In this age of budget deficits and shrinking revenues, county governments and municipalities are constantly looking for ways to provide needed services with fewer resources. Cooperative service initiatives, regionalization of services and other innovative approaches are helping governments do more with less.

As a Wisconsin-based consulting firm working closely with counties and other local governments, Foth believes broader recognition of these efforts will help foster their growth, and improve performance for all stakeholders. In 2003, Foth launched the Wisconsin Good Government Award to recognize the best of these initiatives.

Nominations for the 2008 Wisconsin Good Government Awards will be accepted starting May 5, 2008, at the website www.wisgoodgov.com. In addition, nomination forms will be mailed to Wisconsin municipalities and villages in late May. Nominations are due on Friday, August 1.

Winners will be recognized at the 2008 Wisconsin Counties Association annual conference in October. One winner in each category will receive a $1000 Community Enhancement grant.

Eligibility and Entry Procedures

Any Wisconsin county or municipality that has played a major role in an initiative resulting in cost-savings without reducing or eliminating services may be nominated, or may nominate itself, for a Good Government Award. The effort must have been officially approved by all involved parties between June 2005 and June 2008. An independent panel of judges will review all entries and select the winning entities.

Award Categories

A county or municipality may nominate itself, and/or others for efforts in one of the following categories:
County Award Categories

• County-led efforts to cooperate with other local units of government
• Counties working independently to do more with less

Municipal Award Categories

• Municipalities under 10,000 population (cities/villages)
• Municipal-led efforts to cooperate with other local units of government
• Municipalities working independently to do more with less
• Municipalities over 10,000 population (cities/villages)
• Municipal-led efforts to cooperate with other local units of government
• Municipalities working independently to do more with less

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