The Colorado/Wyoming ITE Section held their 2009 Public Agency Appreciation Luncheon on Friday, September 18th at the Embassy Suites Hotel in the Denver Tech Center. Section President, Ben Waldman, presided over the Section’s annual business meeting luncheon with 80 members in attendance.
The meeting began with Past President, Craig Faessler, welcoming the attendees of the public agency appreciation lunch and Zaki Mustafa, Western District International Director. Zaki thanked the Section for hosting the District’s Annual Meeting. The District’s www.WesternITE.org website has numerous photographs documenting the event. The WesternITE newsletter is now being published online. As the editor, Zaki is looking for relevant updates on current transportation issues by the members.
After the District update, Zaki swore in this year’s officers. Ben Waldman was sworn in as the Section President; Greg MacKinnon as Vice President; and Chris Sheffer as Secretary/Treasurer.
Ben Waldman presented Craig Faessler with a plaque to recognize his contributions as last year’s Section president. Ben also thanked the members of the Local Arrangement Committee for work in organizing the District’s Annual Meeting in Denver.
Larry Corcoran, Robert Kenny, Jack Tone, and were recognized by Ben Waldman as Lifetime Members of the Section.
Chris Sheffer reviewed this year’s budget and it was approved by the Section. The scholarship fund is being increased from $2,000 per year to $4,000 per year.
Dave Krauth and Sarah Karjala have joined the Section’s Executive Committee, as Legislative Chair and Activities Report Coordinator, respectively.
John Seyer thanked the sponsors and volunteers for this year’s golf tournament. He also asked for volunteers to serve on next year’s committee, noting that “The worst day on the golf committee is better than the best day on many other committees.” Thanks, John.
Dave Hattan reminded everyone that the Call for Lifetime Achievement Award Nominations was due by October 2nd. The recipient will be recognized in December.
Vice President, Greg MacKinnon, introduced the program speaker, Mr. Bill Van Meter, the Assistant Planning Director for RTD. Mr. Van Meter presented on the status of the FasTracks transit projects and how the program would be moving forward in the future. The District is facing the challenge of having increasing ridership numbers and decreasing revenues. Their Public-Private Partnership solution is catching attention from other transit agencies from all over the world.
Our next Section luncheon will be held on Friday, October 30th at the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland. The meeting will feature a roundtable discussion on the flashing yellow arrow treatment for permissive left turns at signalized intersections. Registration is available at www.cowyite.org.
The Colorado/Wyoming Section contact is Ben Waldman of LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc., 303-333-1105; ben@lscdenver.com. Also, please visit our Section’s website at www.cowyite.org.
