Executive Board

2024 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

As we embark on this new year together, it is with great honour that I step into the role as your 2023-2024 MEA President. The MEA continues to demonstrate itself as a significant and vibrant organization in the sector of local government services providing sound municipal engineering advice covering almost every corner of our province.

I take immense pride in the accomplishments of the MEA over the past few years. We have made remarkable progress in advancing our core initiatives and expanding into new areas. This encompasses our collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP) on the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA), the continuous enhancement of our training programs for Ontario Provincial Standards (OPS), the expansion of our membership base, and the outstanding efforts of our dedicated volunteers serving on various committees. These achievements speak to the great work our Association does and signify our commitment to growth, excellence, and the meaningful impact we strive to make within our province.

The MEA has always relied on the strength of our members and our Board of Directors. I am very pleased to welcome Joe de Koning from Wellington County and Tara Blasioli from the City of Ottawa to the Board. I look forward to working with you and encourage you to share your insights, and actively participate in our collective journey on the Board.

It is with mixed emotions that we bid farewell to Jason Cole and Amanda Froese from the Board of Directors, and Amin Mneina, Technical Services Coordinator. Their passion and commitment to the MEA exemplify the driving force behind our Association. I have appreciated working with them and getting to know them over our time together. As they move on, we express our deepest gratitude for their service and wish them continued success in their future endeavors.

The MEA operates seamlessly due to the hard work of MEA staff Dan Cozzi - Executive Director; Paul Knowles – MCEA Advisor; Kate Crouse - MEA Administrative Support. And soon we will be hiring a full-time Technical Services Coordinator to join the team. The invaluable contributions of our staff, often conducted behind the scenes, form the backbone of the MEA. I am grateful for their unwavering support. If you have any questions regarding any aspect of the MEA, I encourage you to reach out to our Executive Director. Our staff are fantastic resources, and we are very fortunate to have them working on behalf of the MEA.

A big thank you to the City of Sarnia and Lambton County for being gracious hosts and putting on an incredible 63^rd Annual MEA Conference. I’m looking forward to seeing you all next fall in the City of Ottawa for the 2024 Conference with the theme: “River Resilience”.

This is an exciting time to be part of the MEA, as there are a lot of great things underway. As we look towards the coming year, I have outlined ambitious objectives for our Association. These encompass a continued focus on our core initiatives, namely the MCEA and OPS, while also broadening the horizons of MEA and exploring new avenues for growth. This includes the ongoing progression of our OPS training initiatives which remains a cornerstone for 2024. Additionally, I am eagerly anticipating our forthcoming collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation and shared staffing resource to maintain OPS.

Our diverse array of committees plays a vital role, and the Board is committed to not only supporting them but also seeking new ways to foster connections. This year, our objective is to review the MEA committees and work at ways to forge closer collaborations and enhance communications.

Other areas of focus for the Board for the coming year involve expansion of our training course program, developing an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion policy, and the continued growth of our membership. Furthermore, the Board plans to review our staffing levels within the MEA and refine our succession planning to ensure the enduring success of our Association for years to come. Together, we are dedicated to upholding MEA's prominent position as a leader in municipal engineering within the province.

To the MEA Board of Directors, I am filled with gratitude for the dedication and commitment each one of you has shown to the MEA. I look forward to our year together and the great things we are going to accomplish. It is an honour to serve as your president and witness the collective efforts that drive the MEA’s progress. Let us continue to work together, inspire one another, and make a lasting difference.

Thank you for allowing me to serve this term as your MEA President. I look forward to working with the current Board to engage and support our membership throughout this upcoming year. Wishing you a good and successful 2024. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to reach out to me at any time by email at president@municipalengineers.on.ca .

Sincerely,

Matthew Miedema, P.Eng.

President - Municipal Engineers Association

(Project Engineer, City of Thunder Bay)

2023-2024 Board of Directors