Calling him an “innovator in government,” Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon has been honored by the National Center for Civic Innovation for the county’s part in the center’s Trailblazer Grant Program.
 
The NCCI’s Center on Municipal Government Performance launched its Government Performance Reporting Trailblazer Grant Program to encourage governments to engage the public in their performance measurements and financial reporting process.
 
Reardon instituted a successful performance measurement program called SnoStat in 2004. SnoStat, the county’s accountability and transparency system, is guided by the principle that Snohomish County must measure, evaluate and communicate the effectiveness of its services and programs to its residents.
 
The county uses SnoStat to report to the public aspects of public policy, government performance, daily management and long-term planning.
 
“Performance measures are aligned with the same citizen priorities used to develop the county budget,” Reardon said. “We continually strive to increase the quality of our performance measures.”
 
Performance measurement groups include transportation; public safety, law and justice; health and vulnerability; community development; and public utilities and infrastructure.
 
“By involving the public in your performance measurement and reporting endeavors, you have taken a big step toward furthering mutual understanding and respect between government and the public,” wrote Barbara Cohn Berman, vice president of the Center on Government Performance, in her recognition letter.

As part of the program, Snohomish County received a grant worth $10,000 in 2008 to support the county’s efforts with its performance measurement program.

Go to www.Snoco.org/County_Services/SnoStat for more information on Snohomish County’s SnoStat program.