4 The Legend—December 2014

District 3 Employee News

Dates to Remember

12/21 Winter Begins

12/25 Christmas Day

(ODOT Closed)

1/1 New Year’s Day

(ODOT Closed)

1/19 Martin Luther King Jr.

Day (ODOT Closed)

Retirements

David Zemancik, Highway Technician 3

in Medina County with 30 years of

service.

New Hires

Terry Bishop, Delivery Worker in District

Garage.

Reclassifications

Keith Blough, from HT1 to HT2 in Ash-

land County.

Cole Shepherd, from HT1 to HT2 in Erie

County.

James Prussak, from HT1 to HT2 in

Medina County.

Joshua Arnold, from HT1 to HT2 in

Medina County.

Jared Leaver, from HT1 to HT2 in

Wayne County.

Jared Nolletti, from HT2 to HT3 in

Wayne County.

Jason Schraibman, from EIT to Trans-

portation Engineer 1 in Planning & Engi-

neering.

John R. Kasich

Governor

Jerry Wray

Director

Allen C. Biehl, P.E.

District Deputy Director

December 2014

What’s inside…

DDD Corner

Co-worker & Customer

Kudos

Painted plows

Employee News

Get to Know...

Paint a Plow-2014 Edition

The Legend District 3 Employee Newsletter

District 3’s Highway Management staff

wrapped up their second annual Paint a

Plow community outreach program earlier

this month.

The program invites local high schools

to paint ODOT’s snow plow blades, which

are then showcased throughout the Dis-

trict in community holiday parades. Stu-

dents from 19 schools painted 25 blades

this year.

While a handful of schools participated

for the first time, there was one Ashland

County school that returned with a theme

for their plow blade that would resonate

strongly with the community.

Mapleton High School’s senior art stu-

dents chose to paint a plow honoring the

ODOT drivers who are also volunteer fire-

fighters in their home communities. Using

the ‘No Greater Love … than to sacrifice’

phrase from a Biblical scripture, John

15:13, the students developed the concept

of a heroic firefighter with fiery wings for

their blade.

About half-way through their project,

the students learned that the Ashland

County Highway Technician who dropped

off the plow blade to them, Mike Reisinger

was in a serious farming accident.

Reisinger is also the chief of the

Ruggles-Troy Volunteer Fire Department.

His wife is a teacher at Mapleton High

School and his mother, the school secre-

tary, so the community connection runs

deep.

The students decided to personally

honor Reisinger by painting his number on

the firefighters helmet on their plow blade.

Photos of the painted plow blades can

be found inside the newsletter on Page 3.

Get to know…

Bill Workman Bill Workman is a Highway Technician 2 in

Medina County, working out of the Bur-

bank Outpost. Bill has won the Roadeo in

both the truck and loader competitions at

the District and Statewide level. “Bill is an

all-around guy and can do just about any-

thing he sets his mind to, from operating

various equipment to running crash re-

ports on guardrail,” explained Medina

County Manager Matt Simon. “He is one of

our most versatile employees and is a

pleasure to work with.”

Family: girlfriend, Crystal

Pets: Sadie, my 6-year-old chocolate lab

Hobbies: taking my diesel truck to truck

pulls

Book last read: I read a lot of magazines

like Diesel Power and Diesel World.

Favorite Movies: The Dark Knight Rises;

Anchorman; Days of Thunder

Favorite TV Show: Big Bang Theory; CSI;

Gold Rush

Favorite Restaurant: B Spot Burgers by

far

Favorite Sports Team: Cleveland Browns

and Ohio State Buckeyes

Favorite website: Amazon

Favorite Place to Visit: Outer Banks, NC;

We’ve only been once, but I really want to

go back.

First job: Sunrise Co-op; I started out

cleaning the giant grain bins

My pet peeve is: telling someone how to

do something, then they do the exact

opposite

Music you listen to: I don’t really have a

favorite CD. I have a variety of songs that I

play when plowing snow.

