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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-10 �.� •Sii.y r..f.: .. :,f,.. . .,(:i...-:.•., .::. .'} j. : 0, , : ; :::. Newsletter for : Y:yil:`: ik::„ :•:::; i s % h :� Employees and iraa s ..i... t i� � .fi. Retirees f Tompkins m s County ,, ti :zs "."- -- -----0 -.....---,:,::::.:::::: .:::::::::...:: "":::::::::::::::: .:::.:::::::: ( , ...tie_ ' :::::::::::6.:,. > :<. 7 OCTOBER 1999 • :::iii.. • •:< >:;::;. :....;:: «:<:: :::::;.::: .. Volume 12 Number 10 \ Good Times at Home and Away diWhoosh: V y E C+ i q - . .. . ' 4 -"` !' r " fi-1 '4 . • --- •� Anne Drake from Ment +. 1 • Health takes a mighty swin . at the County Golf � s x _ .A „• , ; t. Tournament in September, ° � then tells everyone, "That „let t �” a ` fir ''''',.4r...:42:-",—.. r r � : , ' ; was my practice swing!" j , N '.. ..* . r.'! ; Anne, did you ever hit the ', °�°.' , w , . r .: ball? ,, ,. .. s Y.1+ .1 n ' - � r `, '^ w. '' ,c ,., r v �� �" � 4 sa c *. ' d,n � `'4 , t , ,a4"' "" �t`4 *./ ' 11k' ,.; 4 r t, ■ , Big Island �° Mo' Bettah x - , ��,• , y `1 '� S.r� -. �, fey. �,' - Y Seen here giving the "Hang N_ i `: , Loose" sign, with Kailoa, :«44....., " _ - Hawaii in the background, .- "� " , 4.. Liz Croop from Mental : �, ". ,. . - - 1 �" Health says she loves _ ,, , �- - but ;� ". , Tompkins County .' REALLY found it hard to : - �., � say goodbye to Hawaiin �' ---4 : w -4 �.. - skies, volcanoes, beaches, K snorkling, sunsets, etc., _ '�:_; etc., etc. County Administrator's Report Drowsy Driving "Top 10" List by Rick Erb There is no season like fall for those of us who go straight AraNk. to the sports section of the morning paper. As I write this 1 column, my beloved Red Sox are in the playoffs, the New �a�- England Patriots are 4 -0, and the two local college football Q, 0 teams are both undefeated. The lead time necessary to get Corridors out to you makes it dangerous to comment Here are the top 10 comments people made after on such things, as the outlook may not be so rosy for these falling asleep at the wheel teams by the time you read this. In fact, eighty years of Red Sox futility makes it a pretty safe bet. #10 - I had been meaning to replace the windshield, On a more personal note, I have really enjoyed my first anyway. exposure to youth soccer with my five -year old son. My #9 - The steering wheel looked much more comfortable own experience with the game is very limited, as it was not on the showroom floor. offered by my high school, (The athletic department was not friendly to anything that would compete with football for #8 - I've always wanted to drive a smaller car. the limited number of available athletes in a small school.) Coming from that background, it is interesting to note the #7 - Falling asleep in Tompkins County is so much different approach to each game. In football we called our easier when you count the deer crossing the plays in a huddle and hoped that everyone did what they road. were supposed to do. Because of changing game circumstances, soccer has no such opportunity for detailed #6 - I just took the idea of Drive Thru shopping one and specific plays. Decisions are made on the fly, with the step further. hope that teamwork and practice will pay off in the desired result. Players are required to evaluate situations and #5 - The toll booth looked like it would make a great make decisions on their own that are consistent with the bumper. mission of the team. Well, this may not happen with a team of five -year olds, but you get the idea. #4 - I wanted to see the forest from the trees. Government needs to be playing more soccer than football. #3 - Off road driving looked like a lot of fun in the Our own quality initiative promotes the concept that if commercials. employees understand the values and mission of the County organization, they should be given the opportunity #2 - Having a head - on collision is one way to meet to re- direct their efforts when conditions are altered. If this new people. capacity is not built into government, the rapid pace of change makes any amount of coaching / supervision And the #1 comment people made after falling asleep inadequate. Rather than just knowing our own individual at the wheel.... part of the game plan, we all need to keep the bigger picture in mind and be aware of opportunities when they "After seeing Star Wars 17 times, I thought I was arise. ready to feel The Force." Since last week marked the end of my first year with Don't fall asleep at the wheel. Pull safely off the road and