EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Maddi Powers, ICMA Management Fellow (Administration)
- Where were you born? Mesa, Arizona
- What was your first car? 2003 Kia Sorrento
- Last job before you worked at the city? UNC Graduate Assistant
- How long have you worked for the city? Since May 29, 2020 (eight months)
- What is your favorite part about working with the city? Helping residents and the community
- What is your favorite book and/or movie? Steel Magnolias
- Where is your ideal vacation spot? Anywhere I have never been
- What is your favorite food? Nachos
- Name one thing you are proud of in your life. Being a participant in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
- What is your hidden talent? Dancing and singing
- CTC informational meetings
- Reviewed park lighting
- Sent lineman progression data to the City of Griffin
- Attended council meeting via teleconference on January 19, 2021
- Post council recap meeting
- Water & Sewer discussion
- City right-of-way and pole attachment update
- Citizens' review committee
- Radio system update
- Budget reclassification discussions
- Attended a community information meeting about the Puckett Street Water Improvement Project
- Economic Development discussion
- Covington Town Center discussion
- Attended employee community clean up on Saturday, January 23
- Personnel budget discussions
City Manager Scott Andrews and Community Development Director Trey Sanders participated in a webcast with Tim Echols, the Vice-Chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission. They provided an update on achievements and current projects in Covington.
- Attended January 19, 2021 City Council meeting by teleconference
- Prepared January 19 meeting summary and minutes
- Attended January 20 post council recap meeting
- Fielded 24 phone calls
Pictured: City Clerk Audra Gutierrez's furry family member Lulu attends the January 19 City Council meeting via teleconference.
GREAT JOB!
John “Tyler” Head, a 911 trainee, completed the Basic Communications Course at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center on January 15, 2021.
The Basic Communications officer course is a 40-hour course that is mandated by Georgia Law. Upon completion of the course, students obtain certification as a Communications Officer through the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST). Congratulations Tyler!
Total Cad Calls Received: 1,559
Total Agency Calls Generated: 1,810
Total Law Calls Generated: 1,333 (73.65%)
- Covington Police Department: 408 (22.54%)
- Covington Marshal's Office: 1 (0.00%)
- Newton County Animal Control: 3 (0.17%)
- Newton County Sheriff's Office: 839 (46.35%)
- Oxford Police Department: 29(1.60%)
- Porterdale Police Department: 53 (2.93%)
Fire Calls Generated: 194 (10.72%)
- Covington Fire Department: 49 (2.71%)
- Newton County Fire: 145 (8.01%)
EMS Calls Generated: 283 (15.64%)
OPERATIONS
MAJOR INCIDENT STATISTICS & BREAKDOWN
- Completed EMT Recertification Training
- R. Tanner attended radio mapping class at Airport
- Fuqua on FMLA
- R. Tanner & J. Mathis attended operation's meeting
- S. Sewell, M. Isom, E. Griffith & J. Henderson sent to GMAG deployment in Atlanta
- Worked on 2021-2022 Budgets
- J. Mathis assisted with new hire interviews
- 235.8 Training hours
A SHIFT
- Week 4 EMS recertification
- Lexipol review
- Total Training Hours: 187.20
- Normal apparatus and station duties
- Engine 21 still out for repair
ACCREDITATION
- Compiled and submitted info for weekly report
- Approved purchase orders and invoices in BS&A
- Participated in interview panel for firefighter candidates
- Processed open records request
- Discussion of Category 7, new Category 11 with Lt. Madsen
PATROL
- On January 19, CPD officers responded to a fight at Home Towne Studios where two female juveniles got into a fight with each other. The incident was reported to Juvenile and a juvenile complaint form was filled out on one of the juveniles.
- On January 22, CPD officers responded to an argument on Water Oak Circle. The victim stated four subjects came into the residence and one punched him in the mouth and another pulled a gun on him. The victim gave a description of the vehicle, which was stopped by officers on Spring Street. Two subjects exited the vehicle and ran. Officers were unable to locate them. The two others in the car were identified and one of them had multiple existing warrants. However, the jail would not take him into custody because of COVID. This case was turned over to CID.
