Live from Orlando !

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Hello my friends,

Once again you have given me the privilege of attending the ASFPM Conference. Outside of our GAFM Conferences, which are always amazing, this is one of the highlights of my year. Before I forget to say it, "thank you very much for allowing me to be here" - I intend to learn everything I can get my hands on and bring all of it back home to Georgia to share with our GAFM membership !

As for the day, we got into Orlando this afternoon about 4:30 - Tom McDonald and Juanita Mikell followed behind us shortly afterwards. The trip was pretty uneventful for us, barring the usual Florida afternoon rain shower. By dinner time, Michael Blakely and George Eastman had arrived, as well.

It was so-o-o-o good to see everyone again - all of us met up for dinner and went to a Greek Restaurant recommended by one of the hotel staff - Opa Taverna at Pointe Orlando. Needless, to say, I have never laughed so much in my life !! I don't know if it was the company I was keeping (some of your fellow GAFM members are really very funny people !! ) or the zany Opa staff - who were very much in the "celebration mode", but it was an extremely fun-filled night !!!!! If you haven't been before, you MUST visit this place on your next trip to Orlando, it will make you feel young again, or at least it did that for me, for a few hours tonight !!

Met up with Hal Clarkson (Woolpert, Columbia SC) as we got back to the hotel. I remember from being with Hal in Norfolk, VA two years ago that Hal was celebrating a very significant birthday today!! So let me take this opportunity to wish a great big GAFM Happy Birthday to Hal Clarkson !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Two technical sessions await me tomorrow along with assisting in volunteer coordination (we are helping the host - Florida Association - with this duty!!) so I will sign off for now.

Since I will be ingrained with floodplain management issues this week, I would like to leave this thought with you. I actually "borrowed" it from Michael Blakely tonight - it's a simple few words but it gets right to the point...................................."make it happen".

I know you will !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Until tomorrow..................

T.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Hi there it's me again !!!!!!!!!

Two phenomenal training workshops were experienced today !! The first was a three hour workshop on "NAI in Your Community" taught by some of the ASFPM folks and the second was a four hour workshop on "Flood Provisions of the International Code Series and ASCE 24" taught by Rebecca Quinn (you may remember Rebecca from some of our past Conferences) and John Inagargiola with FEMA. We could have been there for two or three days on this one - WOW !! that was a lot of material crammed into 4 hours !! This is a workshop I would really like to get to our membership sometime soon - I learned so-o-o-o-o much and will be visiting our local codes office very soon after I get home !

A large group from GAFM had dinner with the Chair and Vice Chair from the NC Association - they are interested in having a combined Conference with us and SC - possibly somewhere around Greenville, SC or Charleston, SC sometime in late 2010 or 2011. It will take some maneuvering but it is something I think will be a good thing (feedback on this is always welcome!!) and something we can possibly pull off in the next year or two. I am thinking Alabama should be included, too - they are a young Association, much like us, and I think that they could benefit from the networking opportunities; in addition, they have already approached us about a joint Conference once in the past. We'll see what happens................ Rest assured, nothing will be done hastily or without a lot of thought on the part of the Board - ultimately, we will do what is best for our membership - which is what you elected us to do :):):)

The Welcome Fest was a blast - as it always is !!!! It is always so much fun to reconnect with folks you haven't seen in awhile - both friends from our GAFM membership and friends we all have made at past Conferences, like this one. ASFPM sends their greetings and speak well of our efforts within our Association. Obviously, that is a direct reflection of the hard work all of you have put into supporting the Association through our Annual and Fall Conferences, attendance at training events across the State, teaching efforts from so-o-o-o many of you, support from our sponsors, white papers, new and innovative ways of looking at old issues, support of key issues at the national level, and most of all the passion with which we conduct our day to day lives in the floodplain management arena !! The list could go on and on................. Just let me say, job well done GAFM members !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You deserve all of the positive attention that you are getting - and let me just say that we are doing and will continue to do great things together, as an organization, to promote sound floodplain management across the State of Georgia !!!!!!

I will sign off for now, but I'll let you know that I am anticipating a week of exciting things and incredible learning opportunities - many of which that will quite possibly be reflected in our Fall Conference.

