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Hamilton
County Recognizes In-house Training Instructors |
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At
their Wednesday, October 10th meeting, the Board of County
Commissioners recognized over 30 County employees that have served as
training instructors in addition to their regular work duties.
These training classes are provided on a wide variety of subjects
to assist employees in enhancing their skills to better serve the citizens
of Hamilton County. |
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Administration's Sharon Booker was among over 30 Adjunct
Instructor's recognized this week at the Commissioners' meeting. |
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The
Human Resources Development (HRD) program was established under the
Board of County Commissioners in the County Personnel Department in
1994. With the support of the Board of County Commissioners, County
Administrator David Krings challenged HRD with the Board's vision of
"… a more skilled and professional public servant to serve
the needs of Hamilton County." Later this year Hamilton County
anticipates conducting its 2000th training session.
The Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners would like to thank
and honor those who have voluntarily given of their
time
and talents to make the training program a success, the Adjunct Instructors. |
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Since the HRD Division
consists of only 3 full-time staff, many training sessions are conducted
by "Adjunct Instructors." The first adjuncts were
certified in late 1994.
Program success is largely
the result of the strong leadership and support received from the Board of
County Commissioners and the County Administrator, and the enthusiastic
cooperation of virtually every County department/organization. The program
is a "team effort."
Built "by us and for us," the training program now offers
71 separate classes conducted by 35 adjunct instructors, who represent 16
County departments and organizations.
“These instructors play
a vital role in the increased quality and professionalism evident in
today’s County workforce,” stated County Administrator David Krings. “We appreciate their efforts and recognize that they are
outstanding examples of what public service is all about.”
Adjunct instructors serve
voluntarily with the recommendation and support of their management. Human
Resources Development and the Achieve Global Company formally certify
instructors after completing an intensive four-day training program.
The adjunct program is
both highly effective and low cost:
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Our instructors are good. They are volunteers,
selected by HRD with the strong recommendation of their own management.
They are all respected professional public servants who bring unique
credibility to each training session. Since they are "our own
people," they possess a first-hand understanding of the Hamilton
County work environment. They are also skilled facilitators.
ü
The adjunct program is efficient. Since tapping into
this uniquely valuable resource of our own people requires no additional
funding, we can offer a development program to virtually every county
employee. We save on the costs of hiring training consultants or extra
full-time training staff. A single consultant-lead training session could
cost $500 to $1000.
Adjunct instructors
conduct training in virtually all areas of employee development:
leadership & management, supervisory skills, customer service, CPR
& first-aid, stress management, personal security, defensive driving,
writing, and public speaking.
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Commissioner Portune,
Secretary of State Blackwell and Party Leaders announce "Ohio Day of
Resolve" |
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| On Thursday October 11th,
Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune and Secretary of State Ken
Blackwell announced that Tuesday, November 6, 2001, will be
"Ohio Day of Resolve." Sounding the call to
"Reenlist in Community, Reenlist in America", Commissioner
Portune and Secretary of State Blackwell were joined by the Chairs
of Hamilton County's political parties in urging citizens throughout
the state not only to maximize voter participation on Election Day
(November 6th), but also to participate in other civic and
community activities. Portune and Blackwell stated in a letter to local
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| County Commissioner Todd Portune
and Secretary of State Blackwell announced the "Ohio Day of
Resolve". |
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leaders, "Our national vitality requires citizen
participation in all of our functions and forms of government. Citizens are the
lifeblood of America with the most basic element--voter participation--as its basic
building block." Leaders from all of Ohio's 88 counties are called to join in
this non-partisan effort. By working together, Commissioner Portune
and Secretary of State Blackwell state that citizens can "send a
signal that Democracy is alive and well in America." The group
organizing the state effort also hopes that other states and the federal
government will follow suit in making November 6, 2001 a "National
Day of Resolve."
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Hillcrest Training School: Facility of the Year |
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Of all the adult and juvenile facilities in the state of
Ohio, the American Correctional Association has selected Hillcrest
Training School for the Facility of the year. Hillcrest was presented with
the award
at the State Accreditation Manager's Association Conference in Akron, Ohio
on Wednesday October 10th. |
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Ball Park Project continues to be on
track |
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The
project team for the Great American Ball Park reported to County Commissioners
on Wednesday that the project continues to be on time and within budget.
