January 21, 2012
Florida ChapterPresident’s Report
Accolades:
-Jim Myers, Association Alliance Committee Chair has been named as Committee Chair of the Professional Development Sub-Committee, with the Florida Local Government Coalition where he serves as a representative of the APWA Florida Chapter. Congratulations, Jim!
National News:
-On January 4, 2012, Brad Patterson, APWA Chapter Membership Manager sent an email to all APWA Presidents and Membership Committee chairs regarding a Membership Audit. The Audit is a new tool that should help with Chapter’s membership recruiting and retention efforts. The Membership Audit is based on the APWA Best Practices document. Brad stressed in his email that the Audit is not a test; there are no right and wrong answers and National is not keeping score. It is a tool meant to be used as a starting point for discussions on what Chapters are doing or not doing regarding membership. He also suggested that the Audit should not be filled out at the beginning of the year and then put aside. It should be a point of reference for Chapters to use throughout the year and revisit.
Amy Blaida, Membership Committee Chair, and I have both reviewed and completed the Audit. Our next step is to share it with the Branches for their input, as there may bethings the Branches are doing, or not doing, regarding membership that may differ from the Florida Chapter. There are some great ideas in the Audit, and I am sure there are more ideas among our Branches. I encourage Branches to complete the Membership Florida Chapter President’s Report
Audit and return to Amy so we can set our benchmark early in the year and reevaluate our progress at the end of the year.
Also National is introducing an interactive CD-ROM to assist Chapters in all phases of membership recruitment and retention. APWA Membership – Getting Started is being produced by APWA National. It is designed to provide Chapter membership committee chairs – many of them new to the position – easy access to all of the membership marketing materials available.
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The CD will be sent to the membership chairs, as well as to the Chapter presidents and delegates in January. Included on this CD will be membership recruitment and retention ideas and tips from other Chapters. Best practices for a membership committee will also be included, as well as various templates of form letters to use to help Chapters bring in new members and retain existing members. “The goal of this CD is to provide easy access to a comprehensive source for membership recruitment and retention ideas and tips,” said Brad Patterson, Chapter Membership Manager. “This CD should make it easier for all Chapter leaders to be aware of resources available in supporting recruitment and retention efforts.” As a follow up to the CD, there will be a Webinar scheduled for February. The webinar is designed to help all chapter leaders navigate the APWA website and will help them make the best use of the CD. Additional information on the webinar will be forthcoming.
-On January 11, 2012, Mabel Tinjacá, Ph.D. APWA Director of Professional Development sent an announcement to all Chapter Presidents that APWA’s Donald C. Stone Center for Leadership Excellence in Public Works (DCS Center) is ready to open its doors to the first group of aspiring leaders who will begin their professional development journey in January 2012. On January 17th, candidates in the Level 1 Public Works Supervisor (PWS) and Level 3 Public Works Executive (PWE) programs will begin opening their online accounts, selecting a mentor from a catalog of 150 Public Works Leadership Fellows (PWLF), and completing an assessment to evaluate their current knowledge. This will also be the debut of the Public Works Manager (PWM) program.Additional deadlines for applications will be April 16th and July 16th for programs starting in June and September, respectively.
-APWA is issuing a call for nominations for national committee and task forceappointments for the year August 2012 – August 2013. Nominations for national committees/task forces are currently open until close of business March 1, 2012 online at under “Members Only.”
To be considered for appointment under President-Elect Elizabeth Treadway’s term as president, you must either self-nominate or be nominated by another APWA member/chapter and complete a brief bio form online. Information on positions that are open is available on the APWA website at:
Chapter News:
-If you have not yet heard, it is with great sadness that I must inform you that a few short weeks ago we lost a dear member of our APWA Family. Bob Hall’s girlfriend, Mary Ann, who always accompanied him to our Executive Committee Meetings and Annual Meeting and Trade Show, passed away. Althea Parrish sent flowers on behalf of the Florida Chapter. Please keep Bob in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.
-Over the last few months Rohland Bryant, Education Committee Chair, and I have been working with APWA National and Indian River State College (which hosts our Public Works Institute), to develop an online course, through the existing Public Works Institute, that would be a Level 1 Public Works Supervisor (PWS) course, and part of APWA's Donald C. Stone Center for Leadership Excellence in Public Works Credentially Program (DCS Center). This course is an expansion of what is currently offered at our Public Works Institute at Indian River State
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College, and under our current agreement, and will be made available online to those interested in obtaining first line supervisory training.
