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ManateE-zineFor Employees by Employees

November 2010

Let’s Talk Turkey: Tips & Tricks for a Better BirdBY SAMANTHA KENNEDY, M.S., EXTENSION AGENTIt’s November, and you know what that means: family, fun, and food.

When it comes to holiday meals, the star of the culinary show is often the humble turkey. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin held the turkey in such high esteem, he suggested it as our national bird. Sadly for the turkey, the bald eagle won out. But even today, the turkey is a gastronomic delight for many, serving as an unassuming, yet amazingly versatile choice for many holiday feasts. However, despite its popularity and relative ease of preparation, many people still encounter dinnertime disasters every year.

To help make your family feast as painless as possible, here are a few simple tips to keep in mind:

Buy a big enough bird. Fresh or frozen, plan for one pound per person. Keep in mind, this isn’t one pound of meat, but a pound of total weight, including bones and other inedible parts.

Thaw properly. Thawing a frozen turkey in the refrigerator is your safest bet. Allow 24 hours of thawing time for every 4 to 5 pounds. So if you buy a 15-pound bird, allow for a mini-mum of 3 days of thawing time. You can also thaw a turkey by submersing it in cold water, allowing for 30 minutes of thawing time per pound. You must change the water every 30 mintutes to keep the water temperature at a safe level. Remember, thawing food on the counter at room temperature is unsafe and never recommended.

Cook thoroughly. The minimum internal cooking temperature for poultry is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature must be sustained for at least 15 consecutive seconds to adequately kill any harmful bacteria that may be present. Built-in “thermometers” that come with the bird are not always reliable, so use a calibrated meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the bird - the breast - for the most accurate temperature. If you stuff your bird, be sure to check the temperature of the stuffing too, by inserting the ther-mometer probe into the center of the stuffing. To achieve this temperature goal and to ensure safe cooking, don’t set your oven temperature lower than 325 degrees.

Store those leftovers safely. Leaving those leftovers out and picking at them for hours may be a family tradition, but with each passing hour, the risk of foodborne illness increases. Room temperature (even in air conditioning) is smack dab in the middle of the Temperature Danger Zone (TDZ), the range of temperatures in which bacteria and other microorganisms thrive. The TDZ is 41 degrees to 135 degrees, and leaving food too long in this range may lead to the build-up of germs to an unsafe level. So put those leftovers away quickly after the meal, prefer-ably within two hours. And when reheating food, be sure to heat it to at least 165 degrees in the center. If reheating in a microwave, always stir the food halfway through to ensure the food is heated evenly throughout.

With a little careful planning and an eye towards a few simple rules, your holiday turkey will be both safe and delicious. Bon appétit!

For more information on this and other food safety topics, please call the Manatee County Extension Service at (941) 722-4524.

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Documents and flyers [Labeled “DF” in file name] – These templates are designed to promote County messages in a one- or two-page format. Economic Development Manager Karen Stewart uses these templates to promote economic development incentives and qualified targeted indus-try data to local businesses and to the Jobs Now! team.

PowerPoint presentations [Labeled “PPT” in file name] – These templates are to be used anytime you make a PowerPoint presenta-

tion to the Board or to a public group, or whenever you design Carousel slides to promote events on Manatee Government Access channel.

Postcards [Labeled “Post” in file name] – These templates should be used anytime you need to contact the public via mail. For example, the Community Redevelopment Area representatives have used postcards to promote community events such as the Spring Fling.

Reports and handbooks [Labeled “Booklet” in file name] – Use these templates to design your department’s quarterly reports, guidebooks or handbooks. Parks and Recreation uses this template

for its regular magazine now available on Parks’ area of the new website.

Brochures [Labeled “Bro” in file name] – These tri-fold handouts are useful when distributing concise information to the public. The Natural Resources Department regularly uses brochures to promote events in our natural preserves and during the summer used the brochures to promote awareness about Manatee County’s involvement in the BP oil spill.

Templates were designed using the unique color scheme assigned to your department. Your department’s color is most visible in the dominant color sidebar that stretches along the left spine of all publications. The Manatee County Florida logo is located neatly at the

bottom of each page of your presentation.

Manatee County Government’s Brand Identity has arrived!INFORMATION OUTREACH REPORTWhether you’ve spotted the Manatee County Government branding on the 2010 calendars, on Parks and Rec’s quarterly magazine, on brochures from Natural Resources or on the occasion-al presentation to the Board of County Commission, chances are you’ve seen the Manatee County branding somewhere over the past year.

