MEUW Weekly :: March 18, 2025

Excavation Competent Person workshops scheduled: Excavations are a common hazard for utility employees. As with any hazard, a well-trained employee is the best defense against injuries on the job. MEUW is pleased to offer Excavation Competent Person training that includes both classroom and hands-on field training.

Attendees will review OSHA’s 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P Excavation Standard (adopted and enforced by the state under SPS 332) and learn safety aspects, potential hazards, protective systems and planning for safe excavation and trenching. Choose from among six locations ―

Details and instructor information can be found here. Space is limited, so sign up today!

Data collection underway for annual Wage & Benefits Survey: Every year, MEUW collects information about the pay and perks provided to public power employees across the state. The data-collection phase of the annual process kicked off this week. Instructions for completing this year’s survey were recently shared with key contacts at each utility. Full details about this year’s Wage & Benefits Survey are available here. As a reminder, only those utilities that provide information for the survey are able to receive the results. The deadline to respond is noon on Thursday, April 17.

Just nine days until MEUW award nomination deadline: Don’t miss your chance to recognize individual contributions and achievements toward advancing public power through awards presented at our Annual Conference. We are currently accepting nominations in all 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 Friday, March 28. Awards will be presented during a ceremony at MEUW’s Annual Conference on May 15.

Increase your leadership effectiveness at coaching class. 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. 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, April 2 ― details and registration can be found here.

Learn safe chainsaw techniques: 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. MEUW’s Stored Energy/Chainsaw workshop will cover how to recognize stored energy, and how to control and mitigate it when working at trees with chainsaws.

This workshop is recommended for electric line workers, line clearance workers, and Department of Public Works employees who work with and around live wires. Material is first covered in the classroom and then applied in the field. Attendees learn how to identify and control stored energy,  selecting the right tools to use, chainsaw safety, remote cuts, and how to evaluate difficult situations encountered in the field.

The workshop will be held Thursday, April 24, in Kaukauna. Complete details are available here. 

Mark your calendars for Annual Conference in May! MEUW’s 95th Annual Conference in La Crosse is sure to be another great event. Held May 14-16, this year’s gathering will offer something for everyone. Golf enthusiasts will want to join the scramble-style golf outing at Forest Hills Golf Course in La Crosse on Wednesday, May 14. Join fellow municipal utility leaders for a tour of Dairyland Power Cooperative, and then for a Welcome Reception aboard the La Crosse Queen Riverboat. The conference program will take place at the Radisson La Crosse on Thursday, May 15, and will feature engaging speakers on a variety of topics of interest and the annual MEUW Honors Awards Luncheon. The MEUW Board of Directors will meet for the association’s Annual Business Meeting on Friday, May 16. Additional information (including the conference agenda) can be found here. Registration will open April 1.

WattHour Metering Workshop expected to return in 2026: Those familiar with MEUW programming know that this is the time of year when MEUW typically hosts a multi-day workshop focused on electric metering. The “Watt Hour” Metering Workshop is a popular and well-attended training program. Based on member feedback, we’re taking a break for one year to explore new options and freshen the program content. We expect the training will return to the calendar in March 2026. Keep an eye out for full details later this summer.