COUNTY CCOMMUNICATOR OUNTY COMMUNICATOR SEPTEMBER 16, 2022
ON 9/11 WE REMEMBER THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES, THOSE WHO STEPPED UP TO SERVE, AND THE COUNTLESS SACRIFICES MADE IN THE DAYS, MONTHS, AND YEARS AFTER THE ATTACKS 9/11 NEVER 9FORGET /11 NEVER FORGET
29 5 12 30 6 13 31 7 14 1 8 15 2 9 16 3 10 17 4 11 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 S E P T E M B E R 2022 S U N D A Y M O N D A Y T U E S D A Y W E D N E S D A Y T H U R S D A Y F R I D A Y S A T U R D A Y 29 230 8 1 Payday myGTC training for MANAGERS 1 pm myGTC training for MANAGERS 1 p m Payday County Communicator County Communicator Aster is the primary birth flower for those born in September The flower was named after Astraea, the Greek goddess who ascended to heaven and formed the constellation, Virgo So it shouldn’t be surprising that Aster is also a birth flower for Virgo the zodiac sign Legend says that when Astraea wept for humanity, her tears fell on earth and bloomed as the aster flowers myGTC training for MANAGERS 1 pm myGTC training for STAFF 1:30 pm myGTC training for STAFF 1:30 pm myGTC training for STAFF 9:00 am Coffee with a Cop 9:00 10:30 am GT Pie Co 525 W Front St
Events In & Around Grand Traverse County
Centre Ice Arena, Sept. 22 Sept. 26 Wings players, prospects and tryouts will be divided into teams that will practice and scrimmage throughout the Camp, including the Annual Red and White Game scheduled for Sunday, September the wonders of the only National Park in lower Michigan It's a beautiful way to experience late autumn in Michigan with miles of trails and sweeping views of the dunes and Lake Michigan
September September September 17 September September September 22 September September September 24
Trinity
TCGermanFest Lutheran Church & School @ 6 10:30 pm. all things Bavarian! Great food, a live band, beer and wine all under the big tent at Trinity Lutheran's 10th Annual Germanfest! For all the details, please click here
Red
25 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore The Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore will be waiving the $25 entrance fee today Enjoy
Pride
September September September
September September September 28
23 U p c o m i n g U p c o m i n g E v e n t s September September September 16 September September September 17 TheMuffinRide GreatLakesStrongestMan Woodboatsonthewall-Leelanau MaritimeHistoryFestival DetroitRedWingsTrainingCamp FreeAdmissionsatSleepingBear DunesNationalLakeshore Parking lot behind Subway off M22 in Greilickville @ 9 am - 12 pm. Join the Cherry Capital Cycle Club every Friday at 9 a m for the Muffin Ride to Suttons Bay and back from the parking lot in Greilickville behind the Subway shop on M 22 The ride includes a coffee and bakery stop and continues through October Turtle Creek Casino @ 10 am 4 pm. Five Events for USS WORLDS and Five Different Events for Great Lakes Strongest Man! Great Lakes Strongest Man competitors qualify for United States Strongman Nationals 2023 $10 general admission Leelanau Historial Society Museum @ 10 am 3pm Run distances are based on the children’s age and interest Fun Run offers young athletes the opportunity to feel the excitement of “competition”, without the pressure of a competitive race
UpNorthPrideWeekSept.28-Oct.2 Ride & Sign making Sept. 28 City’s official LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration and Michigan’s Premier Destination Pride event is returning Pride ride and sign making party starts o September 28th @ F&M park from 6 9 pm
Pride Comedy Night Sept. 30 Comedy night takes place at the City Opera House from 8 9:30pm
Celebrate
Traverse
S E P T E M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 2 2 EMAIL HANNAH DUELL IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION FOR FUTURE COUNTY COMMUNICATORS:
THE COUNTY UPDATES
NEW HIRES
WELCOME TO THE COUNTY TEAM!