- On January 22, CPD officers conducted a traffic stop on Washington Street with a vehicle coming out of the Covington Storage units at 3:12 a.m. There have been recent burglaries at the business. While on the traffic stop, a trafficking amount of methamphetamine was found. One of the occupants was arrested and transported to the jail. Warrants were taken for trafficking methamphetamine.
- On January 23, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation while coming off of the square. The female driver was arrested for DUI and a stop sign violation. She was transported to the jail where she was later released on citations.
CID
CID Sgt. Allan Seebaran examined Person Crimes and Property Crimes that CID detectives worked from January 18, 2021 to January 24, 2021 and compared them with the previous two years. The following results were found:
PERSON CRIMES: From January 18, 2019 to January 24, 2019, there were nine reported person crimes; for the same time period in 2020, there were eight reported person crimes; and during 2021, from January 18 to January 24, there were 12 reported person crimes. The below are statistics for the date range of January 18 to January 24:
- There was an 11% decrease (from nine to eight) in reported person crimes between 2019 and 2020.
- There was a 50% increase (from eight to 12) in reported person crimes between 2020 and 2021.
- There was a 33% increase (from nine to 12) in reported person crimes between 2019 and 2021.
PROPERTY CRIMES: From January 18, 2019 to January 24, 2019, there were 23 reported property crimes; for the same time period in 2020, there were 22 reported property crimes; and during 2021, from January 18 to January 24, there were 20 reported property crimes. The below are statistics for the date range of January 18 to January 24:
- There was a 4% decrease (from 23 to 22) in reported property crimes between 2019 and 2020.
- There was a 9% decrease (from 22 to 20) in reported property crimes between 2020 and 2021.
- There was a 13% increase (from 23 to 20) in reported property crimes between 2019 and 2021.
SUPPORT SERVICES
CPD conducted a panel interview of one applicant who made it through the PT assessment and will be moving forward with the hiring process.
https://www.cleargov.com/georgia/newton/city/covington
ACCOUNTING
- Staff entered 214 invoices for payment to vendors
- The city issued 95 checks for 214 invoices
- Accounting Department entered 43 journal entries to record transactions of the city
- Staff sent 25 invoices to customers for miscellaneous transactions
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Total Transactions by Customer Service Representatives: 1,510
UTILITY BILLING/METER READING
- 4,140 bills processed
- Billing cycles 7, 8 and finals
- 121 work orders completed
- One meter/ert change out
- Routes read: Cycle 8
- Meter readings read: 3,774
- 195 Disconnects
- 162 Reconnects
PURCHASING
- Total purchase orders issued – current month - 240
- Total purchase orders issued – current budget year - 2,135
Current and Upcoming RFP's/Bids
- Knuckle Boom Truck: Out for Bid
- Leaf Truck: Out for Bid
- Aerial Bucket Truck: Out for Bid
- Vegetative / Building Removal: Out for Bid
- Janitorial Services: Goes out for bid starting 1/29/2021
- Conyers Street Gym Development : Goes out for bid starting 1/29/2021
MUNICIPAL COURT
- There were no in-person court proceedings.
- 56 new citations were processed and filed in the court.
- 10 tickets were disposed of and closed.
- A total of $5,037.00 in fines and fees were collected from mail, web, probation and in-person counter payments.
- There were 10 open record requests/certified disposition requests.
- Zero separate case files for the week were scanned into Courtware Software.
- The office has received 328 emails and responded to internal and external customers accordingly.
- 147 calls were made and received from telephone customers.
- We continue to discuss with the Judge and solicitor regarding future court proceedings (in person and virtual) and office operations.
- Three secondary pole transfers
- One overhead service replaced
- Four poles pulled from utility transfers
- Six new LED lights installed
- Eight light orders completed
- One temporary power installed
- Two permanent powers installed
- Five underground services installed
- One secondary pole change out
- One single phase primary pole change out
- Three trouble/outage calls
- Completed phase 1 of the three phase primary installation of new Eastside High School
Pictured: Overhead crew Chris Spohn, Noah Thomas, Cameron Rusk and Rennis Bryant pulling a pole on Banks Street.
- Three emergency leak calls investigated.
- Ten check meter requests completed.
- Three ERT’s replaced.
