T H E _ C I T Y _ O F
OAK RIDGE
N E W S L E T T E R
j u l y  _ & _ a u g u s t __ 2 0 1 9
v o l  _ 5,  _ i s s u e  _ 7 _ & _ 8
SPECIAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL DOUBLE ISSUE!
Welcome Back Students!
Oak Ridge Schools kicked off the 2019-2020 school year on Monday, July 29. We hope all students, teachers, staff members, volunteers, parents, and family members had a great day!

If you need to double-check any back-to-school info, visit the ORS resource page by clicking the yellow button!
Outdoor Pool Schedule for August 2019
The City of Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will be extending open hours at the outdoor pool into the month of August. Please note hours are subject to change based on participation of swimmers.
EXPANDED HOURS!

The new schedule begins on  August 1 as follows:

  • Mon - Fri: 100m lap swim 9am - 12pm

  • Mon - Fri: Kiddie/Shallow open swim 11am - 2pm

  • Weds: After school open swim 3-8pm

  • Sat and Sun: Open swim 10am - 7pm
UPCOMING EVENTS
The last day of the season for open swim will be August 17. Additional events include:

  • Aug 7: Senior Citizens’ Day, 10am - 1pm

  • Aug 18: Puppy Pool Party, 4pm - 6pm
Check Out the Scarboro Memorabilia Wall
Phase II Completed Thanks to Donations
The Scarboro Memorabilia Wall is located in the Scarboro Community Center. In 2008, a member of the community suggested the Memorabilia Wall as a means to capture the African American involvement and participation in the growth and development of the history of the community.

The focus was to retrieve, recapture and gather photos, newspaper articles and other related documents to be displayed. Many of our young people passing through the doors can now learn about our past and how the community has changed while retaining its rich heritage.
Gene Patterson (left) accepts plaque from Scarboro Center Recreation Manager Barbara Spratling thanking CNS for contributions to the project.
Phase I was completed and dedicated in 2011. In 2018, we set out to complete Phase II by asking for donations and were able to raise enough money to complete it in April 2019. The overall goal was to provide an opportunity to showcase our history and contributions as community citizens.
Special thanks to all our donors such as Consolidated Nuclear Security, Oak Valley Baptist Church, Lori Whipple, and the many individual donors that contributed.

“Sharing the past in the present guarantees future success.”
ABOVE: Teachers from Robertsville Middle School stop by the Scarboro Memorabilia Wall as part of an Oak Ridge community tour on July 23. (Photo: Twitter / @RMSortn )
Scarboro Community Social on August 1
Volunteers Needed for MyRide Oak Ridge
Next Training Session Set for August 17
The new MyRide Oak Ridge Senior Transportation Program is hosting its third Volunteer Driver Information and Training Session from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. on Saturday, August 17, at the Oak Ridge Senior Center.
MyRide Oak Ridge began with a soft launch in the spring and provided its first ride on April 12. Through the program, volunteers will use their personal vehicles to transport seniors to doctor appointments, grocery stores, pharmacies, and other essential destinations. The program allows seniors to keep some of their independence while still participating in social activities.
MyRide volunteers are asked to commit at least three hours per month – just one morning or one afternoon – to drive a local senior on an essential trip within the City of Oak Ridge.

Volunteers with the program must have a valid Tennessee driver’s license, a clean driving record, and proof of insurance. As a supplement to the driver’s personal insurance, MyRide Oak Ridge has excess liability insurance for all volunteers. Additionally, state and federal Volunteer Protection Laws offer another layer of safety for volunteers.

Those interested in learning more about volunteering for the program can attend the August 17 session and learn more without being obligated to participate. Light snacks will be provided. Guests who plan to attend are asked to RSVP by calling MyRide Oak Ridge at (865) 425-5055 or the Oak Ridge Senior Center at (865) 425-3999.
ORPD Achieves Accreditation Status
Congratulations!
The Oak Ridge Police Department is pleased to announce it has been granted accreditation status by the Tennessee Law Enforcement Accreditation (TLEA) Program.

