ဟံၣ်My WebLinkဘၣ်ဃးဒီး1995-08 Ct I lam, ` `� / A Newsletter for I Employees and Retirees .,::: ffEL,.&S L',..--; L ` L...1 o f Tompkins County Y if --- - - )( 1 : - - H ----7 - : )/ t 7 f ::::::i::::::::::.:...,:m::, .-:...,-, ..,:„.::„.,„ .:.. ..\ , L...„. \..., `\ ' twirl i L.d AUGUST 1995 Volume 8 Number 8 THE COUNTY GOES TO THE GAMES by Sheila Ferrari, Finance Wednesday evening, August 2, 1995 - the Opening Ceremonies for the Empire State Games, being held for the second time ever in Ithaca. The Parade of Athletes - a seemingly never - ending line of athletes young and old, six abreast, circling Cornell's Schoellkopf Field before coming to rest by region in the center, completely filling Schoellkopf Field. Bright eager faces searching the stands for family and friends as they file past. 7,000 athletes giving of their time, energy and talent to make this one of the best Empire State Games ever. .44.0„ y , e ,; The County was well- represented: -' 't '; Aurora Valenti, County Clerk served on the Local • ' ` - - -, Organizing Committee, devoting many hours to the endless details of organizing Ithaca's Games; . F James Kazda, Senior Civil Engineer competed in three events in Masters track (100m, 200m, high jump), earning a silver medal in the high jump. Jim's .r family was on hand at Ithaca College's Butterfield Stadium to cheer him on; John Beach, Stop -DWI Coordinator competed in the The Parade of Athletes at the Opening Ceremonies Half Marathon that took place Sunday morning in Trumansburg with a time of 1:47.10; Audrey Balander, Public Health Sanitarian placed �► j �f=, second in the Open Women's Half Marathon, earning „ " 1 - a silver medal with a time of 1:30.26; (see page 3) _ ti . <� j Chris Brill's cousin Scott Weeks earned a bronze - ° « medal in the Open Men's 1,500m run with a personal best time of 3:56.9; Jim Kazda clearing 5' 9" in the Men's Masters High Jump Robert Slocum, Office for the Aging, served as official scorekeeper for the Gold Medal baseball ,, game; „p. t 4 i i Don Franklin, of Assessment, kept score for the Open and Scholastic men's basketball games and his wife Kathy sent the results of the men's basketball ct Gw games to the media center; Medalists in the Men's Open 3,000m Steeplechase: left to right Sheila Ferrari's son Michael earned a bronze medal Michael Ferrari, Bronze; Artie Green, Gold; Tyson Sacco, Silver in the Open Men's 3,000m Steeplechase with a personal best time of 9:48.34. The author expresses apologies to any County employee associated with the Games whom we were unaware of at press time. If you care to send details, we will gladly do a followup story. July 12, 1995 Department Head meeting ROLLOVER OF UNSPENT DEPARTMENT FUNDS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. Scott said that he had recommended all rollover requests except for three departments that had received contingent fund monies last year. FISCAL TARGETS. Kathy West re- explained to everyone that by setting department fiscal targets at the same level in 1996 that they were in 1995 the County Board had cut all budgets by the amount of the fringe benefit cost savings that became known late in 1994. Now that fringe costs are on their way back up, departments are saying they feel like they got hit by a truck; they did, except for the fact that special requests are being welcomed. The other shoe only drops when action is taken on the 1996 budget. STORM CLOUDS. Scott said that more than $27,000,000 in State and Federal funds for Medicaid that do not even appear in the County budget are at serious risk in Albany and Washington. This sum is so large that even a 10% cut would feel like a genuine catastrophe, either to service recipients, or to taxpayers, or to employees, or to all three groups. The funds are at risk because of the rapid movement to create block grants for all social services and to cut the total amount of those grants. RECOGNITION OF YEARS OF SERVICE. Scott presented certificates prepared by the Employee Recognition Committee to George Dentes (5 years), Jim Hanson (5 years), Bob Stolp (5 years), Irene Stein (10 years), and Nancy Zahler (15 years). John Beach and Bill Mobbs had previously been honored with 25 year certificates. Congratulations to all! LONG RANGE PLANNING BY THE COUNTY BOARD. Nancy Zahler reported that Ipek Kursat, Partners for Quality trainer, will be attending the September 13 Department Head meeting to get department heads' vision of a successful County and a successful County government. Nancy also updated everyone on Partners for Quality. (see page 5) THE TAILS THAT WAG THE COUNTY BUDGET DOG by Scott Heyman This is the third in a series of three articles about County Taxpayers who are hard pressed will offer sympathy, but no finances. In June I wrote about what local residents have to pay