Covid-19 Special Edition CCG Insight Newsletter- Correction

Welcome back and we missed you!

We want to take a moment to thank all of the dedicated essential workers that keep the city safe and functioning.

We see you.

We appreciate you.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Please wear a mask

For all workers regardless of specific exposure risks, please abide by all advised guidelines.

We want to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Protect yourself and others around you.

Practice social distancing

Please remember to stay a safe distance

(at least 6 feet) from others. Let’s all be as safe as possible.

Transitioning Back into the Workplace

Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

When soap and running water are unavailable, use an alcohol- based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands that are visibly soiled. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

Practice good respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and sneezes. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay at home if you are sick.

Together We Are Amazing!!!!!!

STAY HOME.SAVE LIVES.

Help stop coronavirus

STAY home as much as you can

KEEP a safe distance

WASH hands often

COVER your cough

SICK? Call ahead

As we all know, the COVID-19 outbreak has potentially increased stress and anxiety for many.

To help decrease the stress and anxiety of the pandemic, it is suggested to implement the following suggestions:

1) Increase your sense of safety-wash your hands, use sanitizer, cover your mouth and nose with elbow or tissue when sneezing and coughing, stay home if sick, avoid those that are sick and clean and disinfect surfaces.

2) Stay connected- seek support, use technology to communicate, and if possible work from home.

3) Cultivate ways to be more calm-exercise and reduced exposure to the news and media especially prior to bed.

4) Improve your sense of control and ability to endure-set goals, use problem solving skills and accept things that you cannot change.

5) Wear masks.

We are in this together and together we will get through this

Article by:

Carmen D. Hood

Commercial Appraiser

Board of Assessors

Family Activities to Do During the

COVID-19 Pandemic

Join your children outside for a game of hide and seek, kick the can, or a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood.

Take your dog for a walk.

Start planning your summer garden.

Go for a jog.

Create an obstacle course with toys and games from your garage.

Start a virtual book club! Choose a book and start an online chat with your friends.

Play games indoors! Games for younger children include Simon Says, Duck Duck Goose, or Follow the Leader. Older children can play “I Spy,” charades, indoor bowling, or make up new games.

Try a new recipe or make dinner as a family; find recipes and tips for cook with children safely.

Health Observances

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. The condition can be self-limiting or can progress to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer. Hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis in the world but other infections, toxic substances (e.g. alcohol, certain drugs), and autoimmune diseases can also cause hepatitis.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is present in the feces of infected persons and is most often transmitted through consumption of contaminated water or food.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted through exposure to infective blood, semen, and other body fluids.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood.

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infections occur only in those who are infected with HBV.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is mostly transmitted through consumption of contaminated water or food. HEV is a common cause of hepatitis outbreaks in developing parts of the world.

June is Alzheimer's Awareness Month

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive form of dementia. Dementia is a broader term for conditions caused by brain injuries or diseases that negatively affect memory, thinking, and behavior.

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic ongoing condition.

Its symptoms come on gradually and the effects on the brain are degenerative, meaning they cause slow decline.

There’s no cure for Alzheimer’s but treatment can help slow the progression of the disease and may improve quality of life.

Anyone can get Alzheimer’s disease but certain people are at higher risk for it. This includes people over age 65 and those with a family history of the condition.

Alzheimer’s and dementia aren’t the same thing. Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia.

There’s no single expected outcome for people with Alzheimer’s. Some people live a long time with mild cognitive damage, while others experience a more rapid onset of symptoms and quicker disease progression.

To learn more about your personal risk of developing the condition, talk with your doctor.

Welcome

and

Congratulations to our

Promotions, New Hires, and Retirees

New Hires

March:

