Lake County Receives National Recognition for Exceptional Services
Lake County was recently honored with two awards--the 2018 Tyler Public Sector Excellence Award for implementing an innovative new integrated permit and inspection system, and the American Public Works Association (APWA) 2018 Excellence in Snow and Ice Control Award for being a leader in snow and ice removal.
"Exceptional customer service is at the forefront of everything we do as we continue to improve services, leverage technologies, and maximize efficiencies," said Aaron Lawlor, Lake County Board Chairman. "These national awards recognize the cutting-edge work that is happening at Lake County government every day. They also highlight what makes Lake County great - we work together with local and regional partners to deliver high quality, cost-effective services that Lake County families, businesses and taxpayers value."
2018 Tyler Public Sector Excellence Award
Lake County was recently named a 2018 Tyler Public Sector Excellence award winner at Tyler's annual Connect user conference. Awarded to organizations who exhibit leadership, innovation, and excellence by using their Tyler product in new and effective ways, Lake County's successful integration of the Tyler EnerGov system has streamlined daily operations.
In 2017, Lake County implemented a new integrated permit and inspection software system in an effort to further integrate multiple county departments into a single unified permitting system. This allowed customers to submit and pay for many permit applications online and review the status of their applications and inspections using their home computer. Moving to a more streamlined and efficient permitting and inspection software system provided a better customer experience and saved valuable time and resources.
"The implementation of EnerGov gave us an immediate savings in process time," said Matthew Meyers, Deputy Director, Planning, Building and Development. "We are excited to deliver efficiencies and convenience to our customers with this new ability to work in one integrated software system and reduce time handling online applications. This system was also built to grow with our changing needs, and we have the ability to bring on additional partners with other units of local government to share services and work more closely together."
The new integrated permit and inspection software system has opened the door for shared service opportunities with municipalities and other local governments in line with Lake County's Shared Services vision. This creates opportunities for more streamlined permitting for businesses doing work with the County and other local governments. It has also made services more accessible to the public via the Citizen Self Service site;https://energovcitizenaccess.tylertech.com/LakeCountyIL/SelfService#/home. The goal is to improve communication and coordination with municipal and other local government partners, lowering costs to the taxpayer, and enhancing customer service.
2018 Excellence in Snow and Ice Control Award
Lake County received national recognition when presented with the 2018 Excellence in Snow and Ice Control Award on May 9. The American Public Works Association (APWA) gives this award to agencies who promote the best practices in snow and ice removal while minimizing environmental impacts.
The safety of the traveling public is always the top priority for the Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT). Winter weather can make traveling to and from work and school challenging. Additionally, emergency response vehicles need to be able to move quickly through the county. A well planned and properly executed Snow and Ice Control Program, incorporating the latest advancements in snow removal, keeps Lake County residents and businesses moving.
Shane Schneider, LCDOT Director said, "LCDOT is thrilled to earn this distinction from APWA. Our entire maintenance crew - from the operators, to the mechanics, and all the way through the ranks - everyone takes such pride in the work they do to keep the public safe when winter weather strikes. This recognition means so much to the men and women who put in those long hours and are ready to serve even when the call comes in the middle of the night, or on a holiday weekend."
In addition to the work LCDOT is doing to keep the roadways safe, the Stormwater Management Commission and the Lake County Health Department support the snow and ice control program through training, river monitoring, researching best practices and providing educational opportunities to our regional partners.
To learn more about Lake County's Award Winning Snow and Ice Control Program, please visit the website;http://www.lakecountyil.gov/471/Snow-Operations.