Convention Highlights

Transcription

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2 Convention Highlights Public Funds Investment Act Training This training is mandatory for the designated investment officer of any district governed by Chapter 36 or Chapter 49 of the Texas Water Code. Though not required by law, nonprofit water supply corporations can benefit from this training too. We will hold both initial and the renewal training on Tuesday, March 28. Separate registration is required. Top Golf PAC Fundraiser You are invited to join us at Top Golf on Tuesday, March 28 for a fun-filled afternoon sure to please golfers and non-golfers alike, while supporting the Texas Rural Water Political Action Committee (PAC). You will need to purchase a ticket to participate in this event. Legislative Briefing Breakfast and Rural Water Day at the State Capitol Attendees will have an opportunity to go to the State Capitol and advocate on behalf of rural water on Wednesday, March 29. Attend the briefing breakfast and become familiar with the issues and legislation impacting water utilities. Transportation to the Capitol will be provided by TRWA. This event is complimentary. Welcome Reception This meet and greet event, sponsored by CoBank, is a good opportunity to renew friendships and visit with suppliers. All attendees are invited to this event in the Exhibit Hall at the Renaissance Hotel on Wednesday evening, March 29. Concurrent Sessions The focus of RuralWaterCon is education and training. TRWA provides you with the most current, up-to-date information available regarding water and wastewater system operations and management. Don t miss these timely and informative training sessions! Board Member Education RuralWaterCon offers a conference within a conference for board members! Look for the Board Track on the agenda to see the educational sessions specifically developed for board members. Exhibit Hall Products and services for the water industry are constantly adapting to new methods and technologies. Some of the latest product advancements will be on display in the Exhibit Hall. The Exhibit Hall will also be the site of the silent PAC auction, and door prizes will be awarded during breaks. TRWA Awards of Excellence and TRWF Scholarship Ceremony Recipients of the TRWA Awards of Excellence and the Texas Rural Water Foundation Student and Professional Scholarships will be honored during the opening general session on Thursday, March 30. Live and Silent PAC Auctions The PAC Auction is held each year during RuralWaterCon to help raise money for the Texas Rural Water PAC. A silent auction will be held several times daily in the Exhibit Hall and a special live auction featuring our premium auction items will be conducted during the President s Banquet on Thursday, March 30. President s Banquet The President s Banquet will be held Thursday evening, March 30. Bring a guest and enjoy dinner and an inspiring keynote delivered by Mark Warren, former Assistant Commander of Texas Department of Public Safety Training Academy and Training Coordinator for the Texas Association of Counties. You will need to purchase a ticket to attend this banquet

3 Rural Water Day at the Texas Capitol Grassroots lobbying at its best! WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 Progress Through Unit y Rural Water Day at the Capitol is our chance to come together as one and tell our story with a powerful, unified voice. Don t miss this opportunity to join forces with your peers as we engage our elected representatives together. Attendance at the Legislative Briefing Breakfast and Rural Water Day at the Texas Capitol is complimentary. Please indicate your plans to attend on the RuralWaterCon registration form. Lunch is on your own. 7:15 a.m. Legislative Briefing Breakfast TRWA Executive Director Lara Zent and the TRWA lobby team will discuss legislative priorities and strategy for meeting with your representatives and senators at the Capitol. 8:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Shuttle to and from the State Capitol A free shuttle will loop every hour between the Renaissance Austin Hotel and the State Capitol. The first bus leaves the Renaissance Austin Hotel at 8:30 a.m. The last bus departs the Capitol at 4:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Individual Meetings with Texas Legislators Take this opportunity to visit the offices of your state senator and representative. This valuable time will be used to communicate your priorities and concerns and help legislators understand rural water issues. It is important to secure an appointment with your legislator well in advance of Wednesday. 11:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. House and Senate Meetings The Texas House and Senate will convene in the morning in a general session. House and Senate committee hearings will be held throughout the day. 5:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. Welcome Reception Members of the Texas Legislature and their staff will be invited to attend our RuralWaterCon Welcome Reception, held Wednesday night. This event is a great opportunity to network with other water industry professionals, Exhibit Hall vendors and legislative staff. Please encourage your senator and representative to attend.

