Code Enforcement Workshop for OKC Citizens
Code Enforcement 101
Tall Grass and Weeds?
Yard Parking?
Unsafe structure?
Inoperable Vehicle?
Graffiti?
What can citizens do to keep their neighborhood free from such eyesores and hazards?
Attend this workshop to find out!
You’ll hear an overview of the city’s Action Center from Manager Beth Crounse, learn how to effectively identify and report code violations and how to follow up. Then, in speed-dating format, you’ll have the opportunity for face-to-face discussion with city department heads to ask questions, make suggestions and get answers.
The Action Center is a key tool in your campaign to clean up your neighborhood and keep it safe, beautiful and healthy. Learn how to put it to the best use!
This event is free but you must register in advance.
Contact
Jennifer Meckling
Neighborhood Alliance
405-528-6322
2012-05-24T18:30:00-0500 2012-05-24T20:30:00-0500 Code Enforcement 101 4205 North Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK, US http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=hyrq7ycab&oeidk=a07e5siwgu3c2bed53a
Free Bus Tour of OKC Neighborhoods!
Beautification Station- Cruisin’ OKC
Grab your friends and neighbors and jump on the bus to see OKC like never before! The sixth annual Beautification Station…Cruisin’ OKC bus tour will be from 9:00am to 1:00pm on Saturday, June 2, 2012, with lunch being served from noon to 1:00pm. Sign-in opens at 8:30am on June 2 at OSSM (Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics)
This totally free, professionally guided tour will be conducted on an air-conditioned chartered bus. We will drive you around OKC and show you volunteer-driven neighborhood revitalization projects that will leave you bursting with pride for the citizens of this great city and all that they have accomplished. At each stop we will get off the bus and explore, close up, community landscaping, parks, street lighting and gateway projects, as well as successful public-private partnerships, all aimed at making OKC a more beautiful place to live.
After the tour attendees can enjoy a free lunch, provided by Panera Bread, back at OSSM. This event is free and open to the public but reservations are required. Seating is limited for this event so reserve your seat today!
Sponsored by The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City, OKC Beautiful, Neighborhood Alliance, and the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.
This event is not suitable for children under 12 and YOU MUST pre-register for the event. Seats fill up fast so register today!
Jennifer
Neighborhood Alliance
jenniferm@nacok.org
405-528-6322
When
Saturday June 2, 2012 precisely at 9:00 AM (boarding starts at 8:30am)
to
Saturday June 2, 2012 at 1:00 PM
2012-06-02T09:00:00-0500 2012-06-02T13:00:00-0500 Beautification Station- Cruisin’ OKC 1141 North Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, 73104, US http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=hyrq7ycab&oeidk=a07e5u0g8nm9455c82e
Presents
Beautification Station: Cruisin’ OKC
Hosted by
I can forever say I danced on I-40!
My mother in law has spent the vast majority of her life in Hinton, Ok. When she was a little girl her grandfather helped build a long, graceful bridge between Hinton and the nearby Geary, Ok. which is still heavily traveled today. Once the bridge was compete the workers invited their families and townspeople to a huge party on the bridge.
Even now,when driving across the bridge this vibrant 78 year old woman proudly points out, “One time I got to dance right there!” Through her memories I can imagine the party, the music, and the civic pride that created an excitement they could not contain….they just had to dance!
Over the last few years, as I watched the I-40 construction with fascination, I secretly hoped I would have an opportunity “to dance right there” before it was opened. Then it happened…I received the invitation from ODOT…”Neighborhood Alliance is invited to join us for the grand opening of the new I-40.” I could hardly read it because I was shaking with excitement!
Now you have to understand, this massive construction site has been a fascination of mine for years. I poured over the maps, tried in vain to figure out exactly where “my exit’ would be, drove friends and family over to watch the construction, felt enormous pride when I saw the decorative bridge at Pennsylvania Avenue open up, and often felt like an I-40 stalker because I was so fascinated with the process.
To get the invitation was like being asked to be “milk monitor” in 3rd grade…it was special and only a few got the privilege! I would be surrounded by I-40aphiles just like me! These people would understand when I talked in awe of the huge concrete art tiles, the mounds of dirt that were excavated , and the highly anticipated scissor tail fly catcher sculpture that sits atop the roadway. I would be among my people!
