94th Annual Conference in Marshfield this week: More than 100 public power leaders will be in Marshfield this week for MEUW’s Annual Conference. The event kicks off on Wednesday morning with a golf outing at RiverEdge Golf Course, then an Open House at the host utility, Marshfield Utilities (MU). There will also be a Welcome Reception Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at MU, hosted by Wisconsin Utility Suppliers Association (WUSA). Conference check-in will be available beginning at 7 a.m. on Thursday, May 16, at Hotel Marshfield. The program begins at 8 a.m. and includes presentations from a variety of speakers. During a lunchtime ceremony, MEUW will present individual honors and the 2023 Safety Achievement Awards. The MEUW Annual Meeting will be held Friday morning beginning at 8 a.m. at Marshfield Utilities (the meeting will be available on Teams for those interested; the agenda is here.) Questions about the Annual Conference should be directed to MEUW Manager of Communications and Events Sharon Wolf at (608) 575-3614.
The May edition of Live Lines was distributed last week. In case you missed it, you can find it online here.
Plan ahead to assist with out-of-state mutual aid: Providing mutual aid in a time of need is a hallmark of public power, and MEUW members routinely answer the call. With National Hurricane Preparedness Week just completed, it’s a good time for MEUW member utilities to think about the steps they would take to respond to an out-of-state mutual aid request like the one from Florida utilities in 2022. MEUW’s Board of Directors has an approved standard out-of-state mutual aid billing policy template for member utilities to use. Taking steps now to have your governing body consider and approve a policy can make it easier to respond when the time comes. Use of the template — which was developed at member request — is completely voluntary. Please direct questions to MEUW’s Mike Czuprynko at (608) 478-2530.
2024 Wage & Benefits Survey complete: Each year, MEUW collects and shares data about the wages and benefits provided by MEUW member utilities. The results of the 2024 Wage & Benefits Survey were distributed on May 8. Only the utilities that provided information for the survey received a copy of the results, which were sent to the email address of the person who submitted the data. A total of 62 utilities responded to this year’s survey. This total — representing 78% of the MEUW membership — compares to 68 in 2023 and 64 in 2022. For details about which utilities submitted information for this year’s survey, click here.
The comprehensive survey results are considered proprietary. MEUW does not provide the results on request. This practice makes it easier to control how the data is used and by whom. Thank you to those member utilities that participated.
How strong are your Communications and Project Management skills? Enhance your leadership skills by learning the important role of effective communications and project management skills. The next offering in MEUW’s professional development programming will be a one-day course that covers techniques for planning your time, prioritizing your obligations, and evaluating your success, as well as how to communicate clear instructions, and listen well for meaningful feedback. Don’t miss your chance to participate in Mauston on Wednesday, June 5. Full details and registration are available here.
Recent Customer Service Roundtables a success: Six utilities hosted Customer Service Roundtables earlier this spring, helping to facilitate the exchange of ideas around best practices in customer service, as well as service trends and emerging issues among member utilities. Many thanks to the Accounting and Customer Service Committee for leading these sessions, and to staff in Cumberland, Evansville, Kaukauna, Oconomowoc, Waunakee, and Wonewoc for hosting.
Participants were asked to provide feedback on the sessions, and 97% of respondents said they were either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the roundtable sessions. Katie Slaby from Sturgeon Bay Utilities was the winner of a drawing from those who submitted feedback!
Register today to learn effective coaching: High performing leaders develop the skills and emotional intelligence to coach others effectively. Take the next step in your leadership journey by attending this one-day class that focuses on the importance of effective coaching. Good coaches are seen as role models and need to understand those things that cause them to have frustration and how to channel their emotions productively. Participants will take away practical ideas they can apply to setting a good example and becoming a leader who gets the most from others. The class will be held in Mauston on Wednesday, Aug. 7. Registration and details about what you’ll learn are available here.
Mark your calendars for Accounting and Customer Service Seminar: This annual seminar brings together municipal electric utility staff to provide updates on regulatory and legislative issues that affect their utilities and provide best practices to improve their operations. MEUW’s Accounting & Customer Service Committee assists MEUW staff in putting together the day’s program to address timely topics and issues of importance to accounting, customer service, and utility billing personnel. This one-day seminar will be held in Mauston on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Additional details coming soon.
MEUW Weekly schedule changes during summer: We will not distribute an e-newsletter every week during the summer. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, MEUW Weekly will be sent only once per month (on the third Tuesdays of June, July, and August). Meanwhile, MEUW’s monthly newsletter, Live Lines, will continue to be published on the first Tuesday of every month through the summer. As always, we welcome your feedback about the news you receive from MEUW. Please use the Comment section below to “leave a reply” and share your thoughts.