The Triadvocate

Friday Happy Hour: Naked Lawyer Edition

We lead off this week with a Team Triad PSA: if you decide to have a happy hour at home tonight, Lysol is NOT a good substitute for vodka. Now back to your regularly scheduled update.  

Members of Congress this week took a few minutes out from fighting like two cats trapped in a burlap sack and passed Round 2 of the small business bailout. This time, it is even possible that the loot actually goes to small businesses, without the media having to Shake Shack Shame large businesses into refunding the money.   

Free at last, free at… alright, grab some wood there, Bub. The Commonwealth isn’t quite open for business yet, but there is now a plan in place to kinda, maybe, sorta get some folks liberated by May 8, Gov. Tom Wolf announced this week. It all depends on how cooperative the virus is (it’s not) and where you happen to live. 

And if you were one of Pennsylvania’s urban elites who regularly made fun of rural counties (there are more deer there than people!), who’s laughing now, wise guy? Our friends in northwestern and northcentral PA are gonna be out and about way before y’all are. Karma just ran over your dogma.   

Philly City Council got kudos for having social media influencers and professional athletes (we love Dr. J) to help spread messages about staying safe during the pandemic. Sometimes the messengers are as important as the messages. 

If that piece of news sticks in your craw, we invite you to move to Georgia, which is officially open for business today. Listen, we don’t wanna scare the good people of the Peach State, but when even President Trump thinks you are out over your skis…  

Protestors descended upon state capitals across the nation this week, including our own dear Harrisburg, to loudly and clearly demand their states open immediately and damn the torpedoes. We are not sure if Governor Wolf strategically planned his reopening announcement to knock those events from the front pages, but if he did, we applaud his savvy public relations team. We call that “getting ahead of the story.” 

Oil prices officially fell below zero dollars and zero sense this week, which we can’t help but think is a sign of the apocalypse. In related news, Triad President Roy Wells this week order 70 barrels of west Texas crude, which is sitting on the roof of our empty Triad World Headquarters.   

This just in: it is still easier to buy west Texas crude in Pennsylvania than it is to get liquor.   

Pennsylvania’s unemployment numbers continue to skyrocket, with another 1.5 million residents filing this week. The state’s unemployment comp system was not designed to handle this unprecedented volume, which should be a teachable moment for some elected officials. When you are in the middle of the longest economic expansion in history, that might be a good time to invest in technology to update things like your unemployment system. Sunshine don’t last forever.    

UPMC this week dipped its toes back in the water, announcing that the feared coronavirus peak never really arrived in western PA, and they will hence resume performing elective surgeries. Hey western PA, you just might be third in line for this whole rolling reopening thing!    

The state Senate this week passed a bill to regulate the use of telemedicine in the state. Despite the fact that telemedicine has already become a way of life, some lawmakers felt the practice needed more regulation. What it does not need, apparently, is what the bill had, and that is a restriction on some abortion medications which has caused the governor to promise a veto.  

Several years ago, when the General Assembly amended the state’s gaming law to permit online slots and table games, most people didn’t really bat an eye. Fast forward to today, and online gaming is the only revenue in town for casinos and, by default, the Commonwealth. Talk about pulling an inside straight.    

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has emerged as the roadblock for direct corona-aid to state government who are hemorrhaging money. For some reason, Mitch believes that more federal money would become a Blue State Bailout (his words.) Hmm. Didn’t realize the virus knew the difference between each state’s political leaning. There might be hope for Georgia after all.  

PennLive’s venerable John Baer weighed in on the politics of COVID-19 this week, challenging the oft-repeated mantra that “we are all in this together.” Some folks certainly have that cooperative spirit and are helping their fellow man, and then there are the Covidiots, hunkered down with 500 pounds of chicken and 100 rolls of toilet paper.  

Late this week, Governor Wolf scored some pretty high marks for his handling of the pandemic in PA, with 68% of Pennsylvanians giving him positive ratings, as opposed to the 18% who think he’s way off base. Two guys named Trump and Biden would kill for those numbers in the Keystone State.  

This week’s Shameless Client Plug goes to our friends at Associated Pennsylvania Constructors, who received news that the restart for construction projects will begin a week earlier than the resumption of other kinds of work, provided contractors conform with safety requirements to assure workers are protected from the coronavirus. APC posted a short video to demonstrate exactly what that looks like. 

