Winter Conference Recap
What a great start to 2024! Our Winter Conference in Palm Springs was a resounding success. Together with some of the clean water sector’s best and brightest, we focused on complex challenges facing the wastewater community, looking toward the future and preparing the next generation. We kicked off the conference on Wednesday, January 25 with a full day of meetings, roundtables, and networking. On day two we heard from Jane Gajwani, Director of the New York City Office of Energy and Resource Recovery Programs as she presented on the Circular Water Economy followed by the general sessions which included funding, recruitment and retention, and innovative permitting approaches. During the Thursday luncheon we received a powerful message from Representative Raul Ruiz and bid farewell to Joyce Gwidt.

On Friday, we received state and federal legislative updates and learned more about what we can expect in the 2024 legislative session. In the closing session, we heard from Rob Thompson, General Manager of the Orange County Sanitation District, about the planning processes and cultural building steps OC San uses to innovate, create alignment and lead in resource recovery and resilience.

For those who were unable to attend, check out our website to view the informative presentations and handouts shared by our speakers and panelists. Thank you everyone who attended or served as a speaker! We look forward to seeing you at next year’s conference.

 

Just Around the Corner: Washington D.C. Policy Forum
CASA is returning to the Willard InterContinental in Washington, D.C. in just a couple weeks! The event boasts a stellar program featuring distinguished speakers from Congressional staff, reporters, and national water associations. They will share their insights on infrastructure funding, cybersecurity and other significant developments crucial to California’s clean water professionals. Join us in the nation’s capital on February 26 – 27, 2024, to fortify our advocacy efforts and advance our shared federal agenda by engaging directly with key stakeholders. Registration is still open! We look forward to seeing you there!

This year, we have set aside time for agencies to make their own appointments for Congressional visits, with the assistance of our federal advocates. Be sure to reach out to Eric and Sarah Sapirstein by Thursday, February 15 if you are interested in setting Congressional meetings.

 

Apply Now for CASA’s Prestigious Award of Excellence
Your organization works hard to do what’s right for California. Recognition from the leading clean water association honors your hard work and accomplishments. It’s a symbol of respect, credibility, and innovation. CASA seeks to recognize members who provide essential public services and go above and beyond to protect public health and the environment. We invite all member agencies and associates to submit an Award of Excellence application by Tuesday, April 30, 2024. The recipients of these awards will be announced and celebrated during CASA’s Annual Conference in August. Your commitment deserves to be highlighted, and we look forward to recognizing your outstanding contributions. For more information about the award criteria and categories, please visit the Awards Program Webpage.

 

CASA Education Foundation Scholarship Applications
The CASA Education Foundation helps ensure clean water for Californians and energize the future of the clean water sector by awarding scholarships to promising students on a path to serving the environmental community. Does your local college or university know about CASA’s financial aid to students interested in a career in water? The Foundation is accepting scholarship applications through May 17, 2024. For information on how to apply, who is eligible and the scholarship guidelines, visit the website. 

 

Committee Seeks Suggestions for Potential CASA Board Members
The CASA Nominating Committee, chaired by CASA Secretary-Treasurer Tony Trembley, will convene in early spring to consider CASA Board of Directors candidates for the August 2024 ballot. The committee will be recommending candidates for four of the twelve elected seats. CASA attempts to include geographic diversity as well as a balance of agency managers and elected officials on our Board. This year we anticipate one “open” seat for a Southern California elected official. Ideal candidates will be familiar with CASA as an organization and preferably will have served on or actively participated in CASA workgroups, committees and events. If you know someone who would be a valuable board member, please send a brief email to Nominations@casaweb.org with their name, agency and a few sentences about his or her qualifications. Please send your recommendation by March 15, 2024.

The Board of Directors is the governing body responsible for CASA’s high-level policy decisions and oversight of the Executive Director. Board members are expected to:

  • Attend all CASA conferences and the Washington D.C. policy forum.
  • Participate in monthly board conference calls and in-person meetings.
  • Attend an annual strategic planning session for the association.
  • Assist in member recruitment and retention.
  • Represent CASA at events and meetings as requested by the President.

 

We Want Your Feedback: Member Survey Closes Tomorrow!
To help guide our priorities for the coming years, and maximize the value we provide for our membership, CASA has put together a brief survey. This is your chance to weigh in on the important issues impacting your agency, let us know how you engage with CASA, and share which aspects of CASA membership you find most valuable (and where we can improve!). The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete, and you can review a PDF copy of the questions prior to responding to the survey online, please complete the survey by this Friday, February 9. We are looking for responses from all individuals who engage with CASA, so multiple responses from a single agency or company are encouraged! As a valued CASA member, we thank you in advance for your participation.