Our Mission: To connect and enrich the Illinois water community
and increase the awareness of the impact and value of water.

IWEA Policies



Policy Number: 001
Policy Name: Advertising
Enactment Date: April 29, 2005
Revision Date: June 21, 2019

Policy: IWEA does not accept paid advertisements in its newsletter, on its website, or in meeting and seminar announcements and program documents.   One exception to this policy is Annual Conference Program which will allow advertisements, other exceptions may be made with Board approval.
 
Further Information: The IWEA Executive Manager will respond to advertising requests with a letter stating this policy. The letter will also include information on other venues open to vendors such as conference sponsorships or conference exhibits.

Policy Number: 002
Policy Name: Sharing Membership Lists
Enactment Date: April 29, 2005
Revision Date: June 21, 2019
 
Policy:  IWEA does not share its membership list with vendors or advertisers. IWEA may, on a case by case basis, share its membership lists with other organizations.  IWEA will, upon request, share its membership list with other Water Environment Federation Member Associations

Further Information: All requests for copies of IWEA membership list are to be directed to the Executive Manager. The Executive Manager must obtain prior approval from the Executive Board before sharing IWEA membership list with other organizations.

Policy Number: 003
Policy Name: IWEA Annual Conference Speakers
Enactment Date: April 29, 2005
Revision Date: June 21, 2019
 
Policy: Annual Conference Speakers are expected to register for conference and pay appropriate registration fee. No travel or assistance funds are available for session speakers.
Exceptions to this policy may be keynote or luncheon speakers.  If speaker is attending only session at which they will be speaking, the registration fee may be waived. In such instances, the speaker is still responsible for other costs such as meals and accommodations, etc.
 
Further Information: Special consideration may be given to regulatory agency (IEPA, USEPA, IDPH, IEMA, etc.) or academia speakers. 

Policy Number: 004
Policy Name: Travel Reimbursement
Enactment Date: December 5, 2009
Revision Date: June 21, 2019

Policy: IWEA may reimburse a representative designated by the President for travel expenses to attend WEFMAX meetings, MA Leadership Conferences at WEF Headquarters, WEFTEC or other IWEA related events.

Reimbursement of expenses is limited to actual lodging and travel expenses of designated representative. No employer-paid expenses will be reimbursed to employer or employee. Travel expenses are limited to out-of-state lowest coach class airfare to the meeting site.  Alternately, travel by personal vehicle shall be reimbursed at current IRS mileage rate per mile for travel within 395 map miles of the traveler’s home. Whenever possible attendance at WEMAX meetings should be at nearest location possible to minimize travel costs.
 
The IWEA shall also reimburse only direct lodging expenses, plus applicable taxes, for the days of the meeting. Meals, beverages, room service, and all other incidental expenses are ineligible for reimbursement.  Reimbursement shall be limited to a maximum of $1,000 unless the Executive Board approves a greater amount.

Further Information: The President may designate a member of Executive Board to represent IWEA at the following WEF functions: WEFMAX meetings, WEFTEC and Annual MA Leadership Conference at WEF Headquarters.  If no Executive Board Members volunteer, the President may select with Board approval an alternate from among the Committee Chairs. 

IWEA shall not pay expenses in advance of the event. In order to be eligible for reimbursement, the designated representative must submit a pre-travel estimate of travel and lodging expenses for approval by the President Elect.  If President Elect is designated representative, the President shall approve the estimate.   No Board member is eligible for reimbursement for consecutive events, unless no other Executive Board members are willing or able to attend.

The traveler shall submit copies of receipts for all allowable expenses for which reimbursement is requested within 30 days of completion of travel.  The President Elect shall approve reimbursement made by the Treasurer, and paid by check, within 45 days of submittal of required documentation.  If President Elect was the traveler, the President shall approve the reimbursement. 

