County Wins Challenge Award and Two Merit Awards from CSAC Video

(Santa Ana, CA) The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) today
presented awards to three County of Orange agencies and departments at the Board of
Supervisors meeting. The programs were selected out of hundreds of entries
throughout the state as part of CSACs annual Challenge Award competition.
I am very proud of the innovation and creative spirit of these programs, said Board
Chair Patricia C. Bates. County departments and agencies are continuing to find new
and creative ways to better serve our community, in the face of difficult budget times.
OC Waste & Recycling won a prestigious Challenge Award for its AB 939 Surcharge
Program, which implements a surcharge of self-hauled waste to landfills to reduce the
disposal of recyclable materials from landfills. As a direct result from the program,
OCW&R has experienced an increase in diverted waste from landfills to recycling
facilities. Self-hauled waste has decreased 70 percent since the inception of the
surcharge. Almost $14 million was generated from the surcharge for use in regional
recycling education programs, including public education, outreach and a partnership
with a local science center.
The Sheriffs Department was awarded a Merit Award for its Tracking Automated
Graffiti Reporting System (TAGRS) for its launch of a clearinghouse that enables law
enforcement and public works agencies to capture, share and investigate graffiti
incidents. TAGRS maximizes staff time to the tune of a 90 percent reduction in
administrative project time to document the necessary information on graffiti reports.
The Orange County Transportation Authority Transit Police Services reports a 20
percent increase in cases of cleared graffiti and a cost reduction of $50,000.
The County also garnered a second merit award for the Health Care Agencys Mobile
Clinics for the Homeless program, which is a partnership between Public Health
Community Nursing and private organizations to bring medical care to the homeless. In
response to the challenges of regularly accessing homeless individuals, the public
health officer worked with public and private entities to find solutions. With this
partnership model, Public Health Nursing was able to promote the goals of the mobile
clinics, which link clients to medical homes and pays for care.
All three awards were selected based on their innovative and resourceful solution to a
problem, as well as each programs ability to be replicated and use of cost-effective
practices.