Hope you all have an awesome week - I plan on it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

T.
GAFM Chair

Monday,  June 8, 2009

I am not sure (time will tell) but I think I may have experienced the pinnacle session of the week this morning. Ed Thomas, Turgay Dabak and Ed's boss Fernando Pasquel (all Baker folks) did a session this morning on "No Adverse Impact - Total Water Resource Management". There was a sense of anticipation from the very moment that you stepped into the meeting room and I couldn't figure out why Ed was pacing like an expectant father of quadruplets. I learned through the presentation (and after) that this was the premier of this particular presentation and that Ed had created this particular presentation from questions he had received doing the NAI Presentation and and NAI Legal Workshop - a lot of the questions being answered in the presentation came from none other than our beloved GAFM Conferences !!

The session was focused on putting NAI into practice in our local communities and needless to say, it was a huge success !!! The presentation was followed by a Q&A session with Jon Kusler (Ed's mentor and co-author), Lisa Hair of EPA and David Mallory of the Denver Urban Drainage Flood Control District (those folks really have it going on!!) The three hours just flew by and I was still sitting on the edge of my chair at the end of the session. All I can say is WOW !!!!

Ed (and company) allowed us to tape the session, so hopefully, we will have it up on the website real soon !

This same session will be a part of our GAFM Fall Conference (Sept 16-17 in Norcross, GA). Thanks to Ed and Baker, we will get to experience this cutting-edge session for ourselves in just a few short weeks. I am so excited, I can hardly contain myself - I hope that excitement builds for you, as well, as the Conference draws closer !

Lunch was at everybody's favorite hotel hang-out "Red's" - a little deli/grocery of sorts where you could catch a quick sandwich or piece of pizza (the muffins this morning weren't too bad either!!). Several of our GAFM folks were there and I had the pleasure of meeting Rose from FEMA Region IV who sat with us at lunch.

I didn't realize how respected our local FEMA Region was until someone made the comment later in the day that we were "blessed to be in the FEMA Region we were in". Hats off to Susan Wilson and her crew - who were in attendance (and teaching) in large numbers - for a job well done in our Region !!

The afternoon was spent in Committee meetings - Tom McDonald, George Eastman and I went to "StormWater Management, NAI and Natural and Beneficial Functions". Good healthy discussion was had among the large group that was there and then we split off into the specialty groups (pods as they call them) to discuss the direction we thought our particular issue(s) was taking. We got so wrapped up that we almost missed the entire break time and just squeezed in the door before they shut it for the ASFPM Members Meeting.

The ASFPM Members Meeting gave a wrap up of the year and they also handed out a few awards for outstanding achievement and the folks stepping down from various committees, appointments and offices.

Exhibits opened at 5 and you can't imagine the number of exhibitors and the amount of exhibitors' bling going around !! I have enough sponsor bags to buy out a month's worth of groceries - all while being "green" - and even have a couple of insulated bags !!

I saw a lot of folks I hadn't seen since our last GAFM Conference and/or since last year's ASFPM Conference. You know me, hugs were plentiful !!!!! Fun was had by all in attendance !

Dinner was back at Pointe Orlando again, this time at a place called Adobe Gilla's. The entire outside dining area was full of ASFPM members and there was more than enough laughter to go around. You will have to ask Juanita Mikell about her new favorite Mexican food - refried french fries - next time you see her.

We took a moment for a few photo ops by the gorgeous fountain near the restaurant and then we walked back to the hotel for some much needed rest. I don't know about anybody else, but I am exhausted !! You can't imagine the energy level in this place from sun up until sun down !!!! So speaking of rest.............. I'll catch you guys tomorrow !!

T.

Tuesday,  June 9, 2009

By now, I have met the folks from Oklahoma - complete with cowboy hats and hearty handshakes - the lucky ones who will be hosting next year's ASFPM Conference in Oklahoma City !! I have my OK sticker - which means "I'm okay" and my Oklahoma City pin (in fact, my badge is starting to be quite blinged up - I haven't found a flashing pin yet, but give me time.........)

