Save the Date
The combined Winter Council of Chapters Meeting and Chapter Leader Training will be held in Kansas City on February 18–19, 2027.
Travel Reimbursement
- APWA will fully reimburse one delegate or alternate delegate from each chapter.
- APWA will provide up to two $350 stipends for chapter leaders, for a maximum of $700 per chapter.
Travel Arrangements
Attendees may book travel through Egencia, APWA’s online travel booking agency, and have eligible expenses billed directly to APWA. Attendees may also make their own travel arrangements and request reimbursement after the meeting has concluded.
Please plan to arrive by Wednesday evening, February 17.
The schedule will include:
- Thursday, February 18: All-day meeting and evening social
- Friday, February 19: Half-day meeting, concluding at noon
All travel expenses must comply with the APWA Volunteer Travel Reimbursement Policy.
Chapter Services will contact each chapter with additional information in the coming weeks. Questions may be directed to chapterservices@apwa.org.
2027 APWA Chapter Officer Records: Review and Update Request
Chapter Services will be reaching out to request your chapter’s 2027 Chapter Officer List. An accurate, up-to-date list is essential to ensure APWA communications reach the appropriate chapter leaders. Please respond promptly when you receive the request.
Questions can be sent to chapterservices@apwa.org.
Support National First Responders Day
You can support public works visibility in your local community by celebrating October 28 as National First Responders Day. We’ve updated elements and added a new NFRD emblem to our NFRD event materials to help you spread the word.
Find sample proclamation language
, a suggested schedule, customizable social media posts, photo frame designs, and audio PSA files that you can send to your local radio stations, and much more.
Kudos to South Carolina for being the first state to get a proclamation signed from their governor in support of NFRD! We know more are under way, so please let us know if you receive a proclamation. And don’t forget to include #FirstResponders and #NFRD in your social posts!
National First Responders Day Town Hall
To mark National First Responders Day on October 28, join APWA President Robert Garland, Government Affairs Committee Chair Adisa Aarons, Emergency Management Technical Committee Vice Chair Tyler Hill, and other public works peers, for a virtual town hall, “Public Works Are First Responders!”
This is your opportunity to hear from colleagues and share examples and experiences. You’ll also learn how APWA chapters are working to get formal recognition from states and municipalities for public works first responders.
To attend the webinar, RSVP to Government Affairs Specialist Jeff Finegan at jfinegan@apwa.org or Sr. Government Affairs Manager Marty Williams at mwilliams@apwa.org by 5 p.m. ET, October 24.
A link to join the town hall will be emailed to you prior to October 28.
New Initiatives Program Applications Open
The deadline to submit a Phase 1 application for APWA’s New Initiatives Program is November 12. If you’ve been dreaming about a project that could strengthen your chapter, elevate public awareness, support public works staff, advance technology, or contribute to any of APWA’s strategic priorities, this is your moment.
Click here to learn more and to complete a brief application outlining your concept, its purpose, and your operational plan. Selected applicants will be invited to develop a more detailed Phase 2 proposal. Award announcements will be in February 2027.
New Resources!
Asset Management Roadmap
APWA’s Asset Management Committee developed a roadmap designed so that agencies of any size or maturity level can identify and begin (or continue) where their needs are greatest. The Roadmap organizes asset management into eleven sections, progressing from pre-planning through continual improvement. This resource provides a high-level review of the roadmap sections so you can decide where you might start in the comprehensive roadmap document, accessible on the page. Chapter leaders are encouraged to share this resource with members who are just getting started with asset management, enhancing an existing program, or looking to improve infrastructure decision-making. This is also a great resource to use as the basis for a chapter asset discussion series, focusing on one section each month or quarter, helping members explore the roadmap section, share experiences, and discuss challenges.
Strategic Plan Implementation Guide for Chapters
This guide helps APWA chapters translate the 2026–2029 Strategic Plan into practical, local action. It provides a clear framework, tools, and expectations to help chapters align their work, engage members, and deliver meaningful impact in their communities.
APWA Accreditation Announcements
Accreditation is the mark of professionalism, indicating a public works agency has made a commitment to continuous improvement in delivering public works operations and services to its community. Accreditation recognizes an agency’s policies, procedures, and practices, which have been evaluated against nationally-recognized management practices determined to be appropriate for that specific agency.
The following public works agencies were accredited in September 2026:
Region 3
- Hampton, Virginia Public Works—1st accreditation
- Henrico County, Virginia Department of Public Works—1st accreditation
- Nashville, Tennessee Department of Transportation—3rd accreditation
Region 6
- Fairway, Kansas Public Works Department—3rd accreditation
- Kansas City, Missouri Public Works Department—3rd accreditation
To help chapters recognize and celebrate accredited and re-accredited agencies, we have provided a toolbox to help. The toolbox information can be found here: Promote APWA Accreditation: Chapter Outreach Resources.
For further information on APWA’s accreditation program, please feel free to contact Jeanette Klamm, Associate Director of Credentialing at accreditation@apwa.org.
APWA Nonmember Open House
Share the value of an APWA Membership! APWA is hosting a Nonmember Open House on Tuesday, October 27. If you know someone who is interested in APWA Membership, please invite them to join us! Prospective members can register here.
APWA Committee Open House
Join us for APWA’s free, interactive, live virtual Committee Open House and learn more about APWA committees and ways to get involved. Please share the information on the open house with your chapter members.
Participants will get a firsthand look at what APWA committees do, the projects they’re working on, and opportunities to contribute. The Open House is the perfect way to explore where your interests and talents can make the greatest contribution. Throughout the Open House, you can visit multiple committees, meet committee representatives, ask questions, and explore the areas that interest you most.
Whether you’re curious about committee work, want to share your expertise, or want to get more involved with APWA, the Committee Open House is a great place to make connections and find ways to contribute.
Host a Certificate Program at Your Chapter
Discover the many benefits of hosting a certificate program at your chapter and get everything you need to put on a successful event. Click here to learn more.
Questions can be sent to education@apwa.org.
APWA Monthly Chapter Leader Training
The next APWA Chapter Leader Training will be held on November 9 at noon Central Time. The topic will be “APWA Awards.”
Past Chapter Leader Training calls can be viewed by clicking here.
Invitations are sent to all chapter leaders approximately two weeks prior to the call. Questions can be sent to Jill Wilbeck.