 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
County creativity at its best NCACC awards nine counties for outstanding programs that solve problems through innovation This year's class of winning programs in the NCACC's annual Outstanding County Program Awards competition present innovative solutions to problems dealing with teen motor vehicle fatalities, fire and rescue service delivery, employee morale, pet overpopulation, and the importance of flu vaccinations, among others. Throughout April – National County Government Month – NCACC staff presented awards during winning counties' Board of Commissioners meetings. Established in 1991, the NCACC's Outstanding County Program Awards recognize innovative county programs that other counties might want to emulate. Programs involve a uniquely innovative process, solution or idea to address a county or multi-jurisdictional issue and/or to prevent a future problem from developing. Three winners were picked in each of three categories: General Government, Human Services and Public Information/Participation. To learn more about the awards program or view synopses of winning programs since 1991, visit www.ncacc.org/awards/ocpa/about.html.
Computers 4 Kids In an effort to help children who were struggling in school, Durham County Manager Mike Ruffin and Commissioner Joe Bowser devised a program to place surplus county-owned computers in the homes of under-served and academically underperforming schoolchildren.
"Computers 4 Kids" involves a partnership with Durham Public Schools, United Way of the Greater Triangle and the Volunteer Center of Durham, and is housed in the Department of Social Services. The county's Information Technology Department created an Internet-based system to manage the application process and the wait list for the computers, and the Volunteer Center handles the application process. United Way is responsible for refurbishing the computers to transition them from government employee use to student use. Durham Public Schools makes student referrals, and DSS distributes the computers to the students. Since its inception, Computers 4 Kids has distributed nearly 200 computers to students. Not only is the program enhancing the educational life of local students, it is also "green" in the sense that it embraces sustainability through the reuse of old hardware. Computers 4 Kids is a great program that begins to bridge the digital divide and expands the educational opportunities of students. The program is a success because there are clear expectations about which organizations are responsible for specific parts of the process. For more information, contact Assistant to the County Manager Michael Davis at mdavis@durhamcountync.gov or (919) 560-0062. Community Health and Mobility Partnership (CHAMP)
The purpose of the Community Health and Mobility Partnership (CHAMP) program is to improve balance and mobility among McDowell County's senior citizens and to reduce the number of falls and fall-related injuries. Initiated as a partnership between the UNC School of Medicine, the Baxter International Foundation, McDowell County and the McDowell Hospital, CHAMP received funding in August 2009 and began holding screening events in October of that year. At the screening events, healthcare personnel review each participant's risk factors for falls and provide individualized recommendations for home exercises. Thirty-four screening events were held from October 2009 through December 2010. A total of 114 individuals participated in the screenings, and 80 (70 percent) were found to be at risk for falls. The total number of falls reported by CHAMP participants in the year prior to screening was 58. The total number of reported falls for participants through the end of 2010 was 29 – a 50 percent decrease. Start-up funding for the CHAMP project included funds for purchase of equipment and support for project leaders, including UNC School of Medicine Dr. Vicki Mercer, who directs the project. CHAMP is expected to produce long-term cost savings in McDowell County through a reduction in the number of EMS calls for falls. Because injurious falls are very costly – with healthcare costs for each fall estimated at $6,700 – even a small reduction in the number of injurious falls can lead to substantial savings. For more information, contact County Manager Chuck Abernathy at charlesa@mcdowellgov.com or (828) 652-7121. Community Spay/Neuter Program
In 2007, the Orange County Board of Commissioners increased the licensing fee for cats and dogs from $10 to $30 and committed the $20 difference to a Community Spay and Neuter Fund. The creation of this fund led to the development of the county's Community Spay/Neuter Program. The program is a three-way partnership between Orange County's Animal Services Department, the Department of Social Services (DSS) and AnimalKind, a Triangle-based nonprofit organization dedicated to targeted pet sterilization services for low-income residents. This partnership brings together pets, their owners and veterinarians, and offers low- or no-cost spay and neuter services to qualifying residents. The program is based on AnimalKind's "The $20 Fix" program, which offers qualifying citizens the opportunity to have their cats and dogs spayed or neutered for a co-pay of $20. Citizens qualify based upon AnimalKind's income requirements and apply through AnimalKind for a voucher that can be used at a number of area veterinarians. Orange County's program is unique in that its DSS clints are eligible for no-cost sterilization services for their pets. The intent of the program is to support and promote targeted sterilization in order to reduce the number of animals that must be sheltered, to control and manage the cost of animal services, and to reduce the use of euthanasia as a means of population control. During the past calendar year, 383 cats and dogs were either spayed or neutered, representing a 70 percent increase from the prior year. Of this, DSS clients accounted for 249 of the spays and neuters provided. For more information, contact Director of Animal Services Bob Marotto at bmarotto@co.orange.nc.us or (919) 968-2287. Cabarrus 4-H Citizenship Focus