forgiveness, for County managers who have to wrestle with these in County taxes, where the rest of our money comes from, and realities. From the point of view of the people who pay the bills: how we spent it all. In July I wrote about departmental budgets, when it is time to economize, just do it and don't tell us how hard how they are different from each other, and what happens when it is. Fair or not, that is the way it is. things go well and when they go poorly. For many counties debt service belongs in the list of volatile This month's column is about the "big ticket" items that indirectly, items that can eat up available funds. Our County has been but very powerfully, affect what funding employees see flowing fortunate in this regard. Despite a decade of major construction into, or ebbing from, their departments. our taxpayer costs for debt service been remarkably level; in fact in 1989 we paid $1.6 million in local taxpayer funds for debt These items are sales taxes, Class A Mandates, and debt service, and in 1996 we are paying only $1.1 million. service. How is this possible? Because most of our construction costs in The 1995 County budget projects $17.5 million in sales tax recent years have been paid by other people's money. The receipts. This is about five /eighths of the 4 cent local sales tax. Public Safety Building and the Old Jail Reconstruction are being The City, the Towns, and the Villages get the other three /eighths. paid off entirely by local taxpayers. But the Mental Health Building, the Airport Terminal, and the Transit Center have all This is a lot of money. If sales taxes drop even five percent, the been paid for primarily by State aid, Federal aid, and user fees, $850 thousand loss would seriously affect every department and and Solid Waste projects are being paid for by the users of those cost some county jobs; or it would result in a big increase in facilities. property taxes. I hope you have found these three columns helpful. There is too Class A Mandates are also a lot of money. Education of much information in them, and it is too general, to become a Handicapped Children, DSS entitlement programs, free attorneys public finance expert by reading them. But I hope you now have for indigent persons, and education for preschool handicapped a feel for the big County financial picture and for how things children together are budgeted in 1995 for $12,800,000 in local really work in the County budget. You can call me now or in the taxes. While this looks somewhat smaller than the sales tax future at 274 -5552 with questions as issues come up. if what figure, it has been frightfully volatile in recent years. It ballooned you're hearing doesn't seem to make sense, just give a call. during the recent recession; in one year alone it increased $2.5 If ! know, I'll try to explain. million. I'm trying to make clear the answer to the question, "How come my department's budget keeps being cut when our expenses have only been rising as fast as the modest pay increases employees have had in recent years ?" The answer is that the money to pay for department operations comes from things like sales taxes that can lag, and comes out of the same pot as Class A mandates which can balloon. 2 Next Month: 1996 budget proposals. COMPETING ON MY HOME TURF Are You: by Audrey Balander, Public Health Sanitarian *Worried about your family's finances? Those who know me, know me best for my love of *Concerned about money management? cold, snowy winters and winter sports. I've been *Afraid of getter deeper in debt ?_ competing in the winter Empire State Games (ESG) Cross *Already in debt over your head? Country Skiing events for many years. I had no intention Do You: _ -� of ever competing in any hot summer ESG events until the *Purchase items on credit that you used to buy games came to the Tompkins County community. with cash? *Hide credit purchases from your family? 1 knew competing on my home turf would be special. *Miss payments on some bills in order to pay others? The start of the Half Marathon, a 13.1 running road *Never seem to be able to catch up on payments? race, was Sunday at 7 a.m., on South Street Extension in *Feel you can only afford to pay minimum Trumansburg. When we arrived we recognized a number payments on bills? of local running friends and volunteers who would later *Borrow money before paying off earlier debts? cheer us on throughout the race. *Spend money thinking things will get better in the future? 1 immediately knew I made the right decision. