Rural Water - Quarter 1, 2011 - (Page 38)

From the CEO Speak Up! As you look back upon your water or wastewater system, you will see someone or some group of people who were not afraid of change and wanted a better life for those living in their community. W WE ALL SHOULD thank God Almighty that we choices, and where we elect good people to live in this country where we have freedom and responsibility to vote. This last November, we elected to dramatically change Congress. Yes, there have been bigger changes before, but this BY ROB JOHNSON, NRWA CEO represent our interests in our government. Every two years, we have the privilege and the awesome the people decided to change direction and thus election was about change — as was the last one. I have noted as I have grown older, I am more resistant to change, although I realize that I should not be. As we approach the intersection of change and fear, do we turn right, left or proceed straight ahead? In reading the Bible, one of the minor aspects I enjoy is the long view of history of people’s lives that is provided. In Numbers 20, Moses sent out 12 men to explore the land that God had promised them. As you read the report they brought back, you see that 80 percent of the men were fearful of going into this new direction. After the report, the community raised their voices and wept aloud and wanted to replace Moses as their leader. After not listening to God, they spent the next 40 years in the desert. As you look back upon your water or wastewater system, you will see someone or some group of people who were not afraid of change and wanted a better life for those living in their community. Building infrastructure is never without opposition and change is never without challenge. If not for those dedicated and fearless pioneers that built our systems, you and I would not be working where we do today. As we look to working with the change in our new Congress that we elected, our role is to inform them of what we the people want. Cutting every government program is thoughtless and absurd. However, evaluating each one and keeping the productive and necessary ones is prudent. For example, the USDA Rural Utility Service Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program is rated as the best loan in federal government. It would counterproductive to cut that program in equal proportion to the lowest rated program in government. So I ask that you join me in our challenge of talking to our elected ofﬁcials. Most still hold town hall meetings somewhere near you. Tell them what is important to you. If you think water and waste programs are important — speak up. If you think the circuit rider program or the wastewater program has been beneﬁcial to you — speak up. If you have beneﬁted from the rural water training programs — speak up. If the Source Water Protection program is making a difference in your community — speak up. As Americans, this is not only our right but our responsibility to insure a better future for those we serve. 38 • First Quarter 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Water - Quarter 1, 2011

Rural Water - Quarter 1, 2011
Contents
From the President
Engineering Contracts 101
Design-Build is New and Different, But it Works
A New Angle: Environmentally Friendy Angle Well Construction
This Ain't Business...It's Just Personal
Fill Up Your CUPSS Today!
Regulatory Update
A Joint Letter to NRWA and AWWA Memberships
Throwing My Loop
Index to Advertisers/Advertisers.com
From the CEO

Rural Water - Quarter 1, 2011