November 2020 Update By Licking County Commissioner Tim Bubb Let me begin this November 2020 Update on a personal note. In-mid October I contracted COVID 19 and spent a couple of weeks in quarantine fighting a dose of this respiratory virus. My good news is I am getting over it and working to get back to normal. I can tell you from personal experience the virus is real and is not pleasant. So let me share some thoughts going forward. This virus benefits from ‗community spread‘ and is passed around when we let our guard down and disregard the obvious protocols of sanitizing, wearing face coverings and observe social distancing. There are no guarantees until the mass vaccination programs get underway. My message is ‗stay safe‘ as we enter the fall/winter ‗indoor season‘. By remaining vigilant we can avoid another economic shutdown in 2021. * It is up to each one of us! Following the guidance of the Health Department and do everything to eliminate ‗community spread‘. And use critical judgment in avoiding mass gatherings over the holidays. Stay safe! CARES Act Your Licking County Commissioners are fully engaged in distribution of the recent allotment of CARES Act pandemic relief funds. Through yearend we are working with several community partners to provide financial assistance to small businesses, non- profits, rent and mortgage relief, and workforce retraining. Other benefactors of the pandemic relief assistance have included The Works, The Midland, Licking County Aging Program, the YMCA, United Way and C-TEC. Our goal is to assist the community to the greatest extent possible. This funding can be used only for unbudgeted pandemic relief and if not used by yearend must be returned. Visit www.lcounty.com and view a front page section on how to apply for the pandemic assistance I Election Information I am asking for your support as I seek reelection as your Licking County Commissioner. I continue to be excited about the opportunity to serve you in a leadership role in Licking County Government. On October 3rd the Editorial Board of the Newark Advocate added their strong endorsement of my candidacy. Here is what they said, “The lone contested Licking County commissioner seat pits a political novice against one of our community's most veteran officials. Commissioner Tim Bubb, a Republican, is being challenged by Democrat Mike Smith, a retired trade worker. While (Democrat) Smith appears to be a genuine candidate with the community's best interest at heart, we believe he fails to measure up in comparison to his opponent. Bubb's experience, temperament and skill set make him the clear choice in this election. We encourage Licking County voters to support him. People may have a concern with the fact Bubb has served as a commissioner for 16 years, but his passion for the job has not diminished with time. In a discussion with The Advocate Editorial Board, he demonstrated a hands-on knowledge of numerous critical issues facing the county and a desire to help address them. Voting Season Approaching a Conclusion Here in Licking County the Board of Elections (BOE) Office is located on the first floor of the County Administration Building at 20 South Second Street in Newark (on the Square). There is free parking in the south lot of the Administration Building and in the County Park Garage, also on South Second Street. Call the County Board of Elections during weekday business hours with any questions at 740-670-5080. As in past years you may have chosen to vote ‗early‘ by mail. If you chose this option and still have the ballot in hand I would recommend you return it inperson to the Board of Elections (BOE) Office in Downtown Newark or drop it off in the secure steel ‗ballot box‘ at the entrance to the County Administration Office. (photo right). Above is the address, phone number and parking information at the County Building BOE Office. You may also still cast your ballot at the Board of Elections between now and the afternoon of Monday, November 2nd . (hours and dates below) to vote early in-person. The traditional voting option is to go to your official polling place on Election Day‘ Tuesday, November 3rd between the hours of 6:30am and 7:30pm to vote. Here are the dates and hours for‘ early in-person‘ voting at the Board of Elections Office in downtown Newark … 8:00am – 7:00pm October 31st (Saturday) – 8:00am – 4:00pm November 1st (Sunday) – 1:00pm – 5:00pm November 2nd (Monday) – 8:00am – 2:00pm Regardless of how you choose to vote – Mail-In Ballot, Early Voting In-Person, or at the Polls on Election Day – the most important thing is that you do vote and make your voice heard. Thanksgiving and the December Holidays Just Around the Corner We are on the verge of turning the page on 2020 – ‗thank goodness‘ and Thanksgiving! Still, it is important we finish the year strong and look forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The ‗gobbler‘ pictured here looks like a good candidate for a Thanksgiving ‗platter‘, however he is safe. I know where he lives and it is a good life. The Works Dedicates New Entrance and Streetscape On October 3rd the leadership of The Works and community members joined to celebrate and dedicate a major entrance/safety improvement and streetscape project. Works Executive Director Marcia Downes says, ―The new Streetscape and walkway from South Second Street to First Street allows pedestrians to walk more safely from the Canal Market District and other points in downtown Newark to our museum. We have added safer and more accessible parking, school bus access and turnarounds. Because we love learning, we also added a History Walk. The centerpiece of the improvement is a Scheidler Steam Engine, which was built in The Works more than a century ago. It now is housed on South Second Street in a glass structure, designed to align with the beautiful Canal Market across the street.