NREL award. It is a great achievement for CORED and its customers," added Marlene Bannon, the City's Utility Billing Office Manager. "We hope this recognition will encourage others to explore options that will improve the environmental footprint in our community."

Since 2000, the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) has compiled data on utility green pricing programs. Every year, their annual Top 10 Green Power lists recognize outstanding programs across the U.S., in both sales and participation. More information about NREL's green power market research is available online.

Annually since 2013, TVA has earned a top 10 ranking for Green Power Sales on these NREL lists. For more information on the City of Oak Ridge Electric Department, call (865) 425-1803.

As Oak Ridge drivers have probably noticed, a road reconstruction project affecting Tennessee Avenue is well underway. Adams and Sons, Inc., working under contract for the City of Oak Ridge, is reconstructing a portion of Tennessee Avenue (beginning east of the New York Avenue intersection down to Michigan Avenue).

 

STATUS UPDATE: The Public Works Department is using this project as an opportunity to replace the existing 1940s-era water main along Tennessee Avenue, in addition to making curb, gutter and sidewalk repairs. The new water line is being installed from west to east and the first section has already been placed in service. Work has progressed to an area near Methodist Medical Center, which is approximately the halfway point for the water main. Crews are expected to begin concrete work at the site in just a matter of days. Road surface paving will begin once the concrete phase is finished. The affected portion of Tennessee Avenue will be a smooth surface by the end of the project, which is estimated to be in late November 2018.

 

TRAFFIC IMPACT: At times, the roadway has been reduced to one lane of traffic or closed to through traffic. Short-term temporary blockage of driveways is also possible. The contractor will make every effort to maintain local access; however, portions of the road will continue to be closed and detours will be necessary. We apologize for any inconvenience the closures may cause. We thank all residents, businesses and drivers for their patience and understanding during this time.

 

Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists are urged to use extreme care and caution when traveling in the affected area. Please note that all construction work is subject to change based on such unknowns as weather, equipment and access issues.

 

Additional project questions or concerns can be communicated to the contractor's onsite superintendent or foreman, or City personnel onsite. You may also contact Public Works via email at PubWorksDis@OakRidgeTN.gov or by calling (865) 425-1875.

INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT : 

O.R. TURNPIKE  LANE CLOSURE REMAINS ACTIVE

The outside eastbound lane of Oak Ridge Turnpike from Lafayette Drive to East Division Road will remain closed as work progresses on the Intersection Improvement Project. 

The project timeframe has been extended and is now expected to continue into early next week (week of July 30). A City contractor  has been installing the eastern-most portion of the new sidewalk. 

Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists are urged to use extreme care and caution when traveling along this section of roadway. Please take alternate routes whenever possible.

After nearly 75 years, the Woman's Club of Oak Ridge is disbanding. To mark their lasting impact on the community, a plaque has been placed along the Commemorative Walk in A.K. Bissell Park. 

A dedication ceremony was held there on June 14th and club members presented a check to the City of Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department for continued upkeep and beautification of the site.

The Woman's Club plaque tells the story of how they began in 1944 with just over 100 members. That number grew to 700 in just six months. Five years later, in 1949, when the gates to the Secret City were opened, the Woman's Club was there to welcome the public.

The monument stands near a large Norway spruce, the City's Christmas Tree, which was purchased and planted with help from the Woman's Club in 1971. They started an annual community tree lighting tradition there in 1986. The names of former club presidents are also engraved on the plaque. We're grateful for all they've done to promote and improve the City of Oak Ridge.

Oak Ridge Schools is proud to be a top public school system in Tennessee that successfully prepares students for colleges and careers. Oak Ridge Schools has had a long history of preparing top student performers and students in 2017-2018 continued in that vein.

