TGIF Everyone!
For today’s post, we spoke with Todd Feland, Public Works Director for the City of Grand Forks, ND, on his session, “When a Solid Waste Landfill Development Opportunity Comes Around Again.” Todd will be presenting on Wednesday, August 18th.
Todd, what can attendees expect to take away from your session?
The message for Public Works professionals involved in establishing a new Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfill or other Public Works facility project is to dedicate the necessary time and energy to complete the task, maintain relationships with potentially impacted citizens, keep people (including the Mayor, City Council, City staff, and regulators) believing in the ultimate vision, personally lead each step of the process, take responsibility for the outcome, learn from setbacks along the way, and have the authority to close the deal.
Why is this session important to solid waste professionals?
The message is important for Public Works and Solid Waste professionals because of ongoing and increasing service level demand with a corresponding increasing scarcity of resources for Public Works and Solid Waste professionals. At the same time, citizens have a declining belief and lack of trust that government and other large institutions can meet service level demands and solve societal challenges. The message is important to understand and validate the current public policy arena, and further to examine methods, opportunities, and strategies to make good and constructive public policy decisions.
How do you think WASTECON attendees will benefit from the collocation with the American Public Works Association?
The challenges between Public Works and Solid Waste professionals are similar and more resource and knowledge sharing will benefit both professionals. The WASTECON and APWA groups will help grow one another and each can learn from the other professional “silo”. Further integration between the two groups will make both professional associations stronger and better informed for all members.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s WASTECON?
I am looking forward to seeing how well the collocation between WASTECON and APWA goes this year in Boston.
WASTECON is rapidly approaching and the excitement is building. Four hotels have completely filled up and as a result, we added two new hotels for attendees. Along with the new hotel additions, we’ve decided to extend the $200 registration discount until July 28th. Don’t delay any longer; register now so you can maximize your savings for this one-of-a-kind event.
Showing posts with label Management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Management. Show all posts
Friday, July 16, 2010
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
MSW Solutions On Our Minds: Thoughts of Sara Bixby
Did you ever have a week, where through coincidence or maybe serendipity, the same theme keeps repeating? And does the repetition make you start to wonder what it is the universe is trying to tell you and why now?
Tuesday night it was a speaker on wellness talking about the need to encourage employees to embrace healthy activities rather than trying to force them into it. Give them information, give them specific tools, make it easy to participate, he said.
Wednesday night, it was a fellow speaker at the Oklahoma SWANA conference, passionate about driver safety. Drivers have to want to be safe, he said. Rules and lectures work about as far as you can see your drivers or until they know you aren’t watching. They won’t follow the rules until each one grasps the personal ramifications for themselves and their family of not behaving in a safe manner. Make it personal, make it something they own.
Thursday afternoon sitting at the Tulsa airport, I had a chance encounter with an umpiring friend who works for a major airline in, oddly enough, quality control in the maintenance department. We talked about mentoring people to better performance. And then, on the flight between Tulsa and Denver, yet another quality assurance guy, this one a Canadian using ISO 9001 principles to help make improvements and pre-qualify contractors in the oil and gas industry. His point, and that of the retired doctor sitting next to him, was that it takes the personal commitment of every individual throughout a process – beginning to end – to avoid mistakes and create a quality outcome.
Was it just coincidence? Maybe it’s that I need to do a better job of pulling Agency employees into the process of responding to tighter budgets and changes processes? Or was it all a reminder that nothing changes for the better until people believe in and own the goal?
Please join this discussion by clicking on the comment button below or visit I AM SWANA to start your own conversations.
Sara Bixby
2009 SWANA Treasurer
Tuesday night it was a speaker on wellness talking about the need to encourage employees to embrace healthy activities rather than trying to force them into it. Give them information, give them specific tools, make it easy to participate, he said.
Wednesday night, it was a fellow speaker at the Oklahoma SWANA conference, passionate about driver safety. Drivers have to want to be safe, he said. Rules and lectures work about as far as you can see your drivers or until they know you aren’t watching. They won’t follow the rules until each one grasps the personal ramifications for themselves and their family of not behaving in a safe manner. Make it personal, make it something they own.
Thursday afternoon sitting at the Tulsa airport, I had a chance encounter with an umpiring friend who works for a major airline in, oddly enough, quality control in the maintenance department. We talked about mentoring people to better performance. And then, on the flight between Tulsa and Denver, yet another quality assurance guy, this one a Canadian using ISO 9001 principles to help make improvements and pre-qualify contractors in the oil and gas industry. His point, and that of the retired doctor sitting next to him, was that it takes the personal commitment of every individual throughout a process – beginning to end – to avoid mistakes and create a quality outcome.
Was it just coincidence? Maybe it’s that I need to do a better job of pulling Agency employees into the process of responding to tighter budgets and changes processes? Or was it all a reminder that nothing changes for the better until people believe in and own the goal?
Please join this discussion by clicking on the comment button below or visit I AM SWANA to start your own conversations.
Sara Bixby
2009 SWANA Treasurer
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