Published for the Council and Employees of Lanark County DECEMBER 2012

Reflections on a great year

CAO's Message Page 2 Public Works Page 3I.T. Page 5Social Notes Page 7Social Services Page 8Work-Life Balance Page 9Corporate Values Page 10 Clerk's Services Page 12Health & Safety Page 14Lanark Lodge Page 15 Spirit Page 18Focus on Fitness Page 20

A N D M U C H M O R E !

IN THIS ISSUE:

A Message from the Warden

By John Gemmell

Continued on Page 3

WHO NEEDS THE NHL? Hockey strike? Big deal! Lanark County is helping to fill the hockey gap with staffers regularly getting out on the ice for some fun and fitness. Learn more on pages 18 and 20.

C OUNTYONNECTIONS

As you read this, a new Warden will have been elected and sworn in and I, like all past Wardens, will resume my seat as a Councillor wondering where the year went. It certainly has been a great deal of work and responsibility, but it has been a privilege to represent the Lanark County this year. I would be remiss if I did not say it has also been a great deal of fun (we do employ some characters) and I have enjoyed myself immensely. There is not a day or moment I would change during my term

of office. If you were to go back to the day I was elected, I spoke about the value of teamwork and how it was a proven method in getting things done. Both Council and Staff have done just that during 2012, as we have a number of major capital projects on the books with a few more in the final stages of planning. We have an official plan document with an Integrated Community Sustainable Plan; both components are tailored for Lanark County and will streamline the planning

process. We continue to pay down the county debt and recently passed the 2013 County budget, we are reviewing what direction our tourism and economic development will take in the future. Lanark Lodge continues to operate as a quality institution and received its 2012 Accreditation, so well done to them. Lanark County along with Renfrew County and the Township of Papineau-Cameron continue to meet with Canadian Pacific Railway representatives concerning the

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 2

A MESSAGE FROM THE CAO

By Kurt GreavesWorking together, we help people

For those of you who have not met me, I am the County’s new CAO. I look forward to meeting everyone I don’t already know. I am as local as you can get: born, raised and live on Drummond Street in Perth. Despite that small circle I have done a lot in my career, from delivering pizzas to owning a manufacturing business. My background is strongly weighted in the private sector, but I have worked in all three levels of government – a definite generation X. I am five and half years at the County and six months into the new job and, yes, I have loved every day. I believe the county's role is to help people, and as CAO that role extends to helping all the staff. I believe in creating an atmosphere where people love to come to work! There is very little that can be accomplished working alone. It is my job to share my vision of progressive change, where everyone works together to make the job and the community a better place. This is accomplished by sharing ideas, helping each other and respecting the taxpayer. This issue of County Connections has a centrefold! Not that kind – the centrefold is the results of the communications survey. Thank you for sharing your opinions. Improving communications is truly important and your thoughts have given the insight needed to start the process. The survey may be over, but the Executive Management Team is committed to responding to the recommendations. In the meantime, keep the ideas rolling. My favourite thing about working at the county is being surrounded by smart people. There are a lot people doing truly great things everyday. I would like to mention three of you: Kevin Wills, Bob Brady and Heath Bittle. These three, from two different departments, worked together and found the taxpayers more than $20,000 in annual savings in water usage. This kind of cross-departmental, co-operative success story is something we need to build on. I know every one of you are helping people in our community every day and I thank you. In November, County Council passed the 2013 budget. The budget serves as the principal

planning document for the county and is a collaborative effort from all departments and the culmination of months of work. Thank you to everyone for a tremendous effort. We achieved our goals of increased capital spending, lower overall increase and reduced debt. One project the budget includes is installing gas heat for 35 units of social housing. The electric heat, paid by the residents, was unaffordable; this initiative will improve people’s lives! For the last six months I was lucky to work under the leadership of Warden John Gemmell. John’s no-nonsense approach has the respect of everyone who meets him. We had some difficult situations to deal with and having a leader who has been in many tight spots in his career was a tremendous help. John was in the Navy and OPP tactical squad, so this man does not flinch under pressure! Having a person like that in your corner only gives you strength. I have had a lot of inquiries and, yes, I did break down and buy a new bike: a fancy red one. It won’t be seen again until spring as my old bike has become my winter bike. Speaking of sports, our county co-ed hockey games are fantastic and a great way to keep in shape and meet your colleagues from the county and the local tiers. We had a great softball game in September, with attendance from all departments. One more sporting event is the Spartan Run coming up in June. We have entered a Lanark County team. Don’t know what a Spartan run is? Just Google it! Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope you enjoy a wonderful holiday with your family. A special thanks to those who will be working over the holidays! If you are interested in getting more information or sharing ideas, contact me at any time at kgreaves@lanarkcounty.ca, Facebook Kurt Greaves, Twitter @KurtGreavesCAO or, better yet, drop in to see me.

