Restoring DWSD's Past
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Published by and for the Employees of the Detroit Water & Sewerage Department VOL. 24, NO. 1 SUMMER 2007 Restoring DWSD’s past by Michael Daisy Vintage image of Public Affairs gate from DWSD archives The Hurlbut Memorial Gate has been the public face of DWSD’s Waterworks Park Affairs Public Gomez, Paul by Photo since 1894, when Detroit was Affairs Public Gomez, Paul by Photo known as the Paris of the Midwest and the park was a popular destination for tourists from around the world. The memorial is expected to be restored to its original glory by the end of September when restoration efforts currently in progress are expected to be complete. A crew works on restoring the 103 year-old Hurlbut Gate. Chauncy Hurlbut, the memorial’s namesake, was a member of the Board of Water On his death in 1885, Hurlbut style popular in Victorian picnics, is now locked for Commissioners (BOWC) from bequeathed most of his times. It measures 132-feet security reasons. Two working 1861-63, and 1868-85. He estimated $250,000 estate for wide by 40-feet deep by 50- water fountains in the shape of served as BOWC president for beautification and mainte- feet high, and cost $30,000 to lions’ heads were, at one time most of his second term and nance of the park. build (equivalent to more than situated at either end of the presided over the acquisition $650,000 today). structure. Twin staircases lead of the park’s original 56 acres. The Memorial Gate actually to a second level 12 feet above The park, currently 110 acres, served as a grand entrance to Sadly, the cast iron gate, the ground. A stone eagle has been a continuous source the park when it was open to through which park visitors proudly sits on top of the of high-quality drinking water the public. It is classified as once leisurely strolled on their dome, which rests on columns. for Detroit since 1877. Beaux Arts, an architectural way to band concerts and A bronze bust of Chauncy Hurlbut sat on an Aberdeen granite pedestal beneath the Annual Renaissance Awards Construction is scheduled to dome until 1975, when it was Upper Rouge presentation in June in the begin in 2008 on the $500 stolen by vandals. “Community Relations” and million Upper Rouge Tunnel Tunnel “Direct Mail/Direct Re- Project and take six to seven Project sponse” categories. years to complete. The Inside . seven-mile-long tunnel will Recognizing Veterans.......... 2 The Renaissance Awards run on a course roughly by Michael Daisy recognize best practices in parallel to the Rouge River. National Arts Pgm................. 4 Public Affairs communication management, It will divert heavy storm marketing, public relations, flow away from the River to Summertime.......................... 6 DWSD’s Upper Rouge writing and art, and design. the Wastewater Treatment Tunnel Project is receiving The Awards are sponsored by Plant. The Tunnel is ex- Service Award....................... 8 honors for excellence even the Detroit chapter of the pected to reduce the number before construction begins. DWSD workers help one of 14,000 member International of annual Combined Sewer their own........….................... 9 The Department received Association of Business Overflow events to the two awards during the 26th Communicators. Rouge to one from 55. Angels without wings ........... 11 SUMMER 2007 WATER POWER 1 10-N-30 Club winners by Louise Bannerman Marilyn King (WBB) Public Affairs Tracey Mack (JMB) Cheryl Ramcharan (WWTP) Once the smoke cleared after Rebecca Scruggs (FE) City of Detroit the final weigh out in March, Dan Smigels (CSF) Kwame M. Kilpatrick, Mayor there were 12 winners out of Tina Sumner (WBB) Detroit City Council the 26 who weighed in for the Jewell White (WBB) Kenneth V. Cockrel, Jr. spring 2007 edition of the 10- Michelle Wright-Bailey pounds by the time of their President N-30 Club. The lucky 12 (WBB) final weigh-out 30 days later, Monica Conyers were: they split the pot with the President Pro Tem The 10-N-30 Club is a twice- other winners. The size of Sheila M. Cockrel Louise Bannerman (WBB) yearly (spring and fall) shares depends on the number Barbara-Rose Collins Nancy Dorsey (WBB) tradition at DWSD. Entrants of winners. Winners hope to Brenda Jones D’Andre Ford (FE) pay $10 into the pot to weigh take out more than they put Kwame Kenyatta David Hensley (WBB) in. If they lose 10 or more in. Martha Reeves Alberta Tinsley-Talabi JoAnn Watson City Clerk Recognizing Veterans Janice M. Winfrey There is a very real DWSD recognized for serving connection to Iraq in the their country. The list will form of co-workers and the be published in a future children of our co-workers. Water Power, hopefully That’s why we thought it the fall 2007 edition. Detroit Water & Sewerage Department VOL. 24, NO. 1 SUMMER 2007 would be a good idea to recognize the members of We currently have a few DWSD BOARD OF WATER our DWSD family who are names, but want to do COMMISSIONERS something more complete. honorably serving (or have Mary E. Blackmon served) our country. This is strictly non- President political. We