On the cover is Brandon Cole, GIS Technician in the Electric Department.
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Celebrate Our 911 Dispatchers During National Telecommunicators Week
Every year during the second week of April, the telecommunications personnel in the public safety community are honored. This week long event, initially set up in 1981 by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office in California, is a time to celebrate and thank those who dedicate their lives to serving the public. Please join us in showing appreciation to our outstanding women and men of the Covington-Newton County 911 during the week of April 11 - April 17, 2021.
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COVINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT UNVEILS NEW FIRE ENGINE, ENGINE 22
On Friday, April 2, the Covington Fire Department unveiled the newest addition of their fleet, Engine 22, to the City Council, Mayor and members of the City staff. Thank you to B Shift for the tour and for giving members of the staff a ride in the new engine!
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EASTER ON THE TRAIL
The Community Development Department, along with assistance from Newton Trails, First Baptist Church and an awesome team of students from the Newton College & Career Academy, hosted Easter on the Trail at Legion Field on Saturday, April 3. We would like to thank everyone who attended this inaugural event and to everyone who helped make this a success!
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
MICHAEL WILLIS
Engineering Technician, Engineering Department
- Where were you born? Good ol' Covington, Georgia
- What was your first car? 1996 Pontiac Grand Am
- What is the last job before you worked at the city? Crew supervisor for DeKalb County Roads and Drainage
- How long have you worked for the city? Five years
- What is your favorite part about working with the city? The interaction I get to have with all the people I come in contact with, from co-workers to contractors and citizens.
- What is your favorite book and/or movie? Movie: Braveheart
- Where is your ideal vacation spot? Camping anywhere
- What is your favorite food?Prime rib, baked potato and caesar salad
- If you could have dinner with a celebrity, dead or alive, who would it be? He may only be a celebrity to me but my grandfather. I would give almost anything to see him one more time.
- What is your hidden talent? There are lots but maybe the most shocking one is my hay bale art work.
- Name one thing you are proud of in your life. My family
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Pictured: Mayor Steve Horton with Cash, Councilwoman Fleeta Baggett's sweet and popular pup
- Fiber meeting/update
- Sewer infrastructure meeting
- Fiber & Right-of-Way permitting
- Vendor product meeting
- Electric Managers 2020 evaluations
- Code enforcement meeting
- Hwy. 278 CID meeting/update
- Attended Sgt. Vic Partee’s last call
- AT&T follow-up
- Toured new fire engine, Engine 22, at Fire Headquarters
- Square infrastructure coordination meeting
- Schneider Electric demo
- Sustainability planning
- Vehicle fleet review
- Small group meetings
- WE LEAD events
- Prepared April 5, 2021 Council Meeting agenda, packet and notes
- Meeting to discuss new cemetery parcel and proposed columbarium
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IT IS GRASS MOWING SEASON! The city ordinance prohibits grass from growing higher than 12 inches. This is a reminder to please keep an eye on the height of your grass. When your neighbors mow their lawn, it tends to make yours more noticeable.
Article 4 - Weeds and Refuse 8.04.130: Keeping premises free from weeds and refuse—Required. For the health, safety and sanitation of the residents of this city, all premises within the city, whether vacant or occupied, shall be kept free and clean of weeds and other like growths, trash, paper, rags, shavings, garbage, rubbish, filth and all other such refuse. Owners of property shall not permit weeds or grass to grow on such property to a height exceeding twelve (12) inches. (Ord. dated 5/21/07 § 1; prior code § 11-19)
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Pictured: Zach McKibben and Dustin Nichols cap off an abandoned sewer tap in a retention pond.
- One repaired big ol' water leak
- Worked on 12 water meter orders
- Eight miscellaneous water calls
- Repaired a sewer tap and main
- Ran seven sewer calls
- Completed the Performance Appraisals
- Reviewed several plans
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- Completed five rectifier inspections after storms.
- Two cathodic protection system shorts were repaired.
- Ground bed cable was located and repaired.
- One inspection and unlock meter completed.
- Replaced one farm tap station.
