The Los Angeles Post

LA County Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors Earns Three National Achievement Awards

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Civic Education, Public Information, Information Technology and County Administration and Management Recognized

NACO

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Executive Office of the Board has been recognized with three Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.

NACo recognized the Department for the following:

  • LA County BOS Virtual Board Meetings – For its shift to virtual, live-streamed Board meetings. With computer and mobile device interfaces, the Department provided the County’s constituents virtual access to Board meetings both online and on social media, expanding the Board’s web presence and providing the ability to listen or provide verbal testimony. The Executive Office transitioned to supporting virtual Board meetings and preparing and posting the Board agendas remotely, which has also significantly reduced the creation and distribution of paperwork, and augmented public service by implementing an online, user-friendly option for members of the public to submit written correspondence (e-public comment) on agenda items resulting in an increased average from 50 to 6,200 written comments per meeting.
    • Category – Civic Education and Public Information 
  • LA County Assessment Appeals Board Virtual Evidentiary Hearing Solution – For implementation of virtual appeals hearing conferencing solution that incorporates efficiency, security and ease of use for the taxpayers scheduling over 5,000 virtual appeals hearings in a four-month period, allowing for simultaneous “real-time” viewing of evidence for all parties during the hearing to ensure a fair and impartial due process, and providing a designated room available to taxpayers without access to technology resources. The Executive Office has further made it possible to expand the number of AAB Boards from 5 to 10 Boards running each day.
    • Category – Information Technology 
  • Prosper LA (https://prosperla.lacounty.gov/) – For the Board-directed program coordinated with the Quality and Productivity Commission, in consultation with the Small Business Commission and Citizens’ Economy and Efficiency Commission, to create an engaging website to encourage innovative ideas from County employees, businesses, and labor partners that could streamline the County’s contracting process, encourage strategies to engage and assist businesses, and identify potential cost- savings actions by County departments; receiving more than 100 ideas for consideration to spur economic recovery during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
    • Category – County Administration and Management 

“The Executive Office is thrilled to be recognized by NACo for these efforts,” said Celia Zavala, Executive Officer of the Board of Supervisors. “We are proud to have been able to execute innovative programs on behalf of the Board of Supervisors in times of crisis to continue to provide excellent services to the residents of Los Angeles County. This has also inspired us to continue to think of more ways to focus on emerging technologies and continuing to foster a culture of excellence for the years to come.”

“It is very gratifying that LA County has been recognized by NACo for the Prosper LA project. We are so pleased with the many innovative ideas to improve County operations and engage and assist businesses that we received from County employees and the public in response to this project,” said Jacki Bacharach, Chair of the Quality and Productivity Commission.

Nationally, awards are given in 18 different categories that reflect the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice and public safety, county administration, information technology, health, civic engagement and many more.

NACo President Gary Moore said, “Over the past year, county officials and frontline employees have demonstrated bold, inspirational leadership. This year’s Achievement Award winning programs illustrate the innovative ways counties build healthy, safe and vibrant communities across America.”

Started in 1970, NACo’s annual Achievement Awards program is designed to recognize county government innovations. Each nominee is judged on its own merits and not against other applications received.