PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

Connecting Over the Holidays

December 2013

Happy holidays everyone!

December Meeting Dinner at Giuseppe's in SLO on 12/13/2013

LA Section, ASCE Region 9

I love the holidays for the connections and kindness they inspire. It’s a perfect time to express gratitude to our communities and support systems.

With that said, I’m very grateful for our ASCE community. We have a strong sense of unity and support among us. And believe it or not, that support system is more complex and extensive than you might imagine. Our ASCE community starts here in San Luis Obispo and includes a diverse network of engineers from all arenas: public and private, application and institution, student and professional. But it also reaches out regionally, statewide and globally.

Over the past decade or so, our Branch Board has been trying to improve connectivity with our “parent” entity, the Los Angeles ASCE Section. The Section represents seven Branches: Desert Area (Mono and Inyo), San Bernardino/ Riverside, Orange County, Metropolitan Los Angeles, Southern San Joaquin, Santa Barbara/ Ventura and SLO. It’s the second largest ASCE Section with roughly 8,000 members (for comparison, SLO has 275+ professional and 300+ student members). The Board of Directors stands at the helm of the Section. This includes the elected Section Officers as well as Directors representing each Branch (held by the Branch President) and subsidiary groups, such as YMF. Historically, Section Board meetings have taken place in Los Angeles or Orange counties. Our remote location makes it difficult for our local Branch President to attend and creates a bit of disconnect with our regional community.

Last week we broke new ground. Our Branch hosted the Los Angeles Section Board’s December meeting. Section Directors traveled as far as 300 miles to SLO to discuss current issues and operations. To celebrate this monumental step, 20+ members representing the Society Board of Direction, Region 9, LA Section, SLO Branch, YMF, and Student Chapter (and of course, supportive spouses!) enjoyed dinner in downtown SLO. Yaz Emrani, Section President, like our Board, encourages institution of new practices that develop and strengthen our connections between all levels of ASCE. I hope to see future Branch Presidents, Boards, and members fostering a sense of community with our neighbors in southern California. There’s a great ocean of potential waiting as we begin to open doors to our ASCE neighbors, both locally and regionally. I encourage you to open your door and welcome in communities and support systems around you - old and new, near and far!

A special thanks to Kyle Anderson for posing the idea of hosting the Section meeting, and to our Branch Board (especially Steve Tanaka, Anthony Severy, and Wes Thomson!) for coordinating the meeting and travel accommodations. And of course, to all of the individuals who spent their Friday evening welcoming and celebrating with our wonderful guests. This event certainly will leave a lasting impression on our partners and will foster a stronger, growing community.

Enjoy your holidays everyone! I look forward to connecting with you in the new year!

Carolyn K. Berg, P.E.

2013/14 Branch President

YMF NEWSLETTER: FALL 2013, LA SECTION

The Fall 2013 newsletter for the LA Section (of which this branch is a member) was recently published. Take a look to find out what they've been up to, including highlights from the LA Aqueduct Tour:

http://free.yudu.com/item/details/1534385/ASCE-LA-Section-YMF-Fall-2013

BRANCH MEETING: DECEMBER 2013

ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS: CAL POLY INDIA TRIP

For the past 5 years, the Cal Poly Engineers Without Borders student chapter has been working hard to develop a relationship with a remote village in Northeastern India. Year after year, a group of students travel to the village with a faculty mentor and a professional mentor. The initial trips were primarily to assess the needs of the community and determine what type of project would provide the greatest benefit to the community. Based on these assessments, sanitation was determined to be severely lacking in the village, leading to health issues.

The village of Sainji is located in the Uttarakhand region of India, northeast of Delhi, and sits at the top of a bluff located at the base of the Himalayas. Approximately 250 people currently reside in the village. The nearest town is approximately 40 minutes away, with limited vehicular access. Most of the people in the village are outcasts and live in extreme poverty. They farm corn in terraced crops located on the hillside below the village. As is common in remote villages like Sainji, sanitation facilities are few and far between. Approximately half of the homes don’t have bathroom facilities of any sort. This has led to some serious health problems, primarily diarrhea and intestinal diseases.

In 2011, Brianna Daniels was asked to join the team on their annual trip to Sainji as the professional mentor. Brianna graduated from Cal Poly in 2000 and is currently a principal engineer with Penfield & Smith. Leaving behind her family to live in Sainji for a full month was difficult, but it was an opportunity that she could not pass up. She will be sharing some of her experiences and details of the project’s current status during our next meeting.

LOCATION:

Rosa’s Italian Restaurant
491 Price Street
Pismo Beach, CA 93449

DATE & TIME:

Thursday, December 19, 2013

12:00 p.m.

MENU:

Family Style meal including salad, Summer Pasta with sautéed chicken (includes fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and basil) and Pasta California (Vegetarian) with artichoke hearts (includes sun dried tomatoes, shitake mushrooms, over penne pasta in a light cream sauce).

