New hires join MEUW Job Training & Safety Program: On March 3, MEUW announced two highly experienced municipal utility journeymen linemen — Damian Pasch (Wonewoc) and John Salscheider (Oconto Falls) — are joining MEUW this month. Both have been hired as Electric Utility Safety and Training Coordinators to deliver MEUW’s Job Training & Safety Program, which is primarily targeted at lineworkers. The hirings come as the association prepares for Don Harnisch to begin a five-month leave of absence in April and for the retirement of Randy Larson on May 29. Full details are provided here.
The March edition of Live Lines was distributed last week. In case you missed it, you can find it online here.
Register today for MEUW’s Annual Conference! MEUW will host its 96th Annual Conference on May 12–14 in Madison and Sun Prairie. The week’s activities will include a Day at the Capitol, golf outing, tours of host utility Sun Prairie’s new facility, a vendor trade show, a Utility Governance Roundtable, conference programming, the awards luncheon, and more! Those planning to attend can get a jump on booking a room at the conference hotel. Registration and details are located here.
Utility Governance Roundtable to strengthen oversight and leadership: In conjunction with MEUW’s 96th Annual Conference, the association will host a Utility Governance Roundtable designed for elected and appointed officials and utility leaders who want to strengthen their oversight of community-owned electric utilities. As new technologies, evolving markets, and rising customer expectations reshape the electric industry, effective governance is more important than ever. This interactive session will bring Wisconsin municipal leaders together for a practical, peer-driven discussion on the fundamentals of public power governance, including regulatory considerations, rate setting, and a plain-language overview of municipal utility finances. The program is designed for both new and experienced officials and will highlight real-world insights and leading practices that support reliable, financially sustainable utility operations.
The roundtable will be led by Attorney Richard Heinemann of Boardman & Clark and Tim Herlitzka, General Manager of Waunakee Utilities, and will include presentations along with facilitated small-group discussions. Participants will explore topics such as governance responsibilities, open meetings and records requirements, fiduciary duties, and financial tools utilities use to maintain stability in a changing energy landscape. The pre-conference workshop will take place Wednesday, May 13, from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Sun Prairie Utilities, beginning with a casual lunch and concluding with a tour of the utility’s new facility and a demonstration of its state-of-the-art Commission Meeting Room. Mayors, village presidents, council members, administrators, utility commissioners, and others involved in governing their local utility are encouraged to attend. Indicate your participation as part of your 2026 Annual Conference registration.
- Elected officials and Utility Commissioners may be eligible for our Policymaker Registration Grant Program. Find out more here.
Connect with other crew leaders at the Foreman’s Roundtable: We are holding a Foreman’s Roundtable on Wednesday, March 25, at PinSeekers (now PinSocial) in DeForest to enable electric utility foremen to share ideas, learn from one another, and develop leadership and communication skills, especially regarding safety. Following the Roundtable, attendees will have the chance to take part in an optional teambuilding and networking activity at the at the hybrid golf facility, sponsored by The Okonite Company. Learn more and register here.
Network and learn at a Customer Service Roundtable: Every other year, MEUW organizes a series of roundtable meetings where member utilities can gather and exchange ideas. Five sessions at locations across the state are planned for March and April, offering municipal utility employees to learn from one another and discuss leading practices, service trends and emerging issues. There is no cost to attend, and everyone is welcome! Learn more at MEUW.org/csr. The dates and sites are:
- Wednesday, March 18: Rice Lake
- Thursday, March 19: Wisconsin Dells
- Wednesday, March 25: Oconomowoc
- Thursday, March 26: Menasha
- Tuesday, April 14: Merrillan
Increase your leadership effectiveness — Learn to lead through collaboration: Collaborating is much ore than working side-by-side with people — it also involves using influence and persuasion to drive high-performing teams. Being collaborative can help leaders get the most out of their teams. Register today for the next class in MEUW’s “Municipal Utility Leadership Certificate Program” — Leading Through Collaboration — which will be held Thursday, April 2 in Mauston. Registration and details are available here.
Nominations for MEUW awards being accepted until March 30: Throughout our nearly 100-year history, MEUW has proudly recognized individual contributions and achievements toward advancing public power through awards presented at the Annual Conference. We are currently accepting nominations in a number of categories. Full details are available at MEUW.org/awards. To nominate someone from your utility or community, please complete the nomination form and submit it by Monday, March 30. Awards will be presented during a ceremony at MEUW’s Annual Conference on May 14.
Overhead Workshop/Hotline School planned for April: Any utility’s system is highly dependent on overhead line installation and management. MEUW and Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) have once again partnered to present this Overhead Workshop/Hotline School, offering an ideal opportunity for lineworkers to learn and practice hands-on techniques in a simulated field setting. Offering hands-on training both in the classroom and in the training building on the campus of CVTC, participants of all experience levels will sharpen their skills, review practical applications, and safely perform tasks in a controlled environment.
The workshop will be held April 28−30 in Eau Claire and will include a vendor trade show. Planned topics to be covered may include: Truck safety and inspections, harnesses and inspections, bucket self- rescue, practicing different outside activities in de-energized pole yard; pole change out, arm change out, moving around different areal apparatus, three phase banking, storm restoration, bucket rescue, and more. Note: Specific topics covered may change based on presenter availability.
Companies that are able to send a bucket truck for use during the Workshop will receive one complimentary registration. Please email Kendal Schmidt at CVTC to coordinate sending a truck. Registration is open now.