A NEWSLETTER BY AND FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT

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Executive Summary: The Proposed FY 2014 Budget for Harford County

On April 15, 2013, in accordance with the Charter of Harford County, I submitted the proposed FY 2014 budget to President Billy Boniface and the Harford County Council.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Executive Summary HR Update Lincoln Financial & Upper Chesapeake Health Employee of the Month

The budget reflects a balanced approach to governing, the realities of a fragile economy and the priorities of our community. The proposed FY 2014 budget was crafted by adhering to sound fiscal management policies that help keep Harford County operating within its means without increasing taxes. As with prior years, there continues to be efforts by the State and Federal government to pass along to counties, unfunded mandates, additional responsibilities and unsustainable costs.

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David R. Craig Harford County Executive

Through tough economic times the past few years, perhaps far more challenging than in several decades, we have kept our tax rate low and worked with the Harford County Sheriffs Office, Board of Education, Harford Community College, Harford County Library and others to hold the line on spending. This has resulted in significant savings to the taxpayers, while we work hard to manage government in the most economical and efficient manner possible. During the past several years, a number of revenue streams have been adversely affected by various factors outside the control of this Administration. A lagging national economy, unfunded mandates and lower tax revenues have resulted in a lean budget, both Operating and Capital for FY 2014. The General Fund Operating Budget reflects an increase of only $6 million over the previous fiscal years budget. Without question, the proposed FY 2014 Operating and Capital Budgets are one of the leanest budgets my Administration has prepared during my term in office. We have done our best with projected resources, to meet the needs of the citizens of Harford County without increasing taxes or the size of government. Due to the fiscal realities of the proposed FY 2014 budget, there will be no wage or salary enhancements for County employees, employees of the Harford County Sheriffs Office, or Harford County Public Library. Furthermore, the County is now required by the State to fund an additional $15 million for teacher pensions in the coming year. However, the Administration is providing an additional $1,952,485 to the Board of Education above and beyond Maintenance of Effort. Overall, the proposed FY 2014 budget reflects a balance of many divergent wants and needs of the County, with the ability of government to provide for them through the taxes our citizens pay. Despite these economic challenging times, Harford County remains a vibrant community full of opportunity and promise. The proposed FY 2014 budget reflects our collective values, while continuing our tradition of strong, sound financial management for the people who call Harford County home.
Cordially,

Sustainability Office National Stroke Awareness Tech Tips

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Milestones & BJs

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David R. Craig, Harford County Executive

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Department of Human Resources Update

BlueChoice Opt Out Plus submitted by Beth Griffith
Our first enrollment year with the BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Plan has been a huge success. What are you waiting for? You could potentially be saving up to $2,700 annually in payroll deductions alone. Dont forget the co-pays are lower for office visits along with prescription drugs. Here is what your co-workers are saying about the plan. Employee from 220 South Main Street

As you contemplate your elections this year for health care coverage, I thought I would share with you my personal experience this past year under the countys BlueChoice plan. Last year when the county provided the new BlueChoice option for my health insurance, I thought I would investigate it further. What I found out actually excited me. By moving from the highly coveted PPO option to the BlueChoice program, I learned that I was able to keep many of my current doctors, reduce my out of pocket co-pay charges and reduce my overall insurance premium! Since we all contribute a portion of our salaries to pay our healthcare premiums, the cost savings by switching from PPO to BlueChoice was duly noted in the bump I received in my biweekly take home pay. Not only did I save myself money, I also was happy to say that I saved the county money as well. Now, the true test. Was the cost savings by switching from PPO to BlueChoice worth it? Well, I must say, after a year under the BlueChoice plan my family and I did not notice one bit of difference in the quality of or access to health care. What we did notice was more take home pay and smaller co-pays at the doctors! So, what am I going to do this year? Im sticking with BlueChoice! For those who have not made the switch, I say, give yourself a raise, lower your co-pays and still enjoy the same quality of healthcare you experienced under the PPO plan. Its a no brainer. Employee from Highways I made the change from Maryland Point of Service to the BlueChoice Opt Out Plus plan and saved money from my pay check and when I go to see my physician. Most of my issues with MPOS were referral related. The new no -referral plan has made my life easier. Employee from Water & Sewer I was concerned about switching from the PPO to BlueChoice last enrollment year because of long term health issues with my family members. I was surprised that the specialists that we were using were actually in the BlueChoice network. I am happy that I took the time to research my physicians. Staying enrolled in BlueChoice versus PPO was a good decision for my family.

