STREET DEPARTMENT

The Street Department patches cuts made by the Water Department with asphalt at Lakeview Drive, Woodhaven Drive and Collier Street.

ACCOUNTING

• Staff entered 169 invoices for payment to vendors
• The city issued 120 checks for 166 invoices
• Accounting department entered 58 journal entries to record transactions of the city
• Staff sent 15 invoices to customers for miscellaneous transactions

CUSTOMER SERVICE

The lobby of City Hall is currently closed. The drive thru is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and an appointment can be made by calling 770-385-2000. Payments can be made online by visiting the city's website at cityofcovington.org or using the button below.

Total Transactions Completed by Customer Service Representatives: 2,149

UTILITY BILLING / METER READING

• 3,798 cycle/final bills
• 32 Industrial/Large Commercial bills
• 258 work orders
• Four meter/ert changes
• 251 disconnects for non-pay
• 228 reconnects
• Read cycles 3, 4, 5

PURCHASING

• Total purchase orders issued – current month - 94

• Total purchase orders issued – current budget year - 434

CURRENT/UPCOMING RFP'S/BIDS

• LMIG – Out for bid
• Holiday Lighting Display – Proposals under review
• Three Phase P/M Transformers - Out for bid
• SCBA for Fire Dept. – Out for bid
• Lawn, Landscape and Ornamentals Maintenance – Out for bid
• Puckett Street Water Main Replacement – Out for bid

MUNICIPAL COURT SERVICES

1. There were no court sessions during this week.
2. 19 new citations were processed and filed in the court.
3. A total of $22,964.00 in fines and probation fees were collected from web and mailed in payments.
4. Two warrant dismissals were verified that warrant removal was completed accurately.
5. There were five separate open record requests completed and three DDS suspension withdrawals processed. One record restriction processed.
6. A total of 126 separate documents for the week and they were scanned into Courtware Software.
7. The office has responded to 110+ emails from internal and external customers.
8. 180 calls from telephone customers.
9. Mailed out 115+ packets with solicitor’s recommendation for entering a plea.

• Attended August 3, 2020 City Council meeting via teleconference

• Prepared August 3, 2020 City Council meeting summary and minutes

• Attended August 7 teleconference meeting with vendor to discuss scanning documents

• Fielded 43 phone calls

PERSONNEL TRAINING

C-shift practiced removing non-ambulatory patients from rooftops.

BREAKDOWN OF MAJOR INCIDENT TYPES

ACCREDITATION

• Compiled and submitted info for CFD weekly report
• Approved invoices and purchase orders in BSA
• Continued working remotely
• Ordered office/station supplies
• Provided incident stats to Accounting Department for previous fiscal year
• Responded to citizen request for battery change in smoke detector
• Ordered sympathy flowers for co-worker’s family member
• Ordered business cards for officers
• Participated in Kiwanis orientation zoom meeting (pictured above)
• Attended weekly Kiwanis club meeting
• Consulted with accreditation manager from Amarillo Fire Dept. upon request
• Processed PO for first level of Strategic Planning facilitation
• Completed Session One of defensive driving course

FIRE MARSHAL

• FMO Canady attending Arson 1 class
• FMO Fuqua tested for IAAI-CFI certification
• Inspections delayed due to working remotely
• FMO Fuqua returning to suppression to cover shortage
• New code books arrived, placed into service