KURT GREAVES

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 3

A MESSAGE FROM THE WARDEN, CONT'D

PUBLIC WORKS

Continued from Page 1future use of the rail bed. These are but a few of the things that happened during 2012. I had the opportunity to participate (first Warden to do so) in the 2012 Truck Rodeo. I did not make the backup drivers' list, but it was a lot of fun. I want ALL our staff to know that I and the rest of Council sincerely appreciate what you do on a daily basis for the corporation and the residents of the county. I also want to thank members of Council for their valued input into all discussions and for working together for the collective betterment of the county. In closing I would like to wish each and every one of you and your families a Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year. Thank you and take care.

GEARING UP FOR WINTER Winter is upon us and our Equipment Operators, Patrollers, Supervisors, Mechanics and Office Staff are geared up for another challenging season. This will be the first year that we will be able to provide 24/7 patrol coverage on our county roads and we anticipate this will improve our level of

service, especially on weekends. One of our four patrollers will be on the road throughout the winter months. We are also changing our after-hours customer service model by moving away from voice-mail messaging to transferring phone calls to a local answering service. The answering service will collect the necessary information from the caller and then pass it to the on-duty patroller for action. This model will be simpler, more reliable and more customer friendly than the old voice mail-messaging process. Watch the local newspapers for the details. Other changes this winter include switching from standard road salt to a treated salt product, which performs better, reduces costs and is less corrosive to plow truck bodies. Using this new product will replace the onboard salt pre-wetting

Continued on Page 4

WINTER PREPARATIONS: Above, Public Works staff Carl Scissons and Charlie Quinn discuss the winter patrol. Right, Kevin Cooke works at getting the fleet ready for winter.

JOHN GEMMELL

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 4

PUBLIC WORKS

systems that we have used for the last 10 years. The treated road salt is highly visible, as it is green in colour, and it is more environmentally friendly than standard road salt. TENDER PROCESS Although everyone is thinking about their first snowmobile outing and ski trip, our Construction Division and Office Staff are already looking ahead to next year’s road and bridge program. Tender preparation is ongoing with a view to opening bids for most of our 2013 projects in late January. Major road projects planned for next year include work on County Road 12 (McDonalds Corners Road), County Road 16A (in Almonte), County Road 17 (Blakeney Road), and County Road 19 (Bennett Lake Road). If you are interested in the details of these projects and other works, see the “Public Works Contract Status” report, which is on the agenda of each public works committee meeting and is available on the county website. CERTIFICATION RECEIVED Congratulations to Tim Millar for completing the necessary training to be certified as an Associate Road Supervisor by the Association of Ontario Road Supervisors (AORS). The Certified Road Supervisor program builds on the employee's experience and technical knowledge to elevate professional standards and enhance individual performance in a public works team environment.

Continued from Page 3

CERTIFICATION: Above, Public Works Chair Susan Freeman and County Warden John Gemmell (right) present Tim Millar with his Associate Road Supervisor certification.

Gerard Bruce

Shawn James

Darren Muise

Brian Richmond

Jeffrey Woodhouse

PUBLIC WORKS NEW

HIRES – EQUIPMENT OPERATORS

The program is recognized under provincial statute law. Tim’s achievement was recognized by the Public Works Committee at its Dec. 5 meeting. Way to go Tim! EQUIPMENT OPERATORS The long hours, the weekends and the early morning work during the winter season is stressful for our 10 Equipment Operators. We rely on our part-time on-call (PTOC) Equipment Operators to fill the gap when a full-time Equipment Operator is taking some well-earned time off or he is sick or he has reached the maximum number of daily or weekly hours of work allowed under provincial legislation. After a very successful recruitment effort this year, we now have 10 PTOCs to provide this important function. Welcome to our new PTOCs: Brian Richmond, Darren Muise, Shawn James, Jeffrey Woodhouse and Gerard Bruce. They join our "old" hands: Lyle McDougall, Todd Devlin, Keith Jordan, Graham Patterson and Jake Dixon. SEASON'S GREETINGS! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us in the Public Works Department. Please drive safely this winter and adjust your speed for the weather and the road conditions.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 5

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Continued on Page 6

I am very happy I am able to finish this County Connections article before the end of the world on Dec. 21, 2012. If you don’t know what I am talking about “Google” it. Seriously, though. Apocalyptic premonitions aside, it has been another fun, challenging and fruitful year in the I.T. Department. Here are the Cole’s notes:

WHAT HAVE WE DONE FOR YOU LATELY? •  We’ve addressed about 1,900 service requests so far this year. From cleaning up viruses to fixing bugs to deploying new hardware to restoring “accidentally deleted information,” it’s all there. •   Keeping the lights on is a part of it, but you can’t stop progress. As technology evolves, so must we. Some of the new stuff we've done or supported you to do is below: o Video Conferencing System o Office 2010 upgrade o Evaluating the refresh of our web-site o Building an automated metrics system for HR o New HR Forms o HR Intranet Site overhaul o Installed Web-based information screens at the Lodge o Set up new network for the Carleton Place Social Services Sub-office As always, we owe a great thanks to the department representatives who drive these projects forward. Basically, we pretty much can’t deploy anything if the departments that want the technology are unable to provide solid requirements and commit resources to testing, training and roll-out.