Tompkins County, I would like to conclude this column by take a 15 minute power nap. It will help keep you off thanking you all for your assistance and support over the everyone's list. Because ... past twelve months. The County is fortunate to have an Smart Drivers Brake for Sleep. experienced and dedicated workforce and I appreciate the Adapted from ads done for the Drowsy Driving Coalition of opportunity to work and learn with you. Thanks. Tompkins County by Tim Clukey, a graduate student at Ithaca College. Submitted by Rosalie Fontana, Health Promotion, TCHD Bygone Days of Tompkins County -WV tjmN 1797 Town of Dryden's first resident freeholder, George Robertson, who is known wn by contemporaries as "Father of the Town," purchases a lot in Dryden on the Bridle Road. Dear Crumby, fill 1 I say write the letter. It will cost you a stamp, but y ou might get a coupon for a free can. I'm sure the company would enjoy hearing from you. I certainly did. Danielle Dear Crumby, '4141‘1 t; ■ ` ' �� There's a book entitled "Don't sweat the small iiilh stuff'. You might enjoy reading it. I say, buy another can and move on.... Particularly since you really don't know who is at fault. Did your i fr husband accidentally drop the can before you opened them? Dear Danielle, Dan My friend invited me out for lunch then after 1 accepted she said she had a discount coupon for a place that I don't usually go to. I didn't want to seem ungracious, so I went anyway, but ended up splitting the cost with her, Dear Danielle, and it was more than I usually spend so I'm strapped for I read in the last County Corridors that we may cash. Now I wonder is there something I should have done ship our Styrofoam packing items to Storopack in to stop the whole process before it got out of hand. Thanks Westboro, Ma., but I have a question about the procedure. for your help. What do we pack it in? -- Surrounded by packing No name please Dear Surrounded, Dear No name, Styrofoam. This has happened to just about everyone at one St y time or another. You did not say what the discount coupon — Danielle was for, but if the coupon indicated that it was buy one entree and get one free, then it's no wonder it came to more than you thought it would. Save the entree's for dinner events where you would expect to pay more. Send questions to Dan / Danielle c/o Ruth Pond, Finance Coupon's can be very deceiving. Someone wants you to help broaden their market. The coupon is intended to help make the item more tempting or affordable. But if you only Days until C h ri st m a s have a small amount to spend, then using a coupon to buy anything you don't need or wouldn't normally buy is clearly (as of October 21) not affordable. 73 72 71 My advice is to really scrutinize the menu before ordering. You can easily get an idea of what it will cost, and then 70 69 68 67 66 65 64 stick with soup, salad, or just an appetizer. On occasion, I have told my dining partner up front exactly how much 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 money I have for lunch. This takes the pressure off my partner too, so we know immediately where we stand. 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 -- Danielle ..**********..******** .... *******.* * * * * *.. * * * * * *.. * *.. * *.. *.. *.... 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 Dear Dan & Danielle, I honestly hope you can settle a dispute that my husband 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 and I are having. You see, I bought a can of Pringles today and they are all smashed inside. I hate eating crumbs. 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 That is why I buy Pringles! I say that I should write to the company, but my husband says to shut up and eat my 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 Pringle pieces. What do you say? 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 — Crumby in Caroline 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ti.ti (: TOMPKINS COUN I ENT OF HEALTH • ♦ Alice Cole, R.N., M.S.E. 401 Harris B. Dates Drive Public Health Director Ithaca, New York 14850 -1385 September 7, 1999 County Corridors CIO Finance 125 East Court Street Ithaca, New York 14850 Subject: Your "Puzzler" article in the August 1999, Volume 12, Number 8 issue of County Corridors. I read with interest your "Puzzler" article regarding health insurance coverage of acupuncture and hypnosis therapies. In the article you use the term, "medically necessary." I think that it's important for you to consider a useful alternative term when discussing