National Association of Counties * Washington, DC / Vol. 30, No. 8 * April 27, 1998

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Public Employees Roundtable has chosen seven government programs for national recognition in the 1998 Public Service Excellence Awards competition.

The awards, sponsored by Public Employees Roundtable, pay tribute each year to the highest standards of excellence and innovation in federal, state and local government.

Programs may be nominated either for a one-time achievement or sustained achievement over the past several years.

This year's winning programs were chosen from among more than 200 nominations received from around the world. By recognizing groups rather than individuals, the awards demonstrate the importance of teamwork in public service.

The 1998 National Award Winners are:

State - New York State Department of Civil Service

County - Orange County (Fla.) Health and Community Services Division Targeted Communities Initiative Program

City - City of Richmond (Va.) Fire Department Intergovernmental; Los Angeles County (Calif.) Consolidated Criminal History Reporting System

Federal - New York/New Jersey Veterans Integrated Service Network Consortium on Homeless Veterans

International - Immigrant Visa Unit, U.S. Embassy Moscow Community Service; Third Combat Communications Group Tinker Air Force Base (Okla.)

The winners will be honored May 4 at the Breakfast of Champions at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill. The breakfast is the annual opening event of Public Service Recognition Week, May 4­10, which pays tribute to public employees and to the contributions they make to the quality of life in our nation.

Activities commemorating Public Service Recognition Week are planned in nearly 1,400 cities throughout the United States. Public Employees Roundtable (PER) is a non-profit, non-partisan coalition of 38 management and professional associations representing more than one million public employees and retirees. PER's mission is to educate the public about ways public employees contribute to the quality of life in America, to enhance excellence and esprit de corps in the public sector, and to encourage interest in public service careers.

In addition to the seven national winners, four programs will receive certificates of Special Recognition for their accomplishments: the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department; the City of Goodyear (Ariz.) Fire Department Urban Survival Program; the Orange County (Fla.) Juvenile Assessment Center and the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund. The Special Recognition winners will be honored at separate occasions during Public Service Recognition Week.

The awards, sponsored by Public Employees Roundtable and co-sponsored by the International City/County Management Association, National Governors' Association, National League of Cities, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and Federal Executive Boards,

For more information contact, Gretchen Hakola 202/401-4344; fax: 202/401-4433.