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Specialty Lines
I'm sending some 2018 thoughts your way today, pointing out some things to consider for your 2018 calendar.
PCoRP and PComp grants
- don't lose your money! Both programs provide up to $20,000 in grants to each member, but you have to use it or lose it - they don't carry over into the next year. For PCoRP this means you need to apply for your grant monies by the end of this May. For PComp you have until the end of 2018.
PComp, PELICAN, COMCARE PRO and PCoRP Membership Meetings
- this is your chance to find out what is going on with each of the programs. Here's the schedule for 2018:
PComp - March 19, Harrisburg Hilton - 25th anniversary (see below), 6:30 p.m.
PELICAN - April 26, Penn Stater Conference Center, noon
COMCARE PRO - September 27, CCAP Office (after the
HealthChoices
meeting)
PCoRP - November 19, Hotel Hershey, 6:00 p.m.
PCoRP Prison Risk Management Workshop
- one of our most popular events, May 24 at the Hotel Hershey.
CCAP County Administration Conference
- co-sponsored by the CCAP Insurance Programs, May 29 - 31 at the Penn Stater Conference Center. Great education and networking for finance, HR, administration, IT and risk management staff.
CCAP Cyber Security Forum
- October 1 at the CCAP Office. Co-sponsored by PCoRP, this newest CCAP event has become very popular - watch for details and register early.
Risk Managers Council Meetings
- these are great networking opportunities for county risk managers and anyone who works with county safety matters. There are two sets of sessions in 2018, and the spring dates are set - April 27, CCAP Office, and June 1 in Cranberry. There will also be two sessions in the fall, in November at the CCAP Office and in Cranberry. Watch for more info!
Online Training
- and don't forget to check out our online training through LocalGovU. See the Insurance section of the
CCAP website
for more information.
Watch for the GLIMPSE catalog of training events this February for more details!
Make sure you contact us when you need help with something,
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PComp to Celebrate 25th Anniversary!
Join us at the CCAP Spring Conference, at 6:30 p.m. on Monday night, March 19, for the annual PComp Membership Meeting, which this year will include a 25th anniversary celebration! Our theme is Safety in Numbers, and we will be recognizing PComp's members.
There is no cost to attend the dinner meeting, and your spouse or guest is welcome, too. Please email
us
to let us know who from your county will be attending. A separate personal email will be sent to all commissioners, councilmembers, county executives, chief clerks, solicitors, county administrators and local insurance producers from PComp members.
The CCAP Spring Conference is being held at the Harrisburg Hilton. We are looking forward to seeing you there!
Click here to register for the PComp dinner.
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Hot Topics
Personal Emails and Right to Know
A case currently underway in Florida is a serious reminder about the use of personal email for county and other public officials. A former and current commissioner in Martin County have been indicted in a public records scandal, which has already cost taxpayers $25 million. The county lost two lawsuits related to public records requests, and at least one of the commissioners allegedly lied about her Yahoo email account being hacked, as an explanation for why emails could not be provided.
Here in Pennsylvania, there are several court cases about this issue, including Barkeyville Borough v. Stearns, where the Commonwealth Court held that "emails between council members discussing borough business that documented the borough's consideration of land development plans, a transaction or activity of the borough, constituted a record for purposes of the Right To Know Law, regardless of the fact the emails were composed on council members' personal accounts, because they were created by council members in connection with their positions as public officials."
Counties should also consider record retention issues related to use of personal emails by elected officials.
For more information, please contact
Karen Cohen
at CCAP.
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Winter Driving Tips
The weather outside is frightful, to some it may be delightful....to others, not so much! As I sit and type up this article in beautiful Wayne County the weather forecast is for snow, sleet and freezing rain. I figured it would be the perfect time to pass along some driving tips from AAA for driving in inclement weather.
- Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don't try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
- Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning - nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
- The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
- Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
- Don't stop if you can avoid it. There's a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
- Don't power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed down hill as slowly as possible.
- Don't stop going up a hill. There's nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
- Stay home. If you really don't have to go out, don't. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don't tempt fate: If you don't have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors.
I'm hoping mother nature will be kind to us this winter season, but in the event she's not always be prepared.
Kelly J Kyzer
Risk Control Specialist
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CCAP Health Alliance Members - A Message from the Delaware Valley Trust
We are very excited to announce the launch of the Delaware Valley Trusts' (DVT) new website:
www.dvtrusts.com
. Earlier in the year, the Trusts undertook a strategic marketing and communications assessment to update our business strategy, assess the competitive landscape and most importantly, better understand member needs. The results of this effort helped inform the design of the new website and user experience priorities.
The most important objective for the new site was to make it easier for you, our members, to access the information you frequently need. In addition, the website is the primary public facing resource for prospective members. So, the website is divided into a public facing section and a gated member section only accessible to our membership.
Access to the website's Member Resources is simple. Employees covered under the DVHT health plan can log onto
www.dvtrusts.com
, click "Login" and enter your email address and password to access our Member Resources. If you are new to the DVHT health plan or are an employee who had an account under the prior "
www.dvit.com
" website, please log onto
www.dvtrusts.com
, click "Register" and create a new user login account. Once your account is verified, you will receive a confirmation email to log in. Once logged in, employees can access Health Trust resources such as wellness program information and forms.