Providing the
Board of County Commissioners with a monthly status report, the
project team stated
that the Ball Park cost is in line with budget and the significant
progress has been made in terms of project schedule.
Opening Day 2003 is just 536 days away! |
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| The project team
also reported continued progress in terms of small business participation. To
date, the committed small business participation for the Ball Park and
related projects is 26.6% with 12.3% minority business participation and
3.9% woman-owned business participation. On the
neighboring parking and infrastructure projects small business
participation has been remarkable with 56.5% of contract dollars
awarded going to small businesses and 17% minority business
participation and 4.8% woman-owned business participation. The
numbers for both projects compare very favorably to other large
scale public projects in the region. |
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Citizens can check the progress of Great American
Ball Park by clicking onto the County's Home Page (www.Hamilton-Co.org).
Digital photos of the Ball Park site are updated each hour, giving
citizens a "real time" view of the construction project.
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The severe rains of July 17-18, 2001 completely
disabled the Sycamore Creek Wastewater Plant. Raw sewage pumps and
blowers were flooded, the main power breakers were flooded. The
administration laboratory flooded along with all plant records and
computer systems. The district also lost four vehicles that could
not be moved before being swallowed by the flood.
Despite the extensive damage, the capable staff of MSD (Metropolitan
Sewer District) used temporary pumps to return the primary classifiers to
service. Considering possible health impacts these same
professionals kept a close watch on the quality of the water flow.
By the following Wednesday (July 25) all treatment units were on line and
plant performance had improved significantly.
In response to the professionalism and quick response of MSD during
these occurrences , Ohio EPA director Christopher Jones says "the
incredible effort and rapid turn-around in returning this plant to
service. I believe this speaks very highly of the capabilities and
dedication of the people working for MSD and for the citizens of Hamilton
County. Please express my compliments and appreciation to them for a
job well done." |
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Citizens urged to participate
in Community Compass Plan |
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| Community COMPASS (Comprehensive Master Plan and
Strategies) will be the first comprehensive plan to be developed for Hamilton
County in more than 36 years. The Compass Plan will draw extensively on the ideas of
residents through a series of Community Forums, and will culminate in a
Countywide Town Meeting on January 12, 2002.
“Community
COMPASS will help provide a clear, long-term direction to the
county,” said Commission President John Dowlin. “Importantly, it
will be a direction shaped by the will, the ideas and the vision of
the people who live and work in Hamilton County.”
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| "This type of planning and cooperation is long
overdue," Commissioner Todd Portune said. "With the issue of
people and jobs leaving Hamilton County one of our primary challenges,
developing a coordinated plan that represents and respects the interests
of all 49 jurisdictions in the county will offer us great promise in
responsibly reversing those trends."
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Scenes from this week's first
Community Compass Forum held at Paul Brown Stadium which focused on the views of Hamilton
County youth.
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"Community COMPASS provides an outlet for each
individual voice," Commissioner Tom Neyer said. "The Community
Forums are an open invitation for individual residents to have an impact
in the future of Hamilton County."
A
1,000-member Countywide Town Meeting, planned for January 12 at Music
Hall, will analyze and prioritize the ideas gathered in the Community
Forums.
“We
encourage the community to be a part of this unique and engaging
process,” said Ron Miller, director of the Hamilton County Regional
Planning Commission, the group spearheading the project.
“Community COMPASS truly opens the door for each of us to chart
our future. It is an opportunity not to be missed.”
For more information please call the Community Compass
hotline at 946-4457 or log on to the web site at www.communitycompass.org
The schedule for the remaining Community Forums is: |
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 | 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at William Henry
Harrison High School Auditorium, 9860 West Road, Harrison |
| 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at Taft High
School, 420 Ezzard Charles Avenue, Cincinnati |
| 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, at Carson School,
4323 Glenway Avenue, Cincinnati |
| 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, at Woodward High
School Auditorium, 7001 Reading Road, Cincinnati |
| 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, at Sycamore High
School Auditorium, 7400 Cornell Road, Montgomery |
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| 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Mariemont
High School Auditorium, 3812 Pocahantas Ave., Mariemont |
| 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Withrow High
School Auditorium, 2488 Madison Road, Cincinnati |
| 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18 at Oak Hills High
School, 3200 Ebeneezer Road, Bridgetown |
| 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at Aiken High
School Auditorium, 5641 Belmont Ave., College Hill |
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Commissioner Dowlin receives Ambassador of the Year Award |
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| The Central Clinic has awarded
Commissioner John Dowlin as the Ambassador of the Year.