THE THINGS DONE BEHIND THE WIzARD OF Oz CURTAIN If we allow an outage to occur, the cost of that outage will be the sum of the time we spend repairing it, keeping people up to date with what’s going on and the lost productivity of staff who rely on technology. The cost to prevent the outage is often much less, so we do a bunch of stuff behind the scenes (Wizard of Oz curtain). The bottom line is we’ve improved our network architecture for better reliability of I.T. services. In

2012 we only had 20 issues when a department or local municipality was unable to perform its duties because a key system they relied on was down. Compared to 46 in 2011, this is a great improvement. Another way to look at it is if employees can’t use their computers, then they are not productive. If they are not productive, it will be a challenge to achieve our efficiency goals.

THE FUTURE Sometimes it seems we almost can’t keep up with the technology demands of the future. There was a time not long ago when people said, “Why do we need computers? We’ve worked just fine for 50 years without them.” In my opinion, this view is simply not realistic, so I’ll throw out a few buzzwords for what the future may hold. I’m sure the old school may say, “Why the heck do we need that?” and the new school folks would say, “Most people already have that”: o Mobility: There is a lot of trending towards mobility applications (how do we access everything from everywhere from any machine). o Virtual Desktops: This one is more like "back to the future." These are a much richer experience than the terminal computers of the '70s and '80s, but the concept is similar. The desktops we have today will have almost no software on them. Everything gets configured and supported from a central system. Ideally this means we can fix bugs quicker and roll out new software quicker (among other operations benefits. o Smartphone Apps Caveat: Now, this doesn’t mean we are going to blindy deploy these items. It means it is our job to have a good pulse on what technology is out there and the benefits it provides. How we apply them for the county will require some good critical thinking. BEG AND GROVEL As I do every year, I do a little beg and grovel about how I would like the users to help us out, whether it is doing a better job at not sharing your passwords or to stop downloading movies on the work network. This year, it’s about email space.

By Sam Law

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 6

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYContinued from Page 5

First I’ll start with the facts: We have a policy approved by County Council to ensure the reasonable use of County I.T. assets. When we look at the amount of space of our email boxes we see the following: o 2010: space used increased by 25% from previous year. o 2011: space used increased by 46% from previous year. o 2012: space used increased by 78% from previous year. If we keep going at this rate, by the end of 2013, we will have doubled the amount of space we used from the previous year. Is that a lot? YES! Just imagine if you had an investment that doubled every year. Please look at the following options to help us keep the pace of growth under control: o These days, we all have free personal email accounts. Maybe using those for your personal messages would be better. o In most cases, you do not need to keep email that is older than two years (please keep the retention policy in mind, though). Please do some annual spring cleaning. Ideally, most people should have less than 1 million KB in their mailboxes. To check the size of your mailbox, open Outlook, right click your mailbox name on the right hand side of the screen (for me it is slaw@lanarkcounty.ca) and then click “Data File Properties.” Click the button called "Folder Size" and view the number beside it (including subfolders). The image at right should get you started. o Large downloads and uploads (more than 50 MB) should only be performed when necessary and in consultation with I.T. o I do also appreciate that different job positions and methods of managing information may have an influence on our ability to clean up our inboxes. If you believe it is impossible to stay under the 1 million KB range, contact itsupport@lanarkcounty.ca. We may be able to help. o The amount of personal data on the network (I’m talking H drive now) should be negligible (maybe 100 MB here) and temporary. Meaning,

the network is not intended to hold copies of your wedding photos, movies and music, etc. We get that sometimes you have something and you want to save it, but the idea is that if it is personal, it should make its way to your personal computer at home and be removed from the network. That’s all for now.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 7

SOCIAL NOTES

2012 MILESTONE BIRTHDAYS:

Clockwise from top left, Amanda Noel turned 30 on Nov. 2, Marilyn

Allen was 40 on Oct. 1, Nancy Green marked

50 on May 6 and Susan Truelove hit 50

on Sept. 11. Happy birthday, ladies!

RETIREMENTS: From left: Steve Tennant, Sept. 30 (Adult Protective Services Worker, 30 years); John Conlon, Nov. 2, (a well-liked custodian at the County buildings); Bob Burch, Oct. 10 (Eligibility Review Officer, 23 years); Marie Kerr, Sept. 28 (Health Care Aide, 37 years); Linda Horne, July 20 (Health Care Aide, 23 years). All the best!

MARRIED: Sarah Pitts (Finance) was married Sept. 15 and staff had a bridal shower for her at Joan Pratt's home on Sept. 6. Congratulations, Sarah!

CONGRATS: Mike Bothwell's son, Thomas, had a gold medal performance in the white and yellow belts in Kata at the first National Capital Youth Karate Tournment in Smiths Falls in November. He also placed third in team Kata. Well done!

