Presidents Message

Courtney Landoll, ASLA 

Here's a recap of WASLA Activity during the month of July:

SBI Management Transition

In the month of July we began our new association with SBI Management Services. On July 24th we met the entire SBI team during our quarterly strategic planning meeting. We are very excited about the new capabilities they can bring to our organization. Currently, Eastern Washington Representative Laura Thompson is working with SBI on the new website migration.

Conference Committee

Second, we kicked off our 2015 Conference Committee. Our annual conference will occur in the spring, in Wenatchee. If you are interested in serving on the Conference Committee, please contact President-elect David Stipe.

New Speaker Series Sponsored by Victor Stanley

Third, we met with the national reps from Victor Stanley about a potential new speaker series. Victor Stanley flies in internationally-known speakers for chapters across the country. These continuing education sessions would be virtually free for members and would be followed up by a catered reception. We look forward to working with Victor Stanley on this new development for our members.

EC Position Changes

We made some changes to the EC positions, including changing the Presidency to a two-year term beginning with President-elect David Stipe. We believe this change will provide greater continuity for the Chapter.

Governmental Affairs Issues

We are hearing that in some areas our stamp is not being accepted for planting design within the right-of-way and for splash pad/spray park design. Are you encountering instances of your stamp not being accepted where you believe it should be per Washington State Law RCW 18.96?  We want to hear about it.

Professional Development Committee

The Professional Development Committee met and is looking at fall offerings, including an introduction to irrigation design for practicing professionals. Look for a survey to come out soon about this and other continuing education offerings.

PARKing Day

WASLA is leading the PARKing Day organization on behalf of the Seattle Design Festival and is currently recruiting sponsors to reduce the PARKing Day application fee for smaller organizations that would otherwise be excluded from the event. If you are interested in supporting an event that showcases the work of our profession, please contact Amber Raynsford.

Happy Hour with APA Washington

In the month of July, we had a great happy hour with APA Washington at GGLO. Thank you to GGLO for the custom cocktails and tasty appetizers. See the photos below.

If you are interested in getting involved, we are always looking for volunteers. In the meantime, stay cool and enjoy your summer!

Courtney Landoll

Return to August 2014 Newsletter Index