The ringtone on my cell is: nothing

special

Talent or superpower I wish I had is:

being invisible

Least favorite chore: Cleaning up after

the dog outside

If I could change one thing about my-

self it would be: to be more confident

Best advice ever received: Show people

what you know by doing it, not by brag-

ging about what you have done

Nobody knows: that Crystal and I are

expecting our first child at the end of May

Pictured from left: Mapleton Art Teacher Matt Kidney; Ashland County HT & Volunteer Firefighter, Teresa Crawford; students Gabrielle Willis and Bailey

Timmer; Ashland County TM & Volunteer Firefighter Melissa Williams; Mike Reisinger; Ashland County HT & Volunteer Firefighter Ryan Marks; students

Julia Pharmer and Emily Ralich; Ashland County HT & Volunteer Firefighter Jerry Guy and Ashland County HT & Volunteer Firefighter Dustin Brown.

3 The Legend—December 2014 The Legend—December 2014 2

Ashland 26

Crawford 80

Erie 117

Huron 80

Lorain 10

Medina 158

Richland 101

Wayne 95

District 86

*thru December 1

*

Another twelve

months have come and

gone, and I want to take

time to thank each and

every employee here

in District 3 for their

service throughout

the year.

2014 started out

with a long, cold winter

season and put our Highway

Management crews, equipment and

resources to the test and they did a great job. We

also broke ground on a new full service maintenance

facility for Crawford County.

The District Construction team won an international

partnering award this year as well as had a successful

construction season building 81 projects totaling nearly

$140 million.

Both the Construction & Planning & Engineering teams

came together for their second annual retreat last month to

focus on team building and process improvements.

The staff in Planning & Engineering also pulled together to

achieve goals within the Capital Program report for the Criti-

cal Success factors, making great strides throughout the year

and being one of only four Districts to meet these goals. The

team also was lead by a new Administrator this year.

Business & Human Resource staff has overseen the imple-

mentation of new statewide initiatives like the Boot program

and Veterans Apprenticeship program.

None of this could have been accomplished without team-

work as we continually to strive to become a more reliable,

professional organization. I appreciate all of your willingness

to work together… one team, one District, one ODOT.

May the peace and joy of this holiday season be with you

and yours throughout the coming year. Have a safe and

healthy holiday.

Stay safe.

Al

Brad Mayes & Kimberly Conklin:

I went to the village of Grafton today and was

amazed at the conditions of the roads. I took

SR 58, SR 303 and SR 57. It was still snowing

but the roads were in great shape. I appreciate

the hard work the crews put in to keep safe.

Cindy Zocchi, Real Estate, 11/17/14

I needed to let someone know about the great job one of your plow drivers

(Danny Murphy) did yesterday November 18. I was driving home at about

5PM and at the corner of SR303 and SR57 encountered a great deal of

blowing snow. My car got stuck in my lane in the snow. While trying to get

assistance from AAA (and after several close calls with other cars trying to

keep up their momentum and go around me at the same time) one of your

plow trucks stopped to make sure I was ok. He let me know he could not

directly help for liability reasons, and I totally understand that, but that he

would clear as much snow as he could around me and also give me a little

more visibility to other drivers since it was now dark. Between him re-

moving the snow and a good Samaritan we got my car free and I was on

my way much before the 1 hour wait I had coming from AAA. In a world of

complainers I needed to pass on this positive experience I had and say

thank you. I forgot to ask his name, but his extra time made me feel much

safer and allowed me to get home to my family much quicker.

Chris Jaquet, Medina County, 11/19/14

Kudos

Bob Hochevar & Bob Weaver:

As far as I can tell from this latest Capital Program report, you

guys are rocking and rolling in every facet of program delivery!

We lead in every category (especially when you look at the

number of units we accomplished vs other Districts); whether it

is project closeouts, churn, meeting milestone commitment

dates, etc). Collectively, we have to be operating at a better

level of efficiency than any other District.

I commend you and your staff—it really shows what this District

can do when we area all moving in the same direction and

working as a team.

Al Biehl, District Deputy Director, 12/7/14

All five blades

painted by Dalton

High School,

Wayne County

EHOVE Career Center, Erie County

First Baptist Christian School, Lorain County

Mohawk High School, Crawford County

Oberlin High School, Lorain County

Pioneer Career & Technology Center, Richland County

Wayside Christian School,

Crawford County

Wooster High School, Wayne County

Vermilion High School,

Erie County

Wayne County Career

Center, Wayne County

3 The Legend—December 2014 The Legend—December 2014 2

Ashland 26

Crawford 80

Erie 117

Huron 80

Lorain 10

Medina 158

Richland 101

Wayne 95

District 86

*thru December 1

*

Another twelve

months have come and

gone, and I want to take

time to thank each and

every employee here

in District 3 for their

service throughout

the year.

