Kent Police Public Discussion for July...

Below is the information that our Police Department has sent out to the media in preparation for the July 13th open public meeting between interested residents and staff members from the Kent Police Department.  The topic is a timely one:  door-to-door solicitors.  There seems to be a lot of confusion and frankly frustration from residents over the modern version of the old traveling encyclopedia salesman. 

The question we get a lot is — are these sales people legit?  Does the City regulate their activity?  Do they need to show a permit?  Is it even safe to answer the door?  These are all great questions and they will be the main focus of the public meeting which like the previous month is scheduled to begin at 7 pm at the Kent Police Training room.   

Kent Health Department...

I got word last week that the Kent Health Department was part of a team that received a Healthy Community Services Award for their effort to help the residents in our community stay out in front of the H1N1 pandemic and stay healthy.  The H1N1 virus doesn’t care about political boundaries and I’m pleased to report that neither did our local health agencies (Kent Health Department, Ravenna Health Department and the Portage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management) all of whom partnered together to manage H1N1 information distribution, medical supplies, and medical response in a unified and coordinated strategy that made public health the top priority. 

The Kent Health Department is affiliated with the City of Kent, meaning we share office space and many administrative functions, but it’s less an official agency of the City than it is an extension of a state agency since it is funded through a combination of state aid and fees for services, and most of its authority relates to the protection and enforcement of state codes.  The Health Commissioner works at city hall so the natural assumption is that he’s another department head like the Police Chief or Fire Chief but that’s not actually true.  While the City department heads report to the City Manager, the Health Commissioner reports to the members of his Health Board in the same way that I report to the City Council.  Our missions are tied together but the administration of Health Department programs is actually fairly autonomous. 

The Department of Public health states its mission as the control and prevention of diseases that they accomplish through a variety of programs, all of which aim to promote a better quality of life for all citizens.   Here’s a look at the Health Department functions:

The City of Kent Health Department provides numerous public health-related services to the citizens of Kent.  These services include annual licensing and inspection of restaurants, vending machines, public swimming pools, sanitation vehicles and multiple use housing.  The Health Department is also responsible for vital statistics, providing medical assistance to indigent Kent residents, sponsoring a monthly immunization program, and administering the City’s mosquito control program.  The Health Department contracts with Robinson Memorial Visiting Nurses for the provision of nursing services and clinics, and with Townhall II for the provision of acute medical services.  The department responds to citizen complaints concerning threats to public health, e.g., noise, noxious odor, rats, etc.  The department also manages the pretreatment of industrial wastes prior to processing at the City’s water reclamation facility.   

In total, the Kent Health Services budget is $900,000 a year.  Roughly 70% of that is related to the personnel that provide public health services in our community.   

______________________________ 

(press release on Kent Healthy Community Service Award)

MHRB awards recognize community service

Nearly 100 friends of the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County were on hand for the county organization’s annual event at The Tannery in downtown Kent during national Mental Health Month.  Board Chairman Ron Heineking of Kent and Executive Director Hal Farrier were in charge of the program and giving out awards to 11 individuals and four organizations.

The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the Portage County 2010 Crisis Intervention Team Officer of the Year. This year’s recipient is Officer Jeff Futo of Kent State University Police Services. He was introduced by Dean Tondiglia, associate director of Public Safety for KSU.  The honor is given annually by the Mental Health & Recovery Board and the Portage County Police Chiefs’ Association. It recognizes the outstanding work of an officer who has been trained in the national Crisis Intervention Team program and is using those skills on the job. CIT provides officers and other law enforcement professionals with education and hands-on training to deal effectively with persons in crisis situations, especially if those individuals have mental illness.

In its fourth year, more than 180 Portage County professionals from police agencies, the courts, corrections, hospital and human service agencies have completed the week-long course. The program is coordinated by the Mental Health Recovery Board of Portage County with the assistance of the Portage County Sheriff’s Office. CIT is offered through the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a national organization of persons with mental illness, family members and advocates who work to improve the lives of those with mental illness.

