Vol.
32 No. 7 JULY 2003
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS ISSUE
JPIA BOND SALE
MACo MEETINGS
A.G. LETTER OF ADVICE: MILL LEVY
WOLVES
PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
COUNTY NEWS
NRIS SEMINARS
LAPTOP ERGONOMICS
ELECTION REFORMS
HOMELAND DEFENSE
FUNDING
EVOLVING
Three different sources are contributing to
Montana’s Disaster and Emergency Services funding:
1.
Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) are the only source of
direct federal funding for state and local government that can be used to
provide basic emergency coordination and planning capabilities. EMPG, which is part of the Federal Emergency
Management Administration (FEMA), provides states the flexibility to allocate
funds according to risk vulnerabilities and to address the most urgent state
and local needs for disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and
recovery. States award funds to local
governments on a 50% / 50% split.
Montana
receives $1,542,988 of the nationwide amount of $165,140,000.
2. The
Office of Domestic Preparedness (ODP), within the new Department of Homeland
Security, manages $1.3 billion in grants for state and local first
responders. The grants are for
equipment, training, exercises and planning.
States must allocate 80% of the equipment funds to local governments
within 45 days. Montana’s allocation is
$5,303,000.
The
formula for these funds may be changing.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge urges a change in the grant
formulas, which are now based on population, to reflect an area’s vulnerability
and likelihood of terrorist threat.
NACo supports any changes to the program which will continue funding to
both large and rural counties.
3. The War Supplemental program is designed for security and
response services. Governor Judy Martz
recently announced $14,047,000 for funding to Montana.
Montana’s
DES mission for the new funds is to “coordinate efforts to detect, prepare for,
prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks within
Montana.“ General goals are:
1. Assess risk in Montana
2.
Enhance response capabilities
3.
Increase coordination and interoperability
4. Better
prepare our state
5.
Improve use of technological capabilities.
Montana county funding
levels will be presented in the August MACo News.
JPIA BOND SALE
FOR
LIABILITY
REINSURANCE
The
MACo Property and Liability Insurance Program issued bonds to fund a
self-insurance layer of coverage for the liability portion of the program. This approach was modeled on the successful
MACo Workers’ Compensation bond program, which was paid off early.
The amount needed to cover the
annual debt service on $5,000,000 worth of bonds is at the same level as the
current annual reinsurance premium.
This should result in stabilization of premium costs.
Each of the 45 member counties
adopted a Resolution of Intention to participate in the bonding, to enter into
the Liability Program and to adopt and issue a promissory note. The promissory notes are payable over 20
years. Neither the amount of the
current premium nor the amount for the debt service on the bonds is outside the
general property tax limitations.
The final closing on the bond sale
occurred June 23 at the MACo offices. Current
coverage expired June 30. On July 1,
the MACo Liability Reinsurance became self-insured.
MONTANA STATE TRAVEL RATES
The
recent Legislature did not change the current rates for employee travel.
These
rates continue:
Motel
/ Hotel Rooms:
October 16 — May 14 $35
a night
May 15 — October 15 $55
a night
(except
Big Sky at $125,
Polson/Kalispell
at $64 in summer / $55 in winter,
West
Yellowstone $92 in summer / $55 in
winter)
Mileage
36¢ a mile up to 1,000 miles; then
33¢
Per
Diem
$5 Morning
meal
$6 Mid-day
meal
$12 Evening
meal TOTAL $23
FALL DISTRICT MEETINGS
SUGGESTED AGENDA ITEMS
1.
District Chair nominations and selection 5. Mental Health summit
2.
Officer nominations 6. Homeland Security
3. Workforce Investment Board nominations 7. MACo Conference
4. NACo Full membership proposal 8.
PILT assessment; dues
DISTRICT COURTS
AND
LEGISLATIVE
CHANGES
More than sixty people representing
41 counties learned of impacts from the recent legislation for district courts
(SB 490 and HB 489). The meeting was
sponsored by MACo and the Association of District Clerks of Court.