Scott T. Gibson, Human Resources Director

CELL PHONE POLICY submitted by Janet Schaub

Policy 08-20-41, Cell Phones, became effective on April 2, 2013. It is available on Interactive Workforce (IW) under Employee Handbook and then under Policies. We recommend that all employees review the policy. This policy governs cell phones and cell phone usage as it relates to work. The policy covers a wide variety of topics to include County-Issued Cell Phones, Personal Use of County-Issued Cell Phones, Security of County-Issued Phones, Personal Cell Phones at Work, Dont Use a Cell Phone While Driving, Hands-Free Equipment, and Cell Phone/Phone Reimbursement Authorization Form. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Human Resources at 410-638-3201.

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Department of Human Resources Update (contd)

Open Enrollment submitted by Beth Griffith

Open Enrollment for health insurance benefits begins May 15 and will end on May 29. Enrollment Guides along with rate information will be accessible in Interactive Workforce beginning on May 15. Representatives from CareFirst, Delta Dental, Hirsch Financial Services, AFLAC and Liberty Mutual will be available on May 15, May 21, May 23 and May 29 in the Department of Human Resources Conference Room. Open Enrollment Sessions will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Effective July 1, 2013 there will be enhancements in preventive services as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. These services are at no cost to you and CareFirst has instructed us that no office visit should be charged for the immunizations or screenings. Please contact the Department of Human Resources if you experience any difficulties with any of these services. A summary is provided below and is also included in the Enrollment Guide.

Summary of Preventive Services

As of April, 2013 The preventive services set forth below apply to plans that have elected or are required to provide preventive services under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Such preventive services are covered where clinically appropriate, under recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force and supporting evidence. Limitations may apply with respect to the availability, setting, frequency, or method of a service or treatment.

Children Well child visits (birth to age 21) to include: Screenings for autism Developmental screenings - under age 3 Hearing screenings for newborns Screening for cervical dysplasia for sexually active females Hematocrit or hemoglobin screenings HIV screening Vision screening Obesity screening Testing for lead Certain diagnostic screenings for newborns

Immunizations for Children Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Human Papillomavirus Influenza Influenza B Measles, mumps and rubella Meningococcal Pneumococcal Varicella Rotavirus Inactivated Polio Health, diet and weight counseling Alcohol and drug assessments for older children

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Department of Human Resources Update (contd)

Open Enrollment (contd) submitted by Beth Griffith

Summary of Preventive Services
Adults Preventive Care Visits include screenings for: Cholesterol High blood pressure Type 2 diabetes Depression Alcohol misuse HIV Obesity One-time screening of abdominal aortic aneurysm Osteoporosis Anemia Cervical cancer screening Hepatitis B Sexually transmitted diseases Rh incompatibility and urinary tract infection screenings for pregnant women Mammograms Colonoscopies Gestational diabetes screening HPV DNA testing Intimate partner, interpersonal and domestic violence screening and counseling Breastfeeding support, supplies and counseling FDA approved contraceptive methods and counseling Health, diet and weight counseling for qualifying adults Tobacco use screenings and cessation counseling Preventive Drugs for Children Fluoride preschool age (P) Iron 6-12 mo. risk of anemia (OTC*) Preventive Drugs for Adults Folic Acid women of childbearing age (P) Smoking Cessation (OTC*) Aspirin (81mg) (OTC*)

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Boomers and the Bear

Our representative from Lincoln Financial will be available: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 The meetings will take place in the Department of Human Resources for new enrollments and changes/updates to existing accounts. Appointments are required. Please contact Beth Griffith at 410-638-3202 or bagriffith@harfordcountymd.gov.

Cardiovascular Screening When: Wednesday, May 15, 8 am4 pm, Where: Harford Memorial Hospital Description: Registration is required by calling 1-800-515-0044

Angiogram of a healthy heart

Damaged Heart

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April Employee of the Month submitted by Robert B. Thomas, Jr.