The Mental Health & Recovery Board also awarded the first Chairman’s Distinguished Service Award to Melissa Millis of Ravenna for her volunteer work with consumers. Major Dennis Missimi of the Portage County Sheriff’s Office was awarded the CIT Founder’s Award for establishing and expanding the CIT program in Portage County. 

Healthy Communities Service Recognition honors went to the Portage County Health Department, the Ravenna City Health Department, Kent City Health Department and the Portage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for their roles in fighting the H1N1 pandemic.

The event also celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the Family-to-Family Education Program which provides a free education course and support to families and loved ones of children and adults with mental illness. Mary Ann Doerzbacher of Aurora, who served on the MRHB, worked with the board and local NAMI chapter to start the program. She was honored at the reception along with other instructors, Joe Vero of Aurora, Tracy Stamm of Mantua and Terri McGuckin of Kent.

Fireworks This Fourth of July...

I know, nothing says summer like fireworks — but please don’t try them at home, leave fireworks to the professionals.  Sure, what’s a couple of sparklers, but it starts with a few sparklers and the next thing you know you’re launching bottle-rockets and M-80’s before you realize you’re way out of your league and breaking the law.  If you need your fireworks fix, spend the day (July 3rd) at Kent’s Heritage Fest and come nightfall sit back and relax under the stars to watch the annual Jeff Graham Memorial Fireworks. 

When you make a choice to live in city, with neighbors in close proximity, you have to be willing to make some accomodations for the good of the whole — which on July 4th means foregoing your desire to re-enact the sites and sounds of a civil war battlefield using some fireworks you bought at a roadside stand.  I realize that sounds almost anti-American, as we feel like we have the right to life, liberty and launching fireworks to celebrate our Independence Day, but work with us here and put down the smoke bombs. 

Here’s some of the facts behind the use of fireworks in the City of Kent:

Summer Lov’n In Downtown Kent...

I received a note from the good folks at Standing Rock Gallery announcing the first outoor movie of the summer season:  Grease.  It turns out that John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John’s Grease will be making its giant inflatable screen debut on June 25th at the Home Savings Bank Plaza – probably around dusk (which tends to be 8:30 or so).  But come early, stake your claim on the best lawn seat in the house and enjoy an early evening stroll through downtown Kent. 

The summer season outdoor movie schedule is as follows:

JUNE 25th, 2010 Grease 

-corner of Main and Water Streets in Downtown Kent -bring a blanket or a lawn chair

CONTACT: 330-673-4970

Cost: Free

2 Quick Bridge Notes...

City of Kent CDBG 5 Year Plan...

Some of my best friends in city government have been planners, but despite that, I’ve always felt that as a group city planners were a hazard to themselves.  Not because they’re bad people but because they’ve built a world of acronyms that only they can understand so the average Joe and Jane can’t relate — and more importantly appreciate — all the good things that the planners do.  Try sitting through most planning meetings and tell me I’m wrong.  Not likely. 

Which is too bad because city planners do a lot of great work that is very meaningful in our community but they’re cursed with aconymitus.  The truth is it’s not really their fault — they’re just using the language of the state and federal agencies that send money their way.  Who’s going to argue with the hand that feeds you so the fed-speak gets passed from generation to generation until only those inside can understand it.  For most of us it’s like Latin, we can see the relevance but we can’t speak it. 

The good news is that the City has a great translator in Bridget Susel.  She can drop acronym-bombs with the best of them but she is also well versed in language of non-planners and she is one of the best planners that I’ve had a chance to work with when it comes to interpreting fed-speak into what we speak.  She’s just completed the 5 Year Plan update for the City’s CDBG programs (that’s Community Development Block Grant for you and me) and she and I thought we’d share a few pieces of it for those that have wondered what all that CDBG stuff was about. 

