Click-It or Ticket...

If you happened to notice a bunch of new television commercials reminding you to always buckle-up when you drive in Ohio or else face the consequences, it’s because from May 24 through June 6th the Ohio Department of Public Safety was in full ticket mode for seatbelt violators.

The tv commercials show non-seat belt wearers covered in pink tickets — which is probably gentler than showing what happens in car wrecks to people that aren’t buckled-up — but it’s certainly still effective.  In case you’re thinking that it’s just a PR tactic that won’t be backed-up, think again. 

I’ve seen a copy of the memo from the Kent Police Chief to the troops advising them of his expectations that they fully participate in the statewide enforcement initiative to increase compliance in the state’s safety belt law which according to the Ohio insurance industry runs around 65%.   I looked up the Kent Police statistics and it turns out that they issue an average of 300 traffic citations a month or about 10 a day – don’t let yourself be one of them for a seatbelt violation. 

If you’re not sure what the Ohio seat belt law says, let me help:

Ohio’s safety belt law was enacted in March, 1986 and revised in November, 1992. The law requires front-seat passengers of cars, vans, pickup and delivery trucks, taxicabs, commercial trucks and tractor-trailers, and buses with safety belts installed to wear them when these vehicles are driven on public roadways.

Drivers who violate the law are fined $25, while front-seat passengers are fined $15. Funds generated from the fines are partially directed to Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) programs that increase public awareness to help Ohio reach a 70% safety belt usage rate.

Exempt from compliance are children already covered by the child safety seat law; persons with medically-certified physical impairments; persons operating vehicles to deliver the mail or newspapers for home delivery; and persons in vehicles manufactured prior to 1966.

Currently, law enforcement officials are prohibited from stopping a vehicle solely to enforce Ohio’s safety belt law. Citations can only be issued as a secondary action to another suspected offense. A violation of this law does not result in the assessment of points to an individual’s driving record.

Evidence regarding the proper use of safety belts is admissible against certain parties in a claim for damages for the injury or death of the occupant of the vehicle.

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Skatepark Final Design...

Kent Parks Director John Idone said that after meeting with local area skateboarders to review the draft skate park design (featured in a blog post on May 4th) he has what he considers the final skate park plan which he will now proceed to get in the hands of the contractor to start pouring and sculpting. 

As near as I can tell not much changed from the May 4th design (maybe one of the ramps) so it shouldn’t take long to finalize the engineering specifications that go along with the final plan.  John is still planning on constructing the skate park this summer in the new park off of Admore Drive (behind Don Joseph Toyota and Klaben Ford dealerships). 

Lube those bearings because the wheels will have a new place in Kent to roll soon.

A Little Help From the City’s Shade Tree Com...

Spring is great because all of the blossoms are popping, the air is filled with the sweet smell of new buds, and everything looks fresh and shiny.  Unfortunately that doesn’t last and pretty quickly the circle of life starts to do its thing.  Weeds invade, armies of mushrooms emerge overnight, and other fungi began to take their toll on plants leaving them lifeless and limp.  

Don’t fret, the City’s volunteer Shade Tree Commission members have some advice on how to fight back this year and keep your plants looking good. By the way, if you’re not familiar with the City’s Shade Tree Commission, here’s a quick look at who they are and what they do:

SHADE TREE COMMISSION

(Codified Ordinances of Kent Chapter 169.01: A Shade Tree Commission is hereby created consisting of five members who shall be residents of the City who shall serve without compensation for a term of four years. The Shade Tree Commission shall have absolute custody and control of and power to plant, set out, remove, maintain, protect and care for shade trees on any of the public streets of the City).

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Now, here’s the summary provided by the Shade Tree Commission of the most common plant troubles and some solutions.   

Kent Haymaker Farmer’s Market Open For Busin...

The good folks that run bring us the Kent Haymaker Farmer’s Market let me know that the countdown to opening day is on.  May 29th will mark the opening of the 18th season of the Kent Haymaker Farmer’s Market.  So think Farmer’s Market when you’re planning your Memorial Day weekend picnic. 

