IAAP – Municipal Employees Chapter

On June 30, 2009 the 2009-2010 Officers for Municipal Employees Chapter were installed. Georgia Division President Donna Mitchell CPS/CAP conducted the installation ceremony.

In keeping with doing something different, this year’s installation ceremony was a Book Installation Ceremony. President Mitchell chose a John Maxwell Leadership book to present to each incoming officer. Each book represented a skill or knowledge set that would assist the incoming officer in their new duties and responsibilities.

The 2009-2010 officers are:

            President                     Rena Blackstock CPS/CAP

            Vice-President             Jody Jones

            Secretary                     Lorraine Powell CPS/CAP

            Treasurer                    Cheryl Goodwin CAP

Good luck to these officers as we embark on a new year and new challenges as well as opportunities.  

Cheryl, Lorraine, Jody, Rena

At the June 30 Installation Meeting, our Chapter decided to do something a little different….we held an Outstall Ceremony for the 2008-2009 outgoing officers.

The ceremony was a way to express our appreciation to these officers for their dedication and commitment to IAAP and to Municipal Employees Chapter. Each outgoing officer was presented with a copy of the poem read during the ceremony. The copy of the poem also contained a picture of the American flag.

The outgoing officers are:

            President                     Doris Davis CPS/CAP

            Vice-President             Jody Jones

            Secretary                     Debbie Boyd

            Treasurer                     Rena Blackstock CPS/CAP

Doris, Jody, Debbie, Rena

Thank you members of the Municipal Employees Chapter for all your support and encouragement since I’ve been on the Georgia Division Board of Directors. Thank you also for the beautiful President’s Reception you gave me after my installation banquet. Everything was beautiful and so elegant. And I absolutely loved my clock! You are all awesome and I am so very blessed to have you as my home chapter!

POWER or Commitment, Professionals Achieving the Extraordinary is the theme I chose for Georgia Division this year and boy does that describe the Municipal Employees Chapter! You have always gone above and beyond what was asked of you and you have always succeeded! Our members posses a variety of talents and you all work so well together as a team. St. Francis of Assisi once said All getting separates you from others; all giving unites to others. You have especially been a strong united team the past two years. This past year as you prepared for the President’s Reception and the year before as you hosted the 2008 Georgia Division Annual Meeting. Those were two huge undertakings for a small chapter, but you did an outstanding job on both. Your selfless actions over these past two years speak very highly of you as individuals and as a chapter.

Thank you again for all you have done and for setting the example for others to follow!

We would like to invite you to join the Municipal Employees Chapter as we install our incoming board for the 2009 – 2010 year.  It will be held on Tuesday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m.  We will be at Gwinnett County’s Fire & Emergency Services Headquarter located at 408 Hurricane Shoals Road, NE in Lawrenceville, GA  30045.  Please RSVP to Phyllis Lowe CPS/CAP at phyllisblowe@hotmail.com or call 770-262-1389. 

 What lies behinds us,

And what lies before us

Are tiny matters

compared to

what lies within us.

                                                                               Emerson

A very special friend gave me this poem when I began my journey on the Georgia Division Board and I keep it on my desk at work. Every time I read it I am reminded of our Chapter. We have always been fairly small in numbers, but mighty in strength.  In January we will celebrate our 14^th anniversary and I think it is amazing that we continue to be a close knit group of professionals dedicated to giving 100% to whatever task we undertake. Whether it’s a community project, proctoring an exam, hosting Student Conference or Annual meeting, or honoring our bosses at a luncheon, our Chapter has always been successful because of “what lies within us”; dedicated, caring, members.

The members of our chapter definitely display Excellence in Action by their unselfish giving to others. I was so proud to see our members in action on November 7^th and 8^th when we proctored the CPS and CAP exams. Many members were at the test site before 7:00 a.m. Saturday morning making sure the candidates had hot coffee and something to eat before the first test. Other members prepared and served a hot lunch, and throughout the day members dropped by to offer words of encouragement.  Because of the Municipal Employees Chapter those sitting for the exams were able to relax, laugh, and enjoy good food and fellowship between the tests. Thank you to each member who played a part in making this possible!

As I look back over the last 14 years, I remember the obstacles we overcame to establish this chapter and the successes we have enjoyed. No one knows what lies before us, but I am confident that “what lies within us” will enable our chapter to continue being successful! 

