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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-01 cia. --, r_ p -----\\ � A Newsletter for 1111::::„:.... .," \,__,..1 \ Em io aas and Retirees P Y ,_, �, ..� of Tompkins County ------,,,,----- -- , _� { y ,rte \\it 7 \ .� �..,� ; i / _ - 1 JANUARY 2000 ... .:::.:::::::.::. ....... , . ... ..... . .:.:::::.:.. .:.:::::..:......:.::..,:..: . . rrrr � \,,� J Volume 13 - Number 1 air Everything's BIG In New York Cit !! Y by Liz Croop, Mental Health ' ' ? ; `p u 1 fi t ) !fril On December 4th I took three; ; granddaughters on the Vending 4 '� ..; Committee sponsored trip to New ' .„ -� ' York City. We danced all over , �, Manhattan. From Radio City to St. ;x �� � < ' 44t. . Patrick's to The Empire State Building; from Trump Tower to Times' _ s, Square. The girls loved the street d" musicians, subways, and escalators! �" We all had a scare when Stephanie r ' # zigged onto 49th Street as the rest . of us zagged onto 6th Avenue. What " i joy we shared a few minutes later when we were reunited! Stephanie will '° ii ii a . lb . have a story to tell HER Stephanie Iacovelli, Danielle Lines and Abby Prince on 6th Avenue. grandchildren. Danielle and Abby are .•w-" - -_--- daughters of Katy Prince, Health Department. " , ..4 This cat had the right idea on how to ' ='"a v deal with the new millennium - grab the nearest post and hang on for dear ',> life! e Itt ; ' Nikillii t ., % a 4 co v ' I a , ', & 6"°4. t ,. �, : —.. Stephanie tells her new friend Valeria Coggin, Assessment, . all about it on the way home. k 1 COUNTY of the Ithaca Fire Department who coordinated the whole effort. It was an excellent opportunity to experience what cooperation between our ADMINISTRATOR'S 1 o participating organizations can achieve. REPORT .aj While on the emergency topic, let me stop to thank the County staff members who worked during the by Rick Erb % past New Year's weekend. Every one of them had known that all preparations had been made to avoid computer failure, but even so they were there to Can you imagine a forty eight hour period when check for any service disruptions. We were fortunate Tompkins County is hit by a combination of 18 inches that the weekend turned out to be a quiet one. I hope of snow, 4 inches of freezing rain, torrential floods, that those who were responsible for planning and and even a tornado? How about adding in acts of carrying out our Y2K response can sit back and enjoy terrorism, looting, and multiple structure fires? A the real Millennium, when it arrives next year. dozen County officials from a variety of departments j recently participated in an exercise that required us /e' �j t to think about just those kinds of circumstances and Q how we would react. It was all part of a Federal `r Emergency Management Agency course that was and specifically written for our area. While even the most outrageous Y2K scenario never depicted so many disasters striking at the same time, all of the above Q �� have occurred in central New York at one time or another within recent memory. The exercise showed Danielle and Dan have taken a well deserved vacation, us that in the event of a real emergency, there is no but will be back in time for next month's issue of substitute for pre - planning and cooperation between County Corridors. And no, I don't know if they went county, town, city, college, and agency officials. In together, and if I did, I wouldn't tell! fact, the County finds itself in a pivotal position, as by law we are the direct link to the State and Federal If you have a question or need some advice on a Emergency Management Agencies. The approximately personal matter, submit your inquiry in a plain white seventy officials who took part in the training came envelope addressed to Danielle or Dan (or both) c/o away with a new appreciation for the important roles Judy Tynyk, Weights and Measures. played by our emergency responders and will continue to meet to improve our preparation. TODDLER STORYTIME RESUMES Many County employees know that they would be on The Tompkins County Public Library has resumed the front line for any disaster response because they Toddler Storytime. This special program is open to work in the areas of public health and safety or public toddlers ages 16 months through 3 years and they works. For others, the connection to emergency must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. preparation seems less obvious. One of the things we learned in the course is that when routine Storytime will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays governmental tasks cannot be carried out because of from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. No pre registration is disaster conditions, other opportunities to serve the necessary; just come to the Youth Services community will arise. Residents, feeling vulnerable` Reference desk at the Library. The program will end during times of emergency, look to County government on May 24, 2000. to ease their concerns and assist them in putting their lives back together. There is ample opportunity If you need further information, for all County employees to contribute their talents. call Eileen J. Willauer at the We are grateful to the City of Ithaca for putting this © m' Tompkins County Public Library i.