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9 <br />focus on changes likely to achieve substantial cost savings or significant operational <br />improvements; and to deliver recommendations to the Board by April 16, 1996. <br />Dan Brummitt was appointed Chair, and Stuart Wallace, Vice - Chair, of the Innovation and <br />Efficiency Committee. Dr. Jack Vogt of the North Carolina Institute of Government served as <br />facilitator for the Committee. In late November the Committee held an organizational meeting. <br />At its second meeting in mid - December, the Committee identified the main areas it wished to <br />explore and organized itself for work in three sub- committees: Organization and Staffmg; <br />Purchasing and Facilities; and Technology. The subcommittees met numerous times between <br />December and March to review, analyze, and discuss information that helped them formulate <br />recommended improvements. The subcommittees reported back to the full Committee on a <br />monthly basis concerning the progress and tentative recommendations. The main portion of <br />this report to the Orange County Commissioners consists of the Innovation and Efficiency <br />Committee's recommendations based on the work of its subcommittees. <br />Preamble to Innovation and Efficiency Committee Recommendations <br />Over the past five months, at the direction of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, the <br />Innovation and Efficiency Committee has made a broad evaluation of numerous County <br />services. The Committee's intent is to identify processes that the County may employ to <br />enhance its fiscal position. The Commissioners have stated that they are generally satisfied <br />with the level of services that are provided to our citizens. Our mission, therefore, is to <br />minimize delivery costs while retaining the current quality levels of services. <br />Current Innovation and Efficiency Efforts. As the Committee's process evolved in <br />subcommittee work, it became apparent that County staff was already aggressively pursuing <br />numerous opportunities in the areas of innovation and efficiency. Examples of these include: <br />• Paperless purchasing system <br />• Employee incentive programs <br />• Social Services efficiency efforts <br />• Alternative EMS service delivery and financing models <br />• Innovative financing for Triangle SportsPlex <br />We also commend the entire County staff for their support in the broader innovation and <br />efficiency process. Our Committee requested tremendous amounts of information in a <br />relatively short period of time. County staff was most generous with their time and services <br />and contributed greatly to the success of the Committee. <br />Committee Focus. Given the narrow time frame of this review, our Committee focused on <br />actions that may have the highest impact on the budget. We identified items that generally <br />consume the most budget dollars, and we looked for corresponding ways to save money. <br />2 <br />