Spring Council Meeting Update
NWSEO Restructures – Adds Two New Regions
NWSEO Meets with Ranking member of CJS subcommittee Congressman Fattah –
Highlights the Importance of ITO Positions at each WFO
(March 23, 2012) The NWSEO National Council met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 10 and 11 for their annual meeting to discuss NWSEO issues and direction. A complete report of the Spring Council Meeting is available on the NWSEO Convention News page at http://nwseo.org/convention.php
Highlights of the meeting include a meeting with Congressman Chaka Fattah and the restructuring of NWSEO to add two new regions.
NWSEO adds Two New Regions: NCEP and NWS Headquarters Regions
The NWSEO National Council held a discussion on how to best ensure that all members had union representation. In the past two years, NWSEO membership at NWS Headquarters has grown from 24 to 100 members. NCEP membership now exceeds 120 members. In the past, Executive Vice President Bill Hopkins has represented NCEP in addition to his full time duties as the NWSEO’s vice president. At Headquarters, Steve Pritchett has represented NWS HQ, fulfilling the entire role of regional chair without the title. The recent growth in membership in these areas is placing demands that require a regional chair to ensure representation.
The National Council felt it was important to provide representation and discussed ways to create the regions with no additional cost to NWSEO, since the new regions were not in the annual budget. After lengthy discussion and input from all members of the National Council, it was decided to create the two regions, and replace the annual Spring Council Meeting (SCM) with quarterly call-in meetings, including all regions, to discuss National issues. Additionally, the National Council will add one to one-and-one-half additional days before and/or after the National Convention to conduct a National Council Meeting. The cost saving from the elimination of the SCM should allow for the creation of 2 additional regions plus costs.
NWS HQ and NCEP will each become a region and will have an election and vote for Regional Chairs at the National Convention.
NWSEO Meets with Ranking member of CJS subcommittee Congressman Fattah –
Highlights the Importance of ITO Positions at each WFO
NWSEO was honored to have Representative Chaka Fattah, (D-PA) attend the Spring Council Meeting. Congressman Fattah is the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee. NWSEO Regional Chairs introduced themselves and explained the work they do specific to weather and geographical issues of their region. NWSEO President Dan Sobien made a passionate plea for the Congressman’s help in preserving the Information Technology Officer (ITO) positions. The meeting focused on important role the WFO ITOs play in the Agency’s mission of protecting lives and property.
NWSEO General Counsel Richard Hirn told the Congressman that the NWS is already implementing the plan to cut ITO positions before Congress gets a chance to weigh in on the issue. He explained that currently NWS is not filling ITO positions across the country when they become vacant. Dan Sobien told the Congressman that there are rumblings of more budget cuts to the NWS in Fiscal Year 2014 and the elimination of other NWS positions could be coming.
Congressman Fattah listened to the National Council with great interest. He later showed his understanding and support of the work of the ITO and the NWS at the March 20 budget hearing and in an article in Wednesday’s edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
For a complete report of the discussion and work at the Spring Council Meeting, visit the NWSEO Convention News page at http://nwseo.org/convention.php.
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March 21, 2012
Charleston City Paper, Paul Bowers reports:
Obama budget would eliminate IT jobs at National Weather Service
Pictured: Rep. Chaka Fattah with the NWSEO National Council on March 10, 2012
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