In an effort to educate young people about local government, Cabarrus County 4-H partnered with Cabarrus County Schools and Cabarrus County Government to implement Cabarrus 4-H Citizenship Focus. The goal of the program is to enhance what students are learning in the classroom by providing "real life" application to the civics course standards offered in 10th grade. The program consists of three sections during student visits to the Cabarrus County Governmental Center: a budget simulation activity with the county finance officer; a panel discussion with elected officials; and interviews with various county employees. By participating in the Cabarrus 4-H Citizenship Focus, students gain an awareness of careers in local government as well as the importance of their participation in their local government. As a result of participating in this program, students reported that they have a better understanding of and interest in local government, and will encourage adults they know to vote in local elections. Cabarrus 4-H Citizenship Focus is a unique opportunity for students to interact with elected officials and county employees and enjoys great collaboration between the schools, cooperative extension, municipalities and county government. For more information, contact Heather Jones, Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development, at (704) 920-3310 or hrjones@cabarruscounty.us.
Arm Yourself Against the Flu The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends flu vaccinations for everyone older than six months. While most people who get the flu will recover, some people will develop life-threatening complications that may result in death. In an effort to inform its citizens about the importance of flu vaccination and encourage citizens to get vaccinated, Catawba County designed a public service campaign that featured local citizens proudly displaying a "flu shot Band-Aid" on their arms. The campaign, which was built around an "Arm Yourself Against the Flu" message, was funded via a $50,000 H1N1/PHER grant. Citizens featured in the campaign were selected to include representation of those at risk for severe flu complications – people 65 and older, people with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women and young children. The campaign also reflected the diversity of the Catawba County community by featuring citizens of different racial backgrounds. The campaign ran from July 2010 through March 2011 to cover flu season and utilized multiple outlets: television and radio commercials; print advertisements in area newspapers and magazines; billboards throughout the county; posters and flyers highlighting facts about the vaccine and dates and locations of clinics distributed to area businesses; social media sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter; and even announcements during movie previews at a local theater. For more information, contact Community Outreach Manager Amy McCauley at amccauley@catawbacountync.gov or (828) 695-5818.
Teens in the Driver's Seat For the five-year period of 2006-10, Johnston County saw 32 teenage drivers killed in motor vehicle fatalities, ranking second in the state and second only to Wake County, which has more than five times the population of Johnston. With the help of a $20,000 grant from the Governor's Highway Safety Program, the county created the Teens in the Driver's Seat program. This unique project is a peer-to-peer safety program for young drivers. Teenagers are involved directly in developing and delivering driving safety messages at all 10 county high schools. The goal is to raise awareness of the top driving dangers for teens and prevent crashes involving young drivers. The program empowers teens to spread the word about deadly driving risks to their friends and encourages them to make smart choices as a driver or as a passenger. Resources available to students include cone driving courses, VIP programs, and promotional activities at sporting events, proms and other school functions. The county is also utilizing a website (JoCoteendrivers.com), Facebook, DVDs and a public service announcement for information and blogging. With studies showing that teens will respond to their peers, the program depends on student leadership. The press conference announcing the program was led by high school students and generated a lot of buzz in the community. For more information, contact Human Resources Generalist Robin Gurgainus at robin.gurgainus@johnstonnc.com or (919) 938-4701. Employee Morale Pals The faltering economy and downturn in county revenues has forced Person County – along with many others – to turn to employee furloughs, layoffs and benefits reductions to balance the county budget. With employees shouldering the brunt of county budget cuts, county leaders saw the need for a pick-me-up for staff.
