The City of St. Cloud reports its Procurement Services department has earned the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement® (AEP) Award from the National Procurement Institute. The award recognizes organizational excellence in public procurement through a rigorous evaluation of innovation, professionalism, productivity, leadership, and e-procurement practices. The national honor recognizes organizational excellence in public procurement and is earned by public and non-profit agencies that demonstrate a commitment to innovation, professionalism, productivity, leadership, and transparency.
To qualify for the award, the city had to meet exceed criteria in areas like the use of technology in operations, ethical practices that ensure integrity and accountability, professional development and certification of staff, efficient and transparent processes, innovative methods in supply chain management and stakeholder engagement
St. Cloud’s Procurement Services department met those standards, the city said, to be part of a small and elite group of public procurement agencies.
“Our team is very proud to win this award. It is the culmination of all the steps we’ve intentionally taken to ensure the city of St. Cloud is following industry standard best practices to ensure public dollars are spent wisely,” said Procurement Director Leslie Flores. “This award demonstrates our commitment to driving performance, accountability, and strategic value for the city and its taxpayers.”
This weekend’s fun doesn’t stop on the 4th! The 5th of July Plant Sale Against Cancer takes place on Saturday, July 5 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Grace Gardens (4575 Mildred Bass Road). Fresh collard greens, flowers, trees and more will be available for purchase. Play a round or two of Garden Checkers or Jenga and relax while supporting a great cause.
Pill Bottle Recycling Program, part of Osceola County’s efforts to reduce waste is happening now. Pill bottles are a small size, which makes it challenging for to traditional recycling processes. This empty pill bottle collection program is designed to collect used bottles which will be repurposed by Osceola County Animal Services to dispense pet medications.
To participate, remove labels, wash and dry thoroughly, replace lids and drop off at City Hall or Osceola County Animal Services on Old Canoe Creek Road.
We are almost half way through summer, and Hopkins Heroes’ Back to School Bash is right around the corner. To participate in the annual clothing drive, drop off old uniforms for the school uniform swap at Nutrition Zone (1100 Massachusetts Ave.) or Hopkins Park (620 E. 17th St.). Pick-up is also available, contact Stephanie Gilbert at 407-709-7394 or email Hopkinsheroes24@gmail.com. Donations of school supplies are also needed.
Zumba is held every Wednesday, morning at 9 a.m. at the St. Cloud Civic Center, 3001 17th St. The cost is $1 per person. This class is for all fitness levels. For more information, call 407-957-7243.
Bingo is played on the third Monday of each month from 1-3 p.m. at the Civic Center, for adults 18+. The cost is $1 per card.
If you have any St. Cloud news or information that you would like to share, call Lisa Goldmacher at 407-319-9700 or email lcgoldmacher@yahoo.com.
