HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.2 ACCOLADES: Presentation of accreditation plaque by the American Public Works AssociationMr�GauC �'d'+rt;�iect
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Subject ACCOLADES: Presentation of accreditation plaque
by the American Public Works Association.
Meeting May 16, 2023 - REGULAR MEETING OF THE MOUNT
PROSPECT VILLAGE BOARD -
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Category MAYORS REPORT
Type Information Item
The Mount Prospect Public Works Department has recently received full
accreditation by the American Public Works Association (APWA). This accreditation
formally verifies and recognizes that the agency is in full compliance with the
recommended management practices set forth in APWA's Public Works
Management Practices Manual.
Open to all governmental agencies with responsibilities for public works functions,
initial accreditation from APWA is for a four-year period, during which time semi-
annual updates will be required to demonstrate continuing compliance. After that
time, there is a re -accreditation process that builds on the original accreditation,
encouraging continuous improvement and compliance with newly identified
practices.
The purpose of accreditation is to promote excellence in the operation and
management of a public works agency, its programs, and its employees.
Accreditation is designed to assist the agency in the continuous improvement of
operations and management, and in providing a valid and objective evaluation of
agency programs as a service to the public and the profession.
APWA's accreditation process includes five major steps:
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• Self -Assessment: Using the Public Works Management Practices Manual, an
internal review of an agency's practices combined with a comparison of the
recommended practices contained in the manual;
•Application: Once the decision has been made to commit to the
Accreditation Program, the agency submits a formal application;
• Improvement: After the agency has completed the self-assessment and
identified areas needing improvement, the agency will work to bring all
practices into an acceptable level of compliance with the recommended
practices;
• Evaluation: Following the completion of the improvement phase, the agency
will request a site visit. The site visit will consist of a review and evaluation of
the agency to determine the level of compliance with all applicable practices.
•Accreditation: The Accreditation Council will review the site visit results and
recommendations from the team, voting to award or deny accreditation.
After completing follow-up work in the wake of a March 7th -9th site visit by APWA
accreditation evaluators, the Village was found fully compliant with 446 of 450
applicable best practices and substantially compliant with 4 more.
Formally awarded the prestigious accreditation by APWA's Accreditation Council
for the first time, the Village of Mount Prospect Public Works Department was
awarded APWA Accreditation on March 28, 2023.
Mount Prospect is now one of only nine fully accredited agencies in Illinois
including the villages of Buffalo Grove, Libertyville, New Lenox, Skokie, and
Schaumburg, and the cities of Crystal Lake, Naperville, and Highland Park.
There are only 166 accredited public works agencies throughout the United States
and Canada.
American Public Works Association Region 5 Director Sean O'Dell will attend this
meeting and present the association's accreditation plaque to the Village Board.
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ATTACHMENTS:
APWA Accreditation Photo.jpg