MWEA Lab Practice Committee
Meeting Minutes
March 20, 2015
Wyoming WWTP (2350 Ivanrest Ave SW, 49418, Grandville, MI) 10 AM - 12 PM
Attending Members: Amy Vail, John Chellman, Wendy Schultz, Kristen McLaughlin, Sandy Buchner,
Dayle Frame, Dave Alkema, Jack Rafter, Angella Breitenbeck, Anita Friend
Water Environment Federation (WEF) Update - Delegate Jack Rafter
• WEF is a national non-profit organization
• WEF connects with the member associations (MAs) for the betterment of water; refer to WEF
Work Flowchart (attached) – we are partners
• 75 MAs associated with WEF in US, Canada, and Mexico
• Eileen O’Neill is the current Executive Director
• Eileen has taken a different approach and is actively requesting feedback for wants/needs from
MAs
• MWEA has 19 committees, WEF has 33 committees; the 19 MWEA committees have
counterparts as WEF committees
• WEF is working on some changes: slogans, job opportunity awareness, water awareness, etc.
• Educating the public about water: pamphlets for communities, information on the website,
speakers at government level, information for public meetings (city council, board meetings,
etc.)
• WEF funding comes from a variety of sources: dues, WEFTEC (vendors), educational
opportunities (seminars)
• Jack will be stepping down as WEF delegate; Todd Wibright will continue and a new delegate
will be announced at Annual Conference
Final Seminar Details
• Speaker Bios/Abstracts
 Rich Skradski will be taking Glenn Hummel’s place as the speaker from ISCO
 Kristen has all the speaker bios for the Wyoming speakers
 Amy is waiting on bios for her contacts
 Carol is not here; need follow up for bios
 Amy is working with office on the speaker confirmation forms
• Deadline Reminders
 Presentations and speaker info need to be in by the 22nd to the MWEA Office (Amy
Brooke)
• Moderators
 Amy will forward speaker bios to Kristen for the afternoon moderation
• Registration Totals To Date
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 9 vendors
 About 39 attendees
 4 speakers registered
 Angella to confirm/sign up Paragon
Student/Educator Rate
 Not sure if we have any students/interns registered to date
Techie
 Sandy to create slide show with MI photos and vendor slides
 Amy to request vendor slides for Sandy
Registration
 Fully staffed for registration
Speaker Gifts
 Out of stock of item selected
 Amy is waiting for restock, will check back
 Request for committee to come up with alternate items for less than $10 (including
shipping); we have 7 speakers
Open Items
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FLUSH Spring Tours
 GSA-HOM Tours are scheduled for May 19th and May 21st (Ann Arbor WTP, Linden
WWTP, Charlotte WWTP, Mt. Pleasant WWTP)
 Angella to email previous tour guides and set up a round of tours for BSA and GSA
(outside of HOM council area) for May 2015
 GSA-HOM requested FLUSH tours for May 2016; tours will take place in Ann Arbor
WTP, Jackson WWTP, Linden WWTP, Charlotte WWTP, Mt. Pleasant WWTP
 GSA-HOM requested the FLUSH patch artwork and is obtaining patches for the Girl
Scouts
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Science Fair Judging
 All slots filled – thank you to all that volunteered!
 Wendy enjoyed the SE MI Science Fair – I sense Huron to Something was selected as
the winner
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MWEA Lab Course (still going to work on?)
 Gary De Kock has been speaking/presenting a lot since his Mississippi River Voyage
 Speaking engagements are winding down; Sandy will get with Gary to set up another
meeting
 Work to resume soon
General Discussion
• George Krisztian is willing to attend meetings; we will consider setting up specific meeting dates
to focus on method related/regulatory items
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Video conferencing may provide a mechanism for increasing participation over calling in; to be
considered for future events
Google Hangout may be used as a way to video conference
Amy needs a company to repair fume hoods; send any suggestions
Amy needs a lab that runs a complete EPA 503; Great Lakes Scientific? – send suggestions to
Amy
Grand Rapids is offering Groundswell Student Showcase (May 20) and River City Water Festival
(May 30); WWTP plant tours offered as well by appointment – see attached flyer
Upcoming Meetings
• April 29th – East Lansing (Seminar)
• May 15th - Grand Rapids WWTP
• June 19th - Muskegon WWTP
• July - Break
• August 21st - Bay City WWTP – Bay Sail (tentative)
• September 25th - Cadillac WWTP
• October 23rd - YCUA or Ann Arbor WTP
• November 20th - Delta Twp WWTP or Bath MWEA office
• December 11th - Bath MWEA office