How many Maricopa County employees does it take to save taxpayers money? The answer is two.
Two longtime Maricopa County Facilities Management Department employees proposed changing some existing light fixtures and replacing them with lower watt, more efficient lamps. Tom Daley and Dan Petty thought the existing fixtures created excessive heat and caused the lamps, sockets and wiring to burn and to need replacement. As a result of the installation of energy-efficient 3-watt lamps, a more comfortable work environment was established.
The new lamps were longer lasting and required less replacement. The life of the lamps increased by 100,000 hours and created an estimated savings of $13,712. And Daley and Petty were recognized by the Board of Supervisors as Rewarding Ideas winners and were presented $1250 each.
Additional Rewarding Ideas winners:
George Montgomery Baxter, of Waste Resources and Recycling Management, was awarded $2500 for his proposal to add two additional service days at the Cave Creek Waste Station. The increased service days increased revenues and eliminated one contract position, resulting in a total savings of $83,830.
Wendy Thompson, from the Clerk of Superior Court, who suggested discontinuing the practice of sending hard copies of court judgments to defaulting parties. The change eliminated much staff time and improved the efficiency of the office. The estimated intangible savings is $6,125.
David Scott Elston, with Superior Court, who helped to consolidate Adult Probation storage and delivery operations into the Juvenile Probation Warehouse, a county-owned facility, eliminating the need for rented space and resulted in a savings of $11,927. Elston received a rewards check for $2,385.
Lauri Million, Joyce Auchinleck, Christopher Cerrato and Correnia Snyder, a team of employees from the Clerk of the Superior Court, suggested and help implemented an automated system of electronic distribution of court documents, eliminating the need for sorting, photocopying and paper supplies. A savings of$1297 is the result and the rewarding idea checks of $87.50 were offered to Million, Auchinleck, Cerrato and Snyder.
The Rewarding Ideas program began in 1984 and to date has saved the county more that $12 million. A small committee of county employees evaluate the ideas and select annual winners.