In our We Can’t Make This Up segment this week, we take you to (surprise!) Florida, where a local judge had to write new guidance for lawyers, urging them to put on clothes for virtual hearings and court proceedings. Apparently, some lawyers don’t realize that the little white dot on their computer is actually a camera. For the record, Triad has not yet had to issue such guidance, but hey, it is only April!  

That’s what passes for news around here as we careen towards May! Stop back next week to find out everything you didn’t know about your state government! We promise to get dressed! Until then from Team Triad, have a great weekend!  

News updates from the Commonwealth: 

Office of the Governor: Gov. Wolf: Mental Health Support is Vital and Available Amid Strain of COVID-19 Pandemic 

PA Department of Health: Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 1,599 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 38,652 

PA Liquor Control Board: Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to Expand Curbside Delivery Program on Monday 

Senator Pat Toomey: Toomey Unveils Framework to Gradually and Safely Reopen Pennsylvania’s Economy 

Relief, Reopening, and Recovery

Governor Tom Wolf announced his Plan for Pennsylvania: Relief, Reopening and Recovery, which encompasses his vision for Pennsylvania residents, employers and, specifically, our health care system and providers.

The governor outlined his reopening principles sans a timeline. His plan for businesses includes the broad contours of a policy agenda to support a post-COVID-19 economy that may be explored or include:

• Short and long-term financial support for small businesses.
• Creating a construction job tax credit for manufacturing or processing facilities.
• Exploring residential and commercial/business construction incentives.
• Exploring manufacturing tax credits for manufacturers who convert or retrofit their facilities or operations in order to produce personal protective equipment.
• Upgrading and expanding Pennsylvania’s broadband network.
• Investments in our diverse agriculture industry, robust food processing sector, farmers markets and the many industries that support a safe food supply.
• Renewing support for his PA Farm Bill and budget proposal.
• Establishing a food processing reimbursement fund for worker safety measures.
• Providing a state match for double up SNAP bucks to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat products at participating grocery stores and farmers markets.
• Eliminating the Unemployment Compensation Fund contribution for H2A employers and employees.
• Funding for nonprofit organizations and local governments with less than 500,000 residents.
• Investment and upgrades for the commonwealth’s mass transit systems, highway, and bridge infrastructure.

The Wolf administration has taken actions to help meet the short and long-term needs of individual Pennsylvanians. The governor’s proposed recovery framework includes:

• Minimum wage increase.
• Hazard pay for essential front-line workers.
• Worker protections.
• Expansion of paid sick and family leave policies.
• Improved access to childcare.
• Unemployment Compensation expansion for self-employed and gig economy workers.
• Expansion of Workers’ Compensation (WC) to essential workers at life-sustaining businesses that are at higher risk for contracting COVID-19 at work.
• Updating education support and training to reflect increased reliance on distance and remote learning.
• Student loan forgiveness and repayment programs.
• Rapid re-employment programs to support business and workers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on the fragmentations within our health systems. According to Governor Wolf, the policy agenda to support the health and recovery of Pennsylvania’s residents must include:

• Health care coverage for all Pennsylvanians that is affordable and transparent, and a system that allows for choice in coverage.
  • Ensuring the that people with pre-existing conditions, including Pennsylvanians recovered from COVID-19, can obtain full coverage without caps on coverage.
  • Making sure that patients who seek out in-network care are not surprised with a bill for treatment by an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility.
  • Requiring transparency in short-term limited duration insurance products and protecting consumers who need to fill an unexpected gap in coverage.
• Cutting bureaucratic red tape and making it easier for new Pennsylvanians, including military spouses, with an out-of-state occupational license to work.
• Amending reciprocal licensure requirements for out-of-state practitioners.
• Telehealth legislation and additional policies.
• Housing options to safely discharge homeless patients.
• Prioritizing home and community-based services to reduce institutional placements for children, individuals with disabilities and seniors.
• Increased role for community-based organizations in health and wellness activities and health care delivery.

With a little help from our friends

by Roy Wells

 

I have been privileged over the past decade to meet many thought leaders in the business community.  As a member of Vistage International, I have been exposed to dozens of Central Pennsylvania CEO’s who all share a desire to become better leaders in order to achieve success for their customers, clients, employees, families and themselves. Through the leadership of John Dame, our CEO groups have been exposed to nationally- and internationally-renowned speakers on topics that span the spectrum from self-improvement, marketing, sales, coaching, mentoring and leadership. In an effort to keep us connected and sharing resources through the pandemic, John and his son Ed, have created an online resource to help anyone who is looking for guidance on dealing with COVID-19.

