There are the Oscars and the Golden Globes--Though they are comparable, the former seem more prestigious. That is how The Arizona State Quality Awards are perceived. On December 14th, the Arizona Quality Alliance presented the Arizona State Quality Awards, which recognize organizations for performance excellence. I am proud to announce that Maricopa County received six of the eight awards.
Most remarkable about the number of County awards is that the program traditionally honored businesses in the private sector, but opened eligibility to the public sector just last year.
The highest-level award is the Pioneer Award for Quality and there is only one recipient. After an exam team visited the Maricopa Library District at their site for three days, the Library District was selected for this award.
In addition, Maricopa County received five of the seven Showcase in Excellence Awards. Below is a description of programs that earned these awards:
Adult Probation Financial Compliance
The common public perception is that offenders are not being held accountable to the conditions of their probation, especially when it comes to paying fines and victims’ restitution. By operating the financial compliance program like a collections agency, payment compliance rate has increased to around 94% , while there has been a 30% increase in victims’ overall satisfaction with the job Adult Probation is doing. In addition, the increased collection of Court-ordered probation fees has exceeded the cost to run the program, thus providing additional funding for the department’s other expenses.
Environmental Services Vector Control to Combat West Nile Virus
West Nile Virus generates lots of concern and attention. At the same time, there is concern with the possible effects of chemicals used to combat mosquitoes. Vector Control mosquito abatement reduces the risk of contracting this virus by reducing the mosquito population. A new, surveillance approach determines areas to spray. Using mosquito traps and other techniques, Vector Control has substantially reduced the cost of pesticides used and the number of acres sprayed due to the enhanced surveillance network--while reducing the number of reported human West Nile Virus cases.
Flood Control District Digital Aerial Photography
The Flood Control District’s aim is to protect residents from flooding, while minimizing public and private losses due to flooding. Aerial photography has been a vital tool that provides information about the lay of the land, natural and man-made structures, soils, land use and many other variables that are used to identify flood prone areas. By delineating floodplains, the District can regulate the development of structures in hazardous areas, ensuring residents build in areas that are safe from flooding. The advent of computer systems led to the ability to provide the images in digital format instead of the traditional paper format.
Also, Juvenile Probation won an award for their Special Supervision for Juveniles program and Risk Management for their Roadbuilder Equipment Training. Congratulations to all these departments. These awards validate that your county government comprises a talented work force that excels in innovation and operating with efficiency.