DuPage County has been recognized with an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo). County Board Member Jim Healy (District 5), Chairman of the County’s Public Works Committee, was presented the award last week at NACo’s annual conference. The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that enhance services for residents.
NACo recognized the County’s Vactor Receiving Station, a shared services initiative that reduces the cost of disposal of public works waste and debris and aims to keep pollutants out of area water supplies. The station provides a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly method for waste processing, and ensures that liquid runoff is treated through the wastewater treatment plant. Currently, the station is used by seven municipalities and three contractors. DuPage won the NACo Award in the category of County Resiliency: Infrastructure and Sustainability.
“We are honored to receive such prestigious recognition from our peers in County government,” DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin said. “The Vactor Receiving Station is another example of how shared services can provide real savings, an essential part of DuPage County’s ACT Initiative which aims to make local government as efficient as possible.
“The Vactor Receiving Station is not only environmentally-friendly, but provides cost savings to DuPage County and to our municipalities. I’m thrilled that DuPage is recognized for our efforts to answer a community need, share resources and save taxpayers money while preserving our environment,” said Public Works Committee Chairman Jim Healy.
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. ”
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.
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.