The City of Kent doesn’t actually get a lot of Federal CDBG funds — around $325,000 a year — so it doesn’t go that far, but Bridget works hard to make sure whatever we get has a real impact in the areas of low income housing assistance which is the heart and soul of CDBG. 

For the true adventurer’s you can download the full document here:  2010-2014 CDBG Strategic Plan

But for novice, I’d recommend a quick read of the executive summary (below):

City Firefighter/Paramedic Testing...

The City’s Civil Service Office has announced testing for an eligibility list for City firefighters/paramedics.  It’s a great profession so if you always wanted to be a firefighter when you grow up, now’s your chance.  Read on for all the details.

THE KENT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION ANNOUNCES A COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION FOR THE POSITION OF FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC

           Examination Date:     July 10, 2010 (Saturday)
           Examination Time      9:00 A.M.
           Location:        Lecture Room 133, Bowman Hall, Kent State University

            Starting Salary:          Effective 8/30/2010 – $17.66 per hour
                        (above rate based on 2600 total annual hours)

Examination will be used to establish an eligibility list for future Firefighter/Paramedic positions with the City of Kent.

 Copies of Proof of Possession of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certification required at time of Application and must be submitted with the Civil Service Application.          

Proof of Possession of Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P)

Certification required at Time of Appointment.  And, if the Applicant possesses EMT-P Certificate at time of application, a copy of such certificate must be submitted with the Civil Service Application.  

 An Application Fee of  $10.00 must be submitted at time of Application.  Personal Checks, Cash, and Money Orders to cover the Application Fee will be accepted.  Checks and Money Orders should be made payable to the “City of Kent.”

 Special Note: Employees of the Kent Fire Department shall be required to reside within Portage County, or any County adjacent to Portage County in the State of Ohio.

Application: Applications and Information may be obtained from the Kent Civil Service Commission located at 221 East Summit Street (corner of East Summit and South Depeyster Streets, next door to the Office of the Mayor, and directly across parking lot from Kent City Hall). 

Information and Applications are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Applications and Information also available on the City of Kent’s Web site – www.kentohio.org .  Civil Service Applications must be submitted to the Kent Civil Service Commission by 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 30, 2010.  Please note that in the event of tie scores on the examination, priority on the eligibility list shall be determined by the date and time the Civil Service Application was filed with the Commission.      

Responsibility: The Firefighter/Paramedic is responsible for the preservation of life and property through the use of fire suppression, emergency, medical, fire prevention, and specialized rescue techniques.  Work requires residence at station for twenty-four hours at a time.  Works with or without direct supervision of a Captain or Lieutenant.  Performs other job-related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications: High school graduate or possession of GED.  Possession of EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN–PARAMEDIC (EMT-P) CERTIFICATION or ability to obtain EMT-P Certification by time of appointment.  Must maintain Paramedic Certification as a condition of continued employment.  Minimum age to be appointed is twenty-one.  Must become State-Certified Firefighter by completion of the probationary period, which is one year after the date of hire.  Must be a licensed driver with a good driving record as evidenced by insurability as determined by the City of Kent’s motor vehicle insurance carrier; free from felonious driving record convictions or six-point BMV administrative actions within the past three years; and eligible to obtain Ohio Driver’s License within thirty days of appointment to the position.  Must be able to maintain a good driving record at all times.  Must be in good physical condition, free from fear of heights, water, and working in confined spaces; good medical condition; good vision including color perception; and good hearing.  Must possess good judgment, mechanical aptitude, math ability, and reading comprehension.  Ability to follow and carry out orders/instructions.  Ability to adapt previous knowledge to atypical situations.  Ability to work in dangerous conditions and in inclement weather while wearing uniform or protective equipment in excess of fifty pounds; ability to work twenty-four hour shifts; ability to communicate orally and in writing; ability to learn street routes and locations; ability to work in smoke-filled areas, climb ladders, and work in considerable heights and in unsafe structures; ability to drive and operate large apparatus; ability to work well with others and with the public.