I invited my co-worker Jennifer to go with me on the much anticipated day. We drove to the site and were immediately asked if we were there for the convoy (the first 100 cars on the roadway) or if we were dignitaries. We looked at each other and then responded with confidence, “convoy!” The flag-man then waved us to the west, stating, “you will have to park down there after that last tractor trailer” which was about 1.2 miles down the road!!! Quite a walk back to the ceremony site in our cute dress clothes we wore for the special occasion! So we re-thought our status, and told him we must have been mistaken, we were really dignitaries. He looked a bit puzzled but politely told us to park up closer to the staging area.
It was a party atmosphere… a loud speaker boomed fun music, free cupcakes and coffee were being passed out, there were commemarative post card books depicting the history of the project, national and local officials were abundant, people were laughing and carrying on with palpable giddiness.
We were all carried away by the significance of this day! I-40 was re-opening and in some small way it was as if each one of us took some ownership in this. Not that it was really warranted…demanding that unwilling family and friends look on in awe with you at construction sites is not really participating in the overall project! But none the less, ODOT and the other hosts helped make me feel as though it was all because of me that they were able to get his massive project to this point!
While waiting for the real dignitaries to make their official speeches, standing under the Western Avenue bridge on the brand new, not-yet-driven cement of I-40, with all the drunken abandon of free cupcakes and beautiful Oklahoma weather, I looked at Jennifer and said, “I have to dance!”
And dance I did! Just a little jig…but it was a fearless, full of pride kind of dance! And believe me, if you are ever in the car with me while we drive I-40, and even when I am 78, I will proudly say as we pass the Western Ave. bridge, “One day I danced right there, cupcake in hand, civic pride took over and I had to dance!”
I love the feeling we get when as a whole we accomplish something that none of us could do alone. I didn’t turn one shovel of dirt that it took to build I-40 yet I feel like it is as much my project as it is ODOT’s, the City of OKC, the engineers, or the multitudes of workers who really built it. I am their biggest fan…but I am also their silent partner. Just back here dancing on one of the grandest pieces of construction ever built in our state! Congrats to all of us!
Application deadlines approaching, volunteer initiatives available
The University of Oklahoma “Big Event”
(405) 325-7912
bigevent@ou.edu
bigevent.ou.edu
The University of Oklahoma holds a Big Event day when over 5,000 student volunteers descend on Oklahoma City area communities to carry out neighborhood beautification projects. See website for application and details, bigevent.ou.edu.
Jobsite Application Deadline:1/28/2012
Volunteer Schedule: 4/14/2012
Chesapeake Energy
Brooke Coe, Community Relations Specialist
(405) 935-3049
brooke.coe@chk.com
www.chk.com/community
During the months of June & July, nearly 1000 Chesapeake Energy employees roll up their sleeves to volunteer in the community for the annual Operation Blue volunteer program.
Jobsite Application Deadline: Call 935-3049
Volunteer Schedule: June-July
The University of Central Oklahoma “Big Event”
Brandt Smith, Assist. Director of Volunteer & Service Learning Center
(405) 974-2621
bsmith101@uco.edu
www.uco.edu/volunteer
UCO hosts a Big Event day when over 500 students perform community service jobs in Edmond and OKC areas.See website for application and details, www.uco.edu/volunteer
Jobsite Application Deadline: 2/10/2012
Volunteer Schedule: 03/10/2012
Oklahoma State University
JoElla Flinton, Assistant Vice President of Student Services OSU-OKC
(405) 945-9106
fjo@osuokc.edu
Individual students and faculty carry out community improvement projects throughout the school year.
Jobsite Application Deadline: Call (405) 945-9106
Volunteer Schedule: Throughout the School Year
Oklahoma Christian University
Gary Jones, Multicultural & Service Learning Coordinator
(405) 425-5904
gary.jones@oc.edu
During the school year, smaller groups of students carry out community improvement projects in the Greater OKC area.
Jobsite Application Deadline: Call 425-5904
Volunteer Schedule: Throughout the School Year
Contact Ashley Dickson with questions, 528-6322.
