Encinitas, CA, February 15, 2023 – The Encinitas Public Works Department has recently received full re-accreditation by the American Public Works Association (APWA) for the third time. 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, there is a re-accreditation process that builds on the original accreditation, encouraging continuous improvement and compliance with newly identified practices.

Accreditation aims 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 and excellence. The heroes of this accomplishment are the staff whose mission is to provide services and programs that contribute to making Encinitas a great place to live and visit,” says Public Works Director Sylvester Mabry Jr.

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 re-accreditation by APWA’s Accreditation Council for the third time, the Encinitas Public Works Department was first awarded APWA Accreditation back in 2010. In addition to Encinitas, accredited agencies in California include the Cities of Oakland, Palmdale, Palo Alto, Pasadena, Thousand Oaks, Vallejo, and Ventura and the Counties of Orange and San Luis Obispo, and the City and County of San Francisco, and lastly the San Diego Unified Port District.

For more information about APWA Accreditation process, please contact APWA Accreditation Manager, Nicole Shoemaker at [email protected], or (816)595-5294.

About APWA

The American Public Works Association (www.apwa.net) is a not-for-profit, international organization with more than 30,000 members involved in 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.

About Encinitas

Located along six miles of Pacific Ocean coastline in northern San Diego County, Encinitas has an approximate population of 62,000 and is characterized by coastal beaches, flat-topped coastal areas, steep mesa bluffs and rolling hills. The city was incorporated in 1986, drawing together the communities of New Encinitas, Old Encinitas, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Olivenhain and Leucadia.