ဟံၣ်My WebLinkဘၣ်ဃးဒီး2003-08 CC) U N A ■evoSletter fur Untolf e s and 1 eti Fees 1 I III I)k111S C411111v CCU U I UCUS Volume 16 Number 8 " Bon Voyage to Juan Qua ��.� ::: ':, %. - ,Oi1. , �- i I't ._,' i ,,'■ :fix zi xr ‘... . _- 4 f _ i r 7 r J r V... i F' Juanita Quaile from the Mental Health Department is retiring "to enjoy life and do some traveling" after 14 years of service as receptionist and case aide. She'll be moving to Queensbury, NY, to be near her daughter and grandchildren. "I really have enjoyed being part of the Mental Health team. I'm always impressed by the respect and caring influence shown by my coworkers for the clients. I'll miss you, dear friends and co- workers, and I thank you for what you have done for me!" "Best wishes, Juanita, from the staff at Mental Health!" REPORT Imo U m FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR By Stephen \richer E x A Change in Budget Process At the August 5 meeting of the Legislature considerable discussion took place regarding Administration's rather challenging budget forecast. As you are by now aware, the combined department Over - Target Requests (OTRs), increases in mandated costs, and proposed capital projects would require a 47% tax rate increase for 2004. The Legislature's discussion addressed the need to develop an additional budget process to address the severity of the budget challenges. While there were several variations, the essential concept was to charge the County Administrator with the task of providing a budget scenario that did not exceed a 5% tax rate increase in addition to and to be delivered at the same time as the usual OTR review. This change in process is significant because it will put me in the inescapable position of having to provide the Legislature with a list of programs to be reduced or eliminated. In the past the County Administrator and the Legislature have been very careful to vest the responsibility for making value judgments with the elected Legislature. To ensure that it was clear that the Legislature retained the responsibility for all value judgments, the Legislature charged me to provide a scenario rather than a recommendation and to include a complete list of all program areas that I considered in developing the scenario. In order to accomplish this task by September 2" I have asked all departments and agencies to provide me with an analysis of the impact of a 50% and 100% reduction in the target (local share funding) for each program within their department or agency. I will review the information provided by the departments and develop a scenario that will require no more than a 5% tax rate increase. My submittal to the Legislature will include a brief explanation of the consequences of each program reduction. Information provided to me by the departments and agencies will be considered working documents and will not be forwarded to the Legislature. As we move through the September and October Legislative reviews, program areas will be afforded the opportunity to provide more substantial presentations to the Legislators. As of this writing, the OTR review and capital financing reviews have reduced the projected tax rate increase significantly. I anticipate that by the end of the OTR review process we will have reduced the projected tax rate increase from 47% to approximately 28 %. However, to achieve the 5% goal another $6.5 million of local spending must be reduced. Spending reductions of this magnitude can only be achieved through the reduction of programs rather than spending within programs. Any reductions of programs will be challenging and will require considerable discussion. Remember that we are still very early in the budget process and while there is a higher probability of program reductions this year than last year, the Legislature will carefully weigh the balance of program reductions with the need to raise taxes. We will keep you informed as we move through the process. As a start, you may find it useful to look at an overview of the budget process, including definitions and descriptions of mandates, that is posted on the County website. Go to the homepage and click on County Budget. Anyone without Internet access may call Administration, 274 -5551, for a hard copy of the information. This is another difficult year for County government, one that none of us wants to be going through. The excellent quality of all of your work is appreciated, especially in this period of uncertainty. Thank you for continuing to serve the public with your usual dedication. 2 9th Annual 2003 Employee Golf Tournament FRIDAY SEPT. 5th, REGISTRATION 8:15, TEE -OFF @ 9:00 a.m. (fringe time to be used) Location: Trumansburg Golf Course ` ' ' Halsey Street, Trumansburg • 4 Person Team, Captain and Crew • Shot Gun Start • Team Format: Must have at least 2 County Employees on the 4 person team • Team can include employees from various departments Cost: $37.00 per person, includes 1 greens fee, 18 Holes, 1 cart rental, and BBQ Steak after 18 holes Pay in Advance by August 22nd Please return this form with check(s) of 4 x $37 = $148 per team to: Jackie Kippola @ County Administration by August 22nd. (check payable to Trumansburg Golf Course) Yes, I'm interested. Name Dept 1. 2. 