ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

Spring Meeting Summary

March 9, 2007

Participants:Gordon Daring, Chair

Patty Hilderbrand, At-Large Director

Paul Cooley, Member

Ken Buccilli, Member

Neil Grigg, Member

Larry Woodlan, Member

Fred Whitley, Member

Paul Klope, Education committee

Staff:Carol Estes, StaffLiaison

1.Call to order – Gordon Daring called the meeting to order at 8:00CST.

2.Review of meeting Summary of2/12/2007 – The meeting summary was approved as amended.

3.At-large Director Report – At-Large Director – Patty Hilderbrand reported that there was a board meeting two weeks ago. The membership stands at over 28, 000 as of the end of January. The recruitment video is complete and is very well done. It will be available to chapter soon. The Work Zone, APWA’s job listing averages 150 active listings at all times. The committee requested the ability to sort by region. There are just a few days to submit nominations for committee positions and awards. Other actions included:

  • Increase in membership may be due to the Never Been a Member Campaign and the challenge is now to get them engaged as members
  • Chapters and branches in Louisiana have been merged into one Chapter
  • Two amendments were passed by the membership relating to the lengths of terms of the Board of Directors and the make up of the Nominating Committee
  • The Chapter Leaders conference was held in Kansas City and was very well received
  • The “Work Zone” position listings on the APWA website is going very strong
  • The Blue Print for Certification is progressing with appointments to the 7 member task force
  • The Board is planning to go to Congress in New Orleans early in order to participate in a Habitat for Humanity project.
  • The theme of NPWW this year is “Moving Life Forward”
  • Patty Hilderbrand met with AGC and ACEC to renew the partnership in Arizona in January. There will be a joint session at Congress this fall called “Utility Coordination – You get what you pay for”
  • In 2014 CPWA will be proposing one or more Canadian sites to host Congress
  • Construction Inspection certification – beginning to draft exam questions with the goal to launch at Congress. The preliminary schedule calls for a first exam date in the spring of 2008.

4.Education Committee Representative Comments – Paul Klope addressed the committee on education activities. Activities the Education committee is involved with include:

  • The certification blue print task force had it first meeting yesterday. The purpose of the meeting was to recommend in which direction APWA should go. The task force will develop a long range strategy for education and certification
  • A survey was sent to 8500 random members to determine educational needs
  • An education summit will be held in Denver, Colorado on March 29-30.
  • Six chapters are using the APWA template for Public Works Institutes
  • Ten chapters are using their own template for Institutes
  • A Master’s of Public Works Administration is now being developed through the University of Upper Iowa. They are looking for subject matter experts to teach 6 or 7 subjects
  • In the fall, the Education committee will join with the Technical committees on Saturday at Congress
  • Education is proposing 15 Click, Listen, and Learn programs, a three part web based training and a four part “boot camp”

5.Recognition for frequent InfoNOW submitters –Possible ways to recognize frequent and credible submissions to the Info NOW Design Engineering & Construction community were discussed. Staff reminded the committee that as a technical body, the committee can make suggestions for possible programs, but that it is the Board who determines if it is an activity which they wish to pursue. Ideas for recognition suggested included:

  • Quarterly recognition of a top InfoNOW responder with possibly a picture and brief bio in the June edition of the Reporter or a special posting to the InfoNOW community itself
  • A small APWA premium for the most active respondent quarterly

Action item: Staff will discuss the ideas internally

6.Review of 2006-2007 Business Plan – The committee reviewed all elements of the current business plan and noted items that were complete or in progress. Some objectives were assigned to committee members for follow up at the next conference call including:

  • Goal #1, Objective #4, Action item: Staff to add “in November/December”
  • Goal #1, Objective #10, Action item: Paul Cooley to collect information for next call from EJCDC and California Statement. Paul Klope will forward the Eugene statement to Paul Cooley
  • Goal #1, Objective #11, Action Item: Paul Cooley locate website or further information
  • Goal #2, Objective #5, Action item: Staff to find out what is going on with Homeland Security subcommittee

7.Reporter articles for the June edition – Reporter articles are due to Editor Kevin Clark by April 15

Anticipated articles:

  • Electronic Document Management – Fred Whitley
  • Railroad Quiet Zones – Larry Woodlan
  • Blending New Technology & Existing Architecture – Ken Buccilli
  • Wet Weather Pump Station sited on Private Property – Ken Buccilli
  • Protecting the Florida Keys Through Advance Wastewater Treatment – Ken Buccilli
  • Pavement Management process – Gordon Daring
  • Follow-up to Katrina – Paul Cooley
  • Pavement Management in Kansas City, MO – Gordon Daring

Action item: Submit Reporter articles to Ken Buccilli before the April 15 deadline (ALL)

8.Publications – The committee discussed the need to update its sponsored publications or produce a new publication as a project for next year. Staff will ask Connie Hartline to sit in on the next E & T conference call

Action item: Staff to ask Connie Hartline to sit in on next call to discuss publications

9. Discussion of Topics and assignment for preparation on Call for Presentation for Guaranteed sessions for Congress in 2008 in New Orleans – Topics discussed for possible guaranteed sessions in 2008 included:

  • Levees at risk in the US
  • Green house gas and Public Works – Does Public Works Have Gas?
  • Coastal flooding
  • New Orleans Levee Restoration
  • Mississippi Delta Restoration
  • AVL systems

Action item: Continue on next agenda

10. Email Survey - The committee continued discussion ofideas. Each responsible committee member has completed a short explanation paragraph for theirassigned areas. Committee members were asked to revise each area into the original 4 question format. Committee members should forward reformatted questions to Carol byMarch 23. The survey should be brief and require as little typing as possible. Surveys must be approved by the Director of Marketing before being sent to minimize over surveying the membership.

Action item: Reformat questions and forward to staff by March 23 (ALL)

Action item: The item will be continued at the next call (All)

11.New Business – The Committee discussed the SAFETEA_LU reauthorization memo from Jim Fahey and the March 19 testimony before the Revenue Commission. Please send any comments directly to Jim Fahey by April 2.

Action item: - Send comment to Jim Fahey by April 2 (ALL)

Next conference callis April 9, 2007, at 12:00 Pacific, 1:00 Mountain, 2:00 Central 3:00 Eastern Daylight Time

The meeting adjourned at 4:00 pm Central time.

Engineering & Technology Committee Conference Call Meeting Summary – page 1