Kalamazoo County Government builds the foundation for a safe and healthy community through the collaborative efforts of elected officials and dedicated individuals. Opportunities are created for all citizens to enjoy peace of mind and enhanced quality of life through the provision of needed services and programs. MISSION The mission of Kalamazoo County government is to provide responsive, innovative and cost effective services. PRINCIPLES To achieve our mission, Kalamazoo County government adheres to the following principles: • treat citizens with dignity, respect, honesty and fairness. • foster an accessible and responsive process for citizen involvement. • improve citizen understanding of the role and structure of county government. • promote effective and responsive Board decision-making. • encourage a spirit of teamwork. • exercise the highest standards of financial stewardship and accountability, assuring financial integrity. • respect the independence and interrelationships among all governmental units. • seek opportunities to collaborate with other public and private institutions in Southwest Michigan. • adopt a pro-active, innovative, nontraditional approach to program development and implementation. • strengthen the diversity and improve the stability of the community economic base.