April 10, 2009 City Manager's Update

Oberlin City Schools, New Russia Township and City to Explore Collaboration:  In response to a challenge by the Fund For Our Economic Future to improve efficiency and collaboration amongst local governments, representatives of the Township, School District and City met recently to explore ways to work together.  The Fund is providing up to $300,000 for grants to implement three projects that will save money and foster collaboration.  As some of you may be aware, the City and the school district have discussed the possibility of constructing a bus storage facility near the City Service Complex off Oberlin Road.  Next week, the City, Township and district will submit a 250-word concept to the Fund’s “EfficientGovNow” grant program seeking support for a joint maintenance, storage and fueling effort.  The application process will work in stages, so the full details of our proposal are yet to be worked out.  If the 250-word concept is supported by the screening panel for the Fund for our Economic Future, we will develop more plans and update our respective legislative bodies on the proposed structure so that the final proposal may be reviewed in detail and voted upon by northeast Ohio stakeholders.  

Governor to Hold Stimulus Briefing:  Governor Strickland’s Office announced eight briefing sessions to be held around Ohio in the few weeks.  The nearest sessions are:

April 20th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Cleveland State University
Maxine Goodman Levin
College of Urban Affairs Atrium
1717 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115 

Congresswoman Kaptur Announces Earmark Priorities for Oberlin:  Representative Kaptur has put four Oberlin projects on her list of recommended appropriations for 2010.  As part of an effort to make the earmark process more transparent, senators and representatives are expected to release lists of their priorities.  Rep. Kaptur has done so and there are four projects on her list for Oberlin:

City Of Oberlin Renewable Power Program: $1 million from Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency Power Supply to help develop a green energy portfolio and renewable power generation for the city’s municipally-owned power system. 

City of Oberlin Water Treatment Plant Ultraviolet Disinfection – Design and Construction: $474,000.00 from EPA STAG to equip the City’s Water Treatment Plant (WTP) with ultra-violet disinfection technology necessary to meet the requirements of the “Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.”  This regulation, promulgated by the USEPA under the Safe Drinking Water Act, is intended to protect public drinking water supplies from microorganisms such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia.  The addition of UV disinfection to the City’s conventional lime-soda softening treatment processes will be the first OEPA-permitted application of this technology to a public drinking water system in the State of Ohio.  UV disinfection technology will provide a state of the art, long-term solution to ensure the safe drinking water supply of the City of Oberlin and continued compliance with federal regulations.  

Oberlin College Downtown Power Corridor: $1,100,000 for a solar photovoltaic array in a cutting-edge sustainable community model and a $17M development converting a Brownfield into a sustainably-designed mixed-use building designated a national pilot project for the new LEED Neighborhood Development certification.

Oberlin College and Community Green Arts District Planning Study: $100,000 to develop a highly-specialized energy efficiency study and design for building a College and Community Green Arts District adjacent to historic Tappan Square.  This project is a partnership between Oberlin College, the City of Oberlin, and the Oberlin School District.   Encompassing an entire city block and built to the highest environmental standards, this mixed use community will be anchored by world-class college cultural facilities and will include housing, retail/commercial, institutional offices, an inn/convention center, and performance spaces to strengthen the community and the relationship between the City of Oberlin and the College.

Oberlin Fire Department News

LifeFlight Service to be Based in Lorain County:  On Wednesday, Metro LifeFlight, the region's largest critical care transport service, established a helicopter base and crew at the Lorain County Regional Airport. This move to Lorain County is extremely beneficial to Oberlin residents and the Oberlin Fire Department.  Oberlin Fire has worked closely with LifeFlight for both direct emergency scene response and pre-hospital EMS training for many years. The aeromedical service crew consists of two pilots, a physician and a flight nurse capable of providing sophisticated patient care in conjunction with local fire/EMS agencies.  The three helicopter bases operated by LifeFlight now form a ring around Cuyahoga County to provide quicker response times, increased ability to fly in poor weather and a more efficient operation. 

