AMSA Member Update (MU04-16)

Action Please By:
October 29, 2004

For the past year, AMSA has been engaged in an aggressive Strategic Planning Initiative. This planning process marks a significant juncture in the organization’s history and the implementation of the resulting Strategic Plan will result in changes that the association will make to ensure future success. Please see http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/leadinfo/2004-09-AMSAStrPln.pdf for a complete copy of AMSA’s Strategic Plan, adopted by its Board of Directors on September 21, 2004. You may also request that a hard copy be forwarded to you via mail by contacting AMSA’s Deputy Executive Director, Paula Dannenfeldt at 202/833-4654.

AMSA new Strategic Plan embraces the core purpose of being the leading advocate for responsible national policies that advance clean water and a healthy environment. The following are identified as the Association’s core values for the future:

• Scientifically and economically informed environmental policy;
• Visionary and results-oriented leadership embracing innovation and diverse input;
• Environmental stewardship;
• Fiscal responsibility;
• Integrity and credibility in all we do;
• Collaboration as an effective strategy; and,
• Continuous professional development.

A critical component of the new Strategic Plan is a ‘big audacious goal’ for AMSA’s long-term future. A big audacious goal is intended to be a clear and compelling catalyst that serves as a focal point for action. In their deliberations the Association’s leadership and staff carefully considered the Association’s core purpose and values and, as a result, identified the following big audacious goal to take AMSA 10 years into the future and beyond.

When people say “environmentalist,”
they think of us first.

The statement of this new goal for the Association drew spontaneous applause from the assembled membership when then-President, Thomas R. ‘Buddy’ Morgan, first reported it at the Association’s May 2004 Annual Business Meeting. Clearly, AMSA’s members feel it’s time to identify themselves with the outcome of their efforts – clean water. Through the Strategic Planning Initiative, AMSA’s leadership recognized that if the Association wants to be considered among the nation’s premiere environmental organizations, it must commit – in the coming weeks, months and years – to work consistently to make this big audacious goal a big audacious reality.

A name change for the Association was identified as an appropriate first step in this process – and one that would lay the foundation for all that would follow. With the Association’s 35th Anniversary slated to take place in May of 2005, an ideal opportunity exists to move forward.

New Name for AMSA Endorsed by Board
On September 21, 2004, at the recommendation of the Association’s Strategic Planning Committee, AMSA’s Board of Directors endorsed the American Clean Water Council as the proposed new name to be brought forward to the membership for consideration. As potential new Association names were considered, AMSA’s staff reviewed extensive analysis, quantitative testing, and research that had been undertaken to determine public opinion as it relates to potential words used in association names. With the referenced research in mind, National Office staff identified several potential new names focusing on the following key points:

• Since 1997 AMSA has represented more than major metropolitan agencies – it represents all clean water utilities in the United States; and,
• Use of the words clean water (as an alternative to sewerage) was viewed as critical by Association leadership.

As a result, the name – American Clean Water Council – emerged as the highly favored option. Not only does it capture the scope of the Association’s activities (American), it describes the ‘fruit’ of its labor (Clean Water). The last word in the proposed new name (Council) has been defined as “a central body uniting a group of organizations”, and was viewed as being most representative of the Association’s new strategic direction.

In the research undertaken the word council was perceived to indicate a group of people working together to solve a problem. Other words – such as association, alliance, and institute – were not viewed as favorably as council. A number of organizations with which AMSA interacts have taken this research to heart in creating or changing their names including the Environmental Council of States; the Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities; the American Chemistry Council; the Natural Resources Defense Council; and, the National Council for Science and the Environment. Conversely, the word association was thought to be used too extensively, the word alliance was viewed as reflecting a more temporary arrangement (much like a military alliance), and institute brought to mind an academically-oriented organization.

As envisioned, the renamed organization would be referred to by its new, significantly shorter, proper name – the American Clean Water Council – or the letters of its acronym spelled out, A-C-W-C (not pronounced).

Other Names/Acronyms Considered
In identifying the recommended new name, other options – especially those resulting in the acronym ACWA (which could be pronounced ‘aqua’) – were considered. While some of the identified options had merit, ACWA is the current acronym of the Association of California Water Agencies. The ACWA has, since 1910, represented California water agencies on legislative, regulatory, and policy issues in the water arena in both Sacramento and in Washington, DC. The organization is well-known and recognized on Capitol Hill and at regulatory agencies. Upon consideration, it was determined that the potential confusion that could result from two organizations with the same acronym, aggressive advocating positions relative to the same issues, made any name resulting in the acronym of ACWA unsuitable for AMSA’s future.

Time is Right for a Change
The fact that the time is right to change AMSA’s name has received no objection; however the issue of what the Association’s new name should be warrants thoughtful consideration by its members. AMSA’s Board of Directors views the support of the Association’s membership as critical to this process and acknowledges the importance of continuity and outreach to not only Association members but other stakeholder groups, as well.

This outreach is now underway. Through this evolving process we hope to build support around a new name for the Association and bring it forward for a final vote of AMSA’s membership at a business meeting convened during the 2005 Winter Conference in February in San Antonio, Texas. AMSA’s new name would become ‘official’ at the celebration of the Association’s 35th Anniversary in May, 2005.

Your comments and reactions are both invited and welcomed. Please direct them to AMSA’s Deputy Executive Director, Paula Dannenfeldt, via e-mail at pdannenfeldt@amsa-cleanwater.org, via telephone at 202/833-4654 or via mail at the National Office prior to October 29, 2004. Many thanks!