Policy Number: 005
Policy Name: Succession Planning
Enactment Date: September 23, 2005
Revision Date: June 21, 2019

Policy: Members serving as the Executive Manager, Association Secretary or Treasurer are strongly encouraged to give a one-year notice to the Executive Board prior to resigning from the Position. At that time the President will appoint an ad-hoc committee to find a replacement.


Further Information: One year prior to planned retirement from the position, the Executive Manager, Association Secretary, or Treasurer will submit a letter of planned resignation to the IWEA Executive Board that states the planned retirement date. At the first Board meeting following the letter of resignation, the President will appoint a Search Committee with a minimum of three members, two of which should be current Board members.
 
At the Executive Board meeting following the appointment of the search committee, the committee will present a list of proposed candidate(s) to the Board. The Executive Board will review the list of candidates and provide a recommendation for appointment to the position.
Once a recommended candidate agrees to accept the position, the appointment shall be made by the Executive Board. The Executive Manager, Association Secretary, or Treasurer will assist in training their replacement.

Policy Number: 006
Policy Name: Support/Opposition to Legislation
Enactment Date: September 23, 2005
Revision Date: June 21, 2019

Policy: IWEA will neither support nor oppose legislation regarding any issue. 
 
Further Information: The IWEA membership is comprised of water environment professionals whose members are municipal and government employees, consulting engineers, manufacturers’ representatives, government regulators, and students.
 
These members may represent diverse and potentially opposing views regarding government regulations and legislation. Thus, IWEA will neither support nor oppose any legislative issue.  However, exceptions to this policy may be considered and voted on by the Board on case by case basis.
 
Policy Number: 007
Policy Name: Use of Purchase Orders
Enactment Date: March 7, 2007
Revision Date: June 21, 2019

Policy: IWEA does not accept purchase orders in lieu of payment for event registration, sponsorships, membership dues or other payments.
Further Information: Payments to the IWEA can be made using cash, check or credit card.

Policy Number: 008
Policy Name: E-mail Voting
Enactment Date: March 18, 2009
Revision Date: June 21, 2019

Policy: A member of the Executive Board may submit a motion for vote by e-mail. After all members of the Board have a chance to comment on the motion, a vote can be called for.


Further Information: For any action requiring a Board Vote, a Board Member prepares a draft motion and secures a second, then sends the motion to the Executive Manager. The Executive Manager sends the motion via e-mail to all members of the Board for comment.    For discussion purposes, members making comments must respond to “all” when making the comments.

The Executive Manager will take all comments and, in consultation with the Board Member presenting the original motion, if necessary, amend the motion for a vote by the Board. The Executive Manager will send the motion via e-mail to all voting Board members. Board Members will have two business days to respond to the Executive Manager with a “yes” or “no” to the motion.  The vote will be recorded by the Executive Manager.

For purposes of commenting and voting on the motion, the days counted are Monday through Friday.  Any holidays observed by the State of Illinois will not be counted as a day for voting.
The vote will be included in meeting minute record for approval at the next Executive Board meeting.

Policy Number: 009
Policy Name: Sharing Attendance Lists
Enactment Date: September 17, 2010
Revision Date: June 21, 2019

Policy:  IWEA will make available by email the attendance list to registered vendors after an event. The information provided may include name, company, address, email address, and phone number.  IWEA may, upon request and on a case by case basis, share its attendance list prior to an event.  IWEA may, upon request, share its attendance lists with other attendees.


Further Information:  All requests for copies of an IWEA event attendance list are to be directed to the Executive Manager.   

Policy Number: 010
Policy Name: Committee Chair Succession
Enactment Date: December 2, 2011
Revision Date: June 21, 2019
 
Policy:  Provides procedure to ensure committee chair succession.


A chair who wishes to resign is required to contact their executive board liaison who will inform the board.   Upon resignation of the chair, the committee vice chair will assume responsibilities of the chair until a new chair is appointed by the President.

