City of Athens, Ohio Mayors Press Conference 2021, 13 Jan 2021

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From YouTube: Mayor's Weekly Update - January 13, 2021

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Mayor's Weekly Update - January 13, 2021

A

Honey, uh but it's still cold uh kyle. um Is this gonna hold on for a while or are we gonna start going in a different direction? What's the what's the seven day outlook.

B

So today we'll look for partly cloudy high of 45 tonight's cloudy 12 29 thursday, partly cloudy high 45 thursday night, mostly cloudy a shower of rain or wet snow possible. Late, low 34, friday showers, high 41 friday nights, mostly cloudy low 28., a few flurries for snow showers, possible saturday, snow showers, time, 36, snow, accumulations, west of one inch saturday nights mostly cloudy well 29 sunday, cloudy a few flurry for snow showers, possible high of 34.

B

sunday night snow showers, low 27, snow accumulations less than one inch marching for king day, high of 33 overcast, a few flurries or snow showers possible monday nights, probably cloudy low 25 next tuesday, probably cloudy to mostly cloudy high of 42 next tuesday night snow showers, late low 30, chance of snow 30 percent next wednesday morning, snow showers, high of 40.

B

and next wednesday night rain, snow showers below 31, with a 40 chance of precipitation.

A

Kyle I've been attending the uh the mlk brunch uh silent march and brunch for several years, and, and uh it is so typical that it's cold, I I noticed from your seven-day outlook that it's going to be cold that day as well, which it just it it always seems to be the case. But then again it's it's also january um kyle um updates in the world of 19.

B

So in the state of ohio, there are now nearly 800 thousand cases of coven 19 and over 10 thousand dead in the state of ohio, and now there is now the the united kingdom variant has been spotted in columbus this morning at around 9 15 a.m, which means now 13 united states has it global cases are now almost 100 million cases and almost 2.1 million dead, and now there's now a south african variant. That's going around as well, and the vaccines are wrapping up this beginning.

B

As this weekend and starting january 20th, 100 million vaccines will begin delivering every day in the states.

A

And I just received the update from the athens city county health department, the director of community health and engagement, ruth dutting, and it looks like we have 3505 confirmed and probable coveted 19 cases in athens county.

A

Currently, there are 535 known, active cases, 2961 recovered cases here in athens, county and nine total coveted 19 related fatalities.

A

Kyle, I don't know how busy you were on monday evening. I don't know if you sat and watched the national championship or not.

A

I know I watched it up to as far as I possibly could and then it looked like the university of alabama ran away with the national title and uh but I don't know if you were watching. I know that you're you're more keen on ou sports, but you know if you had a chance.

B

Let's try watching the game monday as well a little bit.

A

Yeah as much as you could bear right, yeah any updates on ohio university athletics things that people can uh be paying attention to in the near future.

B

So tonight the woman's are home against ball state tip off, except for 6 p.m. On espn, plus mans are back home on saturday at 2 p.m. Against kent state volleyball begins next friday to be announced manchester back home next friday at 7 p.m, against ball, state at 7 p.m, on cbs sports network and then all you soccer begins march 4th field hockey begins march and in the gopro head skating season, as of right now should be beginning on june 10th, right, like 12 hours later after the annual ring of fire soar, eclipse.

A

Oh, that's right! That's right! I've been watching your post kyle on all things solar eclipse, um but I should remind people when it comes to athletics, ou, athletics, that correct me. If I'm wrong, kyle, that the convo is not open to general admissions for people to come in and watch basketball or volleyball. Is that correct.

B

That's it right now until further notice, right.

A

Well, kyle, thank you as usual, um it's great always having you on. I know that you're always ready and I always enjoy looking at uh the kyle johansson cut out behind you in the uh and they're, not the nosebleed seats either kyle are they um they're great seats? They are good seats.

B

Thanks kyle, you too have a great weekend. You too.

A

um Some updates from engineering and public works and you're going to hear a lot of this as we're talking about the stimson avenue project.

A

For the week of january 11th update the contractor is going to continue working on the installation of the new sanitary sewer line between grant and palmer street aep will have a subcontractor out there, working on stimson as well. uh They are spot checking all the existing utility depths uh in preparing for the relocation of existing underground lines.

A

uh So keep that in mind uh it's gonna be busy, as I mentioned before. The the phase plan is that westbound traffic on stimson avenue will always be maintained. There will be detours for eastbound, though uh directing traffic to east state street to get around that project, and the project will run through october.

A

This is replacing a roadway that was installed back in the early 70s and has lived its useful life and needs to be replaced so uh more to come for sure. With my my updates on that particular project here in the city of athens christmas tree pick up.

A

This is a reminder if you've got a tree to be disposed of, um make sure that you are reaching out to engineering and public works at 592-3343 and schedule a time to have your tree picked up to where, if you would pull it out to your curb uh in front of your home, the city will come by and pick that up, and that is free of charge.