KATE STEVENS SOCIAL WORKER HEALTH DEPARTMENT BETH JOHNS LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE COMMISSION ON AGING
MIKE MATTEUCCI 09/06/2005 17 SARAH BAKER 09/30/2002 20
LISA PHILO 09/02/2008 14
AMY BROCK 09/15/2014 8 NORMA SANDELIUS 09/22/2014 8
LAURIE JOHNSTON 09/04/2012 10 CHRIS ROBERTS 09/05/2012 10
JOSH KNISS 09/12/2005 17
ALEXANDER CHRISTENSEN 09/16/2019 3
STEVEN GREENMAN 09/19/2018 4
DUMOND 09/20/2021 1
RACHEL SCHLEENBAKER 09/12/2016 6
MORGAN
JACOBS 09/23/2020 2
LINDSEY
JEANNIE BINSFELD 09/13/2018 4
MACY
ALBRECHT 09/20/2021 1
KELLEY PLAMBECK 09/26/2016 6
CAROL ROSE 09/11/2000 2
KYLER ROSIN 09/23/2015 7
TY CURTIS 09/03/2019 3
ADAM PARENT 09/18/2017 5
FLEES 09/09/2019 3
JIM BAKER 09/11/2012 10
JONATHAN MORGAN 09/16/2009 13
ALISA GALLO 09/05/2000 22 CINDY SCHAUB 09/26/2000 22
DAVE BAUER 09/30/1998 24 MARCIA CARMONEY 09/16/1997 25 CHRIS CLARK 09/13/1995 27 HOLLY MILLER 09/08/1992 30
ANNIVERSARIES
NATHAN ROBERTS 09/07/2016 6
SHEILA CORNER 09/14/2009 13
JACALYN MONEY BRUNO 09/25/2017 5
CRAIG
AMANDA PECK 09/18/2017 5
KARIE MCINTYRE 09/11/2018 4
AMY TULPA 09/03/2013 9
SCOTT RADEMAKER 09/26/2016 6
HENRY 09/20/2021 1 GEORGE PRESTON 09/20/2021 1
JENNIFER
JODI THAYER 09/20/2017 5
CHRIS WHETSTONE 09/20/2017 5
SPENCER BISHOP 09/06/2016 6
A reminder that myGTC training for staff is mandatory. For those that have not yet signed up for the mandatory training, there are 3 final classes available. There is also an additional managers training that has been added.
myGTC UPDATE - TRAINING
FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH MYGTC Username : Email Address Password: Summer@2022 A reminder to those that have gone to myGTC training, that your login information is: To access myGTC home screen and continue to familiarize yourself with myGTC click here OPEN ENROLLMENT COMING SOON! Open Enrollment is coming soon! Mark your calendars for November 14- 27 to claim you benefits. Open enrollment will now be access through myGTC. More information will be provided.
GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY UNIVERSITY
1. 2 Watch a tutorial on how to access SharePoint
Desktop
Have you checked out GTCU? County employees now have access to a wide variety of training materials for onboarding, Microsoft 365 and myGTC. GTCU is housed in SharePoint, and can be accessed here. Your login will be the same as your Outlook email login and password
Staff Training here. Managers Register here.
myGTC PAGE 8
Browser Outlook(Email) Outlook (Email)
myGTC (the modern ERP system being developed by workday) goes live on October 31stl! The journey has been long and thanks to a team of dedicated Human Resources, Finance, Treasury, and Administration staff, it has been made possible
COUNTY UPDATES
Other ways to access SharePoint: here.
