County of San Mateo - File #: 22-741

• File #: 22-741
• Version: 1
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 9/6/2022
• Departments: HUMAN RESOURCES
• On agenda: 10/4/2022
• Final action: 10/4/2022
• Title: Approve the STARS Employee Suggestion/Innovation Challenge Awards.
• Sponsors: HUMAN RESOURCES

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
10/4/2022	1	BOARD OF SUPERVISORS	adopted	Pass

Special Notice / Hearing:    None

Vote Required:    Majority

To:                      Honorable Board of Supervisors

From:                      Rocio Kiryczun, Director of Human Resources

Subject:                      2022 Innovation Summit and STARS Employee Awards

RECOMMENDATION:

title

Approve the STARS Employee Suggestion/Innovation Challenge Awards.

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BACKGROUND:

The County STARS Awards Program was initially established in 2006 to recognize programs that offer innovative and collaborative services in the areas of performance and customer service. Since then, the program was expanded to recognize excellence in diversity and inclusion and sustainability. In addition, an Employee Suggestion award category was added in 2008 to recognize employees that offer suggestions to improve County services. The County has hosted four Innovation Summits as part of the Employee Suggestion award category.

DISCUSSION:

The 2022 Innovation Challenge was held in a hybrid format this year. It began virtually on August 8^th and 9^th with seventy-four (74) participants forming 20 teams to collaborate, identify and present a solution to improve County services via the Zoom platform. The teams worked on their ideas through the allocated four hours and submitted a video of their ideas. The videos were reviewed by several department heads and the top six were selected to present at an in- person event on August 25^th. The judges selected 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd for an external category and 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd for an internal category, while participants selected a People’s Choice award.

The teams that received awards for their ideas include:Award	Team Name	Employees	Suggestion
1st Prize (External) ($2,000)	Airports Charging Forward	Gretchen Kelly, Michael Byrne, Mark Witsoe, Davi Howard	Provide aircraft charging stations for emission-free and quiet flight training at the County of San Mateo Airports.
2nd Place (External) ($1,000)	The People’s Qmmunity Resource	Frances Lobos, Deandra Lee, Nupoor Kulkarni, Tania Perez	Place QR codes in different places around San Mateo County with information about the history of the location, the connection to health, and available resources.
3rd Place (External) ($500)	Resilient Voices	Priscilla Romero, Donald Orr, Gladys Balmas, Darryl Lampkin, Sujatha Ganesh	Propose a podcast that interviews community members to learn about who their community is and bridges the gap between the needs of their communities and the business of our commissions.
1st Prize (Internal) ($2,000)	3 C’s	Cindy Chen, Christine Chong, Chaten Berry	Create an app that connects County employees with more accessible and affordable housing options.
2nd Place (Internal) ($1,000)	Innovation Invasion	Ryan Reynolds, Nancy Chu, Kevin Foiles, Matthew Benavides	Create an Emergency Procurement app/portal to make purchasing easier and more efficient for emergencies.
3rd Place (Internal) ($500)	The Neverending Storytellers	Karen Pugh, Kate Johnson, Wanda Showaker	Create a collection of qualitative data, capturing the unique experience of being a county employee through storytelling.
People’s Choice  ($500)	Going to the Chapel	Amy Moon, Joey Ticzon, Holly Poon	Revamp and upgrade the County’s Wedding Chapel in a cost-effective, sustainable, and inclusive way.

County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved this resolution as to form.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no impact to the net County cost. Funding for the STARS Awards program, including the Innovation Summit, is included in the Non-Departmental Budget.