- Four new services installed.
- Two services were retired and three meters removed from service.
- Seven meters were painted.
- Six new locates called in for new service installations.
- Mike Jewell attended virtual GMA Legislative Policy Council Meeting.
- Mike Jewell attended the Gas Authority Spring Regional Meeting.
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Total CAD Calls Received: 1,812
Total Agency Calls Generated: 2,034
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Law Calls Generated: 1,629 (80.09%)
- Covington Police Department - 484 (23.80%)
- Covington Marshal’s Office - 0 (0.00%)
- Newton County Animal Control - 2 (0.10%)
- Newton County Sheriff's Office - 1,053 (51.77%)
- Oxford Police Department - 25 (1.23%)
- Porterdale Police Department - 65 (3.20%)
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Fire Calls Generated: 164 (8.06%)
- Covington Fire Department: 45 (2.21%)
- Newton County Fire Department: 119 (5.85%)
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Newton County EMS Calls Generated: 241 (11.85%)
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OPERATIONS
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A Shift
- A Shift responded to a total of nine calls during the week: B-2 (two responses); E-21 (four responses); T-21 (four responses); and S-21 (one response).
- Training consisted of pump operators training, Paramedic and EMT training and Pre-Fire Plan of Contract Packaging and Tour
- Completed Station Clean Up and Yard Clean Up day
- Took delivery of the new engine
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B Shift
- Completed Truck Day
- Presented E-22 to Mayor and Council
- Trained on Standpipe Operations
- Worked on remodel project at Station 21
- Eight fire calls, six EMS calls and two mutual aid/motor vehicle calls
- 82 Training hours
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C Shift
STATION 21
- Nine EMS incidents, one motor vehicle incident, four fire alarms and two utility problems
- Training: Forcible entry, search and rescue diver, health and safety and new driver training
Station 22
- Two motor vehicle incidents, four medical calls and one gas leak
- Training: Forcible entry, through the lock training, drone training and Rapid Intervention Team CPR
- Weekly apparatus cleaning and maintenance completed
- Cleaned and sanitized station
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ACCREDITATION
- Annual Compliance Report review conference call with technical reviewer
- Attended strategic plan meeting with admin personnel
- Attended meeting with the Head of Peachtree Academy and Fire Chief regarding intern opportunities
- Attended We Lead meeting at Covington Airport
- Continued review/update of Category 3 for Accreditation with Fire Chief
- Emailed monthly recognitions memo for April to CFD personnel
- Ordered office supplies
- Compiled information and submitted CFD weekly report
- Logged confined space activity in ERS daily log
- Approved PO’s and invoices in BS&A
- Attended Kiwanis meeting
- Entered announcements on First Arriving dashboard
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FIRE MARSHAL
- Completed four plan reviews
- Completed 26 annual inspections
- Completed eight compliance inspections
- Completed one alarm system test
- Issued three Certificates of Operation
- Completed five re-inspections
- Completed two complaint inspections
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ACCOUNTING
- Staff entered 278 invoices for payment to vendors
- The City issued 117 checks for 231 invoices
- Accounting department entered 43 journal entries to record transactions of the city
- Staff sent 34 invoices to customers for miscellaneous transactions
- Staff issued 239 payroll checks for retirees and elected officials
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CUSTOMER SERVICE
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UTILITY BILLING/METER READING
- 3,484 bills processed
- Billing cycles 1, 2, 10 and finals
- 251 work orders completed
- Eight meter/ert change outs
- One Tantalus meter changed
- 65 Tantalus meters changed/added to BS & A
- Routes read: cycles 1, 2, 10, 9 and 91
- Meter readings read: 7,822
- 119 disconnects
- 111 reconnects
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PURCHASING
- Total purchase orders issued – current month - 402
- Total purchase orders issued – current budget year - 2,842
Current / Upcoming RFP's/Bids
- Ashley Drive Pipe Lining Project: Out for bid
- Brush Chipper: Out for bid
- Mini Excavator: Goes out for bid 4/9/2021
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MUNICIPAL COURT
- There were in-person court sessions and virtual trials sessions this week.