2014 started out

with a long, cold winter

season and put our Highway

Management crews, equipment and

resources to the test and they did a great job. We

also broke ground on a new full service maintenance

facility for Crawford County.

The District Construction team won an international

partnering award this year as well as had a successful

construction season building 81 projects totaling nearly

$140 million.

Both the Construction & Planning & Engineering teams

came together for their second annual retreat last month to

focus on team building and process improvements.

The staff in Planning & Engineering also pulled together to

achieve goals within the Capital Program report for the Criti-

cal Success factors, making great strides throughout the year

and being one of only four Districts to meet these goals. The

team also was lead by a new Administrator this year.

Business & Human Resource staff has overseen the imple-

mentation of new statewide initiatives like the Boot program

and Veterans Apprenticeship program.

None of this could have been accomplished without team-

work as we continually to strive to become a more reliable,

professional organization. I appreciate all of your willingness

to work together… one team, one District, one ODOT.

May the peace and joy of this holiday season be with you

and yours throughout the coming year. Have a safe and

healthy holiday.

Stay safe.

Al

Brad Mayes & Kimberly Conklin:

I went to the village of Grafton today and was

amazed at the conditions of the roads. I took

SR 58, SR 303 and SR 57. It was still snowing

but the roads were in great shape. I appreciate

the hard work the crews put in to keep safe.

Cindy Zocchi, Real Estate, 11/17/14

I needed to let someone know about the great job one of your plow drivers

(Danny Murphy) did yesterday November 18. I was driving home at about

5PM and at the corner of SR303 and SR57 encountered a great deal of

blowing snow. My car got stuck in my lane in the snow. While trying to get

assistance from AAA (and after several close calls with other cars trying to

keep up their momentum and go around me at the same time) one of your

plow trucks stopped to make sure I was ok. He let me know he could not

directly help for liability reasons, and I totally understand that, but that he

would clear as much snow as he could around me and also give me a little

more visibility to other drivers since it was now dark. Between him re-

moving the snow and a good Samaritan we got my car free and I was on

my way much before the 1 hour wait I had coming from AAA. In a world of

complainers I needed to pass on this positive experience I had and say

thank you. I forgot to ask his name, but his extra time made me feel much

safer and allowed me to get home to my family much quicker.

Chris Jaquet, Medina County, 11/19/14

Kudos

Bob Hochevar & Bob Weaver:

As far as I can tell from this latest Capital Program report, you

guys are rocking and rolling in every facet of program delivery!

We lead in every category (especially when you look at the

number of units we accomplished vs other Districts); whether it

is project closeouts, churn, meeting milestone commitment

dates, etc). Collectively, we have to be operating at a better

level of efficiency than any other District.

I commend you and your staff—it really shows what this District

can do when we area all moving in the same direction and

working as a team.

Al Biehl, District Deputy Director, 12/7/14

All five blades

painted by Dalton

High School,

Wayne County

EHOVE Career Center, Erie County

First Baptist Christian School, Lorain County

Mohawk High School, Crawford County

Oberlin High School, Lorain County

Pioneer Career & Technology Center, Richland County

Wayside Christian School,

Crawford County

Wooster High School, Wayne County

Vermilion High School,

Erie County

Wayne County Career

Center, Wayne County

4 The Legend—December 2014

District 3 Employee News

Dates to Remember

12/21 Winter Begins

12/25 Christmas Day

(ODOT Closed)

1/1 New Year’s Day

(ODOT Closed)

1/19 Martin Luther King Jr.

Day (ODOT Closed)

Retirements

David Zemancik, Highway Technician 3

in Medina County with 30 years of

service.

New Hires

Terry Bishop, Delivery Worker in District

Garage.

Reclassifications

Keith Blough, from HT1 to HT2 in Ash-

land County.

Cole Shepherd, from HT1 to HT2 in Erie

County.

