2007 News

October 4, 2007

Bucks County Best-Practice Leaders: “We Deliver Them Here”
COO David Sanko Highlights Key County Employees

Throughout the year, officials around the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States look to Bucks County employees for shared expertise and collaborative creativity. During his Oct. 3 chief operating officer report, David Sanko praised multiple county staff members for their role as “leaders and practitioners.”

Today, in Philadelphia, county Public Safety Training Officer Harry McCann addressed cadets at the Temple University Police Academy. McCann, who oversees the county facility in Doylestown Twp., is a noted authority on police training education.

On Sept. 11, at the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania headquarters in Harrisburg, Bucks County CIO Donald Jacobs spotlighted his department for leaders across the commonwealth during a lecture: “Best Practices and Partnership for ‘Service Excellence.’ “ During his presentation, Jacobs offered powerful suggestions for interdepartmental communication, records management services, and driving the streamlining of resources – finding opportunities for collaborative technical services and solutions between agencies.

“Private industry is known for project management and open dialogue, but government is not necessarily known for being able to implement these aspects as effectively,” Jacobs explained. “That was my focus during the lecture.”

Sanko, the former director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, praised McCann and Jacobs for their role in sharing Bucks County best practices. He also pointed to other colleagues for their commitment to excellence, including Lynn Bush, executive director of the county Planning Commission. Bush currently serves as vice-president of the Pennsylvania State Planners Association. In addition, Consumer Protection Director Mike Bannon serves on the Pennsylvania Weights and Measures Advisory Committee. “These are just a few examples of Bucks County leaders,” Sanko noted. “We deliver them here.”

Another pair of county staff members who have played vital roles in statewide interoperability and policy shaping are Emergency Services Director John D. Dougherty, who chairs the Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Counterterrorism Task Force and Director of Corrections Harris Gubernick, who is an advisory member of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

“These individuals are merely a snapshot of the wealth of talent we have within the Bucks County government workforce,” Sanko added. “We are proud to recognize each of them for their contributions.”