BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES

Kahler Hotel

Rochester, Minnesota

September 23, 1998

 

 

 

1.         Meeting called to order by Chair Gerald Allen at 1:50 p.m.

 

2.         Motion by Verne Jacobsen to approve the minutes of the September 24, 1997 business meeting.  Second by Petrona Lee.  Passed unanimously.

 

3.         Ballots were distributed to the membership for the election of the director and chair-elect.   Nominee for the director position was Allen Lamm.  Nominees for the position of chair-elect were Adam Kramer and David Schultz.

 

4.         Secretary/Treasurer Mandy presented the financial report for the period January 1 - December 31, 1997.  The Section had total assets of $250,550.05.  Income for the period was $185,489.60 with expenses of $152,796.46, for a net income of $32,693.14.

 

Motion by Adam Kramer to approve the financial report.  Second by Gerry Mahon.  Passed unanimously.

 

5.         Association Director Verne Jacobsen reported on the following:

 

-           Minnesota Section member Yasser Abou-Aish will be seeking an Association director-at-large position.  The Section will be supporting him.

 

            -           The Section hired Ewald Consulting Group, Inc for Section management activities.

 

            -           The Section will be initiating a Mentoring/Ambassador program.

 

6.         COUNCIL/COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

 

            A.        Administrative Council

 

Council Chair Dave Scheerer introduced the new Administrative Council committee chairs and encourage committee membership.

 

1.         The Action Now Committee will present the Gimmicks and Gadgets awards at the banquet.

 

                        2.         No report from the Section Breakfast Committee.

 

                        3.         No report from the Commercial Committee.

 

                        4.         The Diversity Committee was disbanded at the pre-conference board meeting.

 

                        5.         No report from the Endowment Committee.

 

                        6.         No report from the Financial Committee.

 

                        7.         The Fuller Award will be presented at the banquet.

 

8.         The L.N. Thompson Award will be presented at the banquet.  The plaque for the 1997 award was presented to John Hill Jr.

 

                        9.         No report from the Meritorious Service Award Committee.

 

                        10.       No report from the Director Nominating Committee.

 

                        11.       No report from the Chair-elect, trustee-at-large Nominating Committee.

 

                        12.       Scholarships will be awarded at the banquet.

 

13.       Scott Anderson reported on the activities of the Water for People Committee, including the $1950.00 brought in the golf tournament.  The Committee has pledged $2300 for the project in Mexico

 

Motion by Gerald Mahon to approve the Administrative Council Committee Reports.  Second by Dick Dwyer.  Approved unanimously.

 

            B.        PUBLIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL

 

1.         Membership Committee chair John Lapointe reported that they have worked hard over the past year to accomplish the objectives that they established at the beginning of the year.

 

                                    I.          Emphasize the value of the operations level membership.

 

The committee has been getting the word out on the good value of operations level membership.

 

                                    II.         Plug membership at district operators schools and other conferences.

 

Formal presentations on AWWA membership were made at operator training schools in 4 districts.  Exhibit booths were staffed at the metro school, Rural Water conference, MPCA conference, and League of Minnesota Cities conference.

 

                                    III.       Recruit more members from the ranks of organizations.

 

The committee will be sending letters and an application to all exhibitors registered at the conference.

 

IV.       Send application forms to attendees of the annual conference who are not members.

 

The committee hopes to use the services of the Section’s paid staff to contact prospective members following the 1998 conference.

 

V.        Select a committee co-chair and provide a smooth transition for new chairperson

 

                                                Bill Spain will assume the chairperson role at the conference.

 

Minnesota Section ranking among AWWA sections is hanging in at 24th out of 44 sections.

 

Bill introduced Bill Spain as the new Membership Committee chair and presented him with the 1997 top membership recruiter award.

 

2.         Kelly Lange reported that the Public Information Committee has 9 members and met 10 times during the last year.  The committee worked with the Education Committee and Water Utility Council to obtain an LCMR grant to produce a CD dealing with conservation.  They were not successful getting the grant, but will look for other grants.