Typical Tasks (Illustrative Only): As a member of a fire suppression team, responds to alarms or accidents by truck, engine, or rescue vehicles.  Forcible entry and/or ventilation may require the use of tools such as crow bars, sledge hammers, saws, torches, axes, hydraulic equipment, raising of ladders.  Entry may be made at ground level, from roofs, through windows, and/or from ladders or other means necessary to gain entry. Extinguishes fire by advancing charged hose line and/or other extinguishing agents from ground level, from ladders, platforms, other buildings, or any other source.  Operates or uses equipment and tools such as hammers, saws, sledge hammers, axes, generators, fans, cutting torches, picks, pry bars, coupling hoses, hose tips, ladders, air masks, two-way radios, pumps, pike poles, and ropes.  Performs salvage operations.  Duties may require the Firefighter/Paramedic to walk or crawl on weakened structures, beams, roof tops; and duties may also require other precarious and difficult situations.  Ventilates structures by chopping holes, breaking windows, or other forms of venting.  Performs salvage operations such as throwing salvage covers and removing charred materials, water, and debris.  May secure premises by boarding windows, doors, holes in roofs, and any other form of egress.  Is alert for arson conditions.  Operates  pumper and calculates pressure needed to supply water to nozzle tip.  Is exposed to dangerous heat, flame, toxic smoke, chemical gas, explosions, and other risks.  May work as a member of a hazardous material team in hazardous environments and/or in encapsulated suits.  Searches for and rescues trapped victims at accident or other emergency incidents by carrying them up or down ladders, carrying, dragging, or guiding through openings.  Administers emergency medical treatment and transports to hospital.  May be exposed to contagious disease(s).

Cleans and maintains apparatus, quarters, buildings, equipment, grounds, hydrants, and other relevant equipment.  Participates in training classes.  Performs building inspection and hydrant inspection. Participates in fitness activities.  May be involved in a variety of special rescue situations including water rescue, ice rescue, high angle rope rescue, confined space rescue, trench rescue requiring the use of ropes, boats, shovels, life vests, harnesses, webbing, air shores, saws, hammers, tape measures, or other specialized rescue equipment.  Gives public tours.  Teaches fire prevention classes to a variety of audiences.  Speaks to public groups.  Prepares reports.

Essential/Critical Job Functions: Responds to fire, emergency medical incidents, or other rescue incidents by driving or riding on fire engine, ladder truck, rescue truck, or other vehicles that are requested.  Forcibly enters structures by breaking windows, forcing doors using a variety of tools or other means necessary.  Rescues trapped or injured persons from vehicles or from burning or from smoke-filled buildings by carrying, dragging, or guiding victims as they leave the structures.  Provides emergency medical treatment to injured or by performing venipuncture, intubation, EKG interpretation; administers drugs using mathematical formulas or other treatment require by protocol.  Carries and/or lifts victims to medical unit, then transports them to hospital.  Carries fire hoses and heavy equipment such as fans, tools, ladders, extinguishers to and from roof tops, basements, up and down ladders and steps, through windows to reach fire scene.  Extinguishes fire by advancing charged hose lines, ventilating structure and/or applying other extinguishing agents from the ground ladders, roof tops, platforms, or other base of purchase.  Walks, climbs, and/or crawls on roof tops, beams, flooring in smoke-filled structure that may be unsafe in highly dangerous, stressful, and physically demanding conditions, while wearing uniform or protective equipment weighing more than fifty pounds.  Identifies odors, signs and sounds of danger, and colors of smoke.  Uses tools and equipment such as pumps, hammers, saws, sledge hammers, axes, generators, ropes, fans, cutting torches, wrenches, coupling picks, pry bars, air masks, two-way radios, hoses, and ladders.  Overhauls structures by removing debris, funneling water, or chopping holes in walls, floors, or other structural members to complete fire extinguishment.  Replaces equipment on vehicles after emergency incident by loading hose, cleaning or repairing equipment, fills air bottles, washes and dries vehicles.  Cleans and maintains apparatus, quarters, buildings, equipment, grounds, and hydrants.  Responds calmly and effectively with the public, doctors, nurses, police officers, and co-workers.  Prepares written reports and gives oral reports.  Ties knots to secure equipment, vehicles, or themselves in rescue situations.  Walks or crawls in confined spaces above or below ground in light or darkness.

