Improve your coaching skills with summer workshop: High-performing leaders develop the skill and emotional intelligence to coach others effectively. Knowing how and when to coach is an essential leadership quality that can benefit both you and your organization. Good coaches understand what causes them frustration, negative self-talk, and unproductive emotional reactions. Knowing yourself will help you be more effective as a leader and serve as a strong role model for others. Register today for Leading Through Coaching, which is part of MEUW’s three-part Municipal Utility Leadership Certificate Program. The course will be held in Mauston on Wednesday, Aug. 7; details and registration can be found here.
Is your Membership Directory information up to date? Work is underway to update MEUW’s Membership Directory for 2024. Requests will be sent to the primary contact for each utility or affiliate member to validate and/or update the information that was included in the 2023 Directory. Updates are due by Friday, July 19. Contact Sharon Wolf with questions.
Help shape the future of MEUW: Join the MEUW Board of Directors in Mauston on Aug. 27 to identify and review future trends and outside influences important to the electric utility industry. This information, along with a review of the association’s long-term strategic plan adopted in 2019, will lead to planning on how MEUW can strategically address member needs into the future. All MEUW members are welcome to attend and participate. There is no cost, but advance registration is required.
The July edition of Live Lines was distributed on July 2. In case you missed it, you can find it online here.
Share your input about governance training: Effective governance of municipal electric utilities matters, and it is important understand the accountabilities and roles of the governing body and those involved in managing the day-to-day operations. In response to member feedback, MEUW is developing a training program that will specifically address the governance challenges and the pros and cons of different models. Please take a minute to complete a survey to help us structure a program that will most effectively meet members’ needs.
Network and learn at the annual Accounting and Customer Service seminar. Join municipal electric utility members from across Wisconsin to receive updates on regulatory and legislative issues that affect utilities and hear best practices to improve operations. Attendees will learn and network, discuss best practices and timely topics. Planned agenda items for the Wednesday, Sept. 25, seminar, which will take place in Mauston, include updates from the Public Service Commission, grant writing, landlord communications, records retention and audit requirements. Registration information is here.
Refresh your knowledge of HR issues and employment law Oct. 1. Human Resources (HR) issues can be complex and difficult to navigate. Recruiting, training, ensuring compensation and benefits, and employee engagement all in the context of complying with ever-changing federal, state and local employment laws — it’s a lot to keep track of. Led by experts from the Boardman & Clark law firm, this session is a valuable refresher for HR issues, as well as provide guidance to comply with evolving employment laws. Additional information and registration are available here.
Learn critical skills to work safely with stored energy and chainsaws: Stored energy in trees represents a significant danger for line workers. Understanding the dynamics of stored energy, and how to safely work with and around it, is critical for every line worker. These MEUW workshops will cover how to recognize stored energy, and how to control and mitigate it when working at trees with chainsaws. Including both classroom and hands-on training, this workshop is recommended for electric line workers, line clearance workers, and Department of Public Works employees who work with and around live wires. Sign up for one of the two workshops — in Prairie du Sac (Oct. 2) or Black River Falls (Oct. 3) — whichever works best for you.
Utility Accounting & Finance course scheduled for Oct. 9: Understanding the various financial aspects associated with utility operations is essential for anyone in a management position. Utility Accounting & Finance, the next course in our four-part Fundamentals of Utility Management Training Series, will provide attendees the fundamentals of public utility accounting, a clear understanding of business operations, how to review and effectively manage budgets. Register here today.
MEUW Weekly is on a summer schedule: A reminder that MEUW is not distributing an e-newsletter every week during the summer. Look for the next edition of MEUW Weekly in your inbox on Tuesday, Aug. 19. The August edition of MEUW’s monthly newsletter, Live Lines, will be sent on Aug. 6.