Applications for NACo's 1997 Achievement Award Program are now available. The Achievement Award Program is a noncompetitive program, which recognizes innovative county government programs. Since its inception in 1970, the Achievement Award Program has honored thousands of county government initiatives that have improved service delivery, achieved greater cost efficiency, provided finer customer service, and helped to develop a better trained work force.
In 1996, 181 counties from 36 states and four state associations were recognized by NACo for developing and implementing responsible, responsive and effective county government programs.
The winning programs constitute a vast source of information, which provide counties with the ability to share their positive and effective programs with other counties nationwide.
County governments, as well as state associations of counties, may submit entries for consideration in any of the following categories: arts and historic preservation, children and youth, civic education and public information, community and economic development.
Also, county administration and management, court administration and management, criminal justice and public safety, emergency management and response, employment and training, environmental protection and energy.
In addition, fiscal management; health; human services; information technology; libraries; parks and recreation; personnel management, employee training and employee benefits; planning; risk management; transportation; and volunteers.
The deadline for submission of applications is Feb. 3, 1997.
(To obtain a 1997 application, please call the Achievement Award Hotline at 202/942-4280 or fax your request to the Research Division at 202/737-0480.)
County holiday recycling efforts
Since the holiday season is just around the corner, the Research Division thought it would be a great time to highlight past Achievement Award winners' holiday recycling efforts.
San Bernardino County, Calif.
Since 1990, San Bernardino County, Calif. has had an annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program. In 1994 and 1995, the solid waste management department targeted county employees as its major audience for increasing participation in this program.
Using existing mailing and payroll systems, staff developed a Christmas tree ornament that was included in all county employees' preholiday pay statements. This ornament reminded them to recycle their holiday trees and provided a toll-free number for local program information. By targeting county employees, the program reached 14,000 residents in a 20,000-square-mile area.
Douglas County, Nev.
In 1993, the Douglas County, Nev. Parks and Recreation Department developed this annual recycling program. The program reduces the amount of "green waste" going to the county landfills by converting Christmas trees into usable mulch chips. In the program's second year of operation, private businesses donated equipment and services, which reduced the program's cost to the county. Since 1993, more than 11,600 trees have been recycled into usable mulch.
Dade County, Fla.
In 1994, the Dade County, Fla. Department of Solid Waste Management, in partnership with the county's public school system and a private environmental group, collected thousands of greeting cards after the December holidays.
Greeting card drop-off stations were located in schools, government offices, private corporations and human services agencies. The old greeting cards were recycled into 50,000 new greeting cards. The recycled cards were then distributed to children from low-income families.
(For more information on these county holiday recycling efforts, please contact Peggy Beardslee at 202/942-4279.)
(NACo Research News was written by Peggy Beardslee, research
assistant.)