proud to serve with Rob Stephens and Anne Hilton each of whom begin their eighth year on City Council and Chris Epley who begins his fourth year on City Council.
This Council, like those that preceded it, operates in a collegial style and everyone believes in doing the right thing for the citizens of Oakwood. We listen to one another, no one has hidden agendas, and we believe in community service.
The excellent services provided by our public safety, leisure services and public works departments would not occur if not for the leadership of City Manager Norbert Klopsch. He is recognized throughout the region as an outstanding city manager. He is also blessed with a fine group of department directors including deputy city manager/personnel director/zoning official Jay Weiskircher, who has served our city with class and distinction for 34 years.
A special mention also belongs to Carol Collins, our leisure services director, who has served our city for 42 years.
With the help of City Council, city staff and the citizens of Oakwood, we will continue to be well governed, well managed and financially strong.
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you.”
Citizen Committee Appointments – Mayor Duncan presented the following committee appointments:
Budget Review Committee – Nick Endsley (Precinct C) and Yusaku Kawai (Precinct D); and Environmental Committee – John Rasmussen.
It was moved by Mayor Duncan and seconded by Vice Mayor Byington that the aforementioned appointments be confirmed. Upon a viva voce vote on the question of the motion, same passed unanimously and it was so ordered.
Dr. Masha Kisel, 101 Oak Knoll Drive, addressed City Council as a follow up to her comments at the January 9 City Council meeting where she shared ideas on how to make Oakwood more sustainable in 2017 with recycling, composting and using green energy. Dr. Kisel thanked Mr. Klopsch for meeting with her in the interim, where he shared some great ideas for community initiatives. Dr. Kisel spoke with Tim Pritchard of Five Rivers MetroParks and he shared that Oakwood will be hosting a class on composting at the Oakwood Community Center. She appreciates the city responding to this citizen request. The “informal coalition” comprised of a group of citizens that she has been working with has been very busy educating themselves on the resources available on projects in the county. The Oakwood High School Ecology Club may soon have some information on recycling and she hopes that the city would consider placing this information on the website. She mentioned that the group is planning some programming with Wright Library in the spring to educate kids about sustainability and recycling. Dr. Kisel said that although Oakwood’s recycling rates may be the best in the county according to Dan Graeter at Montgomery County, Oakwood is still only recycling about 40% of materials that could be recycled, so the rates can still be improved. Local policy and local culture drives individual habits, so she asks for the city’s leadership in the recommended initiatives. Montgomery County has grants available to municipalities that are interested in waste reduction programs. There is a meeting on Wednesday, February 8 at 9:30 a.m. at the Montgomery County Transfer Station. An Oakwood city representative would need to attend in order to apply for the grant. She asked City Council to commit to sustainability. She proposed that a goal be set for 2017 to increase recycling rates. A longer term goal would be to set a zero waste goal. She feels that an event like the Ice Cream Social or “That Day in May” could be a test run to set a waste reduction goal or a recycling goal with an independent citizen task force or through a branch of the Environmental Committee.
Vice Mayor Byington asked how many people Dr. Kisel has working with her on this initiative.
Dr. Kisel shared that there is a Facebook group called “Green Oakwood” that has about 70 people, but the group of people that have been actively involved includes 4-5 people.
Mayor Duncan added that these 4-5 people have been very active and have accomplished more than some larger groups do in the short amount of time they have been pursuing this.
Mayor Duncan shared that Council is committed to this, but he believes that it needs to be a grassroots effort. He asked Mr. Klopsch to relay this information to Leisure Services Director Carol Collins.