John and Ed are not the only ones though. Many thought leaders that I have encountered during my professional journey have also offered their insights, assets, networks, and guidance that can assist all of us navigate through this tumultuous period in our lives.

One of those individuals, Dean Minuto, has been a major influence on how Triad has evolved over the past 10 months. He has helped position us to increase our value proposition with our clients, but over the past month, bring the full value of our services to every client and friend that needs them.

Dean, a Vistage International Speaker of the Year, assisted the firm in understanding the science of the brain.  Of course, you are now asking yourself why are a bunch of public affairs professionals studying the brain?  Dean’s work revolves around three words: BE, BY and Because (“who we want to BE - our Values - BY exhibiting these actions (Behaviors), and the reasons why they work from science and will optimize our customer experience (the Because). He helped us to understand how the limbic brain, whose primary role is to keep us alive, takes over when we are in danger. It is the part of our brain that puts us in fight or flight mode. His recent free webinar with Dr. Bill Crawford, offered some great techniques on relieving stress and regaining control, so you can move from being in a defensive posture to an offensive one. After all, the best defense is a strong offense.

Dean has also contributed to Triad by introducing us to the work of David Friedman, CEO of High Performing Culture.  We always believed that our corporate culture was part of our competitive advantage. It came full circle when I was discussing David’s book “Culture by Design,” with John Dame during one of our coaching sessions, and John offered to introduce me to David, because he is also a sought-after Vistage Speaker. 

We started working with David, in November of 2019, and in January we rolled out the “Triad Way” and have started the lifelong process of institutionalizing and ritualizing our culture. I truly believe that it is Triad’s culture which has provided the foundation for how our team has elevated our partnership with our clients and continue to help them navigate their way to the other side of this crisis.

Another value of Vistage is that it offers members webinars, and over the past month has kicked into high gear providing as much insight as possible to help its members navigate through this crisis. One of those webinars was led by Patrick Lencioni, founder of The Table Group, and a world-renowned author, speaker and thought leader on teams and organizational behavior. Though this webinar is behind a firewall, Patrick is offering great content for everyone on his website. He has validated that Triad’s internal emphasis on embracing and ritualizing our corporate culture, has been the major contributor to our becoming a “healthy organization”. Organizational health is what has allowed us to not miss a beat in serving our client’s needs during this time

Triad Strategies would not have evolved into the company it is today if we had not been exposed to many of these thought leaders. Because these relationships have had such an impact on us, we wanted to share them with you as a way of thanking them for what they have offered us, and more importantly share what you can gain from the services they have been offering during this crisis.

I can’t emphasize enough, that Triad Strategies is here for our clients, but our friends and acquaintances as well. If you have any questions, or need to be pointed in a particular direction, don’t hesitate to send us an email, give us a call, or let’s set up a video chat.We are all in this together, and we want to help you emerge from this as a stronger organization.

Friday Happy Hour: Buenos Dias Mi Perro Edition

Welcome back, good friends, to the show that never ends! Well, we did take a few weeks off to adjust to our new work settings and an entirely different way of life, but we are back to remind you that no matter how grim the news of the day might be, if we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane. Yes, we somehow worked Emerson, Lake and Palmer AND Jimmy Buffett into the same paragraph. Like we never left…

We will lead off with some COVID-19-related news because is there any other type of news? Infectious disease experts at the University of Washington on Tuesday updated their state-by-state projections, and if those party animals are to be believed, Pennsylvania is five days away from peak infection rates, thanks largely to the aggressive social distancing and quarantine measures taken by the Wolf administration. 

In case you were not aware, your General Assembly has continued to conduct business during these trying times the way most of us have: staring into a computer screen, unshaven, with the same sweatshirt on for three straight days. On Monday, however, three new faces came to town, donned their masks, put their hands on the Bible and joined the Lower Chamber gang. Congrats to newly minted State Reps. K.C. Tomlinson (name rings a bell), Eric Devanzo and Tim Bonner. You all picked a helluva time to run for this job. 

The House and Senate began pandemic proceedings with some nice, bipartisan rhetoric and pledges to work together and yada yadda yadda.  It was gonna be a new day, folks! Bipartisanship! Accord! Puppies and kittens for everyone and rainbow ice cream in the rotunda!

