Headed by Commissioner Ben Pearlman, this initiative aims to ensure that Boulder County employees truly provide the Best in Public Service. The initiative involves various programs that provide employees with the training, experience and mentoring they need to employ best practices in their daily interactions with the public, whether in person, online or on the phone.

The initiative has a strong focus on employee development and includes:

• New-employee orientation: our orientation for new employees emphasizes public service.
   
• Foundations in Public Service Certificate: a competency-based program designed to increase proficiency in public service. Employees earn the certificate by completing a combination of skills-focused training and independent study projects.
   
• Institute of Public Service: A year-long leadership program in which participants meet monthly to engage in discussion, training, and activities that help them gain an understanding of the culture, services and best practices of Boulder County. Participants engage in hands-on leadership activities and training.
   
• Leadership Institute: For graduates of the Institute of Public Service, this program provides management-level training and mentoring to hone the skills of potential future leaders of Boulder County.
   
• Catch the County Culture: A class that immerses employees in the actions and attitudes that support the County’s vision of providing the best in public service.
   
• Center for Transition and Employee Development: A forward-looking collaboration that is working to transition the County's workforce into the future by creating expanded training and development programs for current employees and establishing an active recruitment program for attracting top employees to Boulder County.
   
• Catch the Bus: A class that takes County employees on a tour of County offices and departments, orienting them to the County organization, the variety of services we provide, and the County vision and values.
   

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Environmental Sustainability

• Land Use Code Update: The Boulder County Planning Commission and the Commissioners have adopted changes to the County Land Use Code and Building Code to encourage and enable sustainable building, including BuildSmart - a green building code.
   

• Sustainable Energy Plan: In conjunction with the member governments of the Boulder County Consortium of Cities, Boulder County has adopted a Sustainable Energy Plan that sets out recommendations for concrete actions to take in order to reduce the County's "carbon footprint."
   

• Zero Waste County Offices: All Boulder County offices will be "zero waste" equipped by first quarter 2009. This means that employees will be able to easily recycle and compost at their offices.Compost/recycling stations are also provided in certain public areas.
   

• Purchasing Policies: The county’s purchasing policies have been adapted to reduce waste generated both by external bidders and internal purchases. Examples include a required minimum recycled content on ALL County paper purchases; policies discouraging the purchase of bottled water; and "take back" requirements for vendors selling certain products.
   

• Zero Waste County Fair: for the first time in its history, the Boulder County Fair became a zero-waste event in 2006, with programs to compost waste and reduce, reuse and recycle materials.
   

• Energy efficient “retrofits:” to increase energy efficiency, Boulder County has replaced retrofitted various buildings to increase efficiency. For example, staff replaced heat-leaking windows in the downtown Courthouse building and replaced lights at the County Fairgrounds with brighter, more energy-efficient lights.
   

• Alternative energy: Boulder County uses wind-energy to provide power for approximately 50 percent of the County’s buildings; solar panels have been installed on the West Wing of the County Courthouse, and more solar power systems are being added countywide.
   

• Fuel efficiency: Boulder County purchases hybrid fleet vehicles that are fuel efficient replacements for older vehicles; at the same time, employees are being educated about ways to increase fuel efficiency and reduce pollution by reducing idling and other actions.
   

• Alternative transit: to reduce pollution and fuel consumption, Boulder County has dedicated staff working to promote alternative transportation among employees and the general public.

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Communication & Collaboration