3. Team Mate's Name /Dept. Team Mate's Name /Dept. Team Mate's Name /Dept. COMPUTER ALL STARS PROGRAM Submitted by Linnett Warner Computer All Stars is a community based computer reuse and recycling program for area young people. Sponsored by the Ithaca Youth Bureau, this program depends on donations of computer equipment for our young participants to practice and learn on. Each participant builds their own computer system to take home. They also help to get additional home computer packages ready for families in our community. This program attempts to close the gap created by the digital- divide. With the help of the Tompkins County Solid Waste Management Division, the City of Ithaca and local generosity we have increased enrollment, secured better quality donations of much needed computer equipment, placed computers in many local homes and taken the All Stars program in a direction that better serves the local community. We are currently accepting donations of Pentium 166, or newer, computers in good working condition, working computer monitors and working printers. Volunteers can help with the repair and upgrade process, work with our young participants or both. Families in Tompkins County requesting a computer for their homes are welcome to apply. For information, applications or to make a donation, contact: Marty Schreiber Phone 273 - 8364X157; FAX 273 -2817 martys@cityofithaca.org • r j • 4 AFTER SCHOOL COMPUTER PROGRAM WHEN: Monday - Thursday, 2:30 -5:30, school days WHERE: Ithaca Youth Bureau WHO: Tompkins County residents, aged 10 -19 WHAT: Learn how to repair and up -grade computers. Then build your own to take home. Help us build more for other families in our community. During the school year we offer activities in the afternoon. Residents aged 10 -19 can learn about computers and help out fellow members of the local community. Donated computers are diagnosed, repaired and upgraded by participants. Swap hard drives, add sound cards, video cards or CD -ROM drives and put in more memory. Practice on older computers while learning how to fix them. .=env i7 W74-11 - i M I Back. to School Safety Tips • When driving, be alert. watch for school busses that are stopping; watch for children boarding school busses. • Drawstrings on jackets and sweatshirts. There should not be any drawstrings on hoods or around the neck. Drawstrings at the waist or bottom of jackets should extend no more than three inches to prevent catching in car and school bus doors or getting caught on playground equipment. • Bike Helmets - Buy a helmet that meets one of the safety standards and insist that your children wear the helmet each time they ride their bike. Research indicates that a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent. • Recalled Products - Make sure your child's school has up -to date information on recalled toys and children's products. To receive recall information free of charge, write to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207. 5 Early Bird Walkers B Jim Strehle "IN A Here is a walk route that I do with some friends on my break days from running. The group is anywhere from two up to six of us. We meet at The City Health Club and start the walk at 4:45 A.M. By now, most of the City Police patrols and some other early morning risers, such as the newspaper delivery people, know us. Last Christmas we even exchanged small gifts with a City D.P.W. supervisor that we see at the same intersection each time we go out. It's funny how everything in the early morning seems to run like clockwork. We try to keep the pace below a 15- minute mile. That gets the blood flowing but doesn't get you over heated. At mile 2.6 we treat ourselves to our morning coffee. By the time the walk is over The City Health Club is just opening up and our group continues with other physical activities. It's a great way to start the day. This walk route usually averages around 4,000 steps for me. Commons/Willow Street Foot Bridge 3 Mile Walk • Start HSB & State Street • East through the Commons to Route 79 • Turn left to Aurora and head North • Yates Street is end of 1 Mile • Turn West on Yates Street to Willow Ave. • Continue West on Willow to the foot bridge • Go one block on Adams • Turn left onto First Street • Right on Hancock Street • Turn left onto Third Street to Cascadilla Ave. end of 2nd Mile • Go up Cascadilla Ave. • Turn right on Cayuga Street • Turn right on Seneca to Short Stop 2.6 Miles • Continue on Seneca Street • Turn left on Corn Street in one Block • Turn left on State Street back to HSB 3 Mile 6 _ Alba.. III _ .r. _- Jr .O.- ■_ i -a A— _ _ _AI. i Jr .r. I -Ma. i .r. `_ _ • $PLO PR Op I &, O rd r 111•1111111111•11 Keith Kreider, Solid Waste Operations Specialist Solid Waste Division Years of Service: 2 1/2 Brief Job Summary: Responsible, coordinates and manages a variety of recycling programs ! including curbside recycling, computer recycling, household hazardous materials, along with compost and recycling education. Personal Interests/Hobbies/Family: Keith likes to record and archive live music performers and is very active with this interest of recording. He attends performances all over New York State and does so on a regular weekly basis. Keith is also an organic gardener and sows his own seeds for planting in the spring. He and his wife Robin can a lot of what they reap from their garden. Keith married Robin in January 2002 in California and Robin was his girlfriend of 8 years. Keith and Robin have no children but they do have Liebe a six- year -old German Shepard. Keith visits with his mother and two sisters, Holly and Stephanie on a regular basis. Believe me he has to be one of the best brothers any girl would want to admit to having as a brother. Keith also enjoys mountain biking and rides in the Ithaca area quite