The Prince George’s County government has been recognized for five Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that enhance services for residents. The following five programs were chosen in their respective categories:
* The Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department’s “Adopt-A-Neighborhood” program was recognized in the Criminal Justice and Public Safety category.
* The Prince George’s County’s Department of Social Services was recognized in the Human Services category for their “Community Resource Advocate” program which is a part of the County’s Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative, County Executive Baker’s signature community-based program.
* In the County Administration Management category, the “Story of DPIE,” the creation of the County’s new Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement was recognized.
* In the Community/Economic Development Category, NACo recognized “The Prince George’s County Department of Environment and Corvias Solutions Public-Private Partnership” for the County’s stormwater retrofitting program.
* The Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation’s “Public Private Partnership for Wetlands Restoration” was recognized in the County Resiliency: Infrastructure, Energy and Sustainability category.”
“When I took office over five and half years ago, I did not want an administration that was just going to follow best practices, I wanted to hire leaders who were going to engage the Prince George’s County government employees to create and execute our own best practices for others to follow,” said Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III. “By earning an unprecedented five awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo), the Prince George’s County government is turning heads amongst our peers from around the nation. I want to congratulate the employees and the departments for earning and achieving this recognition. I also want to let the citizens of Prince George’s County know that we are still not satisfied and we are going to keep innovating and working hard to become a more effective, efficient and exemplary government committed to serving our residents, visitors, and stakeholders.”
NACo President Sallie Clark, commissioner, El Paso County, Colo., said, “County governments are leading the way in providing better, more innovative services to residents. The National Association of Counties applauds these Achievement Award-winning counties for outstanding efforts to strengthen communities across the country. ”
Started in 1970, NACo’s annual Achievement Award Program is designed to recognize innovative county government programs. Each nominee is judged on its own merits and not against other applications received. Nationally, awards are given in 21 different categories that reflect the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice, county administration, environmental protection, information technology, health, civic engagement and many more. NACo will recognize award-winning counties at its 2016 Annual Conference and Exposition July 22–25 in Los Angeles County, Calif.