this subject. I would suggest the following: "insurance reimbursable, "as in, "The fact that a physician may prescribe or recommend a service does not, in itself, make the services insurance reimbursable." Medical necessity is a relative term. An insurance company may look at necessity differently than a practitioner of medicine. It is also important for your readers to realize that the agreement between themselves and their insurance company is strictly a financial one. If they and their practitioner decide that a service is advisable and of value, then it can be paid for privately, separate from their insurance coverage. To use the words "medically necessary" would imply that the insurance company is making medical decisions which they, in fact, should not do. The patient should always know that the patient has the final decision about whether a service is, in fact, desired and needed by them. The financial implications of this must be considered as a separate, important issue. In a way, it works to the advantage of insurance companies to use the term, "medical necessity." It elevates them to a higher position of influence and importance separate from their financial rule. We should strive to keep the true role of insurance companies in focus. I think we need to help the public learn about these issues by being extremely careful about the terms that we use. Thank you for your attention to this somewhat complicated issue. Sincerely yours, William Klepack, Medical Director Tompkins County Health Department WKIps p Recycled paper 5 ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT RECAP AND SURVEY September's County Golf Tournament was another smashing success. Congratulations (again!) to Denny Fairchild, David Chase, Frank Justice, and Mark Fairchild; they won 1 place this year, as well as the first year of the tournament. They've earned yet another nameplate on The Plaque, plus ownership of it for the next year. Amid the 96 players were 65 employees who represented nearly every department. Good going Sheriff's Department; 15 employees competed in the hunt, which is the largest participation from any department. As you know if you've ever played in the tournament, the format is as follows: • Four Person Team, At Least 2 Employees Per Team - $40 Per Person, Includes Greens Fees, Cart, and Steak Dinner N Each Player Wins at Least 1 Prize Since the Vending Committee adds support to the event, they've asked me to survey all employees to ask how we can enhance the tournament and encourage more participation. Please take a moment to complete the survey and return it to me either through interoffice mail or via e -mail at ikippola(ctompkins- co.org. 2000 GOLF TOURNAMENT SURVEY 1. I have participated in at least 3 of the 5 tournaments. yes or no (I haven't) 2. If "no" is the answer to question 1: I'd participate next year if the price was lowered to $30 per person, but prizes were only awarded to the top 5 teams. yes (I like and prefer the format) or no (I wouldn't participate) or yes (I'd participate but wouldn't prefer the format) 3. If "yes" is the answer to question 1: I'd participate next year if the price was lowered to $30 per person, but prizes were only awarded to the top 5 teams. yes (I like and prefer the format) or no (I wouldn't participate) or yes (I'd participate but wouldn't prefer the format) 4. I'd prefer to have the option of either paying $40 which would include the steak dinner OR paying $35 which would include hamburgers and hot dogs. yes (I like this option) or no (it doesn't matter to me) 5. I'd recommend the following change(s) for next year's tournament: 6. I'm happy with the format of tournament, yes or no (I probably won't play next year) PLEASE RETURN THIS VIA INTEROFFICE MAIL TO JACKIE KIPPOLA AT COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OR E -MAIL YOUR ANSWERS TO JKIPPOLA@TOMPKINS - CO.ORG. THANK YOU! SIEBA Are you saving enough Your flexible spending account (for unreimbursed medical and child care for retirement? Suzanne expenses) must be renewed for the 2000 Slimbaugh from PEBSCO calendar year. Donna Lynn, from SIEBA, will be available all day to will be available to help with renewals or to explain our deferred assist new enrollees. Renewal deadline is November 24. 1999. co mpensation program and /or discuss your account. r -- Did you know the County pays for professional Who needs Lonq Term Care counseling? Insurance? Maybe you do! See Come visit the folks Suzanne Aigen from MELTCA from our Employee for information. Assistance Program to learn more. \--, _.