DAILY AGENDA
Check back for updated information in 2020
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Speakers and sessions are subject to change. All events are at the hotel unless otherwise noted.
2:00-5:30 p.m.
Registration
5:00-6:30 p.m.
Welcome Networking Reception
Reconnect with old friends and make new ones at the opening reception with drinks and light snacks. Team up with others afterward and head out for dinner on your own.
Thursday, June 18, 2020
7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Registration
7:30–8:15 a.m.
Breakfast
8:15–8:30 a.m.
Welcome and Introduction
Dan Reese, President TMUA, Public Works Director, City of Canyon
8:30–9:15 a.m.
Fighting the Good Fight Against Zebra Mussels
The invasive zebra mussel has infested Texas since 2009. It continues to move into new water bodies within the State causing water utilities to take up the fight to control them at their raw water intakes, pump stations, and transmission pipelines. They have significantly increased in population in our Central Texas lakes over the last couple of years. The City of Round Rock is one such utility that has had to investigate, plan for, and manage zebra mussels at their intake in Lake Georgetown, and a shared intake on Lake Travis as a member of the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority (BCRUA). This presentation describes the City’s general approach and things they have learned along the way to managing these mussels related to effectiveness of treatments, timing of implementation of treatments, regulatory constraints, and capital and operating cost.
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Speakers: Joseph Jenkins, P.E., Senior Client Manager, Walker Partners and Fancisco Vicent, Assistant Director of Utilities, City of Round Rock
9:30–10:15 a.m.
Topic: Leadership/Management
Description TBA
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Speaker: TBA
10:15–10:45 a.m.
Networking Break with Sponsors
10:45–11:45 a.m.
Topic: Communication for crisis management and social media attacks
Description TBA
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Speaker: Jennifer Nations, Water Services Program Coordinator, City of College Station
Noon–1:45 p.m.
Lunch and Keynote
Leadership Lessons Learned During 35 Years in the World’s Greatest Air Force
During 35 years of service in the Air Force, Tom held leadership positions in numerous organizations ranging in size from dozens of people to over 35K. Throughout those years he observed highly effective leaders (in and out of uniform) and the attributes they possessed. As Tom advanced in rank, he was offered leadership opportunities at higher levels and tried to emulate those effective leaders’ behavior and the organizational successes they achieved. Those leadership attributes will be discussed and how leaders in any profession can achieve greater personal and organizational success.
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Speaker: Lieutenant General Noel T (Tom) Jones, United States Air Force (Retired)
2:00–2:45 p.m.
HB 3167: Navigating the New World of Plat Review
This presentation will begin with the history behind the law and how HB3167 came to be. Mr. Brooks will go over what is different from the previous law, the impact on a city, and how a city can adapt to the new law.
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Speaker: Shon Brooks, Director of Planning, City of Waxahachie
2:45–3:15 p.m.
Networking Break with Sponsors
3:15–4:00 p.m.
Innovative Strategies for Sourcing and Storing Water Resources
How can Texas continue to meet the water demand of our rapidly growing population? This talk explores a variety of options that are available to both groundwater and surface water providers. Reuse, Brackish Water, Desalinization, and Aquifer Storage & Recovery are methods that many cities and water providers are beginning to consider. These options can be used to meet either current or future demands. These innovative options can also provide diversity to a water system which makes it more resilient during periods of drought.
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Speakers: Aaron Collier, P.G., Vice President, Collier Consulting
4:30–5:15 p.m.
Developing a New Regional Water Supply from Scratch
This presentation will discuss what it takes to develop a new regional water supply project by an entity that does not have any existing infrastructure. Topics will include how and why the customers joined together to pursue the new supply, the planning required to progress the effort, funding options reviewed and pursued, and the partnerships formed to improve the economies of scale of the project. Mr. Moore will discuss the program structure utilized for execution of the project, the ways coordination and consistency are ensured, and technology utilized in both design and construction. Discussion will also include the process utilized to set the treated water goals for the water to be blended into the nine different customer’s systems. Finally, an update on the status of the overall efforts and schedule to complete the project will be provided.
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Speakers: Graham Moore, Executive Director, Alliance Regional Water Authority
5:30 pm
Collect and board buses to Messina Hof
6:00–9:00 p.m.
Dinner and Murder Mystery
Enjoy a fun and relaxing evening with dinner and a murder mystery play! Afterwards, we’ll board the buses and return to the hotel.
Friday, June 19, 2020
7:30–9:00 a.m.
Registration
8:00–9:00 a.m.
Breakfast, Business Meeting, Awards, Scholarships
9:00–9:45 a.m.
Creative Ways to Recruit and Retain Utility Staff
In todays’ bustling Texas economy, it’s becoming more difficult to recruit and retain our staffs. This presentation will present ideas and methods to help us achieve our goals pertaining to finding and keeping quality employees.
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Speaker: Kristin Navarro, Director of Business Development and Recruitment Strategic Government Resources
9:50–10:50 a.m.
America’s Water Infrastructure Act
America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 was signed into law on October 23, 2018. It requires every community-type public water supply that serves a population of 3,300 or greater to conduct a risk and resilience assessment and prepare or revise their emergency response plan. This Risk and Resilience Assessment must take an “All-Hazards Approach” meaning that it requires you to assess and address your utilities risk and resilience to natural and man-made hazards. This presentation will clarify the requirements and deadlines associated with America’s Water Infrastructure Act and guide you through the Risk and Resilience Assessment process.
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Speaker: Lynn Short, President, LSPS Solutions, LLC
10:30 a.m.
Closing and Adjournment