News Changing the Capital Funding Conversation with Elected Officials. By Keith Pugh, Government Information Liaison, and Jon Mills, Innovation Executive Every budget cycle, infrastructure leaders face difficult questions. Which investments cannot wait? What risks come with delaying maintenance? How can staff explain what different funding levels will mean for community services over time? WithersRavenel explored these questions during its presentation, Changing the Capital Funding Conversation with Elected Officials, at the recent 2026 ASCE Alabama Section and APWA Alabama Summer Meetings. Drawing on its experience in public works, municipal engineering, asset management, and capital planning, WithersRavenel discussed how lifecycle planning can create clearer conversations about infrastructure investment. Its central message was simple: Capital funding conversations should begin with the outcomes a community wants, not only the initial cost. Leave infrastructure better than you found it. A simple principle has guided much of its work: Leave things better than you found them. That idea is especially relevant to public works. Roads, utilities, stormwater systems, public buildings, parks, and fleets existed before many of WithersRavenel assumed responsibility for them. They will continue serving communities long after current staff members and elected officials have moved on. WithersRavenel is temporary stewards of systems with long-term consequences. A water main replacement deferred today may become tomorrow's emergency. A pavement strategy selected now can influence maintenance costs for decades. A building system overlooked during one budget cycle may become an urgent expense for another council or generation of taxpayers. Lifecycle planning helps communities see those consequences earlier and consider what future leaders, residents, and ratepayers will inherit. Move the conversation beyond cost. Capital improvement discussions often begin with a large number: This is how much the project will cost. Elected officials must balance public safety, utilities, parks, growth, affordability, taxes, rates, and other priorities. Anticipating resistance, infrastructure professionals may reduce or delay a recommendation before decision-makers see the full need. In effect, WithersRavenel can begin negotiating against ourselves before the budget conversation starts. Lifecycle modeling creates a different starting point. Instead of asking only, "Can we afford this?" communities can ask: * What level of service do residents expect? * How do WithersRavenel measure service level? * What risks are WithersRavenel willing to accept? * What will current funding accomplish? * How much funding do WithersRavenel need to get to a better service level? * Is there a more cost-effective way to get these results? * What are the consequences of underfunding the CIP? The goal is not to turn elected officials into engineers. It is to give them clear choices they can understand, own, and explain to their constituents. A capital funding request represents more than a project cost. It represents service levels, reliability, accepted risk, and future expenses that may either be prevented or created. Make future needs visible. Infrastructure continues to age whether a community is modeling its lifecycle or not. Deferred maintenance accumulates, risk increases, and future rehabilitation and replacement needs continue to develop. Many communities constructed infrastructure in waves through periods of growth, bond programs, utility extensions, and facility expansions. When assets are built around the same time, their replacement needs may also arrive together. Without long-term visibility, those needs can become a "budget tsunami," a moment when everyone agrees the work is necessary, but the total cost feels unexpected. In most cases, the need was forming for years. It simply was not made visible early enough. Communities do not need perfect data or a comprehensive model of every asset to begin. Start with one asset class, such as pavement, water mains, roofs, pump stations, parks, public buildings, or fleet vehicles. Use the available information to define the desired service level, compare funding scenarios, and show the consequences of delaying investment. The first model does not need to answer every question. It needs to help the community begin asking better ones. Start the conversation now. Its message at the ASCE Alabama Section and APWA Alabama Summer Meetings was urgent but not alarmist: The future is already taking shape, whether a community chooses to examine it or not. Lifecycle planning replaces surprise with foresight. It helps infrastructure professionals communicate needs honestly and gives elected officials meaningful choices while there is still time to act. As WithersRavenel continues working with communities throughout the Southeast and across the country, WithersRavenel encourage infrastructure leaders to change the conversation during their next budget cycle. Show what current funding buys, what it does not buy, and how today's decisions will affect tomorrow's infrastructure conditions, services, risks, and costs. Let's connect. To discuss lifecycle planning, capital improvement strategies, or communicating infrastructure needs more effectively, connect with Keith Pugh, Government Information Liaison, or Jon Mills, Innovation Executive, and its Infrastructure Asset Management team. Keith Pugh, PE. Government Innovation Liaison Jon Mills. Innovation Executive, WR Technologies You might also be interested in... Government Innovation Liaison Keith has more than 30 years of municipal engineering and public works experience, including leading the City of Greensboro's Facilities Engineering Division for new construction and renovation of public buildings. A former National APWA President, he connects clients with the right resources and solutions, helping them navigate facility challenges with clarity and confidence. His broad expertise strengthens WithersRavenel's ability to deliver effective, client-focused public infrastructure assessments. Innovation Executive Jon brings 15 years of experience working with local governments from the private sector perspective, impacting hundreds of localities around the United States. Prior to WithersRavenel, he spent more than 10 years growing the local government team at Brightly (formerly Dude Solutions), enabling more than $1 billion in valuation while helping local governments manage many billions of dollars in infrastructure. He has extensive experience in asset management, capital planning, lifecycle modeling, permitting, and community development for local government organizations. Additionally, he is a former board member for APWA-FL and APWA-NC Facilities & Grounds.