We started the day with a Plenary Session (which is just a fancy way of saying a whole group meeting). We were welcomed by the Mayor of Orlando, who much to my disappointment did NOT have tickets to Disney for all of us - oh well, just as well, I really don't have time to go anyway !! - and then had a hour and a half session during the Plenary on "Green Works and Sustainability". There was plenty of coffee to be had so that helped with the sustainability part - just kidding, but you have to admit for a second there, I had you going .............................

I made sure to check out the Silent Auction items on break - everything from homemade items, to examples of state and regional memorabilia and even a desktop stormwater model designed to be used with the public to demonstrate stormwater runoff using different examples - such as impervious surfaces, pervious pavers, etc. This is such a good fund raiser for the ASFPM Foundation - and they are constantly and consistently doing great things with the funds they raise !

There was a concurrent session at 10:30 and then noon found us all back together again for the Keynote Luncheon - "Flood Policy Initiatives of the Corps of Engineers" with Major Don Riley as the keynote speaker.

I spent my early afternoon learning about Risk Map Initiatives and the late afternoon session learning about Levee Process Outreach - since I am dealing with exactly that in my community as we speak.

Don't tell anybody, but at 5:30, I snuck back up to the room for a quick 30 minute power nap instead of going back to the Exhibitors' Social. I almost killed myself changing clothes when Tom McDonald called to see if I was "ready to go" to the "Floodplain Managers' Round Up". Most of you have never seen me move that fast - it would have made a great segment for America's Funniest Home Videos - I think I ran back inside the room three times to get things I had forgotten !!

A bus took us downtown (where "Go Magic" signs could be seen everywhere!!) to the Cheyenne Saloon and Opera House - a multi-story saloon, complete with dance floor for "two-steppin'". Thank you to all of the sponsors for a night of outstanding fun - the food was awesome, the band was great and the "two-steppin" was out of this world (thank goodness of that quick power nap earlier!!!!!). Nobody wanted it to stop when the band bid us farewell and they loaded us back on the bus for the hotel.

I will have to share something with you that happened during the festivities at the Saloon - yours truly was overcome with emotion as the band slowed things down and played a very country version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (you are saying to yourselves right now, HUH ?????, what's with her, anyway ???)

Let me explain, "Somewhere over the rainbow.....skies are blue.....and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true......................................................."

A little over 3 years ago, a group of us were sitting in Augusta, Georgia taking the E-273 class and wondering, "what was next??" (after our certification, I mean). Next thing you know an Association was put together - purely of volunteers - the Georgia Association of Floodplain Management. (OK, what now ???)

Do any of you realize where we have come from those humble beginnings ?? We have had 4 Annual Conferences, 3 Educational and Technical Training Conferences (with one more coming up soon), we have received our Charter from ASFPM (a mere two years ago in Norfolk) and these "babies" (in comparison to most of the other Associations) have begun a Newsletter, have made incredible strides in the area of training and outreach, have grown in numbers (and intensity!!), have expanded networking opportunities with the GA Directory of Flood Officials and have started the CFM Mentor Program - the first of its kind !!!!!!!! It is true, the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true !

That seems like a good place to leave you today - dream big, my fellow GAFM members (my dear friends!!), for the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true !!

T.

Wednesday,  June 10, 2009

You must be kidding me, right ???????????????

No ?????

Okay, then, where IS that no-doze ??????

Perhaps, I should say, good morning !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GAFM Members really DO know how to use an alarm clock and several of us attended the 7:00 a.m. Early Bird Session on "Certification Maintenance 101". Items were discussed like required CEC's, whether or not to offer a CFM with "specialization" and how to improve the CFM system as a whole. Diane Calhoun (President) and John Ivey (Professional Development Committee) from CBOR moderated the session and proved that CBOR folks really do have a sense of humor that early in the morning !! A lot of useful dialogue was had and I am sure that Diane and John will take the input back to CBOR for future implementation.

8:30 to 10 and 10:30 to Noon were both Plenary Sessions - "Managing Flood Risk Today and Tomorrow" and "Cutting Edge Flood Management Issues" respectively. Just about the time I thought that I was beginning to get a little saddle sore (to coin an Oklahoma phrase!!) (that's a lot of sitting for one morning!!), Chris Holstein, the Mayor of Gosford City, New South Wales, Australia, came up to the mike and wowed us with his opening remarks about the language differences between the two countries - let us just suffice to say here, that Chris is a VERY funny man. His presentation on the "International Efforts to Address Flood Risk" was equally as charming as Chris was!