Here’s the details:

The Kent Haymaker Farmers’ Market will begin its 2010 season Saturday May 29^th with hours 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. This year marks the 18^th year for the downtown market and promises to be even larger than last year’s record-breaking season.  Over 40 vendors will be on hand providing a diverse offering of locally grown produce, flowers, plants, cheeses, canned preserves, meats, mushrooms, honey, maple syrup, baked goods and ready to eat prepared foods. The popular Music @ the Market series will return this year to host a wide variety of homegrown music as well. Performances are made possible in part through a Celebrate Kent! grant provided by the city of Kent. Musicians will perform from 10 am until noon each Saturday under the Haymaker overpass at the market site along Franklin Avenue. All performances are free, open to the public and suitable for all ages.  For more information about the market or market activities, contact market manager Fritz Seefeldt at 330-678-5748, email at kentmarket@neo.rr.com or visit the market website at http://haymakermarket.com.

Mogadore Road Closure Notice...

News Release
City of Kent

Mogadore Road BETWEEN CHERRY STREET AND OVERHOLT ROAD WILL BE CLOSED FOR APPROXIMATELY 60 DAYS, BEGINNING TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2010.

AS PART OF THE CONTINUING WORK ON THE PLUM CREEK STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT, MOGADORE ROAD (BETWEEN CHERRY STREET AND OVERHOLT ROAD) WILL BE CLOSED FOR APROXIMATELY 60 DAYS, BEGINNING MAY 25, 2010.

MOTORISTS ARE ASKED TO AVOID THE AREA AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRAVEL TIME WHEN LEAVING FOR THEIR DESTINATION.  ROAD CLOSED SIGNS AND DETOUR SIGNS WILL BE POSTED.

THE RECOMMENDED DETOUR FOR CARS IS TO USE S.R. 261 TO CHERRY STREET TO MOGADORE ROAD. THE DETOUR FOR TRUCKS IS S.R. 43 TO S.R. 261 TO MOGADORE ROAD. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, RESIDENTS MAY CONTACT THE ENGINEERING DIVISION AT (330) 678-8106.City of Kent, Ohio
James S. Bowling,
City Engineer

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If you haven’t had a chance to see the project here’s a few images that show how mother nature is taking the stream back in a great meandering stream bed:

City Online Auction Comes Up Big...

A few weeks ago I did a blog post announcing our first foray into the wonderful world of internet auctions.  I am pleased to report that when Gene Roberts, City Public Service Director closed the bidding Tuesday afternoon the sales were almost 5 times greater than any of our previous local auctions (for roughly the same general inventory of surplus). Specifically Gene reports that the total sales prices for all of the items sold online amounted to $54,744 in new revenues to the City. By comparison, the average total revenues for 2008 and 2009 was $9,583. 

Clearly the internet based exposure and the popularity of comparable online auction services like eBay helped us get a lot more interest which ended up pushing our prices and revenues higher than ever before.

Gene said that we learned a few things about the online auction process which should help us be even more online customer friendly in future years. Going online required some extra staff work (to inventory, photograph and upload information on the items) but it appears to have been well worth the effort.

Gene and his staff deserve a lot of credit for taking the initiative to give this a try and making it such a success.  Great job.  

It’s got everyone thinking, what else can we sell?   

Community Message Board...

There was a great line from the old Cool Hand Luke movie that went something like, “what we have here, is a failure, to communicate.”  And judging from both anecdotal comments and actual survey results done here in Kent, communication of events (or the lack thereof) and not knowing what’s going on around town has been a real frustration point for decades.  The new Mayor joked that buying a community bulletin board was a top priority 20 years ago when he was on City Council so the fact that we are now at a point where we are set to order one is big news.

By virtue of my position I end up hearing about a lot of events going on in town and on campus and I have to tell you that there are tons of small events going on all the time.   The trouble is, there’s no universal Kent Hotline that gets all the events announced so most of us go through our daily routine without time to search on-line for news of upcoming events and we end up missing a lot of good stuff.  I can’t tell you how many times I hear about interesting speakers, bands or art shows that came and went — it drives me nuts.

And apparently I’m not the only one it drives nuts which is how the community bulletin board concept got pushed to the top of the priority list.  Like many good ideas though, the community bulletin board faced a cash flow challenge.  These things aren’t cheap — although the prices have come down in recent years as the technology as become more mass produced. 

