Weekly Update to City Council

from the City Manager

May 9, 2010

Incident Update

Mayor and Council Members have received updates regularly throughout the incident. Below is the latest information. Our experts are at the site today (Wed. May 12) conducting more testing, we anticipate further results within the next day or two.

Top priority is to determine the source/issue and we are working hard to that end.

As with any emergency, staff has been formally briefing and debriefing each day. This incident is still dynamic given all of the factors and investigation ongoing. Once clear, we will set up a debriefing session to examine all aspects. Initial debriefing scheduled for Monday.

Investigation of fatality ongoing – conducted by Safety Violations Investigation Unit of PERP/BWC

Investigation of confined space air quality (cause) ongoing – conducted by city hired experts, OEPA and Fire Division.

o Substance/issue still unknown, testing by city hired experts.

o Results of EPA testing, Coroners investigation could take weeks

o Our expert testing may have earlier results

o Manhole is secured, no reason to believe that there is any issue outside of manhole/SR area.

o Our records indicate that the SR line was built in 1950s. Indications are that it is dead end at both ends. Was built as a WPA project.

o We know that there are nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen lines in the vicinity. We are working with local businesses to ascertain location of their lines.

Met/talked/briefed with:

o OEPA

o BWC – Safety Violations Investigations Unit

o BCEMA

o City departments

o Businesses in area

o BC Coroner

o Variety of other individuals and agencies

Counseling for employees is ongoing, supplied by fire and police chaplains, critical incident debriefing team

We are in contact with the family on many levels.

o We are working through funeral arrangements and the family, pastors. Employees Assn. is setting up fund for employee contributions. If Council members would like to contribute, see Russ Carolus.

Letter sent to all Employees

Dear Fellow Employee: This past Friday, May 7, 2010 was a tragic day for the City of Middletown, yet, as with any crisis, there were positive outcomes for which I am thankful. I am proud to live in Middletown and to be part of our city organization. What I saw amidst the heartbreaking events was a team of co-workers coming together, regardless of department, to save lives and to keep our community safe. It is this caring, family atmosphere that makes the City of Middletown a special place to work.

I am grateful to see the health condition of Captain Todd Wissemeier and Fire Marshall Bob Hess much improved. These men are heroes who risked their lives to save one of our own. We have other heroes in the Police Division, Public Works and Utilities and Fire Division who worked at the scene that day as well.

Jabin Lakes’ family members are filled with love and appreciation for the employees of the city of Middletown. While Jabin worked with us for only a year, he was raised in Middletown, loved Middletown and was proud to be an employee of the city.

I know you will keep Jabin’s family, Todd Wissemeier and Bob Hess in your thoughts and prayers as we move forward through this week of mourning. Katrina Lakes and her daughters will need help in the coming weeks and months. Many city employees and members of the public have already stepped up to assist the family in so many ways that have lifted their spirits. The Mayor, City Council and I have also met with the family and offered assistance on all fronts.

Each person deals with loss in his or her own way. I invite you to make use of our employee assistance program, our police and fire chaplains or the critical incident debriefing team. Counseling resources will be available this week and in the future as needed.

Lastly, I want to thank each of you for the work that you do, day in and day out. We are one family, working together to improve our community through public service. Many of our jobs have hazardous conditions involved that often go unappreciated, but I believe, perhaps, through last week’s tragic events, the many positive aspects of public service will be illuminated.

Judy Gilleland
City Manager

Census Information

Starting May 1, residents who have not returned their census form will be visited by a Census Bureau employee to collect the information in person. This process will take place until the end of July 2010. The Census Helpline is 1.866.872.6868. Although all mailing of forms has ceased, you are able to submit your information to a Census employee at this number.

Robert “Sonny” Hill Community Center Grants

The Robert “Sonny” Hill Community Center was the grateful recipient of grants from the Middletown Community Foundation last week. The Center received $19,650 to purchase new gymnasium mats, weight room equipment, a movie projector and projection screen for Family Movie Night, Wii and X-box equipment for after-school programs, new printers for the computer lab, and $5,000 to assist in summer recreational programming for Middletown’s youth.

In addition, the Center received $520 for the Look Out Galileo! / Fun Scientific Experiments Project. Participants will explore special science experiments weekly and one of the final projects will highlight the program with the help of the MADCAP PUPPETS. The performance features Galileo on a comical quest to prove that the earth revolves around the sun.

The hands on experience will give youth the opportunity to explore safe and fun endeavors of science, may it be to examine the earth, testing food products, sowing seeds, digging in the gardens, or learning about our environment. This program will be operated with the help of several agencies including the Ohio State Extension, Miami University-Middletown, Hueston Woods
Arboretum, The Alcohol and Chemical Abuse Council, Middletown's Fire and Police Departments and others.

Finally, The Ohio State University FDN received $500 towards operation of the Plant to Plate Program, a partnership with The Ohio State University Extension, John XXIII-Middletown, and the Community Center. The Plant to Plate Program will have weekly classes on healthy eating, exercise, and working in the gardens. It will include plant identification, weed identification, soil nutrient, vegetable care, harvesting, healthy cooking, presentation of new and healthy recipes, and serving the fresh produce to the campers. We hope that some of the harvest can be given to families in the neighborhood. Our gardens will be in the Center's Community gardens.

Upcoming Events

May 10 Police Memorial Service, 11:00 a.m., Woodside Cemetery and Arboretum

May 10 Middletown Board of Health – City Building Conference Room 2C 7:30a.m.

May 11 Joint City-Middletown School Board meeting- Council Chambers (LL) 6:00p.m.

May 12 Police Advisory Board meeting – Police Training Room (LL) 6:00 p.m.

May 12 Planning Commission – Council Chambers (LL) 6:30 p.m.

May 13 Police Memorial Dinner – Eagles Lodge @ 1330 First Avenue 6:00 p.m.

May 13 “Botswana, Different in Africa? Conservation, Governance and Race” presented by Dr. Fred Morton, Professor of History at the Univ. of Botswana Voice of America Learning Center Community 7847 VOA Park Drive West Chester, OH 45069 7:00p.m.

May 13-16 Neighborhood Revitalization of Douglass Park area

May 18 MPHA meeting – Council Chambers (Lower Level) 5:30 p.m.

May 18 City Council meeting – Council Chambers 6:30 p.m.

May 19 Broad Street Bash – Governor’s Square – 5:00 p.m. Band 6:00 p.m.

May 21 BC Legislative Breakfast meeting – 7:15 – 9:00 a.m. Ronald Reagan Lodge @ VOA Park

May 24 Chamber Golf Open – Brown’s Run CC 12:30 p.m. Shot Gun Start

May 31 Memorial Day Parade – Smith Park to Woodside Cemetery via Verity Pkwy. 10:00 a.m.

Links for additional information:

City Manager’s Weekly Update: www.cityofmiddletown.org

Middletown Community Calendar: http://www.calendarwiz.com/middletowncalendar (copy and paste in your web browser)

Pothole Patrol: www.cityofmiddletown.org or call 727-3691 (Option 2)

Have a great week! Judy