Sunday, September 9, 5–7 p.m.
This year's Get Acquainted Party for attendees, spouses and guests will be held at La Villita—San Antonio's first neighborhood of Spanish soldiers. The area was also occupied by European immigrants of French and German descent and this cultural variety is reflected in the diverse architectural styles. Today La Villita is an eclectic mix of shops, art galleries, historic preservations and restaurants. This melding of traditional and modern will serve as an ideal setting for getting to know your APWA colleagues.

Sunday, September 9, 7:30–9:30 a.m. (Breakfast provided)
If you are attending the APWA Congress for the first time, please join us at the First-Timers Meeting. You’ll hear greetings from the APWA President and Executive Director; learn how to get the most out of your dollar and time investment in Congress; learn all about the educational sessions and tracks that APWA offers; learn how to use the exhibits to your advantage; understand how to scan the Congress program to find what you need; and in the process, make some lifelong acquaintances of public works people from around the world. The First-Timers Meeting is coordinated by the APWA Diversity Committee, and sponsored by Rinker Materials Hydro Conduit.

Wednesday, September 12, 6:30 p.m.
Join your APWA family and friends for an evening of celebration at the Congress Banquet. The evening will begin with a reception followed by dinner and some of the best entertainment San Antonio has to offer. When the house lights are turned down and the stage lights come up on the Rick Cavender band, you will feel that “Texas Connection”! This band delivers a great show, specializing in Contemporary and Classic Country, but also performing great Vintage Rock ‘n Roll and Tejano selections. And watch out, you may just believe you’ve seen Elvis! Rick is well-known as the ultimate King of Rock ‘n Roll, doing one of the best Elvis impersonations you will ever see. The Rick Cavender Band has opened and performed with some of the hottest stars in music—George Strait, Alabama, Tanya Tucker, Alan Jackson, Willie Nelson, and Glen Campbell to name a few. Come to this year’s banquet ready to be entertained!

Monday, September 10, 5–7 p.m.
Join your colleagues by attending the 2007 APWA Awards Ceremony as individuals, agencies and corporations will be honored for their valuable contributions to and innovations in the public works industry. APWA leaders will present awards to recipients during the ceremony, with a celebratory reception to immediately follow. Among the awards to be presented include; the Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year, Projects of the Year and Professional Manager of the Year. For more information contact Rhonda Wilhite at rwilhite@apwa.net.

Monday, September 10, 7–8:15 a.m. (Separate fee and registration required.)
APWA recognizes the growing number of women who have made public works their career of choice. This breakfast is a great opportunity to discuss the developing role of women in the profession and to network with your peers.

APWA has worked with the San Antonio host committee to identify municipal projects that can serve as live learning models. Technical Tours supplement the traditional classroom-lecture format and give you a first-hand view of best practices. Please note that some tour sizes are limited. Registrations are confirmed on a first-come/first-served basis. Tours with insufficient attendance may be cancelled. Refunds will be given for any cancelled tour. Click here for listing of tours and for more information.

Wednesday, September 12
Stay on top of the latest NPDES news and other stormwater regulation compliance trends by attending this summit geared specifically to the interests and needs of public works directors and public agency stormwater managers. All this for no additional charge when you register for the full week.

Wednesday, September 12
You asked for it, here it is... your opportunity to delve deeper into cutting-edge topics, featuring expert speakers in a workshop format. Among the workshop topics you'll be able to choose from:

• Training the Public Works Trainer (Wednesday Workshop)
• Back to Basics - World Class Hiring, Orientation, Training, and Evaluation to Create and Meet Performance Standards (Morning Workshop)
• Equipment Replacement Strategies and Fleet Charge-Back Systems: What Do I Need to Know? (Wednesday Workshop)
• Managing the Urban Forest 101 (Wednesday Workshop)
• Pre-Planning Traffic Incident Response at High-Accident Intersections (Wednesday Workshop)
• Telling Your Story! Gaining Community Respect through Effective Public Outreach and Media Relations (Wednesday Workshop)
• A Demo! Innovative Street Reconstruction Technologies (Wednesday Workshop/Onsite Demonstration)
• San Antonio River Improvements Project (Wednesday Workshop/Onsite Demonstration)

• Back to Basics - World Class Hiring, Orientation, Training, and Evaluation to Create and Meet Performance Standards (Afternoon Workshop)
• Beyond Brochures – Community-Based Social Marketing (Wednesday Workshop)
• Public Works: Planning for and Responding to a Terrorism/WMD Incident (Wednesday Workshop)
• Intelligent Transportation System Related Projects - TransGuide/ Signal Pre-emption/Reversible Lanes(Wednesday Workshop/Onsite Demonstration)

Monday, Sept. 10 from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. and
Tuesday, Sept. 11 from 2 – 5 p.m.
Main Entrance Lobby

Do you have 45 minutes to spare to save the life of another person? Did you know that every three seconds someone needs blood? One single donation can save as many as three lives — and there is NO substitute for human blood.