`. training together, especially to Guy Van BenSchoten at 272 - 4557 ext. 211 Health Club Health Promotion Program, Personnel, Employee Health, Wellness Committee members* and Reimbursement Policy Employee Health liaisons. Tompkins County Employee Wellness Committee • Retirees are not eligible for health ciub reimbursement. ...A lifestyle characterized by physical inactivity and • Per diem employees are not eligible for health poor dietary habits is a leading cause of premature club reimbursement. However, they may join area death in the nation, second only to tobacco use. facilities at the County's corporate rate. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - • The increase in reimbursement from $100 to US Public Health Service) $150 for an annual pre -paid completed membership is effective 01 January 2000. (If an The Wellness Committee encourages Tompkins employee's membership is renewable on January County employees to reduce their risk of 1st, that is if their paid membership was effective cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions January 1, 1999 to January 1, 2000, they will through regular physical activity, sound nutritional receive $150. Likewise, if an employee completes practices and weight management and avoidance of a year of continuous membership in July 2000, tobacco products. they will receive $ 1 50 at that time.) To help support employees' efforts to achieve or maintain a healthy lifestyle, the Wellness Committee Weight Management Program „ will reimburse a portion of health club memberships. Reimbursement Policy These facilities meet standards that emphasize injury prevention; provide training and advice and strategies Employees may be reimbursed for one half the cost for goal setting and achievement. Weight loss of a weight management program during a 12 month programs that meet the guidelines of the Healthy period up to a maximum reimbursement of $ 150. Weight Partnership are also reimbursed through the Committee. The Employee Health Nurse, Jared To receive reimbursement for weight management Jones, provides free individual counseling and programs: follow -up for those employees who want to quit smoking. Smoking cessation classes may be offered • Employees must be employed by the County for based on sufficient interest and demand. one year and have participated in a weight management program during their employment Health club memberships will be reimbursed $150 per with the County. year of continuous membership or, $ 75 for 6 months • The weight management program must meet the of continuous membership. (This increase is effective criteria of the Partnership for Healthy Weight 01 January 2000.) Management. For copies of the criteria, contact the Health Promotion Program at the Health To receive reimbursement for health club Department or Wellness Committee members. memberships: (Weight Watchers meets this criteria.) Food or other products associated with or promoted by • Employees must be employed by the County for programs are not eligible for reimbursement. at least one year. Also, their health club • Submit proof of payment (receipt or cancelled membership must be in effect during their time of check) for the completed program with a employment with the County. reimbursement request form available from the • Reimbursements will be issued after 1 year or 6 Health Promotion Program or Wellness Committee months completion of a paid membership. members. (Employees may choose to receive their reimbursements in two installments, if they have *Tompkins County Employee Wellness Committee a one year membership.) Members: • Minimum requirement for reimbursement is 6 continuous months pre -paid membership. Randy Good DSS • Proof of payment is a receipt, cancelled check or Barb Davieds DSS letter from the facility stating that the Sue Robinson Domestic Violence /Admin. membership was paid in full and the dates of the Jackie Yoder Personnel membership. ( A contract stating that the Beth Midura Mental Health payment will be paid monthly is not acceptable.) Lynn Leopold Solid Waste • Submit the proof of payment with the completed Jim Strehle Airport form to the Health Promotion Program at the Jared Jones Employee Health Health Department. Forms are available from the Theresa Lyczko Health Web Site Team Improves presentation for pages that needed it. As an interim step, r the team developed a modified County homepage to meet an Tompkins County's Window _ _ immediate need for improvement. To The World ` After conducting user surveys and working on each /� ~� `� ` " goal, the