The county established a committee to implement creative programming to support and boost employee morale. The committee is comprised of a diverse group of employees from all authority levels and nearly all departments. These employees have excelled at working within a limited budget to design events to boost morale. For example, following an annual employment banquet serving 400 staff members, committee members sold leftover barbecue to recoup $300 of the $500 cost. The group also has gotten support from other businesses in the community in the form of donations. This grassroots effort coordinated by employees is what makes the program unique and successful. The programs the committee develops are self-funded; for example, employees were allowed to rent tables at an employee yard sale, with rental fees supporting the Employee Morale Pals program. The events cultivate a sense of family and team spirit, and the program taps into the heart and soul of any organization – its employees – for fun and creative ideas. County Manager Heidi York said the best way for other counties to duplicate the program is by allowing employees to drive it, and by choosing dynamic leaders for the committee. For more information, contact York at (336) 597-1720 or hyork@personcounty.net. Eighteenth Century Property Records Online
During a three-decade period of awesome growth, Wake County's Register of Deeds Office has seen its customer workload skyrocket. From 1997 through 2007, the county recorded 2.3 million legal documents – roughly the same number it recorded during the previous 97 years. With an incredible volume of records, the Register of Deeds Office has worked since 1996 to implement computerized processes to accommodate its growth. In 1999, the county became the first in North Carolina to implement an online document imaging system. The initial rollout included records dating back to 1974. Since then, the Register of Deeds Office has expanded its online offerings. By 2008, the office's backfile conversion project expanded records dating back to 1885. In May 2010, the office posted its last batch of oldest records, dating back to the very first: an Indenture Agreement recorded on July 7, 1785. Online storage of this data represents a true savings to Wake County, which is building a new courthouse in downtown Raleigh at $295 per square foot. The online conversion project eliminated the need to store thousands of deed books in the public deed vault, thereby reducing space requirements for the office by 2,870 square feet – representing $837,800 in construction savings. Posting the files online also reduces demand for parking and staffing at the office. The project involved no additional funding, as Scanning and Indexing employees worked on it during "slow times." For more information, contact Register of Deeds Laura Riddick at (919) 856-5465 or lriddick@wakegov.com. Reinvent Countywide Fire and Rescue Service Delivery A rapidly increasing population, increasing non-responses and lack of volunteer fire and rescue personnel placed public lives and property at risk in Onslow County. Onslow's urbanizing environment and changing labor patterns worked together to create dual-income families with little opportunity to respond to calls during work periods – a problem that increased rapidly since the turn of the century. The county engaged in numerous studies and with consultants over a five-year period before developing the Fire and Rescue Service Delivery model, which gained countywide acceptance. This new model provides for paid emergency responders to supplement volunteer fire and rescue labor during periods of non-response. This blended solution was critical, as fire department responses had grown 39 percent over the past 10 years. The new model utilizes all available resources within the volunteer community. Moreover, existing volunteer personnel are cross-trained to respond to both fire and rescue calls. Training is accomplished through the local community college system at no expense to individuals in the roles of paid or volunteer emergency agencies. Funding for the Fire and Rescue Service Delivery model is made possible by the passage of a quarter-cent local option sales tax in May 2010. Commissioners earmarked sales tax proceeds for three reasons, including public safety improvements. The county overcame some political obstacles by treating volunteer agencies with dignity and recognizing their contribution to the community, and reassuring them that the transition to this new model would not end volunteer service. For more information, contact County Manager Jeff Hudson at (910) 347-4717 or jeff_hudson@onslowcountync.gov. |
