Randy Sorrell elected 2010 Chamber board chair
For Current in Carmel

Randy Sorrell has been elected the 42nd Board Chair of the Carmel Chamber of Commerce. Sorrell is President and founder of Surroundings by Natureworks+, a 17-year-old Carmel-based landscape and home improvement firm, and 2004 Carmel Chamber Applause winner as business of the year.  
 
Sorrell is a past president of the Carmel Rotary Club and Habitat for Humanity of Hamilton County. A member of numerous not-for-profit organizations, Randy lives in Carmel with his wife of 26 years and his two daughters. A graduate of Ball State University, he began his career in employee benefits at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. That led to Sorrell’s first entrepreneurial success – Superior Benefits – that was acquired by a national company.
 
Susan Ziel, a partner with Krieg DeVault and Carmel resident, was elected to the board. Also a registered nurse, Ziel chairs her firm’s Life Sciences Industry Group and is a Core Member of the Health Care Practice Group. Ziel also serves on the Advisory Board of the University of Michigan School of Public Health’s Center of Health, Law and Ethics and is an adjunct faculty member with the Indiana School of Nursing. She is a graduate of Madonna University School of Nursing, the University of  Michigan School of Public Health and the University of South Carolina Law School.  
 
Officers for 2010 in addition to Sorrell are Dr. Lynda Smirz, Clarian North Medical Center, Chair-elect; William Redman, First Merchants Bank, Treasurer; Gary Everling, St. Vincent Carmel Hospital, Secretary; and Jeff Salsbery, Salsbery Brothers Landscaping, Past Chair. 

Make the most of your run 
COMMENTARY
By Connie Boeglin Martin


Indiana has long been one of the worst states for obese/overweight adults and children. Whether overweight or not, we can all improve our health and self esteem. I’m not a dietician or nutritionist, but I’d like to share a few tips about my favorite form of exercise: running. 

• The only gear a runner truly needs to get started is a quality pair of running shoes. There are several running tech stores around – take advantage of their expertise.

• Start out running about one half to one mile each day (even every other day, if you need to) and increase your mileage slowly! This prevents injury by allowing your body to adjust to the cardiovascular demand and the stress placed on your joints. At least six to 10 runs at each distance before increasing it by no more than 25 percent is a good guideline to follow.

• Run at a comfortable pace. It will get easier and you’ll get faster. Don’t even time yourself at first. Just figure you’ll need about 10 to 15 minutes/run in the beginning.

• Finish each run with a brief walk – your cool-down. As you get in better shape (faster), this can take the form of a light jog for a short distance (up to one mile). This allows your heart rate to slow gradually.

• ALWAYS stretch after running – while your muscles are still warm. DO NOT stretch any more than ordinary “waking up” stretches before you run. I stretch at least one second for every minute of my run with a minimum of 30 seconds in each position. Stretching prevents injury, increases flexibility, and helps relax your muscles.

• Running shoes need to be replaced every 3-500 miles. At this point, they are breaking down to where they won’t provide the level of stability, cushioning, and general support that your feet need. You’ll be more prone to injury after this amount of wear.
  

•  While the law of the land dictates you wear a minimum of clothes while running in the hot summer months, the drop in temps necessitates layering. There are wonderfully helpful (and cool-looking) running shirts to be found in the tech stores, but even old, long-sleeved, over-sized tees make for great layering. If you get too warm during your run, these peel off one at a time (with the arms tied around your waist) easily.
  
  

• Lastly, remember why it is that you’ve decided to be a runner! Whether it’s to look better, be healthier, or to participate in races, you’ll have more confidence, discipline, and pride in your daily life, viewing yourself as tougher and more resilient. Reward yourself with a new, cool piece of running gear or the latest, flashy running shoes. I like to “run to breakfast” on Sunday mornings where I’m met by family, have a great breakfast, and am driven home! Whatever it takes to keep going, Nike knows what they’re saying…”just DO it!”

• You may not like it, but every runner should keep a running log. All you need to record is the day, distance, time, and add whatever else you feel is relevant – weather, how you felt, etc. Memory fades and this is the only reliable way to track your progress and maintain accountability for your efforts. Put it down – in black and white – and you’ll be more likely to keep to the commitment!

•  Most people don’t hydrate themselves nearly enough. That’s bad enough on its own for people who don’t exercise, but for athletes, it’s critical that they take in enough fluids. For the most part, water is adequate. For those runs that get you really perspiring, replacing lost fluids with a sports drink like Gatorade is very important! It’s an injury-preventer and flexibility-increaser.

Connie Boeglin Martin is a Carmel resident, running enthusiast, and Co-Director of Indiana All Star Running Club. You may e-mail her at Conniebme@aol.com.

Dillinger: more cuts for county likely in 2011
By Zach Dunkin
Current in Carmel

1/27/10

As if dealing with a $5 million-plus budget cut for 2010 weren’t difficult enough, Hamilton County Commissioner Steve Dillinger expressed concern today during his State of the County address for what lies ahead in 2011 and 2012.

“Our financial advisor predicts we’re going to have to cut our budget again next year to cover a shortfall of about $4.5 million,”  Dillinger said in his 22nd State of the County address during the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce's monthly luncheon at the Oak Hill Mansion in Carmel. “That could mean cutting into basic services, and that is not good.”

While already dealing with lost income due to the state-imposed property tax cap, Dillinger said the county must now face a decrease in County Optional Income Tax (COIT) revenue. The COIT was established by the House Enrolled Act 1478 in 2007 to provide an avenue of relief for property taxpayers by allowing counties another funding source for increased spending.

“It’s first collected here, then sent to the state then returned to the county after two years,” Dillinger said. “Think about what was happening two years ago. That’s when we were in the depths of our economy, which means our income for COIT, which we (the county government) rely heavily on, is going to be down the next two years.”

Dillinger said the options the county could be facing would be laying off employees, which would affect services, going to a four-day work week of 10-hour days to save facility costs or four-day work week of 8-hour days to reduce salaries, and cutting back on road paving and snow and ice removal.

“We can’t put our jails, sheriffs and highway departments on four-day weeks, and can you imagine the backlog in our courts if we went to a four-day week there?” Dillinger said. “None of these options are what we want to do. We’re just going to have to take close look at what happens the next few months here.”

Still, he noted, Hamilton County’s financial situation is not as dire as that of other counties in the state. Hamilton County has a $13.7 million surplus, down from $20 two years ago, but still better than many counties with no surplus. The national unemployment rate is 9.4 percent, the state’s is 9.3 percent and
the county’s is 6.5 percent. And, he noted, CNN Money ranked Hamilton County 11th place in the U.S. for job growth over the last eight years.

“I can sit here and cry and moan about not having any money but, trust me, there are many counties out there going, ‘What are you guys complaining about?’ We have a lot to be thankful for,” he said.