The Michigan Water Environmental Association (MWEA) has named Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash its Public Utility Management Professional of the Year at their annual awards ceremony last month.
Pictured above is MWEA's past president, Brian Russo, handing Commissioner Nash the award. The Public Utilities Management Professional of the Year award was established in 2002 and is awarded to a worthy individual who has demonstrated:
- Outstanding dedication to an employer and the MWEA
- Excellence in public utilities management and publicly promotes the water environment profession.
“I’m humbled and gratified to receive this award and the recognition from the Michigan WEA, a group of professionals who are highly regarded. They are great folks who do great work for the public good,” said Nash.
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Lawrence Technological University Hosts Event in Southfield
Commissioner Nash’s Fifth Annual Stormwater Summit, organized by the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s office and Pure Oakland Water (POW), will take place at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield on Friday, October 20th. The event hours are 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Lunch is provided and costs $25. A free learning session entitled, “How Homeowners Can Develop their Own Green Infrastructure” will begin at 3 p.m. and all are welcome.
Stakeholders attending the conference represent local, county and state government, business leaders and contractors, environmental advocates, the public and others.
“With this annual gathering, we are facilitating more regional collaboration and planning on this very important topic. It is more critical than ever that we face changing weather patterns, stricter pollution controls, and aging infrastructure,” said Jim Nash, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner and convener of the summit.
Topics will include low impact development technologies, green infrastructure, climate change, funding opportunities, and new stormwater standards. Michigan water resources commissioners, drain and public works commissioners, their staff members, city, township and village officials, watershed council members, and environmentalists, along with engineering and industry professionals are invited to attend.
This year’s keynote speaker is Helen Noehammer, the Director of Transportation & Infrastructure Planning with the City of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
For more information please contact Alyssa Atkinson at atkinsonaa@oakgov.com.
Registration will begin September 1, 2017. To register go to pureoaklandwater.org.
Under Construction: Hamlin Drain Extension in Bloomfield Township
Under Construction: Walled Lake - Novi Wastewater Treatment Plant Headworks and Security Improvements in Novi
Under Construction: Clinton River Water Resource Recovery Facility Biosolids Handling and Septage Receiving Facility in Pontiac
For more information about the status of these infrastructure projects and others, go to www.oakgov.com/water to view updates. For information, call 248-858-0958.
For the fourth year in a row, the Water Resources Commissioner's staff, the Art Experience and the City of Pontiac joined volunteers from Pure Oakland Water, along with many sponsors and local agencies to host the annual Art-Fish-Fun Festival on Saturday, June 10th. This year’s free family-fun event and park cleanup held in Pontiac’s Beaudette Park doubled in size, with record attendance reported.
Hundreds of people learned about conservation, wildlife, fish, and water-related environmental issues at the festival. More than 40 arts and educational activities designed for youth were provided. The free festival provided those in attendance the opportunity to fish with Commissioner Jim Nash. He supplied free bait and helped many first-timers cast their fishing reels. Participants also learned about the value of our natural resources and local waterways.
County residents from Pontiac, Rochester Hills, Southfield, Waterford and many of the surrounding communities found enjoyment at the event, which also celebrated “River Day” designated on June 10th, and Michigan’s Free Fishing Weekend which coincided with that date.
The Art-Fish-Fun Festival represents our mission of providing a quality of life that is attractive to people and business. It also reflects the importance of community building and demonstrates our belief that an educational and fun activity can set into motion positive community engagement. As a result, some overlooked community assets, like Beaudette Park, have experienced an increase in activities and rebirth.
The Art-Fish-Fun Festival is supported by the Pontiac Arts Commission and the Clinton River Watershed Council, in collaboration with numerous businesses, arts and nonprofit organizations. Each year, the outstanding work of community stakeholders and festival organizers Audra Pieknik, Communications Coordinator, The Art Experience; Alyssa Atkinson, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner's Office; Judy Wilson, Executive Director, The Art Experience and Jacquelyn Tennille, City of Pontiac Department of Public Works, make the event possible. For more information about AFF 2017, click here. Mark your calendars for the 2018 Art-Fish-Fun Festival scheduled for June 9, 2018.
On May 18th, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner joined Pontiac elected officials during a special ribbon-cutting ceremony to announce a new payment drop-off location, in Pontiac’s City Hall. Residents and WRC customers can leave payments at the drop-off box, in the atrium area, of Pontiac’s City Hall, located at 47450 Woodward Avenue.
Bill payment envelopes will be available and only checks or money orders will be accepted at the payment drop-off box location. If there is a bill concern, customers can use the WRC telephone to call and speak to a billing representative. Payments can be dropped off, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
By telephone request only, face-to-face appointments can be scheduled in advance, for the “Third Tuesday” of each month from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., a WRC representative will meet with customers by appointment only. For more information, call Oakland County’s Water Resources Billing Services at 248-858-1110.
(Pictured left to right: Pontiac City Council member
Kermit Williams, Council President Patrice Waterman, Commissioner Jim Nash,
Mayor Deirdre Waterman, Council President Pro Tem Mary Pietila, Oakland County
Commissioner David E.S. Bowman and Councilmember Doris Taylor Burks)
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On Saturday, June 24, 2017, family traveled from near and far to be a part of the long-awaited naming of the Walter T. Gay Walnut Lake Pumping Station #1. Four generations of the Gay family joined Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash and WRC staff at the special dedication ceremony, where the unveiling of the new plaque affixed to the station was revealed. A tour of the station and a moment of silence, with all present holding hands around the newly-planted memorial tree took place. This tree was also dedicated to commemorate the life of the late underground contractor, Walter T. Gay, Jr. The Gay family matriarch, Ms. Frances Gay, along with her family expressed gratitude for the recognition of her late husband.
It was almost 50 years ago, during the installation of the first lift station at the Walnut Lake Pumping Station #1, when Mr. Gay, Jr. was accidentally killed while working on May 13, 1968 at the site. At that time of his death, he was part owner of the Bloomfield Township based Gay Brothers Construction Company, Inc.
The station that Mr. Gay worked on provides sanitary sewer services to the communities of Bloomfield Township and West Bloomfield Township. With the upgraded station completed approximately 10 years ago, the Walnut Lake Pump Station #1 has successfully reduced the occurrences of sanitary sewer overflows by allowing operators to pump sewage into different sanitary interceptors.
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