The 104th Annual School was a success. Attendance numbers for Annual School are still below historical turnout, but the enthusiasm of attendees and vendors was excellent. Getting to renew friendships and interact with others in-person was great. Thank you for your support and participation to all who participated in the 104th Annual School. To all those who received awards, congratulations on your accomplishments. To all the instructors and volunteers who assisted – thank you.
We are happy to welcome Mr. Jim Siddall. Jim is now retired but was with the City of Grand Prairie. Jim is a great supporter of TWUA and very involved with the White Rock District, The North Texas Region, and V. M. Ehlers, and we know he will do a great job.
I would also like to welcome Vincente Carrizales to the management committee. Vicente is the Assistant Manager for Jonah Water SUD and comes from the Hutto / Austin area of the state and has been involved with the association over the years in many capacities. Vicente is joining the management committee as Vice President. He is a past District President and Regional President. We look forward to working with Vicente and taking advantage of his knowledge and experience.
The dates for the Mid-Year Board have not been confirmed at this time, but Central Office is looking at the last June for meeting dates. Since many of the same people attend both the Mid-Year and Regional Conference, we are exploring the concept of combining the events and making better use of attendees' time. Central Office will notify everyone as soon as dates and meeting location is confirmed.
As you plan for your budget, please remember that TWUA Annual School is scheduled for September 18th – 21st, 2023, in Corpus Christi. This will be our 105th Annual School, and we sincerely appreciate your support and attendance. The management committee and the attendees of the 100th celebration suggested that every five years, we hold special recognition and honor all past presidents. Norma Clark will notify all past presidents so they can start planning to attend. If you need additional information or assistance regarding Annual School or being an exhibitor, please do not hesitate to contact Central Office at (512)459-3124 or (888)367-8982. One significant change to Annual School – this event will start on Monday instead of Sunday as it has in the past.
If you have searched the TWUA Training Calendar and have difficulty locating a specific class, don't hesitate to contact Norma Clark; she will be happy to work with you to get training scheduled in your area. If you would like to host an in-person training class, contact Norma for more information.
For those with no travel restrictions and who prefer in-person training, please consider the Regional Schools and help keep this a viable option. We know you have a choice when it comes to operator training, and we thank you for supporting TWUA.
TWUA Central Office is now located at 210 East Hwy. 79, Hutto, Texas. (Old Town Professional Building) If you are in the area, please feel free to stop by and say hello.
I would encourage you to attend and support the monthly district meetings in your area. These meetings are an excellent source for renewal hours; contacts and peer-to-peer time are great ways to discuss issues and gather information. If it has been a while since you last attended, I urge you to contact your district or Central Office, and we will be happy to provide any information you might need. Be watching our website and the journal for additional training opportunities. One thing that would be a tremendous help is if everyone would confirm or update your contact information—particularly your physical address, so that shipping training manuals will be streamlined.
Central Office and our Management Committee would appreciate any feedback that you might have. If we are meeting your needs and you have no concerns, please let us know. If, on the other hand, there is an area that is causing concern or we are lacking, please share that with us, and if possible, we will try and incorporate your input into our program.
Let us inspire you to be a positive influence in your workplace and the industry while striving to be the professional we all know you are. I encourage you to obtain your TCEQ license or advance your current license. Never allow anyone to tell you that the state test is too hard and that you do not have the abilities. It all boils down to how bad do you want it and what efforts are you willing to put forth.
Russell Hamilton
Executive Director
