Feature 1: Track Your Road Warriors During Leaf, Snow Seasons
Piles of leaves raked over a weekend or a day of heavy snow prompt the Public Service Department “Road Warriors” to begin speedy, efficient service to collect or treat roads. This year, you can track their progress on the new interactive Westerville Road Warrior online portal.
During annual leaf collection and snow events, the portal allows residents to see which streets were treated during specific increments of time, in addition to selecting specific roads for more detailed data. The web-based mapping system is powered by tracking equipment attached to City snow plows and leaf trucks that relay data to the online system, creating a streamlined flow of communication to the public.
“Our team is on-the-go during leaf and snow seasons. This tool allows us to keep residents informed about our progress efficiently,” says Kevin Weaver, Westerville’s Director of Public Service.
The portal is intended to update the public on the status of City leaf and snow collection services. School delays and cancelations are issued by the Westerville City School District and snow emergencies are declared by county Sheriff Offices.
Explore the portal on the City’s website at www.westerville.org/roadwarriors.
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City Fleet Now Features Two Zero-Emission Vehicles
By now you may have seen the CIty's newest fleet additions driving around Westerville including two new all-electric, zero-emission 2018 Nissan Leafs.
The cars are used by Westerville Electric and Planning & Development staff who frequently travel short distances around the City.
Westerville took advantage of low unit pricing secured through the City of Columbus fleet bib to purchase the vehicles and will receive a $3,000 rebate for each Leaf.
Learn more at www.westerville.org.
Feature 2: Military Banner Program to Honor Active Duty, Veterans
The City has launched a Military Banner program to recognize the sons and daughters of Westerville who are currently serving or hold Veteran status from a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard). The program will feature the individual’s military photo in full-color, double-sided on light poles in Uptown Westerville along State Street, between Home and Walnut Streets.
Applicants may purchase the banner for $130; reservations for space are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Monday, Jan. 7-Friday, March 1. Because of the projected popularity for this program and limited number of poles, applicants will be added to a waitlist for the next year, if applicable. Part of the banner proceeds will support the Westerville Parks Foundation.
Two distinctive flags will be featured for members of the military holding active duty (top) and veteran (bottom) status.
Applicants must provide a high-resolution digital image or scan of their military member photo(s). High-resolution means it is at least 300 dots-per-inch (DPI) ensuring the photos contain enough detail for print quality purposes.
Banners will be displayed during the month of May and again in November to coincide with Veterans’ Day. After a banner is posted for the two-month terms, it will be returned to the individual(s) who purchased it the first week of December 2019. The applicant must be an immediate family member (spouse, parent, sibling, grandchild or legal guardian) of the service member.
Find more information about this program at www.westerville.org.
Holiday light recycling begins on Monday, Nov. 19
Feature 3: Let Electric Division Recycle Your Holiday Lights, Bulbs and Batteries
What do old holiday lights, light bulbs and batteries have in common? They take up a lot of space, collect dust and can be responsibly disposed of at the Westerville Electric Division (WED), 139 E. Broadway Ave.
HOLIDAY LIGHTS
Beginning Monday, Nov. 19, WED will accept strands of lights to recycle in exchange for a LED light bulb (limit three bulbs per household; there is no limit to the number of strands that will be accepted.) Participants must bring their lights to the Electric Division, 139 E. Broadway Ave., Monday-Friday between the hours of 8 a.m.-4 p.m. to receive new LED bulbs. Individuals not interested in an exchange can drop off strands in the marked bins in front of the facility anytime.
LIGHT BULBS
Have light bulbs you need to toss? Your Westerville Electric Division will take care of those too. Bring them to 139 E. Broadway Ave. anytime and place them in the marked receptacle. WED will ensure they are safely recycled.
BATTERIES
Disposing of batteries with your regular trash can be dangerous, leading to fires and harmful conditions for refuse workers. To help eliminate this issue, WED has placed marked collection receptacles inside and outside of their facility, at 139 E. Broadway Ave., throughout the year. Accepted batteries include: lithium (rechargeable), lead acid wet cell (vehicles) and typical household (AA, AAA, C, D, etc.). Please be sure to sort your batteries by type before you bring them in!
Find more information about Westerville Electric Division programs at www.westerville.org/electric.
Public Safety Profile: Westerville Communications Division Pays Kindness Forward In Buckets
This "happy bucket" was delivered t comfort the Mentor Police Department Communications Bureau after the death of Officer Mathew Mazany.
When Westerville Division of Police (WPD) Officers Anthony “Tony” Morelli and Eric Joering were killed in the line of duty on Feb. 10, condolences and support for the City’s police officers, firefighters and communications technicians poured in from agencies nationwide.
“The support was overwhelming, comforting and humbling. The number of other communications centers that sent notes of support and understanding because they had also suffered the same tragedy was unbelievable,” says Westerville Communications Technician Tara Kelly.
Among the thousands of gifts that arrived was a simple “Happy Bucket” from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) full of treats. According to a letter that accompanied the parcel, LVMPD received their Happy Bucket after the death of Officer Charles Hartfield, who died protecting his wife and others during the October 2017 mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival.
“The letter explained the purpose of the Happy Bucket, the other departments that have also paid it forward and how we had become part of an unfortunate group that experienced a tragic loss,” Kelly says. “We were inspired to continue the tradition to honor the memory of Eric and Tony.”
Spearheaded by Kelly, Westerville’s emergency dispatch communicators have since sent three buckets to departments that have experienced tragedy. The team fills the buckets with items that comforted them in February. Kelly says it’s an act of love, dispatcher to dispatcher. It is a way to acknowledge the pain felt by the “unseen first responders.”
