Written By Garth Millan (Vice President)

I sometimes hear, (when I ask people to consider standing for election to the Board), “it must be a huge commitment of time and energy. I don’t think I have that kind of time”.   NOT!

I would like to share my experience. I let my name stand for position of Secretary/Treasurer at the 2012 AGM. There seemed to be no one in attendance interested in the position, and I had a few years experience as Treasurer of various organizations, and I know a tiny bit about septic systems, and, and, and…. I talked myself into the commitment. 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 angry, etc, etc. I thought of all the reasons why I should not commit.

It turns out that I have the option of committing to only what I feel I can handle effectively. The Board asked me to be available to attend 12 meetings per year. Ten of these meetings would be via Skype at 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM, which meant I could attend from my home. There would be 2 face-to-face meetings at a mutually agreed location, and my expenses would be paid to attend. No big deal. The WCOWMA BC Board also has a dedicated and experienced operations management team, who are always available to handle the 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. Although I originally thought I had very little time, I volunteered myself for various committees. Yes, I sometimes took on more than I felt comfortable with, but I soon learned where my strengths lay and where I had to defer to those more capable. I also 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 fellow member’s hopes and dreams. And guess what? I have and still do enjoy it, and —- I have more than enough time. I intend to let my name stand for another term.

I found my “niche” in promoting septic system maintenance and homeowner education, and I made it my primary focus, while still supporting other member’s areas of concern. It was quite pleasing to have the complete support of my fellow board members and to have them actually call on my opinions as an “expert” on this topic. In other words, I quickly realized that, although I originally felt inadequate, I did have life experiences and job experiences which allowed me to be a valuable contributor. I don’t have to sit on every committee, but I selectively choose those I have time for.

I encourage any WCOWMA BC member who thinks they might want to stand for the Board, and who may have a “cause” brewing on the burners, to 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 only 12, easy to attend, meetings per year to do so. Go for it!