JUNE & JULY 2023 | VOL. 9, ISSUE 3 |
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The Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool will close for the season beginning Monday, Aug. 14. The last day the pool will be open is Sunday, Aug. 13 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Puppy Pool Party, marking the official end of the season, is set for Saturday, Aug. 19.
On Aug. 2, the Outdoor Pool will be closed for the Annual Senior Citizen Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Open swim will still happen from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., but there will be no morning swim that day. More information is posted at OakRidgeTN.gov.
The August 2023 Outdoor Pool hours have reduced as the season winds down. The new schedule can be viewed at OakRidgeTN.gov/oak-ridge-outdoor-pool.
As a reminder, areas of the pool may be closed at times depending on activities, attendance, and staffing. The pool schedule is subject to change due to weather, special events, and/or staffing.
For questions and/or more information, call the Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Civic Center front desk at (865) 425-3450, or visit the Civic Center Front Desk at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
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The community gathered for another annual Independence Day Concert and Fireworks Celebration in Oak Ridge on July 4. Some attendees described it as the best finale they've ever seen.
The event took place at A.K. Bissell Park beginning with a concert from the Oak Ridge Community Band and finishing with a fantastic fireworks show.
Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this event another great one for Oak Ridge!
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City of Oak Ridge residents should have received their property taxes by mail this month.
Property owners who do not receive their property tax statement by July 31 should call (865) 425-3404 and ask for DeDe, the city’s Tax Specialist, or look up how much they owe online in order to pay on time. Property tax information can be found online by clicking here.
In accordance with State Law, property tax notices are mailed to the property owner at the address on file with the State of Tennessee as of Jan. 1, 2023. Because of this, some property owners may not receive a statement, a situation normally explained as part of the property closing process. Failure to receive a notice of taxes due does not relieve the property owner of the obligation to pay or provide relief for late payments.
Property owners have until Aug. 31 to pay their property taxes without interest or penalty. On Sept. 1, interest will begin to accrue on the account.
Payments can be made online at https://payments.oakridgetn.gov/, at the Utilities Business Office (UBO) located at 200 S. Tulane Avenue, in the overnight drop box in the UBO parking lot, or by mail at P.O. Box 1, Oak Ridge, TN 37831. Payments made with a card, in person or online, will incur a 2.75% fee. The fee for payments made by eCheck will be $1 per $5,000. These fees are assessed to offset the transaction cost incurred by the City.
For more information, call the Tax Specialist line at (865) 425-3404.
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The Oak Ridge Public Library no longer charges overdue fees for materials that are returned late. Additionally, the library will automatically renew eligible items that have not been returned if the item does not have a hold. Patrons will still be charged for lost or damaged items.
Here is how it will work:
- When an item is checked out, it will be due back in three weeks for books, CD-books, music CDs, and launchpads or one week for movies and Wi-Fi hotspots.
- If a book, CD-book, music CD, or movie is not returned by its due date AND no one else has it on hold, the item will automatically renew.
o Wi-Fi hotspots are not renewable.
o Launchpads will not renew automatically. Please talk to the Children’s Room staff to renew a launchpad.
o Book club sets will not renew. Please talk to the Main Desk staff to renew a book club set.
o Interlibrary loan items will not renew. Please talk to our Interlibrary Loan clerk to renew one.
- Patrons will be notified via text or email, letting them know the status of their items whenever an automatic renewal is attempted.
- This will happen through 2 renewal periods of 3 weeks each. Patrons will still receive a 3-day notice prior to items being due.
- After an item has been renewed twice, it will be due back at the library. If the item is not returned on the due date, the card will be blocked from checking out other items, including online materials from Libby and Hoopla, and from using library computers until the items are returned.
- Patrons will receive an overdue notice 7 days and 14 days after the due date asking for the item(s) to be returned.
- Thirty days after the final due date, an item changes from OVERDUE to LOST. If a patron has any lost items, the card will be blocked. If the item is not returned, the patron will be charged the full cost of the item plus a processing fee.
- Interlibrary loan items are still subject to overdue charges. Since the rules regarding late fees are set by the loaning library, Oak Ridge Public Library does not have the authority to waive late fees charged by other libraries.
Replacement copies
We are no longer able to accept replacement copies for items that are lost or damaged. When a book is lost or damaged, the patron will be charged the cost of the original item plus a processing fee.
Changes to the Book Drop
The library now has a drive-up book drop located on the access road as you are leaving the library parking lot. This will change the traffic pattern and parking rules so please be on the lookout for new signs and traffic flow.
The indoor book drop has moved to the white wall near the copier and bulletin boards.
For more information, follow the library on Facebook at @OakRidgePubLib.
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New Children's Room and ADA restrooms
Our Oak Ridge Public Library’s East Wing is back open and it includes a renovated Children’s Room and ADA restrooms.
The mural in the brand new Children’s Room was done by Oak Ridge Schools’ Jefferson Middle School students! Come check it out next time you’re at the library.
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The mural in the brand new Children’s Room was designed and painted by Oak Ridge Schools’ Jefferson Middle School students. Come check it out next time you’re at the library!
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July is the peak month for grill fires so the Oak Ridge Fire Department wants to make sure everyone has these simple tips to safe grilling:
- Never leave your grill unattended
- Propane & charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors
- Place your grill far from homes, deck railings, and out from under eaves & overhanging branches
- Keep kids & pets at least 3 feet away
- Keep your grill clean by removing grease/fat buildup from the grills and trays below it
- Always open your gas grill lid BEFORE you light it
Questions? Call ORFD at (865) 425-3520.
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The Tennessee Yellow Dot Program is designed to supply first responders with an individual’s medical information in the event of an emergency.
Packets are available at the Oak Ridge Senior Center, 1405 Oak Ridge Turnpike. This program is offered by myTDOT.
