Oakridger
Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers recently explained why he had Oak Ridge High School students return to school five days a week although the COVID-19 pandemic is not over.
ORHS students returned to a traditional five-day-a-week schedule inside the school on Monday, Feb. 22. The city’s elementary schools and preschool were already on this in-person schedule.
Previously, to reduce exposure to the novel coronavirus and the size of classes, the school system had ORHS students alternating which days they attended class in person or virtually. The middle school students are continuing with this alternating schedule.
“We’ve got roomies and Zoomies,” Borchers said at a virtual meeting of Altrusa International of Oak Ridge. He referred to students attending in person on a particular day as “roomies” and students watching classes via Zoom as “Zoomies.”
Oakridger
Oak Ridge City Council members and staff expressed concern recently about homelessness in Oak Ridge and problems with finding affordable housing.
“It’s going to take all of us as a community to address this particular situation,” City Council member Derrick Hammond said.
The discussion of homelessness came up prior to the vote on the Community Development Block Grant plan on Dec. 14. City Community Development Director Wayne Blasius said the measure Council approved includes the city’s plans for using the CDBG, including some CARES Act funding this year and over the next three years.
As explained in the meeting agenda, $236,872 is the amount the city will get from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development while an additional $232,681 will be from CARES Act funding to prevent, prepare and respond to COVID-19. Together they total of $469,553 for activities in the proposed Consolidated Plan.
Dec. 14 Government Meetings
City Council
The Oak Ridge City Council will have a regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in the Municipal Building Courtroom.
Land Bank
Oak Ridge Land Bank Corporation Board of Directors will have a Regular Meeting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Municipal Building Training Room.
Housing
The Oak Ridge Housing Authority will meet at noon Wednesday in the Community Room at 76 Honeysuckle Lane.
Utilities
Planning
The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will have a regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday virtually.
ANDERSON COUNTY
Purchasing
Purchasing Committee will meet at 4:30 p.m. Monday in Room 312 of the Courthouse in Clinton.