PATROL

1. 08-04-20: Officers responded to an accident with injuries that occurred at the intersection of Washington Street and Turner Lake Road. A vehicle driven by Alvonte Tinsley attempted to make a left turn onto Turner Lake Road and was struck by a pickup truck driven by Jerry Gilbert. The passenger in the vehicle was flown by Air Life to Atlanta Medical and the driver was taken to Clearview in Monroe. Mr. Tinsley was found to be the at fault party and will be mailed a citation due to his need for medical attention.
2. 08-06-20: Officers responded to the Big EZ on Washington Street where Amy Echols had subsequently been arrested for obstruction and criminal trespass. Echols had been in an argument with the store owner and she stated that she drove away with the gas pump still in her vehicle on purpose. The nozzle broke away from the pump. While speaking with her, Echols became combative and officers had to control her and place her under arrest.
3. 08-06-20: Officers responded to 21 Package where William Jones stated that two black males busted the driver side window of his work van while parked in the lot in front of the store. Nothing was taken from the vehicle. Both males had dark skin. One was wearing a neon shirt, dark jeans and red hat or bandana. The second male was wearing a dark short sleeve shirt and dark shorts. Video footage was placed into evidence.
4. 08-08-20: Officers were called to the Waffle House. An unidentified male came in the Waffle House on the Bypass. When he found his order was wrong, he threw his hash browns at the staff and left. Person was not found.
5. Sgt. Digby and Officer Shockley worked a case for two days in reference to a male selling methamphetamine out of the Super 8 Motel. A search warrant was drafted and served on the motel room by ESU, GSP and patrol officers. Narcotics were located and Jody Kneese was arrested and transported to the jail. Kneese was charged with various drug offenses and warrants are being taken.
6. A family fight at 9166 Fieldcrest Walk occured when a male, Zacheriah Robinson, climbed eight feet up a balcony and broke into the apartment of his ex-girlfriend. Once inside the apartment, he produced a handgun and threatened to kill himself with it and then left the apartment. Officers then made contact with Robinson who was walking back to his residence at 9177 Woodhaven Drive. When confronted, he had a pistol in his hand that he threw to the ground along with a bag of cocaine. Robinson made statements that he was going to kill himself while talking to officers. Robinson was transported to the jail and charged with burglary, possession of cocaine and gun charges. Warrants are being taken and the jail was notified when he was dropped off that Robinson wanted to kill himself

CID

CID Sgt. Allan Seebaran examined Person Crimes and Property Crimes CID Detectives worked from August 3, 2020 to August 9, 2020 and compared them with the previous two years. The following results were found:

PERSON CRIMES

• August 3 – August 9, 2018: There were three reported person crimes.
• August 3 – August 9, 2019: There were five reported person crimes.
• August 3 – August 9, 2020: There were ten reported person crimes.

There was a 66% increase (from three to five) in reported person crimes from August 3 – August 9, 2018 to August 3 – August 9, 2019. There was a 100% increase (from five to ten) in reported person crimes from August 3 – August 9, 2019 to August 3 – August 9, 2020. There was a 233% increase (from three to ten) in reported person crimes from August 3 – August 9, 2018 to August 3 – August 9, 2020.

PROPERTY CRIMES

• August 3 – August 9, 2018: There were 14 reported property crimes.
• August 3 – August 9, 2019: There were 32 reported property crimes.
• August 3 – August 9, 2020: There were ten reported property crimes.

There was a 128% increase (from 14 to 32) in reported property crimes from August 3 – August 9, 2018 to August 3 – August 9, 2019. There was a 69% decrease (from 32 to 10) in reported property crimes from August 3 – August 9, 2019 to August 3 – August 9, 2020. There was a 28% decrease (from 14 to 10) in reported property crimes from August 3 – August 9, 2018 to August 3 – August 9, 2020.

SUPPORT SERVICES

Support Services made job offers to four recruits and one certified officer.

Total CAD Calls Received: 1,739

Total Agency Calls Generated: 2,005

Total Law Calls Generated: 1,506 (75.11%)

• Covington Police Department: 445 (22.19%)
• Covington Marshal's Office: 0 (0.00%)
• Newton Co. Animal Control: 19 (0.94%)
• Newton Co. Sheriff's Department: 950 (47.38%)
• Oxford Police Department: 28 (1.39%)
• Porterdale Police Department: 64 (3.19%)

Total Fire Calls Generated: 207 (10.32%)

• Covington Fire: 60 (2.99%)
• Newton County Fire: 147 (7.33%)

EMS Calls Generated: 292 (14.56%)

Upcoming Events

• GLGPA Board Retreat – August 19-21, 2020
• Retirement Review Committee meeting – Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Last Week's Tasks & Events

• Prepared for Council Retreat.
• Reviewed benefit bills and invoices
• Dealt with many questions/concerns regarding quarantine and isolation due to differing degrees of possible COVID exposure.
• Opened three new FMLA cases and closed two FMLA cases
• Job offers made to four police recruits

Ongoing Events

• Providing quality customer care to our employees and retirees
• Reviewing applications for vacant positions
• Scanning of HR files by our temporary employee
• Monitoring the coronavirus pandemic and listening to professionals about proper return to work protocols
• Carl Vinson Operations Study – ongoing
• Archer Salary Study – Completed, awaiting presentation to City Council
• Preparing for Retirement Review Committee meeting (August 11) – virtual meeting
• Reviewing other cities/counties' Shared Leave Policy for possible new policy for COV

Employee Counts and Job Vacancies