IIC26 Program Book
Breakout Sessions (1.0)

1.1 - The Realities of Asset Management 

Interactive Workshop and Panel Discussion featuring Kaisra Osman & Olivia Olsztyn-Budry

This workshop will present the Great Lakes Water Authority’s (GLWA) realities of transforming its Asset Management (AM) journey from silos to synergies across multiple areas, groups and systems illustrating the shift from organizational silos to coordinated, cross-functional synergies. GLWA will share practical lessons learned from almost a decade of advancing asset management practices across diverse areas, workgroups, and systems. The session will explore both the technical components, such as data management, risk-based decision making, and system integration, and the human elements of culture building, organizational acceptance, and managing change.

Participants will be led through three case studies that reflect the realities of improving asset management within a complex organizational environment:

1. The People - Highlights how GLWA established early momentum through development of its Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP), along with the sustained effort required to embed AM principles across the organization.
2. The Technology - Examines GLWA’s implementation of a new Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) and the challenges encountered around data quality, system adoption, user training, and balancing varied operational needs.
3. Rolling with the Punches - Demonstrates how unexpected events required the AM program to pivot, adapt, and realign priorities while maintaining organizational engagement.

Following each case study, attendees will participate in a panel discussion to ask questions, compare experiences, explore shared challenges, and identify solutions that span different asset types and organizational structures. Time permitting, the workshop will conclude with a reverse panel discussion, allowing GLWA to pose strategic questions to attendees, creating a collaborative exchange of insights and lessons learned.

Participants will leave with practical, experience-based guidance on sustaining organizational alignment, avoiding a return to silos, and strengthening their own AM programs. The session will also surface gaps between AM practitioner needs and available tools, helping attendees reflect on how to better prepare for the real-world complexities of implementing asset management.

1.2 - TAMC 2025 PASER Findings

Presentation featuring Eric Costa

This presentation will review key findings and takeaways of the 2025 PASER data collection including: a quality control review of the 2025 PASER collection, collection statistics, analysis of the current paved federal-aid system condition, and a 10-year pavement condition forecast based on the latest revenue and investment strategy information.

1.3 - Elective Pay Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Panel Discussion featuring Cassie Rowlands, Kris Brady, Ryan Yaple, Michael Wilson, & Heidi Scheppe

This presentation will provide an overview of the support that the Michigan Infrastructure Office (MIO), Michigan Infrastructure Council (MIC), and EGLE have provided to tax-exempt entities making clean energy investments, with an emphasis on local governments in Michigan: technical assistance including accounting services, creation of the Elective Pay Ambassador Program, and the MI Healthy Climate Challenge #2.

The panel will also highlight case studies of local governments that are receiving support from these programs for geothermal projects, the tax credits they anticipate receiving, and how these agencies supported them.

Finally, the panel will discuss how MIO, MIC, and EGLE can support local governments going forward, the MI Healthy Climate Challenge #2 and Michigan Saves awards regarding geothermal projects, provide information on how to maximize tax credits going forward including key deadlines for tax credits and the available tax credits for geothermal and battery storage through 2035.