are honoring Marilynn E. Gosling If you served (in Desert individuals. We need Vice-President Storm or Iraqi Freedom), names, photo if available, Jimmy L. Cooper have family members who branch of service, current Kenneth R. Daniels served, or know co-workers job title (or family Hilliard L. Hampton who did, let us know about connection), and seniority Carla Walker-Miller it. We will add the names date – DWSD as well as William G. Westrick to a list of those being city if applicable. • • • Victor M. Mercado Director PRODUCTION STAFF River update S.R. Boland Quotable Michael Daisy Paul Gomez Barry Jennings “He who Linda Philson The Black Lagoon is no more. Detroit River there. For many angers you Mary Sevakis In June, the infamous, years, it served as a convenient conquers you.” Gregory Smith polluted corner of the Detroit dumping ground for McLouth – Elizabeth Kenny River in Trenton was renamed Steel, located just upstream. WATER POWER Ellias Cove, for Howard While the plant was closed in is published Ellias, whose family donated 1995, a nine-foot-thick layer “Don’t look quarterly by the the land for the adjoining containing approximately Public Affairs Division Meyer-Ellias Park. 30,000 cubic yards of contami- where you fall, Water Board Building nated sediment remained. but where you 735 Randolph, Suite 1001 The cove’s former disparaging Detroit, MI 48226-2830 moniker came from the color Sediment removal will cost an slipped.” phone: (313) 964-9570 of the oil released into the estimated $9.3 million. – African proverb fax: (313) 964-9580 2 WATER POWER SUMMER 2007 Audiovisual section wins top award by Betsy Spratt an international competition Public Affairs that recognizes outstanding work in the communications The Audiovisual section of the fields for audio, video, and Public Affairs Division print media. The Award of recently received three Excellence is presented to Communicator Awards for professionals who are the best outstanding work in the in their field. The Award of communications field. Two of Distinction recognizes projects the three were Awards of Photo by Paul Gomez, Public Affairs that exceed industry standards. Excellence – for Honorable Mentions are given cinematography and to entrants who meet the high information – for coverage of standards of the industry. the Detroit International Auto Show. The third was an Award As winners of the of Distinction for the “Mayor’s The 2006 ceremony was the time DWSD has garnered the Communicator Awards, the Time” segment that aired on 13th annual presentation of the event’s top honor, the Award Audiovisual section joins an DWSD’s “Division Spotlight” Awards. It was the fourth year of Excellence. exclusive list of video on Detroit Cable TV channel that DWSD has participated in professionals recognized as the 10. the event, and marked the first The Communicator Awards is best in the industry. New masters at DWSD by Suzanne Stapleton The two new graduates Neither Barnett, nor Gaffney Commercial Operations invited their coworkers to a plan to use this noteworthy belated celebration of their accomplishment as an excuse Carolyn Barnett, Customer achievement because, “their to rest on their laurels, Service Representative I of support was instrumental in especially Barnett. Carolyn DWSD’s Customer Phone helping us reach this goal,” continues to be deeply Center, earned a Masters of said Barnett. Singled out for committed to her work at Business Administration and special mention were fellow Greater Apostolic Faith Entrepreneurial Management Customer Service Represen- Temple in Detroit, where she Photo courtesy of Carolyn Barnett Degree from Davenport tatives Alicia Smith, has been appointed to the University in December. She is MBA gratuates Carolyn Barnett & Leslie Gaffney (R) Michelle Walker, Annette board of Directors. Barnett also pictured with Leslie Gaffney, Keith, Tina Regan, Patricia serves on the Executive Board Customer Service Representa- Bowerman-Jackson, and of Ministerial Alliance with tive I, who also graduated in Degree in Strategic Manage- Annie Kuykendall. the title of “Evangelist.” December with a Masters ment. She’s out of here! by Suzanne Stapleton Commercial Operations Janet Romeo, Customer Service Representative II, is flanked by some of her co-workers on June 1, her last day on the job in DWSD’s Customer Service section. Left-to-right: Annie Kuykendall, Carolyn Barnett, Janet Romeo, Anjanette Myers, and Leslie Gaffney. Friends and coworkers gathered to say goodbye and celebrate Romeo’s 19 years of faithful service with a lot of laughter and a few tears. Jan is looking forward to spending a lot of her newfound leisure time with her family, which includes four sons and eight grandchildren! SUMMER 2007 WATER POWER 3 Third Annual Detroit National Arts Program by Suzanne Stapleton Commercial Operations This year marked the third annual collaboration of the National Arts Program (NAP) and the Detroit Recreation Department to give city employees and their families the opportunity to display their art and compete for Prize-winning entry - Jesse-Cathline Nichols- Beverly Welch- prizes.