Message from the President (presented at the 2010 AGM)

2010 was a busy and eventful year for the BC Chapter.  It started on January 29, 2010, when the Board of Directors  held a Strategic Planning Session at the Delta Town & Country Inn.  To start the meeting off, our facilitator had us answer three questions:

• Where are we now?
• Where do we want to be?
• How are we going to get there?

At the session the following new Chapter mission statement was developed:

As the leading organization in integrated waste resource management in BC and the Yukon,
we provide expertise and professional development to practitioners through training, certification, and networking.

The Board of Directors agreed on four areas of emphasis for the Chapter:

• Membership
• Professional development
• Government relations
• Administration

These four areas became the basis for drafting goals and objectives for the next three years. The first steps have been taken to lay the framework for continued action in 2011 and 2012.  In this three year plan of change we have also developed a new Financial Model where we are investing in the existing financial resources of the Chapter to increase our level of services to our Members and become more financially sustainable in the long term.  Chris Underwood will outline further details on this in the Treasurer's Report.

The goals and objectives under these four main areas are highlighted below.

Membership

Goal #1:  To increase membership (by 10% per year).

Objectives:

• Prepare an aggressive communications plan for promoting membership: media campaign, one-on-one contact or other avenues (who are we, what do we do, target sectors, what are benefits of membership).

What does this mean?

• Added focus on EPR and Stewardship Groups.
• Added focus on Certification and BCQLO data  base as Certification and Membership do not go hand in hand.
• “Membership is a way to stay in the loop”.
• Added focus on Yukon needs.
• The group noted Reinhard Trautmann as a key Yukon Resource and Jim McLeod has been appointed as a Yukon representative and Director at Large.

First actions:

• New Logo, website with Directors as “go to”, Letter for Student Memberships, Business Cards and Info packages. SWANA Day.

Thanks to:

• Membership/Communications Committee
  • Lynn B - Chairperson
  • David Thompson
  • Al Lynch
  • Ed Walsh
  • Ron Driedger

Goal #2: To broaden diversity (age, geography, skill sets) of the membership.

Objectives:

• Identify the potential markets. Organics, EPR, private haulers, Air and Waste Management Associations and similar group.
• Consider subsidies: technical divisions, student, first-year operators or target all first year memberships.

What does this mean?

• Acquire software and use data base resources to group by area of interest.
• Complete Memorandums of understanding with CWMA and SIWM and Sign Chapter Partnering Contracts to deliver HHW and LFG courses in October 2010.
• Continue talk with BCWWA to search for a co hosted session in  FY 11.

First actions:

• HHW  and LFG sessions with CWMA and SIWMA.

Professional Development

Goal #1:  To develop a fairly compensated and financially sustainable training faculty.

Objectives:

• Train one or more faculty with each course delivery (on-going).
• Finalize trainer standards.
• Develop a compensation policy for all trainers.
• Investigate the possibility of hiring or contracting part-time trainer(s) (2011).
• Partner with other organizations to develop other training opportunities (on-going).
• Develop web-based refresher course (2012).

What does this mean?

• Incorporate train the trainer into 3 year transition  budget process and account for development costs

First actions:

• Trainers at BCQLO HHW  and LFG sessions with CWMA and SIWMA.

Thanks to:

• Training Committee
  • Tony Sperling - Chair person
  • Lynn Belanger- Chairperson
  • Carol De La Franier
  • Petra Wildauer
  • Reinhard Trautmann
  • Craig Foster
  • Tom Land

Goal #2:  To obtain provincial legislation/regulation mandating certified training.

Objectives:

• Address with senior Ministry staff the BCQLO proposal and obtain feedback (Chapter Officers).
• Meet with the Minister to follow-up on BCQLO and mandatory certification (Dec. 2010).
• Meet with senior Ministry staff to identify other certification possibilities (e.g. composting) ( develop for 2011).
• Assess the development of a diploma or equivalent program (2013).

What does this mean?

• Meet with Northern Lights Chapter to gather information on their experience in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and the changes that are happening in the Alberta certification process.

First actions:

• Initial meeting with Northern Lights Chapter with follow-up scheduled with their new ED and Trainer.

Thanks to:

• Committee
  • Ron D - Chairperson
  • Reinhard Trautmann
  • Tony Sperling
  • Craig Foster
  • Tom Land

Goal #3:  To facilitate networking opportunities.

Objectives:

• Deliver at least two technical networking sessions per year, alone or in partnership (on-going).
• Investigate online networking and information exchange (2012).
• Develop an outreach strategy for networking with key local and regional governments.

What does this mean?

• New mode of gatherings. Start Annual meetings spring 2011 in Harrison.

First actions:

• SWANA DAY at 2010 AGM.

Government and Media Relations

Goal #1:  To raise the Chapter profile with local and BC and Yukon provincial governments.

Objectives:

• Develop a strategic communications plan that identifies which integrated waste resource management initiatives and issues we will raise with government and industry (new staff  hours starting, 2010).
• Seek  a provincial representative on board or attend the SWANA chapter events (2011).
• SWANA Chapter representative to liaise with local government reps and industry (2012).

Goal #2:  To be recognized as experts and be proactive in dealing with legislation.

Objectives:

• Develop a directory of members and related expertise.
• Develop a package of information for government and media: who are we and what can provide.
• Allocate staff time to address/provide representation on issues such as landfill criteria.

What does this mean?

• Begin “Go To” by posting Directors bio’s on the Chapter website, group by area of expertise.
• Add information from all members into Contact database.

First actions:

• New website.

Administration

Goal #1:  To develop and implement a Chapter business and resource allocation plan.

Objectives:

• Define the roles and responsibilities of the executive director.
• To develop a work plan to address objectives identified elsewhere including resource (time and financial) allocations.
• Identify gaps (time, money or type of help) and board set direction on addressing including a new annual operating budget.
• Develop a succession plan for board members.
• Develop an operations manual for the administration of the chapter.
• Monitor through quarterly reporting the implementation of the plan.

Goal #2:  To develop a strategic communications plan to address key audiences including membership, government and media.

• Define communications needs (to reach stakeholders: media, government and membership).
• Develop communications strategies and core messages and decide on appropriate methodologies (e.g. Web, Facebook, print, tradeshows, etc.).

First Actions:

• Draft Communication Plan presented by Britton Campbell Associates.

A New Name for Our Chapter

Another important outcome of our Strategic Planning Session was our desire to form closer and more formal ties with Yukon, our neighbor to the north. Later in the Agenda there will be a motion for a formal name change for our Chapter to SWANA Pacific-BC & Yukon Chapter.

In closing, I have enjoyed my two years as the President of your Chapter and my several years before that as your Secretary and Membership Chair.  With our new vision, our new direction and our new partnership with Yukon, there are great opportunities ahead for our BC & Yukon Chapter.  I would like to wish our new incoming President, the Executive and the Board of Directors all the very best in the years ahead.