Countdown to 95th Anniversary celebration is on! In two short months, MEUW will mark 95 years since it was founded by a group of dedicated municipal leaders who thought their community-owned utilities needed a unified voice. To celebrate their wisdom and the commitment to strengthening public power in Wisconsin, MEUW is planning events for Wednesday, Oct. 18, in Waunakee and Madison. Full details are available on a special website dedicated to the festivities, available here.
Thanks to the member utilities who have already registered! Check out this map to see current registration from across the state. To ensure your municipality is represented, schedule a brief registration appointment (usually 10 minutes or less) on this calendar.
Is your information correct? MEUW is updating its member directory to ensure members have easy access to each other’s contact information. Directories will be available this fall in both print and online books, containing key facts and contact information for both MEUW member utilities and for Wisconsin Utility Suppliers Association (WUSA) members. Click here to see a sample member utility page.
Emails were sent on Aug. 8 to one contact for each utility requesting a review of their utility’s information, and to provide updates on any missing or incorrect information. Responses are due back this Friday, Aug. 18. Make sure your information is correct. Thanks to those who have already returned their updates! If you have questions, need assistance, or want to confirm that your information has been received, please contact MEUW Manager of Communications and Events Sharon Wolf at swolf@meuw.org or (608) 837-2263.
Agenda set for Accounting and Customer Service Seminar: MEUW is holding its annual gathering for municipal electric utility accounting and customer service employees on Wednesday, Sept. 20, at the Lodge At Mauston. As always, the program features a presentation from the Public Service Commission, and this year’s presenter is Joe Fontaine, Administrator of the Division of Digital Access, Consumer and Environmental Affairs. Other presentations involve legal and regulatory hot topics, including customer-owned generation tariffs, and more, as well as small group discussions about leading practices in the tax-roll process. The regular registration fee is $140 per person. When three or more employees from the same utility/community register at the same time, one of those individuals is eligible for a 50% discount. The complete seminar agenda is available here.
Crane Certification Training make-up session available in September: The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard requires that any worker who uses a digger-derrick to lift materials or for non-electric-distribution-system must be certified as a mobile crane operator. Since early 2022, MEUW has been providing training and certification to its members’ electric utility employees at no cost. The certification is valid for five years.
If you missed the MEUW-provided Crane Certification Training, we’re holding a make-up session on Thursday, Sept. 21 at New Lisbon Utilities, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Training will include both classroom and practical (field) portions. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. To sign up, click here. Contact MEUW Electric Safety and Training Coordinator Don Harnisch at (715) 459-1023 or at dharnisch@meuw.org with questions and to let him know your utility will be participating.
Energy Efficiency Giveaway Partnering Opportunity: If your utility is ready to make a real impact in your customers’ lives, Marshfield Utilities is offering a partnership to help champion energy efficiency. “Heat Smart Kits” are carefully curated to equip families with the tools they need to save money, enhance comfort, and reduce energy consumption. Each kit contains a woolen blanket, weather-stripping, and an energy conservation tip sheet. Cost per kit is $17 + shipping & handling. Marshfield Utilities is looking for at least nine utilities to each make a commitment to purchase 100 kits and help reach a minimum order requirement of 1,000 kits. For more information, email Jessica.lewer@marshfieldutilities.org by Sept. 1.
The August edition of Live Lines was distributed Aug. 1. In case you missed it, you can find it online here.
Register for new management training class: A new class offered as part of MEUW’s “Fundamentals of Utility Management” training program will explore the wide array of regulations, compliance, and safety rules every municipal utility leader must follow. As a highly regulated business, utilities must comply with dozens of operating rules to retain the “right to serve” electric customers. Offered Wednesday, Oct. 11 in Mauston, the course will explore the reasons behind the rules and provide insights to make compliance easier. An outline of the training topics, the instructors, and registration details are here. Sign up today!
Strengthen your leadership skills through Coaching class: As part of MEUW’s professional development programming, we’re offering a one-day leadership development course that focuses on the importance of effective coaching as an essential leadership skill for utility leaders. Participants will take away practical ideas they can apply to setting a good example and becoming a leader who gets the most from others. The class will be held Wednesday, Dec. 2 at The Lodge at Mauston. Full details on the class, instructor and lodging information is available here.
Updated Statistical Data now available: Wisconsin’s 81 municipal electric utilities served more than 300,000 customers, had $782 million in revenues and paid their municipalities more than $21.7 million in lieu of taxes during 2022. Those are a few highlights from the updated statistical data MEUW has compiled based on recent reporting to the Public Service Commission. You can access the complete data sheet here. If you discover any problem with the information listed for your utility, please contact Tim Heinrich at (608) 478-0998.
Public Power Week is coming: The first full week of October marks the annual celebration of Public Power Week. And this year’s events – Oct. 2-6 – are extra special because they are timed just before MEUW’s 95th anniversary celebration in mid-October. MEUW intends to purchase yard signs that municipalities can request and display at their facilities or in other parts of the community to coincide with the events. They’ll be available in late September. We’d also like to help by providing customized social media graphics to connect your local Public Power Week activities with the “Proudly Public Power” campaign for MEUW’s 95th. If you’re interested in getting Public Power Week graphics for your utility, please reach out to Sharon Wolf at (608) 837-2263.
MEUW Weekly remains on summer schedule: A reminder that MEUW is not distributing an e-newsletter every week during the summer. Look for the next MEUW Weekly in your inbox on Tuesday, Sept. 12. The September edition of MEUW’s monthly newsletter, Live Lines, will be sent as usual on the first Tuesday of the month (Sept. 5).