ORPD was awarded this achievement during the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police (TACP) meeting held in Franklin, Tennessee, on May 29, 2019.

To achieve accreditation with TLEA, an agency voluntarily submits to a three-year process of enhancing professionalism and effectiveness utilizing 160 law enforcement standards and participating in a thorough on-site assessment.
ORFD Dedicates Fire Station #4
Dr. Thomas Howard Scott Manhattan Project Fire House
We welcomed friends, family, retirees, and special guests on May 29 as we celebrated the dedication of ORFD Station #4. It was officially unveiled as the “Dr. Thomas Howard Scott Manhattan Project Fire House.”

Dr. Scott is the ORFD historian and photographer, the only volunteer member of the department. Originally, he acted as an auxiliary firefighter after coming to Oak Ridge in 1976 to help develop the gas centrifuge process for Uranium enrichment.
He was named department photographer in 1990. Dr. Scott is also a well-known collector of antique firefighting equipment and plans on donating several pieces from his collection to be displayed in the station's training and history rooms.

Thank you, Dr. Scott, for all you've done for the Oak Ridge community and ORFD! We couldn't be more pleased to name Station 4 in your honor.

PICTURED BELOW: At the April 8th City Council meeting, the fire station renaming resolution was approved.
Oak Ridge Welcomes Guest from Cambodia
Back in May, the City of Oak Ridge hosted Chanreaksmey Taing, a researcher and lecturer at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia, as part of the Professional Fellows Program. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA), with funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), offers the program under the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI). This two-way exchange embraces the power of individual citizens to find creative solutions to challenges they face in their home communities.

During the month-long fellowship, Ms. Taing experienced life in East Tennessee and saw first-hand how municipal government operates as she sat in on an Oak Ridge City Council meeting and learned about the vital functions of the Public Works Department. She was able to tour Oak Ridge National Laboratory, study the University of Tennessee’s zero waste program, see Sevier County’s Composting Facility, get an inside look at Oak Ridge Schools, and participate in all kinds of community events.
“A month in Oak Ridge has been a success for my professional development and cultural exchange,” Ms. Taing said of her time in Tennessee. “I am amazed to see different remedies for the same challenges we have back home in Cambodia. This opportunity links me with communities, engineers, scientists, public works, AmeriCorps, universities and schools which are important networks for my project implementation and our future collaboration. This once-in-a-lifetime experience goes beyond my expectation of the American culture of giving, especially when you are in the volunteer state.”
Oak Ridge's GIS Coordinator Speaks at ORAU
Geography in Local Government... and the Classroom
On June 6, City of Oak Ridge GIS Coordinator Amy Davis visited Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), where she spent her lunch break talking to local educators about how we use GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technology in various capacities throughout the organization.
 
The program is called "Teachers Teaching Teachers GIS" or T3G. The workshop focused on how educators can work geography into their curriculum through classroom projects using special tools that utilize mapping and data analysis.
 
As more teachers introduce students to the subject in fun ways, especially with real-life examples, Amy hopes that even more students may pursue a career related to GIS.
 
Thanks to ORAU for inviting Amy to speak as part of this workshop!

Photo: Twitter / Michael Camponovo, @mcamponovo

New Bus Tours Coming to Oak Ridge
ORNL Summer Sessions Concert Series

REMAINING CONCERT DATES:



Be sure to check out ORNL Federal Credit Union’s free summer music series, the Summer Sessions, right here in Oak Ridge! All concerts are held outdoors at the pavilion in Bissell Park from 6-9pm and are free to the public. Bring your lawn chairs and your friends!
"The Value of Water"
*Article Reprinted from Tennessee Utility News with Permission*
Written by Mark Clinton, Tellico Area Services System (TASS) Superintendent
I continue to be amazed at how advanced water and wastewater utilities are in their operations, meter reading capabilities, technologies, computer programs, etc. but are so lax in communicating the value of water and water services to their customers and the public in general.

