Iowa Auditor of State Rob Sand hand-delivered a pie to leaders of the city of Wilton Friday, Nov. 12, in recognition of their Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) award.
Wilton receives the PIE award for most improved city in 2020 (tied with Dysart). Wilton more than doubled its number of efficiency measures from 2019 to 2020.
Auditor Sand established the PIE program in 2019. It serves to guide Iowans as well as state and local governments on the steps they can take to save money and promote efficiency.
Seventy-nine counties and 267 cities took Auditor Sand’s opportunity to share how they are using practical tips and tricks to reduce waste, by filling out the office’s “PIE” chart. Iowa’s local governments also developed “PIE” recipes to be shared by their creators with other public entities statewide.
Cost-cutting measures range from shutting off the lights to reduce energy costs, to the creation of policies that reduce travel expenses.
Cities and counties were awarded points, based on the number of cost-cutting measures implemented in 2019 and 2020.
During his visit to Wilton’s City Hall, Sand told City Administrator Jeff Horne and Sheryl Lenker of the city council that Wilton was one of the few communities to fill out the 5-page checklist shortly after the program was implemented, then again a year later to see progress. “Wilton did that, and you are the most improved city in Iowa,” Sand noted.
Horne said that all the reporting for the award was done through former City Administrator Chris Ball.