‖ Downes added, ―Since 1881, steam engines like ours were built at the Scheidler Machine Works, which today houses our museum in downtown. Reinhard Scheidler and his team built many types of machinery, including sawmills and grain separators, but the company was best known for its steam engines. Our portable steam engine, used to power a variety of tools and machinery, was built around 1903.‖ Michael Kennedy, a member of The Works Board, was credited with having the vision for the streetscape project. He says, ―There were five priorities for the Streetscape Project: 1. Boosting safety for Works guests and all who walk or park in this area. (Artist rendering of new entrance). 2. Creating better street presence for The Works, with strong ties to Newark‘s revitalized downtown and the Canal Street Market across the street. 3. Offering new opportunities to learn and discover outside the walls of The Works. 4. Providing a covered entrance for school groups, families and those with mobility issues. This project now creates a more prominent ―front door‖ for The Works. 5. And finally, extending The Works footprint into what had been only a parking area. The parking area, beautiful landscaping and History Walk are now part of the total guest experience at The Works.‖ * The Works produced this You Tube overview video of the Streetscape Project including some great drone footage…check it out by „ctrl click‟ video OP-ED: Reshoring Is Ohio‘s Call to Duty By Rick Platt of the Newark Heath Licking County Port Authority Ohioans couldn‘t get N95 masks into our hospitals. Business couldn‘t buy PPE to stay open. States fought to get testing kits. It didn‘t stop with medical supplies. Try to buy a bicycle during COVID? Good luck. Many overseas-dependent products couldn‘t be found on our shelves. Some seemingly simple items couldn‘t be found because of one tiny component in the supply chain wasn‘t available in our country. Reshoring, the restoring of manufacturing supply chains to our North American shores, is imperative! It‘s also bipartisan. It‘s clearly one of only a few issues upon which both sides of the aisle can agree—let‘s bring manufacturing back to the U.S. History shows us that issues can fade after an election though. As time passes and the early stages of the COVID nightmare fades from our memories, we must not forget the lessons learned at the beginning of this crisis. The critical need to restore manufacturing capability in our country is absolutely one of those lessons. I believe Ohio is well-positioned to lead the nation in emerging stronger on the other side of this crisis by seizing upon our strengths as a state for manufacturing. We can answer the call in a crisis. Our Port Authority industrial campus in Licking County has been a model. Our manufacturers, all essential companies, stayed open and stayed safe. Defense, energy, metals, testing labs, life sciences, and food production are all critical supply chain industries. We opened two new buildings to accept more investment and funded training programs to provide a certified manufacturing workforce to meet a growing manufacturing workforce demand. I‘m bullish on manufacturing. Reshoring is going to happen, and it‘s coming to the American Heartland. Let‘s be ready to answer the call to boost our manufacturing capacity and permanently grow our economy. I‘m convinced our best opportunities are ahead. While some may use the analogy ―weather the storm‖ to describe their economic response, I tend to think Ohio is poised to ―lean into the storm‖ in response to the stormy economic challenges posed by the pandemic. It will be for naught, though, if it is not an inclusive, all-Ohio effort. Christmas Courthouse Lighting Will Be November 27th The 72nd annual Courthouse Christmas Lighting will culminate with the annual Christmas Holiday celebration, on Friday, November 27th . Due to the COVID 19 Health Issue and related safety protocols, a virtual Music/Santa ceremony will be streamed live on Facebook and will have been produced at the Midland Theatre. * Information will be available in the press and on social media so you can watch the ceremony on your personal electronic devices, computers or computer connected TV‘s. Everyone is invited to drive to downtown Newark any evening between November 27th and January 1st, to see the lighted and decorated 1876 Courthouse and Courthouse grounds. Additional information on the project is available at the website: www.courthouselighting.com . Contributions are tax-deductible and may be sent to: Licking County Courthouse Lighting Committee - Post Office Box 292 - Newark, Ohio 43058-0292. Elves in Action Another Christmas Related Program – The Elves in Action Will Return to Downtown in 2020 Chuck Moore, of the Licking County Food Pantry Network (FPN), says they plan to try and fill every night from the Friday after Thanksgiving (November 27th) through December 24th with the annual holiday collection of food and donations. He says they are looking for volunteers who are willing to cover the two hours between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM. The FPN will have their van stationed between First Federal Savings and Loan and Wendy‘s on the east side of the courthouse square. His staff will come down and open up the van and help get everything ready. They will also will make this as much of a non-contact drop off as possible with latex gloves available for those moving nonperishable food items the food from the shopping cart into the van. Community groups can sign up for just one night or multiple nights. In the past we have