a lot. If you ever run into Keith have him tell you of his experience of having a brand new bike rack on his car and driving into the garage and ripping it off the car only after having the rack on the car for a few days. Keith is also very dedicated to his teachings of proper waste management to others and gets very excited when he talks, teaches, or participates in this area of interest. As you can see he is dressed up as the Recycling Super Hero on America Recycles Day. Submitted by Linnett Warner CLASSIFIEDS 1 Congratulations: To Marcie Payne and Joe Manning, Sheriffs Office, For Sale: I on the birth of their son, Caleb Michael on July 14 For Sale: Cartop Carrier (attaches to car doors, no luggage rack needed), $25. Large capacity 1000 -watt microwave �,�T V V elcome: oven, $25. Call 277 -6878; please leave message. Wanted: I To Robin Korherr, Confidential Assistant to the Sheriff effective June 16 WANTED: Do you have one or more phones (corded or cordless) that you no longer need? Also, wires that CLASSIFIEDS connect the phones to the wall outlets along with the Classified ads up to 25 words in length are free to County phones would also be appreciated. Adult Protective employees, retirees and their immediate families. Ads may Services can use them for their clients. Contact Louise be for any purpose, however personal ads will not be Tomei at DSS 274 (No cell phones please). accepted. No County addresses or telephone numbers S ervices: I may be listed in your ad, however, we do need your full name and County telephone number submitted with the Tioga Technical - Don't kill your computer! Let me help ad in case there are questions. Submit your ad to County with troubleshooting, training, upgrades - whatever it takes Corridors c/o Michelle Pottorff, Tompkins County to get you and your computer working together again. Call Legislature, Courthouse, Ithaca, NY 14850 via US or James Keegan at 273 -7957 evenings or weekends. interdepartmental mail or e-mail to: mpottorff@tompkins- co.org Tense? Stressed? Achy? Therapeutic Massage can put relaxation and comfort back into your life. For an NOTE: appointment or information call Richard Reed at 753 - If you would like to modify your classified or want to 6383. run it again, you must re- submit it! French Tutor — Call Sarah at 257 - 3047. Please leave a message. DEADLINE: 15T TUESDAY OF THE MONTH Goosa Arts - See our beautiful and affordable traditional Articles to be considered for the September 18 issue Russian arts: nesting dolls, eggs, jewelry boxes, amber, must be received by noon on Tuesday. September 2nd etc. Alisa Mengel, 277 -2917, hours by appointment, 120 Submit articles via e as an attachment or on disk in Linn St. any file format that is readable by Word for Windows '95. Send disk and hard copy to County Corridors c/o Michelle Foster Care /Adoption Informational Pottorff, Tompkins County Legislature, Courthouse, Ithaca, NY 14850. Please include a contact number in case Meetings questions arise. Submitted by Ellie Arnold, DSS COUNTY CORRIDORS To anyone who may be considering becoming a foster parent Articles and opinion pieces for County Corridors are or adoptive parent and wants ore information. selected by the Editorial Board based on their WHERE: interest to Tompkins County employees and retirees. Human Services Building, Room 142 They do not necessarily express the opinions of the Editorial Board. Material is solicited from current WHEN: employees, retirees and others. The Editorial Board September 11 reserves the right to edit submissions, except in the October 9 November 13 instance of copyright materials. December 11 EDITORIAL BOARD Michelle Pottorff (Editor) TC Legislature TIME: Iretta Ellis (Chair) Information Technology Services NOON TO 1 P.M. Liz Croop Department of Mental Health Katy Prince Health Department For more information, please call Judy Voorheis @ 274 - 5266. Linnett Warner Solid Waste Division Geri Lockwood Highway 6 Tompkins County PLEASE POST PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT PLEASE POST 125 East Court Street Ithaca, New York 14850 -4284 (607) 274 -5526 http: / /www.tompkins -co. org August 20, 2003 You can increase your retirement income right now by making regular contributions to your deferred compensation plan. Suzanne Slimbaugh, Retirement Specialist, with Nationwide Retirement Solutions will be in Tompkins County September 24th, 25th and 26th of 2003 to meet with County employees. You'll be able to review your account status, change your deferral, or open a new account. Suzanne will be available at the times and locations listed below. Wednesday, 8:30 am - 9:30 am ITS Conference Room September 24, 2003 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Mental Health Conference Rm, 6th floor 12:45 pm - 2:45 pm HSB, Beverly Livesay Conference Rm. 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm Public Works Lunch Room Thursday, 8:45 am - 10:45 am Mental Health Conference Rm, 6th floor September 25, 2003 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Health Department, Rice Conference Rm. 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm Sheriff's Department Training Room Friday, 9:00 am - 11:00 am Heyman Conference Room, large side September 26, 2003 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm HSB, Conference Room 328 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm Sheriff's Department Training Room If you have any questions regarding the above schedule, please contact County Personnel at 274 -5526. Thank you.