September/October 2013 ONTARIO COUNTY Volume 15 #5
Prior to 1960, Ontario County owned only one park – The Public Square in downtown Canandaigua. That year, Richmond Town Supervisor Phillip J. Rowley included plans for a park in his “Plan for Progress” presented to the Board of Supervisors. A group of supervisors was formed to study this proposal. There was added incentive since the state had offered to pay 75% of any acquisition costs.1 Although questions persisted in regards to the number of parks and their respective locations, the county began to build its park system from this point forward.2 Ontario County is home to roughly 108,000 permanent residents as well as countless visitors each year. The variety of beautiful landscapes within Ontario County make for a spectacular park system - each park with its own history that makes it as unique as the natural features it encompasses.
Public Square: Oliver Phelps was a former soldier, then Deputy Commissary of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Once the war ended, Phelps became an entrepreneur and real estate developer. Phelps and his partner, Nathaniel Gorham, purchased a large tract of land in 1788, roughly 2,600,000 acres, from local Indians with the intent of selling and developing.3 Originally, the City of Geneva was chosen to be the official county seat. Due to ownership questions that resulted from inaccurate surveying, Phelps looked west to establish the seat for the new Ontario County.4 Canandaigua, which is derived from the Iroquois word “Kanandarque”, meaning chosen spot, was chosen as this location. Due to a default in payment, Phelps’s unsold land was sold to Robert Morris and a new survey was undertaken. Phelps remained in a position of power however and was appointed the first county judge. To enhance his newly minted principal town in Canandaigua, Phelps deeded a large public square in 1800 to the county for the eventual erection of a court house and jail. Now divided by Main Street, West Avenue, and Ontario Street, the square has changed in its geography but remains an important part of Canandaigua’s history.
Look for Atwater Park in the next edition and other parks in subsequent editions!
1 Art. 16c of the Conservation Law (Park and Recreation Land Acquisition Act); “Ontario Board Names Group for Park Study.” Democrat and Chronicle. Feb. 1, 1961. 2 “Ontario Supervisors Consider Sites for County Park.” Democrat and Chronicle. Apr. 23, 1963. 3 Aldrich, Lewis Case, and George S. Conover. History of Ontario County, New York. Syracuse: D. Mason &, 1893. Google Books. Web. 22 July 2013.
A Collaborative Effort by Chris Bowering & Preston Pierce, with Assistance from Mark Shannon
EMPLOYEE UPDATES
RETIREMENTS Nancy Boggs, Finance Clerk I, Social Services, 8/6/13 Terry DeBaere, Correction Sergeant, Jail, 7/31/13 Robert Friefeld, Workforce Development Counselor, Social Services, 8/24/13 Cathy Post, Sr. Human Resource Analyst, Human Resources, 9/28/13
RESIGNATIONS James Marshall, Client Transportation Driver, On-Call Sub, 7/16/13 MaryKelly Sullivan, Typist, PT, Substance Abuse Services, 7/23/13 Heather Campbell, Nursing Assistant, PT, Health Facility, 8/7/13 Valary Muscarella, Real Property Tax Aide, Real Property Tax, 8/9/13 Adrienne Gallipeau, Finance Clerk I, Social Services, 8/22/13 David Dys, Assistant District Attorney, District Attorney, 9/28/13 Julie Gotham, Senior Planner, Planning, 8/16/13 Carol Rowley, Health Facility Worker, Health Facility 8/31/13 Kenneth Tripp, Substance Abuse Counselor, Substance Abuse Services, 9/13/13 Paul Wright, Correction Officer, Office of the Sheriff, 9/17/13 Jericho Smith, Correction Officer, Office of Sheriff, 9/22/13 Juliana McDonald, Healthy Facility Worker, Health Facility, 9/27/13
REASSIGNMENTS Mary Wasicsko, Client Transportation Driver, PT to FT, 8/26/13 Jodie Bridgeman, Nursing Assistant to Scheduling Aide, Health Facility, 7/12/13
