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President's Message

Message from Alan Summers (presented at the 2007 AGM)  

It has been my privilege to serve my sixth year as president of the BC Chapter, and it seems appropriate to spend a few minutes with you outlining some of the 2007 goals and achievements, which include:

Goal 1: Maintain a balanced three year budget.

  • We continue to ensure that technical sessions are self-financed. We held a very successful Waste To Energy Workshop at the Richmond Inn in October 2007, and we held a successful BCQLO training session in Kelowna in April .
  • We continue to solicit sponsorship for our various chapter activities- allowing members the opportunity to showcase their services and programmes.
  • We are proceeding with a review of resource allocation of Chapter Directors and the Chapter Executive Director.

 Goal 2: Reduce any accumulated surplus and reallocate reserve funds.

  • We have initiated a task force that will investigate allocation for special projects and third world development, and Investigate use of endowments.
  • We have made a significant initial contribution to the Brian Grant Scholarship with the Ministry of Environment and administered by the Vancouver Foundation.

Goal 3: Increase paid membership.

  • We continue to use of membership update e-mails and fax-outs of events as our primary mode of communication, referring to details on the www.swanabc.org website.
  • We maintain event e-mail lists for as a courtesy service for “ friends of SWANA”- in the hopes of them becoming official members
  • We use follow-up emails to first time registrants for workshops and technical sessions, and call up lapsed members.
  • We set a modest goal for 2007 to see a 3% net increase in membership. This was readily surpassed has we had our largest membership growth ever.

Goal 4: Continue to enhance member services.

  • We respond directly to the needs of the BC Chapter members, primarily acting as a communication device for career opportunities as well as acting as liaison to head office in Silver Spring Maryland.
  • The chapter set an objective to use survey tools to solicit needs of members, and ascertain any changing needs. This will be carried forward into 2008.

Goal 5: Increase the public profile of SWANA BC Chapter.

  • We have developed a basic media kit and have detailed all of our services and opportunities on the Chapter website as a key to the media kit.
  • We continue to expand Chapter partnerships beyond CWMA and the RCBC; and now include CivicInfo and the Ministry of Environment as business associates to assist delivering our message and our programs.

Goal 6: Complete implementation of SWANA BC Chapter “BC Qualified Landfill Operators Course - BCQLO”

  • We have finalized a BCQLO Business Plan and will this to the Ministry of Environment in our efforts to develop Codes of Practice for Landfill Operators and potentially a province-wide standards program.
  • We have updated and delivered BCQLO course materials in 2007 in Kelowna.

Goal 7: Increase the number of SWANA certified instructors.

  • We have started to develop target lists in 2007 and will carry our efforts forwarding 2008 , approaching members and potential members to become certified instructors.

Goal 8: Advocate the requirement of qualification standards for landfill operations in BC.

  • Because of the success of MOLO and the demand for more regional educational material, the chapter has developed a business plan with a 5 to 7 year horizon delivery plan for SWANA BC educational materials to all regions of the province.
  • We have maintained communication with Regional Districts to promote BCQLO /MOLO training - as well as other SWANA certification.
  • We are completing an IB survey to document use of certification across North America.
  • Survey and maintain database on which BC regional districts require some type of SWANA certification as a job or contract specification
  • We continue to have BCQLO MOLO training recognized as acceptable by Regional Districts and are working toward having BCQLO and MOLO certification recognized as acceptable by MOE.

Goal 9: Promote SWANA BC Chapter to the Minister of Environment and key ministerial staff as a viable partner to assist the Ministry.

  • We continue to meet with the Minister and key targeted staff on an annual basis to keep the Minister of the Environment aware of SWANA BC Chapter ability to act as a resource on ‘hot topic” solid waste issues.
  • We are arranging for BCQLO training to be wrapped into our new format BC Chapter Annual Training Gathering in May 2008 in Victoria.

Other notes:

Website:

  • Our website was a key marketing tool in 2007. Improvements are made to it on a quarterly basis. We are continuing to address functionality- to make it easier for members to navigate through the website.
  • The website now also features search features for papers presented at BC events. This is a service separate from that offered to SWANA members through the international “Members Only” site.

Things to look forward to in 2008:

In order of geographic proximity:

  • The first annual BC Chapter Training Gathering! A brand new format for training- with special thanks to the Ministry of Environment. Courses in BCQLO and Transfer Station Certification, a testing centre, and a one day Green House Gas workshop. Harbour Towers Hotel , Victoria May 5-9 2008
  • Watch for SWANA BC Chapter at RCBC and BC regional waste managers events in 2008 ( refer to our website with a proposed 2008 schedule )
  • SWANA Oregon Chapter hosts the Northwest Regional Symposium in April 16-18 at McMenamins, Troutdale
  • Building on the success of our own BC Chapter- hosted 2006 Canadian Symposium Atlantic Canada Chapter holds the 4 th edition of this event in Halifax April 13-16 2008
  • WASTCON builds on its recent success, moving to Tampa FL October 21- 23, 2008
  • More services at lower costs! Best time to sign up our strong Canadian dollar has effectively reduced cost of membership by one third in the past 4 years. Sign-up for a package of services through Silver Spring at www.swana.org
 
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