Sessions covering the biennial legislative
appropriation and the reimbursement process were conducted by Jim Oppedahl,
Court Administrator for the Montana Supreme Court. In addition, the current ACLU lawsuit concerning indigent defense
and public defenders was presented by MACo and Katrina Martin from Utick and
Grosfield
The afternoon was devoted to a
general meeting for the district clerks of court.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
June 5, 2003
Selections from Minutes
Budget FY04
Dan Watson, Fiscal Officer
WIR dues and expenses will increase by $4,200 over the next two years. The Board is considering a PILT assessment of 0.001% of the prior year’s PILT receipts, with a minimum of either $10 per county or $50 per county. MACo will advise members during the August District meetings.
Watson stated that concern
over lack of reserves could be addressed by a dues increase. The Board opted to
request that the Tax and Finance Committee prepare a proposal for dues increase
for FY 2004-5, not in conjunction with the WIR assessment.
100% NACo Membership
Gary Fjelstad, Past
President
Fjelstad pointed out that nine
Montana counties were not NACo members.
In return for full membership MACo would receive 7 registrations worth
$2,520, a $2,000 association bonus for full membership, and a 25% rebate to the
state association for the members dues
($720). MACo would also have an
additional member on the NACo Board of Directors. MACo Board agreed to pay the dues for these counties to achieve
100% participation
Fjelstad acknowledged that this
would require a lobbying effort on the part of both the Executive Committee and
the Board, in order to keep the nine counties paying their own dues the next
year. This will be discussed at the
district meetings.
Dues Committee
Howard Gipe, Urban Counties
Urban Counties are asking Board
approval for a MACo committee, presided over
by
the MACo President, with two urban county representatives (Commissioners Bill
Carey, Missoula, and Howard Gipe, Flathead) plus two members appointed by the
MACo President. Gipe advised the Board it was their intent that the committee
explore the possibilities of restructuring the Board representation and
Association dues.
Mental Health Summit
Bill Kennedy, 1st
Vice President
The MACo Health and Human Service
Committee will be the base for a mental health summit to include health center
chairs, providers, system users and others. A planning committee will set “when
and where” for the summit in August or September.
OTHER BUSINESS
The Executive Committee will seek an
“Executive Committee to Executive Committee” meeting with Montana Contractors
Association. This should be coordinated with the Transportation Committee
IRS is coming after taxes associated with the reimbursement of commuting mileage. Reimbursements for commuting costs must be reported as gross income.
Attorney General
LETTER
OF ADVICE
Attorney
General Opinion was requested by Nickolas Murnion, Garfield County Attorney.
Dear
Mr. Murnion,
You have requested an opinion from
the Attorney General as to the following question:
Is Garfield County required to
obtain voter approval to authorize the county to impose a mill levy sufficient
to generate the amount of property taxes actually assessed in the prior year
from both voted and non-voted levies for health care facilities?
Since your question can be answered by
reference to the governing statutes as construed in a prior opinion of this
office, it has been determined that this letter of advice rather than a formal
opinion is appropriate in response to your question.
In 2001, the Montana legislature
adopted fundamental changes to the manner in which local property taxes are
assessed and accounted for. With
reference to your question, the legislature repealed numeric limits on various
local property tax levies for specific purposes and amended MCA 15-10-420 to
cap local property tax levies at the number of mills required to raise the
amount raised from property taxes in the prior year, adjusted for
inflation. Thus, as you note in your
letter, the ten mill limit on property taxes for county hospital purposes
previously provided in MCA 7-6-2512 (1999) has been repealed, and Garfield County’s
property tax mill levy has been capped as provided in MCA 15-10-420 (2001).
In his opinion 49-5 (2001) Attorney
General McGrath held that the mill levy cap provided in MCA 15-10-420 (1) (a)
(2001) applies to all property tax mills levied by the county that are not
expressly excluded from the cap, and not to the mills levied for individual
purposes under statutes such as MCA 7-6-2512.
