From water use to big data, Maricopa County leads way
How we grow smarter in Valley
The fastest-growing county in the nation can also be its most forwardthinking if its leaders prioritize three things.
1. Using water, energy wisely
With 200 people moving to Maricopa County per day, according to the latest Census data, we need to make sure we’re growing the right way.
That means building neighborhoods with infrastructure in place from day one so we don’t have water issues like we’ve seen recently in New River.
That means protecting open space as the county has done in adding to the roster of regional parks and in funding parks improvements that account for the needs of adjoining neighborhoods and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
That means being smart about water, like our Flood Control District is doing by diverting storm water back into the landscape so we can reuse it.
Growing the right way also means being smart about energy usage, like we’ve done in using solar thermal to provide more than 50 percent of the total hot water demand at our jail. Adding more shade downtown would be another practical and helpful step.
2. Put tech and big data to use
Maricopa County is an indispensable hub for big data. When we use and share it well, all of us are better off. A good example is the way our Office of the Medical Examiner and Public Health Department have worked together to crunch data to help us understand the opioid crisis and take meaningful steps to combat it. The data led Maricopa County to file a lawsuit late last year against major drug manufacturers.
Another example is the recent collaboration between Maricopa County Animal Care and Control and the Humane Society that produced a comprehensive, interactive map that allows people to more easily report and locate lost pets.
We need more data put to practical use, not left to collect dust in a filing cabinet or someone’s hard drive. This can be done while also protecting the privacy and personal information of our residents.
I want Maricopa County to be a test
bed for new technologies, where good ideas get a kick start, not a full stop, from government.
Already, we are leading the way to faster and more reliable internet. The FCC is using Maricopa County as a national model for implementation and adoption of 5G connectivity that will improve quality of life.
5G will allow the county to scale our successes. One that comes to mind immediately is MCDOT’s adaptive signal technology, which adapts to changes in traffic flow by the second so green lights are green longer when traffic’s heavier. Right now, the adaptive signals are in use on Bell Road between Surprise and Scottsdale. I’m hopeful that’s just the start.
3. Make government work better
Over the past year, the Innovation Studio, a small team working under our county manager, has used proven process improvement techniques to achieve $1.5 million in projected savings.
This is remarkable progress in a short time. Successes include helping the Human Services Department’s Head Start program reduce hiring time by 68 percent and helping Fleet Management staff improve productivity by nearly 500 percent.
I will lean on the Innovation Studio’s expertise to improve customer services in the year ahead. This includes bringing our regulatory departments together under one roof with more efficient processes that improve the customer experience.
By the time my chairmanship ends, we will be at the dawn of a new age — perhaps a new Roaring Twenties — where advances in technology and augmented intelligence cause us to reevaluate what is possible.
It’s a great time to be in government and a great time to lead. I look forward to what we can accomplish together.