Monmouth County PR Office Wins National Recognition

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FREEHOLD – The Monmouth County Department of Public Information and Tourism has been recognized for its work by the National Association of County Information Officers (NACIO), an arm of the National Association of Counties (NACo).
The department took home awards in four categories: news releases, speechwriting, photography and video production. All 3,077 U.S. counties are eligible to compete in the NACIO awards program.
“I am very proud of my staff because they work very hard all year long to publicize the many good things about Monmouth County government,” said William K. Heine, public information director. “Being recognized by one’s peers, especially on the national level, is extremely gratifying.”
The awards won are:

This photograph, taken by William K. Heine, Monmouth County director of public Information during the county’s 9/11 Memorial Ceremony on Sept. 11, 2011, at Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook, won first place in the photography category in a national contest sponsored by the the National Association of County Information Officers.

Superior (1st), Photography – A photograph of a law enforcement officer paying tribute to a fallen brother at the county’s Sept. 11 ceremony.
Superior (1st), Audio Visual Production – The Monmouth in Focus television show providing an overview of the Oceanic Bridge project.
Meritorious (3rd), Speech-writing – A graduation speech prepared for the basic law enforcement graduation class at the county’s police academy.
Meritorious (3rd), News Release Writing – A news release entitled Oceanic Bridge to close for repairs about the county’s project to replace the bridge’s bascule span last winter.
“I am grateful for the commitment the freeholders have made to public information and for the support they have shown to me and my staff and the work that we do,” Heine said. “The department is always striving to improve the way in which it communicates with residents about the programs and services the county offers.”
In addition to producing a monthly TV show and utilizing traditional media outlets such as radio stations and newspapers, the department makes available a weekly e-newsletter and posts information on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Residents can sign up for the newsletter from the county’s homepage at www.visitmonmouth.com, where they can also find links for various social media outlets.
County communications projects entered in this year’s competition ranged from Annual Reports to events for children, demonstrating the breadth of county government services as well as counties’ commitment to inform and engage their citizens.
“Generating news and information about Monmouth County programs and services is necessary to keep residents informed about what’s going on in their county,” Freeholder Deputy Director Thomas A. Arnone said. “We are pleased that the Public Information staff has been recognized nationally by their peers.”