The Texas Groundwater Association hosted the Fall Board of Directors Meeting and a Membership Meeting in San Marcos on Saturday, November 2.
On Friday, November 1, the TGWA Women's Division hosted a game night for board members. Saturday's meetings included amendments to the TGWA bylaws. "Most of these changes were to get us compliant with the Business Organization Code for the state of Texas," said Bobby Bazan, TGWA Executive Director. "One of those big changes is changing our president-elect to a secretary, in title only." The TGWA Executive Committee now consists of the Immediate Past-President, President, and Secretary (previously the President-Elect officer position). The changes rework the board of directors by removing some C&D chapter director seats and adding seats to the M&S division. "The chapters used to be really active," Bazan said. "... Over time a lot of those chapters have closed or not remained active." The TGWA board will now consist of: - 30 Contractors and Drillers members - 15 Manufacturers and Suppliers members - 10 Groundwater Science members The TGWA board also approved a Nomination and Election policy. To be eligible for election or appointment to the TGWA Board of Directors, an individual must meet the following qualifications: 1. Membership Requirement: The candidate must be a current member in good standing of the Texas Groundwater Association, as defined by the Association’s bylaws, and must have been so for a minimum of 3 years prior to the time of nomination or appointment. 2. Committee Participation Requirement: a. The candidate must have actively participated as a member of at least one standing committee for a minimum of 2 years prior to the time of nomination or appointment. b. Active participation is defined as attending at least 50% of scheduled committee meetings and fulfilling any assigned responsibilities or tasks in a timely and effective manner, as determined by the chairperson of the committee. c. Must have a current board member or committee chair vouch for committee participation. 3. Commitment to the Mission: The candidate must demonstrate a commitment to the mission and values of the Texas Groundwater Association, as evidenced by their ongoing participation in organizational activities, programs, or events. 4. Skills and Expertise: The candidate should possess skills or experience that would contribute to the effective governance and strategic direction of the Association. Preferred skills include, but are not limited to, skills relevant to the work of the Board of Directors. The TGWA board may waive the committee participation requirement based on a candidate's other qualifications or experience. The TGWA Nominating Committee will verify that board candidates meet the qualifications and will advance a slate of candidates to each Division for election. Nominations for board candidates may be submitted to the TGWA Executive Director or any member of the Nominating Committee by another current member in good standing or by the nominee on the form provided by the Association. Board members whose term is expiring may seek reelection by expressing their nomination vocally to the Executive Director, Board President, or any member of the Nominating Committee. All nominations must be submitted no less than thirty (30) days before the scheduled Division meeting in which elections or appointments will take place. No nominations will be accepted from the floor. Want to join a TGWA committee? Have questions about Board of Directors nominations? Contact executive director Bobby Bazan at [email protected]. The next TGWA Board of Directors meeting will be hosted in conjunction with the Annual Convention in Lubbock on Thursday, January 30, 2025. TGWA STAFF
The Texas Groundwater Association is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024-2025 TGWA Scholarship Foundation awards. This year, 34 deserving students were awarded scholarships totaling more than $25,000. These scholarships represent our continued commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders and professionals in our state. The TGWA Scholarship Foundation awards are made possible by generous donors and the spirited participation of buyers at our annual auction who bid on items and purchase raffle tickets. This year's Scholarship Foundation auction will be hosted on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas, in conjunction with the 2025 TGWA Convention. To see the full list of awardees, visit tgwa.org/scholarship-foundation. TGWA is accepting nominations for annual awards that will be presented during the 2025 Convention in Lubbock.
Each year the Texas Groundwater Association recognizes individual members who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence and have contributed to growth of the water well industry in Texas. Complete this form to nominate an individual. Nominations are due by November 15, 2024. For a list of past awardees, visit tgwa.org/member-awards. By Theresa Davis / TGWA
The Texas Railroad Commission has proposed new rules regarding shallow closed-loop geothermal systems. A recently-passed state law transfered regulatory authority of these systems from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to the RRC. To learn how the shift could impact the groundwater industry, TGWA visited a geothermal project site at the historic Upshur County Courthouse in Gilmer, Texas. On site were TGWA board past-president and McPike Water Wells president William McPike, Looptech Geothermal president Mike Tolle, RRC Critical Infrastructure Division director Jared Ware, and IEG geothermal design director Howard Newton. Online comments are currently being accepted by RRC. Read the proposed rules and access comment forms HERE under Chapter 6 Geothermal Resources. TGWA is working with association members and geothermal groups to weigh in on the proposals. If you have any comments about these rules, please submit to executive director Bobby Bazan at [email protected] by the end of October.
On April 10, 2024, the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR) released a notice on the continuing education requirements for renewing a water well drillers or pump installers license. Here is the notice from TDLR:
The one-year Water Well Driller and Pump Installer licenses will switch to a two-year license starting on March 1, 2025. Starting on March 1, 2025, licensees will be required to complete 8 hours of continuing education – including 1 hour of instruction covering the Water Well Driller/Pump Installer statutes and rules – during that two-year license term. Licensees who currently hold a one-year license and will renew that license before February 28, 2025, must complete 4 hours of continuing education and will be issued a two-year license. The next time they renew their license, they will have to complete the 8 hours of continuing education. Interim Executive Director Brian E. Francis signed an executive memo allowing TDLR to continue to accept the four hours of continuing education for one-year licensees instead of requiring them to complete the 8 hours. The TGWA Board of Directors and staff would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to the Felder family as they mourn the passing of their beloved patriarch Raymond Felder.
Raymond Dean Felder, 82, of Angleton, Texas passed away peacefully in Houston, Texas, on February 13, 2024, with loved ones by his side. He was born on January 29, 1942, to Daniel Clarence and Alice Cornelia (Van Brook) Felder in Houston, Texas. He graduated from Angleton High School in 1960 and went on to study at Southwest Business College in Houston. He married Vera Elizabeth Reagan in 1961, and they made their home and raised their three children in Angleton for 31 years. Raymond was employed at Pfeiffer Electric and Dow Chemical and eventually obtained his master electrician license (IBEW 716) while drilling and servicing water wells on the weekends with his father. He obtained his master water well driller and pump installer’s license and took over the reins of the water well business around 1973. Over the years, Raymond was involved with and served on various boards and was a past president of the Texas Groundwater Association. TGWA is excited to announce the hiring of Roberto “Bobby” A. Bazan Jr. as its new
Executive Director, effective January 3, 2023. Bobby is currently the Water Resource Management Specialist at the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District, where he has worked to manage a monitoring well network, analyze groundwater data, and engage in outreach and education related to water wells and aquifers for nearly a decade. Prior to his time at the groundwater district, Bobby worked as a hydrologist for the U.S. Forest Service – Rocky Mountain Research Station. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where he holds a B.S. in Agricultural Systems Management and an M.S. in Water Management and Hydrological Science. He is also a graduate of the Texas Water Foundation’s Texas Water Leaders Program and currently serves as an officer of the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts. |
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November 2024
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