January 2022 | Vol. 8, Issue 1 | |
What's Happening In Oak Ridge?! | |
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With the aggressive spread of the latest Omicron variant of COVID-19, City Manager Mark Watson is reinforcing safety measures at City of Oak Ridge facilities in an effort to keep City staff and the Oak Ridge community healthy.
All City of Oak Ridge residents are urged to wear masks, practice social distancing, and continue to get vaccinated.
A review of all City departments and services has been conducted. The following is a summary of various services.
Departmental services are continuing. City officials strongly urge citizens to conduct their business electronically, over the phone, and by mail whenever possible. If you need to reach a department, call the number listed for each department here by clicking here.. Please call the City Managerâs office or department offices on the Cityâs website for further information.
Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 4 free at-â home COVID-â 19 tests. The tests are completely free. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. Click here to order them.
The Office of the Assistance Secretary for Preparedness & Response also recently announced it will be mailing NIOSH-certified N95 masks to pharmacies nationwide this week to be distributed to those in need for free. More information on that initiative can be found here.
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Beginning on February 1, changes to a City ordinance will begin to take effect.
Oak Ridge City Council passed the changes in December and the City has been educating the public ever since.
The ordinance now prohibits the use of tobacco products and vapor products at parks, playgrounds, greenways, greenbelts, and other city-owned property (which includes ballfields) that are accessible by youth such as â the common areas outside the Oak Ridge Civic Center (Recreation Building) and Oak Ridge Public Library. The prohibition does not apply to parking lots.
While warnings may be issued by law enforcement as part of the education effort, enforcement through the use of citations shall not occur prior to February 1, 2022.
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The annual citywide leaf pickup, coordinated by Waste Connections of Tennessee, continues in the new year.
Due to weather and the amount of leaves being picked up, the schedule has been updated and adjusted. An updated schedule on the City website shows the areas completed in red.
You can also find updates on the City's social media pages.
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The City of Oak Ridge is currently accepting applications for many of its boards and commissions.
The deadline to apply is Feb. 4, 2022, at 5 p.m.
All boards and commissions are authorized by City Council. Oak Ridge residency is required for appointment to a City Board or Commission (except for the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureauâs Hotel/Motel Representation and the Trade Licensing Board, under certain circumstances), and the members serve without compensation.
To learn more about our boards and commissions or to apply for a vacancy, click here or contact the City Clerkâs Office at (865) 425-3411.
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This month, City Councilmembers held a meet and greet to give those interested in applying for a board and/or commission an opportunity to introduce themselves and ask questions before the election application deadline.
If you weren't able to make it, you can always contact the City Clerk's Office with questions at (865) 425-3411 or visit the City Council page on our website and contact Councilmembers directly.
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TORCH broke ground on the Raise A Roof project at 128 and 132 Hamilton Circle in Oak Ridge earlier this month.
Once complete, Raise a Roof will provide six units (one quadplex and one duplex) that will house 6 families while they work toward permanent housing.
The housing will be managed by Oak Ridge Housing Authority and each family will be followed closely by TORCH case management as they work toward financial independence.
The vision is to provide temporary housing for families with children and individuals living with severe disabilities, where they can be safely housed while working toward financial security to help them succeed in permanent housing.
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Roane County IDB holds topping-off ceremony for new training center
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The Roane County Industrial Development Board (RCIDB) held a topping-off ceremony as the last beam was placed on the Emergency Response Training Facility (ERTF) being constructed on Highway 95 in Oak Ridge on Jan. 11.
The ceremony, held during a buildingâs construction, dates back to the Dark Ages when a tree and flag are attached to the last beam to symbolize good luck, continued growth, prosperity and a safe job environment. The Star-Spangled Banner was performed a cappella by Cindy Eskridge after the beam was raised and secured.
âWe couldnât be where we stand today without the contributions of hundreds of people,â said RCIDB Chairman Jim Palmer, âNothing like this happens overnight. It takes vision and then years of persistence and dedication.â
City of Oak Ridge leaders were among many in attendance including representatives from Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS Y-12), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Department of Energy (DOE); County, State & US Legislators; Roane State Community College, and the project team selected - Lawler Wood, Design Innovation and Merit Construction, who are working hard to keep the construction job on time and within budget.
Located on Highway 95, the state-funded ERTF will be part of the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center (ORETTC) campus, along with a federally-funded training center.
The facility will provide industrial-focused training that includes firefighting and advanced search and rescue. It will be enhanced with state-of-the-art augmented and virtual reality training platforms to provide trainees with exposure in extremely dangerous industrial emergency response scenarios without the need of associated hazardous materials. It will also help develop innovative approaches for emerging technological challenges and risk mitigation for critical infrastructure.
Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022. To learn more about the project visit RoaneECD.com/ERTF.
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Recyclables must be placed curbside the night before, or prior to 7 a.m. on the scheduled day of collection.
Items accepted for collection include:
- steel/tin/aluminum cans
- plastic jugs and bottles
- flattened corrugated cardboard
- newsprint
- paper bags/mixed paper
- magazines
Please note: Glass is no longer accepted with recyclables.
What else CANNOT be recycled?
- soiled/used food packaging
- used air filters
- kitty litter
- greasy pizza boxes
- potty pads
- diapers
- styrofoam
- lightbulbs
Recycling will not be picked up if non-recyclable items are in the bin. If you have any questions, contact Waste Connections at (865) 482-3656 or visit: https://www.wasteconnections.com/services/
residential/residential-recycling
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The City of Oak Ridge and the Healthy Waters Program are proud to partner again with the Tennessee Environmental Council for Tennessee Tree Day the weekend of March 19, 2022.
Every year thousands of volunteers across all 95 counties in Tennessee plant native trees. These trees replace those lost to development, repair degraded streams, improve water quality, increase habitat for wildlife and pollinators, and beautify our communities!
Reserve your bare root seedlings for the pickup site in Oak Ridge by clicking here. Reservations can be made until Feb. 13, 2022.
You can also dedicate a tree to be planted for a loved one or if you donât have the time to plant one yourself, but want to contribute!
Once you have reserved your trees make sure you write down in your calendar when to pick them up! The pickup site in Oak Ridge will be at the Central Services Complex on Friday, March 18 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 19 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
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Oak Ridge Firefighter-Engineer Martin Slack has received the Fire Officer (FO) designation on behalf of the Commission on Professional Credentialing.
Slack becomes one of only 601 FO designees worldwide.
The Designation program is a voluntary program designed to recognize individuals who demonstrate their excellence in seven measured components including experience, education, professional development, professional contributions, association membership, community involvement, and technical competence.
Achieving this designation signifies Firefighter-Engineer Slack's commitment to his career in the fire and emergency services.
Please join us in congratulating Firefighter-Engineer Martin Slack on this achievement.
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Looking to start the new year with the Oak Ridge Fire Department?
Well, NOW is your opportunity. We are currently accepting applications online.
The application deadline is February 18, 2022, at 12 p.m.
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Have you heard about the Rails to Trails project?
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The City of Oak Ridge is working on a Rails to Trails (R2T) project for the adaptive reuse of 4.6 miles of abandoned CSX railroad within the city, to create a greenway for pedestrians and bicycles.
The full greenway will extend from Elza Gate at the Oak Ridge Turnpike, along Belgrade Road, Warehouse Road, Fairbanks Road, and Lafayette Drive, and across South Illinois Avenue to the Y-12 National Security Complex entrance on Scarboro Road.
âThe greenway system brings parkland nearer to all Oak Ridge citizens,â said Recreation and Parks Director Jon Hetrick. âIt provides opportunity for motorless commuting, enjoyable physical exercise, learning experiences about wildlife, and connections to parks, schools, and shopping areas.â
Currently, the Cityâs consultant has completed preliminary studies and design, and the next phase is railway acquisition.
To learn more about how the R2T project is funded and how it supports all three over-arching goals of the Oak Ridge City Blueprint, a community visionary plan that declares that Oak Ridge will improve through planned strategic growth and by knowing and preserving its most cherished values, visit http://oakridgeblueprint.info.
For questions or more information, email railstotrails@oakridgetn.gov or visit our website.
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The City of Oak Ridge is hiring for several openings right now.
To view current job openings, click here or visit OakRidgeTN.gov and click the tab for 'EMPLOYMENT' at the top of the page.
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Rachelle has worked with the City of Oak Ridge for almost 4.5 years. Her current job title is Utility Account Analyst II, Tax Specialist but she wears many hats in our Utilities Business Office (UBO).
"I oversee property tax billing and collection and provide utility billing support," she said. "I love that I get the opportunity to often welcome people to the City. In the UBO, we 'touch' every resident of Oak Ridge. Whether they are a property owner or utility customer, we are probably the first government office that they will contact when they move here. Starting that relationship off on the right foot is very important to me."
When she isn't working, she loves to see live music (in the pre-COVID days) and try new restaurants. She's a Tennessee Vols fan and she loves to sing and dance, travel, and shop.
"I like to thrift and antique shop⊠I love the hunt!"
At home, she has two dogs: Layla, a half blue tick and half husky, all sass, and Jack, a very large black lab that doesnât realize he is very large.
The best way to get in touch with Rachelle is by calling (865) 425-3400 and choosing the property tax option. Many people have access to the voicemail box so Rachelle can help make sure their problems are resolved quickly.
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