GOT A SOCIAL NOTE?In addition to departmental highlights, there is always exciting personal news to share with co-workers. Submit info and photos about weddings, births and special activities for the "Social Notes" page to lclarmon@lanarkcounty.ca.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 8

SOCIAL SERVICESCHILDREN’S SERVICES Lanark County has endorsed and financially supported Raising the Bar Quality Assurance Program for several years in our Special Needs Resource Programs, Licensed Home Child Care and Licensed Centre Based Programs, in partnership with our Ontario Early Years Centre. Raising the Bar is a voluntary accreditation program designed to help families ensure their children are receiving high-quality early learning and child-care programs.The presence of a Raising the Bar certificate is your assurance the program you have chosen is committed to maintaining provincial regulatory and community standards. We understand that early investment in quality care and education will improve outcomes of success for all children regardless of socio-economic background. By providing professional education opportunities, resources and supports to early years and child-care practitioners and other professionals working with children, we are playing an important role in fostering a positive outcome for all children. There are three categories of standards: 1. Quality Monitoring •  Quality is monitored through frequent on-site observations • Parent and/or Caregiver feedback is collected each year. • Action plans are developed to address areas of need and to plan for improvement. • In addition to annual provincial licensing reviews and local public health inspections,

Raising the Bar programs undergo site visits by early childhood education Consultants. 2. Best Practice • The program offers information for parents and promotes opportunities for community involvement. • There are detailed policies, procedures and management practices to guide day-to-day operations. • Specific strategies are in place to support optimal child health and development. Resources and information about child development are provided to parents. 3. Professional Education The team of Early Years professionals in Raising the Bar programs maintain credentials and commit to additional training

each year. • First aid and CPR are kept current. • Cooks have Food Handlers’ Certificate training. • All directors and staff attend workshops and conferences to enhance their understanding of early childhood education and care. • Raising the Bar programs support teacher training through mentorship and by providing practical training opportunities for cooperative education students. Raising the Bar Certificate Levels Through the annual peer review process, a level of achievement is determined for

CHANGE COMMITTEE “You can’t stop the future/You can’t rewind the past/The only way to learn the secret/...is to press play.” –Jay Asher, Thirteen Reasons Why Social Services have put together a “Change Committee” in acknowledgement of the many changes taking place in the various departments over the next several years. Change identified includes government, legislation, staffing, technology, job duties and personal changes. The thought behind such a committee was to determine supports that could be made available, including training, communication and tools that would help support staff to not only survive but thrive in a changing environment. At the same time credence needed to be given to the fact change affects people differently. There is not one approach that works for all. The committee has members from several departments and is taking a collaborative approach. This committee is not management led; rather, everyone shares in the responsibilities. We all recognize the importance of a healthy work environment and are working towards an asset-based approach. Recognizing that change is inevitable, we are putting forth a positive approach and look forward to the New Year.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 9

SOCIAL SERVICES NEW HIRES Carrie Heffernan and Ian Richardson, Adult Protective Services Workers

SOCIAL SERVICESeach of the three categories. Bronze level programs follow fundamental quality indicators and are also in full compliance with Ontario’s Day Nurseries Act. Silver level programs have additional strategies to enhance quality. Gold level programs demonstrate a long-term commitment to high quality in early childhood education. Ask your licensed child care provider or Early Years programs if they are participating in Raising the Bar…learn more about it.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE Know someone who should be recognized for his or her hobbies or for giving back to the community in his or her spare time? Please e-mail Lisa Crosbie-Larmon at lclarmon@lanarkcounty.ca with your suggestions! Anna-Mae Headrick, an Ontario Works Caseworker with Social Services, has no problem separating her work and home lives. Anna-Mae lives on a farm near Beachburg in Renfrew County with her husband and their five children (ages 9 to 19). It’s a busy place! They have about 20 beef cattle, 18 sheep, 44 laying hens, 4 silkies and 9 pigs. They had more cattle, but had to give up some due to the drought this summer. One of her twin sons runs an egg business (his brother gets a cut for washing the eggs). Anna-Mae, meanwhile, gets busy with baking and pickling. “I spend most of the weekend baking,” she says. “A lot of the things I make are from scratch, such as buns, biscuits, squares, cookies and pies.” Anna-Mae sells the buns through word of mouth. “I do it for fun.” She made 57 jars of dill

pickles this year! Sometimes she sells her baked goods, along with other items such as homemade wooden bird houses and bird feeders, at the end of her driveway via an honour system. They have 100 acres that includes a hunt camp built by her husband and husband’s father about four fields back on the property. “It sleeps eight and we spend a lot of time there. It’s a rustic camp and the kids love to camp out. It’s our haven. I can totally separate work and home – it’s pretty secluded at the camp,” she says. “We love the camp so much that we held our wedding there in October 2011 on Thanksgiving weekend." Anna-Mae’s husband purchased the farm about 14 years ago. He farms part time and works seasonally as a Slinger operator. In addition to baking, Anna-Mae is pursuing

SERENITY: Anna-Mae, her husband and father-in-law plant the garden at the farm.

