Friday is deadline to register for Accounting and Customer Service Seminar: MEUW’s annual gathering of municipal electric utility accounting and customer service employees is Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells. This year’s program begins with presentations by staff from the Public Service Commission with timely reminders about service rules and tips for preparing for a billing audit. Meena Dayak, Vice President, Integrated Media & Communications for American Public Power Association (APPA), will provide attendees with practical advice utilities can use to engage customers through social media, community involvement, and key partnerships. Updates from Focus on Energy and a discussion of Bankruptcy 101 and records retention are also part of the one-day agenda. The cost to attend is $100 for MEUW members. A complete agenda and additional details are available on MEUW’s website.
Share details about your utility’s accounting and customer service practices: Every member utility is being asked to complete a census survey to share insights about systems and vendors they use as well as data about deposits and disconnection thresholds, credit card fees, and the like. The results are being compiled and shared at next week’s Accounting and Customer Service Seminar. The last time MEUW gathered this information was in 2013. To share details of your utility’s practices, please complete the survey here. The deadline to provide information is end of day on Monday, Sept. 23.
Time is running out to register for the 2019 Wisconsin Energy Providers Conference: Sign up today to join your fellow industry peers at this year’s Wisconsin Energy Providers Conference, which is taking place in Wisconsin Dells on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. The conference brings together municipal, cooperative and investor-owned utilities and PSCW Commissioners and staff. Confirmed speakers and moderators include U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, PSCW Chairperson Rebecca Valcq, Commissioners Mike Huebsch and Ellen Nowak.
To learn more and to register, click here. The event is a collaborative effort of Dairyland Power Cooperative, MEUW, Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association (WECA), Wisconsin Utilities Association (WUA), and WPPI Energy.
Public Power Week is Oct. 6 to 12: We encourage all member utilities to use Public Power Week to remind your customers that they are part of something special. MEUW has prepared a sample news release you can make available to your local newspaper and radio stations. You can find it here, along with a link to other resources available from APPA.
Register for National Electrical Safety Code training: MEUW will host a seminar to foster education about the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) and Wisconsin PSC 113, 114 and 119 Code requirements.
The two-day seminar – to be held Nov. 12 and 13 at Plymouth Utilities – is similar to one held in December 2018 is Fennimore. MEUW Electric Safety and Training Coordinator Randy Larson will lead the session. Training topics include overhead and underground settings, substation clearance requirements, communication facilities clearance requirements, cable markings and safety signs that conform with the NESC and PSC Code.
The registration fee for MEUW member utility employees is $175. Please click here for additional information or to register.
District Dinners have a new name: Registration is now open for the seven “Meet & Eat” gatherings that will take place across the state in October and November. These annual get-togethers are a great opportunity to visit with your public power colleagues, enjoy a meal and get some updates on what’s happening with MEUW. Based on member feedback, we know that dinner isn’t always the most convenient time for a member get-together, so we’re adding a breakfast and lunchtime option to this year’s schedule for what used to be known as District Dinners. The complete schedule is now available on MEUW’s Website.
Do you have ideas for conference topics? MEUW leadership and staff are looking ahead to 2020 and making plans for the Electric Operations Conference and Expo (formerly Joint Superintendents’ Conference) to be held Jan. 15 to 17, 2020, and MEUW’s 91st Annual Conference to be held May 13 to 15, 2020. We‘re interested in suggestions for speakers and topics at the 2020 events. Maybe you heard a really good presenter at a recent conference or maybe there’s a topic you think municipal electric utility members need to know more about. Send us your ideas! Simply drop an email to info@MEUW.org with your suggestion.
Start spreading the news: We’d like to share your utility’s news with other MEUW members. Please take time to let us know about new hires, promotions, retirements, honors and awards. Simply send an email to news@meuw.org. We will review and include it in our member communications.