RESERVATIONS:

Please sign up by 1:00 p.m. Friday, December 13^th, at the Branch web site (www.ASCESLO.org). Please attend the luncheon if you sign-up – some restaurants will charge the Branch for every seat we reserve, regardless of the actual attendance. If you have specific dietary restrictions or have questions, please contact Ryan Hayes, ASCE Secretary at rhayes@rickengineering.com or (805) 544-0707. The cost is $20 for members and guests and $10 for students.

ASCE Region 9 Membership and Improving Student Transition by Gregg Fiegel

One of our local members, Gregg Fiegel, was recently published in the December 2013 LA Section newsletter. His article focuses on fostering student transitions to YMFs/ Professional ASCE. It is a well thought out discussion that we hope will serve to encourage our local efforts here in San Luis Obispo. His article can be found on page 8 of the PDF linked below:

http://www.ascelasection.org/images/uploads/196847-ASCE_Newsletter_(Dec).pdf

K-12 OUTREACH – CAREER DAY 1/31/14

Are you brimming with excitement over the career you chose?  Do you find yourself sharing interesting facts about Civil Engineering at each possible chance? 

SLO High School has invited ASCE to participate for another year in its Annual Career Fair—the perfect opportunity to convey your love of Civil Engineering to fresh, young minds.

What?              Career Fair Booth

When?             January 31, 2014, 8:15 to 11:00 a.m.

Where?            SLO High School

Who?               10^th – 12^th graders

Volunteers simply need to show up (either for a couple of hours or the entire session, depending on your availability) and be ready to get kids excited about exploring engineering.  The career fair is a rare opportunity for our K-12 Outreach Program to engage a very large group (500+ students) in one setting. This is an exciting time for young people as they become inspired about their possible futures.

SIGN UP TODAY!  Contact Cara Martinez at (805) 503-4526 or caram@cannoncorp.us for more information or to become one of our booth volunteers!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR LOCAL YMF

San Luis Obispo Younger Member Forum Awarded for State Public Affairs Grant Proposal

A BIG congratulations to Kyle and the YMF Board who received $1000 SPAG grant to conduct a SLO Co Infrastructure Report card!  More details to follow as they move forward. For now, be sure to congratulate Kyle Anderson and our YMF leaders on this big success!

PROFILES: CITY OF SLO, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, DARYL GRIGSBY (PART 1/2)

Daryl Grigsby

Photo by: Brian Minami

Written by: Stephanie Hunting

This month’s "Meet the Member" article is taking a bit of a different turn – we’re introducing you to the City of San Luis Obispo’s newest Public Works Director, Daryl Grigsby. Daryl’s story is an illustration as to how hard work, a willingness to learn, and a passion for people can lead to a fulfilling career and life.

Daryl’s journey started in 1978 in San Diego, where he worked for a non-profit that specialized in providing jobs for developmentally disabled adults. While at the nonprofit, he worked with a man who always seemed full of life and energy. When Darryl asked his associate his secret, the response changed Daryl’s life. Darryl’s co-worker said he was a cyclist, and cycling into work each morning started his day off right. With his co-worker’s encouragement, Daryl started riding to work as well, taking it slow and building his endurance. Eventually, he began making the 17-mile trek to work on his bike every morning and catching the bus home.

Daryl’s passion for his work at the non-profit was personally satisfying, but the pay was lacking – especially because he was newly married with a little one on the way. Through a neighbor, Daryl heard about a job opening as an administrative analyst working for the City of San Diego. Out of the staggering 2,000 applicants, he was one of five selected interviewees. He ultimately gained the position through his work with the non-profit. From this role, Daryl began his upward trajectory though the City’s government. This was just the beginning of a path of civil and public works service that included stops in Seattle and Pomona before his eventual move to the Central Coast.

Daryl currently lives in Shell Beach with his wife, Leslie, who works as a hospice social worker, whom he says “provides perspective.” In regards to his new location/work environment, “I can’t complain about anything,” he says. Daryl plays drums in his neighborhood band and even has a djembe – a type of hand-played West African drum. A lover of “straight-ahead jazz” (which he is quick to define against “smooth jazz”), he is also gaining proficiency with the upright bass.

When he’s not preoccupied with public works directives, Daryl loves to read (he’s got quite the review history on goodreads.com) and has even published several of his own books. He has an M.A. in Theology and Pastoral Studies, and he continues to study theology while also reaching out to children through mentorship and tutoring programs. His focus often revolves around children who face obstacles with their education. Daryl also founded the San Diego African-American Authors and Writers Association, which meets and organizes activities such as children’s poetry contests. Established in the 1980s, this group is still active three decades later.

Daryl was recently designated as a Public Works Leadership Fellow by the American Public Works Association (APWA). As one of only 246 fellows, Daryl will mentor public works professionals enrolled in APWA’s Leadership Excellence program.

Quality of life and sustainability are fundamental contributors to peoples’ sense of fulfillment and value, Daryl says. It’s important to be a part of organizations as a means of achieving personal growth and making connections with others, or learning from peers and networking.

