City Council met on Monday, November 2, 2020 for their regularly schedule meeting. Representative Dave Belton, pictured, gave a legislative update at the beginning of the meeting. The next scheduled meeting will be held November 16, 2020.
*There will only be one meeting in December on Monday, December 7, 2020.*
Employee Spotlight
Susan Crowder
Customer Service Representative
- Where were you born? Atlanta, Georgia
- What was your first car? An ugly green Ford Pinto
- What was your last job before you worked at the city? Food Depot
- How long have you worked for the city? 24 years in December
- What is your favorite part about working for the city? Being able to talk to everyone
- Name one thing you are proud of in your life. My kids and granddaughters
- What is your favorite book and/or movie? Gone with the Wind
- Where is your ideal vacation spot? Hawaii
- What is your favorite food? Mexican
- If you could have dinner with a celebrity dead or alive, who would it be? Steven Segal
- What is your hidden talent? I don't have one.
Board & Committee Member Highlight
Navin Shah
Discover Covington Board
Mr. Shah serves as the Chair the Discover Covington Board, a six-person, 501c6 entity responsible for utilizing a portion of hotel / motel tax revenues for advertising purposes.
Navin guides a company that owns and operates three hotels plus a 20,000 square-foot shopping center in the Covington and Conyers communities, with an additional hotel scheduled to start construction in late 2020 in Covington.
Born in Ahmedabad, India and educated as a civil engineer in his native country, Navin emigrated to the United States in 1971 and renewed his engineering education at Purdue University, earning a Master of Science degree in civil engineering in 1978.
Navin is a man of business, but he is also a family man. He and his wife, Taru, who is a pediatrician, are parents to three grown children. Their two daughters are doctors -- Shefali is an oncologist and Pali is an ear, nose, and throat surgeon -- while their son, Ravi, has both a medical degree and an MBA.
Navin is uncompromisingly devoted to basic core values such as integrity, fairness, and personal responsibility. He is proud that in today’s fast-paced, often-impersonal business world, his handshake and his word remain his bond.
Thank you Navin for investing in our community in many ways!
Don't forget to check out ClearGov, optimized for complete accessibility, as defined by the ADA, which provides taxpayers an easy-to-understand, visual breakdown of the city's finances, as well as insights into the demographics and more. Click on the button below to view the City of Covington's ClearGov page.
ACCOUNTING
- Staff entered 379 invoices for payment to vendors
- The city issued 142 checks for 387 invoices
- Accounting department entered 139 journal entries to record transactions of the city
- Staff sent seven invoices to customers for miscellaneous transactions
- The City issued 307 payroll checks to employees for bi-weekly payroll
Throughout the month of October, several accounting staff virtually attended the 35th Annual Georgia Government Finance Officers Association. Collectively, they earned more than 70 hours of training in various aspects of government finance.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Total Transactions Completed By Customer Service Representatives: 2,305
UTILITY BILLING / METER READERS
- 3,810 bills processed
- 179 work orders completed
- 191 disconnects for non-pay
- 176 reconnects
- Read cycles 3, 4, 5
PURCHASING
• Total purchase orders issued – current month - 103
• Total purchase orders issued – current budget year - 1,483
*CURRENT/UPCOMING RFP'S/BIDS*
- Energy Conservation Services Program: Out for RFQ
COVINGTON MUNICIPAL COURT
- There were no court sessions during this week.
- 46 new citations were processed and filed in the court.
- A total of $14,882.00 in fines and fees were collected from mail, web, probation and in-person counter payments.
- Two refund requests completed.
- There were three open record requests, three certified disposition requests and two warrant dismissals processed.
- A total of 183 separate case files for the week were scanned into Courtware Software.
- A total of nine cases were disposed of.
- The office has received 163 emails and responded to internal and external customers accordingly.
- There were 171 calls made and received
- Mailed out 75+ packets with solicitor’s recommendation for entering a plea.
- Meeting with judge and solicitor regarding operational flow chart and new guidelines for starting in-person court session.
