Awards
2018 County Best Practices Award Recipients
Program Title: Collin County Clerk Foreclosure Notices
County: Collin County
Contact: Stacey Kemp, Collin County Clerk
Phone: (972) 548-4185
Description: Collin County took accessing foreclosure information - a laborious, decades-old process - and made it easier and more useful to residents and potential investors. App users can now see a map, street view, appraised value, deed history and Trustee Notice from their favorite device. Clerks are now using their time and resources in other areas, saving the county approximately $28,000 annually.
Program Title: MHMC/Indigent Defense
County: Collin County
Contact: Alyse Ferguson, Chief Attorney
Phone: (214) 491-4805
Description: To save time and money - and more importantly, provide improved services to those suffering from mental illness - the county designated a single source of contact to be a Competency Coordinator (CC). The CC oversees early identification, centralized coordination, communication and coordinated efforts for all competency cases. Since its implementation, the savings in jail days alone has been approximately $700,000.
Program Title: Comal County Adopt-a-Roadway
County: Comal County
Contact: Paul Anthony, Public Information Officer
Phone: (830) 221-1110
Description: The county's Road Department partnered with its Geographic Information Systems (GIS) team to resurrect and modernize an abandoned 1990s Adopt-a-Roadway program. A new app makes it easy for volunteer-minded residents to serve their community and beautify the environment. Within three months, groups had adopted 22 road segments and boat ramps - more than half of the available total - for a savings of $1,000 per mile, per year for the county.
Program Title: Evidence/Property Room Modernization
County: Fort Bend County
Contact: Chad Norvell, Major
Phone: (281) 341-4705
Description: Fort Bend County's evidence/property room now has 25 percent more usable space, is a safer environment and allows for faster evidence retrieval. Efficiency enhancements include energy-saving lighting, Epoxy flooring, dust-free shelving, new signage, improved security and the implementation of a barcoding/scanner and mobile laptop system.
Program Title: Executive Office - Nuisance Abatement Program
County: Hidalgo County
Contact: J. Chris Trevino, County Operations Administrator
Phone: (956) 292-7007
Description: Hidalgo County implemented a Nuisance Abatement Program as an effective means to address the health and safety needs of its rural residents and the problems associated with unkempt properties. Residents are able to submit complaints related to unsanitary conditions, weedy lots, county property and drainage easements. Over 570 case have been successful closured to date.
Program Title: I.M.P.A.C.T.S. Values Program
County: Midland County
Contact: Jenny Hilton, Court Administrator
Phone: (432) 688-4310
Description: Leading from the inside out, Midland County formed the I.M.P.A.C.T.S. Values Program in which county employees nominate coworkers for how they embody their six values - integrity, compassion, diligence, accountability, respect and trust. Honorees are recognized and awarded prizes monthly in the program that stands for Influence More People, Actions, Character, Trust and Service. Morale and enthusiasm are at an all-time high.
Program Title: A Guide to Your County Government
County: Washington County
Contact: Beth Rothermel, County Clerk
Phone: (979) 277-6216
Description: Part county guide, part county history, Washington County published the first-of-its-kind Guide to Your Government booklet. It features current county officials and department heads with descriptions of the function of each office, along with a list of past officials. Available in print and online, county personnel and the public can reference who's who and what's what, effectively making county government more understandable and accessible.
Program Title: Electronic Incident Form
County: Williamson County
Contact: Heather Kirkwood, Risk & Safety Coordinator
Phone: (512) 943-1533
Description: Williamson County streamlined and modernized an antiquated system of incident reporting. A new electronic form, created by the county's HR Risk & Safety and Information Technology Services, makes processing auto, auto liability, property and mobile equipment incident and/or damage claims a breeze. A small investment has yielded annual person-hour savings of $15,900.
Program Title: The Power of a Library Card
County: Wilson County
Contact: Nicki Stohr, Librarian
Phone: (830) 393-7361
Description: Considering it "almost criminal" to neglect rural Wilson County residents' needs for library services, a newly hired librarian set out to ensure every incorporated area of the county had its own library. With commissioners court approval, strategic alliances helped introduce a book kiosk and two additional libraries in the county. Within two years, library visitors have more than double, saving taxpayers $1,155,325 in books they would have otherwise purchased.