Quick Links
Neighborhood Alliance
Volunteers Information Packet
http://nacok.org/Downloads/Volunteerism_Insert.pdf
Neighborhood Alliance likes to keep you up-to-date with news and items we think are of interest to our OKC-Metro Neighbors. You always have the option to update your contact information or unsubscribe using the links below.
Neighborhood Alliance
Ashley Dickson
Neighborhood Capacity Builder
Still time to sign up for leadership course
You still have time to participate in Neighborhood Leaders for Today classes in February and March.
This one-of-a-kind leadership program is designed to give citizens the confidence and tools they need to create, promote and sustain productive citizen-based neighborhood associations and to help develop sustainable community improvement projects.
The class runs seven weeks and includes over 30 different speakers all geared toward creating educated, well-equipped neighborhood leaders throughout Oklahoma City.
This class will include 35 hours of classroom study through which participants will learn how to organize successful neighborhood groups, access City services, develop successful grant projects, organize neighborhood specific programs, navigate City Hall, establish membership drives, communicate effectively, and much more.
Classes are consecutive Thursdays from 6-9 p.m., Feb. 16 through March 29, and Saturdays, March 3 and March 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Class size is limited to 30 participants.
To sign up online, go to
Application deadline is Jan. 26.
OKC councilors hosting special events
WARD 5
Wednesday, Jan. 18 – Economic Development Forum
An Economic Development Forum for Ward 5 will be held at 4 p.m. on Jan. 18 at the South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, 701 W I-240 Service Road. Presenters include Roy Williams and Alison Oshel with the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, Cathy O’Connor, president of the Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City and South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce president Elaine Lyons.
Thursday, Jan. 19 – Ward 5 Community Meeting
A Ward 5 community meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 19 at Emmaus Baptist Church, 16001 S Western. Topics to be included are; the widening of Western Avenue and the continued development of far South Oklahoma City. Presenters include Development Center Director Bob Tener, Planning Director Russell Claus, Public Works Director Eric Wenger and Police Major Brian Jennings.
Saturday, Jan. 21 – Ward 5 Community Meeting
A Ward 5 community meeting will be held at 3 p.m. on Jan. 21 in rooms 2 and 3 at Oklahoma City Community College, 7777 S May Ave. Topics to be included are issues affecting more mature neighborhoods. Speakers include housing rehab coordinator Bob Dailey, Community Action Agency executive director Jim Sconzo, Police Major Brian Jennings, Public Works Director Eric Wenger and Bob Tener and Charles Locke with code enforcement.
Call 297-2569 for more information.
WARD 7
Tuesday, Jan. 31- Ward 7 Community Meeting
A Ward 7 Community Meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at Metro Tech, Auditorium, 1700 Springlake Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73111
(Use the parking lot on the north side of the facility, enter through the main entrance). Presentations include: Eric Wenger (Public Works), Cathy O’Connor(President, Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City), Major Willard Paige(OKC Police),Bob Dailey (OKC Planning Department), Charles Locke (Development Services). Presenters will be followed by a Q&A session and closing remarks by Councilman Kelly.
Information will be provided on the following topics: code enforcement, public safety, infrastructure /traffic, economic development, NE Post Office relocation, and public safety.
Should you have questions, you may contact Councilman Kelly at 297-2569.
WARD 2/City-Wide
Thursday, Feb. 16 – Town Hall Meeting and Health Fair
A city-wide Town Hall Meeting and Health Fair hosted by Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid will be 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the OKC Marriott, 3233 Northwest Expressway, Oklahoma City, OK 73112.
Health Organizations are invited to set up booths in the hotel Entry Foyer. Confirmed Speakers include: David Blatt Ph.D. (Director, OK Policy Institute), Terry L. Cline, PhD (Oklahoma Commissioner of Health), Gary Cox, JD (Director, OKC-County Health Dep’t [OCCD]), Ed Shadid MD(OKC Councilor, Ward 2), Ray Vaughn JD(Oklahoma County Commissioner, District 3),
Terri White MSW (Commissioner, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse).
Contact Councilman Shadid with any questions at 297-2402 or view the Facebook Event.
