Nestled in the Rocky Mountain Trench, the Town of Golden was an early champion of “Asset Management for Sustainability”

 

Note to Reader:

The Town of Golden is one of the most progressive small communities in BC endorsing and addressing asset management programs towards sustainability with scheduled asset replacement and renewal. The leadership of then mayor, Christina Benty was a major driving force in such progressive moves and the positive outcomes they achieved.

The story presented below is an extract from an article written by Christina Benty in the Fall 2015 issue of the Asset Management BC Newsletter.

Photo Credit:  Columbia Shuswap Regional District

Photo Credit: Columbia Shuswap Regional District

Former Mayor of Golden Championed Asset Management for Sustainability

“The time has come to quantify the true cost to provide, maintain, and renew, community-owned capital assets, and balance it against the community’s willingness to pay for those services and assets,” wrote Christina Benty, Mayor of the Town of Golden Mayor Christina Benty_Golden_120pfrom 2009 through 2014, in the lead article in the Fall 2015 issue of the Asset Management BC Newsletter.

“Citizens can no longer demand a reduction in taxes and an increase in services because local governments cannot afford to do either.”

How Do We Address the Gap Between Expectations and Resources?

“It comes back to asking ourselves: What do we want and what are we willing to pay for together?”

“Governing bodies have a stewardship responsibility as custodians of the future. In turn, citizens have a reciprocal responsibility as those who are co-creators of the system. It is not an ‘us versus them’ problem.”

“It is ‘our’ problem, and therefore, it is important to build a ‘we’ culture, concludes Christina Benty.

TO LEARN MORE:

To download a PDF copy and read the complete article in the Fall 2015 issue, click on Asset Management BC Newsletter – Issue No. 15 (September 2015)

Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery

Released in December 2014, Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery: A BC Framework is a landmark development.

Wally-Wells_120p“The BC Framework recognizes that asset management, and the best practices that support asset management, is scalable to community size and capacity. The BC Framework also recognizes there are many components within the asset management process and provides a circular, continuous pathway to link all components of the process together,” states Wally Wells, Executive Director of Asset Management BC.

TO LEARN MORE:

Click on NEW REQUIREMENT FOR GRANTS: “Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery: A BC Framework”

Released in December 2014, the “Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery: A BC Framework” establishes a high-level, systematic approach that supports local governments in moving toward service, asset and financial sustainability through an asset management approach.  Development of the Framework was led by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) in partnership with Asset Management BC (AMBC) and the Province.

Released in December 2014, the “Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery: A BC Framework” establishes a high-level, systematic approach that supports local governments in moving toward service, asset and financial sustainability through an asset management approach. Development of the Framework was led by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) in partnership with Asset Management BC (AMBC) and the Province.