MED employees compete in 2016 Lineman Rodeo€¦ · The rodeo also gives MED employees the chance...
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Some say the secret to a happy life is to not compare yourself with others. Looking at your neighbor’s new car may make you unhappy with the one you’re driving. There’s a lot of wisdom in that. However, there are times when comparisons help you know the quality of service you’re providing for your customers. This is why Murfreesboro Electric Department is compared with other utilities across the nation by various organizations. These comparisons help us evaluate our strengths and weaknesses, and they let us know how we can better serve our rate-payers. I’d like to take a moment to brag on the system that the citizens of Murfreesboro have built. Currently, MED is recognized as a “Reliable Public Power Provider” through the American Public Power Association’s RP3 program due to our accomplishments in reliability, safety, workforce development and system improvement. Less than 200 utilities nationwide have earned this distinction, and we’re very proud to be one of them. We are also compared to all of the other 155 Local Power Companies (LPCs) in the Tennessee Valley by TVA, who serves as our regulatory agency. According to TVA, MED's 7.3 percent net income ratio over the last year was more than triple the average for LPCs. This was accomplished by holding operation and maintenance expenses to nearly half of what other LPCs spent. As a result, MED's debt ratio is only 23.2 percent, compared with 40.4 percent for similar utilities. What does all this mean? Simply put, MED performs above and beyond most utilities. As a source of low-cost, reliable energy, we believe we have helped Murfreesboro grow as a valuable partner, and we continue to strive to serve our customers and the City of Murfreesboro. MED ranks among the best in the nation Steve Sax, General Manager JULY 2016 Last month, Murfreesboro Electric Department employees competed in the regional Lineman Rodeo for the ninth consecutive year. The 19th Annual Tennessee Valley Lineman Rodeo took place over two days at Paris Landing State Park and saw linemen of all experience levels compete in events designed to reward individuals and teams for safety, skill and knowledge in their field. The rodeo was started in 1998 by employees of Tennessee Valley Authority power distributors to provide an opportunity for them to showcase their talents to family and friends as well as build pride in their trade. Among participants from MED were Rob Rooker, competing in senior lineman events, as well as Corey Harrell and Jeff Huff, competing in independent lineman events. For the first time, MED also sent three first-year apprentice linemen — Demorro Grayson, Tracy Oliver and Dustin Dagg — to compete in apprentice events. MED’s linemen competed against others from more than 30 utilities, including the Nashville Electric Service, the Tullahoma Utilities Board and Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation. Events ranged from replacing fuses atop power poles to the hurt man rescue, where linemen retrieve a dummy stranded on a power line. Rooker finished in third place overall for the senior event competition, while Huff and Harrell each did well in the individual events. Out of 33 competitors, Huff finished 13th overall with perfect scores in all events, and Harrell finished 15th in the transformer arrestor changeout event. Each event was judged on safety, speed and the skill with which it was completed. Jackie Whitaker, superintendent of operations at MED, is particularly excited for the opportunity the rodeo provides for younger linemen who are just starting out. “It’s really a great teaching and learning tool, especially for our apprentice linemen,” he says. “Not only do they get the chance to watch more experienced linemen and learn from them, but MED employees compete in 2016 Lineman Rodeo continued next page, see LINEMAN
Transcript of MED employees compete in 2016 Lineman Rodeo€¦ · The rodeo also gives MED employees the chance...
Some say the secret to a happy life is to not compare yourself with others. Looking at your neighbor’s new car may make you unhappy with the one you’re driving.
There’s a lot of wisdom in that. However, there are times when comparisons help you know the quality of service you’re providing for your customers. This is why Murfreesboro Electric Department is compared with other utilities across the nation by various organizations. These comparisons help us evaluate our strengths and weaknesses, and they let us know how we can better serve our rate-payers.
I’d like to take a moment to brag on the system that the citizens of Murfreesboro have built. Currently, MED is recognized as a “Reliable Public Power Provider” through the American Public Power Association’s RP3 program due to our accomplishments in reliability, safety, workforce development and system improvement. Less than 200 utilities nationwide have earned this distinction, and we’re very proud to be one of them.
We are also compared to all of the other 155 Local Power Companies (LPCs) in the Tennessee Valley by TVA, who serves as our regulatory agency. According to TVA, MED's 7.3 percent net income ratio over the last year was more than triple the average for LPCs. This was accomplished by holding operation and maintenance expenses to nearly half of what other LPCs spent. As a result, MED's debt ratio is only 23.2 percent, compared with 40.4 percent for similar utilities.
What does all this mean? Simply put, MED performs above and beyond most utilities. As a source of low-cost, reliable energy, we believe we have helped Murfreesboro grow as a valuable partner, and we continue to strive to serve our customers and the City of Murfreesboro.
MED ranks among the best in the nation
Steve Sax, General Manager
JULY 2016
Last month, Murfreesboro Electric Department employees competed in the regional Lineman Rodeo for the ninth consecutive year. The 19th Annual Tennessee Valley Lineman Rodeo took place over two days at Paris Landing State Park and saw linemen of all experience levels compete in events designed to reward individuals and teams for safety, skill and knowledge in their field.
The rodeo was started in 1998 by employees of Tennessee Valley Authority power distributors to provide an opportunity for them to showcase their talents to family and friends as well as build pride in their trade.
Among participants from MED were Rob Rooker, competing in senior lineman events, as well as Corey Harrell and Jeff Huff, competing in independent lineman events. For the first time, MED also sent three first-year apprentice linemen — Demorro Grayson, Tracy Oliver and Dustin Dagg — to compete in apprentice events.
MED’s linemen competed against others from more than 30 utilities, including the Nashville
Electric Service, the Tullahoma Utilities Board and Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation. Events ranged from replacing fuses atop power poles to the hurt man rescue, where linemen retrieve a dummy stranded on a power line.
Rooker finished in third place overall for the senior event competition, while Huff and Harrell each did well in the individual events. Out of 33 competitors, Huff finished 13th overall with perfect scores in all events, and Harrell finished 15th in the transformer arrestor changeout event. Each event was judged on safety, speed and the skill with which it was completed.
Jackie Whitaker, superintendent of operations at MED, is particularly excited for the opportunity the rodeo provides for younger linemen who are just starting out.
“It’s really a great teaching and learning tool, especially for our apprentice linemen,” he says. “Not only do they get the chance to watch more experienced linemen and learn from them, but
MED employees compete in 2016 Lineman Rodeo
continued next page, see LINEMAN
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Murfreesboro Electric Department wants to make doing business with your power provider as easy as possible. If Spanish is your preferred language, our lobby kiosk is now able to accommodate you.
Our kiosk allows customers to save time when coming to our office. If you do not wish to wait in line or speak to a customer service representative, the kiosk allows you to avoid the wait and pay your bill directly.
We hope our kiosk provides a fast, easy option for our customers, now in either language.h
Now, so does our kiosk!
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they can also see how they stack up next to linemen from across the region.”
The rodeo also gives MED employees the chance to network with other professionals from across the state and exchange best practices that can help them provide better service at home.
“The excitement our employees show for this event each year really is a testament to the pride they take in their work,” says Amy Byers, director of marketing at MED. “That willingness to improve and learn from their peers is at the heart of our mission to provide the best service to our customers.”
LINEMAN, continued from front
Join us for a
night out!Don’t miss the chance to meet
your emergency responders as part of National Night Out on Aug. 2. This national community-building campaign aims to promote partnership and camaraderie between police officers and their communities. Come out to the downtown public square, Patterson Park and SportsCom from 5-8 p.m. for free fun and food.
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