Along with a fresh website, the Trusts have developed new branding to reflect the interrelationship of the three Trusts. The new branding is designed to honor the Trusts' origins while positioning it for the future. The new logo of the Delaware Valley Trusts mimics the familiar DVMMA column logo which connotes strength, reliability and security. It also includes three colors corresponding to the three individual trust logos. Just like our business, the family of brands can each stand on their own but they join together to form the Delaware Valley Trusts family logo.
The DVT staff are very grateful to be a part of an excellent member-based organization. We pledge to always work to best serve you, those that serve the communities in which we live, work and play.
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New Invoicing System - Sage Email
Effective January 1, 2018 all CCAP Insurance Program invoices will be sent out via email instead of by mail. This email invoicing will be sent for PCoRP and PComp members for their premiums, PIMCC membership billing, PACAH Bonds, Public Official Bonds, Tax Collectors and Volunteers.
The screenshot below is how the email will appear in your inbox. Please note that the invoice email will be sent from "Sage Email" and if you receive this email, it is safe to open. Also, be sure to make sure that this email is not sent to your junk folder.
If you have any questions about this new process, please contact Sara Hazleton.
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2018 CCAP Center for Excellence in County Leadership
Strong leadership is essential to county success and future growth. The CEL Program offers county commissioners or council members, chief clerks, county administrators and solicitors in Pennsylvania's 67 counties the opportunity to be immersed in an intensive leadership curriculum which will enhance personal and professional growth. The program features curriculum including managerial versatility, interpersonal dynamics, crisis communication, media management, problem solving, decision making and more.
The two and a half-day intensive program will be held at the CCAP office in Harrisburg on June 13 - 15, 2018. We invite you to explore this exciting educational opportunity offered exclusively by the
County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP).
Participation is available to one eligible person per county per year, with a maximum of 16 participants per year. Application is required by January 15, 2018 to be considered for participation in the June 2018 session.
We invite you to be involved in this exciting program!
Please feel free to contact CCAP directly with questions.
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Watch Your Step
Watch Your Step is a campaign to raise awareness about the hazards associated with slips, trips and falls. The campaign includes quarterly posters, e-postcards and corresponding news articles in Insurance Matters on how to prevent these mishaps. We are introducing our seventh poster-Watch Your Step Reminders.
Twelve Reminders for the New Year to Prevent Slips, Trips and Falls
- Conduct regular walkthrough surveys of your premises.
- Maintain flooring surfaces at all times.
- Have spill cleanup supplies readily available.
- Clean up spills immediately.
- Schedule maintenance of floor surfaces during off-peak hours.
- Ensure that entry areas are properly maintained and any mats are secured and changed on a regular basis.
- Wear proper footwear for conditions.
- Avoid distractions- do not text and walk.
- Use handrails on stairways.
- Keep walkways and hallways free of debris.
- Replace burned-out light bulbs promptly.
- Wear proper footwear for conditions.
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New Associate Members
Cafardi Ferguson Wyrick Weis + Stotler LLC www.cfwws.com
Consulting, Law
Employees are your most important asset, as well as the most difficult and costly part of your operation. We act as trusted advisors to counties on effective personnel management and employment issues from recruitment to separation, labor negotiations, grievance and interest arbitration, employment litigation and training. We represent so many counties because we have the best, most experienced lawyers. We are The Leader in the Public Sector, and we look forward to partnering with you. Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC www.cohenmilstein.com
Law Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, is a plaintiffs class action law firm with more than 90 lawyers in diverse practice areas whose underlying mission is to protect those harmed by illegal corporate behavior. Cohen Milstein's Securities Litigation & Investor Protection practice has developed extensive expertise from its experience as counsel for investors in some of the most significant securities fraud cases over the past 40 plus years, recovering billions of dollars in assets for investors. ConstituentON Back Office
www.constituenton.com
Technology ConstituentON™ Back Office is a lead-component of ConstituentON™ Technology (COT). COT was founded in 2010. ConstituentON™ Back Office was developed specifically for elected officials, staff, governmental departments and legislative bodies. ConstituentON™ Back Office web-based solutions meet the demands of elected officials and their staff to provide their constituents the most effective and efficient response and communication software in the industry. Unlimited users and departments. Election Systems & Software www.essvote.com Elections, Technology Election Systems & Software's visionary approach to election equipment, software and solutions has helped improve the voting experience throughout North America for nearly 40 years. We are committed to developing integrated voting solutions that improve the marketplace and are flexible enough to meet multiple jurisdictions' needs and voter preferences. Provident Energy Consulting, LLC www.providentenergy.com Consulting, Energy
Provident Energy Consulting assists governmental energy consumers in identifying and implementing approaches to reduce and control energy costs, as well as to better understand the issues in the deregulated energy marketplace. A PA PUC Licensed Energy Supplier, Provident provides full consulting services toward analyzing energy needs; evaluating proposals from reputable suppliers; assisting in contract execution; and preparing annual budgets. Call us!
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Upcoming Events
Wednesday, January 24
PCoRP Retreat and Board Meeting
The Hotel Hershey, Hershey
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Quote of the Month
"Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force, but through persistence."
- Ovid
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