Free webinar to highlight electric vehicle trends: Dairyland Power Cooperative, RENEW Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Clean Cities are hosting a one-hour webinar, Charging Ahead with EVs, on Wednesday, May 19, at 10 a.m. Participants will hear from industry experts on the latest in EV trends, programs, and grant opportunities from across Wisconsin. The webinar is free, but registration is required. Click here to learn more.
Sign up now for upcoming Management Training Program: Leadership and team building are the topics for the next session in MEUW’s Management Training Program – scheduled as an in-person training on Wednesday, June 2, in Wisconsin Dells. The one-day session will be led by Jeff Russell, a professional trainer specializing in the origins of organizational challenges. Among the information to be covered are the differences between leading effectively and managing well, managing conflict, and empowering a team through delegation. Complete details about the subject matter and a biography of the instructor are available here.
If you missed last month’s Electric Operations Expo, you can check out this brief highlight video to see what the experience was like. And remember, as we turn our attention to planning for future events, we want member feedback about this year’s Expo. Even if you did not attend, please take a few minutes to share your thoughts by completing a short survey here.
Transitions impact MEUW Executive Committee: George Morrissey, Director of Public Works for the City of Cuba City, is now President of MEUW’s Board of Directors, following transitions that occurred at the association’s Annual Business Meeting held May 14 via Zoom. Rick Wicklund, Utility Manager of Sun Prairie Utilities, has joined the Executive Committee as First Vice President, as has Nick Kumm, General Manager of Marshfield Utilities, as Second Vice President. Brian Knapp of Shawano is now Immediate Past President. Tim Herlitzka of Waunakee continues as Secretary-Treasurer.
Two individuals – John Murphy (Elkhorn) and Todd Tessmann (Hustisford) – were recognized at the meeting as each of them leaves MEUW’s Board after many years of service.
Newcomers join MEUW Board: MEUW members in odd-numbered districts recently voted to fill seats on the MEUW Board of Directors. Dean Bergstrom, General Manager of Cumberland Utilities, was elected as the Alternate Director for District 1, and Nick Gahlman, Electric Superintendent for Juneau Utilities, was elected as the Alternate Director for District 7. Other Directors and Alternate Directors in Districts 1, 3, 5, and 9 were re-elected to new two-year terms. Michelle Kaltenberg, Co-Superintendent of Columbus Water & Light, was elected as Director for District 7. Jill Weiss, Utilities Director at Stoughton Utilities, previously an At-Large Director, is now the Director for District 9.
In addition, incoming MEUW Board President George Morrissey appointed three individuals to fill At-Large seats on the Board. Joe Pickart, Utility Manager for the City of Oconomowoc, will serve until 2022. Steve Brooks, General Manager of Waupun Utilities, and Jem Brown, General Manager of Wisconsin Rapids Water Works and Lighting Commission, both accepted a two-year appointment that expires at the Annual Meeting in 2023. All of these actions were approved by the Board of Directors at the May 14 meeting.
For a complete list of MEUW’s 2021-22 Board of Directors, click here.
MEUW committee appointment approved: An association like MEUW benefits from member input and involvement in several committees that support effective operations and member engagement. During the association’s Annual Business Meeting, MEUW’s Board of Directors formally approved the appointment of Troy Adams, General Manager of Manitowoc Public Utilities, to the Legislative and Regulatory Committee.
Is your line crew up to this Twitter challenge? Our national association is inviting public power utilities to participate in a friendly, virtual, “ice-bucket”-style lineworker challenge next month. American Public Power Association (APPA) is coordinating this open competition as a way to thank the essential “front line” lineworkers who have labored tirelessly through the pandemic and all manner of extreme weather conditions and to draw attention to the annual Lineworker Rodeo.
Utilities that wish to participate in the challenge need a utility Twitter account, a city/state/U.S. flag, and a lineworker crew willing to be seen on social media. APPA asks that participating utilities shoot creative videos of lineworkers introducing themselves and their communities and calling out another utility against which they’d like to compete in the 2022 Lineworker Rodeo in Austin, Texas. The videos will be posted to Twitter during the week of June 14-18, 2021.
If your utility is interested in participating, APPA would like to know by Friday, May 21. Additional information about the challenge is available here.