Monday is the deadline to nominate individuals for MEUW Honors: Don’t miss your chance to recognize individuals who are making a difference in public power. We are currently accepting nominations in a number of categories, including two new ones. Full details are available at MEUW.org/awards. It’s easy to nominate someone from your utility or community. Just fill out the brief nomination form and submit it by Monday, March 30. Awards will be presented at MEUW’s Annual Conference on May 14.
Spots still available in Leading Through Collaboration class: Collaborating is different from cooperating and is much more than simply working side-by-side with people — it also involves using influence and persuasion to drive high-performing 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.
Wage & Benefits Survey data collection underway: 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 will kick off later 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 Friday, April 17.
It’s Customer Service Roundtable season: Sign up for an opportunity to share and learn customer service leading practices, service trends and emerging issues with other member utilities at this spring’s Customer Service Roundtable sessions. A member of MEUW’s Accounting and Customer Service Committee will moderate each session, sponsored by Focus on Energy. Choose from upcoming locations and dates. There is no cost to participate but advance registration is required. Everyone is welcome!
April Overhead Workshop/Hotline School scheduled: MEUW and Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) are once again partnering to present the Overhead Workshop/Hotline School, offering an ideal opportunity for lineworkers of all experience levels to learn and practice real-world techniques in a simulated field setting. This training offers hands-on training both in the classroom and in the training building on the campus of CVTC. The workshop will be held April 28−30 in Eau Claire and will include a vendor trade show. Information on planned topics can be found here. Registration is open now.
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.
Make plans to attend the Utility Governance Roundtable on May 13: Effective governance matters more than ever. MEUW’s Utility Governance Roundtable brings municipal leaders together for a practical, peer‑driven look at how to oversee strong, sustainable community‑owned utilities. The highly interactive forum will happen in Sun Prairie in conjunction with the 96th Annual Conference and will focus on oversight, finances, and leading practices in public power utilities. Learn more here.
Nomination period for MEUW Board of Directors now open: MEUW is currently accepting nominations for interested individuals to serve on the association’s Board of Directors for a two-year term beginning May 14, 2026. This year’s election will be for Directors and Alternate Directors in even-numbered districts. The Nomination Form and additional information is available here. The deadline to nominate someone is Friday, April 10.
Help us celebrate your line crews: Together, MEUW member utilities employ more than 300 linemen across Wisconsin. In celebration of National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18, we plan to use our website and social media pages to recognize those hard-working folks to shower a little gratitude on those who put their talents to work as electrical line workers. We’re asking all member utilities to send in a current photo of their line crews so we can post and share them next month. Send the pictures to news@meuw.org and help us recognize Wisconsin’s public power lineworkers.