MWUA News Announcement

October 23, 2020 / Comments (0)

MWUA News

Dear Members,

The corona virus has impacted the way we conduct daily business in a very profound way. It has changed the way we do things, sometimes negatively but, in some ways, in a positive way. An example is how we currently offer, and access trainings. They have become much more efficient. In the past, a limited number of utility employees or members had to travel, sometimes a considerable distance, to attend trainings. Now they (sometimes entire staff) can sit within the convenience of their office and access trainings remotely. At first, it took some adjustment to this experience. Now we are hearing that many are embracing these opportunities.

Although many things will return to some form of normalcy post-covid, we believe a form of on-line training may be here to stay. We have decided to invest in that belief. Next week Headlight will start a build-out of an on-line training studio here at the office. The studio will help us offer an enhanced online training experience. The glitches that can sometimes accompany the on-line experience will be minimized dramatically. Is there risk involved in this decision? Yes, but we cannot afford to take a conservative approach, or a “wait and see” attitude. Our business model has been adjusted significantly because of the pandemic. Our former reliance on certain revenue streams evaporated overnight. As a membership organization and a 501 c 6, there are currently no programs being offered that will bring us any form of financial relief other than loans. Our mortgage holder and bank, Machias Saving, has been an incredible resource and help from the very start of the pandemic. We greatly appreciate their willingness to work with us through the current fiscal adjustments we have had to make.

We are very pleased that a long-time member of MWUA has generously donated the entire cost of our studio installation. Al Hodsdon had the insight from the very beginning of the current pandemic to foresee its potential impact on organizations like ours. He almost immediately reached out to us and offered his financial support without strings or any reservations. MWUA will always be grateful for his amazing generosity. Because of his donation the studio will be named in his honor. We would also like to announce that Wright-Pierce, another long-time member of MWUA, has donated the cost of extensive electrical work needed for our studio install.  Please join us in expressing gratitude for these generous donations to our association.

As members, we ask you to continue to support MWUA through voluntary contributions of time by joining a standing committee. While Cindy Wade and Janet Berger have done an incredible job of taking on tasks that we never formerly had to do, we need active committee engagement and participation to navigate through our current situation. In addition to volunteering, we ask you to support the trainings being offered by MWUA and Tom’s Water Solutions, another incredible partner and resource for MWUA. Unlike several other trade groups and organizations here in Maine that receive annual federal funding and grants, MWUA’s ONLY source of revenue is derived from our training and our membership dues. We, like Maine Water Environment Association, is organic only to Maine. We have no other affiliation.

We thank you very much for your loyalty and support in helping MWUA not only survive but thrive during these strange and often difficult times.

We hope this finds you both safe and well. Thank you for all you do even though it is greatly underappreciated and undervalued.

Best Regards,

– Bruce Berger-MWUA

– Brian McGuire-President

– John Leach-Vice President

– Richard Anair-Secretary/Treasurer

– James Wallace-Board Member

– Scott Abbotoni-Board Member

– Michael Broadbent-Board Member

– Jefferson Longfellow-Board Member

– James Leighton-MRWA Representative Board Member

– Robert Pontau-Maine Water Environment Association Representative Board Member

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