Des Moines, IA – State Auditor Rob Sand on Monday, congratulated Iowa counties, cities, and school districts across Iowa for their efforts to save taxpayer dollars through participation in the Auditor’s Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program. In southwest Iowa, Adams County, the City of Orient, along with the Bedford, Essex and Hamburg School Districts, all won awards (See below). Sand says “Since we started PIE, there’s been no end to the appetite for pinching taxpayers’ pennies. Iowans work hard to make ends meet, and this program is helping local governments in every county do more with less money for Iowans.” Auditor Sand will hand-deliver a pie to celebrate with officials at each entity who earned a 2024 PIE Award at a later date.

Sand created the PIE program in 2019 to encourage public entities across Iowa to implement efficiency practices and reward innovative ideas to save public dollars. The PIE checklist, distributed each year by the Auditor’s office to local leaders, provides public servants with tools and a chance to collaborate with others—inviting them to share their concepts, known as “PIE recipes,” via the Auditor of State’s website. “Government works best when best practices are easily shared and duplicated, and no one needs to reinvent the wheel,” Sand said. “The appeal of PIE is that everyone should want efficient government, whether they’re a Republican, Democrat, or independent. Besides, who wouldn’t want the opportunity to celebrate a job well done with a slice of pie?”

The Auditor of State’s PIE program has been so successful that the Mississippi State Auditor, a Republican, copied the program for use in his own state—even keeping the name. The PIE program was also replicated in 2024 by the Comptroller of the City of Baltimore.  To learn more about the PIE program, please visit auditor.iowa.gov/pie.

 2024 PIE Award Winners

Counties
Largest County: Scott County
Smallest County: Adams County
Best Performing County, Overall: Lucas County
Best Performing Counties, Awarded Within Categories of Size: Story County, Fayette County, Hardin County, Hancock and Franklin Counties (TIED), Lucas County
Most Improved County: Boone County

Cities
Largest City: Cedar Rapids
Smallest City: Ellston (Population 22)
Best Performing City, Overall: Cedar Rapids
Best Performing Cities, Awarded Within Categories of Size: Cedar Rapids, Donnelson, Alburnett, Orient, Fostoria
Most Improved City: Alburnett

Community School Districts
Largest Community School District: Des Moines Public
Smallest Community School District: Olin
Best Performing Community School District, Overall: Charles City
Best Performing School Districts, Awarded Within Categories of Size: Charles City (Winner), Des Moines (Runner-Up); Allamakee (Winner), Albia (Runner-Up); Bedford (Winner), Montezuma and Kingsley-Pierson (Runners-Up); Hamburg (Winner), Essex (Runner-Up)
Most Improved Community School District: Charles City