--______}- CrtipBoyaa Wa88Magg Do you have questions about Program( raaeey pays Are you a health insurance? How much member of the will it cost next year. How does off $$N Credit Union? Univera /PHP differ from BC /BS? Corns taeq to 7arad Talk to the pros about BC /BS, lomos amd Firrd out Mc Come learn PHP and EHS prescription dataies. about the program. benefits rr� to ee E p y Be nefjts DaY Thursday November 18 1999 4 Ay � �� o ,c , - 9 0 0 a m to 4:00 pm th e p Q � P S� . � . � ti �� •" Human Services Building 2 ' 4 e .1 peps ro o co ;�� 320 West State Street r�� Phr ti �o 1st Floor Conference Room Unclassifieds The Personal Touch For Rent: Congratulations to: Apartment in Interlaken. One bedroom very Liz Croop, Mental Health. She has two new great granddaughters! near elementary school. $275 plus. Deposit Autumn Smith born September 23 and Samantha Parker born required. October 2. Lucky little girls to have Liz as a GREATgrandmother. House in Enfield. Three bedroom older home with 10 acres. $700 plus. Deposit required. Please call 387 -7049. You are invited to attend For Sale: Tompkins County Office for the Aging's Boy's 24" Huffy "White Fury" mountain bike. Annual Public Hearing 10 speed, excellent condition. $20 firm. Call Bob Nicholas 277 -5359. followed by a presentation and discussion on AKC Registered English Springer Spaniel The Future of Medicare: Puppies. Vet checked, 1st shots & wormed, male What's Congress Doing ?" & female, liver and white. Ready 10/16, $350 ea. Leave message 838 -3060. ' , with special guest I Congressman Maurice Hinchey Yamaha Keyboard. Great Christmas gift. 100 sounds, 10 rhythms, 29 white /20 black keys. Asking $75 - like new condition. Call Mary 273 -2770. Monday, November 8 at 10:30am Tompkins County Cooperative Extension Services: 615 Willow Ave, Ithaca, NY Zart Computer Services - for all of your computer needs: consulting, computers and accessories. 266 -7492. Articles to be considered for the November 18 issue must be Wedding Photography Dunn Rite. High quality received by Monday, November 1. Lengthy articles must be on matte albums. Videography. Affordably priced. disk. Send by interdepartmental mail to Ruth Pond, Finance, or Call 594 -3387 until 8:00 p.m. 125 East Court St., Ithaca, NY 14850. Fax: 274 -5505. Tynyk Originals suggests that you order your UNCLASSIFIEDS Christmas stockings, tree skirts, aprons, door /wall panels and gifts now and avoid the seasonal Classified ads up to 25 words in length are free to County employees, retirees rush. Give your Christmas the " Tynyk Touch "! and their immediate families. Ads may be for any purpose except no personal ads Call 564 - 9244 evenings or weekends. will be accepted. No County addresses or telephone numbers may be listed in these ads, however we do need the full name of the person submitting the ad. Use this coupon to send your ad via interdepartmental mail to Ruth Pond, County Tense? Sore and aching shoulders and neck? Corridors Go Finance, or 125 East Court St., Ithaca, NY 14850. Relax! Get the stress out with therapeutic Please type or print legibly! Thanks! massage! Call Richard Reed 844 -9327 or 756- 2427 for an appointment. A "Perk" via DMV As an employee of �] s ' COUNTY CORRIDORS Tompkins County, you r — HF / Articles and opinion pieces for County Corridors are selected by the need not stand in line at I volunteer editorial board based on their interest to Tompkins County employees and the Motor Vehicle Bureau � retirees. They do not necessarily express the opinions of the Editorial Board. / Material is solicited from current employees, retirees and others. of Ithaca. Send your 4414 1.j �� Material for publication is selected by the editorial board which reserves renewal applications, � tl' � the right to edit any submissions except in the instance of copyright articles. The properly completed and Editorial Board is made up of: Bill Chapp, Social Services; Sharon Cooper, Sheriffs; accompanied by a check Liz Croop, Mental Health; lretta Ellis, Information Services; Ruth Pond, (Editor), aCCOm P Y Finance; Michelle Pottorff, Bd. Of Representatives; Katy Prince, Health; Judy in the proper $$, to the County Clerk's office or to Tynyk, (Chair), Weights and Measures; and Vickie Wagner, (Artist), Assessment. DMV via inter office mail. We will process the Correspondence may be sent through County inter- department mail to: same and get it back to you within a few days. County Corridors, c/o Finance -, 125 East Court St., Ithaca, NY 14850. Any questions? Call Aurora Valenti at 274 -5431.