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Greetings
from the SFBS President, Sandeep Karkal
Where, oh where, has the month gone?! It seems only yesterday that I sat down to write one of these, and here I am, hearing the crack of the editorial whip again. That’s the problem with summer - it lulls you into a false sense of security about the mellowness of life; you think you’ve got it made in the shade, and then wham! you’re whacked upside the head by a reminder that its not just about hammocks, beer, and baseball, and that maybe, just maybe, you should think about the work that is yet to be done…..
And a fair amount of work it is too. But, we are fortunate to have some very dedicated volunteers. So, my hats (and no, I do not have any multiple personality issues) go off to the dozens of active volunteers who call our fair section home. People like Paul Louis (Central San) and Walt Lunn (Stege SD) who happily give of their time to coach, teach, mentor, and otherwise hound those who wish to be CWEA certified collection system operators. People like Leo Gonzalez (Central San) and Ray Busch (Oro Loma SD) who participate dually on the SFBS Board and the State NRC, not only to further CWEA objectives but also to look after the Section’s interests in the larger context. And where would we all be without the sterling efforts of our on-top-of-it Web-master Bill Slenter (RMC, Inc.) on whose work covetous eyes are frequently cast by other Sections’ webmasters? I could go on about the Professional Development Committee, PDC (too numerous to mention by name), Plant O&M (ditto), Collections (likewise), and Laboratory and Safety and Student Activities and…..well, you get the picture.
A big thanks again to Paul Louis for last month’s First Annual (??) Tour of Alcatraz, followed by dinner at the Franciscan restaurant. Those of you who were able to make it enjoyed a truly wonderful day on The Rock and on the Bay. Those of you who couldn’t make it this year, well, there’s always next year….are you reading this, Kevin C.? By the way, September’s tour will be the Bay Model, and rumor has it that the Army Corp of Engineers will present a rare working demonstration for us. For those of you who haven’t seen this before, the Bay Model is a three-dimensional hydraulic model of the San Francisco and Delta areas capable of simulating tides, currents, and river inflows. The Model is housed in a warehouse in Sausalito, occupies over 1.5 acres, and represents an area from the Pacific Ocean to Sacramento and Stockton including the San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays, and a portion of the San Joaquin Delta.
With respect to committee activities, following upon the success of their last couple tours (Oceanside and Mt. View), the Plant O&M committee is gearing up for another one, and Chair Bruce Dobey (Central San) promises a good one. Details to follow next month. Also coming up, a seminar on Asset Management hosted by the PDC. Check it out at www.cwea.org/sfb.
On other fronts, the Section is jointly sponsoring the Northern Regional Training Conference (NRTC) at South Lake Tahoe (September 7 - 9) with the Sierra and Northern San Joaquin Sections, and our Section volunteers are spending a lot of effort to make sure that it’s a successful event for all. And, SFBS members are responding to a call for volunteers for WEFTEC (October 11-15) in Los Angeles.
Also, if you don’t already know it, here’s another reminder. Our Section’s annual awards program is underway. Award packets are available from the CWEA office in Oakland (hard copy or on disk), and at their website (www.cwea.org). Note that CWEA expects our Section to use the awards nomination forms generated by CWEA for our Section awards as well, no exceptions. There are a lot of folks out there in our Section that deserve the recognition of being nominated for a Section Award by their fellow Bay Section members. If you have any questions, contact our Awards Chair Leo Gonzalez at (925) 229-0484 or e-mail him at
lgonzalez@centralsan.dst.ca.us.
Anyway, that’s all for this month. Take care, enjoy the remainder of what’s left of this summer, and I hope to see you at a future SFBS-CWEA meeting or event.
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Musing
from the Editor
As I read our esteemed President’s Greetings, I am struck with the dichotomy of the idyllic nature of summer he so fondly describes and the nature of this fast-pace society in which we live. It seems that it’s been particularly accelerated lately and I’m not quite sure what is causing this. What I do know is that I can choose how I respond to outer influences and that this is the only thing I have a choice about.
I just watched a movie called “Adaptation” with Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep. There is a line in that movie that strikes me: “It doesn’t matter who loves me; rather, what matters is who and what I love.” The brilliance of this line is the recognition that we can only “control” ourselves (and, even that is difficult at times!) that we cannot worry about those things out of our sphere of influence. I was told this by a mentor long long ago and this bit of wisdom has stayed with me for many years. This is the way to reduce the effect of the stress in our lives. The stresses will always be present… what matters is how we respond to them.
Okay, I’m feeling a little ‘guilty’ for just rambling about life’s little philosophies. Thinking, perhaps, that I should find a way to tie my musings into the business of the Bay Section.
So, here goes…
People often complain about ‘the system’, things, people, events, etc. You’ve heard the response before… if you don’t agree with what is occurring in our society, get out there and vote, etc. Well, if you’re not aware, it is now time for nominations to the CWEA Board. Deadline for nominations is October 15, 2003. There is one position open for members from the North: Director-at-Large from the North. If you have a desire to make a difference in our profession, on a State-wide level, this is a good opportunity. Log onto the CWEA website for the nomination instructions. You must be a CWEA member. To log on, you should have your CWEA membership number (this is your ‘User ID’) and your password is your first initial and last name. We’ll also be looking for nominees for Secretary of the Northern Regional Committee and the 2nd Year Director for the Bay Section Board. Remember: you CAN make a difference by what you do and how you respond.
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