For example, both a high school team and a team from Jefferson Middle School qualified to compete in the First Robotics World Competition in Houston, Texas. Student Henry Shen was selected to be part of Team USA at the International Biology Olympiad. Oak Ridge High School won the regional Science Bowl competition. 168 industry certifications were achieved last school year, including 58 in automotive service excellence. Not only do students succeed in a great variety of Advanced Placement courses, but they also participate in dual enrollment courses, in which they receive college credit and high school credit simultaneously, in courses such as mechatronics, broadcasting, and health information technology. All K-12 schools achieved AdvancED STEM certification, making Oak Ridge Schools the first district in Tennessee and the second in the world to be completely AdvancED STEM certified.

Oak Ridge students also continue to excel on the ACT. For example, for the 2017 graduating class, students exceeded state and national averages in the composite score and in every subtest. Students were especially strong in English, exceeding the national average by 1.5 points and the state average by 2.3 points.

Oak Ridge Schools would like to acknowledge the great support received from the Oak Ridge community. From volunteering in classrooms, supporting the Oak Ridge Schools Education Foundation, attending school events, providing resources for economically disadvantaged students, and overall supporting the school system, we work and live in the best community in the State of Tennessee. With all of our continued emphasis on the importance of excellent public education, we know that we will have a great 2018-2019 school year.

Read the full report online

The Oak Ridge Public Library hosted a very special celebration on July 17th at the pavilion in A.K. Bissell Park. They had 543 people sign up to participate in this year's Summer Reading Program and 345 people complete the necessary reading for a prize pack and ticket to the party. The extravaganza was attended by nearly 250 people.

Thanks to the library staff and volunteers, Friends of the Oak Ridge Public Library, and the wonderful people from JTV, the kids had a great time bowling, painting rocks, blowing bubbles, and smashing geodes.

^ Click the flyer to view a story about the ORPL Seed Library by WVLT Local 8 News! ^

The City is currently accepting applications for the following positions:

• Utility Maintenance Technician
• Database Developer
• Network Technician
• Senior Planner or Planner
• School Crossing Guard
• Electric Line Technician (Lineman)

Please note that closing dates vary by position and applications must be submitted by the deadline to be considered.

Interested applicants can view all current job openings, position descriptions and learn how to apply by visiting the Employment section of our website.

Don't forget to stop by the Oak Ridge Farmers Market! 

Vendors will be setting up in historic Jackson Square  every Wednesday from 3pm until 6pm and every Saturday from 8am until noon (weather permitting). 

The market runs through the fall season.

The farmers market offers sustainably produced grass-fed meat, hand-picked produce, farm fresh eggs, artisan bread and cheese, local honey, flowers and farm-based crafts. The vendors are 100% local.

The market is put on by the East Tennessee Farmers Association for Retail Marketing (FARM).

Looking for a new hobby? Stop by the Oak Ridge Senior Center each Wednesday from 9 a.m. until noon and meet members of the woodcarving group.

Most of the members of this small local wood carving group are also members of the Smoky Mountain Wood Carvers Association (SMWCA). 

The SMWCA is a non-profit organization formed in 1976 by Jim Wilsford and composed of approximately 50 active members from across East Tennessee. Their gatherings are held on the second Saturday of each month at Mountain View United Methodist Church, located at 3200 Old Maryville Pike in Knoxville.

Meetings are very informal and actively promote and support all phases of wood carving. Several benefits are provided through membership, including:

• Classes/seminars conducted by knowledgeable club members
• Tips on painting, mounting and realistic settings
• Access to club library featuring books and video tapes available for loan
• Holding an annual Wood Carving Show and Competition
• Last but not least - fellowship!

If you're a woodcarver, want to learn how to become a woodcarver or just want to see woodcarving in action, you're welcome to visit the woodcarving group every Wednesday morning at the Senior Center in Oak Ridge. Those interested are also invited to attend the monthly SMWCA meetings.

To watch a video on the woodworking class by WBIR Channel 10 News, click the photo to the left. For registration or additional information on all the programs and events hosted by the Oak Ridge Senior Center, call (865) 425-3999.