James Prussak, from HT1 to HT2 in

Medina County.

Joshua Arnold, from HT1 to HT2 in

Medina County.

Jared Leaver, from HT1 to HT2 in

Wayne County.

Jared Nolletti, from HT2 to HT3 in

Wayne County.

Jason Schraibman, from EIT to Trans-

portation Engineer 1 in Planning & Engi-

neering.

John R. Kasich

Governor

Jerry Wray

Director

Allen C. Biehl, P.E.

District Deputy Director

December 2014

What’s inside…

DDD Corner

Co-worker & Customer

Kudos

Painted plows

Employee News

Get to Know...

Paint a Plow-2014 Edition

The Legend District 3 Employee Newsletter

District 3’s Highway Management staff

wrapped up their second annual Paint a

Plow community outreach program earlier

this month.

The program invites local high schools

to paint ODOT’s snow plow blades, which

are then showcased throughout the Dis-

trict in community holiday parades. Stu-

dents from 19 schools painted 25 blades

this year.

While a handful of schools participated

for the first time, there was one Ashland

County school that returned with a theme

for their plow blade that would resonate

strongly with the community.

Mapleton High School’s senior art stu-

dents chose to paint a plow honoring the

ODOT drivers who are also volunteer fire-

fighters in their home communities. Using

the ‘No Greater Love … than to sacrifice’

phrase from a Biblical scripture, John

15:13, the students developed the concept

of a heroic firefighter with fiery wings for

their blade.

About half-way through their project,

the students learned that the Ashland

County Highway Technician who dropped

off the plow blade to them, Mike Reisinger

was in a serious farming accident.

Reisinger is also the chief of the

Ruggles-Troy Volunteer Fire Department.

His wife is a teacher at Mapleton High

School and his mother, the school secre-

tary, so the community connection runs

deep.

The students decided to personally

honor Reisinger by painting his number on

the firefighters helmet on their plow blade.

Photos of the painted plow blades can

be found inside the newsletter on Page 3.

Get to know…

Bill Workman Bill Workman is a Highway Technician 2 in

Medina County, working out of the Bur-

bank Outpost. Bill has won the Roadeo in

both the truck and loader competitions at

the District and Statewide level. “Bill is an

all-around guy and can do just about any-

thing he sets his mind to, from operating

various equipment to running crash re-

ports on guardrail,” explained Medina

County Manager Matt Simon. “He is one of

our most versatile employees and is a

pleasure to work with.”

Family: girlfriend, Crystal

Pets: Sadie, my 6-year-old chocolate lab

Hobbies: taking my diesel truck to truck

pulls

Book last read: I read a lot of magazines

like Diesel Power and Diesel World.

Favorite Movies: The Dark Knight Rises;

Anchorman; Days of Thunder

Favorite TV Show: Big Bang Theory; CSI;

Gold Rush

Favorite Restaurant: B Spot Burgers by

far

Favorite Sports Team: Cleveland Browns

and Ohio State Buckeyes

Favorite website: Amazon

Favorite Place to Visit: Outer Banks, NC;

We’ve only been once, but I really want to

go back.

First job: Sunrise Co-op; I started out

cleaning the giant grain bins

My pet peeve is: telling someone how to

do something, then they do the exact

opposite

Music you listen to: I don’t really have a

favorite CD. I have a variety of songs that I

play when plowing snow.

The ringtone on my cell is: nothing

special

Talent or superpower I wish I had is:

being invisible

Least favorite chore: Cleaning up after

the dog outside

If I could change one thing about my-

self it would be: to be more confident

Best advice ever received: Show people

what you know by doing it, not by brag-

ging about what you have done

Nobody knows: that Crystal and I are

expecting our first child at the end of May

Pictured from left: Mapleton Art Teacher Matt Kidney; Ashland County HT & Volunteer Firefighter, Teresa Crawford; students Gabrielle Willis and Bailey

Timmer; Ashland County TM & Volunteer Firefighter Melissa Williams; Mike Reisinger; Ashland County HT & Volunteer Firefighter Ryan Marks; students

Julia Pharmer and Emily Ralich; Ashland County HT & Volunteer Firefighter Jerry Guy and Ashland County HT & Volunteer Firefighter Dustin Brown.