We knew that to pull this off we had to find partners, aka people that would share in the cost, and who better than Kent State University since they produce so many great activities week-in and week-out.  It took some time but we talked the idea up enough that eventually KSU bit and they got as excited as we were about the prospect of joint community bulletin board. 

Rather than having a proliferation of signs all over town our hope is that this joint bulletin board will be a central point for spreading the word on events both in town and on campus.  Not only is that practical in term of getting information out, it’s also a great symbol for how far we’ve come in town/gown collaborations and partnerships. 

Both parties felt that with so much invested in Kent, both on campus and in the evolving downtown projects, now was the time to make a very visible gesture of our town/gown convergence and we thought that the community bulletin board provided a great opportunity to do that.  That’s why we took the time to design an attractive stone foundation to go along with the sign.  We felt that this new structure makes a statement welcoming people to Kent and letting them know that they’ve arrived at someplace special. 

Like most good ideas, the devil is in the details, and for the sign the great debate has been where to put it to get the most visibility.  After months of debate, discussion, and grumbling it seemed that the best location (notice that I didn’t use the word perfect) given all of the variables involved was to put it at the northeast corner of Water and Haymaker. It took a long time to get to that decision and again it may not be perfect but it seemed to be the site with the most potential. 

To test the site, the City’s Public Service Director, Gene Roberts is going to put a cardboard mock-up of the sign and foundation on the site Thursday afternoon to give us an idea of the scale and visibility.  I’d encourage people to take a look at that. If it looks terrible there we may have to revisit the location options but it took a lot of brain damage to get us to this point and I’d hate to have to start all over again. 

I’ve had people ask if our plan is to scroll information on the sign and I’d say that as far as scrolling goes, we had already said among ourselves that we were not fans of scrolling, so we were not anticipating a bunch of moving letters. Rather, I expected static messages, and possibly images, that would appear on screen for a certain amount of time and then be replaced with another message. We actually said it would be great to show some pictures of events, like Heritage Fest, the Wine and Cheese, etc. as part of the announcement for the dates and times of the event.  The bulletin board will have video capabilities but at this point we weren’t planning on using the advanced tech bells and whistles all that much yet.

The goal is to have this built and installed by September of this year.  That’s a fairly ambitious schedule but what it’s a good cause so everyone is going to work hard to hit that date. 

Summer Construction on Campus...

Not to be outdone by all the City construction work going on around town, Kent State University has a full plate this summer with its own renovation and construction projects.  New construction brings a fresh look to campus and the all important new construction jobs which should help give the City an income tax boost at a time economically when we could really use it. 

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On Monday, May 17, the intense, summer construction season begins across Kent State’s eight campuses!  To assist in navigating around campus during this intense summer construction period, please utilize – and share with others – the attached Kent Campus map which identifies impacted areas. At each construction zone, pedestrian-only walkways will be clearly marked with signage and delineated with fencing. Emergency vehicle access around and through each construction site will be maintained at all times.

Here are the major facility and infrastructure improvements that are currently being administered by the Office of the University Architect:

Construction Projects Commencing Monday, May 17:
Centennial Greens and Manchester Field Lawn Irrigation
Lawn irrigation systems are being installed in order to water Centennial Greens and Manchester Field. On-site construction continues through early July. Portions of these fields will be sectioned off by fencing while under construction.

Kent Student Center Masonry Repairs
The masonry overhang at the third floor balcony level of the Student Center is being repaired, as weather permits. Until repairs are completed, the outside balcony is closed.

Library First Floor Renovations
The circulation desk area and main entry lobby on the first floor of the Library are being renovated this summer. New finishes and upgrades for worn and dated materials are being implemented and new, energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems are being installed. The exterior canopy and new entry system are being upgraded to define the entrance of existing facade. The main entrance is closed; a newly-installed entrance facing Murin Gardens will serve as the temporary entrance while the first floor Library renovations and Risman Plaza improvement projects are under heavy construction this summer.

McDowell Hall Toilet and Shower Room Rehabilitation
Due to aging infrastructure, plumbing systems and fixtures in the bathrooms of McDowell Hall are being rehabilitated. Architectural finishes, electrical and HVAC work in these areas are being replaced. On-site construction is scheduled to be completed prior to Fall Semester.

