A Newsletter for Tompkins County County Employees and Retirees June 2007 Volume 19, Number 2 Corridors http://www.tompkins-co.org/countycorridors Tompkins County Celebrates Diversity Celebration Launches Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Program O n Thursday, June 14th, Tompkins County legislators, administrators and staff gathered for a noontime celebration on the Ithaca Commons to celebrate the County’s commitment to workforce diversity and inclusion. At the event, sponsored by the county’s Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Committee (WDIC), the county’s diversity statement, unanimously adopted by the Legislature last year, was formally announced to the public, and Legislature Chair Tim Joseph presented department heads with framed copies of the diversity statement to post at county worksites. County officials served ice cream, with Legislator Mike Koplinka-Loehr the “primary scooper.” Committing the county to action, the diversity statement, adopted by the Legislature, begins: “Tompkins County government is committed to creating a diverse and fully inclusive workplace that strengthens our organization and enhances our ability to adapt to change.” It pledges that county government will develop and maintain: an organization-wide understanding and acceptance of the purpose and reasons for diversity; recruitment and retention policies that assure a diverse workforce; a workplace environment that is welcoming and supportive of all; awareness, understanding, and education regarding diversity issues; zero tolerance for expressions of discrimination, bias, harassment, or negative stereotyping toward any person or group; and a workforce ethic that embraces diversity and makes it the norm for all interactions, including delivery of services to the public. County Administrator Steve Whicher told the gathering that the County has moved beyond the legally required world of affirmative action to the more positive and proactive environment of diversity and inclusion. “Our goal is to build a workforce that reflects the community in both body and voice,” he said. “Our workforce will change very dramatically and we must be prepared for that.” (Continued on Page 10) INSIDE THIS ISSUE Calling All Dragons 2 Note From the County Administrator 2 Green Cleaning with Barb O’Brien 3 New Passport Regulations 3 Quitting Smoking 4 Employee Blood Drive 5 Diversity Calendar 6 New 25 Year Club Members 7 Employee Spotlights 8 Highway Highlights 9 Department News 10 County Administrator Steve Whicher presents the Classified Ads 11 diversity statement Golf! 12 - 2 - Calling All Dragons WOW! It hardly seems like a year has gone by since the County challenged the City of Ithaca to a dragonboat race and won the infamous dragon trophy! This year’s race will be on Saturday, July 14th. Having been on the team last year I can personally assure you that it is a fun event, especially when we see how everyone manages to pull together as a team and come out on top, whether in first or last place. Remember that if we win a race we continue to compete until we are eliminated. This event is fun for your entire family, with plenty to see and do throughout the day. If you are interested in becoming a member of the 2007 Tompkins County Dragonboat Race team please be sure to let us know by e- mailing me at [email protected]. Although there is a fee of $20/person, we were able to have fellow County employees offer scholarships to get the teams up and running. If you would like to be a part, but cannot participate, please feel free to sponsor a member of the team. If you are interested in a scholarship, please e-mail me for details. - Karen Fuller A Note From the County Administrator There comes a time in everyone’s life when one must make difficult decisions regarding what the rest of life will hold. After much reflection, I have concluded that it is best for me to move on to the rest of my life. Accordingly, at the May 15th meeting of the Legislature I announced my intent to retire between March 31st and June 30, 2008. My hope is that the considerable advance notice and flexibility in dates will provide the opportunity for the Legislature to ensure a smooth and well-planned transition. Once a successor is selected, the exact date will be finalized. I began my career with Tompkins County in 1975 as an Assistant Changes to the Corridors Team Assessor. Back in those “good old days” we did not have central air, in fact we did not have air conditioning at all until 1978. Pay was also not as good; I think I started out at approximately $7,500. After seven Welcome to Maureen Reynolds, Deputy County years or so of hard work, few market salary increases and fewer Clerk, as the new Managing Editor of County prospects for advancement, I joined the private sector. Two years later Corridors! I accepted a position with the State of New York, where I spent thirteen