Continued on Page 11HONOUR SYSTEM: Anna-Mae sells some of her goods using an honour system at the driveway.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 10

CORPORATE VALUES COMMITTEE

STAFF COMMUNICATION SURVEY RESULTS In the January 2012 issue of County Connections, then-CAO Peter Wagland reviewed the TalentMap results from the county-wide survey completed by staff in 2010. That survey indicated our staff’s main concern was in the area of communication. The Corporate Values Committee was then given its mandate for 2012, which included following up with the staff to understand their concerns more specifically. You may recall an all-staff survey was created and sent to all departments for staff to fill out in May 2012. As promised at the time, the Corporate Values Committee has put together the results to share with staff, and they are as follows:

Preference of Communication methods:

In addition to these results, staff were very forthcoming with comments and suggestions in each of the sections related to communication. The Corporate Values Committee took all those suggestions and grouped them into the following common themes: 1. Consistent Messaging. Comments indicated a number of staff were concerned they were not getting the same message or communication that other staff were getting, based on their employment status or location. Staff suggested all employees need to receive the same communication regardless of whether they are full time or part time or whether they work at the department main office or a sub-office. Staff also suggested the County use fewer methods of communication and choose the method that best suits the situation. Finally, staff asked that communication be timely and proactive. 2. Customer Service. The survey results were clear that staff would like the County to move towards assisting staff in communicating with their co-workers who arrive on the next shift or who work in different locations. Secondly, staff are looking for a set of standards in terms of what kind of a time frame they can expect a response from managers and support staff when they communicate questions or concerns. 3. Management Availability/Visibility. The final theme identified was that staff are hoping to get more face-time from their managers and directors. Comments ranged from staff wanting to see managers at satellite locations to wanting to see them on different shifts (evening/night). In addition, a number of staff pointed out they are confused about the role of the County Executive Management Team and would like to understand

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 11

CORPORATE VALUES COMMITTEE

is published semi-annually by Lanark County to inform our employees about

county initiatives for which we are responsible and employee activities where

we had some fun at work.

Striving to build unity through communication.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS

If you have any questions or comments we would like to hear from you. You can reach us by contacting: Lisa Crosbie-Larmon: E-mail: lclarmon@lanarkcounty.ca Telephone: 1-888-9LANARK, ext. 1601 Stephanie Gray: E-mail: sgraycomm@yahoo.ca Telephone: 613-264-0447

EMT’s role better, as well as have communication from EMT be consistent across all departments in the County. Once these three themes were identified, the Committee developed recommendations for EMT to consider. They included the following:1. Develop a corporate-wide communication strategy, including a primary and secondary method of communication within each department that reflects the needs of that department.2. Make attendance mandatory for all staff meetings.3. Develop corporate-wide communication service standards and add specific communication. evaluation measures to performance appraisals4. Ensure staff are asked for suggestions and

feedback prior to decision-making on issues and respond to those suggestions so that staff know they have been heard.5. Increase management visibility in the organization as a whole.6. Ensure that communication from EMT to staff is consistent to all departments. The Executive Management Team was very responsive to these suggestions and committed to further discussion on communication in the County, and to sharing with staff what their direction will be moving forward. Anyone with any questions on the process or on any of the content of this article, please contact the Corporate Values Committee chair Jennie Bingley at extension 1320.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

an old trade: spinning. “At the Renfrew County Plowing Match I met a Dutch woman who spins wool. I am learning to spin because we have sheep and want to use the wool.” She is also planning to return to step-dancing. She started again about two years ago and her goal is to volunteer to dance at places such as long-term-care facilities on a volunteer basis once the kids are grown up. She plays guitar and her husband’s uncle from Port Elgin plays fiddle, so she either chords for

him when he visits or step-dances. “The acoustics are nice at the camp – it’s like a hoe down!” Anna-Mae grew up in a rural setting. “I was raised by my grandparents and we had pigs and chickens. I drove tractors and did the hay, so I’m used to that. I love to drive the tractor and I love old-fashioned living,” she says. “I love the serenity to be able to go back to the camp.” Sounds heavenly!

BLISS! Anna-Mae visits the sheep on her wedding day at the camp on the farm.

Continued from Page 9

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 12

CLERK'S SERVICESANNUAL WARDEN’S GOLF TOURNAMENT Once again the Annual Warden’s Golf Tournament was a success! On Friday, Aug. 10 we were blessed with beautiful weather and a fun and generous crowd! The event raised $8,000, with funds being split equally between the United Way of Lanark County, the Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital, Almonte General Hospital and the Carleton Place Hospital. Some County staff, had fun with the Warden John “cut out.”

ACCESSIBILITY The Lanark County Accessibility Advisory Committee held its annual Holiday Luncheon and Educational Event on Monday, Dec. 3. The event was well attended by county and local municipal staff, members of the county and local accessibility advisory committees, elected officials and members of the public. Coincidentally, this day also marked International Day of People with Disability; a United Nations-sanctioned day that aims to promote an understanding of people with disabilities and encourage support for their dignity, rights and well-being, so it’s rather fitting that we gathered here to learn and discuss. Guest speakers included Tamara Derkzen from Lanark County Mental Health, who spoke to the group about depression, and Sarah Wilson, otherwise known as “Miss Ability,” who spoke about her life on wheels, perceptions of normal, breaking your own rules and finding your success to realizing your significance.