NEW EMPLOYEES/APPOINTMENTS Karl Smock, Client Transportation Driver, PT, On-Call, Transportation, 7/16/13 Andrea Perkins, Nursing Assistant, FT, Health Facility, 7/16/13 Danielle Russ, Nursing Assistant, PT, Health Facility, 7/16/13 Breanna Darby, Nursing Assistant, PT, Health Facility, 8/5/13 Rayla Brown, Nursing Assistant, PT, Health Facility, 8/5/13 Kenneth French, Caseworker Trainee, FT, DSS, 8/5/13 Tim Jensen, Associate Planner, Planning Department, 8/12/13 Robert Damann, Client Transportation Driver, PT, On-Call, Transportation, 7/16/13 Victoria Titus, Office Specialist I, Human Resources, 8/26/13 Jessica Pickard, Associate Psychologist, Mental Health, 9/3/13 Michael Miller, Finance Clerk I, Social Services, 9/16/13 Stephanie VanderMolen, Client Transportation Driver, On-Call, Sub, Transportation, 9/16/13 Michael Magill, Client Transportation Driver, PT, On-Call, Transportation, 9/17/13 Scott Teresi, Dispatcher I, 9-1-1 Center, 9/16/13 Pamela Muxworthy, Substance Abuse Counselor, Substance Abuse, 9/16/13 Robert Eklund, Community Mental Health Nurse, Mental Health, 9/25/13 Christopher V. Eaggleston, Assistant District Attorney, District Attorney, 9/30/13 Emily Marshall, Sr. Clerk, Human Resources, 9/30/13 Deborah Rossolo, Secretary I, Social Services, 9/30/13
NAME CHANGE Leigh Alderman – Social Welfare Examiner, Social Services, became Leigh Langworthy, 7/13/13 Chelsea Ernhout – Social Welfare Examiner, Social Services, became Chelsea Booth, 9/21/13 Jessica Pickard – Associate Psychologist, Mental Health, became Jessica Mitchell, 9/14/13
Emily Phillips, Human Resources
PIN CEREMONY
During the third quarter of 2013, 44 Ontario County employees equaling 720 years of employment reached a milestone year. On Wednesday, October 2nd, in ceremonies throughout the County, service pins will be presented to the following employees:
Congratulations to . . .
35 Years Gary M. Ventura, Highway Engineering
30 Years 25 Years Daniel S. Bennett, Road Patrol Diane L. Johnston, Mental Health Gayle L. Frost, Social Services Barbara C. Polinak, Health Facility Elizabeth C. Johnson, Health Facility Darlys A. McDonough, County Administrator Alison L. Ordiway, Social Services Richard D. Savage, Sanitary Sewers
20 Years 15 Years Angela I. Davis, Social Services Elizabeth Alcivar, Office for the Aging Sandra L. Campione, Social Services Jeffrey L. Coffey, Road Maintenance Mary M. Gates, Dept. of Finance Doulas A. Coston, County Buildings Joseph Gorall, Social Services Janice M. Derby, Health Facility Jene A. Trimm, Human Resources Preston T. Dinkle, Road Maintenance Mark H. Wentworth, Road Maintenance Kelly A. Fogarty, Road Patrol Kathleen A. Gates, Social Services Deborah J. Henderson, Information Services Chris W. Holloway, Sanitary Sewers Barbara J. Lyons, Jail Laura Marlowe-Desmond, Jail Ranae Nicols-Fiorentino, Jail Mary K. Tebbutt, Health Facility Christopher M. Tiffany, 911 Center
10 Years 5 Years Michelle L. DeBolt, 911 Center Mary L. Beer, Public Health Joan M. DiDuro, Probation Tanya M. Buzalko, Social Services Patrick P. Fitzgerald, Road Patrol Karen A. Coonce, Human Resources Paula M. Foster, Social Services Charles R. Gordon, Board of Elections Saul M. Hernandez, Jail Bruce E. Harter, Board of Elections Aaron J. Morrell, Jail Christopher S. Jones, Jail Katherine Q. Salotti, Board of Elections D. Steven Kepner, Board of Elections Nathalie M. Sigler, Probation
KUDOS
These hibiscus flowers (right) reside outside our own Human Services building at 3010 County Complex Drive and were planted about 2 years ago by a Community Service worker who happened to spend several week days here over the summer. Steve Sherry in the Probation Department is a Senior Community Service Counselor who works with the Services Unit at DSS to help with the gardens around the building. Also enjoying the flower gardens is this dragonfly. These pictures were taken by Chris D'Amico who used Mariah Ernhout's phone.
