Jon Goldman, RPL Candidate for APCO Atlantic Chapter President-Elect

Good Morning Chapter Members,

In just one short week from today we will be at the Atlantic Chapter Conference in Mystic, CT. This is a great opportunity for chapter members to get together, meet new friends, network and take advantage of the training that the chapter conference committee has diligently worked so hard to coordinate.

The chapter conference is also the time that we, the members conduct the annual business of the chapter. This includes hearing reports of the board, chapter committees, finding the direction of the chapter and electing officers for the ensuing year(s).

As you know I'm honored to be running for the position of "President-Elect."

Board service, chapter service, and APCO International service is paramount to prepare our members for the positions of elected chapter service.

I'm not ashamed to spread my message via social media, how else can anyone expect to know what their candidates stand for.

I don't consider myself a "political candidate" or this to be a "political race." I do consider chapter and board service a tremendous honor and my passion, and I'm excited to be pursuing my passion this year.

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm passionate about emergency communications, it's not a job, or a career to me, it's a calling. I've dedicated my life and career to this calling and continue to support the values and direction of APCO, because without APCO I wouldn't be able to do what I do every day.

I continue to maintain my RPL certification, and am the only RPL in NH, I make sure all of my team members receive APCO training and are full APCO members, so they can take advantage of everything APCO offers.

I am also the only APCO Senior Member running for a term in this year's election. Obtaining Senior Membership is a difficult and lengthy process, which is a testament to an individual’s dedication to APCO, both at the Chapter and International level.

I believe in standards, rigor, and accountability for our communications centers. I also believe that the Atlantic Chapter needs to offer value for all our members. That value is not always the latest and greatest technology, especially technology in which the standards are not even completely written.

Although we know this technology, commonly referred to as NG9-1-1 is coming, how it is going to impact our industry will vary greatly from PSAP to PSAP, state to state, county to county, and even local dispatch center to local dispatch center. Individual governmental funding will be a concern for each entity and is actually what will drive which centers deploy which technology, and when. NG9-1-1 is coming, and I believe it is the chapters responsibility to its members to be aware of it, and address the impacts, it is not the chapters responsibility to prepare each center for it. By and large, many, if not most of our members are line dispatchers, or supervisors and not necessarily in the decision-making process. So, I ask, what value does this bring to most if not all our members?

I believe the Atlantic Chapter ought to concentrate on realistic, and achievable goals that will affect and benefit the whole of the chapter.

Goals such as expanded training, education, and leadership development. As we better develop our members leadership qualities, they will be the ones placed into leadership roles within their centers, and be in better positions to drive further training, certification, and equipment purchases.

As the current NH Emergency Dispatchers Assoc. President, and multiple year APCO and NHEDA board member I will take what we have learned from NHEDA and APCO over the years and leverage it across the entire Atlantic Chapter. Outreach, free training, and leadership development are some of the hallmarks of NHEDA and I'm confident that the Atlantic Chapter and its members will benefit from these same initiatives.

I really look forward to this year's conference and seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

There is a contested race so the only way to make a difference and make your voice heard is to attend the second business meeting of the chapter on 10/16 from 1630-1730, cast a ballot and make your voice heard.

I encourage you to attend both sessions of the business meeting, so you can remain aware, and involved in what is going on in your chapter.

Please feel free to look at my FB page "Jon Goldman, RPL" to learn a little more about me and what I see for the chapter.

Feel free to stop and talk with me at the conference and ask me some questions and tell me what YOU would like to see in YOUR organization.

Above all else I encourage you to vote at the chapter business meeting, and I would again ask for your vote, and trust.

Together we can continue to move the APCO-Atlantic Chapter forward, and continue to do great things for our members, our coworkers, our responders and the citizens we serve.

Jon Goldman, RPL

Candidate for YOUR President-Elect