January 9, 2011 Update from Dave Berger

Greetings, Ladies and Gents!

I hope that you and your families had a wonderful Holiday Season and that 2011 proves to be a year of health, success and fulfillment for all of you.

Newest Edition: OUR COMMUNITY, January-March, 2011





















You can access the full text at the following link: http://www.cityhall.lima.oh.us/ourcomm1101.pdf

We have some terrific pieces in this edition:
• The front page highlights opportunities to volunteer for the Lima Public Library, helping to distribute reading materials to shut ins.
• Honors given to LPD officers for courageous actions in the line of duty.
• Comments from civilians who have participated in ride-along experiences with police officers and sheriff's deputies.
• A set of columns about and from Lima's teacher in our Sister City of Harima-cho, Japan.
• And much, much more.

I know that you will enjoy all 18 pages of this OUR COMMUNITY edition! Please share it with family and friends.


Progress on the Vine Street grade separation project
Below are a set of photos illustrating the continuing construction on the railroad grade separation (underpass) on Vine Street. Lots has taken place, with much more to be done.















Train operating on shoofly, as construction continues.














Bridge structural components under assembly at factory.

















(Vine Street photos compliments of American Structurepoint.)

Take care.

Dave


David & Linda Berger
1211 Lakewood Avenue
Lima, Ohio 45805
419-228-7498
dberger@wcoil.com

December 1, 2010 Update from Dave Berger

Greetings, Ladies and Gents:

Our Thanksgiving holiday brought us together with family members and friends stretched all across the region. Lots of good food, hugs and kisses, fun and games, and important conversations. I hope you and yours had similarly enjoyable and engaging festivities!

Several project updates via photos
Photos really do provide a wonderfully concise way to tell our many stories of projects large and small. Enjoy.

Cook Park walking path improvements













A closer view at Cook Park













RiverWalk re-paving














Downtown streetscape improvements: Our contractors are yet working to finish the project before the winter snows arrive!














Vine Street Underpass: Shoofly (by-pass) construction









Photo compliments of American Structurepoint


Vine Street underpass: Shoofly cutover completed









Photo compliments of American Structurepoint.



Lima's Furl Williams Reservoir project: New Pump Station on the Auglaize River is capable of pumping 90 MILLION gallons per day.
(For a very detailed description, photos and video, please check out the Lima News at http://www.limaohio.com/news/lima-57417-look-project.html)










Photo compliments of Peterson Construction


Granular Activated Carbon Filter excavation underway at the City's drinking water plant.
As some have described it, Lima's new giant BRITA water filter, capable of processing 30 million gallons per day.










Photo compliments of Peterson Construction



Public policy and action does matter
In the fall of 2008 and the first half of 2009, the Lima Auto Task Force took a very public role in describing the impacts of a failed auto industry on our community and region.

We highlighted the potential loss of over 16,500 jobs from Allen and the surrounding counties should no action be taken by the federal government.

Because federal action did occur, we avoided the worst case scenario involving the permanent loss of a million jobs nationwide.

Lima is a member of the Automotive Communities Program sponsored by the Ann Arbor-based Center for Automotive Research (CAR).

Their recently published report provides much insight into the disaster that was avoided. Please check out their report at http://www.cargroup.org/pdfs/bankruptcy.pdf


Independent fire service expert validates opportunity for change
As you are likely aware, the city is in the process of some pretty dramatic changes in our Fire Department. These changes are necessitated by economic constraints, but are designed to improve the safety of both the firefighters and the community.

This is not just my personal opinion. It is also the conclusion of a fire service expert that we hired to review the proposed changes. For details on Chief Kramer's report, click on the following link: http://www.cityhall.lima.oh.us/dept/fire/FireRescueEMS2010Analysis.pdf


Take care.

Dave


David & Linda Berger
1211 Lakewood Avenue
Lima, Ohio 45805
419-228-7498
dberger@wcoil.com

October 31 Update from Dave Berger

Greetings, Ladies and Gents!