And then BLAM! The wheels came off the nice train Tuesday when the House decided to move forward on a bill that would curtail Governor Wolf’s powers, mainly the ones he used to shut down businesses in the state. Democrats howled in protest as the GOP sped forward, which essentially means things have returned to normal. Bipartisanship has a slightly shorter shelf life than a roll of toilet paper around these parts. 

But hey, we got good news from those crazy kids over at the Fish and Boat Commission! Trout season has opened two weeks earlier than anticipated! It is always good to have an outlet for outdoor activity during a pandemic, when the alternative is to sit around your house for weeks on end, doing dumb things like seeing if your head fits in the microwave, playing deck hockey in your living room or trying to teach your dog Spanish. Not that we have tried any of those things. 

We ran across an enlightening piece from our friends at Penn Capital Star this week that put a spotlight on the politics of COVID-19 responses. In a nutshell, if you have a public policy issue to push forward, a pandemic can be the jumping-off point you’ve been waiting for. Never let a good crisis go to waste, people. 

As we all struggle through the deluge of information flying at us on social media, take a moment to follow us on Twitter @TriadStrategies. Our Public Affairs team, which we would humbly submit is the best in the business, is a veritable one-stop shop of information about both public and private responses and resources to help us all get back to semi-normalcy, if there is such a thing. And don’t forget the Triadvocate, this week featuring musings of our friend Dave Sanko of the PA State Association of Township Supervisors, as well as our own Roy Wells and Asa Saidman.

And while we’re plugging Triad collaborations, we’d like to mention that we’re joining Marsy's Law for Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence to bring you a free webinar for employers on the dangers of Domestic Violence during COVID-19, at noon on Tuesday of next week. Michelle Cooper, health education specialist at PCADV, will provide tips and resources to keep your colleagues and employees safe. To register, click on this link.

This just in: Wisconsin is run by a bunch of crazy people. Despite the current pandemic, the cheeseheads running that show decided to plow forward with in-person voting this week as the presidential primary slogged on. Great job, Wisconsin. Instead of getting the “I voted!” stickers, Wisconsin residents got coupons for 30% off ventilator care.    

While the novel coronavirus keeps kicking the economy into submission, there was a bright spot on Wednesday as Philly Shipyard announced a deal with TOTE Services to build two new ships, with an option for three more. The deal will help preserve 1,200 jobs. A special shout-out goes to Philly Shipyard board member and Triad Strategies partner Mike Acker for bringing this one home. 

Even in the End Times, hackers are gonna hack, we learned this week. If you haven’t yet heard the phrase “Zoom bombing” you should familiarize yourself with it lest you come face-to-face with something nobody should be seeing during a county commissioner’ meeting. A better idea might be to just bag Zoom altogether and switch to Webex. Reader note: the preceding sentence was not even a subtle Shameless Client Plug for Cisco Systems. It was right there, in your face, no apologies. No time for nuance during pandemics.  

Sixteen years after declaring himself a candidate for president, Bernie Sanders finally extinguished “the Bern” yesterday and ended his quest. His impact on U.S. politics, however, will linger on for years, as he fundamentally changed the dialogue around a host of issues. The Democrats have officially pinned their hopes on Joe Biden, who will now spend the next seven months getting trashed on Twitter.   

According to the state’s Independent Fiscal Office, June of 2019 may very well be remembered as the so-called “salad days” of state budgeting.  The budget was (kinda) balanced, no tax increases loomed, the Rainy Day Fund had some cash in it and everyone decamped for the summer with a grin. That will not be the case this year, as the pandemic has already blown a hole the size of Vermont in the state exchequer. By the time you read this sentence, we could be just shy of $4 billion in the red. So yeah, Happy Easter everyone!   

The good news is that gasoline may drop to below $1 per gallon before this is all over with, as supply is now far outpacing demand. Biweekly trips to the grocery store and pharmacy are not exactly straining the nation’s petroleum supply. All gassed up and nowhere to go. Reminds us of our senior prom, but that’s whole different story. DM us if you wanna hear it, but definitely DO NOT set up a Zoom meeting.

In this week’s We Can’t Make This Up, the possibilities were literally endless. But we finally settled on this story out of Texas. While Americans have been inundated with terrible imagery for the past few months, nobody would bat an eye (normally) if a tractor trailer full of toilet paper flipped over and caught fire on a Texas highway. But thanks to all the chowderheads out there hoarding TP, the vision of that fluffy stuff burning all over the roadway became an unspeakable tragedy. Folks, don't be chowderheads. No hoarding.