Board and Commissions

Destiny Beckom

Reina Brinson

Rebecca Bristow

Kayla Chisolm

Susan Colquitt

Francis Cutler

Kimberly Elsey

Daniel Ingram

Katie Ingram

Lindsey Little

Joann Mitchell

Carmen Morris

Paul Overstreet

Zoee Pemberton

Emily Rego

Jasmine Rios

James Rose

Hollie Steinman

Kyndall Travis

Janet Vaughn

Elysse Youngblood

Bull Creek Golf Course

Erin Linander

Civic Center

Jazmine Scott

Fire and EMS

Benjamin Burdette

Information Technology

Kyle Colquitt

Ashley Brickhouse

MCP

Shanequia Daniels

Takota Harm

Kendall Alston

Miscellaneous

Darian English

Oxbow Creek Golf Course

Joel Johnson

Parks and Recreation

Khalil Clark

Dakota Grossman

Philip St. Pierre

Miguel Figueroa

Malik Gathers

Ophelia George

Teyah Johnson

Raymond Palmer

Dazuan Shelton

Wayne Waldon

Kegan Wood

Reyshayania Coleman

Gabrielle Harris

Christopher Verga

Yamelys Arce

Walter Cooper

Columbus Police Department

Patrick Byrne

Rachel Terry

Monica Ogle

Public Works

Keith Campbell

Dewayne Harper

Thomas Autry

Jordan Bumgardner

Antonio Mason

Christopher Walston

Marissa Beisner

Melva Brewer

Marcie Wilson

Muscogee County Sheriff's Office

Colton Shytle

Charles Newton

Harry Shavers

State Court

Stephen Geist

Superior Court

Gwendolyn Newby

Brittney Lyles

Jessica Benson

Paula Marchetti

Tax Commissioner

Jalen Richardson

Columbus Convention and Trade Center

Jasmine Holden

Ri'chana Jackson

Transportation

Sonya Copeland

Kenyetta Thomas

Deanna Coleman

April:

Boards and Commissions

Katrina Culpepper

Parks and Recreation

Clarence Buford

Samantha Congdon

Nefertari Williams

Shamira Richards

Columbus Police Department

Jonathan Lobley

Josef Pavon

Vernice Sharper

Dayan Smith

Jerry Martin

Marcy Macy Ruiz

Public Works

Tommy Henderson

Timothy Hendrix

John Jeffries

Trevian Maddox

Muscogee County Sheriff's Office

George Chapman

Monica Williams

Tax Commissioner

Cynthia Short

Amanda Watts

Transportation

Sharon Jones

Promotions

March:

Columbus Civic Center

Cyric Chapman

Columbus Fire and EMS

Zachary Previtt

Claude Scarbrough

Bobby Schaaf

Joshua Thomas

Royal Williamson

Parks and Recreation

Makayla Mitchell

Tara Wood

Columbus Police Department

Charee Warthen

Public Works

Sherrick Ambrose

Dominique Johnson

Christopher Sharpe

Muscogee County Sheriff's Office

Antaevyon Burden

Peter Buttacavoli

Ray Thorton

Alexus Wyatt

Columbus Convention and Trade Center

Tiffany Biggs

Rachel Torfeh

April:

Municipal Court

Wendy Lewis

Aaron McDowell

Parks and Recreation

Kenneth Fitzpatrick

Donald Jackson

Public Works

Kanell Jackson

Arkenneth Moore

Superior Court

Garrett Cothran

Retirees

March:

MCP

Arlington Cozart

Fire and EMS

Ryan Rogers

Joffre Danielly

Parks and Recreation

Beth Thornell

April :

Columbus Police Department

Michael Green

Jessie Parks

Michael Brown

Public Works

Vicki Carde

Johnny Ingram

David Sellers

Robert Sellers

Muscogee County Sheriff's Office

Dennis Shytle

Superior Court

Sandra Smith

Kudos to Inspections and Code for successfully facilitating its first Virtual Board of Zoning Appeals meeting

The Board of Zoning Appeals is a crucial component of the Inspections and Code checks and balances process when Unified Development Ordinance variances are required for permit issuance. With COVID-19, we had to think outside of the box to continue to facilitate a crucial city service while still maintaining safe social distancing practices. On May 6, 2020 at 2:00pm, we hosted the first official Board of Zoning Appeals virtual meeting using Microsoft Teams. Prior to the hearing, we tested out Microsoft Teams with board members, sent emails to appellants with instructions, and distributed the conference number and conference ID to the public by means of a Ledger Enquirer advertisement and letters to adjacent property owners. Appellants and city personnel participated by video conference. Members of the general public were able to call in to participate. Ten cases were heard by the Board and we are proud to report that the integrity legitimacy of board proceedings were maintained, even in a virtual setting. Inspections and Code personnel are happy to continue to provide service to our citizens and we are proud that we can adapt to the current challenged of the status quo. We extend a special thanks to the Planning Department, the Urban Forestry Division of Public Works, and the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Together, We Do Amazing.

Article by:

Charlotte Davis, MPA

Inspections Services Coordinator

Department of Building Inspections & Code Enforcement

How long is the Columbus Riverwalk, really?

