Abstracts must be submitted online at http://www.pncwa.org/mc/page/abstracts

Abstract submission closes March 19, 2010

2010 Conference Lodging Info and Registration Costs are available here.

Public Communications Camp:

Tools to engage, motivate and reassure your community

April 9, 2010        8:30-4:30

Water Resources Education Center, Vancouver, WA

Click here to register.

This training will help attendees:

• Know and grow their communication style
• Decide if social media is right for their organization
• Brand their organization for success
• Be more prepared for interacting in public meetings
• Use the media to tell the story

Details of already successful regional public education programs will also be presented and the training will end with a facilitated discussion to identify effective strategies, techniques and tools to help organizations leverage resources and build public support.

New PNCWA Scholarship Program—Contributions are tax deductible!

Thanks to the work of many, PNCWA has established a scholarship program. For information about the program, click here. To make a tax deductible contribution to the scholarship fund, click here.

Important Membership Changes to "PNCWA Only" category of membership

PNCWA always encourages membership through the Water Environment Federation (WEF). Being a member of WEF/PNCWA offers all the benefits of both the national and regional organizations. Before considering becoming a PNCWA-Only member, the benefits and very reasonable costs of joining PNCWA through WEF should be explored at www.wef.org.

That being said, a number of years ago a “PNCWA-Only” membership was established to serve the needs of a small number of individuals for whom membership in the national organization was  deemed by the PNCWA Board of Directors as not always a reasonable expectation. The original intention of this category of membership was that it was for frontline operators only. Over the years the definition was expanded and there were no restrictions on who could join PNCWA via a “PNCWA-Only” membership.

This year, after lengthy board discussions, changes were proposed to the eligibility requirements for PNCWA-Only membership and the PNCWA membership approved new PNCWA Bylaws including those proposed changes at the September 14, 2009 PNCWA Annual Meeting. These approved changes go into effect January 1, 2010.

"PNCWA-Only" individual membership is now open only to the following:

• Certified operators engaged in the day-to-day operation of a wastewater utility
• Employees of any public regulatory agency
• Retired PNCWA-Only members and other special cases as approved by the Board of Directors

All others will now join PNCWA through the joint WEF-PNCWA membership. Any existing PNCWA-Only members that do not fit in one of the categories above will need to join WEF after their current expiration date to remain eligible for member benefits. This change will ensure PNCWA meets the original intention of the PNCWA -Only membership and can continue to best support our mission through strong integration with WEF.

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