That’s what passes for news around here as Team Triad moves forward without skipping a beat! We promise we won’t leave you again! From all of us, have a great weekend and stay safe!

Through Resilience (and Video Conferencing) Passover is Still a Celebration

By Asa Saidman

The Passover Seder, no matter the year, is based around one central question: “mah nishtanah” which roughly translates to “what makes tonight different than any other night”. This year, Passover 2020, or Pesach 5780, according to the Jewish calendar, is simply unlike any Passover us as American Jews have ever experienced.

Usually on Passover, Jewish families throughout the country welcome their extended family and friends into their homes, they sit around the table as the leader of the Seder tells the story of Passover while the aroma of matzah ball chicken soup, brisket and all the other Passover delicacies waft through the air. Kids run around the Seder table, laughing as they search for the “Afikoman”, a half piece of matzah that is hidden and when it is found it signals the start of desert. The Passover Seder is a celebration, a moment to reflect on what we, as Jews, have overcome throughout our long history.

This year it is different. Yes, the aroma of my mom’s brisket and chicken soup can be smelled throughout the house, but the laughter, the celebration, the constant ringing of our doorbell to let another guest into our house is lacking.

Throughout history, Jews have always had to prove their resiliency. The affect that COVID-19 has had on our celebration of Passover, was just another way for us to prove that we are resilient to anything.

Enter, video conferencing…

Though the faces may have been pixelated and the voices were buffering, the celebration of Passover via video conferencing brought a sense of peace, happiness and hope that has not been felt in weeks. Our “Virtual Passover Seder” allowed my family to connect coast-to-coast and gave my grandparents, who are in their early 90’s, the opportunity to celebrate with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

Even though we could not pass the food from screen-to-screen, we were still able to pass stories, songs, smiles, laughter and a memory that we will always cherish.

The Passover Seder ends with the phrase “Next year in Jerusalem”. No, that does not mean that we will literally be celebrating Passover in Jerusalem, but what it is referring to is a sense of freedom, an opportunity that we can celebrate anywhere throughout the world. This has a direct correlation to the affect COVID-19 has had on everyone. So, whether you are Jewish or not, let’s all make a goal to celebrate “next year in Jerusalem”.

I wish you all a happy and healthy Passover, “Chag Pesach sameach”.

Stress and Listening and Learning

By Roy Wells 

Team Triad has been focused on mental health issues in our communities as we assist Magellan Health meet the behavioral health care needs of Pennsylvania Medicaid recipients. Also by working to protect victims’ rights as a result of our representation of Marsy’s Law, we are keenly focused on increased incidences of domestic violence that will, in part, be driven by increasing stress levels.

My friends at the Arbinger Institute have been an important aspect of my lifelong learning journey. They have stepped up during this period of economic upheaval with a series of webinars to assist everyone navigating through these uncertain times. Whether you are the CEO of a fortune 500 company or a student who is home trying to maintain their studies, you are certainly under tremendous stress. The dramatic changes in our daily lives and the accompanying anxiety are consequently affecting us all.

A recent webinar, led by Desmond Lomax, CHMC, has lessons for all of us who are sheltering in place across the country. As the leader of a team of individuals dispersed across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, it is extremely important to understand how my colleagues are managing their stress, but as important, how I am managing my own. Like many of you, I am navigating my company through a period of uncertainty. Like many of you, I am stressed about meeting payroll, making sure my family, friends and colleagues are safe and healthy, maintaining the appropriate social distancing on the sidewalk, or in a pharmacy and grocery store. All of this stress may not be evident on the surface, but it is certainly below the surface and should be addressed. Left unattended, the consequences could be significant.

Lomax addresses healthy parasympathetic activities, like walking outside, getting moderate sun exposure, deep breathing, low-key music, laughing, meditation, and yoga as ways to remove stress. If we engage in these activities for as little as five minutes a day, we can significantly reduce our stress levels. Whether you are the leader of a family, team, or company, Lomax argues that you must address your own stress, before you can assist others in reducing theirs.