The award honors the person who best promotes the mental health
cause. Included in the list of awards John Dowlin has received is
the Center of Chemical Addictions Treatment Kindred Spirit
Award.
Commissioner Dowlin was instrumental in putting the Drug Court in motion and is
now actively trying to implement a court to handle mental health
issues.
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Commissioner John Dowlin
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| Make a Difference!
Give to the United Way |
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Hamilton county is proud to support our
community. Employees now have the chance to support the
community by giving to the United Way campaign. This is an
opportunity to make our community better and change thousands of
lives right here in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
When you give to United Way your one donation will support
results-producing programs at more than 160 agencies and
initiatives. |
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Just one gift will help children thrive, make our
neighborhoods and communities vibrant places and ensure that people of all
ages are healthy and self-sufficient. You have the chance to change
a life forever. It may be the life of a friend, family member,
neighbor or co-worker. One gift will help one in three people in our
community. Your gift to United Way is a personal and life-changing
decision.
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MSD Hosts Successful Deep Tunnel Symposium
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| The MSD (Metropolitan Sewer District) Deep Tunnel Symposium was a coming together of
professionals, educators and community leaders from around the
country to share experiences and ideas in the realm of deep storage
and transport tunnels. The Symposium was a learning experience for
speakers as well as participants. Most Symposium speakers had never
met and appreciated the opportunity to finally meet and share
information face to face. John Stanton of the US Army Corps of
Engineers (CORPS) Geology Section shared information on the Corps
involvement in Rock Tunnels from the planning through completion
phase. John Paul Velon of Chicago presented information on Chicago’s
Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP). TARP is the first project of its
type for CSO management using tunneling for urban areas. Thomas
Peyton of Boston Massachusetts presented information on the
MetroWest Water Supply Tunnel. The MetroWest Water Supply Tunnel is
almost 18 miles and some areas are 250 to 400 feet below ground in
solid rock. Tunnel speakers offered a wide array of topics, which
included personal experience from various municipalities, computer
models, funding, design, construction, operation and maintenance,
permitting and tunnel boring machines. |
| MSD environmental professionals
now have a better understanding of what a Deep Tunnel System will bring to
the Greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio area. Environmental
professionals learned that tunneling is not a new concept. Tunnels are
being used in the local cities of Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo, Ohio.
Other cities such as Chicago, Portland, Milwaukee, Rochester, and Toronto
have had tunnels for many years. "I am glad to see the many components of
the Deep Tunnel Project come together, the revelations from other communities
were great!" stated Ron Jordan, an MSD
Civil Engineer. |
Col. Robert Slockbower from
the Army Corps of Engineers spoke at the Deep Tunnel Symposium |
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A tunnel for the Mill Creek Valley is preliminarily estimated to
be 300 feet deep, 18 miles long, would be used for storage and
conveyance and would run parallel to the Mill Creek. This storage
and conveyance tunnel would increase water quality and reduce floods
such as those that occurred in Cincinnati in July of this year.
Plans for a tunnel in the Greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County
area have not been set. MSD and The Corps of Engineers are still in
the study phase of this project.
County Administrator David Krings and COL Robert E. Slockbower,
of the Army Corps of Engineers commended MSD for having the vision
to bring together so many sources of experience and expertise.
Patrick Karney, MSD Director states, "This project is a
monumental undertaking, which will require our continued search for
information and knowledge. In order to ensure continued education,
MSD will keep the lines of communication open between us."
The Symposium was so successful that it generated a $10,500.00
University of Cincinnati College of Engineering Scholarship. This
scholarship will be awarded to engineering students based on merit
and need.
For more information contact: Maria Turner 513-557-7137 or: maria.turner@rcc.org.
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Don't forget to
post Hello, Hamilton County so that everyone can see what's
going on! |
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Have a Great Week!
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Hello, Hamilton County
is published twice each month. It is placed on both the County's
internal and external Web pages. It is design to enlighten and
inform both citizens and employees of Hamilton County. If you have
questions or suggestions for future editions, contact Erica Binford
(946-4324), Sharon Booker (946-4428) or Eric Stuckey (946-4432) in the County Administrator's Office
or e-mail to eric.stuckey@hamilton-co.org. |
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