Governor awards departments for productivity

The Sept. 20 awards ceremony honored state employees for improvements in six categories: process improvement, technology in government, customer service, efficiency, workforce planning and innovation. Executives from across the state made up a selection committee that reviewed 39 applications and made the final decisions.

In the process improvement category, MoDOT was recognized for Practical Design – a new concept for highway design that customizes projects to fit specific needs instead of applying generic standards.

“One of our real efforts over the past year has been to reduce the cost of highway projects, and Practical Design has produced savings of over $400 million,” said Pete Rahn, department director. “That means our roads are going to get better because we’re going to be able to improve more of them.”

MoDOT received a second award in technology in government for its Kansas City Scout program, which has helped improve traffic flow in the Kansas City area. The program includes 88 closed circuit cameras, 38 dynamic message signs, a highway advisory radio system and hundreds of vehicle detector stations to maximize road capacity and provide safer travel.

In customer service, the Office of Administration won for its Telecommunication Access Program Team, which provides equipment for people with disabilities. Since its inception in 2000, it has quadrupled the number of consumers who obtain equipment through Missouri Assistive Technology and decreased device and administrative costs.

The Fleet Management Team won the efficiency award for the improved effectiveness of the state vehicle fleet. The team is made up of representatives from 18 departments, including MoDOT, and has successfully developed a state vehicle policy. It also reduced commuting in state vehicles by 74 percent and increased vehicle efficiencies by 18 percent.

In the workforce planning category, the Department of Mental Health won for its Flexible Scheduling Team. Through a collaboration with Biggs Cognitive Behavior Rehabilitation Program, the department identified issues driving employee satisfaction and produced a flexible scheduling model to improve workplace morale.

The Office of Administration won a second award in innovation for its State Property Insurance Team. The team tackled higher insurance rates and diminished coverage by designing the Property Preservation Fund. The new risk financing technique pays claims and satisfies legal obligations to bondholders in the event of a disaster.