As leaders, once we address the stress we are experiencing, we can assist in addressing the stress of our team members. The most important aspect of helping others, is by having a relationship with them. When you truly understand what their needs, wants, objectives, and desires are, when you truly see them as people, and not just objects helping you meet your needs, wants, and desires, you will be best positioned to reach out to them and engage. If you have built a relationship with your colleagues and employees, a level of trust will exist. You will be more successful reaching out and assisting if you have established that bond.

As leaders, we should be checking in with our team members. We should first ask them the question of how they are doing. We need to take the time to listen and learn what is going on. By listening and learning, you are creating an authentic connection with them. Lomax emphasized that isolation from the team, or simply isolation in our homes, will lead to burnout. We need to make our people feel connected to us, and to each other. If you are grateful for the team of people you lead, now is the time to show your gratitude.

Assume that everyone around you is stressed. Take the time to establish or re-establish your connections. Take the time to build and strengthen your relationships. Take the time to show your team how much you care and show them gratitude for the work they are performing in what may be the most stressful time in their lives. And please do me one favor, do your part to keep yourself, and everyone around you safe and healthy. We are all in this together.

So Many to Thank…Don’t Forget Local Government

By David M. Sanko, Executive Director

Pa. State Association of Township Supervisors

Pennsylvania Local Government Week is April 6-10, and we can think of no better time to recognize our townships, which are on the front lines of making sure life goes on as smoothly and safely as possible in their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the COVID-19 emergency continues throughout the nation and the commonwealth, township officials are the “boots on the ground” in helping their residents stay safe during this crisis.

Townships have a public safety responsibility to govern their communities, ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their residents, and continue providing essential services, such as police, fire, emergency medical services, passable roads, water, sewer, and trash collection. Local governments remain functional and “on the job” to ensure that critical services continue to be provided to residents. Our member townships have stepped up to the plate during this challenging time to maintain the level of services their residents have come to expect.

Townships are the level of government closest to the people, and for this reason, are best positioned to adapt solutions customized for each community during the pandemic. While the federal and state governments have their roles to play, the local level is the foundation of support for these two higher levels.

Township officials know their community best. Their neighbors trust them to have their best interests at heart because they are part of the same community. All of this works because of township supervisors’ commitment to serving their community and their common-sense approach to solving problems.

To help our members with their COVID-19 response and operations, PSATS has been sharing information every day with them, including guidance from the commonwealth to assist in the enforcement of the orders that Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Rachel Levine have issued requiring all non-life-sustaining businesses to close and for all residents to “stay in” to prevent the spread of this virus.

The governor’s declaration defines that municipalities retain the authority to make decisions as to which of their operations are essential or non-essential. As directed, municipal decisions need to “appropriately balance public safety while ensuring the continued delivery of critical infrastructure services and functions.”

To help its member townships with the many decisions they are facing in terms of public service, PSATS has been holding weekly web-based “town halls” on the COVID-19 pandemic. Close to 1,000 township officials from across the state have participated to seek guidance and answers to a whole host of COVID-19-related township issues.

Townships have been looking to PSATS, their member service association, to keep them informed during the pandemic and offer advice on how to conduct public meetings, keep their employees and residents safe, protect their first responders, plan for an outbreak in their community, and find reliable information on COVID-19. They want to do things right, and they care about how to best serve their constituents.

Townships in the commonwealth have provided critical services to their residents for four centuries and will continue to do so in the face of this pandemic without fail. Residents can count on their local governments as a source of information, calm, and continuity. As local leaders, township supervisors can reassure their residents that basic public services will continue.

As we celebrate Local Government Week, keep this in mind: Township government isn’t just another layer of government; it’s the critical layer, the foundation. It’s the one that represents you and your family, lives within its budget, and provides the services you have paid your taxes for, even in the face of a pandemic. So as we thank our health care workers, first responders, truck drivers, and grocery store clerks, don’t forget to share your thanks with your local township officials, who keep roads open and water flowing and help maintain quality of life and general community safety. They will appreciate a kind word, especially in times like these.

###

The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors represents Pennsylvania’s 1,454 townships of the second class and is committed to preserving and strengthening township government and securing greater visibility and involvement for townships in the state and federal political arenas. Townships of the second class cover 95 percent of Pennsylvania’s land mass and represent more residents — 5.5 million — than any other type of political subdivision in the commonwealth.

Work from Home Tips from Team Triad

From conference rooms to make-shift offices in dining rooms and kitchens, Triad Strategies HQ looks a little different these days.  In this unprecedented time, everyone is wearing multiple hats which can include: employee, manager, parent, spouse, caretaker, pet owner, and teacher. A successful day could include making it through a WebEx meeting without a toddler breaking something in the background. 

