It’s almost time to resume the short session of the legislature. Legislative Council will be meeting at the end of this month to determine how the session will be structured. With COVID numbers growing there is a sense that we may return to Zoom committee meetings and infrequent meetings of the entire legislative body to keep the process moving forward. It was not the best example of democracy last session, but like everyone else, we will adapt to the situation.
We have scheduled a legislative reception at the Senator Inn on January 27, subject to COVID restrictions, and it will be an important time to meet with legislators and establish connections. Interactions with constituents is our best tool for achieving a successful legislative session (particularly under COVID restrictions). The strength of our organizations’ advocacy is a combination of staff’s lobbying in the hallways combined with you holding your representatives’ feet to the fire. At the reception we will provide breakfast and a light program with speakers from each of our sectors. We encourage you to bring your coworkers or other guests to provide a variety of conversations at each of the breakfast tables. The Northeast Lumber Manufacturers Association will be joining us in sponsoring the festivities. If you can think of anything you want to include in our information packets, please let Sue know. Immediately following the reception, we will be holding our Board of Directors meeting. Again, if COVID restrictions limit gatherings, we will let you know, and we will prepare some regional ZOOM outreach events. Save the Date- Legislative Reception -January 27, 2022.
Roberta Scruggs announced at the last board meeting that she would be moving on from the council and we wish her well after almost 9 years of exceptional service to the membership. In the announcement below you will see the executive committee has approved my recommendation to hire a deputy director to reflect the need for both a communications professional, but also someone to assume additional legislative and association management responsibilities. The Executive Committee has been focused on succession planning, and as members we should be encouraging the next generation of leaders in your companies by bringing another member of your company to a council event or board meeting.
We will be gearing up for the next legislative session, activating the policy committee and testing out our new legislation management system. I look forward to representing you and directing you to opportunities where you can make a big contribution to our industry. In the meantime, enjoy the holidays and stay safe.
Patrick