Buffalo Grove Public Works' commitment to highest standard of services confirmed through national reaccreditation

The village of Buffalo Grove Public Works Department (BGPW) has received full accreditation by the American Public Works Association (APWA) for the sixth time.

APWA’s Region V Director Larry Hummel formally presented the reaccreditation plaque at the Oct. 7 village board meeting. 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.

“Receiving this reaccreditation is a true honor, recognizing our department’s professionalism and commitment to continuous improvement,” said Deputy Village Manager and Public Works Director Mike Skibbe. “This accomplishment is a reflection of our staff, who are the long-term stewards of our infrastructure and their contributions each and every day to serve our community with pride.”

During his presentation, Hummel explained that the accreditation reviewers noted BGPW in having a model practice that other agencies across the nation should consider — BGPW Forestry and Grounds Section’s controlled burns.

“These [controlled burns] are a highly effective tool and the way they manage it is highly commendable. The practice shows immense care and detail in which the department manages controlled burns in the creation and restoration of native open spaces.

The work is collaborative with first responders, is considerate of community concerns, and above all, involves safe working conditions. This practice is a great example for other agencies who wish to continue utilizing controlled burns in native open spaces.

The purpose of accreditation is to promote excellence in the operation and management of a public works agency, its programs, and employees. Accreditation is designed to assist the agency in 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.

Open to all governmental agencies with responsibilities for public works functions, initial accreditation from APWA is for a four-year period, during which time semiannual updates are required to demonstrate continuing compliance. After that time, the reaccreditation process, which builds on the original accreditation, encourages continuous improvement and compliance with newly identified practices.

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.

Formally awarded the prestigious accreditation by APWA’s Accreditation Council for the sixth time, the village of Buffalo Grove Public Works Department was awarded APWA Accreditation back in 2004, and was the second agency in the state of Illinois. In addition to Buffalo Grove, the accredited agencies in Illinois include the villages of Elk Grove, Libertyville, Mount Prospect, New Lennox, Schaumburg and Skokie along with the cities of Crystal Lake, Highland Park and Naperville.

The American Public Works Association (www.apwa.net) is a not-for-profit, international organization of more than 30,000 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, Missouri, has an office in Washington, D.C., and 63 chapters in North America.