2007 – 2008 was a challenging year for the Municipal Employees Chapter as we “Constructed our Careers with IAAP”. We then continued on the “Road to Professionalism” by successfully hosting the 54^th Annual Georgia Division Meeting.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines success as: “The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted.” The Municipal Employees Chapter did just that.

To look forward to the 2008-2009 year, I looked back to see what made us successful. We all had different strengths we brought to the table to work as a team. For the upcoming year, I would like to focus on what makes us successful as a chapter as well as individual professionals. Excellence in Action – A Treasure Chest of Success is the theme for our Chapter’s 2008-2009 year.

Mark Twain said, “Success is a journey, not a destination. It requires constant effort, vigilance, & re-evaluation.” Come along with me on this journey as I share with you some of the things I feel is important for each of us to have in our “Treasure Chest.” All are important and connect with each other.

• Communication – getting your message across
• Image – pulling it all together
• Attitude – can make or break you
• Education – make it a lifelong journey
• Commitment – what is important to you
• Leadership – be an example
• IAAP – tools and resources we need

Throughout the year I would like to take the time to explore each of these in depth. Please feel to share what it is you find helpful to make you successful as I ask, “What’s in your treasure chest? “

Michael Korda said, “To succeed, we must first believe that we can.” I believe we can.

Visitation

Several Municipal Employee Chapter members have been spotted at different locations across the Georgia Division visiting other chapter meetings and events.  Our chapter has received the Dot Murphy CPS/CAP Visitation award over the past years for showing our support.  We are off to a great start already for the 2008 – 2009 year and would like to thank the following chapters for their hospitality in the month of June. We also would like to extend an invitation for your chapter to visit with us.

Fulton County Government Chapter – Incoming Officer Installation

Jody Jones visited on June 18

Atlanta Healthcare Chapter – Incoming Officer Installation

Phyllis Lowe CPS/CAP visited on June 20

Atlanta City Chapter – New Chapter Chartering and Officer Installation

Doris Davis CPS/CAP visited on June 19

Appalachian Chapter – 15^th Year Celebration and Incoming Officer Installation

Doris Davis CPS/CAP visited on June 23

Annual Meeting is fast approaching and Municipal Employees Chapter is heading down the road to a great start!  On Tuesday, February 5, 2008, we had our own “Super Tuesday” as we received wonderful news that our printing for annual meeting will be donated.  This is a huge chunk out of the budget for annual meeting and we are so excited and grateful for the help we received in achieving this.  We can’t thank you enough (and you know who you are!). 

Committees are hard at work searching for vendors, sponsors, door prizes and items for the goody bags. 

One change from the initial planning is our keynote speaker.  Tamra Goodall CPS/CAP, Southeast District Director, will now be our keynote speaker. 

We have received 3 donations and we are hopeful that we will receive many more!

Contact has been made for donations of goody bags and contact will be made about a commemorative lapel pin.

We have 1 confirmed vendor at this time.

Contact will be made with hotel regarding sizes of table, decorations and hotel brochures that will go in the registration packets.

Registration packets will be assembled in the near future so that they may be mailed out.

Again, it is up to ALL chapter members to get involved and stay committed for this event to be a success.

Thank you for what you do and I look forward to seeing all Georgia Division Members at Annual Meeting. 

A wise man was taking a sunrise walk along the beach.  In the distance he caught sight of a young man who seemed to be dancing along the waves.  As he got closer he saw that the young man was picking up STARFISH from the sand them gently back into ocean.

“What are you doing?” the wise man asked.

“The sun is coming up and the tide is going out; if I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“But young man, there are miles and miles of beach with STARFISH all along it; you can’t possibly make a difference.”

The young man bent down, picked up another STARFISH, and threw it lovingly back into the ocean, past the breaking waves.

“It made a difference to that one,” he replied.

The young man’s actions represent something special in all of us.  We all are gifted with the ability to make a difference.  Each of us can shape our own future and influence the future of others.  Each of us has the power to help our organizations reach their goals.

By Loren Eisley

On November 2–3 the Municipal Employees Chapter served as a
test site for the CAP and CPS exams. Members not only proctored the exam,
they also provided a relaxing atmosphere for those sitting for the
exam. Members were on hand to try and calm the nerves of the participants.
Snacks were available for the participants to munch on and at lunch
President Lowe’s famous vegetable soup was served with sandwiches and
desert.