Examination Process: All applicants must successfully complete (pass) the written examination to attain placement on the Firefighter/Paramedic eligibility list.  Ranking of candidates on the eligibility list shall be determined by their scores on the written examination, with the highest score, including any applicable credits, having the highest score.  In order to obtain any applicable, special examination credit as prescribed by the Kent Civil Service Commission, candidates shall be required to receive a passing grade on the written examination.  The available additional special credits are described in the “Information to Firefighter/Paramedic Applicants” information brochure which is available with the Kent Civil Service Application.  Please also note that in order to receive additional credit on the written examination, copies of all applicable supporting documents MUST BE  SUBMITTED WITH THE KENT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION APPLICATION.                    

Accommodation for Testing: Prior to the written examination, persons requesting an accommodation for testing must provide seventy-two hours’ written notice to the Kent Civil Service Commission in order to have the request considered.                                                                       

Special Notes: Admission Forms for the Firefighter/Paramedic Written Examination shall be mailed to all eligible applicants prior to the written examination date (July 10, 2010).  Eligible applicants who do not receive an Admission Form in the mail and who have an Application on file for the July 10, 2010 Firefighter/Paramedic Written Examination should appear at the examination site with valid identification and a duplicate Admission Form will be issued at the site. 

   ***   On Monday, June 21, 2010, the Civil Service Commission Office will not open until 1:00 p.m. ***

THE CITY OF KENT PROVIDES EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL EMPLOYEE AND APPLICANTS FOR EMPLOYMENT WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, PREGNANCY, NATIONAL ORIGIN, ANCESTRY, AGE, DISABILITY, GENETICS, OR MILITARY STATUS IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAWS.

Hydrant Repair Interrupting Water Service...

The City hasn’t had a chance yet to offer twitter nor do we have a public notification service like the schools use to let parents know about snow days (but we are working hard to find an inexpensive, preferably free, way to offer that kind of service) so until then I’ll do my best to post notices about service troubles on the Kent360 site.  Often, like the water service interruption planned for Valleyview Street between Lincoln and Morris (see below), the notice won’t apply to everyone in the City but I figure if I can regularly post these types of notices people will get in the habit of checking Kent360 to learn more. 

Crooked River Race Series...

In addition to opening their new Crooked River canoe/kayak livery operation at Tannery Park in Downtown Kent, the Kent State University Department of Recreational Services has also announced a new Crooked River race series.  This race series brings together 3 different race events using the adventure race format of biking, kayaking and running to crown a Crooked Winner for the 2010 race season.  The three events have been around for a couple of years but they’ve not previously been linked together.  You don’t have to race all three if you don’t want to, there will still be individual race winners, but for those die-hards that have grand ambitions there’s a new podium position to aim for.  

So mark your calendars and start training now.  Events like this will attract some serious racers but there’s plenty of room for weekend warriors and the happy go lucky types that just like sunny days and playing in the water. 

I’ve also heard through the grapevine that the KSU Crooked River livery operations are off to a great start.  Plenty of river enthusiasts have taken advantage of the new service and enjoyed an afternoon working the paddles from Kent downstream to Brust Park (4.5 miles) or Waterworks Park (6.5 miles) where they are picked up and chauffered back to their cars in Kent. 

Hopefully they then re-fuel at one of our favorite downtown Kent eateries.    

Kent Police Community Meeting...

The Kent Police Department has announced this month’s Police Community meeting for June 9th at 7 pm at the Kent Police Station.  All are welcome to listen in on community safety topics, including a discussion on keeping your family and your property safe during the summer months.