years in various management positions before returning to Tompkins Maureen succeeds Linnett Short, Solid Waste County as the County Assessor. From there I moved on to County Management Division, as Managing Editor. Thanks Administrator. Each step of my career has had its share of challenging to Linnett for her excellent guidance. Linnett and rewarding experiences, but my time with Tompkins County has remains on the Team, we’re happy to say! been the most gratifying. Succeeding Maureen as Classifieds Editor is I look forward to working with you during this last year, I will continue to Geri Lockwood, Highway. do everything within my ability to keep the organization moving forward in a positive direction. Thank you for your hard work, dedication to the Remember to send your news items and story ideas taxpayers of Tompkins County and for your support. I wish the best in to Maureen at [email protected] and life to all of you. your classifieds to Geri at glockwood@tompkins- co.org. - Steve Whicher - Marcia Lynch - 3 - Sustainability Spotlight: Barb O’Brien Cleans “Green” By Rachel Kissinger arbara O’Brien has been a Tompkins County Employee for Speaking of waste, the product containers are completely Beighteen years. Currently, she holds the position of recyclable, as the agents contain no chemicals, VOCs (volatile Cleaning Supervisor, with the Facilities Division, supervising a organic compounds) or phosphates. staff of 16 Cleaners and two Senior Cleaners, servicing 14 Buildings. Her staff is responsible for cleaning approximately The use of the new products has been a huge success. Not 500,000 square feet, occupied by about 750 county employees, only has Barb eliminated the use of chemicals for cleaning in the state and Library, as well, with a high volume of public usage. County buildings, but the new products and equipment allow This is no simple task, considering proper sanitation and better, more thorough cleaning by the staff. The transition has cleaning are important for a healthy building environment. resulted in safer work practices for the cleaners and better cleaning for a healthier environment for all. So what’s next? The most important factor for county employees is indoor air Barb continues to explore ways to expand the use of the green quality. Unfortunately, some traditional cleaning products cleaning system and roll out this program in each and every contain harmful chemicals that contaminate the environment and County building. negatively affect indoor air quality. In addition, there are other problems with “traditional” cleaning products, such as skin irritation and unnecessary fragrance additives. Implementing "green cleaning" practices can reduce these health and environmental risks. Green cleaning involves selecting alternative products, using those products properly to reduce risks while maintaining a satisfactory level of cleanliness and disinfection. Barb’s goal has been to create a healthier environment for both the cleaning staff and the building employees throughout the county through the use of “green cleaning” products. Barb first became aware of green cleaning when one of the vendors mentioned the mandate for local schools that by September 2006, the schools would be required to begin using Environmentally Preferred products. Barb saw the trend, Sustainability Tips: considered the positive affects for both her staff and the County employees and started implementing changes. • Recycling a one-foot high stack of newspapers saves 71.3 kilowatt hours of electricity... enough to heat a home for 17 hours. Throughout the fall of 2006 and the beginning months of 2007, • A six-pack of recycled aluminum cans saves enough energy to the cleaning staff was trained in the use of the new cleaning drive a car five miles. products in most of the buildings (all buildings use the cleaning products, but not every building has been converted to the micro • In terms of electricity, a typical computer uses about 300 watts of fiber mop system). They have gotten used to the micro fiber power excluding the printer. At five cents a kilowatt hour, if you mops and dusting cloths, which results in better cleaning and leave your computer on all the time, it will cost about $131 per year. That's quite a bit of money! On the other hand, if you turn less airborne dust particulate. The cleansers are easily your computer off at night and on weekends, the electrical cost dispensed and accurately measured using containers supplied drops to about $31. The cost drops even more if you turn it off by the vendor. This limits the contact by the staff with the whenever you' re not using it: as little as $12 per year! products and virtually eliminates the risk that the cleaner will be exposed to concentrates. Waste is reduced as well, as there is • Recycling a one-gallon plastic milk jug will save enough energy to keep a 100-watt bulb burning for 11 hours.