COUNTY UPDATES
UPDATES PAGE 9
Traverse Connect is hosting a Candidate Forum on October 10th from 4 7:00pm at the Hagerty Center Candidates include: Barba Conley, Rep John Damoose, Commissioner Betsy Coffia, Rep. Jack O'malley, Cathy Albro, Rep John Roth For more information click here
SENIOR CENTER BUILDING UPDATE
September is National Emergency Preparedness Month Visit the Grand Traverse County Emergency Management preparedness pages to stay up to date and be prepared Click here
WEDDING BLISS
Jake Duell at Bay view Weddings last Friday, September 9th
Lewis with Architect Ray Kendra and Senior Center Manager Michelle Krumm will be at the Traverse City Senior Center location ( 801 E Front St ) providing updates on the new building and its design plans They will also be available to answer questions and obtain feedback from the community This is a community event and people of all ages are welcome to attend
Grand Traverse County was honored on September 12th at the TART's Volunteer Appreciated Party for the TART's Government Partner of the Year award, the Boardman Lake Loop Leadership team: The City of Traverse City, Garfield Township, and Grand Traverse County
Congratulations to the newly Mrs Hannah Duell (formerly known as Hannah Stachnik) on her wedding to Jake Duell Hannah Stachnik married
TART TRAILS VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION PARTY!
Today, September 16th from 1 2 pm Mayor
CANDIDATE FORUM
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS MONTH
How Care
Custodial childcare or eldercare expenses
If you do not use all your DCFSA elections within the year, you have a 25 month grace period that allows you to incur additional dependent care expenses for reimbursement All reimbursements for expenses incurred in the current plan year and during the grace period must be submitted for reimbursement no later than 90 days after the end of the plan year. The plan year runs January through December Remember: if you don’t use it, you lose it!
DID YOU KNOW? -DEPENDENT CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT (FSA)
Your annual DCFSA funds are not available upfront. Funds are only accessible as they are deposited with each payroll deduction
COUNTY UPDATES
Children under
A spouse who is physically or mentally unable to care for him/herself
centers and nanny expenses
With a DCFSA, you are able to make pre tax payroll contributions to pay for dependent care expenses. Determine the amount you would like to contribute for the year The maximum annual DCFSA election allowed is $5,000 per household Any expenses exceeding $5,000 can be claimed on your income tax filing.
Daycare Etc.
Before and after school or extended day programs
FSA (DCFSA) Works 1. 2 3. 4 5 6 Qualified Dependents Eligible Expenses Include
UPDATES PAGE 10
You are locked into your election unless you experience a change in dependent care status
Any adult you can claim as a dependent on your tax return that is physically or mentally unable to care for him/herself
Babysitting inside or outside household Day camps
Grand Traverse County offers A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account This account is a pre tax account funded through employee elected payroll deductions to pay for dependent care expenses. To qualify, dependent care must be essential for you and your spouse to work, look for work, or attend school full time
the age of 13
Pay dependent care costs out of pocket Submit expenses for reimbursement either through the HealthEquity member portal or by using the DCFSA Reimbursement form. Recurring DCFSA claims can be scheduled for the duration of the plan year.
a Dependent
C O M M U N I T Y COMMUNITY OUTREACH PAGE 11
FEEL, THINK, LIVE, BE... WELL!
Challenging times and life's stressors can cause nervousness, tension and worry. These are just a few symptoms of anxiety that affect your emotional wellbeing. Anxiety is the mind and body’s reaction to stressful and unfamiliar situations If you or someone you know deals with anxiety, it’s important to recognize and treat symptoms so that you can continue feeling your best Read on to discover the different tools you can use to reduce symptoms.
PAGE 12
W E L L N E S S
Participate in meditation. Meditation was said to have originated thousands of years ago to bring harmony to your mind and body It can help you calm your senses and focus on the present moment Only spending a few minutes meditating each day can reduce symptoms of anxiety Explore mental health tools. Mental health tools such as apps, blogs and podcasts are excellent ways to help you throughout the day or to boost your general mental health education. Whenever you ’ re feeling down, you can turn to one of these for a quick mood boost and helpful tips Consider exploring the Wellbeing Place Blog or one of your program ’ s flash courses for more ways to reduce anxiety, guided meditations, healthy living tips and more. Seek support. Did you know that anxiety disorders affect 18 percent of the human population, making it the most common mental illness? Seeking support by reaching out to a mental health professional can reduce stress and anxiety and help you feel less alone Keep a journal. If you’d rather write your thoughts and feelings in a notebook or type them on a computer, consider journaling. Writing or typing your thoughts and worries can help you see the bigger picture and assess what changes you might want to make Journaling can also be a calming form of self care to ease your mind and distract from stressors
WELLNESS
Having a better understanding of anxiety and identifying your triggers can help reduce worry and fear. For support with anxiety and other mental health concerns, reach out to a mental health professional.