Furl P. Williams, Community Leadership and Service Acknowledged!
When I first came to Lima in the last '70's, I was soon introduced to a man who had a long and admired history of community service and who would continue that service for two more decades as President of Lima City Council. He was still in that position when I was first elected Mayor in 1989. And I am proud to say that Furl was a friend and source of wise counsel. Current Council President John Nixon and I agreed that Furl's life and service should remain a living memory and we recommended that City Council name the soon-to-be-completed water reservoir as the "Williams Reservoir." The members of Lima City Council unanimously approved a resolution this past Monday effecting that name. It is a resolution that I signed with much enthusiasm!

Three links will provide you with some historical insight into the life and times of Furl P. Williams:

The first couple are the Lima News stories reporting on Council's action:
http://www.limaohio.com/news/name-55879-reservoir-williams.html

http://epaper.limaohio.com/OLIVE/ODE/LIMANEWS/LandingPage/LandingPage.aspx?href=TE1BLzIwMTAvMTAvMjY.&pageno=MQ..&entity=QXIwMDEwNA..&view=ZW50aXR5

The second is a set of remarks delivered at the Council meeting by Bluffton University's Professor of History Perry Bush, who has been researching and writing about Lima and Allen County's social and economic history.
http://www.cityhall.lima.oh.us/dept/local/Perry%20Bush%20remarks.pdf

As we approach the November election, it is good to be reminded that our community has benefitted from the courage, integrity and actions of men and women who provided public leadership during previous difficult times!


High Speed Rail: The Lima region will benefit from a fully built high speed passenger rail system
For years, the City of Lima has worked consistently and vigorously to support the planning and now the construction of a high speed passenger rail service in the Midwest and in the nation. We shall continue to do so, because it will benefit both freight and passenger rail interests. Economic development will be stimulated with this investment, and jobs will result. There are several items I would like to share in this regard:

First, until very recently, high speed passenger rail was supported in Ohio on a BI-PARTISAN basis. As recently as 2006, the Ohio Senate voted UNANIMOUSLY with all 33 of Ohio's Senators voting in support of obtaining federal funding for the construction of the Ohio Hub system, beginning with the 3-C corridor, from Cleveland to Columbus to Cincinnati. This link documents the resolution that was adopted: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/res.cfm?ID=126_SCR_30

Second, the November 2 election will have a bearing on where Ohio goes with respect to high speed passenger rail. A summary provided by All Aboard Ohio provides pertinent information for your consideration.
http://freepdfhosting.com/bd2d18def6.pdf

Third, while we certainly live in Lima, Ohio, USA, it is vitally important that we understand that we live in global world with stakeholders that are making decisions for long term competitive advantage, not just short term political reasons. In this regard, I found of interest the following article at Yahoo's AP link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101026/ap_on_bi_ge/as_china_engineering_marvels_2

As I said, the City of Lima remains a vigorous advocate for the full implementation of the Ohio Hub plan and the Midwest Regional High Speed Passenger Rail system. Please join in active support of these investments for our region, state and community!


Economic Development: A Public & Private Responsibility
For the past two decades, Lima and Allen County have benefitted from a public and private sector commitment to economic development. The private sector funding has been derived from local business and industry contributions raised by the Visionaries, a non-profit organization.






















You can access the Visionaries 2010 annual report at http://www.cityhall.lima.oh.us/dept/local/Binder1.pdf

It features timely information concerning Lima and Allen County's new brand: REAL AMERICAN STRENGTH.



A picture is worth a thousand words: University Boulevard's new sidewalks
One important infrastructure project completed this summer was the re-build of University Boulevard, with new sidewalks and with traffic calming improvements. Reports from West Middle School indicate that students are readily using the sidewalks.

But we think a picture is a very effective way to also tell this story.












Take care, everyone.

Dave Berger


David & Linda Berger
1211 Lakewood Avenue
Lima, Ohio 45805
419-228-7498
dberger@wcoil.com

October 3, 2010 Update from Dave Berger

Greetings, Ladies and Gents:

The recent cooling weather is a welcome change, as we enter what is my favorite season: Sweater Weather! Hope you are enjoying it too.


Our Community--the Fall, 2010 Edition
As customary, this quarter's edition of Our Community is jammed pack with great information about people and events that make a difference and add spice and energy to our life here in Lima. I hope you enjoy it, and that you will share it with others.

