The Spring Greater Ann Arbor Prosperity Region Asset Management Summit was held on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at Weber’s Boutique Hotel and Restaurant in Ann Arbor, and convened 41 participants from the six-county region. This event was designed to bring together representatives who manage water, transportation, utilities, and communication infrastructure for a conversation on how these entities can better collaborate.
The event kicked off with an introduction to the Michigan Infrastructure Council (MIC), the Water Asset Management Council (WAMC), and the Transportation Asset Management Council (TAMC). These councils were established at the recommendation of the Governor’s 21st Century Infrastructure Commission, a group tasked by Gov. Rick Snyder to make recommendations for improving Michigan’s transportation, water systems, public utilities, and broadband access.
The MIC brings together public and private infrastructure owners, regional representatives, finance and policy experts, and state departments to coordinate and measure infrastructure goals, safeguard investments, and develop an efficient, strategic, and statewide framework for integrated asset management. Together, these councils share the goal of aligning resources and removing barriers to effective asset management throughout Michigan.
The event facilitated a conversation about challenges, opportunities, successes, and barriers to effective and efficient asset management within the region. While more information-sharing efforts between counties and technology advancements are enabling better collaboration, attendees still recognized a great need for more uniformity and long-term solutions to asset management issues.
The councils will reconvene asset managers on Wednesday, October 16, 2019, for a more robust summit that will include interactive problem-solving activities to address some of the region’s most pressing asset management barriers and opportunities. The event will cover topics such as the MIC project portal, WAMC and TAMC asset management plans, and the asset management readiness assessment.
