Newslink March 2024

March 2024

Athletic complex set to open

Do you have an idea for an item that should be included in future editions of Newslink? We are always looking for department news, personal accomplishments and people to feature.

Send your suggestions to cojcnews@johnsoncitytn.org.

The Johnson City Board of Commissioners will join City staff to celebrate the completion of the James K. Ellis Sports Complex located at Winged Deer Park with a ribbon cutting, dedication and grand opening ceremony. Scheduled for March 8 at 1 p.m., the day’s event will begin with Mayor Todd Fowler’s first pitch. The public is invited to attend the ceremony to celebrate the grand opening.

The City purchased 37 acres in 2018 adjacent to Winged Deer Park for the ahtletic

complex expansion, which includes the addition of four softball, two synthetic turf fields, sports lighting, a warm up area, and a concession stand.

The project cost more than $17 million and was paid for using Capital Improvement Plan funding.

For questions about the event, contact the Parks and Recreation Administration Office at 423.283.5815.

NEWSLINK

March 2024

Applications open for Employee Scholarship Program

Human Resources is accepting applications for the City of Johnson City Employee and the John W. Campbell scholarships. The Employee Scholarship program is for children who are legal dependents of full-time or part-time regular City employees or retirees.

The scholarships are funded exclusively by voluntary donations from City employees, and the John W. Campbell Scholarship is sponsored by former City Manager John Campbell in memory of his father.

The scholarships are for high school seniors who are graduating and applying for full-time status to an accredited college, university or trade school. Applicants for the John W. Campbell Award must be college sophomores, juniors or seniors enrolling fulltime at ETSU or Northeast State. The John W. Campbell Scholarship is a competition, and one $500 scholarship will be awarded. In July, scholarship funds will be sent directly to each recipient’s school to be deposited into his or her account for tuition and/or books.

Completed applications must be turned in to Human Resources no later than Friday, April 5 at 5 p.m. For an application, email Richard Lockner at rlockner@johnsoncitytn.org.

New donors are needed to sustain the City of Johnson City Employee Scholarship program. Please consider a gift to help in support.

Your contribution will be sincerely appreciated!

To contribute to the program, email Richard Lockner at rlockner@johnsoncitytn.org.

Photo Recap: Gov. Lee visits Ashe Street Courthouse

March 2024

Transportation Station to feature Easter Bunny

Join the Parks and Recreation Department at Transportation Station for a special visit from the Easter Bunny on Saturday, March 16, between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. The event will take place at Winged Deer Park Lakefront, located at 199 Carroll Creek Road.

This family-friendly occasion,

known as a touch-a-truck event, is free for all ages. It provides a hands-on opportunity for children to explore, climb, and touch various trucks, emergency response vehicles, heavy machinery, and other equipment and motor vehicles.

As part of the festivities,

children can visit with the Easter Bunny and participate in an egg hunt filled with prizes. Additionally, attendees can take part in the Pokémon GO Community Day hunt!

For individuals with sensory sensitivities, Parks and Recreation encourages attending the touch-a-truck event between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. During this time, participants can explore and experience the vehicles and machinery without the disturbance of sirens or other loud noises.

No registration is required for this event.

Risk Management warns of tripping hazards

Risk Management encourages City staff minimize the many TRIPPING hazards found in work environments.

Means of avoidance:

• Make sure you can see where you are going while carrying loads of material.

• Keep areas well lit.

• Less clutter reduces the probability that you will trip.

• Stage materials in locations out of access paths.

• Keep extension cords bundled and covered.

• Eliminate loose footing-debris, backfill material on stairs, ramps, walkways, and ladders.

March 2024

Employee survey results show improvement

On Thursday, March 7, Assistant City Manager Steve Willis will take a deep dive into the results of our Employee Survey with the Board of Commissioners. City management is thrilled to see remarkable improvement in many areas since 2019.

Our employees gave an

83% favorable response to the quality of governance. Confidence in Johnson City government went up from 51% to 67%, and 75% of our employees feel the City is acting in the best interest of the community compared to 55% four years earlier.

“We’re really proud of

June

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the culture at the City of Johnson City, and feel the survey demonstrates the Excellence in Government that Commissioners have prioritized in their strategic plan,” said City Manager Cathy Ball.

NEWSLINK

March 2024

City staff raise money for a number of charities

United Way of East Tennessee Highlands’ mission is to break the cycle of poverty by uniting people and resources to strengthen the health, education,

and financial stability of people in the community. City of Johnson City employees donated $32,183 to the United Way’s 2023 campaign. For every dollar raised, 95 cents goes directly to a neighbor in need.

In addition to the United Way’s campaign, the Police Department and City staff took a cold plunge for the Special Olympics to raise over $3,000 for the organization. The Polar Plunge is an annual event that the Police Department enjoys participating in.

Raising funds for the United Way and the Special Olympics are some of the many charitable ways dedicated staff contribute to their community.

Community Roundtable offers valuable insights

Community Roundtable meetings in 2024 take place the second Thursday of each month through November at 11:30 a.m. at the Langston Centre, 315 Elm St. The next Roundtable is set for March 14.

The topic will be an introduction to the Police Department’s Special Victims Unit featuring Sgt. Shane Williams and Inv. Ashley Ellenburg. They will discuss the types of crimes investigated by the SVU.

March 2024

Haynes designated Fire Investigation Technician

The International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) recently announced that Fire Prevention Officer (FPO) Kevin Haynes of the Johnson City Fire Department received the designation of Fire Investigation Technician (FIT).

FPO Haynes transferred from the Department’s Suppression Division to the Prevention Division in July 2023. He successfully passed the FIT test on Feb. 12. To become an

IAAI designated Fire Investigation Technician, FPO Haynes completed 44 hours of tested training and passed a comprehensive exam. Time and experience in the fire service are also considered in the IAAIFIT testing application process.

Currently, FPO Haynes is the only individual with IAAI-FIT designation within the Johnson City Fire Department. The IAAI-FIT is the initial designation in the fire

investigation field. Other members of the Johnson City Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Office are IAAICertified Fire Investigators

Meetings communicate important information

The Communications and Marketing Department hosts a monthly Communications Team meeting. Nearly 30 employees representing most departments in the City attend these meetings to share news. The Communications Team meetings are intended to

foster a positive relationship between departments while providing an opportunity to share departmental information. Employees who attend these meetings as representatives for their department are expected to share the information learned with their coworkers.

To join these meetings or to receive meeting notes, contact the Communications and Marketing Department at cojcnews@johnsoncitytn.org.

Web Updates

Departments should review their pages on the City website regularly. When submitting website information, please provide a deadline and all related information.

If you notice inaccurate information, broken links, or are providing updated content, email webupdates@johnsoncitytn.org.

March 2024

JCFD celebrates two Certified Municipal Finance Officers

The Johnson City Fire Department is excited to announce that Assistant Chief Jason Powell and Administrative Services Manager Judy McNeil recently achieved Certified Municipal Finance Officer (CMFO) status.

The certification consists of 11 courses with an exam at the end of each course. During the program, Powell and McNeil gained important insight into the complexities of municipal finance.

Most people associate the JCFD with firefighters protecting life and property but there’s a business side, too. Powell and McNeil are applying their new certification to help the JCFD remain fiscally responsible, plan for contingencies and

comply with legislative requirements that protect taxpayers’ money.

“In order to provide service to our citizens and visitors in the most efficient, cost effective and safe manner, we have to continually improve the business side of the JCFD. What we learned while participating in the CMFO program will allow us to manage the finances of the Fire Department in a compliant and transparent manner,” said JCFD Assistant Chief Jason Powell.

Powell and McNeil are the only non-finance employees of the City with the certification. The CMFO program is administered by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury’s Division of Local Government Audit.

Police and Fire inspire future service provider

Jase Groseclose of Bristol, Va., has dreams of becoming a firefighter or police officer. For now, he’s collecting fire and police patches. His goal is to get a patch from every department in the United

States. The JCPD and JCFD helped him get a little bit closer to reaching that goal.

You may see Jase serving the City of Johnson City one day!

March 2024

Fire’s Story achieves Managing Officer status

The Johnson City Fire Department is pleased to announce that Driver/ Engineer Jeff Story recently achieved Managing Officer (MO) status. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s United States Fire Administration/National Fire Academy announced in January that Story had successfully completed the program.

While participating in the MO program, Story received instruction on leadership, community risk reduction, firefighter and community safety, contemporary training issues and analytical tools for decision making. He also gained critical insight concerning national response planning and incident management.

This is a two-year program comprised of four unique courses. After completing

the courses, Story was required to take what he learned and complete a capstone project that directly benefited the Johnson City Fire Department and the community. His project was then evaluated through a formal peer review.

“My capstone project focused on community risk reduction. I developed a fire safety education program, and it is currently in the process of being implemented by our department,” said Story.

“Firefighters with the Johnson City Fire Department are devoted to our community. In addition to our regular training, members of the team, like Jeff Story, are dedicating countless hours of personal time toward professional development that will help improve the Department’s service to the people of Johnson City,” said Chief David Bell

Driver/Engineer Jeff Story is the third member of the Johnson City Fire Department to achieve MO status.

Human Resources

Educational Incentive

The purpose of the Educational Incentive Program is to prepare employees for future promotional and leadership opportunities within the organization.

A fundamental feature of any incentive program is to encourage and reward City employees. Pursuit and successful completion of objectives can directly improve an employee’s ability to grow in their current responsibilities. Furthermore, this will increase their skill set for future opportunities.

