APWA Baton Rouge Branch

April 2013Board Meeting Minutes

Date and Time: Wednesday,April 3, 2013 at 11:30 am

Location: 1100 Laurel St., DPW Engineering Conference Room

Attendees: Amy Schulze, Suzanne McCain, Terry Blades, Cyndi Pennington,Shannon Dupont, Jarrod Tramonte, Josh Graham (via phone), Benjamin Blades,Laura Brownell, Sarah Edel, Mira Para,Cindy Hall, Cory Belden, and Heather Smith.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

  • Acceptance of March Meeting Minutes

Motion to approve by Amy Schulze, Second by Suzanne McCain

IMMEDIATE TOPICS:

  • Scholarship: (Chair–Jarrod Tramonte)
  • This year’s theme “Because of Public Works …”
  • Current Actions:
  • Education: (Chair - Sarah Edel)
  • MAP21 CL&L, LTAP April 9th, 1:00-4:00
  • Members: free. Non-members: $5.
  • Classroom has been reserved.
  • LTAP provides coffee. Laura will bring snacks & water.
  • FWWA Speaker (Mary Stringfellow).
  • Shannon has distributed the flyer.
  • 15 RSVPs so far.
  • Shannon will post flyer on additional bulletin boards in different DPW offices
  • Terry will send an information packet to Baker, Zachary & Central
  • Terry will invite Shelby LaSalle, get contact info for Senator Vitter.
  • Realtime Weather CL&L, LTAP May 8th, 1:00-4:00
  • First Responder Prep (Darian Williams, St. George Fire).
  • Terry will get Director approval for DPW employees.
  • Target group: Supervisors, Department Heads, Superintendents, Field Engineers
  • Reach out to outlying municipalities DPWs (NOLA, St. Tammany, Lafayette).
  • Members: $30 for Seminar & Crawfish Boil, $20 for Crawfish Boil only
  • Non-Members: $40 for both.
  • Open bar for 1st hour.
  • Crawfish Boil
  • Walk-On’s, Wednesday, May 8th.
  • Last year’s cost: $2,500.
  • Public Works Week:
  • May 19 – 25. Theme: “Because of Public Works”
  • Plan for Outreach/Events
  • Present scholarships at May 22nd Council Meeting
  • Laura will order posters
  • Finance: (Chair - Laura Brownell)
  • Financial report

“BACK BURNER” TOPICS:

  • Membership: (Chair - Suzanne McCain)
  • Christmas Party: (Chair –Mira Para)
  • Friday,December 6th at Elegant Memories.
  • Golf Tourney: (Chair –Shannon Dupont)
  • Monday, October 14th – at The Bluffs
  • Pros/Cons of 2012
  • Registration / Announcements
  • Sponsorships – Fee Determination
  • Food (Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks)
  • Drinks (Licenses still valid?)
  • Shirts
  • Prizes

OTHER TOPICS:

  • Accreditation:
  • On hold as DPW restructures.
  • Earth Day (April 21st):
  • Amy will coordinate volunteers to run the booth
  • Laura will order Coloring Books, PW Paws
  • Terry will bring the Traffic Light demonstration
  • Ride Your Bike to Work Week(April 15-19th):
  • $250 Sponsorship approved at March meeting
  • More information at Jimmy-Johns on FaceBook/Twitter
  • Bikes are for sale on City auction website
  • Park & Ride from Goodwood or City Park.
  • Changes to FEMA Flood Insurance requirements (Terry Blades)
  • Federal subsidy on 2nd homeis being removed.
  • Rates will increase by 25% per year for 4 years.
  • Report from National: (Delegate – Suzanne McCain)
  • APWA national is currently working with the Florida chapter to get the new website template operational. When this is complete they will be ready to help the other states migrate to the new format. We need to make sure our logo has been officially approved by national.
  • National is currently receiving packages from chapters in the central part of the country that are interested in hosting Congress in 2016.
  • 107 members attended the Leadership Conference in Kansas City.
  • When we are ready to begin the accreditation process, Ann Daniels from national can come down to assist. The cost is approximately $1,200.
  • We need to let national know whenever we schedule a meeting or cancel a meeting for contract review and insurance purposes.
  • APWA is now offering a certification for Infrastructure Inspection.
  • The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure has established the Envision program which is similar to LEEDS but it is for “horizontal” infrastructure (roads, drainage etc.). An individual can become certified in Envision similar to LEEDS. There is information on the website.
  • One chapter has prepared a letter to their local officials describing the benefits of participating in APWA etc. in an effort to ease the approval process for travel to APWA events.
  • Adjourn

Motion to adjourn by Suzanne McCain, Second by Amy Schulze. Motion carried.

NEXT MEETING: Wednesday May 1, 2013