SMALL CITIES/RURAL COMMUNITIES CONFERENCE CALL

Meeting Summary

Thursday, May 13, 2011

Present:Andy Haney, ChairGeoff Benway

Don BrueyMarlene Crosby

Ann Daniels, Staff Liaison

Absent:Darrell HarrellLarry Stevens, Board Liaison

  1. Andy Haney, Chair, convened the conference call at 10:07 a.m.
  1. The meeting summary from the April conference call was reviewed and approved as printed.
  1. Larry Stevens, Board liaison, provided a written report, touching on the upcoming budget preparations, ISI, and other information.
  1. The editorial calendar for the APWA Reporter was reviewed as follows:

Stan Brown, Oakwood, GA, provided the article for the April 15

Deadline

Kris Dimmick, Watertown, NY,provided the article for the May

15 deadline on corridor improvements in the Ft. Drum area

Dan Johnson, Solid Waste Manager, Lewiston, ID, provided the

Article on the solid waste innovations in his city, for the

June 15 deadline

Andy Haney will write an article on the issues they faced with a new process for designing a new airport building for the July 15 deadline

Don Bruey will prepare an article for the August 15 deadline on a

Topic of his choice

Ann Daniels will contact David Pinsonneault, Lexington, MA,

about another article he had volunteered for the September 15 deadline

Andy will stay in contact with Suzanne Loomis about an article on the impact of the NPDES permit on small cities/rural communities for a later date.

New authors for articles will be solicited as part of the Town Hall meeting to be held in Denver.

Ann will contact Darrell Harrell about the article he was going to provide on low cost safety projects that the T2 group in Kentucky has been doing

Scott will write an article “Actions speak louder than words” about how public works is still on the job while other government employees are threatening strikes and protesting proposed actions on collective bargaining

  1. Andy Haney reported no news on the Levee Safety project from the federal perspective but did provide information that his own community was completing a Phase I assessment and it appears that their levee is in good condition and may not require too much additional work before an engineer will be willing to sign off.
  1. Each of the three education sessions for Congress 2011 to be held in Denver was reviewed as follows:
  • Scott Brandmeierand Ian Hanou will be prepared for their presentation on “Checking for Tree Killers – Using Hyperspectral Technology. Marlene Crosby will not be presenting as part of this topic since the technology is not appropriate for the Pine Needle Beetles.
  • Andy Haney and Marlene Crosby are preparing their session on new ways to use stimulus dollars.
  • Stan Brown is preparing his session on “New Partners for Delivering Services.”
  1. The Town Hall call scheduled for May, titled “ADA Compliance for Small Cities”, will be presented by Michele Ohmes on Thursday, May 19. She was unable to secure a second speaker.

Don Bruey agreed to select a satisfactory date for his presentation on Employee Selection for a future call.

  1. The Review of the draft Business Plan for 2011-2012, as amended, was reviewed. By General Consent the committee members adopted the Plan as presented and it will be ready to distribute and post on the web site at Congress in September.
  1. Ann Daniels reported that the Nominations have been finalized but it appears that the three recommendations made by the committee will be honored. They should be finalized by the June meeting. Those to be appointed include: Geoff Benway, second two year term; George Haines, first two year term; and Stan Brown, first two year term.
  1. Committee members reviewed the plans for meetings during Congress in September in Denver and agreed to the schedule as follows:
  • SC/RC Committee Meeting – Sunday, September 18, 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.
  • Town Hall Meeting – Tuesday, September 20, 7:30 – 9:00 a.m.
  1. The next call will be held on Thursday, June 2, 2011. By General Consent, the July 7 call will not be held.