Wanda Bhola Named Employee of the Month for April
(Bel Air, MD) - - Wanda Bhola, Housing Services Coordinator with the Department of Community Services has been named Employee of the Month for April 2013. Ms. Bhola was nominated by Elizabeth S. Hendrix, Director of the Department of Community Services. Ms. Bhola was nominated for her efforts in coordinating and facilitating a county-wide count of Harford Countys homeless population in January of this year. Ms. Bhola worked to bring together faith based groups, non-profit agencies, law enforcement, concerned citizens and county employees to serve as outreach teams for the count.
Wanda Bhola and County Executive Craig

In her nomination, Director Hendrix stated, To ensure the outreach teams reached all possible homeless individuals, Ms. Bhola worked months in advance with mental health providers, church groups, police and non-profit groups to identify where homeless persons are located. In addition to providing this information to the outreach team, she also organized the collection of care kits of food vouchers, blankets, bus passes and emergency supplies to give to each homeless person encountered during the county. Director Hendrix added, the information collected from the Homeless Point-In-Time Count will be used to provide better coordinated services to those in need as well as to help us apply for grand funds to serve the low income in Harford County. Commenting on being recognized as Employee of the Month for April, Ms. Bhola said, I am honored by the recognition of my Director, Beth Hendrix, and appreciate all the efforts of the nonprofits, faith based organizations, and volunteers that work with the homeless population in Harford County on a daily basis. During one of the coldest days of the year, Wanda Bhola and a dedicated, well organized team worked tirelessly to help the Department of Community Services gather the annual count of the homeless population in Harford County, County Executive David R. Craig said. I commend Wanda for her efforts in reaching out to help some of our most vulnerable citizens and look forward to her continued service to the people of Harford County, Craig remarked.

Preserving Harfords past; promoting Harfords future

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SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE
Meet our newest Green Stars
Council Members McMahan, Shrodes and Lisanti for expanding renewable energy opportunities. Wanda Butrim of the Budget Office and Marlana McKenna of the Sustainability Office for starting Lunch-time Composting.

Green Star of the Quarter (January March 2013) Denise Carnaggio of the Office of Economic Development for Reducing and Rethinking with Technology.

Would you like to try composting?

What is composting?
Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment. The process of composting simply requires making a heap of wetted organic matter and waiting for the materials to break down turning it into a nutrient rich soil..compost! Organic material means any material that was once alive and, in an office setting, includes fruit or vegetable peels leftover from lunch, coffee grounds, or even leaves that have dropped from nearby trees.

Why do it at work?
If you're already conserving energy, reusing and recycling paper, and purchasing green office products at work, the next step can be composting. A natural recycling system, composting keeps excess food from piling up at landfills. Harford Waste Disposal Center Compost and Mulch Facility is open Monday thru Saturday from 7:00 a.m. 2:45 p.m. and is located at 3135 Scarboro Road in Street, Maryland. Call 410-638-3636 for more information. Harford County Office of Recycling offers backyard composting workshops in the Spring. Class size is limited. Call for reservations, 410-638-3417.
For more information or questions about composting please call or email Jessica Green, 410-638-3417 jdgreen@harfordcountymd.gov.

Do you know someone who should be recognized as a Green Star? If so, please share her/his Green Star action by e-mailing Marlana McKenna at mlmckenna@harfordcountymd.gov To learn more about all of our Green Stars, please visit the Sustainability Office website. www.harfordcountymd.gov/Green/index

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May is National Stroke Awareness Month

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May is National Stroke Awareness Month (contd)

Stroke is an Emergency. Act FAST and Call 9-1-1
Few in the U.S. know the warning signs of stroke. Learning them and acting FAST when they occur could save your life or the life of a loved one. Use the FAST test to remember warning signs of stroke. F = FACE A = ARMS S = SPEECH T = TIME Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Does the speech sound slurred or strange? If you observe any of these signs (independently or together), call 9-1-1immediately.

Reducing Stroke Risk: Many risk factors are beyond your control, including being over age 55, being a male, being African-American, having diabetes, and having a family history of stroke. If you have one or more of these risk factors, it is even more important that you learn about the lifestyle and medical changes you can make to prevent a stroke. However, everyone should do what they can to reduce their risk for stroke learn more by reading and following the Stroke Prevention Guidelines below. Medical stroke risk factors include: Previous stroke, previous episode of TIA (or mini stroke), high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, atrial fibrillation and carotid artery disease. These risk factors can be controlled and managed with the help of a healthcare professional. Lifestyle stroke risk factors include: Smoking, being overweight and drinking too much alcohol. You can control these risk factors by quitting smoking, exercising regularly, watching what and how much you eat and limiting alcohol consumption.

