Title
To recognize the Columbus Department of Public Utilities Tapping Team for winning the National Tapping contest at the American Water Works Association National Contest in Toronto.
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Department of Public Utilities Tapping Team proudly represented the City of Columbus and their department at the American Water Works Association (AWWA) National Contest in Toronto in June 2007; and
WHEREAS, the AWWA National Tapping Contest is a competition among cities across the United States and Canada, demanding excellent skill, dexterity and teamwork to work against the clock while drilling into a cement-lined, ductile iron pipe to install a water tap line; and
WHEREAS, Tapping Team members Pat Crumbley (Cranker), Mark Eppich (Coach), Bruce Farley (Feeder), Chris Scott (Co-coach) and Mike Spriggs (Copper) exemplify the finest in skill and teamwork displayed each day by City of Columbus employees; and
WHEREAS, the Tapping Team earned a chance to compete at the national conference by finishing first in the local section competition in Cleveland in 2006; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Tapping Team members have worked and practiced hard together for nine years, traveling to Toronto at their own expense to bring a richly-deserved victory back to Columbus; and
WHEREAS, Pat, Mark, Bruce, Chris and Mike turned in the top time of one minute, 17 seconds, best among 21 teams, including the Birmingham, Alabama team that had won the last three consecutive Tapping Team titles; and
WHEREAS, the victorious City of Columbus Tapping Team automatically qualifies for the finals round to defend their title in the 2008 Tapping Team competition to be held in Atlanta, Georgia; and
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That the Columbus City Council recognizes the Columbus Department of Public Utilities' Tapping Team for its hard earned first place finish at the AWWA National Conference in Toronto and the manner in which they proudly represented the City of Columbus on the international stage as the City Council wishes the Tapping Team luck in defending their title in 2008.