Use this link to access the entire publication: http://www.cityhall.lima.oh.us/ourcomm1010.pdf























JRS Site. What is the JRS Site?
We often speak in abbreviations in order to shorten things up. And that sometimes gets in the way of accurately communicating with others. "JRS" stands for Job Ready Site. It refers to a economic development project that the City has been engaged in for several years on S. Main Street.

Below you'll see an aerial photograph of the neighborhood that has been our focus. It combined several residential blocks with the old parking lot from the Lima Locomotive Works.
























Our vision for the site is captured in the rendering below which illustrates the opportunities for Research and Development (R&D) lab facilities that we are working to develop in conjunction with partners that include Global Energy, American Trim, Ohio Northern University and American Electric Power.
























For the past year we have been demolishing the structures on the site, removing undergound pipes and foundations, reconfiguring the topography and now constructing fencing and lighting. New sidewalks and street surface on S. Main are yet to be constructed this fall.

The photos below give you a sense of the new R&D-related manufacturing site that we are creating.

JRS Site: Interior

















JRS Site: Main Street looking North along the fence line

















JRS Site: Fencing around Century Link switching station

















Hope you'll take the time to drive by to see the transformation that is underway!


We are not going to hide these lights under a bushel basket!
The City of Lima has been pursuing energy savings by installing new LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting for several years now.

During 2007 & 2008, we replaced over 2700 incandescent light bulbs in traffic signals at 106 intersections. The resulting energy savings was more than $62,000 per year.

Now, we are replacing street lighting, 1200 cobra-headed lamps and 400 decorative lamps. These replacements will result in nearly a 70% energy savings, with total economic savings of roughly $75,000 per year!

You can check out several test locations where we have installed these new lamps at the map linked below:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=118135980284348919514.000490ce27f5990cea596&z=15

These locations include the following:
• Garfield Avenue, from Elm Street to State Street
• Kibby Street, between S. Elizabeth Street and S. West Street
• In front of the Lima Chamber of Commerce on S. Main Street
• At the northeast corner of North Street and Jackson Street, adjacent to the Lima Senior High School Campus


Enjoy Downtown Lima's Lantern Tours for a spooky good time!





















Visit www.limalanterntour.com for more information!



Take Care.

Dave Berger


David & Linda Berger
1211 Lakewood Avenue
Lima, Ohio 45805
419-228-7498
dberger@wcoil.com

September 6, 2010 Update

Ladies and Gents:

With some cooperation from Mother Nature, we had a terrific Labor Day parade this morning. I hope you enjoyed the holiday weekend with family and friends.


Water, Water Everywhere & Lots of It to Drink (With apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

As you are no doubt aware, throughout this year we have been actively engaged in constructing another large up-ground reservoir (5.1 billion gallons) to the west of our existing Bresler Reservoir (4.9 billion gallons). The dry weather throughout the summer has allowed rapid progress. The aerial photo below shows the position of the new reservoir in relation to Bresler. Bresler, by the way, is roughly 1 mile square, while the new reservoir is T-shaped, with wetland preserves established in the cut-outs.











You can access additional photos at the following: http://www.cityhall.lima.oh.us/mayor/photos.asp.


A watery comparison of Lima and Ancient Rome

So how would Lima's water system stack up against that of the city of ancient Rome?

When I have a chance, particularly with groups of students or engineers, I enjoy challenging them with the following comparison: The metropolitan area of Lima served by our water system is roughly 10 square miles and has a population of 83,000 persons, while the city of Rome at the time of the Colosseum's construction in 80 A.D. was about 4 square miles (12 miles in circumference) with a population of 1 million. Lima's average daily consumption of water for our residential, commercial and industrial customers is roughly 20-25 million gallons per day. Lima has the Ottawa River coursing through its center with an average daily flow of 30 million gallons per day, accounting for both high storm levels and low dry weather periods, while Rome had the Tiber River, which extended for nearly 250 miles through the Italian peninsula.

With that information, can you estimate what the average daily consumption of water was by the city of ancient Rome?



Keep in mind that they did not have a refinery, which is our largest water customer.



Ancient Rome's average daily consumption of water was 350 million gallons! Their system brought water to the city from Apennine mountains via the Tiber and 11 aqueducts, and that water was used in nearly 900 public and private baths, 1400 fountains, and many other public facilities. In addition, all that water was in a constant flushing system and was taken away via massive underground sewers. Obviously the Romans possessed incredible civil engineering talents!