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ If you have financial problems My game plan for the race was not to push the Family and Children's Service pace unless I was in competition for a medal. I started the EAP CREDIT COUNSELING SERVICE first mile up Main Street, Trumansburg behind the third Can Help! . place woman. By the time we turned onto Seneca Road, CALL 273 -1129 TODAY I was tied with the second place woman. I wasn't happy (Be sure to identify yourself as a Tompkins County employee. with the pace but I decided to go for the silver medal. The All calls strictly confidential) course continued on to Curry Road and then back to South $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Street Extension. We did the same 6.55 mile loop twice. r ,., I stayed tied for second place until about the 10 mile : o;. Nture t s marker when my competition finally dropped back. I was = FASTI{'OOD- then able to slow down and cruise over the finish line in a &t Fruits &Veg.ablesaDay For on -the-go lifestyles, time of 1 hour 30 minutes. rtmem,.el•,�,•,, sle,•lo•eoe•P•� qulcJJy b the microwave I was handed a silver medal and an Empire State - Nallonal Cancer'tmlilula Games warmup suit when I crossed the finish line. TAKE THE 5 A DAY CHALLENGE IF EAT MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES t ..„ It was wonderful having the support of the During National 5 A DAY Week \ Trumansburg area residents who supplied us with September 10 - 16 water and encouragement along the course. by Sue Kilgore, Health Department For those who say, "Five servings of fruits and **** **ivv vegetables a day sounds like a lot," think again. Contrary to popular belief, eating the 5 A Day way is easy because one WHAT IS AN HMO? serving is less than people think, and because there are so many ways people can include more fruits and vegetables in their daily If you've always wondered how an HMO works, eating plan. what it is, whether it's "for you" or not, please note that According to the National Cancer Institute, sponsor of sometime in mid - September, we will be scheduling the 5 A Day for Better Health program, one serving size meetings at various County worksites with a representative is defined as: of PHP. Hopefully she will be able to answer your 3/4 cup (6 oz.) 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice questions and provide enough information for you to decide One medium fruit (e.g.,apple, orange, banana) whether an HMO is a viable alternative for you to our 1/2 cup cut or fruit plan. Please plan to attend one of 1/2 cup raw or cooked vegetables current health insurance p P 1/4 cup dried fruit (e.g., raisins, apricots, dates) the meetings: as soon as the schedule is firmed up, notices 1 cup raw leafy vegetables will go to departments. 1/2 cup dried, cooked or canned peas or beans. These serving examples are just an introduction to the choices of fruits and vegetables - dried, canned, fresh, or frozen - that Computers are not intelligent people c an include every day. So be creative about eating the 5 A Day way, and They only think they are remember that five is a minimum - the more the better. Call 274-6710 for 5 A Day recipes Health Promotion Program - Tompkins County Health Dept. 3 ALZHEIMER'S SUPPORT & iNFORMATION AVAILABLE eAlte yoa ? by Marilyn Strassberg, COFA Care iver Coordinator Y Y �J. 9 The Caregiver's Resource Center and Alzheimer's Tired of working on your own? Support Unit is a local source of information on Alzheimer's Disease and other types of dementia. By calling Marilyn Do you HATE making decisions? Strassberg at 274 -5482 or stopping by the Resource Center, which is located at the Office for the Aging in the HOLD A MEETING!! basement of the Courthouse, you can obtain free confidential individual assistance in coping with the stresses of caregiving. An Alzheimer's Support Group is also available, which meets biweekly. The September meetings are 9/12/95 and 9/26/95 from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. at the Office for +x .;=17' the Aging. The Resource Center has many pamphlets, books and videotapes on Alzheimer's Disease, as well as biz } }'> other medical conditions affecting older people that can be borrowed free -of -cost. For more information, call Marilyn You Can Strassberg at 274 -5482 See people 1 995 TOMPKINS COUNTY Show Charts Sleep in peace GOLF TOURNAMENT Feel important Friday, September 22, registration 12:30 Point with a stick Tee -off at 1p.m. (Fringe time to be used) Trumansburg Golf Course (Halsey St.) Use buzzwords 4 Person Team, Captain and Crew Impress your colleagues Shot Gun Start - AND - Cost: $20 per person includes 1 greens fee, 1 cart rental, Eat donuts 18 holes - payable at the golf course the day of the tournament. ALL ON COMPANY TIME Team Format: Must have at least 2 County Employees on the 4 person team. MEETINGS... Team can include employees from various departments The practical alternative to work Register with Jackie Kippola @ County Administration by September 7. ATTENTION RETIREES ERGONOMICS TRAINING We are updating our mailing list and