Congratulations to the governments in Wadsworth and Geauga County for submitting the first two project abstracts to the EfficientGovNow competition. The projects demonstrate the significant benefits that can be derived from government collaboration in Northeast Ohio. Remember, the deadline for submitting abstracts is April 15. Encourage your local government officials to follow the leadership of governments in Wadsworth and Geauga County.
What’s at stake? $300,000 that the Fund for Our Economic Future will be awarding to as many as three government collaboration proposals. Winners will be determined by a vote of the public in July.
In Wadsworth, partnering organizations include the Wadsworth Public Library, City of Wadsworth, Wadsworth City Schools and Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital. They are working together to build a high school and community center campus.
In Geauga County, the Board of MRDD and the West Geauga Local Schools are collaborating to build a single transportation facility for the two organizations’ transportation fleets.
Both of these are examples of how governments can be more efficient by planning and working together. The Fund also hopes to encourage collaborations that strengthen the region’s economic competitiveness. For example, might the Geauga County project use the $140,000 in annual savings generated by the project to expand its Community Employment Program?
As abstracts start to roll into EfficientGovNow, it will be interesting to see the wide range of proposals that our local governments are working on together.