At TASS, we have a simple gallon of water sitting on a table in our lobby with a penny, cut in half glued to the jug. This is what water actually costs our customers. Right next to the jug is a bottle of Aquafina Purified Water; glued to it are five quarters, one dime, and three pennies ($1.38). When a customer does take the time to go over and look at this display, they are always amazed and sometimes question if the gallon of water really costs under a cent? We tell them that the answer to their question is YES, and we also point out that we deliver it to their home for that price. Some utilities make it a point to communicate the value of water and they do a great job. The problem is, most of us just convince ourselves that we don't have the resources or the time or we just can't afford to do it; the reality is, we can't afford not to.
Consider the average monthly cost of the following:

  • Cell phone - $45 
  • Land line - $39 
  • lnternet - $60 
  • Cable TV - $80
  • Avg water bill - $28.25

lf you had to give up anything on this list, what would it be? A better question to ask is this, what is the last thing you would give up on this list? You are kidding yourself if you said anything but water. The average American uses 176 gallons of water per day. That's 5,280 gallons per month or 63,360 gallons per year.

Here are some other interesting facts:

  • 40% of the water in America is used to produce the food we eat rather than the beverages we drink.

  • On average, 17% goes towards showering, 27% is flushed down the toilet, 15% goes down faucet drains, 22% for washing clothes, 5% for miscellaneous and another 14% for waste and leaks.

  • lf drinking water was the same cost as soda, your water bill would increase by 10,000%.

  • One fifth of the US economy would grind to a halt without a reliable and clean source of water.*
IMAGINE A DAY WITHOUT WATER: No water to drink, or even to make coffee with. No water to shower, flush the toilet, or do laundry. Hospitals would close without water. Firefighters couldn't put out fires and farmers couldn't water their crops. Some communities in America already know how impossible it is to try to go a day without our most precious resource, water. - lmagine a Day Without Water Campaign

I challenge everyone who reads this article to Google "the value of drinking water" and "the value of water." What you will find are all of the health benefits of drinking water. You won't find much on comparing the value of water delivered to your home versus other services you think you can't live without. Water is number one because we all know we could not live without water. There is no other commodity whose real value so far exceeds its nominal price.

*Source(s): Value of Water Campaign; US Water Alliance, lmagine a Day Without Water
Ongoing Sewer Line Inspections
If you see this sign on a main street in your neighborhood over the next several months, it means Public Works Department crews are conducting inspections of the sewer lines nearby.

This project is scheduled to continue periodically over the next six months. During this time, work will be concentrated between Georgia Avenue east to Taylor Road and Outer Drive south to Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Inspecting the sewer system is an ongoing project for the City of Oak Ridge that utilizes state-of-the-art sonar technology. Crews use a machine that emits a repeating series of tones, similar to a musical scale, that can sometimes be heard over long distances.
Oak Ridge Property Tax Notices in New Format
Payments Due by End of August
All property tax bills have now been mailed. Please note that this year's tax bills have a new format. Statements are now printed on letter-sized paper and mailed in an envelope. In previous years, statements were sent via post cards.

The new format is intended to be easier to read and to convey additional information to taxpayers. You can pay your property taxes by mail, online, or in person. The last day to pay taxes in person without penalty is Friday, August 30.
REMINDER: New Stop Sign on Tyler Road
A new stop sign has been installed on Tyler Road at the intersection with Tennessee Avenue (near the tennis courts and Jackson Square).

Previously, both Tyler Road and Tennessee Avenue were controlled by a traffic signal. The change was made after a traffic study indicated the travel pattern and crash history at this location did not justify the need for a signal.
The study also indicated that changing the right-of-way assignment to favor Tennessee Avenue would reduce delays.

The existing signal has been set to display a red flashing light to drivers on Tyler Road, indicating a stop condition, and flash yellow on Tennessee Avenue. After a period of 90 days, the signal and the painted stop lines on Tennessee Ave will be removed.
Lunch & Learn at the Library on August 21
Indoor Yard Sale Success!
Over 30 vendors participated in the City of Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department's first-ever indoor community yard sale at the Civic Center on July 20.

Thanks to such a successful debut, the department plans on making this an annual event.

So when you're spring cleaning in 2020 -- don't forget about the indoor sale!