Wednesday, September 20 would appreciate your help. If you no longer 10 a.m. - Noon Sadd B Conference Room wish to have County Corridors mailed to you, 2 - 4 p.m. Library Conference Room please contact Louise McEwen in Personnel. Thursday, September 28 10 a.m. - Noon Sadd B Conference Room 2 - 4 p.m. Mental Health Board Room GRANDPARENTS Respond to your Safety Officer by September 1 READ THIS 1 DON'T FORGET By September 8 all grandchildrens pictures must CONGRATULATIONS have been submitted to Ruth Pond Finance - Purchasing, ...to "Woodshed" softball team and Iretta Ellis (3rd 125 East Court Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 either by courrier base) who went undefeated in the 1995 Lansing Women's mail or US mail. Please write on the back of the photo the slowpitch league and also went on to win the playoffs. name(s) of the children) and the age(s). Also, the grandparent(s) name(s) and department(s) In the County so they can be returned. Do not send irreplaceable Recycle pictures. See these pictures in the September issue. 4 1 EMPLOYEE RESPONSES TO THE COUNTY SURVEY WHAT DO EMPLOYEES WANT FROM THE COUNTY AS AN EMPLOYER? by Nancy Zahler, Leadership Council ... sees employees as valuable and essential to achieving the mission statement ... gives me opportunities for professional and personal growth to enable me to serve the community in the best way possible ... entrusts its employees to carry out its policies ... cares about the average John and Jane Doe out there doing the job everyday, day after day faithfully and honestly ... understands the frustration of attempting to accomplish tasks in a timely fashion while being hampered by "red tape" ... defends my value to the community and helps them to understand that what I do helps the community ... can trust and communicate with the employee so that the residents of Tompkins County get the biggest ban for their tax dollar ... trusts its department and staff, respects their contributions and doesn't micromanage ... compensates me fairly based on skills, expertise, responsibility and productivity ... pays me enough to be able to afford to shop locally ... will listen to its employees. Especially the "lower ranked" employees (the ones that do the actual work) ... allows constructive criticism from staff without fear of retaliation ... protects its workers from ... vindictive supervisors by properly enforcing its own personnel policies ... pays more attention to the employees rather than to budget planning and physical appearance of County land and buildings ... considers working conditions like space, comfort etc. ... should be able to take disciplinary action more effectively on employees who deserve it ... doesn't waste so much time and money on certain decisions eg new building ... accepts fiscal responsibility and will cut programs that have no "proven" value ... Facilitates my giving the best of my abilities to work by: 1. enabling /supporting my continued training in various work related areas, 2. requiring the use /review of goals and objectives, 3. requiring the use of performance evaluation, 4. standardizes the mechanisms by which my ideas can be "heard" by someone who can do something about them, and 5. Requires high standard of work; if civil service allows sub - standard performance to be acceptable, re -think its use! A full summary of all comments is being prepared for use by the Board of Representatives when it meets later this fall to create a vision for the County, to define its own mission and the role County government and its employees should play in making the vision a reality. Thanks to all of you who completed the survey. We appreciate your honesty, your ideas, and your commitment to make Tompkins County a better community in which to live and work. FINALLY A LOGO: 4. P K l by Nancy Zahler, Leadership Council O 41111 A+ • Congratulations to Ruth Pond from the Purchasing Unit ' partners • of the Finance Department! Her logo was selected from ` fo r K e among the many submitted by County employees. As log ... promised, Ruth will receive $250 for submitting the winning VIP qu a 1 i t y logo. Penny Van Shoick, Bill Chapp, Irene Stein and Tim Joseph served on the Leadership Council's 7 Communications Committee and spent considerable time � making this difficult decision. The final logo approved by O U N the Leadership Council in August was adapted with Ruth's permission by local graphic designer J.M. Barringer at no cost to the County from the design concepts submitted by ATTENTION MOTORCYCLISTS Ruth. We would like to thank all who submitted designs by Cheryl Nelson, Public Works and ideas to illustrate the Partners for Quality initiative. Would you enjoy a pleasureable day trip with your fellow The contest proves one of the key concepts of this quality County