- Attended November 2, 2020 City Council Meeting
- Prepared November 2nd meeting summary and minutes
- Attended Diversity Training at Legion Field
- Fielded 45 phone calls
- Completed four permanent service orders
- Completed a temporary service order
- Completed three disconnect/reconnect services for maintenance orders
- Completed a disconnect service order
- Completed two low hanging wire service orders
- Completed four lighting service orders
- Installed two LED lights
- Removed nine HPS lights on Pace Street
- Installed two underground services
- Completed 12 right-of-way service orders
- Completed five outage/trouble calls
- Continued the permanent power installation at the New Eastside High School (electric vault set)
- Continued the Capes Drive reconductoring (pulled in three-phase wire)
- Several employees attended Diversity training
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
- 19 CCTV advertisements
- Scheduled local programming
- Updated the local access channels with COVID-19 information
- Attended Diversity training
- Versa Collector issues (replaced a broken Cat5e wire and fiber connector)
- Replaced a media converter on Hwy. 36
- Responded to five emergency leak calls.
- Completed three inspections and unlock requests.
- Completed two rectifier inspections and 41 CP readings.
- Completed ten service calls.
- Two check meter requests were completed with two ERT’s changed.
- Nine leak survey repairs completed.
- Painted three meters.
- Installed three new services.
- Demos completed on one service.
- Flagged four services for installs.
- Two farm tap regulators replaced and one protection cage replaced.
- Staff completed diversity training.
- Canopy lights replaced at the CNG facility by Evergreen Services (pictured)
- Mike Jewell attended H.E.A.T. Board of Directors meeting in Kennesaw.
- Mike Jewell attended virtual APGA Operations and Safety Conference modules throughout the week.
CONGRATULATIONS!
The City of Covington is excited to announce that Kevin Sorrow has been named Public Works Director. Kevin is a lifelong resident of Covington and has been a loyal City employee since 1997. Kevin is a graduate of Newton County High School and has a Master of Public Administration degree from Troy State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resources and Wildlife Management from the University of Georgia. Additionally, Kevin is a Class 1 waste water operator, registered forester, and an ISA certified arborist.
He previously served as the Assistant Public Works Director (Water Resources) and has been serving in an acting capacity as Public Works Director. Kevin is dedicated to providing quality success over a wide range of duties. Congratulations Kevin!
- 13 orders to change out water meters
- Two orders to change out water meter registerss
- Two orders to change out water meter ERTs
- One order to remove water meter
- Two orders to check water meters
- One order to fix register on water meter
- Two orders to check for water leaks
- One order to repair water leak
- One order to shut off water meter
- One order to pull new service line under road
- Four orders to cut grass and weed eat at water tank site
- One order to check water tank
- One order to set water tap
- One order to install water and sewer taps
- One order to measure depth of altitude valve
- One order to check sewer problem
- Three orders to bushhog sewer easements
- One order to unstop and check sewer main
- Two orders to check sewer problem
Pictured: Mike Murphy and Zach McKibben replace a water service.
Alanetta McDowell and Nathanial Stykes (pictured above) completed the Georgia Public Safety Training Center Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training for 911 Telecommunicators.
The Georgia Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training for 9-1-1 Telecommunicators is an interactive online learning course that is designed to present telecommunicators with advanced training in handling crisis calls involving consumers with mental illnesses, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and/or who are suicidal. Online components of this course include, but are not limited to, topics such as the CIT Memphis Model, stigma, mental health disorders, mental health resources, suicide intervention, de-escalation, effective telephone communications strategies, effective radio dispatch techniques, and telecommunicator self-care.
Thank you Ali & Nate for furthering your commitment to the care of our citizens!