team recommended the following steps which were by Cheryl Nelson, Team Facilitator i agreed to by the Department Heads, the County Administrator, the Information Management Committee, Tompkins County government's web site is its "window to and the Board of Representatives: the world," providing public information about County services and activities, serving as a gateway to information • Use existing staff to the best advantage - The team about tourism, business development and other service, and found that all the talent needed to improve the web increasing efficiency for employees and programs. The site existed among current County employees. No County's web site has the potential to promote Tompkins additional staff or ourside service providers are County to prospective newcomers and visitors, educate the needed at this time. public on complex and timely issues, and increase public • Establish a collaborative relationship between input to elected officials. Information Technology Services (ITS) and Public From January to August, 1999, a group of Information (PI) departments - ITS will continue to dedicated county employees, commissioned by the provide all technical support for the web site, identify Leadership Council, formed a team whose purpose was to and train web page developers, and determine what is provide recommendations, standards, and protocol for the technically feasible. ITS and PI will work with improvement, continued development, and future departments to determine the most effective and maintenance of the Tompkins County government web site. efficient way to met the department's needs. The team's goals were to: • Create a Web Resource Team - The charge of this on -going team will be to develop technical and design • Develop and recommend protocol for incorporating the standards for all web pages and review any new or design, content, accuracy, functionality, and timeliness redesigned pages before they are published as part of of all County government web pages and to provide the County's web site. recommendation for addressing the enhancement and • Consider hardware /software impact on project integration of exiting web pages and employee -only development - ITS will continue to be responsible for pages in the final project outcomes. reviewing the impacts of hardware and software • Identify resources necessary and make a plan for the development changes and will be responsible to ongoing maintenance and continued usefulness of the consider solutions and options for implementation. public and employee -only pages. • Enhance training opportunities for web page • Identify current internal and external developers - The Web Resource Team and the Training users /customers; determine how well their needs are and Development staff will recommend and provide on- being met, and outline ways to provide better service. going training for the web page developers. • Identify necessary technical support and needs for future computer related equipment and software to The team's recommendations will result in a new maintain the County's web site. way of working of the County's web site. ITS and PI will • Develop a plan for employee training in web site design partner with departments to assure effective and well- and content, protocol, and computer technology. designed web pages. ITS will provide the technical support and PI will contribute content and presentation expertise. The team analyzed the County's web site and found The Web Resource Team will be an on -going team that will that while many parts of it were very useful and well- develop standards and make recommendations on designed, the site lacked overall consistency in departmental web pages and serve as the overseer of the effectiveness, appearance, and timely updates. The web County's web site. site had grown somewhat haphazardly over time as The following individuals served on the team and individual web page developers emerged in various are to be thanked for their time and work and are to be departments. It was recognized that the advantage of congratulated for a job well done and for improving the having many web page developers helped to share the County's web site: workload and made it possible to support many departmental web pages. It was also recognized that Charles Evans - Guidance Team Member, Greg Potter - having many developers was a disadvantage because Guidance Team Member, Diane Bradac - Team Leader, differing skills and resources resulted in a non- Cheryl Nelson - Team Facilitator, Michelle Pottorff , standardized web site. The web site team saw a need for Wendy Skinner, Jim Blizzard, Kathleen Drew, Paul unifying standards and direction for the site as a whole, and Cowles, Iretta Ellis, Kim Moore, Steve Estes, Chris for the addition of resources to help improve content and Brill, Connie Clasby, J. J. Franklin and Theresa Lyczko American Red Cross The American Red Cross Needs Your