“The most enjoyable thing about management is dealing with people,” Daryl says. He typically finds the people with whom he works and does business more memorable than his actual projects, and he makes it a point to meet with each of his employees for at least 20 minutes to get to know them and their stories. To Daryl, people’s back stories are among their most fascinating attributes. Individuals’ personal depth and multiple layers allow them to “move beyond their names and titles,” he says. If you get a chance, take a minute to introduce yourself to Daryl and share your story (and learn more about his). You’ll be glad you did, and you might just find yourself with a new friend. 

BRANCH MEETING: NOVEMBER 2013

LOS OSOS WASTEWATER PROJECT

The Los Osos sewer project has been a local controversy since the 1970’s.  More than 30 years after the regulatory mandate to build a community sewer, the project is finally on a path to success.  Construction has been underway for more than a year and the largest portion of the $173 million project, the collection system pipelines, are nearing completion.  The completed project will convert about 5,000 homes and businesses from septic systems to a community wastewater system.  The project includes 49 miles of pipelines and 21 pump stations.  The water recycling facility will have a capacity of 1.2 million gallons per day, and all of the wastewater will be treated to Title 22 tertiary standards and reused within the community.  The project is scheduled to be ready for connections in about 2 years.

John Waddell is San Luis Obispo County's project manager for the Los Osos sewer project. He has been with County for 13 years and has been working on the Los Osos project since 2006. Prior to his involvement in the sewer project, his experience includes design and construction of various public works utility and transportation projects. John is a graduate of Cal Poly with a degree in environmental engineering. 

LOCATION:

Sea Pines Golf Resort

1945 Solano Street, Los Osos, CA 93402

DATE & TIME:

Thursday, November 21, 2013

12:00 p.m.

MENU:

Sandwich buffet with choice of turkey, ham or roast beef, and all the toppings.  Served with fresh green salad, homemade potato salad and drinks.

RESERVATIONS:

Please sign up by 1:00 p.m. Friday, November 15^th, at the Branch web site (www.ASCESLO.org). Please attend the luncheon if you sign-up – some restaurants will charge the Branch for every seat we reserve, regardless of the actual attendance. If you have specific dietary restrictions or have questions, please contact Ryan Hayes, ASCE Secretary at rhayes@rickengineering.com or (805) 544-0707. The cost is $20 for members and guests and $10 for students.

PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

The year has flown past and the holidays are upon us. I don’t know about you, but my perception of how quickly time passes seems to increase each year. And so I find it increasingly important to reflect on the past year and to think about what to do moving forward.

In light of that, we recently asked our Branch Members (you!) to help by completing a membership survey. Over 50 responses came in. A few take away points:

- Branch meetings, networking, professional development and technical tours/seminars opportunities all equally motivate local engineers to be members.

- Members are primarily interested in technical site visits and professional development activities; though many are also interested in K-12 outreach, Cal Poly mentorship, YMF, etc.

- Members would like more networking opportunities (especially happy hours).

- Most members have not visited our new Branch blog yet. (Please take a moment to explore it today: http://asceslo.blogspot.com/).

- Oh, and fun fact, a majority of members identified themselves as practicing water resources and/or construction. (Way to go water!)

After seeing the results, our Branch Board considered current activities and ways to improve our Branch. We discussed increasing our networking and fostering connectivity between members. We brainstormed potential joint events that would help form relationships between Cal Poly SCE, the new Younger Member Forum and our Branch members. And we focused on the importance of providing technical opportunities – whether through tours, seminars, or other events. Of course, we also plan to continue our usual annual activities: Branch meetings, K-12 outreach, Cal Poly resume review/ mentoring opportunities, etc. We look forward to forming these ideas into actions, and hope that you will join us.

Thank you all for taking the time to provide feedback! Your thoughts and interests are always welcomed and encouraged.

Carolyn K. Berg
ASCE SLO Branch President

MEETING RECAP - OCTOBER 2013

San Clemente Dam Removal and River Re-route

Presented by Jeffery Szytel and Dylan Wade of Water Systems Consulting

Hosted at Pappy McGregor's, San Luis Obispo

10/17/2013

October’s meeting featured Jeff Szytel and Dylan Wade of Water Systems Consulting, Inc. (WSC) speaking about WSC’s role in the San Clemente Dam Removal and River Re-route project.  The 106-foot high concrete arch dam was built in 1921.  Located approximately 18.5 miles from the ocean, the reservoir had become over 90% filled with sediment, and the dam was deemed seismically unsafe by the California Division of Safety of Dams.  By removing the dam and restoring the river, safety issues will be permanently resolved, and native species are expected to repopulate.  Known as the largest dam removal and river restoration project in the history of California, this $83 million, multi-stakeholder, design-build project currently underway is being managed (project management and construction management) by WSC.  Mr. Szytel and Mr. Wade spoke about the project design, funding and multi-stakeholder process, construction considerations, restoration goals and approaches, and the lasting benefits to the Carmel River.  Thanks to Mr. Szytel and Mr. Wade!