Janice Mangini, Social Services
“Your green tag, please?”
Those new to the county find this expression strange. What is a green tag? It is a numerical asset tag placed on computer equipment, usually with a value of $200 or more. The number is placed into an Inventory System called “Trackit” and then cross referenced to the computer equipment you are using. This makes it easier for us to remote into your computer and assist you in various ways.
“How may we assist you?”
Sometimes, you just have to be there. This is often true when you are trying to explain a problem with the computer but need to demonstrate it. There are several ways this is accomplished:
1. Runner or “feet on the street.” This is when someone literally comes in person to troubleshoot the problem. Most often used when you are experiencing HARDWARE issues or equipment failures 2. Remote Assistance. This is when you are logged in and you get an invitation on your screen for someone to share your desktop/computer 3. Remote Desktop. Used most commonly for remote installs. You will be asked to log off the computer (not shut down!) The person assisting should call you or contact you to let you know that they have finished the work/install.
Please note that remote assistance/remote desktop require that your computer not be shut off.
To shut down or not to shut down:
You may have heard various recommendations in the past about your computer; one being to never shut down your computer. Well now the recommendation is that you DO shut down or restart your computer once a week. If you don’t you’ll get a message pop up saying that you haven’t restarted your computer in so many days and to “considering restarting as soon as possible.” Restarting your computer once a week helps refresh system files and a smoother user experience.
Lorna LeBlanc, IS
Got Ticks? Worse than finding a tick crawling on your body is finding one deeply embedded, enjoying a meal at your expense. The “nasty” factor is outweighed only by the possibility of its bite making your sick.
In our area, there are a variety of ticks that cause illness. The biggest culprit is Ixodes scapularis, the blacklegged tick or deer tick. In NY this tiny tick is known to transmit anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Lyme disease. Deer ticks are active during fall months.
The symptoms of anaplasmosis and babesiosis are similar. There is seldom a rash. Both infections can cause fever, chills, fatigue, headache, body aches, lack of appetite, and nausea. Anaplasmosis may cause abdominal pain, cough, and confusion. Babesiosis often causes anemia. Neither infection is usually fatal, but people with weakened immune systems or other serious illnesses are more apt to have severe illness. Both these infections are treated with antibiotics. They are less common in our area than Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is on the rise. Symptoms start 3-30 days after a tick bite and may include fatigue, fever, chills, headache, muscle and joint pain, and swollen lymph nodes. An enlarging red rash occurs 70%-80% of the time. It usually resembles a “bull’s-eye.” There
may be one or several. When antibiotics are given early, most people recover fully. A few have chronic symptoms even after treatment; muscle and joint pain, fatigue, and problems Removing a Tick thinking. Untreated Lyme can cause arthritis, nervous system problems, and heart beat irregularities. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp Diagnosis of illnesses from ticks is tricky. Symptoms can be subtle. Many people never even tick’s head as close to knew they were bitten because deer ticks are so tiny. If you spend time outdoors and skin as possible. experience symptoms this fall, talk to your healthcare provider about tick-borne illnesses. Reduce your risk of illness by: Pull straight up, Checking for ticks after spending time outside. slowly and steadily Wearing long sleeves and tucking pant cuffs into socks. until tick “lets go.”
Staying in the middle of trails; avoiding tall grasses and brush. Wash area with soap Mowing your yard often and clearing away debris.
Using insect repellents, as directed.
For more information: http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/diseases/ http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2749/ Kate Ott, Public Health
Kate Ott, Public Health
WOW, it’s September already. Where did the summer go? Was it hot enough for you? Before you know it we’ll all be getting ready for Halloween, then Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we’ll be putting up the tree for Christmas, buying a present for that favorite aunt I forgot last year and, and oh my goodness I’m way behind, I have to get moving!!! WHEW, sorry about that. I guess I just got caught in the whirlwind of coming events. I better sit down for a minute and enjoy the fall while it’s still here.
I love fall. There are those trips to the apple sheds for fresh picked apples and cider, grape festivals with their pies and craft shows. Then there are those days just sitting around watching the leaves fall.
Maybe I’m going a bit far there but you know what I mean. Rather than complaining about the upcoming winter months let’s see if we can get you and your family out there enjoying the beautiful Finger Lakes area at one of the most beautiful times of the year around here.
