Solid Waste Committee s2
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
CONFERENCE CALL MEETING SUMMARY
October 22, 2009
Present: Keith Duncan, Chair
Daryl Grigsby, At-Large Director
Joe Superneau, Member
Mike Healy, Member
Bob Nowak, Member
Becky Stein, Certification
Colene Roberts, Staff Liaison
Absent: Matt Singleton, Member
Paul Hindman, Member
1. Call to order
Keith called the meeting to order at 11:02am Central.
2. Review and approval of the September meeting summary
The September meeting summary was approved.
3. Board Report
Daryl reported that membership is holding steady at over 29,000. There has been a small drop from the municipal side. The new member campaign has brought in around 1,400 members. The deadline for the Jennings Randall Fellowship to New Zealand is Nov. 15. The Center for Sustainability is meeting here in Kansas City today and tomorrow. They will continue to work on their framework and goals. They will be discussing their connections to the Technical Committees. GAC has set their advocacy priorities, including continuing to improve water infrastructure. At the Board meeting at Congress, the Optimum Use of Water guidance statement was approved. Snow Conference will be in Milwaukee in 2012 and Congress will be in Phoenix in 2015. There was a proposal to change back to face-to-face spring meetings for all of the Technical Committees as opposed to having three of them meet online. George proposed restoring the funding for those meetings and adding funds so that the Committees may meet at different locations around the country and meet with a local chapter. It was a close vote but it did pass with the stipulation that Committees must get an okay on their location and travel from Peter King. The information on education and certification programs for the Body of Knowledge is due Nov. 15. Mike asked if the legislative summit would take place this fiscal year. Daryl said that he thought it was cut but he would check. Columbus attendance was 1,041. It was under the original, early projection of 1,500. Normally, about 85% of vendors re-register for the next year’s Congress. The number this year was closer to 65%. But, it is still believed that Boston will be a big draw. Keith asked about the close vote on the Spring Meetings. Daryl said it was not based on the value or importance of those meetings. It was strictly a funding issue. Keith said that it is important for the Committee to be very fiscally responsible in making arrangements for the Spring Meeting. Daryl said that the At-Large Directors are meeting today to discuss logistics with Peter.
4. Legislative Update
Julia was unavailable for the call.
5. Education Report
Matt was unavailable for the call. Colene said that part two of the retro-reflectivity CLL program is coming up. Part one had very high participation. The CLL on IDDE is coming up in November.
6. Body of Knowledge data collection
Becky said that Matt had asked her to stop in for the call today. She asked if there are any questions or issues on inputting data. There are only 3 items under water, so far. There are two goals with this phase, to find out what is currently being offered and to find any gaps. Becky said that it is more important to enter the stuff you know about and not worry about finding absolutely everything out there. The focus should be on offerings outside of APWA. Joe said that it does seem a little overwhelming and asked if all levels are needed or just management level. Becky said that all levels are needed but to think about what would be useful to you both as a Committee member planning education programs and as someone looking up training opportunities for your staff. You should enter that another association has webinars but not every topic for every webinar. The same would be true for a series of seminars or workshops. It’s important to note that an association offers seminars on drinking water but all of the specifics aren’t needed right now. The deadline for entries is Nov. 15.
7. Chapter interaction
a. Chapter liaison program
Keith would like to continue Joe’s efforts to enlist chapter liaisons and begin exchanging information with them. Joe will share the email addresses of the 10 or so liaisons that are currently in place. We can begin communicating with them on legislative issues and education topics. Keith will put together an email for the Chapter Leaders InfoNow and maybe the “In The Works” weekly email. A separate communication will also be needed to ask the existing liaisons if they would like to continue.
b. Presentations to chapters
Mike has spoke to the Sacramento Chapter about finding a time slot for a presentation. Joe will try New England Chapter and Bob will work on the Florida Chapter.
8. Stormwater BMP Database
At the Congress meeting, Bob Carr asked the Committee to consider a recommendation to the Board to resume funding of the BMP Database project. APWA had given $10,000 per year in the past. The discussion over funding the project has always been whether or not APWA members receive a benefit. The benefit may be more indirect if their consultants or contractors are using it. Keith asked everyone to visit the website and we will continue the discussion next month since time is running short today.
9. Stormwater Summit 2010
Keith said that Paul did a great job with this year’s Summit. There were fifty-something attendees this year. That is down from last year and last year was down considerably from the year before. Joe said he attended this year and it was a good presentation. Attendance was down each year at Congress, as well. It may be time to give up the time slot to something else or re-package the Summit. There certainly isn’t any lack of interest in stormwater as a topic. Discussion will continue next month. Karen was unable to make today’s call. She’ll be invited for next month.
10. Congress sessions for 2010
a. Watershed Based Permitting. It's Coming to your Hometown. Federal vs. state vs. local role – Paul and Bob
b. Water Resource Stewardship: Regulation vs. Reality – Joe
c. A New Approach to the Collection of Urban Weather Data – Keith
All of the sessions were submitted.
11. Reporter articles for 2010
a. Permeable pavement from the transportation side and the water side – Keith
b. Office of Water Programs at California State University – Mike
c. First flush treatment for stormwater – Bob
d. Impacts on water quality of street sweeping – Paul
e. Water conservation through turf management or alternative turf – Joe
f. Desalinization – Matt
Dec. 15 is the deadline for articles. Keith is struggling with the time to get it done. Keith will also likely be asked to ghostwrite the President’s Message for the issue.
12. Set Spring Meeting date
Dates will be discussed via email after Daryl meets with the other At-Large Directors. Joe suggested that everyone think about possible locations/chapters.
13. Reschedule November meeting
The November meeting will be moved up one week to Nov. 19, unless the members not present today have a conflict. Nov. 17 was the second choice.
14. New items
Mike said that Julia has he and Matt working on an effective management document with WEF.
15. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 12:02pm.