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May is National Stroke Awareness Month (contd)

Stroke Prevention Guidelines 1. Know blood pressure (hypertension) - High blood pressure is a major stroke risk factor if left untreated. Have blood pressure checked yearly by a doctor or at health fairs, a local pharmacy or supermarket or with an automatic blood pressure machine. 2. Identify atrial fibrillation (Afib) - Afib is an abnormal heartbeat that can increase stroke risk by 500 percent. Afib can cause blood to pool in the heart and may form a clot and cause a stroke. A doctor must diagnose and treat Afib. 3. Stop smoking - Smoking doubles the risk of stroke. It damages blood vessel walls, speeds up artery clogging, raises blood pressure and makes the heart work harder. Stopping smoking today will immediately begin to decrease risk. 4. Control alcohol use - Alcohol use has been linked to stroke in many studies. Most doctors recommend not drinking or drinking only in moderation no more than two drinks each day. Remember that alcohol can negatively interact with other drugs you are taking. 5. Know cholesterol levels - Cholesterol is a fatty substance in blood that is made by the body. It also comes in food. High cholesterol levels can clog arteries and cause a stroke. See a doctor if your total cholesterol level is more than 200. 6. Control diabetes - Many people with diabetes have health problems that are also stroke risk factors. Your doctor can prescribe a nutrition program, lifestyle changes and medicine to help control your diabetes. 7. Manage exercise and diet - Excess weight strains the circulatory system. Exercise five times a week. Maintain a diet low in calories, salt, saturated and trans fats and cholesterol. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. 8. Treat circulation problems - Fatty deposits can block arteries carrying blood to the brain and lead to a stroke. Other problems such as sickle cell disease or severe anemia should be treated. 9. Act FAST at the first warning sign of stroke - If you have any stroke symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.

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Tech Tips
submitted by the Office of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Excel 2010 - Print Row Headings on Every Printed Page

By default, Excel does not print the row headings on all pages of a worksheet or report. Excel 2010s Print Titles command en ables you to print particular row headings on each page of the report. Print titles are important in multi-page reports where the columns and rows of related data spill over to other pages that no longer show the row headings. The following procedure will show you how to print row headings on every page of the printed worksheet.

Click the Print Titles button on the Ribbons Page Layout tab.

The Page Setup dialog box appears with the Sheet Tab displayed.

To designate specific rows as print titles, select the Rows to Repeat at Top text box and then drag through the row number(s) on your report which contain data you want to appear at the top of each page. Click OK. You can preview the report to determine if the print titles are set up correctly.

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Milestones

WITH THE NEW YEAR JUST GETTING STARTED, NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO RENEW OR JOIN!!! To process your BJs membership we will need: A completed membership Application/Renewal form which can be sent to you through interoffice mail or you can stop by the Department of Human Resources between the hours of 8 a.m. 5 p.m. Your payment of $40 which gives you 15 month membership. Payment can be made in the form of personal check or credit card. Checks should be made payable to B.J.s Cash is not accepted. Once the paperwork and payment has been received in the Department of Human Resources, it will be forwarded to B.J.s for processing. Please keep the gold page for your records and use as your temporary membership pass until you receive your membership card. Normal processing time is 30 days. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Tamara Simmons at 410-638-4871 or email her @
tdsimmons@harfordcountymd.gov.

Is there someone in your workplace who goes above and beyond for Harford County?

Why not nominate this individual as Employee of the Month?

What a great way to recognize your co-workers for their contribution to Harford County. For details contact Sharon Ballweg at
saballweg@harfordcountymd.gov

Congratulations to Nikki and Brian McGuire who were married on March 24, 2013. Nikki is a Dispatcher at EOC.

or call 410-638-3019

We would like to include your milestone in the next HCG Connection. Please submit information by the 15th of the month to saballweg@harfordcountymd.gov .

Sharon BallwegEditor & Graphic Design Department of Human Resources 410-638-3019 saballweg@harfordcountymd.gov Robert B. Thomas, Jr. Contributor Office of the County Executive 410-638-3258 rbthomas@harfordcountymd.gov Rebecca Macek - Contributor Department of Community Services 410-638-3389 ramacek@harfordcountymd.gov Erin Ferriter-Contributor Sustainability Office 410-638-4707 eferriter@harfordcountymd.gov Joan Ingold Contributor Information and Communication Technology 410-638-1231 jsingold@harfordcountymd.gov

David R. Craig, Harford County Executive

Preserving Harfords past; Promoting Harfords future

Published by
Harford County Department of Human Resources Scott T. Gibson, Director

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