In that opinion, the Attorney General held that the City of Great Falls’
mill levy for airport purposes in FY 2002 was not limited by the number of
mills levied in 2001. Rather, the city
was permitted to levy enough mills to raise the same amount of money raised by
its property tax levy for all purposes subject to the cap provided in MCA
15-10-420, adjusted for inflation as provided in the statute, and the local
government had the discretion to allocate to the airport authority whatever
amount it chose from the amount raised.
Under this interpretation of the
statute, Garfield County is authorized to levy sufficient mills for FY 2004 to
raise the amount raised from property taxes in FY 2003, adjusted for
inflation. It is up to the county
commission then to determine what portion of that revenue will be allocated to
the county hospital. No election is
required to authorize a levy sufficient to raise the amount allowed by the
statute. Rather, MCA 15-10-425 quite
clearly provides that an election is required only to impose a new mill levy,
to increase a mill levy that is required by law to be submitted to voters, or
to levy mills that would raise an amount in excess of the amount raised by
property tax mills that are subject to MCA 15-10-420 (1)(a) levied in the
previous year, adjusted for inflation.
This letter of advice may not be
cited as an Opinion of the Attorney General
S/ Chris D. Tweeten
Chief Civil Counsel
GALLATIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE
RE-DEDICATION
Gallatin County invites
Montana county officials to celebrate the complete remodeling and restoration
of the Courthouse on Friday, August 8, with opening ceremony at 9:00
am. In conjunction with that event,
they also have the honor of displaying the United States Declaration of
Independence, which is touring the country.
The
remodeling project features new heat, air, electrical, and computer systems
which were incorporated in a historically-sensitive manner. Other high tech features include a DLP
projector, 12' x 9' screen, remote-controlled window shades and lighting, and
leading edge sound/recording system. The project was phased in over 4½
years. Montana counties that are
preparing to remodel and/or update their courthouses will want to tour the
courthouse and visit with the architect and contractors.
Since 1974, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS)
has managed wolves under the Endangered Species Act. The biological recovery goal for the northern Rockies wolf
population is 30 or more breeding pairs for three years in the combined states
of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. The
biological requirements for recovery were met in 2002.
Before USFWS will de-list, federal
managers must be confident that the population of gray wolves will
persist. To provide that assurance,
Montana is to present a plan. Upon
approval of the state plan, management authority for wolves will return to the
state governments where wolves reside.
Under Montana statute, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is the
agency charged with wildlife management.
Montana’s Plan offers five
alternatives.
1) No action; 2) Updated Plan from the Governor’s Council; 3) Additional Wolves; 4) Minimal Wolves; and 5) USFWS and Alternative Two. (Public comment period for the FWP proposed
plan for wolf management has ended.)
For the first five years after the
gray wolf is de-listed, FWP will be required to document that the wolf
population is secure within Montana.
Draft Environmental Impact
Statement March 2003
Montana
Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Plan
The 2003 Montana Legislature passed four
bills relating to wolf status:
HB
262—Management of Predators
HB
283—Analyzing Costs Associated with Wolves
HJR
32—Wolf De-listing
SB
209—Annual Game Counts; Maintaining Species
Some Montana counties are hoping to affect
future actions for wolf re-introduction by passing resolutions or supporting
other statements.
The Phillips County resolution
prohibits “the presence, introduction or reintroduction of wolves” inside the
county boundaries. Commissioner Carol
Kienenberger said there has been no talk of introducing wolves, but the
resolution is a pre-emptive move. “We have seen the problems that have arisen
with wolf reintroduction in other counties.
We would prefer they aren’t introduced here,” she said. In their comments on the FWP draft wolf
management plan, the Commission wrote, “We
feel that it is a must to get the wolf de-listed for the sake of our farmers,
ranchers, hunters and, in general, the safety of all of our citizens. We prefer Alternative #2 with a couple of
exceptions. They are to establish a
zone for the wolf population and give landowners more flexibility in the
Central and Eastern Zones of the state of Montana. We believe that the administration, de-listing language from
Alternative #4 should be added to the Central and Eastern Zone in Alternative
#2.”