In 2009, the County Administrator directed Information Outreach staff to design a clean, uniform look for Manatee County publications, both for public and internal audiences. The branding helps to ensure a consistent and polished look on all communications pieces. Brand-ing also reinforces our organization’s commitment to professionalism.

Until now, Information Outreach staff have designed communication pieces using Manatee County branding whenever anyone throughout the organization has requested help. Now, in an effort to empower departments to create their own publications, a set of easy-to-use templates has been designed that will enable departments to create their own publications without having

to request help from Information Outreach.

Templates have been designed for the five areas below using Microsoft Word and Power-Point, for users with either old or new versions of each software.

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Employee Health BenefitsCongratulations “Tobacco Quitters”

Congratulations to the 111 members who quit using nicotine products this year and quali-fied for the Ultimate Plan! The “quitters” realized several benefits of quitting almost immediately: blood pressure and carbon monoxide returned to normal, sense of taste and smell improved, and coughing resolved. Within one year, they will have reduced their risk of heart disease by ½ that of a smoker and saved over $1,800 (1 pack a day@ $5 a pack). And, according to formulas of the Center for Disease Control, Manatee Your-Choice 2010 “quitters” will save your health plan almost $420,000 per year in healthcare and other indirect costs.

According to Janice Best, Utilities Billing Support: “All the smoking classes I took over the years made me more aware that I needed to quit. This was just my time – I made up my mind and I quit this time. It was the best thing I ever did. It was not easy but I’m thrilled in every way that I’m not smoking. I’m happier than I’ve ever been – I’ve taken my life back.”

Congratualtions to Janice and the other 110 health plan members who have taken back their lives.

For members interested in quitting for the 2012 Ultimate Plan, join the Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 18. Turn in your tobacco and receive a coupon for 1 month of nicotine replacement therapies: patches, gum or lozenges. Watch the YourChoice Wellness Calendar for details.

Your Benefits websiteDon’t forget to access

www.ManateeYour-Choice.com for the monthly calendar.

Each month a new calendar is posted with all

the programs and services being offered that month…

such as, Group Fitness Schedule, Qualifying

Questions of the Week, Diabetes Workshops,

Tobacco Courses, Nutrition and Weight Loss

Classes, Special Programs and more.

Each template also includes preset Arial fonts that will ensure a consistent look on all publi-cations. You should also adhere to the fonts with every publication.

After your publication has received proper departmental approvals, a copy should be sent for final review to Nicholas Azzara (Nicholas.Azzara@mymanatee.org) or to Simone Peter-son (Simone.Peterson@mymanatee.org). If you have questions about the templates or the approval process, please call ext. 6929.

Manatee County Brand Identity

iNet page

Manatee Choice Members Control their diabetes!

November is American Diabetes Association Month. In celebration, and to communicate the seriousness of diabetes as well as the importance of diabetes control, we would like to honor a few of our members who are caring for their diabetes successfully.

Here are their stories:

Brian Belden, Public Works, Highway Maintenance

The struggle: Brian had recently quit smoking and gained weight. He was at the highest weight in his life when he was diagnosed with diabetes. Brian had watched his neigh-bor with diabetes lose first his foot, then his leg and did not want this hap-pening to him.

The story: Brian says the hardest thing was not eating what he used to but found that he truly enjoys some of the new foods. “I didn’t think I would like salads, whole grains, lean proteins and vegetables, but I actually do.” Brian’s wife, Shirley, is very supportive and has joined Brian on his healthy eating adven-ture. She bakes oatmeal cookies for him with Splenda. But, Brian tells us, “I don’t eat 10 of them like I used to.” He now has lost 50 pounds and takes no diabetes medications. He controls his blood sugars with healthy eating and regular exercise.

Dale Friedley, Property Appraiser’s Office

The struggle: Before he landed in the hospi-tal, Dale pretty much ignored the fact he had diabetes. But in October of 2009, he was faced with his

Brian Belden

Dale Friedley

Janice Best

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own mortality – and a dilemma. He had to face up to his diabetes now or never.

The story: He started taking his insulin consistently and testing his blood sugar throughout the day. One thing he noticed while in the hospital was that his meal tray had portions much smaller than he was used to eating. So when he came home, he adjusted his portions downward. He worked with his doctor and Manatee County’s diabetes educa-tor, Florey Miller, on pattern management (adjusting insulin dosage and timing accord-ing to patterns of highs/lows). Dale worked out at the YMCA three times each week. He started feeling so good that he began to socialize, something he had not done for a long time. Dale tells us his new nickname is “the social butterfly.”