TEAM PICS: Above left, from left, Russ DaSilva, Cathie Ritchie, John Gemmell, Mary Kirkham. Above right, Terry McCann, Sam Leroux, Marilyn Allen, Terry Ritchie. Bottom left, Steve Allan, Deb Murphy, Kurt Greaves, Megan Schooley. Bottom right, Ryan Carroll, Scott Bartlett, Trish McConnell, Mike Bothwell.

IN THE SPIRIT: Clerk's Services gets set for the holiday luncheon. Below: "Erica, where are your pyjamas?" Bottom left, Garry Welsh and Leslie Drynan

get to work. Right, Mrs. Claus aka Mary Kirkham.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 13

CLERK'S SERVICES

TOURISMLANARK COUNTY TOURISM A PROVINCIAL FINALIST Lanark County Tourism received prestigious recognition at the Ontario Tourism Summit Awards gala held in London on Oct. 23, celebrating excellence in promoting the tourism industry. The project nominated was the Lanark County Outdoors Map released last year, highlighted in the “Best Tourism Marketing Partnership” category. Congratulations to Lanark County Tourism and all of the partners!

ANNUAL WARDEN’S BANQUET The Annual Warden’s Banquet was held on Nov. 16 at the Perth-Upon-Tay Legion. Guests danced the night away to music by DJ Kevin Carnrite.

LANARK COUNTY MAPLE ROUTES MAP Thanks to the efforts of a broad spectrum of knowledgeable and enthusiastic partners, Lanark County Tourism is pleased to announce the release of its new Maple Trail and Maple Byway Heritage Driving Tours map. Pick up your copy today from the Tourism Department!

2013 FESTIVALS AND EVENTS GUIDE Lanark County Tourism has been hard at work compiling hundreds of listings for the 2013 Festivals and Events Guide. This full-colour booklet promises to be your go-to guide for activities throughout Lanark County all year long. Watch for its release in the new year and pick up a copy in the Tourism Department.

WARDEN'S BANQUET: Left, Barb and Rick Hannah; Above, Mr. President, aka Warden Gemmell, showing a little leg with Leslie Drynan, Cathie Ritchie and Erica Patterson. Right, Terry and Susan Truelove.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 14

TOURISM

HEALTH & SAFETY

EMPLOYEE PHOTO CONTEST Lanark County hosted a photo contest for all staff and the winners have been chosen!Staff snapped shots of themselves and their families enjoying beautiful weather, local attractions or events. They were shared on the Intranet and a panel of judges (Annie Dalton, Warden John Gemmell and the Lanark County

Camera Club) made the final selections. Winners received a $50 gift certificate to a local vendor of their choice. The prizes were donated by the Spirit Committee. There were dozens of fantastic entries, but the judges narrowed it down to Joan Pratt and Brian DeWolfsmith (two judges picked his photos as winners!). Congratulations and thanks to all who entered!

ON THE ROAD TO zERO! As of mid-December, Lanark County staff have again shown continued success in safe work practices. At the time of writing, our statistics showed no lost time for 2012. The County reached this major milestone in 2010 and 2011 with no lost time for Workplace Safety and Insurance Board claims in the entire year. This safety incentive initiative was inspired by WSIB’s "Road to Zero" program, which focuses on a cohesive effort between the employer and employees to eliminate all workplace accidents. If we maintain zero lost time status as of Dec. 31, 2012, then all County staff who are actively working as of the Dec. 31 date will have their names entered into a draw for fantastic prizes for each of the two WSIB rate groups within the county. The program now has five prizes of $200 per group. The changes were made by the Health & Safety Committees and were implemented in order for a greater number of people to be able to receive a prize (10 prizes of $200!). The goal of the program is to get all staff

back to work after injuries using the Early and Safe Return to Work program. This is done in partnership with physicians in Lanark County. The Ontario Medical Association indicates "absence from one’s normal roles, including absence from the workplace, is detrimental to a person’s mental, physical and social well-being." Doctors play an important role in helping people to return to work as soon as possible, as long as it would not be a danger to the patient, co-workers or society. Since 2009, initiatives to increase awareness of workplace safety have focused on new policies, procedures and training. In addition to keeping employees safe, zero lost time helps to increase WSIB premium rebates, which is good news for county ratepayers, too. We should all be very proud of our individual contributions to this team accomplishment. Keep striving to work safely and to follow safe operating procedures, and remember, it's important that you are still reporting any workplace incidents. Congratulations and keep up the good work! Stay tuned!

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 15

LANARK LODGECHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY Lanark Lodge's annual Children’s Christmas Party was a huge success with over 60 children in attendance, supported by their parents and grandparents. This year the children created Advent calendars and decorated gingerbread cookies. We were also joined by Auster and Gert, our friendly clowns, who completed remarkable face-painting and the children were filled with glee when Old St. Nick himself joined us! The WOW (Working on Wellness) Committee was pleased to see the return of many children to the party this year and had a couple of new baby additions in 2012 join the party! We were also joined by a number of elf helpers this year; children who helped organize the games, photographs and crafts – we were pleased to have their help! What a great way to ring in the holidays.