Just so you know, over the years that I have issued this challenge, none of the engineers nor the students to whom I have posed the question of comparing Lima to ancient Rome has ever come close to the correct answer! How close did you come?


A Unique Fisherman at Bresler Reservoir

In the wetlands that the city has preserved next to the new reservoir, it appears that we have a nest for bald eagles! In the pictures below you'll see the unique fishing habits of a juvenile bald eagle successfully getting his lunch.













Eagle Photo here and at the above link are compliments of Russell Reynolds.



Another wonderful visit by our Sister City delegation from Harima-cho

Once again, we have been privileged to host a large delegation from our Sister City in Harima-cho, Japan. 10 days ago, 15 students and 12 adults traveled to Lima and stayed with many local families in home-stays. Much thanks is deserved by Mary Buckley, the officers and members of the Lima Sister City Association, and the host families for all the preparatory work and the time spent so generously shepherding our guests around NW Ohio. Arigatou Gozaimasu!

Among the delegation was the superintendent of Harima-cho schools, who is seen below presenting me with a bamboo carving which literally translates as "One time, one meeting." Its more loose translation is "You may only have this one chance to meet. Enjoy this meeting and enjoy the life that you are allowed to have."

















This carving now adorns the entrance to the Lima Municipal Center. Stop in an see it sometime, along with all of our collection of Japanese gifts from Harima-cho.



Take care.

Dave


David & Linda Berger
1211 Lakewood Avenue
Lima, Ohio 45805
419-228-7498
dberger@wcoil.com

August 11, 2010 Update

Greetings, Ladies and Gents!
The hot and humid August weather has been generous with sunshine and with rain in and around Lima and Allen County. I hope that you are yet enjoying great summer time activities with family and friends as a result.


Toast to the City & the 2010 Square Fair
Speaking of terrific summer time activities, the 2010 Square Fair has come and gone and was once again an energetic celebration of music and arts, bringing thousands of people into Town Square for 4 nights and 3 days of entertainments.

A round of applause and thanks is due to Diane Peterson and her dedicated team of hundreds of volunteers for all their work in planning and creating a wonderful event. In addition, much thanks to all the sponsors and donors who underwrote this year's performances, special events and midnight fireworks!

I had the opportunity to lift a glass and recite the Toast to the City at the festival's kick-off event. Because a number of people remarked positively about the Toast, I want to share it with you here. Please know that it is a text composed by Lima News reporter and columnist, Bart Mills. I have relied on him for a number of years for compositions for this event, and appreciate his flair with the written word.

I think you will too. And as you read it, lift a glass of wine in salute to our community!


The 2010 Toast
By Bart “the Bard” Mills

To a city and people both smiled on by fate
May our pains make us stronger
And may our strengths make us great

To our parents and others who came on before
Who paved from a swamp this great place we adore
Then brought the world oil, locomotives and tanks
Neon and engines, restaurants and banks

To the soldiers who fight in wars far from here
May they know we continue to hold them all dear
May God guard their actions wherever they roam
And see them returned to the safety of home

To our children who venture too far away
And to those, best of all, who would venture to stay
May we leave them a city of which to be proud
May their happiness flourish and their riches abound
May their leaders be wise, may their troubles be few
And more than all else, may their motives be true

And until such a time, as we toil for today
May the Lord bless our efforts and keep trouble at bay
May he smile on this city, this county, this state
And most of all, on you people, who help make them great.

To Lima, to Allen County, to Ohio and to the USA and to all who love her here and away



Annual Report from the Lima Police Department
Just off the presses is the 2009 Annual Report from the Lima Police Department. Not only is it full of important information about the current LPD organization and its activities throughout the last calendar year, it also has a very visually engaging format and a great deal of historical data and analysis. You can access an electronic version at: http://www.limapolice.com/2009rpt.pdf
























What is a Shoofly?
For train buffs and railroaders, the term "shoofly" is familiar jargon. For the rest of us, it leaves us scratching our heads when we first hear it.

Below is picture focused on the base that has been laid for the Vine Street underpass (grade separation) shoofly. The photo helps suggest the meaning of the term.















A shoofly is a temporary railroad track that is laid around an obstacle.