4 R u r a lwat e rcon 2017 March 29 31, 2017 Renaissance Hotel 9721 Arboretum Blvd. Austin, Texas Phone: The Texas rural water industry is a collective of professionals who take great pride in their work. We have dedicated our careers to public service, helping our communities get the clean, quality drinking water they deserve. We are the pioneers, everyday heroes and trailblazers of rural water. When it comes to rural water, we are the leaders of the pack. Whether you are a current or future leader of our industry, RuralWaterCon has something for you. You should attend this convention if you: Are on the board of directors or a manager of a water/wastewater system Are interested in innovative approaches to the challenges of managing a water/wastewater system Would like to be engaged with the legislative process and receive updates about what s happening at the Texas Capitol Need information on regulatory agency updates and rules Would like to network with like-minded professionals facing the same opportunities and challenges as you Public Funds Information Act Initial Course Training Tuesday, March 28 Renaissance Hotel Austin Fee: Member $135; Non-Member $145 Credit: 6 Hours Schedule: 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Renewal Course Fee: Member $125; Non-Member $135 Credit: 4 Hours Schedule: 9:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Find us on Twitter and join the conversation using our official Convention hashtag! #RuralWaterCon Program Details TUESDAY MARCH 28 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Public Funds Investment Act Training - Separate registration required 2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Convention Registration 4:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. TRWA and AIA Insurance Agency- Sponsored Top Golf PAC Fundraiser - Optional ticket must be purchased for this event WEDNESDAY MARCH 29 6:30 a.m. 5:30 p.m. Convention Registration 7:15 a.m. Legislative Briefing Breakfast - Included in registration 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. TRWA/USDA-RD Engineering Conference - Separate registration required 8:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Rural Water Day at the State Capitol - Included in registration 5:00 p.m. Deadline to turn in all forms/absentee ballots to Credentials Committee 5:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall, sponsored by CoBank

5 THURSDAY MARCH 30 7:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Convention Registration and Exhibit Viewing 8:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. Opening General Session 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Annual Business Meeting 10:30 a.m. 12:45 p.m. Exhibit Viewing/Lunch on your own 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. General Session Legislative Update 2:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. Break in Exhibit Hall 2:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions Session 1 Track 1 Distribution Water Quality Track 2 TRWA Emerging Leaders Board Track The Case for Better Pay & the Cost of High Turnover 3:30 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Break in Exhibit Hall 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions Session 2 Track 1 TCEQ Regulatory Update on Water & Wastewater Issues Track 2 Innovative Approaches to Water Resource Challenges in Texas Board Track Does Your Water Utility Have a Financial Plan? 5:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Pre-Banquet Reception Cash Bar 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Live PAC Auction and President s Banquet Support the Texas Rural Water PAC and join us for dinner and a keynote presentation by speaker Mark Warren Ticket must be purchased for this event. TRWA Emerging Leaders Thursday, March 30 TRWA is launching a new leadership development program! TRWA Emerging Leaders is a year-long professional development and networking program for up-and-coming leaders in the rural water industry. If you are an early- to mid-career utility professional who is interested in receiving leadership and advocacy training, learning about water policy and industry trends, and participating in grassroots efforts to promote our industry, then this program is for you! Attend our session on Thursday, March 30 for program details and a sneak preview of the curriculum we have planned for our class. Emerging Leaders who attend this session and sign up for the program will receive a special discount on tuition and will be invited as our guests to attend the President s Banquet to hear a special keynote address about fostering leadership. We hope to see you there! Banquet Speaker: Mark Warren From the most basic of supervisory tools to the secrets of success of great leadership visionaries, we must always remember our most basic charge as leaders. Find out what that is at Thursday night s President s Banquet where speaker Mark Warren will tackle the subject of fostering leadership. Mark is a former Assistant Commander of Texas Department of Public Safety Training Academy and Training Coordinator for the Texas Association of Counties. He has taught classes on communications skills, diversity, generational dynamics and leadership to thousands of law officers, public officials and educators. You will not want to miss this special event! FRIDAY MARCH 31 7:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. Convention Registration 7:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Exhibit Viewing 8:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. District Caucuses and TRWA Board Elections 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Concurrent Sessions Session 3 Track 1 The Talent Management Trifecta: Interviewing, Onboarding & Performance Management Track 2 Rural Water Financing Options Board Track Strategic Planning 11:00 a.m. 11:15 a.m. Break - Pick up your box lunches, sponsored by CoBank, and head to your next session! 11:15 a.m. 12:15 p.m. Concurrent Sessions Session 4 Track 1 PUC Regulatory Update Track 2 TCEQ s Operator License Department Update & Application Approval Process Board Track Leading Your Board to Success: Part 1 12:15 p.m. 12:30 p.m. Break 12:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions Session 5 Track 1 RTCR Level I & II Assessments Board Track Leading Your Board to Success: Part 2 This agenda is subject to change. Visit for the most up-to-date RuralWaterCon details. Operator license renewal credit will be requested from TCEQ and Continuing Legal Education credit will be requested from the State Bar of Texas for attendance at this conference. Information on approved sessions will be posted on our website as it becomes available.