I was delighted when I got to meet Chris in the hallway after the Plenary and even more thrilled when he gave me his City pin and a pin from New South Wales (I promised to mail him a GAFM pin as soon as I got home !!). I now have a personal invitation to come to their upcoming Conference and speak (I think he just liked the southern accent!!) so now, not only to I have to save up for Oklahoma City next year, I have to figure out a way to get to Australia !!!! Does anybody know a good travel agent ?????

The afternoon found me back in a 4 hour training workshop - "Creative Strategies for Funding Post Disaster Construction" hosted by our beloved Ed Thomas and a whole lot of other brilliant minds from Dewberry, Baker, USACE, FEMA and NOAA. This was another of those WOW moments and again I am pleased to say that you, my dear GAFM friends, will be able to experience this workshop at our Fall Education and Technical Training Workshop (Sept 16-17; Norcross, GA). When you get our agenda, you will see this session referred to as "Patchwork Quilt".

I don't want to steal Ed's intro for the Fall Conference, but basically, much like a patchwork quilt, this is taking scraps of this and that and combining them into something beautiful - in your case, a funding strategy for your community or local project. You don't want to miss this one (or the "NAI - Total Water Resources Management" or the ...................- you get the picture !!)

I had a chance to spend a few minutes with Diane Calhoun (CBOR President) this afternoon and update her on our CFM Mentor Program. Michael Blakely (the CFM Mentor Program Coordinator) will be contacting those of you who are participating for a "status report" when we all get back. For those of you not currently participating, the Program is growing and you can certainly be a part of it, if you choose to - share your expertise or learn more about what it is to be a CFM - the opportunities are boundless. I hope you will consider participating in this Program - like anything we do here in GAFM, the success of our efforts is directly proportional to the effort that we all put into it. An overview of the CFM Mentor Program and applications are online (www.gafloods.org) or you can contact Michael Blakley directly at MBlakely@chathamcounty.org. Again, I hope that you choose to become a part of this very worthwhile Program.

Back to the ASFPM Conference.................................

Because of GAFM's ongoing (and generous) efforts towards the ASFPM Foundation, we (Garrett Skinner and me) were invited to the Foundation Donors Reception and Live Auction. During the Reception, the Foundation awarded us (GAFM) with a beautiful plaque for achieving the "Pearl Donor" level of giving. The Live Auction raised a great deal of money and if all calculations were right, the Foundation achieved their 2009 fundraising goal. Thank you GAFM members for allowing us (GAFM) to be a part of this endeavor - the Foundation does a lot with the money we give them and you should be proud of being a part of their ongoing efforts !!

After the Reception, a large group of GAFM members (about 14 of us as I recall), went back to Pointe Orlando - this time to a cute little Cuban place. This place had gone all out on decor and much like Monday night, everywhere you looked were ASFPM Conference attendees.

One of the great things about these Conferences, is the networking opportunities. Often, this week, I have found myself "talking shop" over dinner, during lunches and breaks, and even walking between classes. The opportunities are infinite and I have to say that I am constantly overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge and expertise that are at my fingertips on a daily basis, here at the Conference. I am like a sponge and I am soaking up every drop of knowledge I can get my hands on.

I only wish that YOU were here - but do not despair - most of these training opportunities will be coming your way at the Fall Conference and in future Conferences and training events to come around Georgia.

Until then...................................I bid you a very fond (and tired) good-night !!

T.

Thursday,  June 11, 2009

Another 7:00 Session ????????????????

Okay, I am game !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello from Sunny Orlando !!

7 AM found many of your fellow GAFM members at the Region 4 Meeting - many came to discuss regional issues and I came just to heckle Gene Henry, the Region 4 Rep (not really, but it did have him nervous for a little while !!). We have been blessed in Region 4 to have such a supportive Regional Director - Gene has been to many of our GAFM Conferences and continues to disseminate ASFPM news and regional news and events to us here in Georgia, even in the face of vast layoffs and increased workload in his community in Florida. I would like to take this opportunity to applaud Gene for his outstanding job as Region 4 Director !!!! (A great big GAFM Woooooo !! Whooooo !! to you, Gene !!!!)