employees? A ride is being planned for Sunday, initiative - our employees are creative and willing to offer October 1st. The details are still being fine tuned but the their positive ideas when asked. Although the process took plan at this point is to meet at the Highway Division longer than anticipated, we are pleased with the result and employee parking lot at 10 a.m. and then travel out of hope you are too. Continue to look for our logo in Ithaca to Lansing, then proceed to Cayuga County through Corridors to track the progress of this long term change King Ferry, Union Springs, Montezuma and Auburn. We effort. Thanks again to Ruth for her creative logo, thanks will end the ride at Christy's restaurant in Casowasco. All to Judy Barringer for the time and talent she donated brands of bikes invited. Please let Cheryl Nelson know adapting the logo and to all the employees who entered if you are interested, 898 -3214 evenings. and helped make these decisions! 5 Unclassifieds First Aid for Lightning Strikes For Sale: Reprinted from Parlay lntemat'l...submitted by Frank Croteau, Safety & Health Coord FIT ONE ski machine with manual. $50. A direct strike can cause the victim's clothing to catch fire Leave message on answering machine- 347 -4542. and can melt metallic jewelry. If this happens, and the victim is standing, get her or him to lie down on the ground. Trip or knock a 1986 Chevrolet Blazer: 2 door; 4 wheel panicking victimdown if necessary. Throw water or a heavy blanket drive; 2.8 fuel injected 6 cylinder. Body in good or coat over her or him to extinguish the flames. If the victim stops condition, engine runs good. 2 tone grey /red 100K breathing, administer rescue breathing while someone calls for miles $3,950. Call Iretta 315 -497 -0357. emergency medical assistance. If you detect no pulse and you are trained in CPR, use that technique. Gently wrap burned areas in a One Darien Lake Ticket, $16.95 value for clean cloth, but if clothing is sticking to burned skin, don't try to $11.95. Also, kittens free to good homes. Call remove it. If lightning strikes are still a risk, try to carry the victim on Dianna after 6 p.m. at 387 -6569. an improvised stretcher to a safer area. Keep the victim warm and comfortable until help arrives. Even if the victim appears unhurt, 1981 Buick Riviera 307 - v8 Front Wheel have him or her see a medical professional as soon as possible. Drive, Automatic, Power W, L, & Seats. Cruise Since obvious symptoms are sometimes delayed, the victim may be and A/C. 136,500 miles - many new parts. $2,300 in shock and not know it. or best offer. Call 607 - 564 -9244. am looking for a new home. I am a like PROOFREAD CAREFULLY SO YOU new KenmoorPortable Dishwasher that is sitting in the garage waiting for adoption. Price: $125. DON'T ANY WORDS OUT! Call David Squires, 387 -5792. Wanted: FREE UNCLASSIFIEDS Looking for dressers and a storage shed Classified ads up to 25 words in length are free to County employees, - both priced reasonably. Call Alison 273 2569. retirees and their immediate families. Ads may be for any purpose except no professional ads will be accepted. No County addresses or telephone - T= 1.�1�� iiti numbers may be listed in these ads. Use this coupon to send your ad to Corridors c/o Finance - Purchasing. Please type or print legibly! Thanks! 4 9N9, Q t# t il 1 ! . -,t.: ;11 — "L.: :,L. • i. NINA -;"_, w: ; T 8. F ° X : " a._ itt 1 z #r K A 2 1 i .t�-{ I ': j ' -;! : r , �; EVER STOP TO THINK, 1 :y� '* ` �' AND FORGET TO START AGAIN? HAVE YOU HAD YOUR COUNTY CORRIDORS TOMATO TODAY ■ volunteer and opinion pieces for County Corridors are selected by the lunteer editorial board based on their interest to Tompkins County by Aurora Valenti, County Clerk employees and retirees. Material is solicited from current employees, The above question appears on a sign retirees and others. attached to the basement exit door at the south Material for publication is selected by the editorial board which reserves end of the court house. And where can you get a the right to edit any submissions. The editorial board is made up of: Bill tomato at the court house? If you look closely, you Chapp, Social Services; Sharon Cooper, Assessment; Iretta Ellis, Data Processing; Scott Heyman, County Administrator; Louise McEwen, will see that among the flowers growing in the Personnel; Ruth Pond, (Editor), Finance - Purchasing; Marilyn Strassberg, "yard." there are some lovely cherry tomato plants Office for the Aging; and Judy Tynyk, (Chair), Weights and Measures. alive and well and gracing the garden. Who did it? Correspondence may be sent through County inter -mail to: County Thank you to Kate Sirrine of Tompkins County Corridors, Go Finance- Purchasing, 125 East Court St., Ithaca, NY 14850. Office for the Aging, gardener extraordinare! 6