DPU Manager Philo Shelton
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
After a rigorous application process and a thorough site visit, Quality New Mexico awarded the Los Alamos County Department of Public Utilities (DPU) its Roadrunner distinction.
“We’re pleased to get this award,” DPU Manager Philo Shelton said. “In the feedback report, there’s more good than bad.”
Some of strengths highlighted include DPU’s engagement with their customers. Shelton pointed out that DPU has included the community in several committees such as the Future Energy Resource Committee.
The Roadrunner award is part of the New Mexico Performance Excellence Awards. It reports that the Roadrunner award “reflects the recipient that demonstrates progress in building sound and systematic processes and attaining improved outcomes,” according to a Quality New Mexico news release.
DPU will receive a plaque for its achievement during an award ceremony in April.
To receive the award, DPU staff submitted a lengthy application, which addressed seven sections: leadership, strategy, customers, management, workforce and operations and the data for these different areas.
Additionally, a team of trained examiners conducted a site visit in November.
Shelton said they toured the Pajarito Cliff sites, which houses DPU’s operations, equipment and staff. The team also conducted random interviews with staff. This is not the first time DPU has received this award; the department also was awarded the Roadrunner level in 2014.
Goal is to ultimately receive the highest level, Zia, and then apply for the national award, the Malcolm Baldrige Award, in 2025.
Earning a New Mexico Performance Excellence Award goes beyond being able to hang a plaque on the wall or to get bragging rights; it provides a tool to improve the utilities department, Shelton said.
“The whole point of this process is to improve,” he said.
The County Charter requires the Board to conduct a management audit every five years by employing a qualified consultant to review and make recommendations as to the operation of the County Utilities.
Shelton said, “This complies (with the Charter). It’s good to have that outside (source) in reviewing our operations.”
DPU Executive Assistant Jaime Kephart added, “There is always room for improvement. What I always appreciated about the QNM (Quality New Mexico) feedback report is that it really helps narrow down our focus. Regardless of what recognition you get – the recommendations for improvement are always useful.”
This year, DPU determined, through the award application process, that there are several areas to address: tracking customers’ feedback and improving partnerships with DPU’s vendors. Still, DPU staff is pleased to get this recognition.
Additionally, DPU has worked to collect data to measure its performance. Kephart said this is something DPU has worked hard to improve since going through the award process in 2014.
“Our staff has been very proud of that improvement, and our board has appreciated having that data,” she said. “The information is presented to the Board and the public quarterly during regularly scheduled utility system updates.”
While any entity, public or private, can apply for a New Mexico Performance Excellence Award every year, DPU has chosen to apply for one every five years.
Kephart said there are advantages and disadvantages to this. It gives the department the time to implement improvements but on the other hand, a lot can happen in five years.
For instance, Shelton said the DPU switched from its old operating software to MUNIS and it is just beginning to install its new smart meters.
According to the Quality New Mexico website, the excellence award is a multi-tiered assessment and awards process that assists state organizations to achieve and sustain excellence.
Quality New Mexico offers four levels of awards including: Level 1 Adobe, Level 2 Piñon and Level 3 Roadrunner. Level four, the highest level, is Zia. It is further reported on the website that the awards are modeled after the Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award.