8:30-10:00 was another Plenary Session - this time on one of my favorite subjects - LEVEES !!! Let's just say that it is a hot topic these days and I was sitting there taking notes like my life depended on it - which well, it might !!!!!!

Concurrent sessions followed and I, of course, went to more levee discussion. My favorite part of this session, was the part done of the "Five Stages of Grief in Levee Decertification". I hope that I never have to experience this first hand, but if I do, then I'm well prepared for what's to come !

Now for the fun part.................................the ASFPM National Awards Luncheon............................................... and the Invitation to the ASFPM 2010 Conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma....................................

Well, let's start out by saying that I won a $25 Gift Certificate to one of the venues in Oklahoma City (I can't wait to go there and spend it !!) We could only claim our prize with a loud and hearty Yeeee Haawwww !!!! Let's just say, I did mine with a great deal of enthusiasm !!!! But that was only a small part of the GAFM winning that was to go on at the Luncheon !! Our very own, Collis Brown, "did us proud" and won a prestigious award at the Conference (much to Collis' surprise !!!!) There are plenty of pictures to commemorate the event, but somebody (namely me) was clapping so loud and so long, that the forgot to turn on the video camera - S-O-R-R-Y !!!! We'll make sure that Collis brings his award with him to Norcross. I've decided to serve as his Agent and his Press Secretary - so anyone wanting pictures with the new-found celebrity should bring their VISA card and get ready to stand in a very long line for his autograph and/or a photo-op. All proceeds go to the GAFM Foundation (of course !!)

After lunch, was the ASFPM Chapters Session. I always enjoy this one because it deals directly with what we should (and shouldn't) be doing as a Chapter. 501-3-(C) was a very hot topic and they advised that we hire an accountant - not only to do the 501-3-(C), but on an ongoing basis to keep us out of trouble with the IRS from a tax standpoint. A couple of Chapters admitted to getting in over their heads before they knew it, and the repercussions were not exactly pleasant !! "Lobbying" was better defined a couple of legal issues were discussed. This is always such an informative session and one that I am really glad that ASFPM chooses to put on !

GAFM was used as an example of innovative training sessions with our "Luncheon Lecture" series; of course, there was one Chapter that had it so together that they publish a training book a year in advance - now that's something to aim for !!!!!!!

Tom, George Eastman and I had a chance to meet with Kait Laufenberg - ASFPM's Chapter and Training Coordinator, on issues relating to our Chapter, what we've been and will be doing in the arena of training and some suggestions for the website. Thanks Kait for letting us pick your brain for an hour - it was a great discussion session !!

And then before you know it................................

We were on a bus again, this time to Universal Studios City Walk where ASFPM and sponsors had a special place set aside for the 1250+/- ASFPM attendees to let their hair down after a week of training, networking and absorbing all of the knowledge that was to be had at the Conference. There was great food, an awesome DJ who helped us to dance the night away, a Reggae Bar, and even a Karaoke Bar where GAFM's own Terrence Simkins wowed the audience, not once, but twice, with his beautiful voice.

Then it was back on the bus for the return to the hotel.

Not content to call it a night, the Executive Board spent a few minutes of quiet talking about the direction of GAFM - about taking GAFM to the next level, about things that have been and about things to come. There will obviously be changes in the Board in the not so far away future and I know that people of goodness, integrity and passion will step up to assume the roles and responsibilities that come along with running an organization like ours - an organization keen in its sense of urgency to promote sound floodplain management across our great State.

I can't say enough what an honor and privilege it has been to be your Chair and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the kindness and support, for the love and the uplifting, and most of all for the faith that you have put in me for this brief time. It has flown by, like the blink of any eye - all too quickly, but yet with the intensity of a life-altering experience. For me, it has been one of the most memorable times of my life and I will never forget the people, the smiles, the kind words, and most of all, the passion for floodplain management that I have encountered along my journey.

But it isn't over yet...........................we still have a lot of living and laughter, and work and training, to experience over the next few months and I can't wait to experience it with you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Until I see you again, which I hope is soon, may each and every one of you be abundantly blessed and enjoy a life full of joy and happiness !!!!

From Orlando........

T.