WisDOT Flagger re-certification training is next week: Since June 1, 2020, all flaggers working on Wisconsin state highways have been required to be certified in a state-specific flagger training curriculum. Any worker who is certified is required to take a refresher course every two years and demonstrate the flagging skills. MEUW is hosting a WisDOT Flagger Certification webinar on Thursday, July 28. The two-hour training will be conducted using Microsoft Teams from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., and can be accessed from any Internet-connected device. The cost to participate is $55 per person. Online registration and full details are available here. Remember that certification only applies to flagging on Interstate, U.S., and numbered highways.
The July edition of Live Lines was distributed on July 5. In case you missed it, you can find it online here.
Tree-trimming workshop for lineworkers planned for September: Recognizing that safely cutting limbs and branches around energized wires and equipment requires a high level of focus and skill that cannot be taken for granted, MEUW is hosting an advanced, hands-on workshop specifically targeting lineworkers of all experience levels. The workshop will help participants refresh their skills and learn about safe tree trimming and tree felling, according to ANSI standards.
The one-day workshop, which will be led by the full-time line clearance crew at Plymouth Utilities, the only municipal utility in Wisconsin to employ a crew dedicated to maintaining vegetation along some 300 miles of distribution lines, is scheduled for back-to-back dates — Sept. 21 and 22. Each session will be held in Plymouth, and begins at 8:00 a.m. and wraps up by 3:00 p.m.; lunch is provided. Space is limited to the first 25 registrants. To learn more, click here.
MEUW Board of Directors to conduct strategic planning: Members of MEUW’s Board of Directors will meet Wednesday, Aug. 31 to review and consider changes to the association’s long-term strategic plan that was adopted in 2019. The purpose of the meeting (to be held at The Lodge At Mauston) is to evaluate progress on the current plan, which was developed with an eye toward what MEUW could look like when the association marks its 100th anniversary in 2028. The planning will take into consideration how external factors might impact MEUW members and what services and offerings could be developed to strategically address them. All members are welcome to attend and participate; details are here.
The Executive Committee of MEUW’s Board of Directors held a regular meeting on July 12. The draft minutes of their discussions are here (member log-in required).
Save the date for annual Accounting and Customer Service Seminar: MEUW’s annual gathering of municipal electric utility personnel involved in accounting, customer service, and utility billing is planned for Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the Lodge At Mauston. Registration for the seminar will open in early August.
A portion of the seminar agenda will be dedicated to “member showcase” discussions to allow utility attendees to share insights about their accounting, rates, billing, or customer service practices and successes. Each showcase discussion will be limited to 15 minutes, and each utility chosen to share will be offered a 50% discount toward one seminar registration fee. To be considered, please complete the “call for presenters” form here by noon on Friday, July 29.
“Call for Presentations” at January conference now open: The 2023 Electric Operations Conference & Expo (to be held Jan. 11-13 in Wisconsin Dells) will again feature a number of breakout sessions, and event organizers are inviting member utilities and members of the Wisconsin Utility Suppliers Association (WUSA) to submit ideas they can present to conference attendees. This will be an opportunity to showcase a product or service and share information and insights. Priority will be given to presentations that include a real-life success story featuring (and co-presented by) a Wisconsin municipal or electric cooperative utility. Full details are available here. The deadline to submit a proposal is Sept. 30.
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. 16. The August edition of MEUW’s monthly newsletter, Live Lines, will be sent on Aug. 2.