Oakland County snagged 15 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards for 2017, the most of any county in Michigan, including two national “Best in Category” winners, County Executive L. Brooks Patterson announced last week. Oakland County was the only county in the United States to win more than one national “Best in Category” award.
“Oakland County has a reputation as being the best managed county in the country,” Patterson said. “The reason we earned this reputation is because we continue to innovate in government in order to improve our services.”
Oakland County’s first national Best in Category NACo Achievement Award winner was in the Community and Economic Development category. “Realtor to the Rescue” is a public-private partnership between the Oakland County Treasurer’s Office and local Realtors™ that connects the concierge-style professionalism and customer service of licensed real estate professionals with families looking for a home who may be less than familiar with the property tax foreclosure process. Under Michigan law, the county treasurer is required to sell tax foreclosed properties at two annual auctions to recover delinquent taxes owed.
“On behalf of the entire team at the Oakland County Treasurer’s Office, we’re thrilled that this program has been honored by NACo. That it was selected as ‘Best in Category’ is an additional honor and credit to the many people who have worked to make it a success,” said Meisner. “This public-private partnership would not be possible without the energy and insight of Pat Jacobs and the North Oakland County Board of Realtors™ (NOCBOR). We worked cooperatively to develop a system to utilize the expertise of licensed Realtors™ within the property tax foreclosure process.”
The other national Best in Category NACo Achievement Award was the “OUCARES Day Camp and Staff Training” by Oakland County Parks and Recreation (OCPR) in the Parks and Recreation award category. OUCARES is the Oakland University Center for Autism. OCPR sought unique training for its supervisors in 2016 to better understand how to interact with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It’s part of OCPR’s mission to provide individuals of all abilities with the recreational equipment, programs and services they need to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle at its 13 parks.
“We’re proud that Oakland County Parks and Recreation continues to look for ways to improve accessibility to equipment and activities,” said J. David VanderVeen, Oakland County director of central cervices and Patterson’s representative on the OCPR board. “This helps ensure County Executive Patterson’s vision of improving the quality of life through healthy and active lifestyles.”
Other Oakland County NACo Achievement Awards for 2017 are:
• Children and Youth: “Expanded Safe and Healthy Kids Program to Prevent School Bullying,” Board of Commissioners.
• Children and Youth: “MSUE Tollgate 4-H Summer Teen Leadership Program,” MSU Extension.
• Civic Education and Public Information: “College Series,” Information Technology.
• Civic Education and Public Information: “LOCK-IT-UP Oakland,” Board of Commissioners, Sheriff.
• Community and Economic Development: “One Stop Ready,” Economic Development & Community Affairs.
• Community and Economic Development: “Pilot Local Road Improvement Matching Fund Program,” Board of Commissioners.
• Health: “Colorectal Screening Initiative,” Health Division.
• Health: “Screening for Diabetes and Latent TB Infections,” Health Division.
• Information Technology: “GIS Road Show: Bringing Back the Maps,” Information Technology.
• Information Technology: “Inmate Locator Service,” Information Technology, Sheriff.
• Information Technology: “Website Transformation Strategy,” Information Technology.
• Personnel Management, Employee and Training: “Public Health Emergency Preparedness Annual MCMDD Interactive Training,” Health Division.
• Risk and Emergency Management: “Rescue Task Force Integration,” Homeland Security Division.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard said the NACo Achievement Awards for “LOCK-IT-UP Oakland” and “Inmate Locator Service” highlight why collaboration in government is key to creating effective programs and services.
“We are pleased that NACo has recognized our hard work with the Board of Commissioners on LOCK-IT-UP Oakland and the county’s IT Department on our Inmate Locator Service,” Bouchard said. “It underscores the fact that public officials and government departments must work together to achieve great results.”
Board of Commissioners Chairman Michael J. Gingell said teamwork is what drives Oakland County to excellence.
“It is an honor to receive national recognition for the innovative programs and services developed and executed in Oakland County,” said Gingell. “Oakland County continues to be a model county, not just in Michigan but across the country, when it comes to demonstrating the exceptional results that can be achieved when we work together as a team to tackle challenges and better serve our residents. We are grateful for the recognition and will strive to continue to operate at this high standard of excellence.”
To get the details about these award-winning Oakland County programs, go to NACo’s searchable awards database at http://www.uscounties.org/cffiles_web/awards/award_srch.cfm.
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