A

Arts, perks and recreation has several things going on, uh don't forget to take advantage of the new year with the um new you membership deal. This is a deal where you can get three months: membership for 65 dollars, it's a savings of 25 for that three month, membership, it's for a limited time uh and it will only last until january, 30th, so hurry on down there and get uh substantial savings on your membership.

A

The other thing that's uh wanting to mention. I just heard this on npr that it's being pushed out on at least woub, I should say- and that is the athens city commission on disabilities- is calling all artists to to.

A

Come up with a new athena award, the original athena award only six awards were made. They were made out of hand-blown glass and hand-turned wood. They were beautiful awards. uh The last one was just issued to the most recent recipient that that recipient was penny. Mitchell of passion works, studio.

A

And so the commission on disabilities is looking for people artists to uh apply for this. um The process is not that difficult. um If you want more details, you can reach out to commission disability disabilities, commission at ci, dot athens.oh.u.s again, that is disabilities, commission at ci, dot, athens.oh.u.s and reach out and get more information on it. They will be issuing a stipend of eighteen hundred dollars for the design of new awards, a new athena award.

A

This is important and that is that the athens city county health department just announced that uh they have a schedule that someone can click on. If you go to the athens city county health department, you will easily find it individuals, age, 65, plus, and individuals with congenital disabilities are eligible to get the covet 19 vaccine again. This is individuals, age, 65 and older and individuals with conjunct congenital disabilities can receive the covenant vaccine.

A

They need to fill out a form, and that is the the form is a link on the athens city county health department's website. So please go and check it out um and download that form so that you too can get vaccinated.

A

It is so vitally important for us to continue to to get vaccinated when the vaccine is available, as well as wearing your face, covering social distancing, washing of hands shopping at non-congested times at grocery stores or places where you have other needs retail wise. So please check that out.

A

You can also go online to.

A

Www.Athenspublichealth.Org to get more info or you can call 592-4431 at the health department to get more information on that. We've got a few upcoming upcoming meetings. One is tonight and it is the athens municipal arts commission will be having its monthly meeting. That commission will be meeting at 5 30 p.m. Encouraging people to uh attend that meeting.

A

The other is the shade tree commissions shade tree commission is meeting tomorrow tomorrow at 7 00 pm to discuss agenda items that they have before them. I should mention city council city council will not be meeting this monday since monday is martin luther king day, city council will convene at 7 00 pm on tuesday. So keep that in mind as well.

A

The other things that I wanted to share real quick are that.

A

There is a program out there called the uh ohio imagination library. It is uh a in partnership with the dolly parton imagination library. This is an interesting program to where the imagination library is set up to provide a one book a month for children ages zero to five up to the age of five. This is a great program nick tepe at the athens public library. The athens county library system uh has been involved in this uh as a great partner.

A

I'm on the the board, the steering committee for the imagination, library, governor dewine and first lady fran dewine. This is a a important program for them. The governor has allocated basically a match for the uh this pro this program and I want to make sure that's getting out there. If anyone wants more information on the imagination library, please go to the public libraries website.

A

You can find more information there, some of the areas in the county that we are hoping to get the numbers up in terms of parents, families registering who do have children that are between zero and five to be involved in this are basically in the federal hocking school district area.

A

uh In the ames byrne, township area, we are wanting to make sure that we are really getting this word out to where there is this program again, a great program just think about it, getting in the hands of your children a book each month, one book a month for all your children um who are between those ages and reading to them to where they start to learn and love, to read a very important program, so again the imagination library.

A

Finally, I was just given notice yesterday. I believe it was that the national league of cities has appointed me to the information technology and communications committee, which I'm really excited to be a part of given. We do have significant challenges throughout our county, really throughout our region when it comes to broadband and broadband access and not just access access to stable, reliable broadband.

A

So that's one of the things that I'm certainly going to bring to the fore with the national league of cities that there is a true need. You know in a lot of a lot of locations throughout our county. We have broadband deserts to where there there is no broadband access. There is no last mile to where the broadband uh fiber getting to the homes um or just broadband to the home, so it's quite the honor to serve on this committee.

A

Again, I was just notified, so um if people uh want or have issues related to broadband, that you'd like me to take this to the national level of advocating for broadband here in our region, please reach out to me. You can always reach out to me at s patterson at ci.athens.oh.us, or you can call my office, which is 592-3338, and let me know what you're thinking one last thing um we are planning to have a state of the city event. uh It will be virtual.

A

The government channel will be handling that um at this point it is 5 30 to about 6 45 on the 25th of january.

A

So, coming up soon in a couple weeks to where my department, heads and myself will be talking about successes as challenging as it was in 2020, but also looking at what you can expect this year in 2020, as we roll forward with again a full plate of projects, as well as a lot of programming and rethinking the way in which we do things as we move forward in the city granted that we still are living under a pandemic still living under significantly challenging times.

A

But we will get through this together and we want to make sure that we're getting good products, good programs, um good opportunities for all of our citizens as we move forward and doing it in a socially responsible way. um Thanks for tuning in and please.