Bids for Renovation/Expansion of Oberlin Fire Station Opened:  Approximately 12 persons representing contractors and subcontractors attended the bid opening this morning at the Fire Station.  Six general contractors provided base bids.  RP Hughes Architects will now begin analyzing the bids to determine those that were responsive and complete, then check references and prepare a recommendation for award.  

April 3, 2009 City Manager's Update

OFD Members Earn Certifications/Designations:  After completing over 600 hours of training, Lt. Shawn Clawson and Firefighter Richard Kenney recently obtained state certification as Paramedics.  This brings the total to six Paramedics in the department (with another awaiting test results).  And, on March 9, Chief Dennis Kirin was re-designated a “Chief Fire Officer” (CFO) by the Commission on Professional Credentialing of the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc.  He earned this professional designation following review by a team of peers and members of the Commission.  The Commission noted that Chief Kirin has demonstrated through education, leadership and management skills that he possesses the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities required for a “Chief” in the fire and emergency services profession.

National League of Cities Leadership Training Institute Comes to Cleveland:  On June 28-30, the NLC brings “The Changing Landscape of Cities: Finding Harmony in Today's Economic Climate” to northeast Ohio.  You may be interested in attending this three day session that will address issues cities are faced with as a result of the national economic situation. 

Ohio: Green and Growing Conference a Financial Success:  Last summer, the City Council agreed to be a co-sponsor of a regional conference on sustainability along with Oberlin College and ICLEI.  The City agreed to support the start-up costs of the conference with a $5,000 sponsorship investment, with the understanding that the City and College would split any surplus after all conference expenses were reconciled.  On Thursday, a check in the amount of $2,910.25 was received from the College as a result of that final accounting.  In addition to recognition, publicity and the sense of accomplishment as a result of the holding the conference, the City also received free registration to the conference for a number of City Councilmembers, commission members and staff.  

Drug-Free Workplace Training to be Held for all Employees: One of several opportunities the City is pursing to reduce its workers compensation costs is participation in the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation’s Drug Free Workplace Program (DFWP).  The DFWP is an incentive program designed to help employers establish safer and more cost-effective workplaces.  We will join hundreds of other Ohio employers in implementing a program to keep employees safe and reduce the chance of an accident caused by substance use. The DFWP encourages employers to detect and deter substance use and misuse, and take appropriate corrective action.  Substance use is often the silent and unseen cause of work-related accidents. Estimates of the cost of substance use to employers vary, ranging from $7,000 to $25,000 annually per substance user.  By implementing this program, the City will be eligible for a 15% discount on our workers compensation premiums.  However, the greatest value of this program is in its long-range benefit of having a safer workforce and community. Part of the program requirement will be to train all employees. 

Senator Brown’s Staff and Other Federal Officials Provide Stimulus Briefing:  On Thursday, several members of Senator Sherrod Brown’s staff and representatives from other federal agencies provided a briefing on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (a.k.a. stimulus bill) for municipal officials, individuals and business persons interested in learning how to take advantage of provisions in the Act.  A lengthy review of the Act prepared by the Senator’s office is found elsewhere in the packet.  The status of state and federal funding opportunities is constantly changing, so City staff are regularly monitoring state and federal websites and receiving updates from a number of sources.  As there are provisions to assist small business and individuals, please advise residents interested in information or how to get assistance, to visit recovery.ohio.gov or http://brown.senate.gov/issues_and_agenda/issues/recovery/.

“Buy Survey” underway in Oberlin

Oberlin College students are conducting a “buy survey” in Oberlin, OH.  What is a “buy survey?”  It is an opportunity to build consumer-to-business connections to forecast products and services needed and purchased by Oberlin residents,   College students, and College faculty/staff.  Each group is encouraged to take individual versions of the survey.  City Economic Development staff believe the survey data will help strengthen the Oberlin economy and our local businesses, and to reduce the need leave Oberlin for products and services.

