Winter is here in Twinsburg! It is hard to believe that the holidays have arrived and we are getting ready to embark into 2018. I want to thank all the City's employees for their hard work in 2017. I also want to thank the residents for their support as I head into my third year in office. I am looking forward to all we can accomplish in the upcoming year.

November was a busy month for the City. We sustained heavy damage from a strong storm that quickly moved through. Most of the City was left without power, as trees and utility poles were toppled over. I want to extend a sincere thank you to the American Red Cross for setting up a warming shelter in our Community Center. I also want to thank the staff at the Twinsburg Fitness Center for allowing those affected by the power outages to come in and use the facilities.

Our Public Works department has been working non-stop since the storm hit, and we have crews out branch chipping and working to clear up leaves. A special thank you to the City of Stow, Kent, Streetsboro and Glenwillow for lending us additional equipment and staff to help clean up our neighborhoods. Thank you also to our police and fire departments for their round-the-clock efforts in ensuring the safety of our residents was maintained with the multiple road closures we faced. During this difficult time, we had businesses who helped those in need with free meals and basic necessities. I am so proud to see the selflessness of all those in our community and surrounding areas.

During the aftermath of the storm, we utilized our Blackboard messages to update residents on information related to the storm. This is a phone call, text message or email that can go to a phone number (or email) of your choice. Typically, this system is used to notify residents of critical messages, road closures or other emergency alerts. If you would like to enroll, please log on to mytwinsburg.com and click on "Sign up for Emergency Alerts" or just call City Hall to be added to the distribution list.

There are a few safety tips to keep in mind to help get you safely through our Northeast Ohio winters. Have an emergency kit at your house that contains sufficient heating fuel, adequate clothing and blankets to keep warm, food, water, and other necessities you may need in the event of a severe storm. Keep a portable radio to listen to any warnings issued by the National Weather Service and create a family and friend emergency plan to know how you will contact one another to make sure you are okay. Ensure your electronic devices are charged in the event of an outage as well. We wish nothing but the utmost safety for all of our residents!

Again, thanks for all your support this past year. I hope you have a wonderful New Year!

Sincerely,

Mayor Ted Yates