To learn more, email hr@johnsoncitytn.org

A Safer 26 in ’24 update

Recently, Police Chief Billy Church announced a multi-jurisdictional effort to promote traffic safety on Interstate 26. The Johnson City Police Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and multiple state agencies joined forces for A Safer 26 in ’24.

JCPD reports a significant decline in the number of crashes from Jan. 26 through Feb. 23, 2024 compared to the same time frame in 2023.

This year, officers responded to 26 crashes and made 434 traffic stops.

In 2023, they responded to 41 crashes and made 185 traffic stops.

Speeding ranked as the number one traffic violation during both time periods.

Drivers will continue to see enhanced traffic enforcement on I-26 as JCPD and area law enforcement teams unite to save lives and improve safety.

NEWSLINK March 2024

New Hires - February

Bruce McNamer - Planning & Development Services

Brandon Trent - Public Works

Tyler Haveard - Water & Sewer Services

Martha Barton - Juvenile Court

Jessica Thomas - Parks & Recreation

Penny Jordan - Transit

Whitney Isaacs - Risk Management

Promotions - February

Harry Ramey - Water & Sewer Services

Debora Smith - Transit

Donald Bradley - Transit

Amanda Norton - Transit

Mollie Murray - Transit

Louis Champagne - Transit

Cassandra Storm - Transit

Larry Dunn - Transit

Carrie Adams - Transit

Mary Hurney - Transit

Scott Pierce - Parks & Recreation

Retirements - February

Brandon Pachol - Public Works (19)

Police Shoutout!

Recently, Mary Minor shared on social media her appreciation for the Police Department. She wrote, “Thank you for helping me in my time of distress. I pray for all y’all to have blessings & to be safe.”

March 2024

Transit Shoutout!

Recently, Assistant City Manager Steve Willis received a letter from Deloris Gilliam regarding her experiences with Transit. She expresses many reasons why the service, professionalism, compassion, and staff are top-notch in the letter below.

The letter reads:

I’m writing this letter to thank everyone involved in running the Johnson City Transit bus station. I hope everyone gets a raise! Let me explain why.

The bus drivers are amazing because of their safe driving skills, because of their kindness, and their laughter. One bus driver helped a 75-year-old lady off the bus, and as he held her up, he lifted and handed her the walker. Her face lit up as she said, “Thank you.” She had the prettiest bows in her hair.

Every bus driver helps me lift my heavy cart and locks it in for me. Even at the end of the day when they’re tired, they smile and

are helpful. The lady bus driver with red hair answered a gentleman’s question when he asked her what bus he needed to take to get to the VA Hospital. She told him what bus to take and that it would be there in a half hour.

The ladies do as great as the gentlemen bus drivers do.

I want to thank the lady janitors. They do an amazing job. The floors are swept and mopped so many times a day people could eat off of the floors. The bathrooms are clean and the trash cans are always emptied. They always smile and brighten everyone’s day.

I want to thank the ladies and gentlemen that work behind the window. They do amazing too. One lady that works behind the window drove the bus on the Red Route one cold morning when the regular bus driver was home bad sick. She drove really great and walked confidently back behind the window. You Go Girl!

One lady that works behind the window that walked to the bathroom, she noticed a man sitting in the chair that wasn’t allowed to be inside. She spoke to him in a low gentle voice. She said, “Sir you’re not supposed to be here and we have discussed this before.” And she walked off--he left.

The change machines are handy and always have money in them. The soda machines are always full, along with the snack machines. I also want to thank the gentlemen that I see filing up the machines on a regular basis. It’s noticed and appreciated. The bus station is a safe place to be and as a woman, I definitely appreciate that.

NEWSLINK March 2024

CDC Updates and Simplifies Respiratory Virus Recommendations

Last week, CDC released updated recommendations for how people can protect themselves and their communities from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. The new guidance brings a unified approach to addressing risks from a range of common respiratory viral illnesses, such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV, which can cause significant health impacts and strain on hospitals and health care workers. CDC is making updates to the recommendations now because the United States is seeing far fewer hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19 and because we have more tools than ever to combat flu, COVID-19, and RSV. As part of the guidance, CDC provides active recommendations on core prevention steps and strategies and additional considerations for people who are at higher risk of severe illness from respiratory viruses, including older adults, young children, people with compromised immune systems, people with disabilities, and pregnant people.

A new CDC report finds that the updated (2023-2024) COVID-19 vaccines cut the

risk in half for visiting the emergency department, urgent care, or being hospitalized with COVID-19 for most people. Everyone 6 months and older should get an updated COVID-19 vaccine, especially people 65 years or older and people with medical conditions that make them more likely to get very sick with COVID-19, such as weakened immune systems. Learn more about how to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.