91st Annual Conference in Manitowoc this week: More than 100 people have registered to attend the MEUW Annual Conference taking place in Manitowoc on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The Welcome Reception is at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum on Wednesday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. Registration check-in will be available beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 12, at the Holiday Inn Manitowoc. The program begins at 8:00 a.m., and includes the presentation of MEUW awards during a lunchtime ceremony. MEUW’s Board of Directors will hold a regular meeting on Friday morning beginning at 8:30 a.m. Questions about the Annual Conference should be directed to MEUW Member Services Specialist Mallory Conradt at (608) 469-6009.
The August edition of Live Lines was distributed last week. In case you missed it, you can access the publication online here.
Registration now open for Accounting and Customer Service Seminar: MEUW is holding its annual gathering for municipal electric utility accounting and customer service employees on Thursday, Sept. 23, at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. As always, the program features a presentation from the Public Service Commission, and this year’s presenter is Kristy Nieto, Administrator of the Division of Digital Access, Consumer and Environmental Affairs. Other topics include electric vehicle adoption, construction authority and public bidding, and a discussion about the American Rescue Plan funding. The cost to attend is $135 for MEUW members. Additional details are available on MEUW’s website.
Sign up to attend one-day chainsaw and tree-trimming workshop: MEUW is hosting a series of one-day workshops focusing on the maintenance and safe operation of chainsaws as well the basics of safe tree trimming. The training offers hands-on opportunities to learn from an expert. Cost is $235 per person for MEUW members/communities. Space is limited to the first 30 registrants at each site. To learn more, click here.
Utility leaders encouraged to register for October Retreat: MEUW is organizing a two-day event to bring together those who are “in charge” of their community’s electric utility operations. The goal is to build connections, share leading practices, and help to strengthen public power. The gathering is Oct. 12 and 13 at the Lodge in Mauston; full details are here. All MEUW member utilities are encouraged to send at least one person to have their voice heard.
Save the date for 2022 Electric Operations Conference & Expo: The success of the outdoor expo held this past April is contributing to exciting changes for the 2022 event, which will return to its normal season and the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. The event (formerly known as the Joint Superintendents’ Conference) will take place Jan. 12 to 14, 2022, and will feature an expanded trade show offering larger space to accommodate heavy equipment and more time for attendees to visit with exhibitors. The banquet held to celebrate graduating apprentices in metering and line work is set for Thursday evening, Jan. 13.
New tool being used to send member communications: MEUW has now begun using Mailchimp to distribute mass emails to members, including MEUW Weekly. As a result, you’ll see a bit of a new look and we know that some email messages may end up in “spam” or “junk” folders. The transition to Mailchimp comes after recent efforts to refresh our membership database with corrected email addresses and updated contacts. We appreciate your patience as we adjust our distribution process. If you have questions or experience any issues, please call the MEUW Office at (608) 837-2263.