Above left: Our elf helpers at the party (Mary Lou Walker’s granddaughters Emma and Tori joined by Janet Lafortune’s daughter Charlotte). Above right, April Erion’s daughter, Rachel overcomes her shyness with Santa! Left, Linda Walters (staff) with her two granddaughters. Below, staff member Connie King with grandson, Crew.

Above left, the auditorium is abuzz with Christmas activities at the Children’s party. Below left, Carrie Greer with her two children. Below centre, Kim Morrison and her son visit with Santa. Below right, Gert face-painting one of the children.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 16

LANARK LODGETHE GENEROSITY OF LANARK LODGE STAFF CONTINUES Bragging rights are at stake at Lanark Lodge as staff compete for a win for their neighbourhood in its drive for food items for the Perth and District Food Bank. This year, Lanark Lodge gathered more than 300 food items to deliver to the Perth arena on Dec. 14. This year the CPR Holiday Train did not stop in Perth, but our spirits were not dampened and we wanted to continue with incredible staff, residents and families generosity – what an incredible community spirit!

INTRODUCING NEW INFORMATION SCREENS! Lanark Lodge recently introduced information screens that offer residents a CBC feed highlighting current events, as well as the outdoor temperature and weather conditions. There are four screens in the home; they are located in the entryways to each of the neighbourhoods. We are currently working on an interface between the daily activity schedule and the system; we look forward to being able to highlight resident programs on the screens as well as photographs of events within the home. We keep striving for all things “green”!

THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT WAS ALIVE AND WELL Staff at Lanark Lodge were in the Halloween spirit as they dressed for the day to celebrate with the residents, families and their co-workers. It was fabulous to see so many staff participating in the day’s activities; there was a costume walk with prizes awarded to staff by resident judges!

EMBARKING ON A JOURNEY WITH MONTESSORI Dr. Montessori’s philosophy is to enable individuals to be as independent as possible, to have a meaningful place

in their community and to have the chance to make meaningful contributions to their community. Montessori philosophy is applicable across the age spectrums and can be utilized as a mission statement for dementia programming.Older adults with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s have many remaining abilities that can be utilized in activities for leisure. These abilities include the ability to sort,

sequence, manipulate, long-term or procedural memory, the ability to read, the desire to help, the ability to care/love. Lanark Lodge staff had an initial introduction to Montessori at mandatory training in recent weeks. We will be taking these ideas and moving forward with Montessori methods that will support complementary care routines and support residents to find meaningful leisure activities.

Clockwise from above, far left: Brenda Hutchinson; Ellie McLellan; Lyndsey Mahon; Carol Davidson; Joanne Burke, Amy Parker and Karen Smith; the managerial team; Debbie Wilson (resident) and Lisa McLellan.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 17

LANARK LODGE

Holly Jones Health Care

Aide

Nicole Wintle Health Care

Aide

Brittany Thompson

Health Care Aide

Bonnie Mitchell Health Care

Aide

Avery Hopkins Health Care

Aide

Alana Andrews Health Care

Aide

Marla MacFarlane Registered

Practical Nurse

Amanda O'Neil Registered

Practical Nurse

Amyko Nichols Registered

Practical Nurse

Bailey Murphy Registered

Practical Nurse

Natasha Barber Registered

Practical Nurse

HOLIDAY DéCOR REFRESH The holiday season is upon us and, as such, comes the festivities of decorating the home. This year we were fortunate that two of our staff, Eady May Bowes and Ann Ball, took the lead in purchasing new décor for the lobby and tuck shop area and secured donations from local business people they knew and friends of Lanark Lodge who heard about the initiative. Ann and Eady May also worked with a couple of residents who assisted with the decorating. Norman Gillies kindly painted the fireplace scene and display at the front reception area and Norma McLaren still has fairy dust in her hair from all of her time decorating! Our outdoor display at the front of the home was done with time volunteered from Kelly’s Florist and the maintenance staff hung our lights and large wreath. The neighbourhoods were decorated with all staff working together supported by residents to make each area look festive and bright! We want to extend our thanks to all of our holiday volunteers and to

our community members and businesses who supported us in kind through donations of items and monies to rejuvenate the décor of the home for its residents. The home looks great and there has been tons of positive feedback on this initiative!

NEW HIRES

Continued on Page 19

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SPIRIT COMMITTEEBy Susan Truelove This has been a great year to join in on the many fun activities arranged by the Lanark County Spirit Committee. Since the last edition of County Connections, the following activities have taken place: Terry Fox Run – On Sunday, Sept. 16, “The County Crew” met at Conlon Farm for the annual walk/run. Also, 50/50 tickets were sold in advance to raise extra money to support the Lanark team members for this important fundraiser for cancer. Baseball Game – On Sept. 28, staff brought their ball gloves, running shoes and favourite “lucky” bats and joined together at Conlon Farm for a fun game of softball. Children of staff were able to enjoy the Conlon Farm facilities, while their mom or dad played a friendly game of softball. Following the game, everyone enjoyed pizza and a cold, refreshing pop. We were so fortunate to have a gorgeous sunny Fall evening for our game. Tourism Department Photo Contest – Photos promoting Lanark County and provided by Lanark County staff were received by the Tourism Department up until Oct. 31. Any or all of the photos submitted may be featured in upcoming Lanark County Tourism promotions. Three $50 prizes were donated by the Spirit Committee. Joan Pratt’s photo was selected a winner by one of the judges (Warden John Gemmell), with Brian DeWolfsmith’s photo being selected a winner by 2 of the 3 judges (Annie Dalton and the Lanark County Camera Club). Congrats to both Joan and Brian, and a big thank you to all staff that took the time to have a little fun and submit some photos in a great Lanark County contest.

