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Meriden Public Works earns APWA accreditation with 100% compliance, three model practices
Summary
An APWA evaluation awarded the City of Meriden Public Works and Engineering full accreditation in 2025; evaluators reported 100% compliance on 312 applicable management practices and identified three model practices to share regionally and nationally.
The City of Meriden’s Public Works and Engineering Department received full accreditation from the American Public Works Association (APWA) in 2025 after an evaluation that the APWA representative said took about a year.
Rick Stinson, a retired public works director who participated in the accreditation process, told the council the evaluators reviewed 312 applicable management practices and found Meriden in 100% compliance. "APWA accreditation provides public works agencies with a framework for continuous improvement," Stinson said, describing benefits including improved efficiency, clearer procedures, and potential insurance reductions.
Stinson said Meriden earned three model practices that APWA will share with other communities: one in solid waste recycling and reuse, one in street maintenance operations, procedures and standards, and one in street maintenance material conservation. The accreditation council’s action makes Meriden one of two accredited agencies in Connecticut, he said.
Director of Public Works John Lawler and Accreditation Manager Mark Austin were singled out in remarks for leading the effort. The council received a plaque and commended staff. The presentation outlined expected benefits—reduced duplication, better institutional knowledge retention, and stronger justification for budgets—but did not include new budget requests or formal council actions tied to implementation.