This survey effort has been led by the Oberlin College Student Senate in partnership with Main Street Oberlin, the Oberlin Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Oberlin Economic Development Office and various departments at Oberlin College.  The goal is to learn what goods and services are purchased outside Oberlin, so that we might bring those goods and services to Oberlin to enable more local shopping.  Survey results will also help to provide valuable data to enable new businesses to find a home in our community to fill an unmet need and the data may encourage an entrepreneurial spirit that could expand commercial development within our local economy.  

For residents interested in taking the survey, click here.  

February 27, 2009 City Manager's Update

Following are updates on various topics for your information.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thank you! 

Federal Stimulus

·         ICMA/NLC Urge Local Governments to Act Immediately on Federal Stimulus:   The following message was sent earlier this week to cities across the country: 

President Barack Obama signed into law the $787 billion stimulus package on February 17. For local governments, the challenge now is to move into action quickly to ensure that they gain access to the funds that are available. Equally important, local government managers can make sure that everyone knows how the funds are being spent—and, that there is full accountability for them.

As National League of Cities (NLC) Executive Director Donald J. Borut wrote in his February 16 column, this is a time when local governments can demonstrate their effectiveness and accountability. He urges cities to “act immediately" by: 

§  Contacting state departments of transportation to learn how they plan to allocate transportation funds that must come through the state.

§  Reviewing the regional metropolitan planning organization priorities to define priority projects that will be most effective in creating jobs.

§  Reviewing the permitting process to ensure that projects can move quickly and in accordance with oversight and accountability requirements that are likely to be included in the funding legislation.

§  Streamlining procurement processes, consistent with accountability requirements.

§  Meeting with school superintendents and/or school board presidents to coordinate on how federal education funds can be used most effectively to address local needs.

§  Developing a plan with regional workforce investment boards for summer youth employment projects and other workforce development initiatives.

 The City of Oberlin has been actively working to position the community to receive stimulus funds.  In addition to reviewing the advice above, we have already:

•  Revised our list of requested projects for the community to align with the final bill.
  
• Contacted our delegations in Congress and the Ohio General Assembly to share our list and request assistance.
  
• Collaborated with Oberlin City Schools, Oberlin College and local and state organizations to advocate for specific types of projects.  Oberlin College is sharing their resource in Washington, D.C. to assist in this effort.
  
• Submitted our list to the State of Ohio via a special website, www.recovery.ohio.gov. 
  

As a side note, when I go to Washington, D.C. in mid-March for training, I will make time to visit with Congressional staff.  

Economic Development

 ·         Main Street Oberlin to Receive Accreditation:  We were notified this week that Main Street Oberlin has been evaluated and determined to meet all 10 performance standards and criteria required to be an accredited Main Street program.  Criteria include:  Having broad-based community support from both the private sector and public sector, having a comprehensive work plan, and possessing an active board of directors and volunteers. A formal announcement will be made in March by the National Trust for Historic Preservation Main Street Center.

·         Annual Tax Increment Financing Meeting Set:  Attached is a memo regarding the annual review of TIF agreements and districts in Lorain County.  The City Manager must appoint two resident representatives to our Tax Increment Review Council with the concurrence of the City Council.  I will ask for a motion of support during the City Manager’s Report on Monday.

City Manager’s Office

 ·         OCMA Conference Educational for City Manager and Assistant:  Thank you for the opportunity to spend two days with city managers and assistants from across Ohio.  We exchanged ideas, shared information and learned from great presenters.  Darlene attended a session on coaching employees that will soon result in her passing on those lessons to our management team.  I attended sessions on cultural competency and sign code updates, and spoke as part of a panel on sustainability (my presentation is attached).  Over the next few weeks, we will be going through my notes of ideas to filter them out to appropriate staff/departments in the organization.  Thanks again! 

February 13, 2009 City Manager's Update

Public Works/Planning and Development

Parks and Recreation Master Plan RFQ Set for Release: Attached is the final draft RFQ for the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.  Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. 