Total CAD Calls Received: 1,755
Total Agency Calls Generated: 1,978
Total Law Calls Generated: 1,510 (76.33%)
- Covington Police Department: 513 (25.93%)
- Covington Marshal's Office: 0 (0.00%)
- Newton County Animal Control: 11 (0.55%)
- Newton County Sheriff's Office: 895 (45.24%)
- Oxford Police Department: 36 (1.82%)
- Porterdale Police Department: 55 (2.78%)
Fire Calls Generated: 193 (9.75%)
- Covington Fire Department: 57 (2.88%)
- Newton County Fire: 136 (6.87%)
NEWTON EMS CALLS: 275 (13.90%)
OPERATIONS
ACCREDITATION
April Draper, the Accreditation Manager for the Covington Fire Department, received a thank you card from the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) for her contributions in the writing of the upcoming 10th Edition Fire and Emergency Service Self-Assessment Manual (FESSAM). Great work April!
- Approved purchase orders and invoices in BSA
- Compiled and submitted weekly report for CFD
- Ordered office and station supplies
- Logged confined space activity into ERS daily log
- November birthday and anniversary recognition memo
- Submitted department Mission and Vision statements for upload into Lexipol
- Attended Kiwanis meeting via zoom (pictured)
FIRE MARSHAL
- FMO Fuqua working on suppression
- Completed four plan reviews
- Completed six annual inspections
- Completed five compliance inspections
- Issued two burn permits
- FMO Canady attending Arson 2
- Issued three certificates of operation
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Sherica Tate for being selected as one of the 2020 Women Of Newton County featured in the Covington News. Sherica has been with the Covington Police Department for 13 years where she is currently a Customer Service Representative.
Her service to Covington isn't just through her job though. She's a mentor in the CPD's Explorer's program as well as a volunteer for the non-profit organization Live Life Half-Priced. She helps give back to the community by organizing back to school drives, feeding the homeless and collecting gifts for toy drives.
We are proud to have Sherica on Team COV!
PATROL
- On November 2, a female was charged with reckless conduct after she wrecked her vehicle into a tree on Jefferson Avenue at Cecilia Street. She had her 19-month-old and 6-month-old children with her and neither child was restrained. The female did not even have car seats in the car. She was also charged with seatbelt violations. All three were transported to the hospital for treatment.
- On November 4, CPD officers met with two homeless individuals who had set up camp beside the railroad tracks on Herring Street and were littering the area. The individuals were written warnings for criminal trespass and after cleaning the area, they left the area. Officers also checked the wooded area behind FiberVisions for other homeless camp sites.
- On November 4, CPD officers responded to a family fight on Avery Street. A male was arrested for aggravated stalking after violating his TPO.
- On November 4, CPD night shift officers patrolled the town square extra.
- On November 5, CPD officers responded to a complaint of two Vietnam Vets on the square selling items in front of the Social Goat. Officers spoke with the two individuals about the situation and provided them a copy of the city ordinance in reference to selling items on the square. They understood and said that they would go to the city and apply for the proper permits.
- On November 5, CPD officers responded to a burglary in progress at the Urgent Care in the old Kmart shopping center off Turner Lake Road. A white male was seen throwing a rock through the front door and making entry. Officers cleared the building and found the male inside. He was transported to the NCSO and warrants were taken on him. Units stood by until the door could be secured by the owner.
- On November 6, CPD officers responded to Nixon Circle where the female resident stated her ex-boyfriend threw a bottle at her car window. She left and returned about 20 minutes later and discovered her apartment was a in disarray. Multiple items were destroyed. The back door was open and the back window and screen were busted open. The male already had a damage to property warrant with violent tendencies. He was arrested in September for criminal trespass at the same residence.
- On November 7, CPD officers responded to Central Avenue in reference to a discharged gun call in the area. Officers met with the occupants of a black Ford Mustang that had dropped subjects off on Central Avenue. Officers met with one of the persons that had been dropped off, a male who was actively cussing and yelling at his neighbor. The neighbor told him to stop cussing and that police were coming. The male refused to calm down and stated he had a weapon on his person. He was placed under arrest for disorderly conduct. The male also made threats to kill his neighbor while being taken into custody. He was charged with obstruction, terroristic threats and possession of firearm during commission of a felony.
