Couple to wed

Kelly Greens Kearns, MS, LMHC, NCC, and Josh Aaron Hass of Marcellus announce their engagement to be married.

Kearns, the daughter of Kathy Kearns and Pat (Debbie) Kearns of Lockport, is a licensed mental health counselor and nationally certified counselor.

She is pursuing a doctorate in counseling and counselor education at Syracuse University.

Hass, the son of Sheri and Ron Hass of Marcellus, is a project manager at Eggleton & Krenzer, Architects.

A wedding date is not set yet.

County leg supports health dept. upgrades, other projects

Nearly $1.5 million dollars is being allocated to two of Onondaga County’s most critical departments, after the legislature voted in favor of the funding at March’s session. More than half that money will go to the health department for various projects. The largest is equipment upgrades and facility renovations at the Onondaga County medical examiner’s office. Their X-ray machine, which is so old it can no longer be repaired, will be replaced with a brand-new one called a Lodox which utilizes all the latest technology. There will also be updates to autopsy room infrastructure, new digital fingerprint equipment and a new forensic file server.

“Using 2022 Medicaid surplus funding for much needed equipment and improvements is a good use of this money” says Legislator Colleen Gunnip (4th District), who chairs the legislature’s health and human services committee. “The medical examiner’s office is a vital part of our community and needs the most up-to-date technology.”

“Investments in the Medical Examiner’s office will help provide closure to families following the loss of loved ones, and provide greater dignity for deceased individuals in their care,” Legislator Cody Kelly (14th District) said. “The Lodox machine will reduce the physical demands on our employees, mitigating the risk of workplace injury.”

The health department will also use the funding to replace the county’s two pesticide sprayers. Used in the fight against mosquito-borne disease, the current sprayers are truck mounted and are 25+ years old.

“Growing up in the Town of Clay, I am well aware of the work that goes into guarding against the West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses Kelly sad. “It’s important to raise awareness around these issues so people can take steps to protect themselves, without sacrificing their quality of life.”

Funding will also be allocated towards a tick surveillance program. Through a partnership with Upstate Medical University, thousands of ticks from around the county are tested each year. Gunnip said having accurate information on the prevalence of tick-borne diseases is critical and that it “will help keep our finger on the pulse of these emerging pathogens.”

Also receiving funding is the Department of Social Services – Economic Security. They’ll use it to both help the department to purchase new computers and convert their telephone system. The new system would allow DSS to expand the number of employees able to take and transfer calls and allow supervisors to jump in on calls if necessary.

Kelly said it will allow for a more integrated approach within the department and ensure county residents are receiving the help they need.

“It will also assist in workforce development, to ensure employees are able to receive the support, feedback, and training required to improve recruitment and retention,” he said. “This will ultimately lead to better outcomes for everybody involved.”