 

                                    The committee made comments on the Minnesota Education standards.

 

                                    The committee also handled the state fair booth effort.

 

3.         Glen Gerads and Jon Eaton gave their final Publications Committee report as they are stepping down as BREEZE editors.  The BREEZE made a profit of $6200 this year.  They encouraged feedback on the BREEZE and contribution of articles. Most of the duties associated with the BREEZE will be handled by the Section management group.

 

                        4.         No report from the Spouse Publicity Committee.

 

Motion by Bernie Bullert to approve the Public Affairs Council Committee reports.  Second by Naeem Qureshi.  Passed unanimously.

 

            C.        Small Systems Council.

 

                        1.         No report from the Small Systems Committee.

 

            D.        Technical/Professional Council

 

                        1.         No report from the Energy Committee.

 

2.         Yasser Abou-Aish reported that the Research Committee will be getting 10 new videos for distribution, in addition to the 15 they already have.  They are looking for Minnesota research projects.

 

Motion by Bill Lloyd to approve the Technical/Professional Council Committee Reports.  Second by Jon Eaton.  Passed unanimously.

 

            E.         Training Council

 

1.         John Hill, Education Committee Chair reported that he attended the Section Education Forum at the AWWA national conference.   He reported on ideas from other sections that received the Associations education award, as well as various presentations given at the meeting. 

 

Communities can still setup OSHA training programs with Anoka-Hennepin Technical College. 

 

The members can find out about the many schools put on by the Section by checking in the BREEZE.

 

2.         Yasser Abou-Aish reported that the Section will be hosting the Water Utility Management Institute for the 18th year.  The fees were raised to $595 this year but the attendance was good with 24 participants, including 4 scholarship winners.

 

3.         Bob Cockriel reported that over 50 municipalities in the Section received safety awards.

 

Motion by John Hill to approve the Training Council Committee reports.  Second by Larry Cole.  Passed unanimously.

 

            F.         Water Utility Council

 

1.         Ed Sorenson reported that the WUC will be particularly busy in 1999 with the following legislative activities:

 

-           Clarify ambiguous language in the 1989 Groundwater Act - in particular, the definition of “potable”.   A DNR initiative with our review is anticipated.

-           Renew operator certification legislation that will sunset the advisory council in 1999, in cooperation with the MDH.

-           Establish reasonable time limits for DNR review with comments for conservation plans and water appropriation requests.

-           Define water plant operators, distribution operators, pumping engineers, and coordinators as “Essential Employees”.

 

The DNR Waters held stakeholder meetings in June at three locations around the state.  Two questions were used to gather input from external customers through the strategic planning process: “What are your concerns about the future water resources in Minnesota?” and “What needs to happen to address your concerns?”  DNR Waters staff and participants should be complimented for being candid and honest throughout this process

 

The Metro Area Groundwater Alliance is sponsoring the Children’s Water Festival on October 14, 1998 at Fort Snelling State Park.  As many as 35 fifth grade classes are expected to participate.

 

Gopher State One Call has experienced 4,500 tickets in one day and 60,000 in one month.

 

Congress and EPA are currently active and we should pay close attention to the updates on the Information Collection Rule and Ground Water Rule.

 

The Council is requesting that the Section pay expenses for Gerry Mahon to continue his activities at the legislature.  Gerry has retired and no longer has employer support.

 

Motion by Ben Mason to approve the Water Utility Council report.  Second by Bob Cockriel.  Passed unanimously.

 

7.         There was no unfinished business.

 

8.         There was no new business.

 

9.         There were no communications.

 

10.       Becky McClure, Association Representative addressed the membership.  The Association has a new strategic plan that they would like sections to incorporate in their own plans. She outlined the priorities of the Association.

 

11.       Results of the election:

 

            Director:           Allen Lamm

            Chair-elect:       David Schultz

 

12.       Motion by Jim Haugen to adjourn the meeting.  Second by Tom Dunn.  Passed unanimously.

 

Meeting adjourned at 2:50 p.m.