Message from the Immediate Past President

By Greg Palmer

By the time this article comes to print I should be back in patrol on Team 4 after being the President of the APA for 8 years, 4 on full time release.  The time went by fairly quickly and I must admit I enjoyed most of it.  I hope that I helped the association and time will be the best judge of that I guess.  We did do several things that were pretty big from an association’s point of view.  We did negotiate for the best contract I have seen for some time a couple of years ago and we have been pretty much status quo for this contract cycle despite all of the bad economic news lately.

The association also secured the services of a full time release president something an organization our size has needed for some time.  I was blessed with also having an executive board that also wanted to do their best and worked cooperatively with each other to solve problems as they arose.  Our executive board also worked tighter with the city to form a closer working relationship where a mere phone call and conversation was able to get change completed that benefited the membership too.  Thanks Kerry, Rich, Steve and Ed.

I will assume the post of past president within the association in order to advise our new president Kerry Condon on anything that arises and he has questions about.  In this way our good work will continue and I feel that I am still able to contribute to the general welfare of the association and its members.  That has been the recurring theme of my time as your treasurer for two years, and the President for the past 8 years.  I admit that turning the reins of the organization to Kerry was hard to do from a personal standpoint as I enjoyed it.   Kerry will do a great job, I am sure.  He and I have talked about many of the changes he is envisioning for the evolution of the APA and I am excited about seeing them implemented.

Please continue to be active and involved with your association.  Ask questions and become better educated on what it can do for you and what you can do for it.  Thanks and stay safe out there.  I will see some of you in briefing.