| Just who are those rowdies sitting at the back of the room,
heckling the Association President during his speech? Odds are, they are the
distinguished members of the Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers, or the 5-S'ers.
But just who, or what, is the Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers? There are
no real rules. It is not possible to "join" the Society. Election is
by vote of members present at a called meeting and must be unanimous by those present at
the meeting. There are no dues, committees, or reports. The only officer is
the "Influent Integrator" (known as pH 7). His/her duties are to preside
at meetings, maintain records, arrange for badges and certificates and manage the
induction ceremony.
Although similar groups existed prior, the first 5-S induction
ceremony was held in Arizona in October of 1940. The concept is credited to A.W.
"Dusty" Miller and F. Carlyle Roberts, Jr., who were seeking to recognize
members who do not receive coveted awards or serve as officers, but who contribute
outstanding service to the success and progress of their associations.
The emphasis for the Society is on fun. Each inductee
receives a badge in the form of a gold tie bar in the shape of a round-nosed shovel.
The shovel must be displayed at all official functions of the Society, the
Association, or the Federation. The penalty is that the offender must buy drinks for
all other shovelers present until the shovel is displayed (borrowing a shovel from another
member is strictly prohibited). New members receive the accolade of "elevation
on the official shovel to the highest ridge on the sludge bed, with the title of Select
Sludge Shoveler and all the honor, atmosphere, perquisites, and dignity pertaining
thereto." (The Society has steadfastly refused to adopt the politically correct
term "biosolids," out of fear that their name would become some variant of _ _ _
BS!)
The appointed station of the Society's members is at the
opposite end of the room from the presiding officer. Somehow that seems
appropriate.
Excerpts freely taken and modified from the article "The Select Society
of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers," by Steve Modrick included in History of the Iowa
Water Pollution Control Association, 1995.
Iowa Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers
Membership Roster
June 1986 (Charter Members)
Bob Baumann
Harry Boren
Dick Dague
Steve Jones
Whitey Mensching
Ed Merschman
Herb Ohrt
Wayne Paulson
Harris Seidel
Jerry Rattenborg
Burt Simms
Bob Tonn
Steve Modrick
June 1987
Gary Elbert
June 1988
George Milligan
Dave Fox
June 1989
Dan Rockwell
Jack Clemens
June 1990
Steve Gearhart
June 1991
Jim Resnick
Barbara Schendel
June 1992
Don Doonan
Mike Fields
Vic Gearhart
Paul Nolan
June 1993
Carol Border
Jim Stricker
Ted Payseur
June 1994
Scott Wienands
Jan Anderson
June 1995
None
June 1996
Jim Utter
Steve Hoambrecker
June 1997
Glen Petersen
John Ringelestein
June 1998
Fred Bayer
Lynn Pitts
John Wood
June 1999
None
June 2000
Donald Renken
James Virelli
June 2001
None
August 2002
Jay Brady
Dan Riney
June 2003
Robert Main
Jim McFarland
June 2004
None
June 2005
Gary Schellhorn
Charlie Stevens
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