City Manager’s Office 

New Monthly Report for City Council: Beginning with January 2009 data, the City Manager’s Office will distribute a month performance data report to help track the services, operation and performance of various departments.  The first such report is attached.  As this is a new report, we will examine how it can be improved over the course of the year; so new items may be added in the future.  Because some of the comparative data for last year is not readily available, that section will be developed over time.  In the future, the Monthly Report (along with this report) will be posted to the new website each month.  Any suggestions and comments are encouraged. 

Training Plans: During the next month, I will be participating in two training opportunities:

OCMA Winter Conference in Columbus:  The annual Ohio City/County Management Association Conference will be held February 24-26.  During the conference I will be participating on a panel titled “Sustainability Initiatives at Work.”  I will review Oberlin’s successful town-gown sustainability initiatives and other collaborative sustainability efforts.  Later that day, I have initiated a town-gown dinner meeting of City Managers and staff from communities that host colleges and universities. 

Pilot Leadership Development Training Seminar:  In January, the National League of Cities (NLC) and International City/County Management Association announced that they had received a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide in-depth training to prepare municipal leaders to handle natural and man-made disasters.  The training will cover the four phases of emergency and disaster management: prevention, protection, response and recovery.  NLC sought applications from leaders from across the country for the 40 seats available. I received word this week that I was selected for this seminar to be held on March 14 and 15.  Because of grant from DHS, there will be no cost to the City of Oberlin.  

February 6, 2009 City Manager's Update

Following are updates on various topics for your information.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thank you!

Police Department

Citizen Police Academy Scheduled – Chief Tom Miller has announced the dates for the new Oberlin Police Department Citizen Academy.  The academy will begin on March 12 and continue for 10 consecutive weeks.  Each session will last from 6:30 to 9 p.m.  Space is still available, so the Chief asks for your assistance in encouraging residents to apply so we have a good cross-section of Oberlinians participating in the academy. 

Promotional Exams Scheduled – Following approval of the change to the Classification Plan, the Police Chief has scheduled exams for the Lieutenant positions and for Sergeant over the month of March.  In addition to the written exam, we will use assessment centers as well for the first time in the Police Department.  The assessment center will gauge leadership skills and decision-making abilities.  (A similar assessment center was used by the Fire Department last summer.)

City Manager’s Office

Congresswoman Betty Sutton Briefs Lorain County Mayors/Managers – Earlier this week, Congresswoman Sutton held a conference call to provide a briefing on the stimulus bill working its way through Congress.  She reported on the specific programs that are expected to meet needs of Ohio and Lorain County.  She heard frustration from some of the Mayor about length of time it takes to distribute federal funds through the State (see below) and she urged us to take this issue up with the Governor.  Elyria Mayor Grace is the current chair of NOACA and plans to address our concerns with the State’s “infrastructure czar” when they meet next week. 

Underground Railroad Center Project Moves Ahead – Planning work is underway again on the Underground Railroad Center thanks to the involvement of Assistant City Manager/HRA Darlene Colaso and the Public Services Institute.  Darlene met with PSI in December.  Since then, the PSI team and Darlene have collaboratively been making community contacts and formulating discussion materials to begin the formal public engagement process.  A joint meeting with the Underground Rail Road Center Design Team and PSI has been scheduled for February 11th at 3 p.m. and meetings with other interest groups are being scheduled.  Attached you will find the draft materials this team has developed.  Please let Darlene or me know if you have any questions.

Economic Development and Housing

Team Lorain County Provides Economic Briefing – Earlier today, Team Lorain County (TLC) held its annual economic forecast breakfast.  Speakers included TLC Director Steve Morey, Matt McQuade of the Ohio Business Development Coalition, Robert Leggett of First Merit Bank, and Brad Whitehead with the Fund for Our Economic Future.  Mr. Leggett provided an overview of the economy and Mr. McQuade reported on efforts to market Ohio and Northeast Ohio for new business development.  He recommended reviewing the following websites:

www.OhioMeansBusiness.com

www.ClevelandPlusLiving.com

www.ClevelandPlusBusiness.com

McQuade believes we will feel optimistic about the future and a sense of pride as residents of the area after looking at the websites. 

