For this issue of the newsletter I have an update on the fall strategic planning session held in October.  Each year, the Executive Board assesses the health of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter and sets a course for the upcoming year.  Taking into account the Chapter's budget and any policy or program updates from National APWA, the Board reviews core functions to evaluate performance.  This year's strategic session focused on the areas of administration, finance and activities.  These core functions are in many ways the heartbeat of the Chapter and are a good measure of how well the Chapter is achieving overall goals. Well-defined administrative procedures indicate fairness and continuity in adhering to the many tasks that occur behind the scenes.  Good financial stewardship means the leadership is balancing resources with expenditures so that we are investing in our membership today while maintaining a monetary reserve to ensure our future. A successful activities program means we are reaching our membership and providing valuable networking and educational opportunities such as the Public Works Institute and Lunch and Learn programs.  In taking stock of these core functions a few recommendations emerged for action in the next calendar year.

  

Improvements in the administrative area include updating important legal documents such as the Chapter Bylaws, maintaining relevant and accurate content on the Chapter's website, and implementing web-based document sharing for storing and editing documents. In the area of financial management, the Finance Committee brought forth recommendations for the annual operating budget.  First an increase in membership dues (which have not been updated in over a decade) was recommended to ensure operating revenues support chapter functions. Effective in April 2017, annual chapter membership dues will increase from $10 to $20.  Always mindful of good financial stewardship, a thorough review of expenditures was performed to explore costs saving measures. The Board reviewed the contract for the Chapter Administrator, which is generally one of the largest budget items. The Chapter Administrator performs the bulk of critical core functions such as registration, fee collection, membership outreach, legal requirements and other business tasks.  The Board is mindful of this expense and where possible engages volunteers to perform these duties. In the area of activities, the Board saw an opportunity to reduce subsidies for certain programs.  The goal for most educational programs is to become self-sustaining.  As such, there will be a focus on improving cost estimating and setting registration fees.

 

These recommendations for improvement do not overshadow the many successes achieved over the past year.  They serve only to provide continuous improvement for future growth and expansion of the Chapter's mission.  Many thanks to those who devoted volunteer hours in serving on committees, hosting or speaking at an event, serving as an instructor for the Public Works Institute, mentoring young professionals,  organizing the annual conference and performing other various chapter leadership functions.

  

In summary we close 2016, our 60th year as a Chapter, with many reasons to celebrate.  I look forward to the things we will accomplish together in 2017.