Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Rocio Kiryczun, Director of Human Resources
Subject: 2024 Employee Suggestion/Innovation Challenge Awards
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution approving the STARS Employee Suggestion/Innovation Challenge Awards.
body
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 five Innovation Challenges as part of the Employee Suggestion award category.
DISCUSSION:
The 2024 Innovation Challenge was held in a hybrid format this year. It began virtually on October 1st and 2nd with sixty-one (61) participants forming 17 teams to collaborate, identify and present a solution to improve County services. The teams worked on their ideas through the allocated four hours and submitted a video or infographic of their ideas. The submissions were reviewed by a panel of judges and the top six were selected to present at an in-person event on October 29th. The judges selected the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, while the remaining three teams were awarded runners-up and participants selected a People's Choice award.
The teams that received awards for their ideas include:
Award
Team Name
Employees
Suggestion
1st Place
($2,000)
Team RV Buyback
Marika Buchholz Kat Richter Jenel Lim Melissa Gonzalez
Create an RV buyback program that would provide funds to members of the public experiencing RV homelessness in exchange for their RV.
2nd Place
($1,500)
The Building Departme...
Click here for full text