October Halloween Dress-up – The Spirit Committee promoted dressing up in costume on Oct. 31, and this year we saw the participation sky rocket for this event. Photos were taken at the County buildings, and a great time was had by all while we continued to function as normally as possible in our jobs! Staff were encouraged to walk to other departments, where some tricks and treats could be found.

November Potluck Lunch – On Nov. 7 a wonderful Fall Potluck Lunch was held in the LCAB lunch room. Many delicious dishes of food were brought to the potluck, with those staff not bringing a potluck item being able to participate by paying a small fee of $5 – well worth it! Hockey – Lanark County staff and some local municipalities’ staff have joined forces to play hockey every second or third week at the Perth arena. For a small $10 fee, ladies and gents are out there getting great exercise and making some pretty awesome plays. A huge thank you to Spirit Committee member Terry McCann (Lanark County) and to Malcolm Morris (TVT) for coordinating this amazingly fun event for any county or local municipal staff to enjoy. (See

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 19

SPIRIT COMMITTEE"Focus on Fitness" for more info!) Year-End Fund Raiser – As we go to print, the Spirit Committee had 100 tickets available for a year-end fundraiser. The draw was Dec. 19, with the lucky winner receiving two Gold Circle Seat tickets to Blue Rodeo on Feb. 14 at Scotiabank Place, plus one night's stay at the Country Inn & Suites in Kanata (king-sized bed, whirlpool tub and a continental breakfast), plus $100 spending money! Certainly a wonderful Valentine's getaway gift package for the lucky winner! Christmas Luncheon (Dec. 6) – the Spirit Committee supported the HR Department this year in organizing and assisting with the LCAB Holiday Luncheon entertainment and activities, set-up and clean-up. (See photos below.) Coffee Machine – A huge thank you to Spirit Committee member Tracy Palmer for continuing

to coordinate the ordering of coffee supplies for our LCAB lunchroom coffee machine, which has been spearheaded by the Spirit Committee. Intranet – There is a Spirit Committee section on the Intranet, where a calendar of upcoming events can be found for staff to check. Members – The Spirit Committee has begun to plan for 2013, and we always welcome ideas from staff with respect to future activities. Your current Spirit Committee Members are as follows: Donna Baylis, Garry Welsh, Jacy McKittrick, Jennie Bingley, Maria MacDonald, Marilyn Allen, Sam Law, Sharon Roberts, Susan Truelove, Terry McCann, Tracy Palmer and Wendy Giasson.

Continued from Page 17PROUD MOMENTS! The reality for staff members working in long-term care is the residents who come to live at Lanark Lodge will often pass away there. Staff members get to know residents and their families very well; they spend time cheering on their favourite teams, discussing current events and caring for one another! Recently, one of our residents passed away. He was an avid Ottawa Senators fan – there would be great hype leading up to the game and many hours discussing the game the following day! A number of the staff who attended his wake wore their Senators jerseys in memory of him and his favourite team. Staff truly live out our mission of "People Caring for People" – the kind gestures and their thoughtful actions speak volumes about their kind spirit and connection with the residents.

LANARK LODGE

Among staff who attended the wake were, from left, Cynthia Barr, Sandi Richardson, Colleen Wright , Anne Boniface, Brenda Roske, Sharon Maloney, Brent Whiten and Lyndsey Mahon. Others attended but were not captured in the photo.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS – DECEMBER 2012 PAGE 20

FOCUS ON FITNESS If you know someone who should be recognized for dedication and commitment to health and wellness, e-mail Marilyn Allen at mallen@lanarkcounty.ca. Lanark County staff are taking advantage of opportunities in all seasons to get out and get fit while sharing some camaraderie! On Sept. 28 about 21 Lanark County staffers – enough for two teams – came out for some softball at Conlon Farm. It became a family affair, with children having fun at the play structures while their parents played on the ball diamond. The Spirit Committee supplied pizza and pop afterwards. Once the weather cooled down and thoughts

turned to hockey, Spirit Committee member Terry McCann got busy and organized some hockey games at the Perth arena. Games have already taken place on Oct. 29, Nov. 19, Dec. 3 and Dec. 17, with another planned for Jan. 14. For a $10 fee, Lanark County staff are invited to come out for “Hockey Night in Lanark County” in conjunction with local municipalities. Malcolm Morris from Tay Valley is helping to coordinate the efforts. Any municipal employee is welcome! Contact Terry McCann for more information. Got ideas for other fun, coordinated sporting events? Don’t hesitate to contact Human Resources to pass them along! Get fit and socialize, too!