6 R e g i s t r at i o n Complete a separate form for each registrant. Please print all information. Name Spouse s Name (if registering) Utility Name Mailing Address City State Zip Phone ( ) Address CONVENTION REGISTRATION FEE: This fee includes admission to general sessions, workshops, exhibit hall, welcome reception and refreshment breaks. No refunds, transfers or credits will be made after March 6. Early Bird After March 6 Utility Member... $ $ $ Non-Member Utility... $ $ $ SPOUSE REGISTRATION: Spouse registrations are complimentary and include admittance to the Exhibit Hall, Welcome Reception and refreshment breaks. A spouse must purchase tickets for any other optional events. OPTIONAL EVENT TICKETS: Please indicate the number of tickets you wish to purchase for each event below. Legislative Briefing Breakfast (Weds.): Complimentary with RSVP... # President s Banquet (Thurs.): $55 per person... $ Initial 6-Hour PFIA Training (Tues.): $125 (member); $135 (non-member)... $ Renewal 4-Hour PFIA Training Tues.): $135 (member); $145 (non-member)... $ Total:..... $ Payment Check enclosed (payable to TRWA) Charge $ to my: AmEx Visa Master Card Acct. #: Expiration Date: CSV #: (3 digit number on the back for Visa or MC or 4 digit number on front for AmEx) Cardholder s Name: Billing Address: Hotel Accommodations: For reservations, please contact the hotel before March 6, 2017, and mention Texas Rural Water Association to receive our specially negotiated group rate. There are a limited number of rooms at the TRWA discounted rate, so make your room reservations as early as possible. Hotel accommodations are the responsibility of each attendee; conference registration does not secure your room. Should the room block become full before March 6, reservations will be accepted on rate/space availability. Refund Policy: TRWA will not issue a refund for a registration fee or event ticket if the cancellation is made within 30 days prior to the date of the start of the conference or the event. No exceptions or transfers to other conferences will be allowed. Refunds or transfers will be permitted at any time if the request is made more than 30 days prior to the start of the event. Register Online - It s quick and easy! TRWA offers online registration for events! Visiwww.trwa.org and save a stamp by registering online. In accordance with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we invite any registrant to advise us of any disability and request for accommodations necessary for the disability. Please indicate any special needs on an additional sheet of paper. Signature: Hotel Information: If you need overnight hotel accommodations, please contact the hotel directly. Be sure to mention that you are attending the TRWA Convention in order to receive our special room rate. You may book your room online by going to our website and clicking on the RuralWaterCon event page. Renaissance Hotel Austin, 9721 Arboretum Blvd., Austin, Texas Tel: (800) Room Rate: Single/Double $199/night; $10 fee for each additional occupant, up to four maximum. Return completed form with payment to: TRWA, 1616 Rio Grande, Austin TX or register online at Fax:

7 NOTICE OF 2017 ELECTION This year, we will hold special elections to fill TRWA Alternate Director vacancies. Candidates from any district with a vacancy, regardless of notated election year, are invited to file a Qualification and Consent Form by January 27, CURRENT TRWA DIRECTORS AND ALTERNATES Dist. Director s Name (System) Alternate s Name (System) Re-Election Year 1...Finley Barnett (SUN WSC) Bruce Alexander (East Medina County SUD) * 3...Chris Boyd (Mustang SUD)... Dennis Donoho (MEN WSC) * 4...Delores Atkinson (Kempner WSC) Barry Miller (Gonzales County WSC) Brian Macmanus (East Rio Hondo WSC)... Steven Sanchez (North Alamo WSC) Clay Hodges (Cash SUD) Charles Beseda (Birome WSC) * 9...Pat Allen (Green Valley SUD) Kent Watson (Wickson Creek SUD) Kevin Spence (Cypress Springs SUD) Vickie Armstrong (Rose Hill SUD)... Shirley Thompson (College Mound WSC) * 13...Robert Nettles (Riverside SUD) Rhonda Shaw (Chalk Hill SUD) Below is the current map of TRWA Districts, which will be used for 2017 TRWA Elections. It was approved by the TRWA Board of Directors on December 5, *Current Election Year