Residence Halls ADA Improvements
Specific areas of Centennial Court, Prentice Hall, and Beall Hall are being reconstructed for compliance with current Federal ADA requirements that will provide better accessibility in those areas for students and staff.

Schwartz Center Restroom Renovations, Phase 2
The centrally-located restrooms on the first and second floors of the south portion of the Schwartz Center are closed for renovations this summer.

Verder Hall New Hydraulic Elevator
Verder Hall’s original elevator is being removed and replaced with a new, roped, hydraulic elevator in a new hoistway shaft on the exterior of the building. On-site construction is scheduled to be completed prior to Fall Semester.

Williams Hall Lab 223 HVAC Improvements
The HVAC system in laboratory 223 of Williams Hall is being upgraded. Renovation of lab 223 includes complete demolition and replacement of all fume hoods and lab casework; six additional fume hoods are being installed on the exterior wall, new lighting, new plumbing fixtures, emergency eyewash and shower, flooring, and wall finishes are being installed. An ADA fume hood and accessible bench workstations are also being provided.

On-Going Construction Projects:

Centennial Research Park Roof Replacement
The original roof over Centennial Research Park is being replaced. Work continues through spring.

Heer and Harbourt Halls Roof Replacement
The roofing systems on Heer and Harbourt halls are being removed and replaced. Construction continues through summer.

McGilvrey Hall Labs 131B and 341 Renovations
The fume hood systems in McGilvrey Hall labs 131B and 341 are being renovated to be compatible with chemicals proposed for use by a new faculty member. These renovations include installation of new acid-resistant fume hoods and exhaust systems.

Music and Speech Center Renovations and Additions – Roe Green Center
Music and Speech Center is being renovated and additions built to address space and program needs for the School of Theatre and Dance. One addition will provide a new lobby and black box experimental theatre on the Theatre Drive face of the building; this will also provide an enhanced entry area for students and event patrons. On the west side of the building, another addition is being constructed to provide three new dance studios and support space to relocate the Dance Program out of the MACC Annex. The Theatre addition is nearing completion with installation of the theatre flooring and painting to be completed along with exterior parking and lawn improvements. Interior finishes are being completed in the black box theatre and main lobby area. The dance studios and support areas are being completed with paint finishing in most areas, while work in the locker and restrooms is completed. Finish work is underway in the newly-designated Performing Arts Library. This project is on schedule to be completed by the end of May.

Risman Plaza Renovations, Phase 1
The initial phase of a multi-phased project to improve the university’s landscape and hardscape is underway. The primary focus of phase 1 construction is Risman Plaza and surrounding areas. Improvements involve landscaping, paving, lighting, site furnishings, drainage and pedestrian walkways. Construction continues on the new transit shelter on the west side of the Kiva; steel was visible by spring break with completion of this portion of the project by mid-May. Demolition and construction in the plaza is underway; perimeter fencing closes off the plaza from pedestrian traffic; please follow detour signage around the site. At times, dust and noise from demolition activities will be elevated. Construction will continue through the end of August.

Contract awards pending for summer construction:Lecture hall room 200 in the Business Administration Building will be renovated this summer with the installation of new seating, lighting and finishes and technology upgrades. Contract awards are pending for construction bids that were opened on May 7.

Business Administration Building Renovations to Room 200

Child Development Center Reroof and Research One Shingled Roof
Existing shingles on the roofs of the Child Development Center and the Research One Building will be removed and replaced with new roofing systems which include ice guards, venting, fall protection equipment and roofing accessories. The contract award is pending for construction bids that were opened on March 29.

MAC Center Athletic Academic Resource Center Expansion
An addition will be built in order to expand the existing MAC Center Athletic Academic Resource Center. Contract awards are pending for construction bids that were opened on March 30.

Stewart Hall Renovations for the Relocation of Information Services
This project involves planning, design and construction to renovate Stewart Hall for the consolidation of Information Services groups campuswide into one facility. The contract award is pending for construction package 1 bids that were opened on April 27. Interior work is under design and a second construction package will be bid during the summer. It is anticipated that the building should be ready for occupancy in early 2011.