APWA is proud to partner with the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center (www.bloodntissue.org), a not-for-profit center responsible for supplying blood and tissue to 100 hospitals and clinics in 43 counties.

It’s quick and easy! Prospective donors must first complete a health history questionnaire and go through a screening process. During the screening process a technician will take important vital signs, such as blood pressure, temperature, and an iron check. If all the requirements are met, a unit of blood is drawn from the donor. The actual blood collection takes approximately 15 – 20 minutes. The entire process from when you sign in to the time you leave takes about 45 minutes to one hour.

Anyone age 17 years or older, who weighs at least 110 pounds and is in good general health, may donate. Photo identification is required before beginning the donation process. (Some health conditions or medications may temporarily or permanently prevent persons from donating blood.)

Please join us in this vital effort. Come by the main entrance lobby, roll up your sleeve and save a life!

For 2007, APWA has updated its annual Emerging Public Works Leaders Program. The program will begin on Saturday evening, September 8, and related special events and sessions will be held throughout Congress. The Emerging Leaders program is designed as a mentoring program for first-time Congress attendees who are either supervisors or employees with less than five years of experience in the field. These individuals are paired with experienced public works professionals who will encourage career development, provide networking training, and help first-timers get the most benefit from the APWA Congress and Exposition.

Limited Enrollment
A maximum of 50 participants—with less than five years experience in public works or public works supervision—will be accepted to participate in this program. Selection will be made on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the date that the completed application was received at APWA headquarters.

Individual Criteria
The primary qualification for participation in the Emerging Public Works Leaders Program is that the applicant has never attended a previous APWA Congress and Exposition. Membership in APWA is NOT a requirement.

Registration Fees
Emerging Leaders participants will pay a special reduced registration fee of $325 (a $225 savings!) which includes the Emerging Leaders Program, Congress registration, and a ticket to the Banquet on Wednesday evening.

Mentors Needed
Are you interested in helping shape the career of an up-and-coming public works professional? APWA needs experienced members of the profession to serve as mentors for new public works emerging leaders. All approved mentors must register and pay the full registration fees to attend Congress and will receive special recognition from APWA.

Application Deadline
All applications must be received by APWA by August 1, 2007. For a complete packet of information on the Emerging Public Works Leaders Program, please contact Ann Daniels at 816-595-5223 or adaniels@apwa.net.

NOTE: This program is not intended to be a traditional mentoring program, nor is it a chapter leadership development course. The Emerging Leaders in Public Works Program provides a limited mentor/protégé relationship during the International Public Works Congress and Exposition to help individuals understand the complex world of public works.

Saturday, September 08, 2007
8:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
(Separate fee required. See registration form.)

Are your performance and productivity levels of operations as high as you want them to be? Have you really reviewed them with your staff to see what improvement might be made? This workshop is designed to help you examine and evaluate your agency’s current management policies and procedures. You’ll learn how to target the problem areas, identify opportunities, and improve the overall effectiveness of any public works operations. If you are already using the Management Practices Manual to prepare for accreditation, the new format will give you hands-on training. This workshop is designed for public works directors, managers, supervisors, and accreditation managers, as well as municipal administrators performing public works functions.

APWA and the San Antonio Neighborhood Action Department Team Together!

Saturday, September 8, 2007
Plan to arrive early in San Antonio and assist the city’s Neighborhood Action Department in a very special community-wide APWA Legacy project. The event will be held on Saturday, September 8th at multiple locations around San Antonio and will involve assisting elderly and disadvantaged citizens with projects such as building ramps, cleaning, yard work, painting, minor repairs, etc. Volunteers will meet in a central location and be transported to the individual sites. Please contact Kristina Ramirez at 254-742-2110 or kramirez@burypartners.com for more information.