Margaret Clague, spouse of employ-ee (member of the Health Plan)The struggle: A demanding job as lab supervisor and twin 12-year-old boys led Margaret and her husband, William, to eat out for dinner frequently. Margaret likes an easy breakfast, but discovered by testing her blood sugar sometimes after meals that cereal made her blood sugar high. High morning blood sugar and high evening blood sugar combined to make a high A1C level.

The story: Margaret says taking care of her diabetes issues is not really a struggle, but simply “an adjustment made to my lifestyle.” She explains “When we dine out, I will make exceptions (like eating French fries), but I can’t make exceptions all the time.” She always walked, but wasn’t consis-tent; now she walks three times a week. She also tries to be as active as possible at work, taking the stairs and sometimes doing squats. Oh, and for breakfast? Margaret recommends non-fat Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey, some fruit and a sprinkle of cinnamon. No more high blood sugar.

All three diabetes success stories have taken advantage of Manatee YourChoice Center for Health and Lifestyle Management’s progres-sive Diabetes Care Program for members, spouses and dependents with diabetes and

pre-diabetes. Some of the benefits to mem-bers include:

• Freeglucometersandteststrips• Computertrackingofbloodsugar trends• Individualizednutritionplans• DiabetesWorkshop• AdvancedDiabetesWorkshop• DiabetesRoadTrip• IndividualizedExerciseRoutines• ChangeforGoodWorkshop• AtHomeDiabetesEducation For more information on these programs refer to www.ManateeYourChoice.com or contact Florey Miller, Manatee Choice Diabetes Educator, at 941-748-4501 x 6410.

Florida Women in GovernmentThe Spirit of GivingBY SIMONE PETERSON, NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICESAt the monthly Florida Women in Government (FWG) luncheon on November 10, members showed their charitable side by assembling 37 Thanksgiving totes for The Salvation Army to give to less fortunate families.

The totes included all the items a family would need to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings: a $10 turkey gift card, canned side dishes, mashed potatoes, stuffing and dessert mixes.

“We’ve had an overwhelming response this year. We are thankful to the members and other County employees,” said Carol Thorpe, FWG Treasurer.

Margaret Clague

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Due to the support of members and other employees, FWG was able to surpass its goal of 30 totes.

In addition to this charitable event, FWG conducts a “Yes We Can” cam-paign. Members bring non-perishable and canned food items to the FWG meetings, which are then delivered to Meals on Wheels. The group has donated 52 lbs of food to date.

On November 19th in the Administrative Building Lobby, FWG will be hosting a breakfast and silent auction in which all the proceeds will go to Camelot Community Care and Adopt-A-Family.

“We are still accepting donations until No-vember 17 ,” said Sheila Parker, Member At Large.

According to FWG President Lynn Pierce, the goal is to serve 7 children from Camelot Community Care and 2 – 3 families with Adopt-A-Family.

If you would like to donate, contact Tammy Boggs x3817 or Sheila Parker x3919.

Toastmasters TidbitLights, camera, success!

BY SIMONE PETERSONThe first ever Power Speakers of Manatee County Government Fashion Show was a great success! Models strutted down the runway showcasing business, business casual and formal fall fashions.

“This fashion show gave Toastmasters mem-bers an opportunity to plan, speak and per-form,” says Stephanie Moreland from the

Planning Department. “I saw a direct correlation between the fashion show and Toastmaster training. This group came together and was organized, confident, professional, and successful,” said Paul John-son, model escort and former Toastmasters member. “To bring a group together with everyone’s busy schedule and pull this off was quite an accomplishment. And let’s not forget the Toastmaster credo, “Have Fun” while you are in front of an audience.”

With a full house, the fashion show kicked off with an introduction by club president Steph-anie Moreland and was followed by Deborah Carey-Reed’s speech about color symbolism.

The fashion show received rave reviews:

One employee from the Civic Center staff was so amazed with the models that she wants to come to Toastmasters and be a model in the next event and learn how to speak publicly.

Many people were awed by Stacy Haag, the fashion announcer for the event.

“A year ago I wouldn’t have believed that I would’ve been a commentator at such an event,” said Stacy who works in Natural Resources. She has been a Toastmasters member since April 2010.