Lake, Carbon and Fergus Counties concurred
with the Montana Shooting Sports Association comments on the FWP plan which
recommends a new alternative that would most closely resemble "Alternative
4 Minimal Wolves". The new
alternative would spell out the requirements from new 2003 state legislation.
Fergus County has concerns
with plans for the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument and the
Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, which could become home for wolf
packs. Commissioner Carl Seilstad said,
“In the case it is ever talked about, Fergus County does not want wolves in the
county.”
Carbon County Commissioner Albert Brown
reports four recent depredation incidents in the County from groups of wolves.
Valley County Commissioner
Dave Pippin said, “The fact remains that wolves are predators whether they are
endangered or not.”
Choteau County Commission
Chair Ken Evans said, “Livestock is one of our biggest enterprises. We need to have control.”
In
addition to statements and actions by county officials, other public comments
include:
The grizzly, the mountain lion, the
eagle...all of these, at one time or another, have been endangered and had to
be protected. Wolf management should
stay with the federal level.
Even if wolves were vegetarians I
think some people would hate them.
Everyone needs to learn how to deal
with this predator.
The problem arises when one
considers the results of forcing wolves into public land, mostly in western
Montana, rather than a more equitable, wider pattern of distribution.
Some sections are from Great Falls Tribune
“Counties
Making it Clear: No Wolves” by Sonja Lee
Fifty counties and seven reservations responded to a
recent assessment of Montana counties and the ability to respond to public
health emergencies. (Data was not
available for Granite, Jefferson, Liberty, Lincoln, Phillips and Pondera
Counties.) 35 public health agencies
are county agencies and 15 are city-county agencies.
Preparedness Planning
Public Health
Emergency Response Plans were most often addressed in local DES plans. Some
rural counties have no plans at all. No plans address the procurement and use of
personal protective equipment for radiological agents, the verification of
provisional credentials, or professional liability coverage.
More than half of the public health agencies (36) have
designated a public health emergency coordinator and most (43) have identified
legal counsel for emergencies.
38 agencies have directories with emergency contact
information. 46 agencies collaborate
with neighboring jurisdictions and have members on the local emergency
preparedness group. Most agreements
with emergency response partners are informal and unwritten.
Epidemiology Capacity
40 counties have designated epidemiology contact
persons. 45 counties employ public
health nurses and 34 have registered sanitarians.
More than half of the
agencies can disseminate medical management information to local response
partners within one hour of an event.
Laboratory Capacity
About half of the agencies have laboratory services in
their jurisdiction to investigate emergency incidents within four hours of
notification. Only fourteen public
health agencies have access to microbiology labs to rule out presence of
anthrax, brucellosis, tularemia and plague.
Sixteen counties have
formalized agreements with the state lab to perform testing if local labs
cannot provide the level of testing that is needed. 35 out of 53 agencies have key contact people in law enforcement
to whom they can communicate lab results.
However, there are few formal agreements with law enforcement or first
responders to ensure proper handling of specimens.
Communications Network
37 agencies have formal health alert systems, although
only a few operate 24 / 7. Only ten
agencies have tested the capacity to reach response partners. At least 35 agencies use patient identifiers
to protect from unauthorized access and routinely conduct data backup.
Health Information Dissemination
Only 15 public health agencies have an emergency response
plan. The most common item is the link
with an Emergency Operations Center to release reports and health alerts. However, almost all agencies (47) use media
channels (printed and broadcast) to disseminate information.
Twenty agencies produce printed information on anthrax
and smallpox and a third of the counties provide facts on biological agents and
other public health threats.
Education and Training
Several public health agencies responded to a public
health emergency in the past twelve months, but few have participated in any
training exercises. Over half of the
agencies cover expenses for staff to attend training and most train their own
staffs. Most agencies participate in
joint training with state public health agencies, LEPC or TERC. Almost all agencies allow employees to take
courses during work hours (43) and use Internet (44), but lack of time is
perceived as a barrier. Phone
conferencing, computer conferencing and satellite downlinks are also used.