Conversations regarding this Level 1 online course began following the announcement of the Donald C. Stone Center for Leadership Excellence, during the International Congress and Exposition, this past year. In December 2011 plans were ramped up to try to make this online course go 'live' and available in January 2012.As of this date, things appear to be on target. However, all parties must execute a Memorandum of Understanding regarding this partnership; which is an extension of, and evolved from, the Public Works Institute that was formed through the’Florida Chapter of the APWA Leadership Institute Agreement', effective March 24, 2008 with a six year term.
I have reviewed the attached DRAFT MOU and have shared it with our Executive Committee officers for their thoughts and suggestions. In all, I think the document is a good one, and would like to present it to the APWA Florida Chapter Executive Committee, on January 21st, for your approval.
-I am continuing to work toward fully developing our committee descriptions; which document committee members and establish realistic goals and expectations for our committees.
-REMINDER: Please send Don Jacobavitz information from your branches for the PACE Award submittal. The PACE Award recognizes chapters for contributions made, and for their dedicated efforts, in developing programs and services that result in a positive impact for APWA members, public works professionals, and their communities.
In closing, I am very excited about the accomplishments we have made as a Chapter over these past several months! I appreciate everyone’s hard work and dedication in building a better and stronger Florida Chapter! I extend a heartfelt thanks to each of you for your time and commitment. The service you give to our association is valuable and appreciated!
Thank you for all you do to make our Florida Chapter the best it can be!
Respectfully Submitted,
Kim Kirby
Florida Chapter President
DRAFT Memorandum of Understanding
APWA, APWA Florida Chapter & Indian River State College
I.Subject Matter
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by and between the American Public Works Association (APWA), Florida Chapter of the American Public Works Association (FL APWA) and the Indian River State College (IRSC) for the online delivery of Public Works Supervisor (PWS) Level 1 course of the Donald C. Stone Leadership and Management track (hereinafter may be referred to as the “online course”).
II. Purpose
APWA, FL APWA and IRSC will work together to create and maintain an online course for the delivery of Public Works Supervisor (PWS) Level 1 course of the Donald C. Stone Leadership and Management track. The course will reflect the best practices for continuing adult education, and incorporate the best practices for public works management and leadership.
III. Scope
The course will be open for public works professionals interested in completing Level 1 of the Donald C. Stone Leadership and Management track or those professionals seeking public works supervisory training.
IV. Terms of the MOU
- APWA shall develop the online course curriculum that meets APWA requirements for Public Works Supervisor (PWS) Level 1 course of the Donald C. Stone Leadership and Management track.
- APWA will hold all copyright to the curriculum provided to IRSC for online delivery.
- IRSC will be responsible for hosting andmaintaining the learning management system on behalf of the APWA and FL APWA for ongoing Level 1 attendance.
- IRSC will provide documentation of student outcomes in the online course to APWA upon student’s completion of the course.
- IRSC will hire and supervise instructors used in the online course. IRSC will give preference to APWA members of the Florida Chapter applying to IRSC for the position of course instructor where such members meet the educational and professional requirements identified by IRSC.
- APWA will provide assistance in promoting the program nationally.
- IRSC shall remit 10% of gross student registration fees to APWA.
V. Addendum
The parties recognize that this MOU shall include by reference any future addendum reserved for administrative matters for the enrollment in operation of the course which are not susceptible to identification at this time. Such addendum shall be a part of this MOU wherein the terms of the addendum are approved by all parties.
VI. Termination of MOU
This MOU may be terminated by any of the parties, for any reason, upon providing the other parties written notice of this within sixty (60) days of termination date. The notice of termination must be signed and dated by agents for all parties. The sixty-day notice will become effective upon receipt of the notice termination.
VII. Period of MOU
This MOU shall remain in effect for one year from the date of the execution of this MOU and may be extended upon mutual consent of all parties and subject to renegotiation of the terms of the MOU.
VIII. Signatures
By their signatures below, the officials of APWA, Florida Chapter of APWA and Indian River State College indicate their acceptance of the terms outlined in this MOU:
APWA
By: ______
Name: Peter B. King
Title:Executive Director, APWA
Date: ______
FLORIDA CHAPTER OF APWA
By: ______
Name: Kim Kirby
Title:President, APWA Florida Chapter
Date: ______
INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE
By: ______
Name: Jan Pagano
Title:Associate Dean, Indian River State College
Date: ______