Pictured left to right: Bill Bahr (MWEA Awards committee chair), John Overcast and Bob Piorek (Glacier Park WWTP Operators) and Rick Cobert (WEF Board of Trustees)

The Annual Joint Montana Section of the American Water Works Association and Montana Water Environment Association (MSAWWA/MWEA) Annual Conference was held in Great Falls May 14 16, 2008. Barb Coffman, `93 was presented with the 2008 Fuller Award, Don Clark, `87 received the MWEA Operator of the Year, and John Overcast, '97 is one of two operators who accepted the 2008 Award for an Outstanding Small System for the Lake McDonald WWTP in Glacier National Park.

The AWWA George Warren Fuller Award is awarded for distinguished service in the water supply field and in commemoration of the sound engineering skill, the brilliant diplomatic talent and the constructive leadership of persons in the Association that have characterized the life to George W. Fuller. Barb Coffman was awarded a pin at the conference and will receives a plaque at the Fuller Society Breakfast held during the AWWA Conference and Exhibition (ACE). This year ACE is in Atlanta, Georgia June 8 12, 2008. Barb has spent the past year and a half working for Kevin Kundert at eTrain Online, as well as on the family farm south of Brady. "Her dedication to promoting the WFP fundraisers at Conference has been insurmountable. John Campbell is quoted as saying "I couldn't have done all of the WFP projects without her help all those years."

The MWEA Operator Award is presented to an operator, supervisor or manager of a wastewater treatment plant who, through their outstanding dedication, performance and professionalism is deserving of commendation. The 2008 Operator of the Year award was presented to Donald J. Clark. He has worked for the City of Helena for 21 years. The Helena plant received the Governor's Safety Award in 2007. Don has been working to develop operator training facilities and opportunities both at the plant and at the Helena College of Technology.

The 2008 award for an outstanding small system goes to the Lake McDonald WWTP in Glacier National Park. John Overcast and Bob Piorek represented to staff to accept the award. This is truly a Water Reclamation Facility, in that the plant discharge is intermittently used to irrigate a forest meadow near the WWTP. The rest of the time, the plant discharges to the Middle Fork of the Flathead River under stringent standards. The need to protect the high quality water resource in Glacier Park and its downstream neighbors is evident. These pristine waters need and deserve the highest protection we can provide. The plant has an excellent record of performance and the staff has adopted innovative operational strategies.