From the President

Ellen Hughes

AWBD Board of Trustees, President

Dear AWBD Family,

“The key to fitting in is participation.” I stole this quote from my Pastor at Church. Over the years, he used this phrase to impress upon the congregation the importance of doing more than just sitting in a pew on Sunday.

In my role as President of AWBD, I hope to impress upon you how important education and participation are to our communities. Virtual or In-Person, participating in AWBD’s educational opportunities are more convenient and even higher quality.

If you are reading this letter, please make 2022 the year you fully explore all AWBD’s educational offerings. If you’ve never attended a conference, attend one this year. If you’ve never attended Spring breakfast, sign up today. What about monthly virtual Parks meetings? Have you taken advantage of all the great programming we have in our growing video library on our website? Step outside of your comfort zone a bit and try participating in at least one way you have never attempted before.

Why am I so passionate about education? Because serving those communities that elected us is a great honor and responsibility. No matter how long you have served, there is always something new to learn. New directors sometimes feel like they are drinking from a fire hose in their educational journey. As a director on my MUD for over 26 years, I am still learning. When I first became a director in 1996, MUDs did not have websites, park bonds didn’t exist, and lead and copper rules were definitely not a topic of conversation. As our industry moves forward, changes, evolves and is faced with new challenges and regulations, we must all take our education journey seriously. It doesn’t matter where you are – Year 1 or Year 27 – we all must keep learning.

My other passion is AWBD Membership. AWBD is the best investment a special district can make for its directors. It pains me to think there are MUD’s who have never heard of AWBD or have any idea that AWBD even exists. These districts are operating in silos with no education or networking opportunities, going it alone with no way to connect or learn from the industry. Some districts have been AWBD members, attended conferences, read the Journal, and then made a conscious decision that AWBD is not “their cup of tea”. While regrettable, at least these districts gave it a shot.

This desire to help fellow directors navigate challenges is what has led us to a create a new feature you may have seen on our website with a nautical theme, titled “Chart Your District’s Course”. This webpage is part of a larger campaign with matching mailers that launches a new initiative to find those districts who don’t know what AWBD has to offer and encourage them to join. We want new members and old to find and enjoy everything AWBD has to offer. Numerous committees, including Membership and Communications, have worked hand in hand with our talented staff to bring the Board’s vision to reality.

By constantly learning and improving—by participating—we as directors help our residents and industry thrive in our vibrant communities across Texas. H