Training subjects have included disease reporting and
investigation; basic education on biological and chemical agents, and incident
command systems.
COUNTY NEWS
YELLOWSTONE COUNTY is
considering a public vote for funds to comply with new federal election
requirements. (see article page 10)
RAVALLI COUNTY is ending its
“in-lieu-of” payments for employees who opted out of the county-provided health
insurance; in addition, it is considering a switch from composite rate health
insurance (all employees pay the same amount) to a tiered system to reflect
family size.
BLAINE COUNTY is considering a
switch in health insurance coverage from variable premiums based on age to a
plan which has a fixed premium regardless of age.
CUSTER COUNTY, following
retirement of the Cemetery sexton, split sexton duties between the Extension
Office, and the weed /mosquito district supervisor and crew.
PARK COUNTY is considering
alternatives for upgrading its solid waste incinerator, such as closing the
incinerator and shipping waste out of the county or shortening the number of
days per week for incineration. The
County must let the state know its plans by September and must complete
improvements by May 2005.
FALLON COUNTY is contracting at
$30 / hour for work to fulfil the GASB 34 Fixed Asset and Inventory
requirements .
BUTTE SILVER-BOW COUNTY
has received a State Noxious Weed Trust Fund grant for weed control along the
Big Hole River in BUTTE-SILVER BOW, BEAVERHEAD, MADISON, and ANACONDA-DEER
LODGE COUNTIES.
YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
is working with Billings on a possible application for a grant to clean up
problem properties that have been rendered unmarketable due to possible
contamination.
CASCADE COUNTY and the
City-County Planning Department have reached the next stage for grants for petroleum and hazardous material
cleanup.
YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
will be participating in discussions for a combined city/county/school
district/University library.
FERGUS COUNTY has been asked to
continue the one-time increased level of funding approved for last year’s
library budget.
9-1-1
LINCOLN COUNTY is asking FLATHEAD
COUNTY to serve as the public safety answering center for the north end of
Lincoln County.
RAVALLI COUNTY is in informal
settlement negotiations with the landowners denied permission to develop a
subdivision. The land-owners are
seeking compensation for lost property value.
GALLATIN COUNTY is facing two
controversies brought by land- owners.
One is suing over the requirement for a trail easement to be included as part of a
subdivision. Another homeowner is being
asked to either tear down the new house or apply for a zoning variance to allow
the roofline to jut over the ridgeline.
TETON COUNTY mail ballot for a
special 10-mill three-year levy for the nursing home passed with a 57% return
on ballots.
Beaverhead County
wastewater $500,000
Blaine County
bridges 322,782
Butte-Silver
Bow-Ramsay water 255,000
Cascade County
bridges 230,840
Cascade County
water/waste 500,000
Cascade
County-Black Eagle 214,200
Flathead County
water district 500,000
Gallatin County
bridges 500,000
Hill County bridges 175,803
Judith Basin County
water district 330,000
Lake County solid
waste district 500,000
Lake County-Pablo
wastewater 500,000
Lewis & Clark
County bridges 170,575
Madison County
bridges 174,529
Missoula County
wastewater 499,335
Park County-Cooke
City water 500,000
Park
County-Gardiner water 500,000
Phillips County
water district 112,500
Pondera County
bridges 137,500
Richland County bridges 351,625
Sheridan County
bridges 210,775
Stillwater County
bridges 500,000
Sweet Grass County
bridges 235,954
Teton County-Power
water 500,000
Yellowstone County
water district 500,000
Yellowstone County
bridges 172,710 (tentative)
Jack Roskelley and his son, Jess (University of
Montana student), successfully climbed Mount Everest’s 29,035’ summit. The climbers endured high winds, sickness, loss
of equipment and other team members turning back. The climb began in March and was concluded at the end of
May. Jess is the youngest American to
reach the summit.