8 QUALIFICATION AND CONSENT FORM Candidate For Director and Alternate Director Candidates for Director and Alternate Director shall complete and file a Qualification and Consent Form with the TRWA Executive Director no later than JANUARY 27, 2017 in order to have their name printed on the official ballot. Nominations will not be accepted from the floor of the Annual Business Meeting or Caucus for any position. Information on qualifications for candidates and campaign procedures are detailed in the TRWA Bylaws and Board Policies, which can be accessed at Contact Lara Zent, TRWA Executive Director, for more specific information on filing procedures. Name Member Water System Mailing Address City State Zip District # Are you ( ) employed on the staff or ( ) on the board of directors of a regular TRWA member that has its principal office located within the district? Candidate for ( ) Director ( ) Alternate I CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ ALL PROVISIONS OF THE CURRENT TRWA BYLAWS AND AM QUALIFIED TO SERVE UNDER THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS THEREOF. I ALSO GIVE MY CONSENT TO HAVE MY NAME PLACED ON THE OFFICIAL TRWA BALLOT FOR THE POSITION INDICATED ABOVE AND AGREE TO ABIDE BY ALL CAMPAIGN PROCEDURES AS LISTED IN THE CURRENT TRWA BOARD POLICIES. MY WATER SYSTEM BOARD IS AWARE THAT I AM SEEKING THIS OFFICE. Signature Date BYLAWS AMENDMENT AND RESOLUTION FORM A member water system may submit a proposed amendment to the TRWA Bylaws and/or offer a resolution for consideration at the Annual Meeting. The amendment and/or resolution must be duly adopted by the Board of Directors of a member water system and submitted to the TRWA Executive Director on this approved form no later than JANUARY 27, 2017 for consideration at the 2017 TRWA Annual Meeting. The TRWA Policy, Bylaws, Resolutions & Credentials Committee shall submit a report and recommendation to the delegates at the Annual Meeting on all proposed Bylaws amendments and/or resolutions received. Members may access the TRWA Bylaws and Board Policies at Name Member Water System Mailing Address City State Zip BYLAWS AMENDMENT Amend Article # Section # Page # To Read As Follows: RESOLUTION Be It Resolved That TRWA I CERTIFY THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF OUR MEMBER WATER SYSTEM VOTED TO SUBMIT THE PROPOSED TRWA BYLAWS AMENDMENT AND/OR RESOLUTION LISTED ABOVE AT A MEETING HELD ON. Board President Water System Date

9 DELEGATE CERTIFICATION FORM For the 48 th Annual Meeting and Convention of the Regular Members of the Texas Rural Water Association As a TRWA member, your entity is entitled to one vote on all issues considered at the Annual Meeting, including the election of directors, alternate directors and any proposed resolutions or amendments to the TRWA Bylaws. All in-person and absentee ballots must be submitted by a certified delegate appointed by your board. The Board President or Vice President and Board Secretary or Treasurer of the member system must complete and sign the delegate certification form below and return it to the TRWA Credentials Committee as soon as possible. (Only President or Owner need sign for IOU.) Forms must be received at the TRWA office no later than 5:00 p.m. on FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017, or delivered on-site to the Credentials Committee no later than 5:00 p.m. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, Improperly executed delegate certification forms may result in disqualification of the delegate by the Credentials Committee. The, a Regular Member of Texas Rural Water Association (herein called the Entity ), hereby appoints: as our true and lawful voting delegate and (print delegate s name) as our alternate delegate to represent the Entity (print alternate s name) at the Annual Business Meeting of the Association and District Caucus to be held on March 30 and 31, 2017, in Austin, Texas. This delegate is authorized to vote on any question, Bylaws amendment or resolution, or any other matter for and on our behalf, which may come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof upon which the Entity would be entitled to vote. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this delegate certification form has been executed on behalf of the aforementioned Entity on this the day of, Board President or Vice President or Owner Board Secretary or Treasurer Date TRWA District # ABSENTEE BALLOT VOTING PROCEDURES For the 48 th Annual Meeting and Convention of the Regular Members of the Texas Rural Water Association If you do not plan to attend the Annual Meeting of the Texas Rural Water Association, your water system is still entitled to one vote. Again this year, we will have an absentee voting process for those systems that cannot send a delegate to the Convention. We no longer allow systems to vote by proxy. Each system will receive an official absentee ballot and delegate certification form, as well as a complete list of candidates and a description of any proposed Bylaws amendments or resolutions no later than February 10, To cast an absentee ballot, you must complete a delegate certification form and the official absentee ballot, and return the original documents to the Credentials Committee using one of the following methods: Official absentee ballot and delegate certification form may be mailed to the TRWA office. Votes submitted through this method must be received by 5:00 p.m. on FRIDAY, MARCH 24, Official absentee ballot and delegate certification form may be delivered to the Credentials Committee desk on-site at the Annual Convention no later than 5:00 p.m. on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, Improperly executed absentee ballots and/or delegate certification forms may result in disqualification of the ballot by the Credentials Committee. To ensure anonymity, once your credentials have been verified, your absentee ballot will be separated from your delegate certification form and given to the TRWA staff member who will be monitoring all ballots. Absentee ballots will not be read or counted until the day of the caucuses and official election. Detailed instructions, a complete list of items under consideration, your official absentee ballot, a delegate certification form and a pre-addressed envelope will be included in the absentee voting packet your system will receive in February. In the meantime, if you have any questions about this process, please reference your November/December issue of Quench or visit our website at for more details. You may also call our office at

