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.