Help. Each of us offers unique skills that would be valuable in the event of a community wide disaster. We hope it will never happen here, but a devastating catastrophe could strike at any time. That's when your skills could come in useful. The American Red Cross needs all the hands they can get when it comes to taking care of our community when a disaster hits the Tompkins County area. However, the most useful hands are trained ones, so the Tompkins County Chapter of the American Red Cross is offering, FREE OF CHARGE, the following training: DISASTER TRAINING TOMPKINS COUNTY CHAPTER WINTER 2000 Wed. Feb. 2 6 PM - 10 PM Introduction to Disaster Services Mon. Feb. 28 6 PM - 10 PM Introduction to Disaster Services Thurs. Mar. 2 6 PM - 10 PM Mass Care: An Overview Sun. Mar. 5 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Shelter Operations Sun. Mar. 5 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM Shelter Simulation Sat. Mar. 11 9 AM - 6 PM Emergency Assistance to Families I Thurs. Mar. 23 6 PM - 10 PM Damage Assessment NOTE: Introduction to Disaster Services is the prerequisite to all other disaster classes. All the classes are held at the American Red Cross Tompkins County Chapter House 201 West Clinton Street Ithaca, New York. Pre - registration is required. To register contact Mike Raffe at tompkins @crossnet.org or by calling 607 - 273 -1900 extension 11. All disaster training in this sequence free of charge. I UNCLASSIFIEDS THE PERSONAL TOUCH For Sale: Congratulations to: Wood -fired boiler. Includes: piping, controls, circulation Elizabeth Shults on her recent retirement from p p g Probation after ten years. pump, heat exchanger for hot water - $845. Heavy -duty y Whirlpool washer (3 yrs. old) - $125; dryer - $65; G.E. dishwasher - $45. CaII 898 -9992 evenings or leave DEADLINE message anytime. Articles to be considered for the February 24th issue, must be received by noon on Tuesday, February 8th. Submit articles via e-mail as an attachment or on disk Services: in any file format that is readable by Word for Windows '95. Send disk and hard copy to County Tioga Technical - Don't kill your computer! Let me help Corridors c/o Judy Tynyk, Weights & measures, 125 with troubleshooting, training, upgrades - whatever it East Court Street, Ithaca, NY 14850. Please include a takes to get you and your computer working together contact number in case questions arise. again. Call James Keegan at 273 -7957 evenings or weekends. UNCLASSIFIEDS Classified ads up to 25 words in length are free to County employees, retirees and their immediate families. Ads may Zart Computer Services - for all of your computer be for any purpose, however personal ads will not be needs: consulting, computers and accessories. 266 -7492. accepted. No County addresses or telephone numbers may be listed in your ad, however we do need your full name and County telephone number submitted with the Wedding Photography Dunn Rite. High quality matte ad in case there are questions. Use this coupon to submit albums. Videography. Affordably priced. Call 594 -3387 your ad and send to County Corridors c/o Judy Tynyk, until 8:00 p.m. Weights di Measures, 125 East Court Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 via US or interdepartmental mail. PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT LEGIBLY! Thank you. Give your home the "Tynyk Touch" for spring with placemats, wallhangings and door panels. Call Tynyk Originals at 564 -9244 evenings or weekends for a unique gift or home decor item. Now accepting MasterCard and Visa. Massage for relaxation or as a therapeutic response to a chronic problem. Can be flexible benefits reimbursable. Call Richard Reed at 844 -9327. COUNTY CORRIDORS Articles and opinion pieces for County Corridors are selected by the Editorial Board based on their interest to Tompkins County COMING SOON, TO A NEWSLETTER employees and retirees. They do not necessarily express the NEAR YOU opinions of the Editorial Board. Material is solicited from current employees, retirees and others. The Editorial Board reserves the The Editorial Board would like to start a new column right to edit submissions, except in the instance of copyright for the new millennium. We thought we would call it materials. "Pet Peeves ". If you have a Pet Peeve, send it EDITORIAL BOARD: anonymously to: County Corridors c/o Judy Tynyk, Weights and Measures. If work related, no names, Bill Chopp Department of Social Services please. Sharon Cooper Sheriff's Department Liz Croop Department of Mental Health My Pet Peeve is people who ignore deadlines, so Iretta Ellis Information Technology Services make a note: County Corridors deadline will be noon Michelle Pottorff Board of Representatives on the first Tuesday of every month starting in March Katy Prince Health Department 2000. Vickie Wagner (Artist) Department of Assessment Judy Tynyk (Chair /Editor) Dept. of Weights & Measures What's your "Pet Peeve "?