“The models were dressed so nice, this is how staff should dress every day at work,” said an employee from the Utilities Department.

Moonlin Johnson, Dale Garcia, Simone Peterson, Rossina Leider and Stephanie Moreland served as models.

Model escorts included Chuck Froman, Paul Johnson, Peyt Dewar and Doug Means.

Thanks and appreciation goes to the Civic Center staff, especially Rachel Harrison and Anne Vanwormer, Restyled Rags, Arthur Jefferson, photographer extraordinaire, fashion show participants and most of all the audience who helped support our efforts.

FWG MeetingsDecember 8

Christmas luncheon and holiday project

January 12Field Trip @ 3pm to Robinson Preserve

GMC T-shirts are available at a dis-

counted price of $12. Contact Kelli Polan-

ski x1807 if inter-ested.

Florida Women in Government meets

every 2nd Wednes-day of the month

from noon – 1 p.m.

For more informa-tion on Women in Government go to

their website, www.fwginc.org

If you have a Toastmasters

question send it to toastmasters@

mymanatee.org

Visit Power Speakers of MCG

online

The fashion show raised about $60

which will go towards the

Toastmasters general fund.

Kelli Polanksi, Stacy Haag, Deborah Carey-Reed

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Important Toastmasters Dates

All meetings are from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

November 19 - County Admin. Bldg., 1112 Manatee Ave. W. Bradenton Staples Room 8thfloorNovember 26- Thanksgiving holiday Meeting CancelledDecember 3- Public Works 1022 26th Ave. E. BradentonDecember 10- Public Works 1022 26th Ave. E. BradentonDecember 17 Meeting- County Admin. Bldg.1112 Manatee Ave. W. Bradenton Staples Room 8thfloorDecember 24- Christmas holiday Meeting Cancelled

Questions or concerns? Visit us on the web or email us at toastmasters@mymanatee.org

The Benefits of Volunteering for the Manatee County United Way Golf Tournament 2010BY ALICE RIMER, PUBLIC WORKSA few months ago Mark Fransen stopped me in the hall and asked if I would be interested in being on the committee for the United Way Golf Tournament. My first reaction was, “I’m really busy… maybe next time.” After I left, I started thinking about all of the wonderful people I could help raise money for. Besides!.... How hard could it be!

I attended the first meeting and tried to stay under the radar. My mission was to take notes, pay attention, and maybe throw a few ideas out. I met a lot of great people and some great people I already knew! The first meeting was about how we could change things and make them better (fundraising ideas, spon-sors, donations, door prizes, etc.) This was

right up my alley! The committee continued to meet on a bi-weekly basis and continued to give improved ideas and pulled together like a real team should.

The day of the event came upon us, Saturday – October 16, 2010. It was the perfect day for a game of golf. The sky was clear…. Not a cloud in the sky! The temperature was won-derful, and there was a gentle breeze! I got there early to make sure we had all of the day’s events covered. I recruited a few of my friends to come and help, just in case we needed a few extra hands.

The 1 p.m. shot gun start wasn’t the only thing we had going on that day though! We had door prizes to organize, goodie bags for the golfers, raffle ticket items, silent actions, hot dog lunches for sale, putting contests, a corvette to win, and more! We couldn’t have pulled it off without all of the volunteers we had. A quick and sincere thank you, to all of the volunteers. It was a long day, but we did it!

I spoke with a majority of the golfers that came across the 6th Hole (The chance to win a Corvette with a hole in one!). I really en-joyed talking to all of them. It’s amazing how many people you know and how many people you can meet, just by volunteering a little of your time.

Pulling together a golf tournament is some-thing that I’ve never done, but it definitely is something that I would do again. This event would have never happened if the committee wasn’t as dedicated to the positive outcome that we anticipated. The final dollars that were raised amounted to over $15,000. So the next time someone asks you to be part of something that could be great… Your answer should be YES!

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Kudos Corner

To view the kudos information, click on the date and open the PDF file.

October 6Public SafetyKyle Workman, ParamedicTim Kelly, Charge Paramedic

Community ServicesLee Washington, Veterans Services CounselorVikki Comarsh-White, Human Services TechVicki Winney, Probation Officer

October 13County Administrator’s OfficeKaycee Ellis, CAC SupervisorYvonne Houston, CAC Assistant

Team EffortPropety ManagementInformation ServicesPublic Safety Center Employees

October 20Public Safety Erik Logan, Charge ParamedicNathan Axness, Paramedic

Community ServicesRick Albrecht, Probation OfficerRichard Garst, Probation OfficerElmore Brinson, Transit Operator

UtilitiesScott Wood, Solid Waste Enforcement Officer

October 27Team EffortUnited Way Golf Tournament

Public SafetyJason Evans, Charge ParamedicJessie Mannix, EMT

BuildingJohn Barnott, Building Director

PlanningTeree Sutton, Development Review Specialist

Other KudosPublic SafetyErnie McFarland, Technical Systems Support Coordinator

Remember...

