Welcoming Spring with Open Arms

from Breeze Spring 2023

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Spring is finally here and it’s my favorite season of the year. I love watching the snow and ice melt, listening to the chirping of the birds as they return, and the smell of the flowers as they start to bud. It’s also the only time of the year when 32 degrees feels warm and I wonder if it’s time to get the shorts out of the closet!

Spring is also an exciting time for the Minnesota section. Our Southeast, Southwest, Northeast and Metro section operator schools will take place again this spring. These schools provide outstanding educational opportunities for our members and allow you to network with others in our industry. I highly encourage you to attend the school in your district, if you are able. To learn more about these schools, you can always visit our website at www.mnawwa.org and browse the different opportunities under the ‘Events’ tab.

Our 2023 Annual Conference will be held again in Duluth on September 19–22. The Conference Council is working hard reviewing the abstracts received for our technical sessions, and booking an excellent keynote speaker. The Manufacturers and Associates Council (MAC) is starting to coordinate all of the competitions, exhibit hall, and many of the other fun networking events that occur each year. Please save the date and I hope to see you all in Duluth.

Lastly, one of our Section goals for 2023 was to develop Council and Committee Strategic Plans. Our Council Chairs have been diligently working on the draft plan for their Council to define their purpose and benefit to our membership, determine whether the committees under each Council are still relevant, whether new committees should be added, and to determine each Council’s and committee’s strategic goals and objectives for 2023 and beyond. We will be discussing the draft plans at our March board meeting, and finalizing them in June. I look forward to seeing how we can continuously improve our Section and provide additional value to our members.

I want to close this message by thanking each of you for all the hard work and dedication to keep the water flowing every day. I am truly amazed by how effortless you make this herculean and vital task appear. Thank you! •