From excellence in TV programming to partnerships resulting in improved health care access, professional associations and peer groups are awarding the city for the quality of services delivered to residents.
Partnerships
The City of Irving has been recognized, along with Dallas County, for a partnership that resulted in the opening of the Irving Health Center. City of Irving Mayor Herbert A. Gears and Dallas County Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield accepted the 2009 City-County Cooperation Award at the Texas Association of Counties (TAC) annual conference held Aug. 26 in Austin.
“Receiving this recognition illustrates the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that is alive and well in Irving,” said Gears. “The Irving Health Center is just one of many examples of how Irving is partnering with various entities and organizations to provide residents with easy access to much-needed services, like those provided by the health center.”
Since its opening, the center has received more than 33,000 visits from 11,000 low- to moderate-income individuals. In addition to providing Irving residents with access to less expensive primary and preventive care, the center provides immunizations, cancer screenings, HIV/AIDS testing and counseling, hearing and vision screenings, and helps patients better manage chronic diseases such as diabetes.
The genesis of the Irving Health Center, located at 1800 N. Britain Road, can be traced back to 2004 with an interlocal agreement among several organizations. Participants included Parkland Health and Hospital System, Baylor Medical Center at Irving, Dental Health Programs, Irving Housing and Human Services Board, and the U.S. Department of Housing. A project team from each entity worked on opening the Irving Health Center, Parkland’s newest community-based health center, in August 2007.
Best Government TV Programming
Irving Community Television Network (ICTN) has been recognized for having the best overall government programming in the state by the Texas Association of Telecommunication Officers and Advisors (TATOA). In this year’s competition, TATOA judges compared ICTN programming with that of cities across Texas, including Dallas and Plano. The station received the first-place award in the most coveted category—Overall Excellence in Government Programming. In addition, ICTN received:
- First place in the Community Event Coverage category for “Irving: Game of the Week
- Second place in the Best Magazine Series category for “City Source
- Second place in the Special Audience Programming category for “La Ciudad de Irving – Con la Comunidad
- Third place in the Special Audience Programming category for “Resident Report
“We are very excited to receive such a great honor,” said ICTN Executive Producer Courtney Mason. “It’s nice to be recognized for our hard work. We continually strive for excellence, and this is confirmation that we are moving in the right direction.”
Irving residents can view ICTN programming on:
- ICTN 1 – Time Warner Channel 16 or Verizon Channel 30
- ICTN 2 – Time Warner Channel 95 or Verizon Channel 31
- ICTN 3 – Time Warner Channel 96 or Verizon Channel 32
The ICTN schedule and on-demand programming are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.ictn.tv.
Posted Sept. 1