When a vice chair position becomes vacant, the chair will solicit all committee members to determine interest in vacated vice chair position.  This may be done via email provided the executive board liaison is copied on email.  The committee chair will forward name(s) of interested member(s) and recommend vice-chair to executive board liaison and President.
 
Further Information:  Committee Chairs must be IWEA members per Section 14.1.2 of IWEA By-Laws.

Policy Number: 011
Policy Name: Social Media
Enactment Date: June 21, 2019
 
Policy:  The use of social media websites for IWEA has restrictions.  For purposes of this policy social media means any facility for online publication and commentary, including without limitation blogs, wikis and social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Flicker and YouTube.
 
Only authorized IWEA spokesperson(s) may create, maintain and remove official IWEA social media sites and/or represent IWEA with social media posts on these or other social media platforms. The designated spokesperson(s) will provide the IWEA Executive Manager with all User Name and Passwords for social media sites.
Further Information:  When an authorized spokesperson(s) represents IWEA on social media sites, the following rules apply:
  • First and foremost, follow the social media “golden rule”- be professional at all times;
  • Obey the law when using social media;
  • Do not post confidential information; and
  • Avoid defamatory or scandalous statements.
We encourage our entire membership to engage in IWEA social media by following, sharing, liking or subscribing to our social media. IWEA reserves the right to review, edit or remove comments on our social media sites that do not conform to the general rules mentioned above.

Policy Number: 011
Policy Name: Anti-Harassment
Enactment Date: December 6, 2019

Illinois Water Environment Association (IWEA) is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for members and non-members alike, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion, or any other protected class. IWEA does not tolerate harassment in any form. IWEA strongly values diversity and feels it increases the value of IWEA and its events. Persons violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from an event, sanctioned or expelled from membership in IWEA and/or barred from participating in future IWEA events.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to:
  • Verbal comments that reinforce social structures of domination related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, or religion.
  • Sexual content of any kind in any public spaces
  • Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following
  • Harassing photography or recording
  • Sustained disruption of talks or other events
  • Inappropriate physical contact
  • Unwelcome sexual attention
  • Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior
Exhibitors in the expo hall, sponsor or vendor booths, or similar activities are also subject to the anti-harassment policy. In particular, exhibitors should not use sexualized images, activities, or other material. Booth staff (including volunteers) should not use sexualized clothing/uniforms/costumes, or otherwise create a sexualized environment.

Enforcement
Any member of the IWEA Executive Board or event committee can issue a verbal warning to a person whose behavior violates IWEA’s anti-harassment policy. The warning is to be reported to the Executive Manager as soon as practical.
Persons who are asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.
Any presentation that repeatedly or seriously violates the anti-harassment policy will be halted immediately.
If a person engages in harassing behavior, a member of the IWEA Executive Board or a member of an event committee retains the right to take any actions to keep the environment welcoming for all. This includes warning the offender or expulsion from an event with no refund.
The IWEA Executive Board or a member of an event committee may take action to redress anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting any meeting, event, or IWEA sponsored social activities or making the environment hostile for any participants.
IWEA retains the right to inform other parties of the violation if the Executive Board deems it
appropriate.

Expulsion
A person may be expelled from any event or social activity by the decision of any of the above listed
entities for whatever reasons they deem sufficient. However, here are some general guidelines for when
a participant will be expelled:
  • A second offense resulting in a warning
  • Continuing to harass after any "No" or "Stop" instruction
  • A pattern of harassing behavior, with or without warnings
  • A single serious offense (e.g., punching or groping someone)
  • A single obviously intentional offense (e.g., taking up-skirt photos)
  • Hotel/venue security and local authorities will be contacted when appropriate.
In the event of a pattern of harassing behavior, single serious offenses, or failure to cease harassment
after warnings, the IWEA Executive Board may vote to terminate the person’s membership per section
13.2.1 of the Constitution and Bylaws, and/or bar that person from participating in any future IWEA
related event.