(L to R)

Jeff Szytel and Dylan Wade, Water Systems Consulting (WSC)

PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE: PART 2/2

September / October 2013
President's Perspective

by Carolyn Berg

President, 2013-2014

Here I stand, at the beginning of my sixth year with our ASCE Branch Board. Within a mere blink of the years, it has been my good fortune of getting to know our local civil engineering community, of being inspired by the dedicated individuals involved in our Branch and of growing personally as a community member and a leader. Throughout those years I have witnessed true testaments to dedication, enthusiasm and genuine interest in building our local community. Thanks to you, it is now my opportunity to give back to our members while serving as Branch President.

To jump start my efforts in this new role, I attended the ASCE Presidents and Governors Forum in Washington D.C. Several speakers asked us to consider why we got involved in ASCE. And more, why we continued to stay involved. Essentially pointing us to figure out what about ASCE brought value to each of us. What we found was that people get involved for a whole gamut of reasons (my first boss, John Hollenbeck, strongly “encouraged” my involvement by setting an Annual Review goal to participate in ASCE – I had no idea the impact that would have). Whatever the catalyst though, many of us now find ourselves rooted in this wonderful community.

I encourage each of you to reflect on why you first engaged in ASCE. And digging deeper, consider why you have continued to stay involved in our local ASCE Branch. The reason I stay involved is ultimately the hope of touching lives, building a stronger community, and (cliche as it is) making a difference - all of which start here with our local members and volunteers, YOU. Whatever your reasons may be, thank you!

Our Board works hard each year to bring value to your Branch and your experience of ASCE. Each officer brings particular strengths and ideas to the table, but we all look to you to help define where our Branch should focus its efforts. This year is no exception. We are fortunate to have an energized, creative and hardworking Board at the ready - looking for ways to improve ASCE. Please take a few minutes to fill out our survey later this month and help us to bring the most value to your ASCE experience.

With your input and help, we hope to continue to build on the momentum and hard work of last year’s Board members by: engaging in Younger Members Forum events (thanks to the dedicated efforts by Kyle Anderson, Wes Thomson and the YMF Board!), continuing our annual K-12 Outreach efforts (thanks to Cara Martinez’s leadership and our many volunteers!), advocating for infrastructure improvements (thanks to Mike Britton for attending the last year’s Fly-In!), spreading the word about what we as CEs do (thanks to Wes Thompson for creating our local ASCE SLO blog!), mentoring and working with the Cal Poly SCE students (thanks to Jazz Gilbert, Gregg Fiegel, and the SCE officers), or encouraging members to grow into leaders, as Tom Martin did so effectively over the past year. I welcome you all to jump right in this year and get involved – welcome new members, talk with the SCE students, volunteer or come to events, and take ownership of your Branch!

Again thank you so much for your participation in our local ASCE activities. I look forward to seeing you all soon! Please feel free to reach out to me with any ideas you have or to get involved in our many wonderful opportunities.

Carolyn K. Berg

ASCE SLO Branch President

BRANCH MEETING: OCTOBER 2013

SAN CLEMENTE DAM REMOVAL AND RIVER RE-ROUTE

Known as the largest dam removal and river restoration project in the history of California, the nationally recognized San Clemente Dam Removal and River Re-route will lay a precedent for future dam removal and river restoration projects.

The 106-foot high concrete arch dam was built in 1921.  Approximately 18.5 miles from the ocean, the reservoir has become over 90% filled with sediment, and the dam has been deemed seismically unsafe by the California Division of Safety of Dams.

Water Systems Consulting, Inc. (WSC) has been managing the project for California American Water since 2009, and is currently serving as Project Manager and Construction Manager for this $83 million, multi-stakeholder project.  By removing the dam and restoring the river, safety issues will be permanently resolved, and native species are expected to repopulate.

Jeffery Szytel, Project Manager and President & CEO of WSC, will present the process of this precedent-setting dam removal and river reroute project.  He will be joined by Dylan Wade, who serves as the Resident Project Representative for the multi-year design-build project.  Please join in welcoming Mr. Szytel and Mr. Wade while they discuss the project design, funding and multi-stakeholder process, construction considerations, restoration goals and approaches, and the lasting benefits to the Carmel River.

LOCATION:

Pappy McGregor’s

1865 Monterey St.

San Luis Obispo

DATE & TIME:

Thursday, October 17, 2013

12:00 p.m.

MENU (OPTIONS):

1. Blarney Burger: 1/3 lb. Hearst Ranch burger with applewood bacon, crispy onion ring, bbq sauce and Irish Chedder cheese.  Served with beer battered garlic fries.

2. Buffulo Chicken Sandwich: Crispy boneless chicken breast, melted bleu cheese, spicy bbq sauces on a focaccia roll.  Served with beer battered garlic fries.

