Western Central Chapter of the APA - Elections 2009

April Getchius

I am running for a second term as President of the Chapter. I think that the Executive Committee has accomplished a great deal in the last two years and I would like the opportunity to finish out some of the things we started. In the past two years, we have met regularly and actively as a Board. I believe we have reached out to our state organizations, helping with financing of speakers and conferences as well as assisting with the cost of registering for CM credits for AICP members. We have established two scholarship programs, one for students in planning or related field and one for practicing planners to attend conferences. We have updated our bylaws and we are currently working on our Chapter Strategic Plan that we will share with membership before its adoption. Our professional development officer has been instrumental in assisting with AICP testing and we are sponsoring two webinars in the next year on topics relevant to our membership. Again, the Executive Committee is very proud of what we’ve done, but we’d like the opportunity to continue to serve.

I strongly believe in APA and what it can bring to its membership. I have been actively involved in APA and AICP at all levels. I served as the President and Secretary of the Greater Illinois Section. I also served as Treasurer of the Illinois Chapter and was slated to run for its president before taking the position as Community Development Director for Casper, Wyoming. I have also served on AICP national committees and acted as chair of their communications committee that launched the electronic version of Practicing Planner.

I joined the City of Casper in October 2006 as its Community Development Director. Prior to Casper, I was Campus Planner for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for over five years. In that role, I was primarily responsible for intergovernmental relations and negotiations on a wide verity of topics. Before joining the University I served as Community Development Director the City of Urbana, one of the twin cities that serves as home to the state’s flagship university.

I believe I can build on what we have accomplished in the last two years. I also believe I can articulate the chapter membership concerns at the national level. I know the leadership of both AICP and APA and understand the organization. I hope to increase APA’s value to you and bring services directly from the Chapter to membership. I hope I can count on your support. Thank you.

Neil Putnam

I respectfully ask for the vote for a second term as vice-president of the Western Central Chapter. I was previously the South Dakota director on the WCC board. I have been an APA member since 1998. I’m currently the South Dakota Planners Association President and was SDPA’s Secretary/Treasurer.

The past 11 years I have served as the City Planner for the City of Mitchell, South Dakota. Previously, I served in county government and I have been a U. S. Congressional staff member, I’m on many community organizations in a professional and personal capacity. Particularly, I am in my forth term on my local school board and I am an officer on the SD school board association.

I am a South Dakota native and a graduate of Northern State University, Aberdeen, South Dakota with majors in political science and sociology. My wife Melanie works in a pre-school and I have two children ages 10 and 7.

Planning is a challenging and rewarding profession which I enjoy immensely. It has been my pleasure to serve the WCC and I would welcome to opportunity to continue my service.