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Your APWA-MN Asset Management Committee has been hard at work — and 2026 will be no different!

Who Are We?
The Asset Management Committee (AMC) is chaired by Russ Matthys, and includes Robin Drucker, Brad Henry, Charles Howley, Nathan Koster, Meredith Lawrence, Shannon McGrath, Larry Poppler, Chris Sagsveen, Shawn Smith, and Nicholas Wyers. Our vision is to advance the quality of life for all Minnesotans through asset management, and our mission is to support public works through asset management advocacy and education. The Minnesota chapter’s AMC began in October 2021, to be consistent with APWA’s organizational structure. The goals of the AMC are to:

• Provide AM educational outreach to membership 
• Practically advance membership in AM efforts
• Develop messaging to convince/educate decision-makers
• Be the AM resource guide for all levels of users/expertise

Since its inception, the AMC has pursued its goals in three primary endeavors: support and establishment of the Minnesota Advisory Council on Infrastructure (MACI); implementation of state-wide AM 101 sessions through partnership with MnDOT; and the development of the Asset Management Best Management Practices Toolkit.

A Bit of Recent History
At the 2025 Fall Conference, Brad Henry moderated a compelling session titled “Bringing MIC to MN.” The audience heard from:

• Ryan Laruwe, Michigan Infrastructure Council (MIC)
• Michelle Stockness, Freshwater Institute and Chair of the Minnesota Infrastructure Alliance (MnIA)
• Russ Matthys, Chair of the Asset Management Committee, APWA-MN

The session provided participants valuable insights into the work of the MIC and how it exemplifies what Minnesotans are attempting to accomplish with the Minnesota Advisory Council on Infrastructure (MACI), APWA-MN chapter’s efforts on addressing infrastructure needs through MN2050 and now MnIA over the past 15+ years, and what’s happening in Minnesota with asset management (AM) today and how the AMC created the toolkit to help all of us be successful now and into the future.

https://www.apwa-mn.org/events-education/asset-mgmt-best-practices-toolkit

What Does This Mean for Public Works (and You)?
The purpose of developing the toolkit was to enable stronger Minnesota communities through smart and sustainable asset management.  It was designed for communities of all sizes who own and operate public infrastructure, regardless of where they are in their asset management journey.

The toolkit establishes a solid foundation that will enable the successful achievement of the AMC Vision.  We understand that as public works professionals we cannot advance or even maintain the current quality of life for all Minnesotans without enhanced AM.

As owners and managers of public infrastructure, we need best practices of what an ideal life cycle management strategy looks like for each asset. We know that preventive maintenance prolongs the life of an asset and reduces the total cost of ownership.  We also know that eventually all assets need to be replaced. Finally, we know managing performance, value, and risk are required to achieve organizational objectives.

The toolkit will help us plan and manage infrastructure over the lifecyle of each asset.  It is a resource for integrating AM best practices into tools we consider for utilization to move towards a more proactive approach of managing infrastructure.  It is adaptable to different asset types, with room for expansion.  

We are asking for your assistance.  You can tailor the toolkit to your specific community needs.  Let us know what changes you make.  Help us grow the toolkit to include other asset types or BMPs. 

The toolkit offers asset management guidance on the following: 

• Inventory 
  • Outlines key asset attributes to collect and maintain, helping communities build a consistent and comprehensive inventory of their infrastructure assets
• Assessment 
  • Provides guidance on inspection cycles and condition ratings, enabling standardized evaluations and assessments of asset health and performance
• Maintenance 
  • Recommends treatment types, frequencies, and associated costs to support planned maintenance to extend asset life and reduce emergency repairs
• Lifecycle
  • Includes average life expectancies and treatment strategies, helping communities plan for long-term asset sustainability and timely replacements
• Financial
  • Provides cost data allows for more accurate budgeting and financial forecasting, supporting data-driven investment decisions

The AMC toolkit is a guide with best practices for water, stormwater, sanitary sewer, transportation, natural resources, and park & recreation assets.

AMC Plans for 2026

1. Strengthen Partnerships with MIC:
   1. We will stay connected with Ryan Laruwe and the Michigan Infrastructure Council to understand and share strategies that are applicable and beneficial for Minnesota.
2. Engage with Minnesota Organizations on Asset Management:
   1. We’ll continue dialogue with like-minded organizations in the state to find common goals and collaborative opportunities, such as AM 101.
3. Enhance the Asset Management Best Management Practices Toolkit:
   1. The toolkit is a customizable spreadsheet tool. We welcome your feedback to improve this resource and make it more useful.
4. Advance Advocacy and Education:
   1. Education and advocacy remain key fundamentals of our mission. We look forward to more opportunities to share what we’re doing and learn what Minnesota APWA members need to succeed