President's Preamble
Dear NWEA members,
Many thanks for your contributions to the planning and operation of the Nevada Water Environment Association's efforts to protect the water environment and public health in 2009! We can look back on an eventful year that, despite a significant economic recession, saw NWEA members rise to the occasion to contribute to supporting public education, student development, continued professional training and certification efforts, professional education workshops, agreement by NDEP to support a voluntary continuing education program, well-attended Annual conference and WEFMAX events in April 2009, a financially successful Tri-State Seminar in September 2009, continued improvements in available features at our NWEA web site, and continued publication of our newsletter in both paper and electronic format.
Several of our members are also significant contributors to WEF at the National Level. Rick Warner completed his term as NWEA’s WEF Delegate, and is now serving as a WEF Trustee. Starlin Jones is active as an At-Large WEF Delegate and is very active with the National Operations Challenge. NWEA Secretary Angela MacKinnon is active on a WEF task force to overhaul WEF’s and the MA’s membership databases.
Our Tri-State team members Bruce Dacko, Keni Whalen, Dave Ruegge, Tom Rura and Jake Jacobson participated in a successful renegotiation of the 5-year Tri-State Seminar agreement, and Bruce Dacko, who served as TSS vice-chair and webmaster in 2009 is now serving as Tri-State Seminar Chair in 2010.
NWEA is moving into 2010 with preparations for the next Annual Conference in Reno in April 2010, and the next Tri-State Seminar in Primm Nevada in September 2010. NWEA’s Certification Board and Executive Board are also planning for re-negotiation of the NDEP Certification Board contract.
The start of 2010 also brings a new era to our newsletter, as we produce this issue and all subsequent issues in an all-electronic web-based format. Our thanks to Rob Davies and Suey Huey for their considerable efforts to implement this transition.
Of all the Nevada professional societies in which I have served over the past 18 years, NWEA members form the largest active ore group and carry out the highest level of activity of service to the professional community and public. It is even more remarkable that NWEA members have maintained their activities and commitments despite steep recent declines in material and financial support from their employers.
I think we can look upon the results of our 2009 efforts with a sense of considerable pride and accomplishment. We face significant challenges in 2010. Reductions in both workforce and wages will mean that many of our members will be working harder at their own jobs for less money, and, as a consequence, they may not have as much time to participate in outside activities. Continued decline in agency support for travel and training will force us to carefully evaluate how to continue to offer conferences and workshops that will provide significant educational value to our members and their employers at affordable cost. I know that our members will rise to meet these challenges and that we will continue to effectively serve the profession and the public in the protection of human and environmental health.
Thank you all for your contributions over the past year, and I wish you much success and professional growth in 2010.