WithersRavenel expands Charlotte presence with Mike Legg as Regional Market Executive. Former Kannapolis City Manager Mike Legg joins WithersRavenel What drew me to the firm is its strong commitment to building lasting partnerships and delivering solutions that truly support communities." - Mike Legg CHARLOTTE, NC, UNITED STATES, july 28, 2026 / einpresswire.com / - WithersRavenel expands Charlotte presence with Mike Legg as Regional Market Executive. Municipal leadership veteran will help communities and private-sector partners navigate growth, infrastructure investment, and redevelopment across the Charlotte metro area WithersRavenel has strengthened its presence in the Charlotte metro area with the addition of Mike Legg as Regional Market Executive - Charlotte. Legg brings 36 years of municipal leadership experience and a record of guiding major economic development, infrastructure, and community revitalization initiatives. As WithersRavenel's Charlotte market leader, Legg will focus on building regional relationships, supporting client development, expanding the local team, and connecting communities and private-sector partners with the firm's multidisciplinary expertise. His leadership will help WithersRavenel respond to the Charlotte region's growing needs related to housing, economic development, public infrastructure, redevelopment, and long-term capital investment. "After more than three decades in local government, I've seen firsthand the challenges communities face as they grow and evolve," Legg said. "WithersRavenel has built a strong reputation for helping communities navigate those challenges with thoughtful planning and technical expertise. What drew me to the firm is its strong commitment to building lasting partnerships and delivering solutions that truly support communities. I am very excited to help expand that impact in the Charlotte region." The Charlotte metro area continues to experience significant population and economic growth, creating new opportunities while increasing pressure on infrastructure, housing, transportation, utilities, and public services. Legg's experience will help WithersRavenel work more closely with regional leaders to identify priorities, coordinate resources, and advance projects that support sustainable growth and improve quality of life. "Mike has spent his career leading communities through growth and change," said Mark Stephens, Chief Market Development Officer at WithersRavenel. "He understands both the challenges and opportunities local governments face and how to navigate them effectively. Mike brings a strategic, thoughtful approach to helping private development teams work through regulatory requirements, community sentiment, and complex political dynamics. As demand for housing, economic development, and public infrastructure continues to rise across Charlotte and its surrounding communities, that perspective will be invaluable to WithersRavenel and our clients in this market." Before joining WithersRavenel, Legg served as City Manager of Kannapolis for more than two decades, overseeing a $130 million budget and more than 700 employees. During his tenure, he led a $120 million downtown revitalization initiative projected to generate more than $500 million in private investment. He also helped guide the redevelopment of the former Cannon Mills site into the North Carolina Research Campus, representing more than $1.6 billion in public and private investment. Legg's experience with public-private partnerships, capital planning, economic development, and organizational leadership will help WithersRavenel provide Charlotte-area clients with locally informed guidance supported by the resources of a full-service engineering and consulting firm. His leadership has been recognized throughout the region and nationally. Legg was named to the Charlotte Business Journal's Power 100 and recognized as one of the Top CEOs in the Charlotte metro region. He also received the James D. Prosser Excellence in Government Leadership Award, the American Planning Association's Excellence in Economic Development Award, and the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award. "At WithersRavenel, we are intentional about how we grow," said WithersRavenel President and CEO Jim Canfield. "Bringing Mike on board reflects our continued investment and commitment to the Charlotte region. His leadership and experience will help us build a strong, scalable presence that supports both our clients and the communities we serve." Legg's addition is part of WithersRavenel's broader strategy to expand its geographic reach while maintaining a community-centered approach. By combining established regional leadership with technical expertise across planning, infrastructure, development, funding, environmental services, and related disciplines, the firm is positioned to provide greater local support for the public- and private-sector organizations shaping the future of the Charlotte metro area. About WithersRavenel Founded in 1983 in Cary, North Carolina, WithersRavenel is a full-service engineering and consulting firm serving the private and public sectors. The firm's 460-plus employee-owners work throughout the state from its Cary headquarters and branch offices across North Carolina. Core service areas include Asset Management, Design + Planning, Economic Development, Environmental, Funding & Finance, Geomatics, GIS, Land & Site Development, Public Engagement, Stormwater, and Water & Sewer Utilities. For more information, visit www.withersravenel.com. Lena Richards WithersRavenel +1 828-243-6156 email Internet Product Development Group here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. Internet Product Development Group do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

