Garth Millan – Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President, President, Instructor

 

I often hear;  “Being on the Board must be a huge commitment of time and energy. I don’t think I have that kind of time”.   NOT!

I let my name stand for position of Secretary/Treasurer at the 2012 AGM. As no one stood opposed, I was acclaimed. I immediately thought to myself –“You idiot! You don’t have time. Your wife is going to be pissed, etc, etc. I HAD DOUBTS!

It turns out I have the option to commit to only what I feel I can handle effectively. I am asked to be available to attend 10 meetings per year. 8 of these meetings would be via teleconferencing at a conveniently agreed time and date. There would be 2 face-to-face meetings at a mutually agreed location, and my expenses would be paid to attend. The WCOWMA BC has a dedicated and experienced operations management team, who are available to handle phone calls, documentation, the endless paper work and follow up.

All I have to do is – show up, listen, and be heard.

 

In the beginning, I knew I was not as knowledgeable of current affairs as my fellow board members, but I knew I was capable of learning on the job. I volunteered for committees. Yes, I sometimes took on more than I felt comfortable with, but I soon learned where my strengths lay and when to defer to those more capable. I came to realize that all of the other Board members were in the same boat. They too, had jobs, families, charities, strong points and not so strong points. They were here to share their experiences, their strengths and their hopes for the future of our industry, and more importantly, our membership hopes and dreams. And guess what? I have and still do enjoy it, and —- I have more than enough time.

I found my “niche” promoting septic system maintenance and homeowner education, and I made it my primary focus, while still supporting other member’s areas of concern. I don’t have to sit on every committee, but I selectively choose those I have time for.

If you have a “cause” brewing, or you have some strengths you wish to share, step forward, become a part of a great team. You will not regret it. What better place is there to address industry concerns? You have a maximum of 10, easy to attend, meetings per year to do so.

GO FOR IT; I WILL SEE YOU THERE!