For special occasion or anytime gift giving,

Gift Certificates are available for

Recreation Memberships and

Programs. For more information,

call (941) 742-5926.

Gift cards for golf or merchandise are

also available. Call or visit the

pro shop for gift cards.

Call (941) 792-6773.

Article submitted by Mark Regis, Public Safety

I am proud to say that one of our crews, bought candy and went out into the public on Hallow-een. Ed Schopperley and Chris Hickey, who were working on Medic 12, purchased $50 worth of candy and went to a high traffic area. They opened the back doors of the ambulance and started handing out candy.

To everyone’s surprise most people were curious why we were there. They avoided direct eye con-tact with us until Chris began to bellow “Happy Halloween”. The kids loved it!!! The parents loved it even more. The crew entertained ques-tions from both children and adults. They also kept auto traffic very slow in the area just with the presence of the ambulance while teaching safe pedestrian actions, such as looking both ways before crossing streets and using cross walks. They went above and beyond displaying pride in our service. I am very proud to be one of their supervisors and will encourage this activity in the future.

County Commissioners Joe McClash, Gwen Brown, Ron Getman, Carol Whitmore and John Chappie pose for a photo at Crosley Estate during a farewell reception for Commissioners Brown and Getman on Nov. 9. We wish them the best of luck in all their future endeavors. They were great local officials and they will be missed!

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Employee of the MonthDonny AdamsUtilities

1. What does your job entail? I gather quotes for parts or services needed for the three Wastewater Treatment Facilities, the Biosolids Dryer, and the MARS line for submit-tal to the Purchasing division. I am also respon-sible for coordinating training classes and maintaining control of approximately $2 million inventory of parts for the above mentioned areas, as well as closing out work orders for the Southwest Treatment Plant.

2. What is the most interesting part of your job?Learning about the equipment and processes that take place is the most interesting for me. I worked in the restaurant business for most of my career before joining the county as a mainte-nance tech trainee, so I am learning every day.

3. What is the strangest thing that has happened on the job?I have never really had anything strange happen, but we do have an 11-12 foot alligator that lives in our pond.

4. Where are you from?I was born at Manatee Memorial Hospital, but I have lived in Gainesville and Pensacola. I also spent a few years in Montgomery, Bir-mingham and Mobile, Alabama.

5. What are your hobbies?If I had the means, I would play golf 3-4 times a week. I played racquetball quite a bit before I moved back, but I can’t find a local place to play for free.

6. Did you attend college? Where? What did you study?I have an Associate of Applied Science degree in Civil Engineering from Pensacola Junior College and I received an Asso- ciate of Arts degree from Manatee Community College last Fall. I plan to continue and get a degree in Environmental Science.

7. If you were stranded on an island and could have three items, what would they be and why?My Swiss Army knife, a water purification/desalination system, and a solar powered PSP with all my games.

8. What did you want to be when you were a kid?A professional baseball player.

9. Do you have any pets?I have an incredibly smart Border Collie named Maggie.

10. What’s your favorite song at the moment?I do not have a favorite song; I like anything by Alan Jackson or George Strait.

The Final Word“I am proud and I am thankful to each of you...”

We have nearly reached the end of another challenging year in local government. We continued to experience reduced revenues which meant fewer resources to deal with increased workloads. But the organization has persevered and continued to succeed in spite of many difficulties. For that, I am proud and I am thankful to each of you who make Manatee County Government such a fine organization to lead. Please accept my sincer-est gratitude for the superior job you are doing to serve our community.

As a reminder, this year I have again reinstat-ed the Pay-in-Lieu-of Vacation program, which allows many employees to cash in up to 40 hours of vacation, with few exceptions. I hope this gesture will allow many of you to have some financial flexibility during Decem-ber or during the early part of 2011. Learn more about this policy under the HR News section of Human Resources’ area of the iNet.

Calendar of Events

To view the events information, click on the link and open the

PDF file.

Natural Resources Department Events