- Three rectifier inspections completed.
- 12 cathodic protection readings collected and recorded.
- 32 gas meters painted.
- Two service calls and one inspection and unlock request completed.
- Two leaks repaired.
- One new service installed and one service retired.
- Two broken service valves repaired/replaced.
- Relaced two meters.
- Eight new services were measured and locates for installs requested.
- Mike Jewell completed ITS Training Evaluator Certification.
- Mike Jewell attended virtual APGA conference call for 2020 Treasurer’s Report.
CONGRATULATIONS SCOTT & DUSTIN!
Scott Watkins has been promoted to Crew Supervisor in the Water/Sewer Department and Dustin Nichols has been promoted to Equipment Operator 1. Great job gentlemen!
- One order to repair water leak
- Two orders to turn off water
- One order to work on 12-inch check valve
- One order to check if contractors locating right area
- One order for general machine maintenance
- One order to put out signs for water project
Pictured: Mark Mealor repairing a 2 inch water main on Robinson Street
The Engineering Department would like to welcome John Morris (above top right) who just started training as a locator. John and Russell Dunlap (above top left) are pictured locating utilities on West Street at Hwy. 278 for a fiber communications project.
UPCOMING EVENTS
*Budget Meetings for FY 2021-22*
LAST WEEK'S TASKS & EVENTS
- Observed MLK Day (city holiday) on Monday, January 18
- Met with employees that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (FMLA paperwork)
- ZOOM meeting with benefit broker to discuss upcoming renewal
- Mediated personnel issues
- Brainstorming ideas with City Manager and Asst. City Manager about rising COVID-19 cases
- On-boarded new employees
- Posting of vacant positions
- Setup of HR Library, city-wide flyer coming soon
- Setting up interviews for Gas Equipment Operator and WRF Operations Supervisor
ONGOING EVENTS
- Providing quality customer care to our employees and retirees
- Preparing submission for the Weekly Report
- Administrating retirement services for retiree benefits
- Scanning of HR files
- Monitoring the coronavirus pandemic and listening to professionals about proper return to work protocols
- Handling FMLA, Worker’s Compensation and COVID-19 claims
- Scheduling and conducting interviews for vacant position and compiling appropriate documents
- Auditing all employee benefits: invoicing accuracy, vendor satisfaction, etc.
- Posting new positions as vacancies arise
- Prepared job offers for new hires and promoted employees
- Reviewing NovaTime for timekeeping abnormalities
- Job descriptions review with open positions
CURRENT JOB POSTINGS
- Meter Reader
- Firefighter
- Police Officer
- Gas Equipment Operator
- Electric Lineman
- Water & Sewer Equipment Operator 1
- Facilitated Discover Covington Board Meeting
- Facilitated Zoom call for City Council Meeting
- Finalized RFP for downtown art project
- Finalized contract with Arts Association for concert partnership
- Compiled January numbers and information to be submitted to state office
- Collaborated with Tourism and Graphic Design to assist with Georgia Travel Guide advertisement
- Arranged interview/photo op with Newton Magazine
- Continue to assess state brochure status to ensure complete coverage for Welcome Center
- Continued evaluation of mid-level of Welcome Center to determine best use for expanded museum
- Updated social media and website
- Compiled Weekly Report for week ending January 17, 2021
- Created advertisement for travel magazine
- Facilitated film permit process for Georgia Lottery Commercial
- Drone Filming Analysis for Covington/Newton County
- Discussion with multiple location scouts about filming in Newton County Schools
- Updated ReelScout for filming locations in Newton County
The most recent COVID-19 statistics per the Georgia Department of Health website as of Sunday, 1/31/21.
GEORGIA COVID-19 STATS
- Number of Cases in the Last Two Weeks: 69,994
- Total Number of Cases Documented: 749,867
- Total Number of Deaths due to COVID-19 in Georgia: 12,570
NEWTON COUNTY STATS
- Number of Cases in the Last Two Weeks: 630
- Cases per 100k in the Last Two Weeks: 561
- % Testing positive in Last Two Weeks: 15.5%
- Total Number of Cases Documented: 6,262
- Total Number of Deaths due to COVID-19 in Newton County: 153