10 Top Golf Fundraiser Benefiting the Texas Rural Water PAC Top Golf Austin 2700 Esperanza Crossing Austin, Texas Come out and support the PAC! Join us at Austin s premiere golf entertainment venue for a fun-filled afternoon sure to please golfers and non-golfers alike, while supporting the Rural Water PAC. EVENT DETAILS Registration fee includes buffet and three (3) hours of play. Clubs are provided for each bay, so you can leave your clubs at home! Teams consist of up to 6 players. Individuals will be assigned to a team unless otherwise requested. List desired team below, if applicable. REGISTRATION - $40 per participant. $20 for guests under 16 years old. We encourage you to use a personal form of payment (personal check, credit card, cash) in order to support the Texas Rural Water PAC; corporate funds/ district funds are prohibited by law to be used for this purpose. Contact Name: Utility/Company: Address: Phone: Player 1: Player 2: Player 3: Player 4: Player 5: Player 6: PAYMENT Total: $ Hosted By: Tuesday, March 28, :30 7:30 p.m. Yes! I am enclosing a personal form of payment so that the funds may benefit the Texas Rural Water PAC I am paying with corporate funds that cannot be used for the PAC Charge to my: Amex Visa Master Card Card Number: Expiration Date: CSV #: Billing Address: City: State: Zip: Cardholder s Name: Signature: Send completed form with payment to --- MAIL: TRWA, ATTN: Conference Dept., 1616 Rio Grande, Austin, TX FAX: ; Meetings@trwa.org; ONLINE: QUESTIONS? (512)

11 PAYMENT TRWA/USDA Rural Development Engineering Conference Wednesday, March 29, 2017 Renaissance Hotel Austin Agenda 7:30 8:00 a.m. Registration & Continental Breakfast 8:00 8:15 a.m. Welcome & Opening Remarks 8:15 9:15 a.m. Federal Environmental Regulatory Updates 9:15 10:00 a.m. Acquiring Easements for Pipeline Projects 10:00 10:15 a.m. Break 10:15 11:00 a.m. Engineer Checklist to Ensure Successful Project Proposals 11:00 11:30 a.m. RD Apply (Online Application Process) 11:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Effective Project Management to Bring a Loan to Closure * Session includes a boxed lunch 12:30 1:30 p.m. Financial Review & Rates Considerations 1:30 2:30 p.m. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Regulatory Update 2:30 2:45 p.m. Break 2:45 3:45 p.m. Submitting Plans to TCEQ to Address Water Quality Issues 3:45 4:45 p.m. Texas Board of Professional Engineers Priorities, Updates & Ethics 4:45 5:00 p.m. Closing Remarks 5:30 6:30 p.m. RuralWaterCon Welcome Reception, sponsored by CoBank REGISTRATION Registration for this conference is $225 per person. This fee includes a full day of sessions, continental breakfast, box lunch and admission to the RuralWaterCon Welcome Reception Wednesday evening. Name: Company: Mailing Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Total: $ Check enclosed (payable to TRWA) Charge to my: Amex Visa Master Card Card Number: Expiration Date: CSV #: Billing Address: City: State: Zip: Cardholder s Name: Signature: Send completed form with payment to --- MAIL: TRWA, ATTN: Conference Dept., 1616 Rio Grande, Austin, TX FAX: ; Meetings@trwa.org; ONLINE: QUESTIONS? (512)