This time every year, a flood of emails come in asking how long our Riverwalk is (I know, poor choice of words). These emails come largely from outside the city government from local agencies wanting to know the trail length which then initiate a flurry of internal emails chasing down the answer. No one can ever agree on the actual length and then as a result, conflicting information gets reported which compounds the confusion. So, last year it was decided that a complete re-assessment of the geospatial accuracy of our Columbus Riverwalk layer was in order if for no other reason than to determine once and for all, how long is the Columbus Riverwalk, really.

The CCG GIS is, at its core, an asset management system and as you would expect, contains a layer for the Riverwalk and all our other trails. This layer was originally digitized against aerial imagery. To get a proper assessment of the actual trail length, we needed boots on the ground to collect the exact centerline of the Riverwalk from end to end. This was a perfect job for the CCG survey crew. It took the better part of a very long and hot summer to completely GPS the entire trail. During the project, it was also discovered that an entire section of the trail South of Oxbow Meadows Learning Center was missing out of our GIS layer because that section was unrecognizable on the aerial imagery so this project was already paying dividends. We also captured each and every pedestrian and motorized vehicle access points to the Riverwalk and there are more than you think! Perhaps the part of the project I’m most pleased with was that while our CCG surveyors were surveying the trail centerline, we also had them collect all of the fixed assets along the path such as: benches, trash cans, light poles, signs, bollards, fountains, gazebos, and yes, even doggie bag dispensers. In the end, not only did we have a new and much more accurate Riverwalk layer in GIS, but we also have elevation data on the trail along with fixed assets. All of this was a team effort and I’m very thankfully to our city survey crew for their contribution to this project. So, how long is the Riverwalk? It is 75,450.371 ft. or 14.289 mi.

Out of the Riverwalk project was born another data layer in GIS, Street Furniture. Not only did we collect the precise location of all of the fixed assets along the Riverwalk but more importantly we collected information about each asset such as the asset owner, which city department maintains the asset, a unique identifier for asset tracking purposes, and the condition of each asset. It took a few months, but we now have all fixed assets along the Riverwalk, downtown Columbus, the Fall Line Trace, the Follow Me Trail, the newly opened MLK section of the DragonFly, and a few parks adjacent to the Riverwalk. Eventually we hope to include Metra bus stop assets (signs, trash cans, benches, shelters, and bike racks) and all remaining city park assets. As this layer evolves, it will form a more complete, geographical operating picture of CCG fixed assets located within the city right of way.

Where do we go from here? While GIS is an asset management system at its core, its true return on investment is the ability to analyze the data in a GIS. Questions can now be answered with data such as, now that we know where every trash can is located along street right of ways, is there a more efficient way to collect that garbage? Perform analysis on frequency of asset vandalism, determine how many benches, trash cans or light poles along the Riverwalk will need cleaning if the flood height reaches “x” feet, or to use this data to figure out a more effective way to communicate to the public precisely which sections of the Riverwalk are closed during and immediately after periods of flooding. Data can answer those questions.

If you have any questions about this article or how you can access and use GIS information, please put in a Bossdesk ticket and we’ll be glad to talk to you about the many benefits of data driven decision making.

Article by:

R. Brian Lackey, GISP

GIS Supervisor | Lean 6σ Green Belt

Information Technology Department

Columbus Consolidated Government

Quick Family

Recipes for Home

One Pot Chicken and Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

10-12 chicken thighs, skin on, bone-in

salt and pepper to taste

Herbs de Provence, to taste

12 ounces (340g) small “Dutch Baby” potatoes, sliced in half

2 tbsp (15g) of flour

Pre-Mix Broth Mixture in a Small Pitcher or bowl:

1 cup (240ml) chicken broth

¼ cup (60ml) white wine (or ¼ cup more broth)

2 tsp (10ml) Dijon Mustard

1 tsp (5ml) Worcestershire Sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F (162C). Measure out all your ingredients so you are ready to go. This recipe happens fast and it will help if everything is pre-measured.

Season chicken (skin side) with salt, peppers and Herbs de Provence.

Heat olive oil in a large braiser. Sear chicken, skin side down until golden brown, flip and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and set aside. It will finish cooking in the oven.

Sauté potatoes in chicken fat until caramelized and golden brown. Transfer potatoes to a bowl and set aside.

Add flour to remaining chicken fat and whisk until a paste forms. It you have no more chicken fat you can add 2 tbsp. (30g) of butter to create more fat. Cook paste 1 minute.

Add broth Mixture and whisk to combine. Add garlic and fresh thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place potatoes in sauce, add chicken on top. Cover and bake for 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven, remove lid and spoon sauce on top, bring to the table and serve!

Broccoli Salad