This will be my last Links article as I am retiring this year. It has been a lot of fun and I hope you folks have enjoyed my silly stories. If you think you would like to join the Visions folks in putting out the newsletter I highly recommend it.
Just contact any of the Visions Board members listed at the end of the newsletter. See you around Ray
Take a big bite of goodness. Apple orchards close to home. (And more than a few great recipes) http://www.nyapplecountry.com/pick.php
If you want to make the world’s best grape pie go to the source. (You know where that is) http://www.naplesgrapefest.org/index.html
And now for the Great Pumpkin http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/
Get out and go to a fall festival. They can be great family fun. http://www.fingerlakes.org/search/?query=fall&search=1
Preparing your Lawn/Garden for winter. http://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/garden-care/preparing-your-garden-for-winter/ http://www.lawn-boy.com/advice/articles/Winter%20Storage%20Tips.pdf http://outdoorswithdave.com/landscaping/preparing-your-lawn-for-winter
Ray DeRuyter, Purchasing
Well it’s that time of year again! We’re not talking about veterinarian appointments or how mice like to sneak into the building for warmth on cool nights (I pity the fool). October is Archives Month! (See the flyer below.) We love Archives Month! Why? We get visitors from all over the state and sometimes the country. We get belly rubs and treats. I like to think they’re coming just to see us. Truth is they come to do their research, learn about how our “home” functions, and perhaps get a tour. This year the theme is “Your Home has a Story to Tell and a Place in History”. Anyone can come to the Records Center, learn how to become a house detective and research their homes history. Hmmmm, Basil and I have only lived here for three years so far. Maybe we’ll research our homes history! Hope to see you all soon!
With Veterans Day only a month away I thought that it would be important to share the meaning of the day and what a Veteran is. Veterans Day is on Nov 11th, and the reason of that date has some significance. WWI was the “war to end all wars”, and the major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, with the German signing of the Armistice. On the one year anniversary of this event President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that day to be recognized as “Armistice Day”. This day would not become an official federal holiday until 1938. As time continued our country has become involved in numerous wars and conflicts. This prompted the official name of Armistice Day to be changed to Veterans Day in 1947.
Now with the history lesson being over, what is the meaning of the day? Many people think that Veterans Day is to honor the men and women that have died in defense of our nation, and that is not correct. Memorial Day is the day that we officially recognize those heroes. Veterans Day is a day to recognize all Veterans that have served during war and peace times. These brave citizens have stood ready to defend our country, freedoms, and way of life against anyone that threatens it.
What is a Veteran? Federal law defines a Veteran as “A military veteran is any person who served for any length of time in any military service branch”. I define a Veteran as “a hero who was willing to sacrifice their life for our country”. Take a moment to think how you would define a Veteran, and now think of all the Veterans that you know. There is a good chance that you were able to think of at least one Veteran that you know whether they are a family member, neighbor, or a co-worker. Before you leave for the long weekend of BBQ and football games take a moment and thank at least Veteran for their service. After all they are the reason for the day and the reason we get to live in the greatest country in the world!
If you know or are a veteran that needs assistance please give us a call at (585) 396–4185.
Jeremy Marshall, Veterans Service Agency
Visions Update is the monthly newsletter for the employees of Ontario County government. The purpose of this newsletter is to convey information to sustain Service Excellence, to provide examples of leadership and positive actions, and publish departmental news.
The editorial board is composed of the following: Ray DeRuyter ~ Purchasing: 396-4444 Tammy Hagadorn ~ County Attorney’s Office: 396-4490 Louise Heusler ~ Printing: 396-4051
Important dates for 2013 & 2014 publications are as follows:
November/December Issue Editorial Board Meets and Articles Due to Printing by 11/14/13 • Publication Date 11/21/13
January/February Issue Editorial Board Meets and Articles Due to Printing by 1/9/14 • Publication Date 1/16/14 Please make every effort to work within these time frames in order to assure success in providing the newsletter in the established timely manner. Please submit articles either on a disc or as an email attachment. We will accept hard copies if there is no other format available. If submitted, electronic photographs associated with an article will be considered for publication.
Questions, comments, or ideas are gladly welcomed by any editorial board member - we would like to hear from you.