City of Moreno Valley Takes Home First Place

MORENO VALLEY>> The City of Moreno Valley announced on Monday, Feb. 27 that its Employment Resource Center Relaunch took home a first place finish at the Inland Empire Economic Partnership’s (IEEP) Fourth Annual Turning Red Tape to Red Carpet Awards. The Cooperation Among Cities, Counties or Agencies award was given to the City of Moreno Valley for its efforts to modernize the Employment Resource Center to better serve employers, workforce and economic development professionals and job seekers. Moreno Valley was also named IEEP’s runner-up for its Sustainability and Green Development award for ALDI’s Sustainable LEED Gold Certified Moreno Valley Headquarters and Distribution Center, and a finalist for the Business Retention & Expansion award for its Momentum MoVal Business Visitation Program. The IEEP’s Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet event honors agencies that have developed innovative ways to avoid bureaucratic red tape for the betterment of local economies and communities. "The City of Moreno Valley is committed to innovating ways to make it easy for companies to do business in our city and for job seekers to find the right opportunities to get back to work," said Moreno Valley Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez. "Cutting through the red tape and rolling out the red carpet strengthens the regional economy and puts people back to work." The City of Moreno Valley used a $53,000 grant from the Western Regional Council of Governments to give the ERC a complete facelift, a news release states. In 2016, staff embarked on the ERC Relaunch program that included a computer lab upgrade, a facility "facelift" with new paint, carpet, window treatments and plumbing upgrades; internet upgrade and new software and operating systems. The IEEP is a regional economic development organization dedicated to improving the economic vitality of the Inland Empire for more than 30 years. The organization is focused on bringing jobs to the region, fostering economic opportunities, and enhancing the quality of life for residents of Riverside and San Bernardino counties.