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President’s MessageNancy Eklund, AICPThese days, with COVID-19 and the challenge of addressing the issues of injustice and systemic racism that cry for resolution in our communities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. On the other hand, there are still opportunities for growth. Normal home and work life is nothing like it used to be, yet we are all learning new skills and approaches. There are a lot of things going on in the Chapter—check out the articles in this newsletter. Here are a few more important opportunities and activities you should know about: Chapter Board Strategic Planning Exercise The Chapter Board recently held a Strategic Planning Workshop to clarify the Chapter’s priorities and the associated tasks that we hope to accomplish in 2020 and 2021. Over the next month, the Sections, Committees, and Executive Board members will identify the achievable tasks that will support those priorities and our mission to members. Stay tuned—we will post the Plan on the website. Your feedback is always appreciated. Interested in Representing Washington APA on Statewide Committee? APA has been asked to provide a representative to serve on the Department of Commerce’s Behavioral Health Model Ordinance Advisory Committee. This committee will work collaboratively to provide input and feedback about needs, issues, design, best practices and strategies to site and develop community-based behavioral healthcare projects statewide. A final report will be issued by Commerce in Summer 2021, and will include model planning codes. The Committee will meet virtually about six times between September 2020 and Spring 2021. Please get in touch with me ASAP if you are interested or wish to recommend someone—meetings begin this month. OR/WA APA Conference, October 14–16, Growing Together—Virtually! Good at Zoom? Volunteers Needed for OR/WA Conference The October WA/OR APA Conference will be held using a conference platform (Whova) and the two chapters’ Zoom capabilities. We need a few volunteers that can help us blend it all together seamlessly! Please get in touch SOON if you, or someone you know, can help. Conference Break-out Rooms for _ [YOUR GROUP OR NAME HERE] _ Because of our digital platform, we can try new things at this conference. We will be offering Break-out “rooms” for groups that may want to get together (e.g., to informally talk about various topics, discuss best practices for navigating this new world, or hold a social get together or a virtual happy hour). The conference team can offer rooms to any sort of groups, such as WA Division members, Students/faculty/alums of the State’s planning schools, book club, Cards Against Urbanity, karaoke? The rooms have a limit of 30 people, but you can jump from room to room. Let me know if you have an idea—the sky’s the limit on creativity! Nancy Eklund, AICP |