CID
CID Sgt. Allan Seebaran examined Person Crimes and Property Crimes CID detectives worked for November 2, 2020, to November 8, 2020 and compared them with the previous two years. He found the following results:
i. PERSON CRIMES: From November 2 to November 8, 2018, there were nine reported person crimes; from November 2 to November 8, 2019, there were two reported person crimes; and from November 2 to November 8, 2020, there were seven reported person crimes. The following were are the statistics for this date range within the three year period:
- There was a 78% decrease (from nine to two) in reported person crimes from 2018 to 2019.
- There was a 250% decrease (from two to seven) in reported person crimes from 2019 to 2020.
- There was a 22% decrease (from nine to seven) in reported person crimes from 2018 to 2020.
ii. PROPERTY CRIMES: From November 2 to November 8, 2018, there were 21 reported property crimes,; from November 2 to November 8, 2019, there were 25 reported property crimes; and from November 2 to November 8, 2020, there were 26 reported property crimes. The following were are the statistics for this date range within the three year period:
- There was a 19% increase (from 21 to 25) in reported property crimes from 2018 to 2019.
- There was a 4% increase (from 25 to 26) in reported property crimes from 2019 to 2020.
- There was a 24% decrease (from 21 to 26) in reported property crimes from 2018 to 2020.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- DIVERSITY & INCLUSION TRAINING –November 5, 6 and 10
- Retirement Committee Quarterly Meeting – November 10
LAST WEEK'S TASKS AND EVENTS
- Prepared summary for Council approval on Defined Benefit Plan amendments
- Reviewed benefit bills and invoices
- Collected RFPs (Broker Services) – deadline 11/06/2020
- Mediated personnel issues
- Brainstorming ideas on upcoming training
- Prepared questions and exercises for HR Specialist interviews
ONGOING EVENTS
- Providing quality customer care to our employees and retirees
- Reviewing applications for vacant positions
- Scanning of HR files
- Monitoring the coronavirus pandemic and listening to professionals about proper return to work protocols
- Coordinating the Diversity & Inclusion Training event including instructors, venue, tables, chairs, etc.
- Handling FMLA, Worker’s Compensation and COVID-19 claims
- Scheduling and conducting interviews for vacant position and compiling appropriate documents
- Auditing all Employee Benefits including invoicing accuracy, vendor satisfaction, etc.
- Posting new positions as vacancies arise
- Prepared job offers for new hires and promoted employees
CURRENT JOB POSTINGS
- Police Officer
- 911 Communication Tech
- Electric Line Worker
WELCOME CENTER
The Covington Garden Club volunteered to plant the flower boxes at the Welcome Center. Thank you to all the talented ladies who assisted in beautifying the area and making it look truly welcoming!
- Movie posters framed and displayed in the Welcome Center (pictured)
- Vampire Diaries and Originals exhibits nearing completion (pictured)
- Working on Lore and Sleepy Hollow area
- Compiling Dukes of Hazzard and In the Heat of the Night items to finalize display cases
- Bids received and decision made regarding exterior Welcome Center signage
- Beginning to assemble state brochures for Welcome Center
TOURISM, DOWNTOWN, MARKETING, SPECIAL PROJECTS & FACILITIES MAINTENANCE
The Community Development office is excited to have the Facilities Maintenance Department, which includes Parks and Cemeteries, join their team! Community Development Director Trey Sanders held a meeting to do some team building exercises so the team could get to know each other better.
The Community Development Department participates in a team building exercise. It started off successfully.....
From left, William Smith, Pop Woods and Rodney Powell work on a team building exercise. Working together, they were probably the most successful at having to survive on the moon.
From left, John Terrell, Nic Matthews and Ron Carter also worked as a team. They were less likely to survive on the moon despite their stellar teamwork.
Dr. Scott Andrews, City Manager, joined the meeting to discuss his vision for the team.
Community Development Director Trey Sanders shares his insight for the development of the department and how each facet of the new team will work for the betterment of the community.
