2015 Employee Recognition Awards - General Government

GOLD - Shared by members of the My Santa Cruz County Team, Information Services Department

Left to Right:
Daniel Rubio
Paresh Patel
Nada Algharib
Aimen Al-Refai
Tom Melkonian

- Press Play to listen to audio.
The My Santa Cruz County Team designed and built the County's first mobile application that went public on June 15, 2015. This new application provides an easily accessible platform for the community to get information about the County, report problems, register to vote, and to pay property tax bills. Citizen Connect is an innovative tool that provides one stop shopping, allowing community members to quickly and efficiently communicate with the County on a variety of local issues. The application has been very successful with the highest use to report potholes and abandoned vehicles. This successful project brings Santa Cruz County into the modern age and will benefit the County and the community for years to come, and it is fitting to recognize the work of each member of the team.

 

SILVER - Shared by members of the Voice Over IP Project Team, Information Services Department

Back Row, Left to Right:
Michael Goulter
Tom Daskaloff
George Washington
James Gouin


Front Row, Left to Right:
Myeong Lee
Nada Algharib
Tammie Weigl
Rusty Ferguson

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The VOIP team replaced an aging phone system with over 3,000 phones with a Voice Over Internet Protocol telecom infrastructure. The project included replacing the entire central call center for the Human Services Department. This new phone system provides County employees with new tools including conferencing, voicemail, a unified messaging system, and desktop forwarding. The project plan included significant re-writing, deploying switches, the utilization of third-party vendors, and training, all with minimal disruption to County business. The project also implemented the new e911 system that enabled a more reliable communication tool for emergencies within the County. This successful project will benefit the safety of the County and the community for years to come, and it is fitting to recognize the work of each member of the team.

 

BRONZE - Shared by members of the Financial System Implementation Team, Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector

Left to Right:
Laura Bowers
Marianne Ellis


Not Pictured:
Jessica Renda
Pam Silbaugh

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The Financial System Implementation team replaced an antiquated financial system with obsolete technology with new multifaceted software. This new financial system is absolutely essential to the daily operations in every County department. Every major system implementation is inherently risky, and it is a testament to the quality and dedication of the team when it succeeds without crisis or calamity. This successful project will benefit the County and its employees for years to come, and it is fitting to recognize the work of each member of the team to bring this new system to fruition.