Although our in-person meetings and happy hours have turned virtual, we are learning and developing routines to help us stay productive. As this is our third week adjusting to our new normal, we thought it could be beneficial to share what’s working for us. So here are some tips from our team on how to create a successful work from home routine, stay sane while working with a spouse and children in the house, and how to continue to exceed client expectations in a new environment.  

Getting Creative 

“Being an extrovert by nature, I have been trying to touch base with clients in different ways--texting, emailing, even handwriting notes and mailing them.” 

-Jan Webb, Executive Assistant 

 

“I learned that iPhone Notes app can scan document pages and create a single PDF.” 

-Doug Rohanna, VP of Public Affairs 

  

Develop a WFH Routine 

“I have set up a permanent workstation in my dining room and have tried to establish a routine. I have been taking breaks throughout the day and am treating it like a normal workday. It’s important to set some boundaries otherwise you will just sit in front of the computer all day long.” 

-Megan Dapp, Senior Associate 

 

“Designate a workstation: Whether it's a home office or a dining room table, choose a space. Not only will this help you stay organized, but it will also minimize distractions. Also, have a solid morning routine: Just because you are working from home, doesn't mean you should work in your pajamas, tempting as it may be. Keep your morning routine as close to normal as possible. It will set the stage for the rest of the day. “ 

-Jen Riley, Senior Associate  

 

Stay Caffeinated: 

“Limit your caffeine intake to 30 cups of coffee a day” 

-Mike Manzo, VP of Government Relations 

 

“Cold Brew Iced Tea. I didn’t realize there was such a thing, but they were the only tea bags left on the shelf. They are great and it’s been two weeks without a diet coke. Pro Tip: Go to the bathroom between the 2nd and 3rd video conference meeting.” 

-Doug Rohanna, VP of Public Affairs  

 

Surviving the workday with a spouse, kids, and/or dog: 

“Headphones are your friend: Kids running around? Spouse or partner interrupting? The solution: headphones. They are better for sound during web meetings and you can play some music to drown out the rest of the house. “ 

-Jen Riley, Senior Associate 

 

"Invite your dog to the Team call, it will brighten the mood and distract from your bedhead." 

-Olivia Rindfuss Edwards, Associate 

 

“My husband has set up his office in the dining room and I have set up mine in our upstairs spare bedroom. This distance during the workday helps me not get annoyed when he takes every conference call on speaker phone…” 

-Daena Ortenzio, Associate 

 

WFH Dress Code 

“Can we just all agree now, ties should remain in quarantine” 

-Doug Rohanna, VP of Public Affairs 

 

“#Hoodieoftheday make it part of your life. Find a new hoodie every day to wear on conference calls to create a solid routine.” 

-Mike Manzo, VP of Government Relations  

 

“Getting to wear Pitt Baseball gear to the office, oh wait I do that to Pittsburgh Office when I don’t have meetings” 

-Brendan Schubert, Senior Associate  

 

Managing Stress  

"I start and end each day with an outdoor walk and encouraging read. It's important to stretch your legs and your mind, especially when tempted to fixate on the crisis. Renew and rejuvenate yourself as often as possible, you owe it to yourself as much as your loved ones and clients.” 

-Olivia Edwards Rindfuss, Associate 

 

“I have been riding the peloton a few days a week to manage stress. I even coordinate with my friends who have a bike so that we can take some classes “together”. It’s nice to feel connected and to move my body during this time”.  

-Daena Ortenzio, Associate  

 

“I have scheduled snapchat video movement breaks with friends. Five times a day we take 2-3 minutes to do some quick exercises. It has kept me moving but also brightens my day to see those friendly faces.” 

-Megan Dapp, Senior Associate  

 

“For every 10 hours of Schitt’s Creek we watch, we watch 10 minutes of the news. Work/life balance” 

-Mike Manzo, VP of Government Relations 

 

“I am coping with the stress by watching Tiger King (which, yes I originally thought was about Tiger Woods and was informed otherwise by my girlfriend), riding my bike, putting my phone in another room after the “work day is over”, and secretly enjoying not having the pressure to see everyone... (totally kidding about the last one!). “ 

-Brendan Schubert, Senior Associate  

 

We hope these tips can help make your workday more fun and less stressful! From your friends at Team Triad.