Group shot of the Community Development Department which includes Economic Development, Tourism, Downtown, the Welcome Center, Facilities Maintenance (Parks & Cemeteries), Special Projects and Marketing.
One of the first projects for Facilities Maintenance was the construction and implementation of the Legion Field Lock Bridge. Pictured are Rodney Powell and John Terrell adhering a grate to the bridge. Now people can hang a lock on the bridge as a symbol of their love for each other. More coming soon about the Lock Bridge!
- Compiled budget for completion of the western leg of the Cricket Frog Trail
- Attended trails meeting with stakeholders to coordinate finishing the west leg of the Cricket Frog Trail
- Approved crossing designs for Cricket Frog Trail
- Compiled the list of signage needs for the Cricket Frog Trail
- Begin reviewing vendor bids for trail stripping
- Met with PATH project manager to locate connection points on the Cricket Frog Trail
- Met with developer concerning the redevelopment of property near the north/south connector trail
- Coordinated meeting between potential developer and the city planner
- Begin compiling information for the Georgia Placemaking Collaborative Application
- Reviewed possible trail connections to the Covington trail system from the north to the south side of I-20
- Attended meeting of the Covington Redevelopment Authority
- Attended meeting of the Covington Miracle League Board of Directors
- Ordered appraisal for trail property
- Compiled a list of signage needed for the City’s pocket parks
- Met with several groups renting the Legion Field facilities
- Ordered report for Dried Indian Creek Environment Study for DNR grant
- Met with the PATH Foundation concerning the Dried Indian Creek trestle
- Compiled weekly report for week ending on November 1
- Updated website and social media
- Attended Community Development team meeting
- Youth Government Meeting
- Submitted application for MovieMaker’s Best Place to Live and Work as a Movie Maker magazine
- Submitted content for downtown and tourism website
Pictured: Kids enjoying the new playground at Central Park
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
*NEW BUSINESS ALERT*
Everflow Supplies, a leading plumbing distributor, is pleased to announce a new state of the art distribution center for the Southeastern region.
“The expansion into Covington, Georgia at 12101 Harland Drive NE, Covington GA. 30014, and the amenities that the Atlanta area provides will allow us to better service our customers.” Says Boyd White, Senior Vice President for Everflow. He adds: “We will stock nearly 95 complete category lines of PVF and plumbing specialty products, with premier brands such as Pexflow, Everconnect, Flextron, Raven, Piers, Pushlock, and Flexcraft.
The new facility is the fourth warehouse in North America for Everflow, joining our other Illinois, Texas, and NJ locations.
Hugh Hornsby, Vice President of Sales, says: “We are excited about the opening of this warehouse, as it will allow us to better service you, and all of the Southeastern customers by providing shorter shipping times, increased inventory and product availability, and reduced shipping costs to all customers.”
The Everflow project is anticipated to add 150 local jobs with an average wage of $55,000.
“We appreciate Everflow believing in Covington and their diligence in getting this project across the goal line,” said William Smith, Economic Development Manager. “Everflow’s investment in Covington will strengthen our local economy and add diversity to our workforce.”
About the company: Everflow was built on a three-generation family tradition of integrity, manufacturing high-quality products. We have been exclusively serving the national plumbing & industrial supply markets with a
Below is the COVID-19 update from the Friday, November 13, 2020 phone call with Dr. Arona of the Gwinnett Rockdale Newton Health Department:
Georgia Stats
Total Cases: Over 380,190
Deaths: 8,405
Newton Co. Stats
Total Cases: 3,081
Deaths: 101
The number of COVID-19 cases are slowly rising in the state and in Newton County. The 14-day case rate has increased from 106 cases to 161 cases in Newton County within the last week.The overall positive test rate is now at 9.1% which increased from 7.2% in the last week. Dr. Arona stated that Newton County's increased 14-day case rate makes the county an “emerging county of interest” and above the threshold requirement.
Remember to continue following the "Four for Fall" steps to continue to decrease the spread of COVID-19: