City Employees Have A Giving Spirit
The Holiday Season can be a time of reflection on the past year. It has been another year of giving on the part of City employees through various drives:
1. Over 50 pints of blood for the American Red Cross;
2. Toys for the Timbrook Food and Toy Drive for 35 local needy families;
3. Contributions to the United Way Campaign exceeding $4,500 (to date) including fundraising events such as Jersey Day, a Chili Cook-off and a Golf Tournament;
4. 120 blankets, pillows, sleeping bags, comforters, fleece wraps and baby blankets in the “City Employees to the Rescue: Fill An Ambulance” for the annual Community Blanket Drive;
5. Sore muscles, hours of practice, and over $1,300 raised during the City's Annual Kickball Tournament to benefit the WINC Chain of Checks;
6. Hours of bell-ringing for the Salvation Army in chilly temperatures;
7. Numerous Christmas gifts for 10 families under the Salvation Army Angel Tree;
8. Sweat and labor to the United Way Day of Caring and a home selected by the City's Zoning and Inspections staff; and
9. Graciously hosted visitors from Lithuania.
In these economic times, City employees continue to give to those who in need. On a daily basis employees give selflessly to make other peoples’ lives better. Sometimes that means hitting the streets with snow plows and chemicals while the city sleeps in order to make the roads safe to travel, going back out to fix a water main break in freezing temperatures, or opening the office to give a family food from the food bank because they are without.
City employees have saved someone’s life, assisted a traveler in trouble, solved someone’s billing problem, rescued a child in danger, cleared a sewer blockage, put out a fire or administered resuscitation, made a landlord improve living conditions, helped a needy family obtain services, answered the telephone in a particularly pleasant manner that made the caller feel welcome, provided a recreational benefit for a citizen, or made Winchester a safer place to live. Together, City employees strive to make peoples’ lives better in so many ways.
City Operations Holiday Schedule
New Year's Day - Thursday, January 1, 2009
1. Thursday's (Northside) Refuse collection is rescheduled for Wednesday,
December 31
2. Citywide Yard Waste collection is cancelled on Wednesday, December 31
3. City offices closed.
4. WinTran will not be operating.
5. Free parking at all downtown metered spaces.
Live Christmas Tree Pick Up Day
Want an easy way to discard your Christmas tree? The City of Winchester's Refuse Department will pick up your live, undecorated Christmas tree curbside, along with yard waste, on Wednesday, January 7 and 14.
This will also be the last yard waste collections of the season. On either of these Wednesdays, please place the tree curbside either Tuesday night or before 7:30 am Wednesday morning. Please make sure all lights and decorations are removed from the tree.
For questions or more information e-mail Michael Neese, Recycling Coordinator at mneese@ci.winchester.va.us or 667-1815, ext. 1452.
Where Does Council Go From Here?
The swearing in ceremony for the Mayor and new Councilors was held Monday, December 29 at 11:00 am in the Council Chambers. Terry Whittle, Clerk of the Circuit Court performed the ceremony. The new Councilors' term begins January 1, 2009.
Council will also hold a special meeting on January 5 at 11:30 am in the Council Chambers to elect officers, including a new Council President, Vice-President and Vice Mayor. The first regular meeting with the new council will be held on January 13 at 7:00 pm at Rouss City Hall. The public is welcome and citizen participation is encouraged. Special accomodations to attend the meeting can be arranged by calling City Hall at 667-1815 or 722-0782 (TDD).
Continuing Councilors
Jeff Buettner, Mike Butler, Art Major, Evan Clark, and Liz Minor (Mayor)
Incoming Councilors
John Hill, Milt McInturff, Les Veach and John Willingham
Outgoing Councilors
President Charley Gaynor (1994-2008), Vice President Carolyn Griffin (1987-2008), and Councilors Tim Coyne (2000-2008), Dick Helm (2004-2008), Rick Nelson (2004-2008), and Stewart Masters (2004-2008)
City Snow Plan and Procedures
Even though is hasn't felt like winter lately, it is upon us and the snow is coming.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with the City's snow plan and procedures. Be prepared and know what to do during the different snow plans. Learn how to prevent ice build up and how and when the City plows snow in your neighborhood. Get all this information and more from the City's Snow Plan and Procedure web page.