City Prepares to Apply for Neighborhood Stabilization (NSP) Funds – Last December, staff attended training in Columbus to prepare for the release of applications for NSP funds.  As of this week, there are still no funding procedures or application forms to use to apply for NSP funds.  While we wait, staff has been identifying target areas in Oberlin to be considered with others in Lorain County and the Lorain County task force will begin to prioritize them. 

Foreclosure Clinic Held – The Oberlin Foreclosure Task Force, in cooperation with the Lorain County Task Force, coordinated a Foreclosure Prevention/Borrower’s Outreach Day Clinic on Saturday, January 24, 2009 which was held at the Lorain County Joint Vocational School.  This free public service was offered to all Lorain County residents who needed advice regarding their mortgage, especially if they were facing foreclosure. Residents were encouraged to drop by between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.  The goal was to target the Oberlin and surrounding communities who may not have had the opportunity to attend past clinics held at Lorain County Community College.  Twenty residents were assisted during this clinic by housing counselors, lenders and attorneys.  Participants were able to speak with an attorney for free, which normally would have cost them at least $150.   The event was coordinated by Angela Wu (Oberlin Street Law), Judy Wright (Zion Community Development Corporation), Barbara Mehwald (Human Relations Commission Chair), Kristin Braziunas (Oberlin resident/POWER Fund), Kathy Burns (Oberlin Community Services), and Sharon Pearson (City of Oberlin). 

2008 Foreclosure Data Received – Recently received data from the Lorain County Clerk of Courts reports 29 foreclosure filings in Oberlin during 2008; a slight decrease from 32 in 2007.

January 16, 2009 City Manager's Update

Following are updates on various topics for your information.  

Staff of the Ohio Board of Regents Visit Oberlin – Last week, Patrick McLean, Associate Vice Chancellor of Affordability and Efficiency, and Corey Hawkey, Sustainability Projects Coordinator, both with the Ohio Board of Regents, visited Oberlin to learn more about the town-gown collaborations on sustainability.  A team of College, community and City representatives briefed Mr. McLean and Mr. Hawkey on the various sustainability efforts, energy efficiency efforts, the quest for renewable energy and more.  It was a visit that is expected to be the first of several similar contacts to share Oberlin’s example with other colleges and universities and their communities.

Audit of 2005 CDBG Downtown Revitalization Grant Completed – The City was awarded its second Downtown Revitalization Grant under the Ohio Department of Development’s (ODOD) Community Development Block Grant program ($400,000) in late 2005.  That competitive grant program provides funding to assist communities with downtown improvement projects.  That grant provided funding for private building rehabilitation activities (such as façade improvements or interior building upgrades to address code requirements), clearance activities, a public street improvement project (the installation of a new traffic signal with crosswalks at South Main and Vine Streets) and administration.  The grant period ended on December 31, 2008.  In accordance with ODOD’s usual practice, that department monitored the City’s Downtown Revitalization Program on January 14, 2009.  That monitoring  included a review of projects (public and private), program administration, financial management and record keeping to ensure compliance with the grant agreement, the State’s CDBG Program and applicable laws and regulations.  At the conclusion of this full day review, ODOD staff commended the City for its successful administration of this grant.  No areas of non-compliance were noted at that time.

Stimulus List Submitted – Lorain County Community Development Department has been directed to gather list of potential stimulus projects from around the County to submit to the State later this month.  The Oberlin list was submitted this week.  It includes City and School District projects that could be “shovel-ready” during 2009.  There has been talk of a multi-year plan in the future; if that effort is successful, other high priority City projects would make that list, for instance a future renewable electric generation project and additional improvements to roads, and our water, wastewater and storm water systems. 

