ILLINOIS WATER ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
Volume 23, No. 1 - Spring 2002

...from the Top

To start with, this is an unexpected place for me. After years of trying to decide what to put on the front page of the “ Illinois Clarifier ”, I now have been assigned this spot, by the Editor. She doesn't realize how awkward this is. Let me stretch out a little and see if it's a fit . . . seems to be a little spacious. Or maybe I'm a little small for this spot. Oh well, I'll just do what I can.

No fanfare or banners accompanied the recent change of Executive Committee members and committee chairmen. Perhaps there should have been. By no means do I include myself, but the task of leading IWEA through this year is accompanied by one of the best groups of dedicated, talented and committed, in the best sense of the word, women and men. We are better served geographically, chronologically, industrially and by gender than ever before. My presidential advantage is having the opportunity to serve with them. Them being President Elect Mary Johnson; First Vice President John Drake; Second Vice President Larry Ziemba; Past President Bill Munch; Director 2002 Greg Brunst; Director 2004 George Stevens; Director Elect Toby Duckett; Secretary Herb Anderson and Treasurer Dennis Priewe. Congratulations to you, and good luck.

The conference we just experienced was the best, by many estimates. Looking up and down the program lineup made the decision of where to attend tough. The gratitude of all goes to John Drake, his committee, Herb Anderson and his “committee”, Sam McNeilly, Greg Cargill and the teachers of the teachers; Mary Johnson and her local “arrangers” the dozens of exhibitors and all of you in attendance. If you were there, you were rewarded. If you were not, sorry. You missed the conference with the highest paid attendance: 303; the most registration income: $21,000 and the best golf tournament income for the Sylvanis Jackson Scholarship: $533.00; the largest “pay-back” from Joe Gorgan, Greeley and Hansen: $50. If I may suggest something to you now, be there next year.

New initiatives as well as new directions are planned for some of the longstanding IWEA activities and committees. Membership now has the added mission of recruitment. Marketing will be an idea and a part of all IWEA activities. A concerted effort will be made to identify the methods, management, needs and chronology surrounding the annual conference. We'll audit our own association with the assistance and expertise of a new committee. Redefinition and infusion of talent are to be directed at plant operation personnel, government affairs, safety, collection facilities, public education and others. Experienced leaders of other activities like our awards, environmental education, watershed and others lend stability. A new-look main web page is about ready to go up. We would welcome your considering being more a part of this.

First out of the block in May is a revamped Executive Committee retreat for long range planning issues. Give us your ideas. When we move in any direction, it helps to have most members going the same way. Let us know that direction. For example, consider the IWEA-Central States issue. Are we siblings in the same house or is it time to move on? Does the parent really care anymore? Another concern is the source of our future members and leaders. Where are they now? What do we offer them? Why do they want to join us? Would we provide it to them if we knew? What are our conference goals? What do we intend to provide, to whom, at what cost, and for that matter, where? All are issues that concern you too.

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