“When another department suffers a tragic loss like we did in February, we feel that loss,” Kelly says. “We want to reach out in support.”
When possible, Kelly says members from her team will personally deliver the buckets to grieving communications divisions. Most recently they hand delivered a bucket to Mentor, where Officer Mathew Mazany was killed by a hit-skip driver. The small gesture made a big impact.
In a note, one Mentor dispatcher expressed thanks, saying, “This past week has been a nightmare for all of us, but I came into work today and saw a beautiful basket full of so much good stuff. You have no idea how much it means to all of us here. No matter where we are located or whether we are cops, firemen, paramedics (or) dispatchers, we all feel the loss and lean on each other. Thank you Westerville Dispatchers!” Westerville’s public safety communicators know all too well how true that is.
Learn more about the Westerville Communications Division at www.westerville.org/police.
Staff Profile: Westerville’s Communications Manager Puts People First with Local, International Leadership
Jeff Callen
Holly Wayt accepts her appointment as President of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) at the organization's annual conference.
Holly Wayt’s 27-year career in the public safety communications field has been centered on one thing: helping people. She began her work in December 1991 as a Westerville Communications Technician and has managed the Westerville Communications Division since 1995. Her team of public safety communications technicians operates 24-hours a day and responds to more than 70,000 calls for emergency services a year. This summer, Holly was named the President of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International, the oldest and largest organization of its kind. When she’s not on the job, Holly enjoys spending time on her 26-acre farm in Mt. Gilead with her husband, children and grandchildren.
Congratulations on your new role as President of APCO. Describe your experience with the organization.
I’ve been with APCO since 1995 and it has honestly been the best networking and educational experience that I’ve had in my career. The benefits of meeting the people I’ve been able to meet and the opportunity to be involved in the decision making about public safety communications on the local, state and federal levels are innumerable. It has allowed me to be a lot more knowledgeable and, I think, provide better service.
Why did you want to get into this line of work?
I earned my bachelor’s degree in social work from The Ohio State University because I wanted to help people. I saw an opening for a dispatcher position for the City and thought, ‘that could be fun’ and found I loved it. The bug got me and I just never left. It’s one of those things that you get into and think, ‘Wow, maybe this is my passion.’
How has your involvement with APCO impacted your work in Westerville?
The number of people I’ve been able to learn from and the number of mentors I’ve had over the years have shaped me into the manager I am today. I think your best education comes from learning from others. I’ve been blessed that the City has supported me to do the things I have with APCO. All of my staff are involved with APCO.
How has the nature of the public safety telecommunications field changed since your career began?
It has changed 180 degrees. When I first started, we did everything with paper and pen. The 9-1-1 phone was a red rotary phone that sat on a ledge. Now, everything is automated.
Explain the nature of the work of a Communications Technician.
They’re answering calls at the worst moments for folks and trying to make their day better. I always refer to the saying on our wall, ‘To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world,’ and they see it every day. Some days it can be a true mental strain.
How does the team support each other through tough calls?
They’re the best support for each other. I’m very lucky to have some long-term employees; our turnover ratio is very low. They’ve become a family and can be very protective of each other. That’s why my first priority will always be the human factor of the equation. You can give teams all the technology in the world, but if you’re not taking care of what’s inside, everything else will fall apart.
Economic Development Profile: “Unprecedented” Partnership Brings Innovative Fintech Program to Westerville
Through this partnership, teams of JPMorgan Chase experts and Otterbein students will utilize The Point’s robust resources, including robotics through the systems engineering automation lab, software development, testing and support, design, user interface and more. The company plans to open three on-site innovation spaces at the facility.
JPMorgan Chase is the largest employer in Westerville and one of the largest private employers in the Columbus region. In addition to creating experiential learning opportunities for students, the program is expected to create 75-100 full-time jobs.
According to Westerville City Manager David Collinsworth, it was the City’s intention to redefine how cities, business and higher education entities collaborate.
“The City of Westerville has charted a course for Economic Development to attract both business and talent for jobs now and in the future,” Collinsworth says. “JPMorgan Chase and other partners in this initiative offer assets that will further position Westerville and the Columbus region as an attractive destination to build and grow their lines of business.”
The fintech innovation spaces will be assisted by a $2.9 million JobsOhio R&D Center Grant, which facilitates the creation of corporate R&D centers in Ohio to support the development and commercialization of emerging technologies and products.
For more information about this innovative collaboration, visit business.westerville.org.This Day in HistoryVisual: Thanksgiving Poster from 1918Caption: Americans were encouraged to ration food, even during the holidays, during war time.
From left, Valentina Isakina, Managing Director of JobsOhio; John Comerford, President of Otterbein University; Corrine Burger, Managing Director of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and David Collinsworth, City Manager of the City of Westerville.
Americans were encouraged to ration food, even during the holidays, during war time.
This Day in History: Otterbein Commissary Keeps “Soldier Boys” Well-Fed
Many Westerville families are preparing for holiday feasts with loved ones, much like the neighbors of “yesteryear.” One hundred years ago, the Westerville Public Opinion reported that the commissary at Otterbein University, then Otterbein College, fed the student army training corps with a hearty Thanksgiving meal. By most accounts, it was a jubilant time in America as the World War I was drawing to an end. The meal was said to be their first and “probably their last Thanksgiving dinner as soldier boys and it was a dandy.” According to the publication, the menu included 15 turkeys, 70 lbs. of plum pudding and more.
This and hundreds of other fascinating facts, materials and artifacts are on display at the Westerville Public Library’s Local History Center. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Sunday. Visit www.westervillelibrary/antisaloon to learn more.
