Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06172008 - C.130 a - SE _L TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ?�- �---��' Contra FROM: JULIA R. BUEREN, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR Costa DATE: June 17, 2008 x y f -you= y�4� A �A County SUBJECT: Report for Re-Accreditation Program, Countywide. (All Districts) SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDED ACTION: ACCEPT report on the Public Works Department's Re-Accreditation Program, as recommended by the Public Works Director. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: D SIGNATURE: Cil/G � 1iECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER r SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BO ONyU, 6 Cq Zob� APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED (y O/ER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE AYES: NOES: DATE SHOWN. ABSENT: ABSTAIN: Contact:Carrie Ricci,313-2235 CR:jcw G:\Admin\carrie\APWA\BO for Re-Accreditation 2008.doc ATTESTED w / JOHN CULLEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS cc: Julie Bueren t Dawn Love BY: DEPUTY t + SUBJECT: Report for Re-Accreditation Program, Countywide. (All Districts) DATE: June 17, 2008 PAGE: 2 of 2 FISCAL IMPACT: Staff time spent assessing business practices and identifying and implementing improvements as needed. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS AND BACKGROUND: The Public Works Department is proud of its culture of self improvement.We have conducted numerous studies of our business practices, embraced the concept of total quality management and through ongoing process improvement teams, implemented changes in several areas. The American Public Works Association (APWA) Accreditation Programs gives the Department an opportunity to measure its practices, policies, and procedures against nationally accepted public works standards. The Department was the first county public works agency in California to be accredited in 2001. We were re-accredited in 2004,and now are required to be re-accredited every four years. In anticipation of our re-accreditation visit by the APWA evaluators scheduled for August 3-5,2008 we have reviewed all of our practices,policies,and procedures and feel we are in full compliance with the standards set by APWA. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION: The Department will not benefit from the opportunity to become re-accredited by the American Public Works Association. e PUBLIC WORKS ACCREDITATION As part of our continuous assessment and improvement process, the Public Works Department participates in a management audit every four years through the American Public Works Association (APWA). APWA developed this audit program to accredit public works departments. The purpose of accreditation is to promote excellence in operations and management. Schools, hospitals and other institutions have long enjoyed the opportunity to become accredited, yet until the 1990's, there has been no program accrediting a public works department. Accreditation is a mark of professionalism that indicates a commitment to continuous improvement in the delivery of public works operations and services to the community. Accreditation is recognition that a department's policies, procedures and practices have been evaluated against nationally recognized management practices, and meet or exceed the established standard. Currently there are 49 APWA accredited departments in the United States and Canada. Contra Costa is the only accredited county in California. The accreditation program has five phases: application, self assessment, improvement, evaluation, and accreditation. A department seeking accreditation is given three years from the date of application to become accredited. Once the department .believes it has complied with all applicable practices, an APWA evaluation team conducts a site visit to confirm compliance. The site visit involves documentation review_, staff interviews and facility tours to evaluate the level of compliance. The evaluation team reports its findings to the APWA Accreditation Council. Once the Council approved the department's accreditation, the department is accredited for four years, after which the department will need to seek and achieve re-accreditation to maintain status. The Public Works Department received the Certificate of Accreditation in July 2001 and was Re-Accredited in 2004. We have continued to review and improve our work processes and are now re-evaluated for Accreditation on a four-year cycle. Our Re- Accreditation site visit is scheduled for August 3-5, 2008. G:\Admin\carrie\APWAWccreditation summary.doc PUBLIC WORKS ACCREDITATION As part of our continuous assessment and improvement process, the Public Works Department participates in a management audit every four years through the American Public Works Association (APWA). APWA developed this audit program to accredit public works departments. The purpose of accreditation is to promote excellence in operations and management. Schools, hospitals and other institutions have long enjoyed the opportunity to become accredited, yet until the 1990's, there has been no program accrediting a public works department. Accreditation is a mark of professionalism that indicates a commitment to continuous improvement in the delivery of public works operations and services to'the community. Accreditation is recognition that a department's policies, procedures and practices have been evaluated against nationally recognized management practices, and meet or exceed the established standard. Currently there are 49 APWA accredited departments in the United States and Canada. Contra Costa is the only accredited county in California. The accreditation program has five phases: application, self assessment, improvement, evaluation, and accreditation. A department seeking accreditation is given three years from the date of application to become accredited. Once the department believes it has complied with all applicable practices, an APWA evaluation team conducts a site visit to confirm compliance. The site visit involves documentation review, staff interviews and facility tours to evaluate the level of compliance. The evaluation team reports its findings to the APWA Accreditation Council. Once the Council approved the department's accreditation, the department is accredited for four years, after which the department will need to seek and achieve re`-accreditation to maintain status.. The Public Works Department received the Certificate of Accreditation in July 2001 and was Re-Accredited in 2004. We have continued to review and improve our work processes and are now re-evaluated for Accreditation on a four-year cycle. Our Re- Accreditation site visit is scheduled for August 3-5, 2008. G:\Admin\carrie\APWA\Accreditation summary.doc