Over $40,000 Raised during 2008 Community Giving Campaign – The 2008 Community Giving Campaign was very successful.  Representatives of the Oberlin City Schools, Oberlin College and City recently met to debrief on the campaign.  Plans are in the works to expand in 2009 to include other employers and to possibly link with some special events.  Special appreciation goes to the Finance Department for assisting with a more complex campaign this year.  Employees could give to Oberlin Community Services, Oberlin Early Childhood Center, United Way of Greater Lorain County or Greater Cleveland Community Shares.  

100th Anniversary of City Manager Form of Government Celebrated

Earlier this fall, the City Manager form of government was celebrated.  100 years ago, Staunton, VA hired the first City Manager.  Six years later, in 1914, the City Managers’ Association was formed as a professional organization for appointed city managers and administrators. Its purpose was to bring reform and accountability to local governments and to be an advocate for professional management in local government. This association later became the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).  In 1924, association members expressed their commitment to high standards of conduct by adopting a code of ethics.  The next year, Oberlin appointed its first City Manager.  

More about this form of government:

Oberlin follows the Council-Manager form of government.  Under this system of local government, the elected officials are the community leaders and policy makers who establish a vision for Oberlin and who hire the City Manager to carry out policy and ensure that all residents are being equitably served. The City Manager coordinates the work of department heads and other employees, who help ensure the smooth and efficient delivery of services. By building public/private partnerships, intergovernmental agreements, and other collaborative relationships, the City Manager works to use all of the community's resources to solve current problems.

The City Manager: 

·         Works with elected officials as they develop policies. The manager may discuss problems and recommendations, propose new plans, or discuss issues that affect the community and its residents.

·         Along with other Council appointees, ensures that laws and policies approved by elected officials are equitably enforced throughout the city.

·         Seeks feedback from residents and members of the business community to address and solve problems.

·         Prepares the annual budget in conjunction with the Finance Director, submits it to elected officials for approval, and implements it once approved.

·         Supervises department heads, administrative personnel, and other employees.

·         Solicits bids from contractors and select or recommend the appropriate individual(s) or organization(s) to perform the work.

·         Investigates citizen complaints and problems within the administrative organization and recommend changes to elected officials.

·         Manages the day-to-day operations of the City.

The City Manager’s primary responsibility is to keep Oberlin running smoothly.  To do so, Oberlin’s City Manager works with the other appointed officials (Law Director, Finance Director and City Clerk) and a range of skilled individuals involved in public safety, public works, community and economic development, and many other service areas.  You can count on this team to make your community a great place to live, learn and lead!

Oberlin has been served by 17 City Managers:  

Don Herrick       1925-1928

Leon Sears       1928-1935

H. V. Zahm        1935-1952

Phillip Zahm      1952-1955

Fred Weisbrod 1956-1957

Richard Dunn    1958-1963

Donald Marquis  1963-1967

Edward Smith    1967-1971

Tom Dalton        1971-1978

Sherry Suttles  1979-1982

Dale S. Sugarman 1982-1988

Deborah Kimble      1989-1992

Ron Twining              1993 (Acting City Manager)

Gary Goddard          1993-1996

Rob DiSpirito           1996-2007

Gary Boyle              2007 (Interim City Manager)

Eric Norenberg  2007 to present

This list is courtesy of the Oberlin College Archives. 

Budget Hearings to be held November 18 - 20 - 6 to 9 p.m

Oberlin City Council budget meetings are open to the public. 

Department presentations will focus on:

o    2008 Key Performance Indicators

o    2009 Budget Highlights

o    A review of proposed changes from the 2008 budget in key budget categories (personnel/benefits, operations, capital equipment, and capital improvements);

o    Goals for 2009

o    A review of unmet needs

Here is the tentative schedule for the three nights:

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Overview

Public Works                                                                                                                                                      

Wednesday, November 19, 2008   

Fire

Police

Law Dept.

City Clerk         

Municipal Court

Finance Dept.              

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Electric

Planning and Development

Human Resources

Council

City Commissions

City Manager

Discussion/wrap-up