given preference to companies who take the same night each week and fill with their employees. If you are interested in signing up please email Alyssa Shepherd at [email protected] the date or dates you would like to serve. They will be filled on a first come basis. Gary Evans, County Veteran of the Year 2020 Marine Corp Vet Named County ‗Veteran of the Year 2020‘ On October 10th , at the annual ―Medal of Honor Inscho-BeasleyMayfield‘ ceremony, Gary Evans was honored as Veteran of the Year for 2020. Evans, representing Disabled American Veterans Chapter #23, served in the U. S. Marine Corps from 1964 to 1968. Described as a super volunteer Evans transports veterans to VA Hospitals, assists with honor guards and blood drives, and is an active speaker at schools along with donating books on the Vietnam War. He is also the current Commandant of the Marine Corps League. In the photo Evans receives his honors from April Foster, the Director of the County Office of Veterans Services, and Bill Powell, the President of the Veterans Service Commission. Six other distinguished local veterans received special recognition as nominees for the award. They included: Joseph Fulk, nominated by Moundbuilders VFW Post #1060; David Vandegrift, nominated by the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter #840; Richard Price, nominated by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #55; W. Bruce Tolle, nominated by American Legion Post #254 in Johnstown; John Pickrel, nominated by Marine Corps League Licking County Detachment #602; and Doctor John Adams Junior, nominated by American Legion Post #398 Granville. Licking County Government was represented by County Commissioner Tim Bubb, Common Please Court Judges Thomas Marcelain and Richard Wright, and they were joined by Newark Mayor Jeff Hall. Also, as a salute to those who have served, Doug Stout of the Veterans Project at the Licking County Library System sends word of a new paperback book now available. It is called “Never Forgotten, The Stories of Licking County Veterans”. Doug has assembled and written these historical accounts, similar to the columns featured on a regular basis in the Newark Advocate. You can obtain this book at $20 per copy through the Library System, and it certainly would make a great gift as it keeps alive the stories of many of our local heroes of gallantly served their nation. (see details below) Update from County Soil and Water Conservation District Licking County Soil & Water Conservation District has a five member Board of Supervisors elected by landowners and residents of Licking County. As unpaid Public Officials, the Board members are responsible for conducting business within the scope of the laws and administrative rules that govern Soil & Water. Board members also help guide Soil & Water‟s mission with professionalism, efficiency, and effectiveness. Two Supervisors will be elected to a three‐year term commencing January 1, 2021. Candidates are Kim Byce, Bill Goodman and Rhonda Reda. Visit https://lickingswcd.com/who-we-are/board.html for the candidates bios. Individuals who own or occupy land within the Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District and are 18 years of age or older may vote for Supervisor. There are three ways an eligible voter can cast a ballot: 1.) At the Soil & Water office from November 4, 2020 until November 18, 2020 during normal business hours; or 2.) At the Soil & Water Drive Thru voting event, which will take place at Soil & Water office on November 12, 2020 and from 4:30-6:30 pm; or 3.) by requesting the ballot application and election ballot from the SWCD office at the following address: 771 East Main Street, Suite 100, Newark, OH 43055, by calling 740‐670‐5330, or email [email protected]. Absentee ballots must be received by the SWCD office by November 18, 2020. Join the Soil & Water Team! Stormwater Program Manager Job Announcement The Stormwater Program Manager oversees and manages all aspects of the Licking County and Others small MS4 permit, additional NPDES related contracts, memorandums of understandings, and agreements. The incumbent will serve as coordinator and facilitator between the co-permittees that consist of 7 townships and 3 villages, other agencies, policymakers, developers, professional/technical staff and the public. Water Tower Renovation by Licking County Water and Wastewater A southern Licking County landmark since at least the 1950‟s, the water tower at Harbor Hill Golf Course and along Freeman Memorial Drive underwent a major renovation in September. The tank provides water pressure to the some 400-residents of Harbor Hills, and was in need of interior and exteriors repainting, and repair small leaks. The Licking County Department of Water and Wastewater owns the structure, and both the water and sewer line infrastructure serving the community. The recent upgrade cost some $135- thousand and is part on a regular maintenance program that should assure the functionality of the tower into the 2060‟s. Let me know the e-mail address of anyone who would like to be included on my Update Newsletter list. * I would also invite you to check Facebook and visit Licking County Commissioners, Elect Commissioner Tim Bubb and Commissioner Tim Bubb. I can be e-mailed at [email protected], and my desk phone number at the Commissioner‟s Office is 740- 670-5118. Best Regards! Commissioner Tim Bubb Note: Clicking on the file allows you to see the pictures that accompanied the email.
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Author - Tim BubbI can be e-mailed at [email protected], and my desk phone number at the Commissioner‟s Office is 740-670- 5118. . Archives
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