By the time you read this newsletter, Labor Day will be over and Halloween decorations will have been thrown up throughout my house. My wife says that if she doesn’t decorate for fall, cool temperatures may not happen.  I say it’s the upcoming football season and the start of Sierra Chapter’s New Year with a new Board of Directors and Officers.

I’m excited to be this year’s president and would like everybody to please welcome the two newest members to this year’s Board Directors, Debanik Chaudhuri and Jerry Jones. The Officers this year include Landon Blake, Vice President and Kathy Wickam, Secretary/ Treasurer.  Returning members of the Directors include Chad Coleman, Kevin Gustorf, Marco Palilla and Tom Sell. I would be remiss to not mention the work that the Board and especially myself, receives from our Recording Secretary, Debbie LoCicero, and recently retired Newsletter Editor, Lisa Thut. If you see them be sure to  thank them for all their hard work they put into the Chapter. Thank You Ladies.

Our first event of the year will be the Sierra Chapter’s Second Annual Engineering Excellence Award dinner event. Our speaker on this evening will be Celia McAdams, the Executive Director for the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency. She will be discussing the upcoming “Keep Placer Moving” ballot measure and other future projects on the horizon.

Last May we all remember getting the email with the news that ACEC California was pulling SB 885, Duty to Defend, from vote consideration in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It was a somewhat somber day after all the hard work that went into the effort, but there was concern the bill may not have advanced. Our local grassroots effort did make headway into bringing attention to the problems our firms have encountered with some contracts.  2017 will bring new hope in the campaign to educate all parties on this subject.

With this year having a Presidential election coming in the next couple of months, it’s important for all citizens to get out and vote. The presidential race may or may not have an immediate effect on your current business or neighborhood as does your local City Council, County Supervisor and local Congress member. It’s critical to  vote both local and national levels.

I look forward to seeing new and old faces at both the 2nd Annual September Engineering Excellence Award dinner and monthly membership meetings throughout the upcoming year.