REDUCING ANXIETY
To take the survey CLICK HERE.
PAGE 13
Have you ever heard of an affinity group? Affinity Group by definition means a group of people linked by a common interest or purpose.
The affinity groups will be self organizing and Grand Traverse County will have no affiliation with the groups. Grand Traverse County is merely a means to connect people. An initial email group will be created for the groups to introduce members.
Affinity groups are open to all employees and employees are encouraged to link up with people with the same interest or interested in learning a new activity.
In the survey, it will ask you to provide your name, and email and select which activity you participate in, and will also leave an "other" option for an activity that might not have been listed.
TAKE THE AFFINITY GROUPS SURVEY!
CLICK HERE
FEEL, THINK, LIVE, BE... WELL!
W E L L N E S S
The purpose of this survey is to gather information on activities that like minded people want to be a part of. From there, a group can be created to allow for communication on the next steps, whether that is for introductions or to set a time to meet for the activity
W E L L N E S S
FEEL, THINK, LIVE, BE WELL!
The 1.8 mile Acme Connector Trail and southern leg of the Nakwema Trailway connecting the TART to Acme Township and beyond, is slated for completion later this fall. Team Elmer's has installed the Acme Creek bridge and boardwalk and are wrapping up laying the pavement. We're thrilled to celebrate this project with our partners and the community as it creates meaningful connections between neighborhoods and businesses as well as the first step in connecting two major trail networks between Traverse City and Charlevoix. Stay tuned for the official opening announcement as well as a ribbon cutting ceremony coming soon!
PAGE 14
TART Trails and project partners are thrilled to share that design and engineering is officially underway with OHM Advisors for the Three Mile Trail extension. The firm stood out among several other applicants based on the experience of the project team with similar trail facilities and funding sources. We’re excited to roll up our sleeves and get to work starting this fall. Stay tuned for more momentum on this project over the coming months. In the meantime brush up on the project in this Ticker article.
3 MILE 3TRAIL MILE TRAIL
ACME CONNECTOR ATRAIL CME CONNECTOR TRAIL
Rub over both sides of pork chops In a large nonstick skillet, cook pork chops in oil over medium high heat until juices run clear, 5 6 minutes on each side Remove to a serving platter and keep warm
1 teaspoon ground coriander
BERRY OVERNIGHT OATS
2 tablespoons apricot spreadable fruit
½ cup non fat plain Greek yogurt
I2 teaspoons chili powder
PORKCHOPSWITHNECTARINESALSA
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
Layer Greek yogurt, chia seeds and mixed fruit and berries.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon chia seeds (Optional)
In a small bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients
½ cup non fat milk
2 cups sliced peeled nectarines or peaches
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup fresh mixed berries and fruit
Add Quaker® Oats to your container of choice and pour in milk.
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Ingredients
Refrigerate overnight and enjoy in the morning! Directions 1 2. 3.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup salsa
4 boneless pork loin chops (4 ounces each and 1/2 inch thick)
½ cup Quaker® Oats (Quick or Old Fashioned, uncooked)
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
In the same skillet, combine salsa and spreadable fruit. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir in nectarines, cilantro and oregano; cook until heated through, 2 3 minutes. Serve with pork.
1 2.
G T C F A C E B O O K P A G E S GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT SENIOR CENTER NETWORK SHERIFF'S OFFICE PARKS & RECREATION EMERGENCY MANAGMENT GRAND TRAVERSE 911 VETERAN AFFAIRS ANIMAL CONTROL
You deserve it. Take a break. Relax & read the County Communicator!
