Editor’s note: The following press release was received from Walworth County.

The Walworth County Public Works Department has recently received full accreditation from the American Public Works Association (APWA). This prestigious 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. Walworth County Public Works Department is only the second agency and the first county to be accredited in the State of Wisconsin. The other accredited agency in Wisconsin is the City of Janesville.

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.

“The Department of Public Works has dedicated itself to continuous improvement, excellence, fiscal and personal accountability,” says Richard Hough, Director of Walworth County Public Works. “The credit for this accomplishment belongs to the staff whose mission is to provide services and programs that contribute to making Walworth County a great place to live and work.”

APWA’s accreditation process includes five major steps:
 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.

About APWA
The American Public Works Association (www.apwa.net) is a not-for-profit, international organization with more than 33,000 members involved in the field of public works. APWA serves its members by promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy, and the exchange of knowledge. APWA is headquartered in Kansas City, MO, has an office in Washington, DC, and 63 chapters in North America.