3. Baja Shrimp Tacos (3): Jumbo beer battered prawns, onion, cilantro, purple cabbage, cheese, salsa verde.

4. Chopped Salad: Avocado, tomato, onion, almond, bleu cheese crumble, creamy balsamic.

RESERVATIONS:

Please sign up by 1:00 p.m. Friday, October 11^th, at the Branch web site (www.ASCESLO.org). Please attend the luncheon if you sign-up – some restaurants will charge the Branch for every seat we reserve, regardless of the actual attendance. If you have specific dietary restrictions or have questions, please contact Ryan Hayes, ASCE Secretary at rhayes@rickengineering.com or (805) 544-0707. The cost is $20 for members and guests and $10 for students.

PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE: PART 1/2

September / October 2013

Wrapping Things Up

by Tom Martin

President, 2012-2013

My term as president of the ASCE SLO Branch is complete and I thought I would look back on the past year. Personally, it has been one of my most challenging and rewarding experiences (the best rewards come from overcoming challenges, right?). It is one of those experiences that you really can’t have a full understanding of until you live it. Fortunately we had an excellent Officer Board that had my back and I never felt like we couldn’t do what we needed to do. That’s the true joy of working with a great team.

ASCE serves an important purpose as it is the place where private consultants and public agency representatives come together. There are a number of other engineering organizations out there (I belong to many of them), but none that quite match ASCE’s professional diversity. We try to emulate that here in the SLO Branch in a number of ways. We purposefully plan our monthly meetings at different locations to draw in members from a fairly wide geographical area. We also look for diversity in our meeting speakers. For instance, this year we had two presentations that focused on structural issues, which brought out professionals from that civil specialty. Our meetings on water issues were especially timely and a number of new faces showed up. Hopefully some of these new people will see the value in ASCE and become new members. My favorite meeting may have been the Union Valley Parkway talk in Santa Maria – we had representatives from both the City and Caltrans, design and construction, and best of all we got a tour of both the City and Caltrans projects. It’s not every day that you get to walk on a new interchange bridge in the Central Coast!

Many thanks go to our Officer team who put in countless volunteer hours behind the scenes to make all these experiences happen. The fact that we didn’t have many glitches is a testament to their hard work and tenacity. Just like in Civil Engineering, it’s all the things you don’t see that are often most important. Your new president, Carolyn Berg, is off to a running start and has lots of great ideas. I am positive that the Branch is in for another great year.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve our Branch and ASCE.

Tom Martin

Past President, ASCE SLO Branch

MEETING RECAP - SEPTEMBER 2013

ASCE Highlights and New Officer Installation
Rosa's Italian Restaurant, Pismo Beach
9/19/2013

Our September Branch meeting topic highlighted the world of ASCE. The San Luis Obispo Branch is fortunate to have a member of the ASCE Board of Direction, Jennifer Epp, living here locally. With over ten years of ASCE leadership under her belt, Jennifer now serves as Chair of ASCE Region 9 (California) and the Director representing California on the ASCE Board of Direction. Jennifer provided some insight into the world of ASCE beyond our branch including some exciting statewide and nationwide initiatives as well as opportunities to get involved.

Also, our newly elected officers for 2013-2014 were installed this month. We are looking forward to another great year with all of our members and officers.

 2013/14 ASCE Officers

ASCE President: Carolyn Berg

President Elect: Anthony Severy

Past-President: Tom Martin

Vice President: Cara Martinez

Treasurer: Ryan Hayes

Secretary: Joe Patterson

Historian: Kyle Anderson

Newsletter Editor: Wes Thompson

Assistant Newsletter Editor: Jazz Gilbert

Membership Chair: Steve Tanaka

Webmaster: Buddy Hain

Public Relations Coordinator: Liz Moody

2013/2014 ASCE SLO Branch Officers

Tom Martin, 2012/2013 ASCE SLO Branch President

and 2012/2013 Past-President, Valerie Huff

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

Dear SLO Branch Members:

Yes, it’s that time again!  Your 2014 annual ASCE membership dues should be submitted by January 1, 2014.  You should be receiving a packet in the mail, or notification via email.  As a reminder, dues can be conveniently paid on-line.  As always, if you have any questions, please contact me or visit the ASCE website at www.asce.org. 

Sincerely,

Steven G. Tanaka, M.ASCE,

SLO Branch Membership Chair

2013 SEPTEMBER MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

ASCE Highlights and New Officer Installation
Thursday, September 19th

We are pleased to announce that our September Branch meeting topic highlights the world of ASCE. The San Luis Obispo Branch is fortunate to have a member of the ASCE Board of Direction, Jennifer Epp, living here locally. With over ten years of ASCE leadership under her belt, Jennifer now serves as Chair of ASCE Region 9 (California) and the Director representing California on the ASCE Board of Direction. During this month’s SLO Branch meeting, Jennifer will provide some insight into the world of ASCE beyond our branch including some exciting statewide and nationwide initiatives as well as opportunities to get involved.