In this instance the obstacle is the deep cut being made at the Vine Street intersection with the CSX and NS railroads. Because there are 35 trains per day that must continue operating along these lines, a temporary and parallel track must be put in place to allow those trains to move north and south while the rest of the construction for the underpass continues for the next 18 months.


Take care.

Dave


David & Linda Berger
1211 Lakewood Avenue
Lima, Ohio 45805
419-228-7498
dberger@wcoil.com

July 11, 2010 Update from Dave Berger

Greetings, Ladies and Gents:

A Grocery Store conversation: High speed passenger rail remains in our future!
Earlier this past week, I was shopping for groceries and was stopped in the aisle by an acquaintance that I had not seen for a while. This person expressed regret that Lima's opportunity for re-establishing passenger rail service had expired, and then was surprised when I responded that no such thing had occurred.

The rail announcements made 6 or 8 months ago pertained only to the first federal commitments to funding high speed passenger rail, and Ohio is moving ahead with the initial leg of its Ohio Hub Plan, which will link Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati. Lima remains a part of the Ohio Hub Plan's later phases, and the City of Lima remains actively involved in supporting its full development statewide, including helping to lead the 4th Congressional District Rail Task Force.

For some additional background on the long term importance of high speed rail, I am providing links to a couple of resources below:

• Duke University just published a study concerning the nation's existing rail manufacturing capacity, entitled U.S. Manufacture of Rail Vehicles for Intercity Passenger Rail and Urban Transit: A Value Chain Analysis. We should not underestimate the permanent job creation opportunities connected with a revitalization of passenger rail and the establishment of high speed service. http://apolloalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/cggcrailvaluechain.pdf
• The US Conference of Mayor's recently conducted a study with Siemens on the impact of high speed passenger rail on cities. Please visit the following, include an exciting video link: http://usmayors.org/highspeedrail/
• Finally, in the debates that will continue around transportation policy, it is important to access accurate information. For example, it is sometimes asserted that high speed passenger rail will not pay for itself in the U.S., but the fact is that the Acela high speed line which functions between Boston, N.Y., and Washington, D.C., pays for its operating costs NOW. More fact-vs.-fiction relating to high speed rail can be found at http://www.midwesthsr.org/fact-vs-fiction

I am committed to working long term to bring all of the Ohio Hub Plan to completion, including high speed passenger rail for Lima! I hope that you will continue to work with us as well.


Newest Issue of Our Community, Lima's e-newsletter
Once each quarter, the City of Lima publishes its quarterly newsletter, Our Community. Below you will find the front page and a link to access the entire document from the city's website.

http://www.cityhall.lima.oh.us/ourcomm1007.pdf























Because we no longer print a hard copy, we rely on folks to access the electronic version and to share it with family and friends. I hope you will forward to someone in your circle of associates. Thank you.


Progress on the New Reservoir: You can see via your computer screen!
The rain that fell in the late spring and early summer slowed construction on the new reservoir, though we were generally appreciative of the precipitation to finally fill the city's other reservoirs!

Now that the rain has halted the crews engaged in constructing the reservoir are hard at it.

And you can view the activity and progress by going to the following website: http://www.earthcam.net/users2/login1.php?

You will need to input the a username and password, which are "Lima" and "password". Once you do, just click on the photo of the Lima reservoir and it will take you directly to the camera controls.

The webcam can be manipulated for zooming and panning. It's a lot of fun!


A couple of video follow-ups
In my prior two June Updates, I highlighted the Children's Fountain in Faurot Park and a recent visit to a newly established food manufacturer, Kettle Creations. Two friends recently shared a couple of video clips that wonderfully illustrate both of these locations. Enjoy!

• Faurot Park's Children's Fountain on a recent sunny afternoon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgcuRU_QW0U Thanks, Rob, for sharing your video with us!
• Kettle Creations during a tour by the Allen Lima Leadership class: http://www.youtube.com/alleadershiptv#p/u/1/VG86UkfP4V8 Matt, you look great in the hair net! Thanks much for the video tour of a terrific new family-owned business in Lima and Allen County.


Take care.

Dave


David & Linda Berger
1211 Lakewood Avenue
Lima, Ohio 45805
419-228-7498
dberger@wcoil.com