Summit Street Sidewalk Extension
The campus sidewalk along Summit Street will be extended from the C-Science parking lot southeast to the bus stop in front of the Parking Maintenance Building to provide safe access to the campus. Included will be alternates to extend the sidewalk and provide lighting to Sieberling Drive and Summit East parking lot. The contract award is pending for construction bids that were opened on April 14.

White Hall Parking Lot Improvements
Perimeter landscape and lighting improvements are being planned for White Hall R-16 parking lot. Contract awards are pending for construction bids that were opened on May 5.

Projects under design:

Facility Planning and Scheduling Services
Recognizing the importance of state-of-the-art facilities, Kent State University is poised to undertake an extensive program of improvement to its campus facilities. A previously-commissioned study identified approximately $350M in deferred renewal needs for existing buildings. Additionally, new facilities may be required to meet the programmatic requirements in some academic areas. The Kent State University Board of Trustees authorized the administration to pursue approximately $200M in bond funding to finance this initiative. The goal of this project is to work with the administration and facilities offices to provide an overall implementation plan for this enterprise encompassing campus planning, facility assessment, programming, estimating and scheduling/sequencing of the work. Specific building and renovation projects will be identified in this project and subsequent, separate Requests for Qualifications for those actual construction projects will be issued. A team lead by the architectural firm, Ayers Saint Gross, was selected to assist with planning the overall project. The firm has met with representatives from Facilities Planning and Operations and the Office of the University Architect to review some of the projects currently being considered as part of this initiative. The firm will provide recommendations regarding the overall program and costs for these projects.

Harbourt and Heer Halls Renovations for Administrative Functions
Harbourt and Heer Halls, former residence halls built in 1967, will be renovated to provide office space for multiple administrative functions on campus. Work includes the conversion of the residence rooms and bathroom facilities, improvements to the public areas (lounges, classrooms, lobby, corridors), and the upgrade/replacement of the entire heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, electrical distribution, telecommunications systems, fire alarm and fire suppression systems. The currently proposed program includes office spaces for the Office of the University Architect, Facilities, Planning and Operations, Department of Human Resources, and several, smaller financial and administrative units. Currently, the architect’s office is requesting qualifications from firms interested in designing this project.

Kent Multimodal Transportation Center
Kent State University, the City of Kent and the Portage Area Transportation Authority (PARTA) received a $20M grant for the construction of the Kent Gateway multimodal transportation center. The proposed center incorporates parking, mass transportation, pedestrians and bicycles into one central facility designed to promote and increase transit, pedestrian and bicycle access to the university and downtown Kent. The project design is currently in the development phase. The solicitation and selection of a construction manager will be conducted in late summer with construction slated to begin in late fall or early winter 2010. The design and construction of the Kent Gateway will be closely coordinated with the design and construction of the esplanade extension, the hotel and conference center and the other downtown development initiatives.

Multiple Buildings Envelope Repairs and Roof Replacements
Building envelope repairs and roof replacements will be conducted on multiple buildings on the Kent Campus, as well as the Regional Campuses, over the next three years. The specific scope and budget of each individual project varies by building. Six buildings have been identified in current planning, but additional buildings may be added to the overall project at a later date. These buildings are: Smith Hall (1968), Science Research Lab Building (1986), Williams Hall (1967), Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center (1950), MACC Annex (1977), McGilvrey Hall (1940), and the Kent Student Center (1971). Due to the scope of the projects and schedule requirements, the university will select more than one firm to complete the proposed projects. The Office of the University Architect has interviewed firms for several roofing projects and is still in the process of selecting firms for other roofing projects.

Music and Speech Center Parking Lot Renovation
The study for the renovation of the existing parking lot at the Music and Speech Center is nearly complete. The goals of this study are to rehabilitate the lighting, renovate or replace the existing parking lot pavement including curbs, walks and asphalt surfaces, as well as improve pedestrian circulation through the lot. Once the study and estimates are finalized, construction documents will be prepared.

