Weekly Update 10/02/2015

From Bob Schwartz, City Manager


Emory Street Culverts – The maintenance crew from GDOT spent most of the last two weeks cleaning out the culverts that funnel the drainage from Emory Street. It’s State Highway 81 so it’s the responsibility of the state to maintain it. The culvert near the intersection of Hamill and Emory gave them the most trouble because it had partially collapsed. They used a backhoe for some of the work, but some required digging by hand. Jody and Scottie worked with them to make sure they avoided the utility lines in the area.

Asbury Street Park – We had a contractor use a Bobcat with a marvelous brush clearing attachment work to clear the small trees and brush from the proposed Asbury Street Park. It looks a lot more developable now.

Oxford College Community Classroom – Dr. Gretchen Schulz has planned another very interesting series of community lectures. The lectures are presented by Oxford College and are held in the community room of City Hall. They are open to the public. Click here for the program description. The first lecture is Tuesday, October 27th.

Police Department – Officer Kevin McCarthy has submitted his resignation. His last day will be October 15th. We have placed an advertisement to start the recruitment process for his replacement.

Oxford College Organic Farm – This is from the Covington News website on September 29.


Oxford College farm ranked among nation's best
The organic farm at Oxford College of Emory University at Oxford has been named one of the top 20 sustainable, college-run farms in the country.

The development and maintenance of college-run farms has been a trend that has grown throughout the last decade. Last year, Oxford College joined that trend, hiring Daniel Parsons to manage the organic farm in January 2014. Parsons has been named one of the Mother Nature Network's 40 Farmers Under-40 list and is the recipient of the Georgia Organics Land Steward of the Year Award.
The organic farm is more than 11 acres located at 406 Emory Street.
During the last year-and-a-half, the farm at Oxford College has served both the students and the community, selling to the dining services at Oxford College and Emory University, the Emory Farmers' Market and Community Supported Agriculture shares.
College value online ranked the top 100 college farms, awarding a one point for 10 acres or less, two points for 11-50 acres and three points for more than 50 acres; one point for being certified organic; one point for an having an animal component; one point for offering academic courses on the farm; one point for selling to the campus dining hall; one point for selling at other areas on campus; one point for hosting a Community Supported Agriculture; and one point for selling off campus.
The Oxford College Farm compiled six points to be ranked No. 17 on the top 100 list.
The top three college farms on collegevaluesonline.com, in order, are California State University’s Chico University Farm, Berea College Farm in Kentucky and Case Western Reserve University Farm in Cleveland, Ohio.

Police Department – Here are the graphs for September.