CHAMBERSBURG– In October 2021, the Franklin County Commissioners introduced the Key Concepts program to enlist county employees’ help in reducing county expenses. Since then, dozens of employees have suggested opportunities to improve day-to-day operations across Franklin County, which have the potential to translate into savings for local residents and taxpayers.
“When Commissioner John Flannery first proposed this new program, we hoped that it would spark our employees’ ingenuity and creative spirit, and we haven’t been disappointed,” said Franklin County Commissioner Dave Keller.
In its first year, the Key Concepts Review Committee received 51 unique cost-saving suggestions. While some submissions stayed true to their original cost-savings intent as they passed through the committee for consideration, others prompted larger conversations on department procedures and county policies. A few opened the door for similar concepts to be explored and implemented.
Five Key Concept suggestions are now in place: an employment referral program; tobacco cessation opportunities to promote tobacco-free county campuses; bulk purchases of batteries; a letter-folding machine shared across departments; and the establishment of a forensic housing case manager position to work with inmates on home plans prior to their release from the Franklin County Jail.
Twelve proposed Key Concepts touched on programs or ideas that already exist or were in the process. Meanwhile, four submissions were singled out as small-group projects for the county’s inaugural Leadership Development Program. Program participants conducted research on each proposal to examine potential cost-saving opportunities. Those proposals were: reducing paper usage across departments; creating a condensed version of each department’s emergency “go bag” that integrates with wall-stationed automatic external defibrillators; establishing remote workstations for traveling staff at specific locations around the county; and contracting with one or more local garages to service the county’s vehicle fleet versus hiring a mechanic to complete the work in-house. Each group presented its findings to the commissioners along with recommendations to move forward with the initiatives or to perform an even deeper analysis of each concept.
Employees can submit up to two Key Concept suggestions per month. Each proposal is reviewed by a committee for consideration. Employees receive incentives for offering suggestions and may be eligible to receive further rewards should their ideas be implemented.
While the Franklin County Key Concepts program solicits input from county employees, the commissioners always welcome suggestions and input from members of the public. Suggestions can be submitted through the public comment form at https://lfweb.franklincountypa.gov/Forms/4PssJ or by calling 717-261-3810.
