As municipal assets and infrastructure age, climate change threatens the integrity of existing structures, and municipalities wrestle with the increasingly complex task of managing their assets, Asset Management Plans (AMPs) have become increasingly valuable. Asset Management Plans leverage data to effectively prioritize asset maintenance, repairs, and replacement. Efficient infrastructure management saves local governments crucial resources, builds community cohesion, and supports more sustainable and reliable assets.
However, even the best Asset Management Plan is only as successful as its support throughout the municipal organization. In some jurisdictions, having an AMP is the law. In others, it is required to secure funding from the State or Provincial government for major infrastructure projects. For others, it isn’t as straightforward to justify the need. In many cases, this means going to council to get the financial resources needed to develop and implement an AMP.
Beyond funding, Asset Management Plans will fail to generate the efficiency and sustainability they promise without the buy-in from council and other internal stakeholders. This article will explain how best to present Asset Management Plans to key stakeholders to ensure successful support and implementation. Municipalities stand to gain cross-departmental collaboration, effective data-driven decision making, and infrastructure integrity by employing multi-year Asset Management Plans. You can make that happen.
Building Community Resilience, Adaptability, and Communication Through Data
Before presenting a proposed Asset Management Plan development initiative for budget consideration, it is crucial to understand exactly how an AMP will provide tangible benefits for the council and their interests. Adapt your presentation to the benefits that are most relevant and applicable for your municipal council. Essentially, AMPs validate municipal action with data, strengthen communication from government to the community, drive data-backed budgeting, and build resilient communities.
First, utilizing an AMP allows council members to validate their initiatives and actions with data. Each member of council has their own constituency for whom they advocate in the political realm. AMPs provide an opportunity to support their advocacy with accurate, complete, and compelling data to tie quantitative support to their priorities.
Second, AMPs strengthen opportunities for municipalities to communicate with their community members. AMPs provide a tool for municipal council members to explain “why?” they invest in particular community needs and fiscal expenditures. To enhance resident satisfaction, AMPs can provide a visualization of how each investment will directly impact the local population.
Council will also benefit through their budgeting process, a frequently mentally and emotionally draining experience for members of council. Capital plans, strategic plans, operating budgets, recreational masterplans, and more are essential parts of the municipal process. AMPs provide the data to support budgets each step of the way. Establishing data-backed prioritization, efficiently managing aging assets, and investing in the right projects enhance the credibility of municipal budgets and makes the process easier for council members.
Resiliency is a key concern for local governments and community members across North America as climate change threatens unprecedented natural disasters and significant infrastructure reaches the end of its lifecycle. AMPs will allow council members to take action in building the long-term sustainability of the cornerstone assets of their communities.
Town council members stand to gain a multitude of strengths by adopting effective AMPs. Understanding what these benefits are and how they apply to your local community is the first step in effectively selling a multi-year Asset Management Plan.
Presenting an Asset Management Plan Initiative Effectively
While presenting a proposal to develop an Asset Management Plan, and any related technology or third-party support, there are several steps to take to increase the credibility of your presentation and ensure that the council is receptive to the investment. Keep the presentation simple, leverage visual tools, and do not shy away from real-world examples.
- Build a clear definition of Asset Management in your organization
Begin by ensuring that the council understands what Asset Management is and why it matters. Simplify the language and emphasize that Asset Management is not just about spreadsheets and technical details. Asset Management is about delivering reliable levels of service to residents, building resilient communities, and sustainable financial planning.
- Paint a picture to illustrate the benefits
Leverage visual tools like Geographic Information Systems (GIS), graphs, and charts. Using maps, show council members examples of exactly where infrastructure is aging, where critical repairs are needed, and how investments today can prevent failures tomorrow. If possible, give them a taste of the insights you could glean from a fully-implemented AMP backed by software and GIS technology. Council is more likely to respond to a visual story of cost savings, tangible examples of assets to be included, and service improvement than simply numbers on a spreadsheet.
- Emphasize risk reduction
One of municipal councils’ primary objectives is minimizing risk, both to the public and to the budget. Beyond the risk of failing infrastructure, there is also the personal or reputational risk council members look to avoid when making decisions with the taxpayers money. Make it clear how an AMP reduces these risks by identifying vulnerabilities in the infrastructure and allowing for preemptive action. Council members will be reassured that an AMP is designed to protect public safety and avoid unexpected, expensive crises. They will also appreciate knowing that they themselves are making better decisions based on more reliable information.
- Utilize case studies
Share the stories of similar municipalities who have implemented successful AMPs, especially ones from nearby or similar communities in terms of location, age, and size. Case studies are powerful tools for persuading municipal council because they offer real-world examples of how an AMP can lead to tangible improvements. These examples show that Asset Management is not an uncertain experiment, it is a proven strategy.
- Keep it simple
Avoid getting deep into the weeds of the technical aspects of Asset Management. Keeping the message simple keeps council’s attention and improves the likelihood of securing support. Focus on the outcomes – effective budgeting, resilience, reduced risk, and community satisfaction – and leave the technical details for follow-up questions.
Align with Organizational Strategic Goals
Asset Management has the biggest impact when it is directly aligned with existing strategic goals. Municipal stakeholders, like council members, are often focused on broad initiatives that fit with their political and constituency needs. Frame the AMP as a tool that will support and help achieve these priorities.
Asset Management Plans can directly contribute to the council’s key goals. If a municipality is focused on increasing their environmental sustainability, emphasize how AMPs can help them lead in resource efficiency, waste reduction, and lowering their environmental impact. Another municipality may want to invest in new infrastructure like parks or playgrounds but cannot justify the costs. Having an AMP allows them to see the bigger picture and help them balance new infrastructure investment while having greater confidence in the long-term maintenance and funding needs of existing assets. Every community has objectives, and ensuring that the presentation highlights how AMPs are suited to the community’s unique identity and vision are key.
Final Takeaways
Asset Management has the power to enhance municipal infrastructure resiliency, build community satisfaction, drive decision-making with data, and smarter budgeting. Selling the concept of implementing a multi-year Asset Management Plan, and securing the resources and budgets to make it happen, is an essential first step. Without council’s support, Asset Management will fall short of its potential.
To garner council support, ensure that the message centers around the outcomes of Asset Management. Provide a clear and consistent definition of Asset Management. Leverage visual tools and examples to paint a picture of the vital infrastructure an Asset Management Plan will impact and the cost savings it makes possible. Highlight risk reduction opportunities and utilize case studies to show Asset Management’s proven impact. Importantly, avoid technical jargon and keep the message simple.
Build confidence in your municipality’s future with a strategic, data-driven Asset Management Plan. Our Asset Advisory team is ready to work with you and create a multi-year Asset Management Plan that suits your community’s unique needs and goals. Contact us today to start securing a resilient future for your community!
