October 2021 | Vol. 7, Issue 8 | |
What's Happening
In Oak Ridge!?
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Another busy month in Oak Ridge!!
Here's what you may have missed and what's in store for the month ahead!
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An estimated 2,000 people showed up for the Monster Mash Bash on Thursday, Oct. 28.
Kids were able to walk through spooky Halloween scenes while picking up candy and participating in a scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt winner for this year was Cooper Lowe!
Thank you to all of our city departments, community sponsors, and volunteers who made this a "monsterous" success.
To view pictures from the event, click here.
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A temporary road closure is in place along part of Nebraska Avenue tonight (Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021), between the hours of 4 p.m. and 12 a.m.
The closure is necessary to create a safer environment for drivers and pedestrians expected to visit the annual “Halloween House” residential attraction on Nebraska Avenue, between Newridge Road and Newhaven Road.
The small stretch of road will be blocked to through traffic. However, residents will still be able to get to and from their homes during this time.
The police department requests patience and understanding as officers work to ensure the safety of Oak Ridge citizens.
COVID-19 precautions, including social distancing, will be in place. The homeowner has said there will be fans blowing for ventilation and they will be offering hand sanitizer to visitors.
Anyone with questions about the temporary road closure should contact the Oak Ridge Police Department at (865) 425-3504.
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Oak Ridgers may notice a van conducting pavement condition assessments and inspection work around the City between now and December.
Citizens can expect to see an APTech van equipped with specialized technology traveling area streets. APTech’s van will follow all posted traffic signs and display a warning beacon so drivers and pedestrians do not encounter any driving impacts.
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The Oak Ridge Police Department is on a mission to haunt down speeders in your neighborhoods! We hope this means that we will see the number on your speedometers fall with the leaves.
This year, the Oak Ridge Police Department has seen 710 crashes, 148 of those crashes with injuries and 3 fatalities.
“These numbers are still high, and we are constantly attempting to reduce crashes,” Sgt. Matthew Johnston, Tennessee Highway Safety Office Network Coordinator and Oak Ridge Police Sergeant, said.
Of those crashes, speed was a factor in 17 of them, 10 with injuries reported.
The Oak Ridge Police Department will be increasing enforcement during the peak times, and in the areas where officers have seen an increase in crashes. Signage and radar trailers will be deployed in different locations.
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The citywide fall household trash pickup program is underway.
Household rubbish, old appliances, and minor remodeling materials will be picked up. City collection efforts will follow the accompanying schedule as closely as possible.
Residents have always been very cooperative, and we ask for their continued cooperation this year by following a few guidelines:
- Residents should place all materials near, but not beyond the curb. Keep materials off sidewalks and out of parking areas and gutters.
- There is a limit of one truckload of material per residence. A truckload is defined as one pickup truck or approximately 3' high x 4' wide x 8' long, approximately 100 cubic feet maximum.
- Please be advised that Chestnut Ridge Landfill will NOT accept any item that has or had Freon in it, such as, air conditioners, freezers, and refrigerators. Crews will NOT pick up hazardous items, paint, tires, or piles of rubbish that are mixed with brush or leaves.
- All materials must be in place no later than 7:30 a.m. on the scheduled pickup day. Any materials put out after 7:30 a.m. may not be picked up.
Leaf collection is scheduled to begin on Nov. 29, 2021. A new schedule will be provided in advance of the start date.
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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.
A drop-in public meeting will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in the Oak Ridge Civic Center Gym, to present the trail design and next steps for the project, and to seek input from residents. Masks are encouraged.
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.
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City of Oak Ridge Healthy Waters Program thanks volunteers for successful Clean the Clinch event
The City of Oak Ridge Healthy Waters Program hosted a successful Clean the Clinch event earlier this month.
The volunteer cleanup of the Clinch River along Edgemoor Road and Haw Ridge Park, hosted by the City of Oak Ridge Stormwater Division and their Healthy Waters Program, on Saturday, Oct. 16, was a great success. Several volunteers came out to remove trash that had gathered in pockets along the Haw Ridge shoreline and near Edgemoor Road, where trash from vehicles had accumulated.
Several volunteers were in kayaks and a canoe for a thorough cleanup effort on the water. Others stayed on land, clearing litter from around the boat ramp and Solway Park.
They were able to remove nearly 25 bags of trash, estimated at around 500 pounds, in and around the river.
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City of Oak Ridge Boards & Commissions
Did you know that the City of Oak Ridge has 16 boards and commissions? 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 Bureau’s Hotel/Motel Representation and the Trade Licensing Board, under certain circumstances), and the members serve without compensation.
Elections occur twice per year. An end-of-year election will occur at a regular meeting of City Council held in January with the agenda packet containing all information received from applicants during the recruitment, sample ballot(s) or ballots, as well as an attendance record of interested incumbents for their most recent term of office.
To learn more about our boards and commissions, visit our website: http://www.oakridgetn.gov/boards.aspx or contact the City Clerk’s Office at (865) 425-3411.
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This month’s feature is the Senior Advisory Board. The function of the Board is to provide advice to City Council on senior-related issues including but not limited to: health, nutrition, safety and security, recreational activities and facilities, and transportation, all in order to enrich and enhance the quality of life for seniors in Oak Ridge. The Board is comprised of eleven (11) members representing the public-at-large. Preference may be given to residents who reflect a variety of ages as well as knowledge and background in senior interests such as health, safety, recreational activities, and transportation. Members are elected by Council for three-year staggered terms. Six (6) members constitute a quorum.
The board meets on the first Monday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in the Senior Center.
The next meeting is Monday, November 1, in the D Room of the Oak Ridge Senior Center located at 1405 Oak Ridge Turnpike. To find the agendas and minutes for the Senior Advisory Board, visit the Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks website at http://orrecparks.oakridgetn.gov/ and select the dropdown menu at the top of the page for “Boards” and select “Senior Advisory Board”. You can also click this link and save the page as a bookmark on your browser.
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