Also, it is time to meet your new officer Board. Our newly elected officers for 2013-2014 will be installed this month. We are looking forward to another great year with all of our members and officers.

For more details and to RSVP, please visit the branch website: http://asceslo.org/

MEETING RECAP - AUGUST 2013

Union Valley Parkway (UVP)

Presented by David Beard, Mike Lew, and Rodger Olds

Hosted at the Radisson Hotel, Santa Maria

8/15/2013

The August Branch meeting featured the history, project development, and upcoming completion of the Union Valley Parkway (UVP) in two locations; the UVP Extension west of highway 135 and the UVP Interchange at US 101. The UVP is a major east-west arterial in the southern Santa Maria area. Its completion is finally becoming a reality after being in the City and County general plans for 50+ years. The Union Valley Parkway will provide a valuable new link both for local trips and for regional traffic headed to the airport, Orcutt, Vandenberg, and even Lompoc. This new route will substantially relieve traffic congestion on other parts of the local road network, as well as the adjacent US 101 interchanges at Clark and Santa Maria Way.

Substantial cooperation between Caltrans, the City of Santa Maria, the County of Santa Barbara, and funding partner SBCAG was needed to get the final portions of UVP into construction, and the entire length is expected to open to traffic by the end of this year. The meeting ended with a site visit to both construction sites.

Site Visit: Union Valley Parkway

(L to R)

Rodger Olds, City of Santa Maria

Mike Lew, Caltrans

David Beard, Caltrans

MEETING RECAP - JULY 2013

County Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Program

Presented by Carolyn Berg
Hosted at Upper Crust Trattoria, San Luis Obispo
7/19/2013

July’s Branch meeting covered the county-wide Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) program presented by Carolyn Berg with the County of San Luis Obispo. The San Luis Obispo County Regional Water Management Group and stakeholders are currently updating the IRWM Plan to meet current State Guidelines – an effort funded by $1-million of California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Proposition 84 grant funding and local funding match. The San Luis Obispo County IRWM Plan promotes implementation of projects and programs that ensure sustainable water uses, reliable water supplies, better water quality, enhanced groundwater reliability, environmental stewardship, efficient urban development, drought preparedness, and watershed awareness.

San Luis Obispo County is a part of what the State calls the “Central Coast Funding Area”, which includes six regions from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara. These regions coordinate on water resources programs and overall IRWM development, but each region develops and implements its own IRWM Plan to address its critical local water resources issues. And when grant funding is available these six regions compete with each other at the State-wide level.

IRWM crosses jurisdictional, watershed, and political boundaries; involves multiple agencies, stakeholders, individuals, and groups; and attempts to address the water resources issues and differing perspectives of all the entities involved through mutually beneficial solutions. 

Carolyn Berg

Utilities Division Staff Engineer

County of San Luis Obispo, Department of Public Works

PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

Positive Surprises

As engineers, we often like to plan things out, stick to the plan, avoid surprises and make the world as smooth and efficient as we possibly can, don’t we? However, the real world doesn’t always fit our plans, it can be pretty random. Sometimes this is a really good thing and can lead to serendipity. That’s what happened to our Branch this year. As a new president I set a number of goals, and have achieved some (but not all) of them. But a few pleasant surprises have also happened along the way. One of these is the formation of the Younger Member Group, spearheaded by our new officer Kyle Anderson. The group met regularly this year and now has a great following – we hope that it will create a tie for new engineers (many of them SCE members) to continue as ASCE members here or in other Sections and Branches. In addition, the YMG was voted in and formalized as a group in the recent Los Angeles Section quarterly board meeting. This is a big deal! Please congratulate Kyle and the other YMG members when you see them as there was considerable volunteer effort put into forming this group from scratch.

Another serendipitous event happened recently, and you are probably (hopefully) experiencing it as you read this article. The SLO Branch is now in the Blogosphere, and we hope this will be an exciting change to our usual once-a-month newsletter. We will now be able to update our blog as new articles come in the door, and can keep our content fresh and interesting. This will make the Newsletter Editor position more fun and less deadline-oriented. Many thanks to Wes Thompson for putting this Blog together – being open minded to new ideas has created positive change in our organization (serendipity).

In addition to the surprises, all of our Board members have been working hard to keep the Branch on the right track from a day-to-day membership, financial and event-planning perspective. As they say “it takes a village” and the teamwork we see on a monthly basis is very inspiring.

In other news, our incoming President, Carolyn Berg, is busy putting together the new Board of officers. We have some great interest this year and some new “young blood” coming into the Branch, as well as the continued commitment of existing officers that give us the balance and bench depth we need. What positive surprises will we experience in the coming year? We don’t know what they are yet, but I will put my money on great things happening.

