The city had the honor of representing Lake Stevens at the American Public Works Association’s Public Works Expo conference in Chicago last week. The city was asked to present two workshop sessions and to be a part of a panel discussion. 

Since successfully completing the American Public Works Association accreditation process, the city was asked to share our three-year long journey, lessons learned along the way, and tips on how to bring focus and long-term success to your work projects. The presentation, “Doing More With Less by Improving Processes and Culture” session was presented by our Mayor, Public Works Director, Human Resources Director, and Public Works Analyst. 

The second presentation session was “Demolishing Waste with Legos” presented by our Mayor, Human Resources Director, and Public Works Analyst. This presentation focused on Lean Six Sigma training and how to problem solve and continuous improvements. 

Our City Administrator was asked to sit on the “What City and County Managers Want Public Works Directors to Know” panel discussion to bring awareness to the importance of strong working relationships and departmental collaboration to ensure communities thrive. 

What an honor to showcase the hard work and dedication of our city at a national level. Lake Stevens joined the elite group of 214 other cities across the country who have also received the APWA accreditation. Since receiving an impressive 99.7% full compliance rating, the city has improved customer service, efficiency, and overall safety. Working three years towards the accreditation has created a work culture of accountability and efficiency as well as a bond rating upgrade from Aa2 to Aa1 by Moody’s.