Montana's Natural Resource Information System (NRIS) offers
Internet access to extensive water information, including fisheries, water
quality and quantity and groundwater resources information (wells, water
rights). NRIS also houses the Montana
Natural Heritage Program (NHP), where scientists collect, manage, and
disseminate biodiversity information on plants, animals, and natural
communities.
The data is available in GIS format for users to map, overlay,
and analyze the information to help make land-based decisions.
NRIS also sponsors free monthly seminars
on Friday afternoons at 3:00 pm, except in November:
July
25 NRIS TopoFinder II
August
22 Thematic Mapper
September
26 (TBA)
October
24 Census Resources
November
19
2003 GIS Day
Dec.
12 Earthquake
Mapping
January
23
Grassland Birds
Each seminar will be at the Montana
State Library, 1515 East Sixth, Helena.
Registration is not required; however, attendees are encouraged to
contact Anastasia Burton at 444-5357 or
aburton@state.mt.us prior to attending, as occasionally there is a
scheduling change.
NRIS speakers are willing to visit
Montana locations with customized presentations which are often free of charge.
To access data and services, or to learn more about
upcoming seminars, visit:
The 2003 President’s Scholarships have been
presented by former MACo President Victor Miller. The annual scholarships are awarded to graduates from the
President’s home county who plan to attend a Montana college.
Winner of the $1,000 scholarship is
Brianne Vialpando-Gone, who is a recent graduate of Harlem High School. Brianne plans to attend MSU-Bozeman to study
neuro-cell biology. She hopes to become
a neurological surgeon.
Winner of the $500 scholarship is
Karlene Egbert, recent graduate of Turner High School. Karlene plans to attend MSU-Billings to
study psychology. She hopes to become a
speech pathologist.
The scholarships were presented to
the recipients during awards ceremonies at their respective schools.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
MAKE MOTEL ROOM
RESERVATIONS NOW
MACo Annual Conference will be
September 21-24 in Lewistown. Motels
have set aside only a limited number of rooms for MACo guests. However, if we make reservations early and
the motels realize we need more rooms, they will open more to accommodate
MACo. Be sure to ask for rooms set
aside for MACo.
Yogo
Inn
(conference center)
NO MORE ROOMS AVAILABLE
Mountain
View
538-3457 (Ilene)
Single $32.25
Double $42.65
Super
8
538-2581 (Annette)
State summer
rate $55 + tax
B
& B Motel
538-5496
Single $45
Double $50
Sunset
Motel
538-8741 (Candy)
Single $34.32
Double $43.68
Trails
End Motel
538-5468 (Julie)
Single $38
Double $43
Symmes/Wicks
House Bed/Breakfast
538-9068
Single $45 to $75
ERGONOMIC RISKS FROM LAPTOP COMPUTERS
Presented by Emelia McEwen
MACo Assistant Risk Manager
35,000,000
laptop computers are expected to be produced in 2003! Dependency on the laptop as a primary workstation has been
quickly established in all types of office work. Some large companies are planning complete shifts from desk-top
to laptop models. However, this convenience
of portability has lead to a range of ergonomic situations.
The Omaha, Nebraska, police
department added laptops to squad cars so officers could perform quick
background checks and other high-tech functions while on patrol. However, awkward postures (twisting from the
driver’s seat to the passenger side to access the monitor and keyboard) and
barriers to vehicle controls put the project on hold until the ergonomic risks
can be resolved.
In spite of the convenience of
mobile computing and the sheer demand for portable workstations, the basic
design has changed little in 20 years.
With the keyboard attached to the monitor, neither the neck nor the
hands can be comfortably positioned.
Invariably, the neck suffers from being angled and flexed to view the
low display. Studies show that raising
the entire unit to accommodate the neck places stress on the shoulders, arms,
wrists and hands. This is a lose-lose
design. In addition, hands can suffer
from being too large to navigate the tight keyboard or from isolated finger use
from the trackball mouse. The palm
rests in front of the keyboard tend to isolate the typing and mouse movements
to individual finger and hand muscles, rather than allowing the forearm to
float freely over the keys. Thumbs become
sore from hovering over the touch pad to avoid inadvertently moving the
cursor. Eyestrain can occur from the
monitor being too close.