Going Green With Document Imaging
In September 2007, the City of Winchester began a document imaging initiative in order to be more environmentally responsible and to also save office space.
Document imaging is the process of scanning paper documents and converting them to digital images that are then stored electronically on a disc or on a computer network. Several City departments such as the City Treasurer, Commissioner of the Revenue, Finance, Human Resources and many others have been scanning documents they are required to keep in order to become better organized and to regain office space usually used for file storage.
Thanks to document imaging the need for copying the same document for several different departments becomes unnecessary. One file for the document can be created electronically and accessed anytime by departments. In addition, the document can be emailed or faxed directly from the system and therefore, eliminating the need to print it. In the future, the City will also be able to accept electronic documents such as site plans, reports, forms, etc. which eliminates the need for a hard copy. The system also reduces time needed for filing.
Since the documents will be stored electronically and in more than one location, the imaging system allows for fast document recovery in the event of a devastating fire or another catastrophe at City Hall. Eventually, the City hopes to offer document imaging at all City facilities and not just City Hall.
Document imaging is a great way to not only save office space, but it allows the City to be more efficient, organized and eco-friendly. The City's Commissioner of the Revenue's office was able to remove 20 filing cabinets from their office! Jay Russell, Commissioner of the Revenue adds, "Another advantage to document imaging is when the filing is done manually and happens to be misfiled it is very difficult to find the necessary paper but this program has a search engine. Just type in a key word and the information is righ there."
The City will recoup the cost of the system in approximately eight years by saving money on paper, toner, staff time, storage, etc.
Protect Your Car This Winter
Don't let parking on the street during the winter bog you down. Give the elements a shrug and park your car in a City garage. No more scrapping off snow and ice. No more shoveling around a car you use or don't use very often. Garage spaces are available in Loudoun and Braddock Autoparks. For more information, call 665-0355 and ask for Gary.
Lead Paint Safe Work Practices Workshop
In conjunction with the National Paint and Coatings Association (NPCA), The Training Network, Inc. is offering a one day Lead-Based Paint Training Program for Renovators and Remodelers. This no-cost training program, which follows the HUD-EPA curriculum (2003), is sponsored by the NPCA and is the result of a cooperative agreement between the NPCA and the individual states.
This course will be directed towards people who work in state and municipal agencies, community and social service organizations, home (or code) inspection companies and contractors. The information presented in this training will be beneficial to the remodeling and renovation industry, including sales, marketing and administrative personnel as well as workers and supervisory staff. It is also designed to be very informative for general rehabilitation workers such as drywallers, painters, carpenters and the general homeowner handyman.
There is no cost to attendees for this training program, and course materials will be supplied. Anyone who works in, or is involved in the areas of concern, should attend this training course.
Date: January 27, 2009
Location: Timbrook Public Safety Center's Community Room, 3rd Floor, 231 East Piccadilly Street, Winchester, Virginia 22601.
Time: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Price: free
Contact: Vincent P. Diem
Phone: 667-1815 x 1420.
Email: info@thetrainingnetwork.us
Report Dumping of Hazardous Materials Into the Storm Drain
Allowing liquids other than storm water to get into the drain leads to pollution of lakes and streams. Did you know that one gallon on improperly disposed oil can contaminate one million gallons of water? Do your part. Help reduce stormwater pollution and report illegal dumping of hazardous materials into the storm drain.
To report an illegal dumping of hazardous materials into the storm drain call 662-4131 (immediately). For less urgent issues, call the City's stormwater complaint hotline at 542-1346. To learn more about how you can reduce storm water pollution at home, visit the City's Going Green website or click here [http://www.winchesterva.gov/gogreen/stormwater.php].\
Click here for the City's "Report Dumping of Hazardous Materials into the Storm Draing" flyer. | 
