Creating an Infrastructure Master Plan
An established master plan for your community’s essential infrastructure is the best way to position your high priority projects. Creating an infrastructure master plan lays the foundation for adequate funding. This includes includes federal and state grants that are becoming more common, in addition to traditional low-interest loans and local bonds. Engaging with your public works officials, C.T. Male will listen carefully to their insight to start the master planning process. To collect necessary data, we can deploy state of the art collection technology such as mobile phone apps, drones outfitted with high resolution cameras, LIDAR surveys, and GPS mapping. 
We recommend the master plan include a 20-year horizon, broken down into five-year increments, for looking at the priority projects and estimated costs during each successive period. Priority ratings are based on factors such as condition, age, need, and future growth. The master plan will identify how and where each project fits in the 20-year planning cycle by looking at the priority assigned to each project. The cost of each project will be fine-tuned as the five-year capital planning and budget cycles are developed. It is important to create a clear capital plan so project and financing costs can be built into your annual operating budget.
The master plan must also consider the feasibility of each priority project and the economic realities of your community, including the potential debt burden to be paid by residents. To that end, preparation of a Funding Road Map as part of the master plan will assess all available public financing options matched to each project and evaluate the benefit of replacing infrastructure in phases to minimize disruptive and costly emergencies and keep costs manageable.
The plan would also note available funding sources and grant and loan application timelines and application requirements (such as SEQR, Income Surveys, Public Hearings, and Bond Resolutions) to help make budget planning more accurate and to allow time to complete activities required for competitive grant applications.
Infrastructure Master Plan Implementation
After the master plan is completed, priority projects should be implemented in a consistent and logical manner. Each project will have its own life cycle and, although more than one project may be in process at any given time, each project will follow a similar preliminary design, budgeting and financing, and implementation process from start to finish. The cycle is demonstrated this way:
C.T. Male Helps Plan and Find Funding for Your Infrastructure Priorities
C.T. Male has assembled an experienced team that is prepared to assist you with your infrastructure planning and funding needs. Our team includes professionals experienced in all aspects of public infrastructure including streets and highways, stormwater management including green and high efficiency measures, water distribution, wastewater collection, and water and wastewater treatment facilities.
This team will be led by two of our senior level staff who have extensive experience assisting communities with a broad range of projects. Chad Kortz has extensive public works experience including management and operations of a municipal Public Works Department, and Jim Thatcher is our Community Development Manager and assists in funding identification and grant writing and can help produce a coherent and affordable master plan that leverages available federal and state resources. Supporting them is a strong group of technical professionals in transportation, water, wastewater, and stormwater engineering and construction oversight. 
At C.T. Male Associates, our mission is to empower communities to improve quality of life of their residents and foster sustainable growth. We do this by supporting them with a diverse and experienced team that can assist in identifying funding and implementing infrastructure and sustainability projects.
Consider letting us help you chart the path for your community’s future, especially now, with even more federal resources expected soon. Contact us today. Chad Kortz – [email protected] and Jim Thatcher – [email protected] or 518.786-7400.
About Charles (Chad) R. Kortz, P.E., Vice President of Engineering & Quality
Chad is a licensed Professional Engineer in NY CT, RI, VT, and NH. Chad has over 20 years of experience in both private sector consulting and public works management and operation. He also serves as a Team Leader for municipal drinking water supply, treatment, and distribution and wastewater collection and treatment projects performing project management and quality reviews. He is intimately familiar with and has direct experience in public works operations, budgeting, and financing. He has also worked extensively with public sector clients in an effort to maintain and upgrade existing infrastructure and plan new infrastructure.
About Jim Thatcher, Community Development Manager
As Manager for Community Development, Jim is responsible for fostering relationships with municipal, non-profit, and private clients. He coordinates the identification of funding opportunities and submission of grant and loan applications that meet clients’ diverse project needs. Jim has nearly 25 years experience in public financing strategy, planning, and grant writing as well as project implementation, management, and compliance.
C.T. Male has been servicing clients and communities in engineering, architecture, surveying, since 1910. At C.T. Male, we understand change is occurring in our communities, and we are available to help wherever we can. Whether it be through grant applications, community development planning and compliance, or infrastructure investments, our skilled team will help you along the way. Be sure to stay tuned for ongoing updates on funding programs and project opportunities.