Tom Martin

President ASCE SLO Branch

PROFILES: MEET THE MEMBER – JUDD KING

For Judd King, a Geotechnical Engineer and this month’s featured member of ASCE, life is all about balance. From geotechnical work to Hawaiian getaways, he has cultivated a fulfilling life founded on a combination of academics, career ambition, and the ability to “take time to step back” and see the larger scheme of things.

A Nipomo native, Judd’s path as an engineer began with his studies at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, developing a more specialized interest in Geotechnical Engineering through his work as a lab technician. In 1998 he transferred to Cal Poly, subsequently graduating with his focus in water resources and geotechnical engineering in 2001. The transition from technical knowledge to in-field assignments such as the Avila Beach Remediation Project had a significant impact on Judd’s practice, the latter providing more “hands-on” training. As Judd described it, “one’s education should accomplish two things: learn concepts your study is founded on, and develop tools to further understand your field after graduation to help you see the bigger picture”.

After graduation, Judd married his wife, Valarie. They took some time away from the hustle and bustle of “mainland life” and worked at a camp on Catalina Island building staff housing and other roles with operation of an isolated facility. Feeling obligated to put his degree to more use, Judd and Valarie moved to Sacramento where he found work as a staff engineer for a geotechnical consulting company. With a desire to move closer to his family and the ocean, they moved back to the Central Coast where Judd landed a job at Earth Systems Pacific in 2004. His respect for Earth Systems, whose goals include “client service that is appropriate and pragmatic,” is grounded in the company’s relationship-based business model and their emphasis on “building relationships with clients.” Judd feels the “commoditization of Civil Engineers” has become a common issue, and Earth Systems helps combat that mentality with good business that values engineers as a professional group.

Being a relativist at heart, Judd easily admits to having a pessimistic leaning, “[as an engineer] I get paid to evaluate issues, and I guess that has trained me to be critical.” As a means to look at things realistically, Judd tries to bracket results from a perceived best to worst-case-scenario when producing work, measuring likely results and developing recommendations accordingly. For Judd, Geotechnical Engineering is a “blend of both art and science, requiring the application of engineering properties and parameters to something that shifts and changes. There are generally no absolutes.”

As a professional whose work combines the generally mathematical, rigid science of engineering with an organic understanding of the earth, it’s only logical Judd also endeavors to preserve a sense of personal balance. He describes life as having “pools,” and a harmonious lifestyle involves filling those pools as evenly as possible between work and personal fulfillment.  If life lacks balance, “apathy sets in.” To maintain his own equilibrium Judd enjoys trail running and recently participated in a Tough Mudder obstacle course race in Lake Tahoe. Additionally, road trips, camping, spending time with his wife and 4-year old daughter Aleah, and traveling are some of his favorite off-time activities.

Having so many demands for attention—work, family, chores—it can be difficult to find time for personal activities. Judd understands that balance is achieved by actively seeking ways to make time for those things that matter most. While Judd admits that he isn’t always adept at finding balance, he is always willing to make adjustments and see what may or may not work—perhaps just like Geotechnical Engineering, balance is a blend between art and science; and something might work one day that doesn’t work the next, and where there are “no absolutes ever, generally.”

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

Positive Surprises

As engineers, we often like to plan things out, stick to the plan, avoid surprises and make the world as smooth and efficient as we possibly can, don’t we? However, the real world doesn’t always fit our plans, it can be pretty random. Sometimes this is a really good thing and can lead to serendipity. That’s what happened to our Branch this year. As a new president I set a number of goals, and have achieved some (but not all) of them. But a few pleasant surprises have also happened along the way. One of these is the formation of the Younger Member Group, spearheaded by our new officer Kyle Anderson. The group met regularly this year and now has a great following – we hope that it will create a tie for new engineers (many of them SCE members) to continue as ASCE members here or in other Sections and Branches. In addition, the YMG was voted in and formalized as a group in the recent Los Angeles Section quarterly board meeting. This is a big deal! Please congratulate Kyle and the other YMG members when you see them as there was considerable volunteer effort put into forming this group from scratch.

Another serendipitous event happened recently, and you are probably (hopefully) experiencing it as you read this article. The SLO Branch is now in the Blogosphere, and we hope this will be an exciting change to our usual once-a-month newsletter. We will now be able to update our blog as new articles come in the door, and can keep our content fresh and interesting. This will make the Newsletter Editor position more fun and less deadline-oriented. Many thanks to Wes Thomson for putting this Blog together – being open minded to new ideas has created positive change in our organization (serendipity).

In addition to the surprises, all of our Board members have been working hard to keep the Branch on the right track from a day-to-day membership, financial and event-planning perspective. As they say “it takes a village” and the teamwork we see on a monthly basis is very inspiring.

In other news, our incoming President, Carolyn Berg, is busy putting together the new Board of officers. We have some great interest this year and some new “young blood” coming into the Branch, as well as the continued commitment of existing officers that give us the balance and bench depth we need. What positive surprises will we experience in the coming year? We don’t know what they are yet, but I will put my money on great things happening.