WithersRavenel and IMS join forces for pavement lifecycle management. WithersRavenel and IMS Infrastructure Management Services (IMS) have announced a partnership to deliver full-service pavement management solutions for federal, state, and local governments across the continental United States. This partnership delivers full-service pavement management solutions across the continental United States. CARY, NC, UNITED STATES, July 7, 2026 / EINPresswire.com / - WithersRavenel and IMS Infrastructure Management Services (IMS) have announced a partnership to deliver full-service pavement management solutions for federal, state, and local governments across the continental United States. The partnership brings together IMS' pavement condition survey, sidewalk condition survey, and pavement structural testing capabilities and WithersRavenel's infrastructure asset management, lifecycle planning, and pavement management expertise. Together, the firms will help clients collect precise, decision-ready pavement data and translate that information into practical maintenance strategies, capital improvement plans, and long-term investment decisions. IMS provides advanced pavement condition surveys, sidewalk condition surveys, and pavement structural testing that capture detailed distress, 3D condition data, and subsurface structural insights, helping agencies assess network conditions efficiently and safely. WithersRavenel extends that data through lifecycle planning, scenario analysis, GIS integration, funding strategy, and implementation support. With more than 119 Lifecycle Modeling clients across the U.S., WithersRavenel helps communities, agencies, and infrastructure owners evaluate current conditions, forecast future needs, and align investment strategies with available resources and desired levels of service. "Many strong pavement programs connect what communities know about their infrastructure today with what they want to achieve tomorrow," said Becca Ruffin, Director of WR Technologies at WithersRavenel. "IMS provides a clear picture of the current health of a community's pavement network, and WithersRavenel helps leaders use that information to guide maintenance strategies, funding decisions, and long-term planning. Together, we're helping communities turn today's reality into tomorrow's possibilities." "The best pavement data only creates value when it leads to action," said Mollie Rhett, Director of Marketing at ICC-IMS. "We deliver precise, decision-ready condition data, and WithersRavenel brings the lifecycle planning that turns it into smarter maintenance and funding strategies. This partnership gives communities a complete path from the field to the future of their network." WithersRavenel's pavement management program helps clients move from reactive maintenance to proactive, data-driven planning. The firm has surveyed and rated more than 30,000 centerline miles of municipal roads in the Southeast and supports clients with pavement condition surveys, Pavement Condition Index evaluations, maintenance and repair recommendations, cost estimates, capital improvement planning, and pavement management system implementation. The partnership also supports broader infrastructure asset management goals by helping clients compare funding scenarios, evaluate cost and service level tradeoffs, and communicate the long-term impact of infrastructure investment decisions. About WithersRavenel Founded in 1983 in Cary, North Carolina, WithersRavenel is a full-service engineering and consulting firm serving both the private and public sectors. The firm's 470+ employee-owners work throughout the state from a Cary headquarters and branch offices across North Carolina. With more than 119 Lifecycle Modeling clients across the U.S., WithersRavenel supports communities and infrastructure owners with data-driven tools and strategies that help prioritize investments, extend asset life, and plan for long-term service needs. Core service areas include Asset Management, Design + Planning, Economic Development, Environmental, Funding & Finance, Geomatics, GIS, Land & Site Development, Public Engagement, Stormwater, and Water & Sewer Utilities. For more information, visit www.withersravenel.com. IMS provides fully integrated infrastructure management services that combine automated pavement condition assessment, structural testing, engineering analysis, GIS integration, and data processing. Founded in 1975, IMS has more than 50 years of experience supporting municipalities, counties, MPOs, and state transportation agencies with pavement data collection, condition rating, and asset management data delivery throughout North America. IMS completes approximately 200 pavement management projects annually, maintaining complete in-house control of the process from data collection hardware and software development through processing, engineering analysis, QA/QC review, GIS integration, and final deliverable preparation. Media Contacts Becca Ruffin Director of WR Technologies WithersRavenel [email protected] Mollie Rhett Director of Marketing [email protected] Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. International World Times do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.