Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission Appoints New President and Vice President
At the Friday, March 11 Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) Meeting, the Commission voted to appoint Springfield City Councilor Joe Pishioneri to the position of MWMC President and Lane County citizen representative Bill Inge to the position of MWMC Vice President for terms of one year, through March 2023.
Pishioneri was the MWMC Vice President from March 2021 – March 2022, and previously served as President from March 2016 – March 2017. He has been on the Commission since 2015. Pishioneri represents Ward 6, the Thurston area, for the Springfield City Council. He has lived in Springfield for more than 35 years and is a retired Lane County Deputy Sheriff. Pishioneri said he’s excited to further the MWMC’s mission as Commission President.
“I am looking forward to serving as President on the MWMC,” Pishioneri said. “I am extremely proud to be a part of this amazing partnership of our three local governments, and of the fantastic staff that make it all come together. I enjoy serving on the Commission because everyone has the same goal: protecting our community’s health and environment with high-quality wastewater services. It’s really one of the best partnerships I’ve ever experienced.”
Inge’s appointment to Vice President marks his fifth time in the role. He’s also previously served as Commission President for three terms and has been on the MWMC since 1999. Inge is the Lane County citizen representative to the MWMC, a position appointed to the Commission by the Lane County Board of Commissioners. Through his more than 20 years of service to the MWMC, he has developed extensive knowledge about regional wastewater operations and resource recovery for the Eugene-Springfield area. Inge said he’s looking forward to a return to the Vice President position.
“The MWMC intergovernmental agreement is an important aspect of providing wastewater services to the residences of Eugene, Springfield, and Lane County,” Inge said. “Working collaboratively, we ensure the citizens of our community are equally represented. This is a fine example of how governing bodies can work together to achieve more than could otherwise be accomplished separately – at lower cost and with better outcomes. The Commission and the staff of both cities are smart, forward-thinking individuals, who understand the importance of the work we do for our community and the river. The Biocycle Farm and the new Renewable Natural Gas project are but two examples. I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as Vice President and work alongside such amazing people.”
The Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission is made up of seven members representing the regional partnership of Eugene, Springfield, and Lane County and consisting of elected officials from those three entities, as well as appointed community members. The Commission provides oversight of the MWMC’s facilities and guidance to staff, establishes policies, sets goals and regional wastewater rates, oversees the facilities budget, approves capital projects, and grants contracts to consultants and construction companies.
The MWMC’s seven commissioners have a combined 91 years’ experience on the Commission, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise from a variety of backgrounds. Commissioners Pat Farr, Doug Keeler, Walt Meyer, Peter Ruffier, and Jennifer Yeh have all also previously served as Commission Vice President and President. Their leadership, alongside current President Pishioneri and Vice President Inge, is a large part of what makes the MWMC successful in accomplishing our mission to protect the community’s health and the environment by providing high-quality wastewater services to the Eugene-Springfield area.
To learn more about the MWMC, our Commissioners, and all that our team has accomplished under their leadership in the past year, check out our 2021 Annual Report. It is complete with stunning photos, stats, and information on projects such as our new Renewable Natural Gas facilities, Class A Recycled Water efforts, 2021 Biocycle Farm Poplar Harvest, Riparian Restoration pilot projects, and more. The annual report provides information on who we are and what we do in one place. To view it, visit mwmcpartners.org/2021annualreport.
What: Appointment of new MWMC President and Vice President
Who: Commission President/Springfield City Councilor Joe Pishioneri and Commission Vice President/Lane County citizen representative Bill Inge
When: March 2022 – March 2023
Where: Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area
Additional information: Matt Stouder, MWMC Executive Officer, at 541.736.1006 or mstouder@springfield-or.gov or mwmcpartners.org
Background: The mission of the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission is to protect the community’s health and the environment by providing high-quality wastewater services to the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area in partnership with Eugene, Springfield, and Lane County. Local representatives from each of the regional partners – Lane County, City of Springfield, and City of Eugene – serve on the Commission. Learn more at mwmcpartners.org.