Suggestions / Recommendations
1.
External Devices Attach external keyboard /
mouse; raise the screen to eye level.
2.
Docking Stations Plugging in to a docking
station or a port replicator will transform the laptop into a desktop. Using a simple cable ($13 to $20) to expand
the mouse port is an inexpensive fix for part of the problem.
3.
Weight and Protection The light
weight is subject to breaks, costly repairs and less protection. Carrying cases are more ergonomically
correct (padded shoulder straps; backpack design; etc.) but do not offer
protection for the equipment. The
average weight of a laptop and attachments, in a carrying case, is 18 to 34
pounds. According to the American
Medical Association, no more than 15% of a person’s body weight should be
carried or strapped on for transport.
4.
Monitor Height Some companies are designing
ways to elevate the monitor from the keyboard and mouse.
Laptop Tips
1.
Use external devices
Make every effort to set the laptop like a desktop, with
the monitor at eye level and the keyboard and mouse at lap level. Travel with an external keyboard or borrow
one; pack a cable splitter so the single port will accommodate both keyboard
and mouse; use books to raise the display to eye level.
2.
Find laptop-friendly workspaces
Ignore high tables and use towels and pillows for extra
support; use an armless chair for full arm freedom.
3.
Pack full sized mouse and keyboard
Laptop keyboards without number pads may have full sized
keys.
4.
Program macros and use shortcuts to decrease keystrokes
5.
Beware of getting too comfortable when working at home.
Lying on a couch and typing can cause neck and back
pain. Make the effort to be ergonomic
at home, too.
6. Carry only the essentials
Summarized from “Laptops as
primary workstations present ergo risks” by Lori Stotko; Supplement to CTD
News
(Stotko is a registered occupational therapist and
certified hand therapist who runs Mid-Peninsula Hand Rehabilitation &
Ergonomics in California. E-mail
address: lori@ergohand.com)
WESTERN
INTERSTATE REGION (WIR)
EISSINGER
ELECTED
McCone County Commissioner Connie Eissinger was
elected by unanimous ballot to serve as Second Vice President of NACo Western
Interstate Region (WIR) at the annual conference in Reno, Nevada. Eissinger was unopposed for election
and will serve through the vice presidencies, becoming WIR President in 2005.
Elected as McCone County Commissioner in 1991,
Eissinger has been particularly active on the NACo Public Lands Steering
Committee since 1994. She was awarded
WIR's highest honor, the Dale Sowers Award in 2001 in recognition for her
efforts on behalf of public lands counties.
WIR represents the
interests of public lands counties, mostly in the Western United States, and is
NACo's oldest affiliate.
Each state is guaranteed to receive
at least $5 million for meeting the requirements for training poll workers,
buying out punch-card and lever voting machines, providing voter education and
improving election administration.
Other grants will be available for
improving polling place access for disabled voters, for research and
development to improve voting technology, for pilot programs to test new voting
systems and equipment and for state protection and advocacy systems.
REQUIREMENTS
Each
state must:
Provide voters an opportunity to
check for and correct ballot errors in private and independent manner;
Have a voting system with manual
audit capacity;
Provide at least one voting machine
per precinct, accessible to the disabled;
Provide alternative language
accessibility pursuant to the Voting Rights Act;
Have a voting system whose error
rate does not exceed the rate established by the Federal Election Commission;
Define what constitutes a legal vote
for each type of voting machine;
Provide provisional ballots to
ensure no individual is turned away at the polls;
Maintain clean and accurate voter
registration lists;
Implement a uniform, centralized
computerized statewide voter registration database to ensure accurate lists;
Segregate and separately count
ballots cast after poll-closing time, as a result of a court order.
Individual
voters must:
Provide a driver’s license or the
last four digits of the Social Security number when registering to vote. If an individual does not have either
number, he or she will be assigned a unique identifier.
Provide identification when they
cast their ballots, if they registered by mail.
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