Jersey City, N.J., was the focal point of the Portable Sanitation Association International in September. An association gathering was the culmination of three months of special projects targeted at informing PSAI membership and soliciting their opinions and ideas for the future. In the 40-year history of the PSAI, never had the need for communication, member input, and investigation of new and creative ideas been as great.
After organizational changes in April, Operation Outreach was launched in May to put a voice behind the various email announcements to members. Past PSAI presidents contacted members to explain the announcements, answer questions, and to solicit ideas. As a result of member input and support, by late June a PSAI Member Survey was developed and distributed. The survey gave plenty of opportunity for comments in addition to relevant and thought-provoking questions.
The response far exceeded projections and a vast amount of information was collected. In August, volunteers formed eight teams to investigate the most relevant topics identified by PSAI members. August also featured an associates-only survey as a result of even further input from these
key members.
In Jersey City, 44 dedicated and determined PSAI members filled a meeting room in the Hyatt Hotel. A presentation by the PSAI Executive Board took everyone from the personnel changes in April to the results of the various surveys in September. The new PSAI has improved member communication, office technology, and financial safeguards and controls. An open-ended Q & A session followed this detailed presentation.
The tone of the meeting was upbeat, optimistic and enthusiastic. Eight teams with 23 volunteers gave presentations on areas of the survey deemed important by members:
1. Tiered membership
2. Tiered membership benefits
3. Increasing membership
4. Profitability and cost of doing business
5. "Green" issues
6. Governmental controls
7. Marketing
8. Enhancing communications
Another Q & A session followed these interesting and provoca-tive presentations.
In addition to all of the topics previously described, new ideas and suggestions were recorded on large sheets of poster paper hung on the wall. This "Parking Lot" of ideas turned into a "Parking Deck" as the number of ideas exceeded the initial available space. The various committees, committee heads and committee members are being reorganized for better efficiency. These new "Parking Deck" ideas will be the first projects the new groups will tackle.
The true mark of success of any meeting is often the answer to this question: Did anyone leave with any unanswered questions? Since each "Q & A" session did not end until no additional questions were asked, the "sound of crickets" chirped the resounding success of this meeting!
