Saint Paul, MN — Three teams of state employees were honored today with the Better Government Awards, which recognize successful innovation in state government and the hardworking public servants delivering excellent service to Minnesotans. These initiatives improved the efficiency and effectiveness of government services for Minnesotans in three categories: Great Customer Service, Great Place to Work, and Great Results.

 

“Minnesotans expect and deserve an effective, responsive, and inclusive state government,” said Governor Mark Dayton. “These projects are just a few extraordinary examples, among many, of how we are building a better government for the people of Minnesota. I thank these dedicated public servants for their tremendous efforts to improve the quality of services provided to Minnesotans.”

 

Since 2010, the Governor’s Better Government Awards annually celebrate state employee work accomplishments that have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of state government services. A near record total of 60 projects were nominated for an award by teams from almost every state agency.

 

“Governor Dayton’s Better Government initiative has empowered state employees to make state government more accountable, transparent, efficient, and effective for all Minnesotans,” said Administration Commissioner Matt Massman. “Today’s award recipients as well as the large number of submissions demonstrate the commitment by this administration and public employees to providing the innovation and excellent service Minnesotans expect from their government.”

 

Below are the 2017 winning Better Government projects, as well as a list of all the winners since 2010.

 

The Dayton Administration has made improving the customer service provided by state government a priority over the past six years. They have led efforts to make government documents and forms easier to understand, reduce permitting times, and eliminate unnecessary and outdated statutes.

 

 

The 125th anniversary of Minnesota State Parks and Trails in 2016 provided an opportunity not just to look back fondly on the past, but also to focus on how to keep the system relevant for the future. Previous DNR research showed that only about 3% of state park visitors were people of color. One of the primary barriers to visitorship from diverse communities was lack of information about state park programs and opportunities. To improve outreach to multicultural audiences, the DNR Division of Parks and Trails established new and meaningful relationships with multicultural media and planned two special events—Multicultural Media Days—at metro-area state parks. The division also hired more multicultural staff in its outreach unit and increased its presence in media venues such as Latino American Today, Hmong Times, Hmong Today, and on Univision. The 2017 Minnesota state park visitor survey showed that the percentage of visitors of color has increased to 5%--a definite step in the right direction.

 

Minnesota state government will experience approximately 1,000 retirements a year over the next decade, as Baby Boomers exit the workforce. This had made employee recruitment and retention a top priority across state government.

 

 

The Metro Transit Technician Training Program puts job seekers on a path to full-time roles as bus or rail technicians through a combination of job and skills training, a paid internship and support toward earning an associate degree. This award-winning workforce development program produces the mechanic workforce of the future and supports the agency’s commitment to workforce diversity and equity. To date, more than 100 people, all lower-income earners, have or are participating in the program. The training program was developed in partnership with the Amalgamated Transit Union-Local 1005, Twin Cities R!SE and Hennepin Technical College. Mechanic-Technicians have also served as mentors. Funding has come from the state and the Federal Transit Administration.

 

Governor Dayton is committed to delivering great results by increasing accountability, transparency, and efficiency across state government. His administration is delivering commonsense reforms that save time and money for hardworking taxpayers.

 

To meet Minnesota’s water quality needs, the MPCA and other partners designed and implemented a new system, called the “Minnesota Watershed Approach to Clean Water” (or “Watershed Approach”) to comply with federal laws and the Minnesota Clean Water Legacy Act. This has revolutionized the way we do water quality monitoring and restoration, and protection strategy development. Minnesota now leads the country in completing the most comprehensive evaluation of all our major watersheds because of this approach. Additionally, we are on track to develop protection and cleanup strategies for each Minnesota watershed of the state within six years.

 

For the past seven years, Governor Dayton has championed and supported the continuous improvement work of state employees. Here is a list of Award winners by year, from hundreds of nominations:

 

Warehouse Supply Team - Department of Human Services

 

Awesome Admission Kaizen Team - Department of Veterans Affairs

 

Unemployment Insurance Shared Work Team - Department of Employment and Economic Development

 

Health Insurance Recovery Team - Department of Human Services

 

Agency Achievement Award - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Individual Achievement Award - Christine Everson, Department of Health

 

Newborn Screening Long Term Follow-Up Unit - Department of Health

 

Electronic Check Processing Team - Department of Revenue

 

Conservation Assistance and Regulation and Environmental Stewardship Teams - Department of Natural Resource and Department of Transportation

 

Individual Achievement Award: Harley Olinske - Department of Agriculture

Energy Savings Initiative - Metropolitan Council

 

Managing By Results - Department of Human Services

 

Measurement System for Clean Water Funds - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Department of Health, Department of Natural Resources, Metropolitan Council, Board of Water and Soil Resources

 

e-Services for Business Taxpayers - Department of Revenue

 

Reducing Pressure Ulcer Wounds for Veterans - Department of Veterans Affairs

Individual Achievement Award: Tom Baumann - Department of Administration, Enterprise Lean Program

 

Printing and Return Mail Kaizen Team: Streamlining printing and mailing - Department of Revenue

 

MnSAFE Team: Reducing work-related injuries to state employees - Multi-agency team led by the Department of Administration

 

Data Access Portal Team: Streamlining data access to inform Public Health - Department of Health

 

State Operated Services Order Entry Kaizen Team: Keeping Patients Safe Through Better Pharmacy Orders - Department of Human Services

 

Mobile License Buying App and Mobile LakeFinder Website Teams: Mobilizing data hunters and anglers want, need and use - Department of Natural Resources

 

Victim Restitution Recovery Project Team: Increasing restitution amounts paid to victims by inmates - Department of Corrections

 

Agency Achievement Award - Department of Health

 

 

State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Amendment Improvement Team - Improving the process for changes to road construction funding - Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Council and Federal Highway Administration 

 

Agency Permitting Staff - Creating an accountable, transparent and predictable environmental permitting system - Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 

Luverne Veterans Home Team - Enhancing the dining experience to promote quality food choices - Department of Veterans Affairs 

 

Enforcement Unit and Administrative Staff - Increasing efficiency in closing filed discrimination charges - Department of Human Rights 

 

State Library Services Team - Streamlining state and federal education programs - Department of Education

Plain Language Team: Saying it Simply and implementing a customer approach to communication - Department of Revenue

 

Reducing Resources Needed and Improving the Quality of Bridge Inspections - Department of Transportation

 

Improving the quality and availability of Minnesota Vital Records Death Data - Department of Health

Streamlining the system for processing information requests - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

 

Reducing psychotropic medication in special care and skilled care households - Department of Veterans Affairs

 

 

Enhancing Resident Lives Through Music and Memory - Department of Veteran's Affairs, Minnesota Veteran's Home - Luverne

 

"I am Revenue" Inclusion Campaign - Department of Revenue

 

Promoting the State as a Great Place to Start and Grow Your Career - Multi-agency collaboration led by Minnesota Management and Budget

 

 

Hydraulics Inspection Vehicle Explorer (HIVE) - Department of Transportation