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The drafted Environmental Assessment document for the proposed Oak Ridge Airport is available for review now and a public hearing is set for August 8 from 6-8 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel located at 215 S Illinois Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830.
In accordance with “National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Instructions for Airport Actions”- FAA Order 5050.4B and “Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures”- FAA Order 1050.1F, the City of Oak Ridge, Tennessee intends to conduct a public hearing for a new Oak Ridge Airport. The City’s intent is to construct a 5,000’ X 100’ runway, partial parallel taxiway, and associated land side facilities at a location north of U.S. 58 between Perimeter and Blair Roads.
The purpose of the hearing is to address the potential social and environmental effects of the project and its consistency with the goals and objectives of each affected area’s land use or planning strategy. Issues to be addressed include: area wetland, streams, and ponds; archaeological and historical sites; biological issues; airport noise and social effects such as road closures and realignments; view shed and lighting impacts.
A draft copy of the Environmental Assessment document is available for public viewing at the following locations: Oak Ridge Planning & Development Permit Desk in the Municipal Building’s Utility Business Office lobby, 200 South Tulane Avenue; the Oak Ridge Public Library at 1401 Oak Ridge Turnpike, and the Oak Ridge Senior Center at 1405 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
A copy of the environmental assessment can also be reviewed via the link below or by making a request to [email protected] and access to an FTP site will be provided. The public hearing will be held on August 8, 2023, from 6 to 8 p.m. local time at the DoubleTree Hotel located at 215 S Illinois Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830.
Written comments should be submitted by (Aug. 18, 2023, at 6 p.m., which is 10 days after the August 8 Public Hearing).
Interested parties are encouraged to attend or send written comments to City of Oak Ridge at PO Box 1, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 or FAA Memphis District Office, 2600 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 2250 Memphis, TN 38118 within 10 days following the date of the public hearing. Interested parties may also email comments to [email protected].
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment-including your personal identifying information may be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
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Please note:
The document is 1,838 pages long
and will take some time to load.
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Crews installing the new treatment plant’s waterline have reached the gate to Pumphouse Road with the new 36” water transmission line.
Drivers can expect delays when traveling through the section of Pumphouse Road from Crane Lane to the split at Bull Bluff Road to Clark Center Park through mid-August. The section from the Bethel Valley Road and Scarboro Road intersection to Crane Lane will remain open.
This construction will also impact those who park along the roadway to Clark Center Park to fish in the water on either side of the road. Construction crews will be working along the roadway on both sides.
Crews are conducting work at the Bethel Valley Road intersection, but this work is not expected to affect traffic or block the roadway.
Work on Scarboro Road is not anticipated to begin until mid-to-late August. More information on traffic impacts at Scarboro Road and Bethel Valley Road will be released as the project progresses and the timeline for that part of the work solidifies.
For more information or questions, please call Oak Ridge Public Works at (865) 425-1875.
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Drivers and riders in Oak Ridge can now report potholes when they see them. This will help the Public Works Department know where they need to focus and can help ensure our roadways are repaired in a timely manner.
Fill out the form to submit the report to the Oak Ridge Public Works Department. If you would like our staff to be able to contact you, please be sure to include a phone number or email address.
Reports can also be made via telephone at (865) 425-1875.
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Since the malware attack in late March, the city has operated with a temporary website. The content that was on the website before the attack has been moved over to the temporary site until a brand-new City of Oak Ridge website launches this fall.
We can't wait to show you what we've been working on. In the meantime, we hope this site will serve us until the new one is ready!
Click here to check it out
Need something or can't find something on the temporary site? Send us a message and let us know how we can improve the site.
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Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch and Fire Chief Travis Solomon kicked off the 2023 NATO CBRN Medical Symposium at the Pollard Technology Center at the end of June.
The NATO CBRN Medical Training Panel teamed up with Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, and the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site to host the Inaugural NATO Chemical, Biological, Radiological & Nuclear Medical Symposium here.
World-leading experts were in Oak Ridge to learn in this collaborative environment. We thank them for choosing Oak Ridge to host this important event.
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- Raise your thermostat a few degrees and use fans for cooling
- Keep blinds and curtains closed
- Consider cooking with your microwave, or better yet grill out!
- Limit your hot water use by washing clothes in cool water and filling the dishwasher before you run it
- Keep your AC serviced and those filters changed
This summer, some of our customers are experiencing very
high electric bills. High temperatures are causing air conditioners to work harder, using more electricity than normal. Unfortunately, at the same time, global conditions are increasing the costs of the fuels needed to make electricity, particularly natural gas. Across the entire country, electric bills are going up.
You can help keep your bills lower by conserving the energy you use.
For more energy-saving tips, visit EnergyRight.com, and remember, you can always contact my friends at the Utility Business Office by phone at (865) 425-3400.
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The Oak Ridge Police Department had a blast at the NAACP’s Back-to-School Bash. We are so appreciative of the annual invite and love the opportunity being able to help our community!
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The Oak Ridge Low Vision Resource Group will host Dr. Thomas Dahl, MD, Ophthalmologist and Eye Surgeon, on Monday, August 21, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Senior Center.
Dr. Dahl will discuss age-related eye diseases, such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, and eye care and prevention.
The 90-minute presentation will be in person as well as offered online. If you would like to join online, contact the Senior Center on the day of the meeting at (865) 425-3999.
Following the discussion, there will be refreshments and social time.
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You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, LinkedIn, and Nextdoor by searching for @CityOfOakRidge or "City of Oak Ridge, Tennessee".
Where do you look for your City news? Let us know below or via email by replying to this newsletter.
If you're looking for photos from City Council meetings or City events, you can visit our Flickr page: www.flickr.com/photos/cityofoakridge
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