New Facilities for the College of Technology – Programming / Site Selection
Constructed in 1951 and in need of complete rehabilitation, Van Deusen Hall houses the College of Technology and portions of the School of Art. An architectural firm assessed the current configuration and needs of the building and investigated the rehabilitation or the construction of a new facility for the College of Technology. The project design should achieve LEED Silver Certification and comply with House Bill 251 reduced energy consumption requirements. The final study was presented to the administration.

New Facilities for the Schools of Art and Visual Communication Design – Programming / Site Selection
Constructed in 1972 and at the end of its useful life, the Art Building houses the School of Art and the School of Visual Communication Design. An architectural design firm assessed the current configuration and needs of the building and investigated a complete rehabilitation of other campus buildings and/or the construction of a new facility for these two programs. The project design should achieve LEED Silver Certification and comply with House Bill 251 reduced energy consumption requirements. The final study was presented to the administration.

WKSU Broadcast Center Generator Replacement
The existing generator at the WKSU-FM Broadcast Center will be removed and replaced with a new generator for standby electric power. Currently this project is under design.

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For general reference, the construction detour map, as well as a complete listing and status of design and construction projects administered by the Office of the University Architect, can be accessed via the Internet at the URL: http://www.kent.edu/universityarchitect/projects/index.cfm. As project conditions change, updates will be provided to you.

Please refer any questions or concerns regarding these summer construction activities to the Office of the University Architect switchboard by calling 330-672-3880. Thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation while these improvement projects are underway.

The Davey School Orchard Dedication...

Kent State University may be the most high profile public organization in Kent but from a business perspective, nothing says Kent better than Davey Tree.  Kent has been home to Davey Tree for 130 years and the Kent brand has a natural green streak thanks to the original tree care company that has made Kent it’s world headquarters. 

The finger prints of Davey Tree can be found all over Kent (including the new downtown redevelopment project) and I’m pleased to share some information that I received from folks at Davey Elementary announcing their upcoming Davey School orchard dedication.  

Here’s the news:     

The Davey School Orchard has been planted, 12 apple trees, 6 grape vines and 8 red raspberries. It will be dedicated to retiring principal Linda Walker on May 25th at 2:40 P.M. This orchard is the result of cooperation from the school administration, school board, high school and elementary schools as well as area businesses and donors. The kids did all the planting and are looking forward to watching them grow.

In addition, Debbie Miller, a diagnostician with Davey Institute has graciously volunteered to present a “fruit tree talk” about planting, growing and caring for the backyard orchard. Her presentation will be free and open to the public on Monday May 24th at 6:30 P.M. at Davey Elementary.

Debbie is a plant pathologist and the vice-chair of the Kent City Shade Tree Commission. She also has Masters degrees in both plant pathology and education. This will be a great way to kick off the orchard dedication and get the community involved.

I thought you might be interested in this since it involves Kent business and school district working together on such a fun initiative. Perhaps you could mention it in your blog so interested residents have a chance to attend.

I’m happy to do so.

Kent’s Canine’s Honored...

There’s nothing like hardworking, dedicated employees that love coming to work every day, never complain, don’t ask for raises or more health care benefits, and do great work at no more pay than a couple of dog bones.  That’s why we love the Kent Police canines and that’s why we felt like proud parents when the canines and their handlers were honored by the German Shephard Club of  Northern Ohio earlier this month. 

On Saturday May 8^th, the German Shepherd Club of Northern Ohio held their annual banquet and awards ceremony.  They presented a Top Honor Achievement Memorial Award to K-9 Jessy and handler Jim Ennemoser for Devotion to Duty.  A 2009 Top Honor Rookie Award was awarded to K-9 Aiko and handler Jim Ennemoser.  The 2009 Top Honor Apprehension & Protection Award was presented to K-9 Felo and handler Marty Gilliland. 

Congratulations to everyone involved in the City’s canine program!  Thanks for keeping us safe.

I also wanted to publicly thank all of the City employees, University staff, University students, and regional partners that made this one of the safest end of semester seasons in years.  A lot of planning went into preparations for the spring events and things seemed to run smoothly thanks to the cooperation displayed by everyone involved.  I saw news reports from Ohio University and Miami University that imposed serious sanctions on members of the Greek community for unruly behavior and I was grateful that a more appreciative and respectful attitude prevailed by all parties this year in Kent.  I hope this trend will carry over into the year to come.