County Park & Zoo, Human Resource Department Win National Awards

COURT HOUSE — The Cape May County Park and Zoo and the Department of Human Resources and Training both received 2016 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards. The Human Resources Department’s Health & Wellness Program actually received a pair of national awards for its dedication to employee health and wellness and by showing objective data of the program resulting in a cost savings to the County – and taxpayers.
NACo (the National Association of Counties) awarded its 2016 Personnel Management, Employee Training and Employee Benefits Achievement Award to Cape May County for its Health and Wellness program. The award recognizes outstanding county government programs in 21 categories. A total of four Counties in New Jersey were awarded NACo Achievement Awards, including, Gloucester, Monmouth and Sussex Counties, each received one award, and Cape May County received two; one in Personnel Management, Employee Training and Benefits and one in the Parks and Recreation category. There are 3,069 counties in the U.S and a total of 116 programs across the country were recognized. NACo Public Affairs Coordinator, Brittany Raymond, congratulated the work of the Human Resource Director, Jeffrey Lindsay, Esquire, and everyone involved in developing the innovative health and wellness program.
In addition to the NACo Award, Cape May County is the only county in the State – and one of 17 employers in the both the private and public sectors – to receive the American Heart Association’s 2016 Platinum Fit-Friendly Worksite Achievement Award.
“We are honored and excited to be recognized for these achievements, it’s a tremendous accomplishment for the Human Resources Department and our Health & Wellness Program,” said Freeholder Vice Director Leonard Desiderio, who oversees the Department of Human Resources.
Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton, added, “The County, like most American employers, is spending substantial amounts of money on healthcare expenses and health-related losses in productivity. Our program, and the changes that were implemented over the past two years, have been a catalyst for positive change in our workforce. It encourages employees to focus on their health and well-being and provides tools for them to make better choices. The program benefits employee health and productivity and has shown to result in significant cost savings to the Cape May County and our taxpayers.”
The Cape May County Park and Zoo was also recognized by NACo in the category of Parks and Recreation for their recreational and educational programs. The Park and Zoo were honored for their Zoo Camp and other educational programs designed for school aged children.
“Freeholder E. Marie Hayes, liaison to the Park and Zoo expressed her gratitude to the Park and Zoo staff for their commitment and innovative programs. “Recognition by NACo is an extreme honor for county government. The list of programs offered to the residents grows each year and visitors to the park and zoo look forward to being part of the animal experience. The management and staff deserved to receive the 2016 Achievement Award and we can’t be more proud of this recognition.”