Meeting Summary

Education Committee

Willow Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant

December 13, 2002

10:00 a.m. to 12 noon

Meeting Objectives

·        Review existing stormwater education/outreach materials

·        Review Education Committee activities for year

Attendance:  Mark Jockers (chair), Clean Water Services; Joan Saroka, City of Portland Environmental Services; Rachael Dillman, City of Springfield; Kathy Eva, City of Eugene; Andrea McCullough, Clackamas County Water Environment Services; Rick Fischl, Clean Water Services; John Greeley, Clean Water Services; Dave Felstul (Stormwater Committee Chair), AMEC.

The meeting started with a description of the ACWA Education Committee’s roles and responsibilities, the purpose of the meeting and introductions.  Mark Jockers noted that he joined the ACWA Board in 2002 and assumed the Chair of the Education Committee at that time.

Review of existing stormwater education/involvement materials

 Dave Felstul, ACWA Stormwater Committee Chair, gave a brief overview of ACWA’s 2003 Stormwater Summit to be held at the Eugene Water and Electric Board on February 11 and 12.  This is ACWA’s seventh annual Stormwater Summit.  The summit, which attracts about 100 participants, has served as a forum for Oregon municipal stormwater managers and staff to interact with DEQ on key issues.  This year’s event has been expanded to include a ½ day preconference workshop (2/11) to focus on the six minimum measures expected in a stormwater permit.  The key focus of the 2003 work shop is:

1.      Update and inform experienced stormwater managers

2.      Educate and provide technical assistance to new stormwater managers.

The ACWA Stormwater Committee asked the Education Committee to assemble a “best-of-the-best” catalog of existing stormwater education, information and involvement  used by stormwater management utilities in Oregon and present the results to participants at the 2003 Stormwater Summit.   

Meeting participants brought samples of outreach, education and involvement materials currently being utilities.  The sample materials included:

• Brochures
• Newsletters
• Billing Inserts
• Cooperative/Grant funding programs
• Regional Cooperative education programs
• Displays
• Media outreach
• Volunteer programs
• Staff education programs
• Point of purchase displays
• Posters
• Curb markers/storm drain stenciling
• Classroom education programs
• Videos
• Student/volunteer Stream Monitoring programs
• Field trips/tours

The Committee also reviewed the “Washington Stormwater Management Study: Stormwater Public Outreach Samples” binder provided by Linda Macpherson of CH2M-Hill.

Mark asked the meeting participants mail samples of their best public information, education and involvement materials to him at:

            Mark Jockers  

            Clean Water Services

            155 N First Avenue, Suite 270

            Hillsboro, OR 97124

Mark will compile the materials and develop an outline or framework for assembling samples into a binder.  The committee suggests assembling materials in one of several ways:

·        Public Information/Public Education/Public Involvement

·        By topic area

·        More specifically by material type or delivery mechanism

Mark will draft an outline for comment by the committee.

A representative from the ACWA Stormwater Committee is needed to participate and present the materials at the February Stormwater Summit as Mark Jockers will be out of state that week.  Please give this some thought and get in touch with Mark.  If I don’t hear from anyone by early January, I’ll see who I can recruit.  Thanks.

Review of ACWA Education Priorities for 02-03

Mark outlined ACWA’s 2002-03 Education priorities as:

• Build membership, participation and capacity in the Education Committee
• Implement School Mercury Reduction Pilot Project in targeted communities, monitor results and provide materials for ACWA web site distribution.

 ACWA secured 319 funds to do a Mercury Reduction Pilot Project in three targeted communities—Corvallis, Eugene and Washington County.  This effort is being coordinated through the Pretreatment staff in each of these communities.  Mark has run into some complications with identifying and securing a partner school district in Washington County.

• Post Spanish language “Protecting Our Watershed” brochure to web site

This brochure will be posted and downloadable from ACWA’s web site in January.

• Work with ACWA member organizations and other interested parties to print and distribute Spanish-language “Protecting Our Watershed” brochure

Mark distributed the English language version of this document to the committee and said that ACWA would be doing a print run that ACWA member agencies could participate in.  The cost for this four-color, three-panel brochure is between $110 and $130 dollars per 1000 depending on the total order.  The follow attendees indicated an interest in joining the print run:

City of Portland 1000,

Clackamas County WES, 1000

Clean Water Services 2000

Other attendees would review costs and determine interest.  Please indicate your interest to Mark Jockers by January 17.

 Complete UIC education materials and determine best delivery system

 Joan, Rachel, Andrea and others worked on the development of these materials. ACWA has now budgeted for design and finalization. 

 Next Meeting

No meeting date was set, but members agreed to communicate via email or phone on follow up issues.  Additional meetings will be set as needed.