- 62 new citations were processed and filed in the court.
- 29 tickets were disposed of and closed.
- A total of $5,746.00 in fines and fees were collected from mail, web, probation and in-person counter payments.
- There were five open record requests/certified disposition requests and one verification that warrant removed properly.
- A total of 286 separate case files for the week were scanned into Courtware Software.
- The office has received 334 emails and responded to internal and external customers accordingly.
- Telephone customers: 205 calls made and received
- Mailed out 100+ packets with solicitor’s recommendation for entering a plea.
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LAST WEEK'S TASKS & EVENTS
- Received six applications for open positions
- Conducted interviews for Apprentice Line Worker position
- Scheduled interview for Lineman position
- Offered Gas Equipment Operator position
- Posted Engineering Technician and Telecommunications Coordinator positions
- Attended WE Lead Event
- Budget meeting with Finance – Human Resources and Safety Risk (FY 2021-22)
- Zoom meeting with insurance broker to finalize benefit renewal
- Project Renewal monthly Board meeting (Conyers)
- Retirement Reception for Vic Partee (CPD)
- FMLA review of current cases
- Ordered safety supplies for various departments
- Completed annual fire alarm inspections for all City buildings (pictured is David Powell assisting in fire alarm inspections)
- Investigated complaints
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ONGOING EVENTS
- Providing quality customer care to our employees & retirees
- Prepared submission for the Weekly Report
- Review of job descriptions for current and future positions
- Auditing all employee benefits
- Review of timekeeping abnormalities in NovaTime
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JOB POSTINGS
- Tree Trimmer
- Electric Lineman
- Engineering Technician
- Gas Equipment Operator
- Telecommunications Coordinator
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ORGANIZING EASTER ON THE TRAIL!
Members of the Community Development Team stuff candy bags for Easter on the Trail; Ron Carter, Welcome Center Coordinator, organizes the prize egg gifts; Nic Matthews, Downtown Coordinator, welcomes everyone to Easter on the Trail; and members of the Community Development Team look for the last person that never wants to have her picture taken but loves to take pictures of everyone else. Bottom photo includes (L-R): Beth Ivey (Marketing/Multimedia); Ron Carter (Welcome Center Coordinator); DJ Waller (Tourism Coordinator); Nic Matthews (Downtown Coordinator); Trey Sanders (Community Development Director) and William Smith (Economic Development Manager)
Pictured: Installation of sign at Welcome Center
- Finalized placement of stanchions for Welcome Center
- Compiled/submitted visitor numbers for state reports
- Outdoor sign installed
- Finalized list for Welcome Center “preview”
- Invitations created
- Completed Heat and Vampire Diaries displays
- Confirmed venue location (Legion Field) for Hazzard Homecoming on May 1, 2021
- Assisted with set up for Easter on the Trail
- Updated social media and website
- Photographed Victor Partee's retirement/last call ceremony, Engine 22 reveal for Mayor and Council and Easter on the Trail
- Completed Weekly Report for week ending March 28, 2021
- Meeting regarding Earth Day and sustainability posts for month of April
- Organized and hosted Easter on the Trail
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IMPROVEMENTS AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Below are a few images of items being fixed around the community. Pictured are contractors from Best Line Doors (left top) installing new doors at the Legion Field fair building; Pop Woods and Rodney Powell (right top) installing benches at Central park; and Luther Bouchillon (bottom) repairing the iconic Mystic Falls sign.
COVID-19 STATISTICS
These statistics are from the phone call with the GNR Health Departments on Friday, April 9, 2021
NEWTON COUNTY
- Confirmed cases to date: 10,465
- Confirmed COVID-19 related deaths: 210
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GEORGIA
- Confirmed cases to date: Over 1.06 million
- Confirmed COVID-19 related deaths: 16,886
Case rates are continuing to decline as Georgia has done over 4.5 million vaccines.
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If you'd like to volunteer to assist the public health department with administering vaccines, please select the button below.