Tom Martin, President

PROFILES: Q&A WITH ADAM FISCHLIN

This month, we sat down with Adam Fischlin from Rick Engineering to find out a little bit about him.

“Come out and join the YMF for the next event.

It is a great opportunity to get to know your peers and have a good time.”

Adam Fischlin, ASCE YMF Events Coordinator

Asst. Engineering Designer & Ultimate/Disc Enthusiast

Rick Engineering

San Luis Obispo, CA

ASCE: Where are you originally from and what brought you to San Luis Obispo?

Adam:  I was born and raised in Elk Grove, CA. I moved to San Luis Obispo after high school to attend Cal Poly and have lived here ever since.

ASCE: Where do you work and what kind of projects do you work on?

Adam: I am an Assistant Engineering Designer with Rick Engineering here in SLO. I have been with them for about a year now and have gotten to work on a variety of interesting projects, including Westfield West Valley Offsite intersection improvements, Shea Homes subdivision, and Valencia Library parking expansion.

ASCE: We heard that you are an officer for the new ASCE Younger Member Forum that has recently formed in San Luis Obispo; can you tell us a bit about that?

Adam: That is correct. I am the events coordinator for the YMF. The group was formed earlier this year as a way for young civil engineers to connect both socially and professionally, and to provide a bridge from the student SCE group to the local ASCE branch. For now, we have been mostly focusing on social events, but we plan to host technical and non-technical presentations and tours in the next few months.

ASCE: Why did you decide to become a Civil Engineer?

Adam: I was extremely involved in a technical engineering program at my high school and this is where I first got the idea that I might want to be an engineer. I also think I have always had an obsession for bridges, buildings, and roads and that is what lead me to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering.

ASCE: What are some of your hobbies?

Adam: Sports! I mainly like to play Ultimate Frisbee & Disc Golf, but I also am a huge sports fan (especially bay area and Sacramento teams). I have been playing Ultimate since my 4th year in college and I continue to participate in leagues in SLO and play in fun tournaments out of town. This past year I coached the Cal Poly Women’s Club Ultimate Frisbee team and I am one of the coordinators of the SLO summer league.

ASCE: Wow, sounds like you are a busy guy. Anything else?

Adam: This spring, I was the assistant coach for one of the local little league baseball teams (Go Owls!), and I have recently taken up brewing my own beer. I am currently brewing my third batch and am looking forward to starting my own recipes soon. Be on the lookout for my beer hitting shelves soon at a store near you!

ASCE: What is your favorite thing about the central coast?

Adam: Well, obviously the weather is always amazing but besides that, I love the feel of the small college town. It’s great to be able to walk to downtown SLO and grab dinner and drinks whenever I choose. 

ASCE: Anything else you would like to add?

Adam: I’d like to encourage everyone to come out and join the YMF for the next event. It is a great opportunity to get to know your peers and have a good time. More info on the next event will be coming soon. 

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

The Social Network

Over the last few months, our board has been discussing where we want to go with our newsletter, website and general messaging activities so I thought I would provide our members with an update. In recent years, many of the larger (and even a few smaller) ASCE branches have put significant resources into upgrading their websites and starting social network activities such as LinkedIn and Facebook. There also has been promotion of these activities by our national headquarters, with HQ personnel assigned to help branches out with implementing a social media policy. We have not made this a priority and chose to stick with our newsletter for information. Our newsletter has typically been a monthly publication and takes a significant amount of Board time to publish every month. A few years ago, we went from a hardcopy newsletter to the current electronic version. We keep track of the readership numbers and they are not terrible, but could be much better. In this vein, our Newsletter Editor has proposed researching and developing a blog-style website in lieu of the newsletter. The blog has many advantages, such as ease of production, access by all of the contributors and more opportunities for fresh content (don’t worry, you don’t have to be a hipster to read it). We think it will be a welcome change and will increase readership and advertising. To promote the idea, we have offered interested companies a prorated ½ year rate in the Professional Directory for July–December 2013. The newsletter will continue to be published until we get the blog up and running. If you have any thoughts or suggestions on this, please give me or one of our board members a call.

If you missed our May meeting, you missed a good one. We had a fun evening out at Upper Crust Trattoria and had a great showing from the Cal Poly students, so it was truly a joint effort. 

The students did presentations on some very interesting civil design projects and we got a chance to honor their recent accomplishments. In addition, our SCE scholarships were presented. Many thanks to all who helped put the evening festivities together. Our June meeting will focus on annual awards – we have a lot of great entries this year and appreciate the Branch member support for their entries. We also have a great lineup for future meetings, and are aiming to “get around” a bit by having at least one meeting in the north county and one in Santa Maria. Finally, officer elections are just around the corner, so we hope that you will consider going for a position on our Board. Time flies when you are having fun, and I can’t believe how fast my term as President is going.

Have a great summer and don’t forget to incorporate a Civil Engineering educational experience into your vacation, I know I will!

Tom Martin, President