President's Message By Michael Rogers

Commissioners help us spread the word to your local government officials. Invite them to join AEA with you.

AEA is not for Authorities only.
In the forties and fifties, when the Sewerage Authority and Municipal Utilities Authority statutes (40:14-A and 40:14-B) were created, the idea was to create publicly owned entities which would be dedicated to providing these vital services outside the municipal or county budget. They would rely on water, sewer and/or solid waste revenues derived from direct billing of the customers for those services provided. In the half century plus since their advent, these "environmental Authorities" continue to treat and deliver potable water, collect, treat and dispose of sewage and collect, recycle and dispose of solid wastes, all in an environmentally friendly manner and in accordance with increasingly stricter regulations.

Many municipalities and some counties, however, provide these services themselves. They are faced with the same challenges as the Authorities are in addition to providing other municipal services with limited budgets. It makes sense that municipalities be able to take advantage of what the AEANJ has to offer. So, to those municipalities and counties who manage their own water, sewer and/or solid waste systems, we say:

Take a look at the Association of Environmental Authorities of New Jersey.

AEANJ…we are not for Authorities only.

If you are a municipality with significant infrastructure investments in water, waste water or solid waste facilities and services, then you need to belong to AEA. We focus on the trends, the issues, the pending regulations and the proposed legislative changes that effect how you deliver services to your citizens. Receiving timely information that enables you to comment on onerous and expensive overregulation before it hits your municipal/county budget is a benefit to you and your tax payers. More and more local budget increases are caused by state regulatory agencies increasing the responsibilities of the local permit holder. Finding ways to manage these increases and reduce the operational cost of environmental facilities is the focus of AEA.

AEA is a problem solving organization. The chairs of AEA's seven regulatory committees review and facilitate negotiations with NJDEP. The association has hired special consultants to draft comments to complex rule proposals and will do so again if needed. Members receive regular emails about the issues that most concern them.

Our contracted government affairs consultant, Dave Smith of Princeton Public Affairs Group brings our message to legislators and guides us in taking positions on legislation that directly affect water, waste water and solid waste services.

Several one day technical conferences are held annually for operations managers. Through these conferences, AEA seeks to get members thinking and problem solving together. These topics are as valuable to you as the superintendent of your utilities.

As a municipal member of AEA you will learn many techniques to save on operating expenses, as well as save money on vital research and technical comments funded through a group effort. You will recoup the $950 dues investment through TCH credits, two complimentary conference registrations and in good ideas to implement.

Authorities welcome municipal managers and superintendents; the more brains and energy in the association the better. We have so much in common: being directly answerable to the local citizens for good or bad service, being individuals who live and work in the community being served, caring about keeping the user rate/tax rate low, and simply wanting to see the job done right and the environment protected.

With today's concern for securing and restoring infrastructure services being so prominent, water, waste water, and solid waste managers have to work together and get connected. AEA can do that for you.

Get connected and join AEANJ. Call us at (609) 584-1877.