Several departments win accreditation, while others achieve reaccreditation
Multiple departments within Sarasota County Government have achieved accreditation and reaccreditation from the American Public Works Association (APWA), “reflecting Sarasota County’s commitment to excellence and strategic goals,” county staff has announced.
The judgment from APWA “allows Sarasota County to receive critique from a professional, third-party organization, resulting in the enhancement of governmental processes and service to the public,” a news release points out.
The Capital Projects, Public Utilities, Public Works and Solid Waste departments were reaccredited following their initial APWA accreditation in 2020, the release says. Newly accredited departments this year are Breeze Transit; Communications; General Services; Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources; and Planning and Development Services, the release adds.
APWA accreditation is a sign of formal verification and recognition that these departments “comply with the recommended management practices outlined in APWA’s Public Works Management Practices Manual,” the release explains. “The APWA accreditation process is available to all governmental agencies responsible for public works functions,” the release points out.
“Sarasota County began its reaccreditation and accreditation efforts in December 2022, starting with a self-assessment in February 2023,” the release continues. “The county underwent an extensive submittal and review process to measure the success of its procedures and evaluate its service to the community,” the release adds.
“Sarasota County Government is committed to continuous improvement in how we operate, serving the community in the best way with the resources we have available,” said County Administrator Jonathan Lewis in the release. “APWA accreditation and reaccreditation demonstrate the county’s success in its strategic goals of providing exceptional county services and possessing a high-performing team,” Lewis added in the release.
APWA’s accreditation process includes five major phases, as follows:
- “Self-Assessment — Internal review of an agency’s practices compared with the recommended practices in the manual.
- “Application — Submission of a formal application to commit to the Accreditation Program.
- “Improvement — Addressing areas needing improvement to comply with recommended practices.
- “Evaluation — Requesting a site visit for review and evaluation of the agency’s compliance.”
- “Accreditation” — The Accreditation Council reviews the site visit results and team recommendations to decide on whether to award accreditation.
“The initial accreditation is valid for four years, with semi-annual updates required to maintain compliance,” the release points out. “After that period, a reaccreditation process builds on the original accreditation, encouraging continuous improvement and compliance with newly identified practices.”
This year, achieving the APWA accreditation for multiple departments was part of the strategic plan for the county, the release continues. “Sarasota County reaffirms its strategic plan annually, which includes a 15-year vision, mission statements and an annual action plan approved by the Board of County Commissioners,” the release notes.
“Sarasota County’s nine departments now become part of 215 accredited agencies in North America and 37 within the state of Florida,” Jeanette Klamm, senior manager of accreditation for the American Public Works Association, said in the release. “While many other cities or counties have multiple departments accredited,” she added, “Sarasota County’s nine accredited departments exceed all others in number.”
Klamm also noted in the release, “The evaluation team was impressed by the coordination between all the departments, the commitment to quality, and the teamwork that was evident, as well as the county administration’s support and encouragement. We look forward to working with Sarasota County as they continue to make improvements and work toward reaccreditation in four years,” she added.
“To learn more about Sarasota’s continued commitment to provide excellent service to the community,” the release says, visit scgov.net. To learn more about the American Public Works Association, visit apwa.org.