OKLAHOMA PUBLIC POWER - meso.org 2018 MESO... · (PVC Conduit and Fittings) ... (Molded Products &...

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A publication of the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma April 2018 OKLAHOMA PUBLIC POWER Recruit Local: The Next Generation in the Utility Workforce– Page 3 MESO Basic Lineman School Returns for 2018 Page 5 In This Issue GRDA Recognized for Electric System Reliability Page 6 OMPA Hosts Legislative Luncheon Page 7 MESO Prepares for Annual Meeting Later this month, professionals representing locally- owned, municipal electric utilities from across the State of Oklahoma will gather for the 2018 Public Power Conference in Tulsa, OK. The conference is made possible, in large part, by companies and individuals who choose to sponsor the annual event. “On behalf of all of our members, we thank companies and individuals who actively support Public Power,” said Tom Rider, MESO General Manager. “I also hope anyone involved with Public Power will join me in thanking them.” Kriz-Davis Company has agreed to be the Platinum Sponsor; Gridliance is the Gold Sponsor; and Honeywell Smart Energy, Garver, and Clifford Power Systems are all Silver Sponsors. There are 11 Bronze Sponsors and an additional 28 Sponsors (see complete list on page 4). Smart Grid expert Steve Collier will be the opening speaker. The conference will feature the four traditional learning tracks — Power Generation, Customer Service, Superintendent and Lineworker — along with Human Resources new for 2018. GRDA and OMPA join MESO as presenting partners for the 2018 MESO Public Power Conference. Any questions about the conference may be directed to Deborah Gonzales at deborah@meso. org. All MESO members are encouraged to attend the “Intent Based Leadership™” Conference (hosted by the Oklahoma Gas Association (OGA). The event will be held May 17 in Norman, Oklahoma. The one-day conference is based on the book “Turn the Ship Around” and will be presented by nationally-recognized speaker, Jeff Leap. “’Turn the Ship Around’ is one of the most powerful books on leadership I’ve read,” said MESO General Manager Tom Rider who also serves as OGA Executive Director. “I would highly recommend this conference to anyone interested in improving their leadership skills.” Leap imagines a workplace where everyone engages and contributes their full intellectual capacity, MESO Members Invited to “Intent Based Leadership™” Conference a place where people are healthier and happier because they have more control over their work, and their work is more fulfilling — a place where everyone is a leader. Before joining the Turn the Ship Around team, he was a Lean/Agile Coach and Trainer at Adobe. In this role, he helped teams in every part of the company find ways to deliver more customer value with less effort through applying Lean and Agile principles to their work. Cost: $150 per person ($125 per person when registering five people or more) Registration deadline is May 9. Seating is limited. Register online today at www.okgas.org.

Transcript of OKLAHOMA PUBLIC POWER - meso.org 2018 MESO... · (PVC Conduit and Fittings) ... (Molded Products &...

A publication of the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma April 2018

OKLAHOMAPUBLIC POWER

Recruit Local:The Next Generation

in the Utility Workforce– Page 3

MESO Basic Lineman School

Returns for 2018 – Page 5

In This Issue

GRDA Recognized for Electric System

Reliability – Page 6

OMPA HostsLegislativeLuncheon –

Page 7

MESO Prepares for Annual MeetingLater this month, professionals representing locally-

owned, municipal electric utilities from across the State of Oklahoma will gather for the 2018 Public Power Conference in Tulsa, OK.

The conference is made possible, in large part, by companies and individuals who choose to sponsor the annual event.

“On behalf of all of our members, we thank companies and individuals who actively support Public Power,” said Tom Rider, MESO General Manager. “I also hope anyone involved with Public Power will join me in thanking them.”

Kriz-Davis Company has agreed to be the Platinum Sponsor; Gridliance is the Gold Sponsor; and

Honeywell Smart Energy, Garver, and Clifford Power Systems are all Silver Sponsors.

There are 11 Bronze Sponsors and an additional 28 Sponsors (see complete list on page 4).

Smart Grid expert Steve Collier will be the opening speaker. The conference will feature the four traditional learning tracks — Power Generation, Customer Service, Superintendent and Lineworker — along with Human Resources new for 2018.

GRDA and OMPA join MESO as presenting partners for the 2018 MESO Public Power Conference. Any questions about the conference may be directed to Deborah Gonzales at [email protected].

All MESO members are encouraged to attend the “Intent Based Leadership™” Conference (hosted by the Oklahoma Gas Association (OGA). The event will be held May 17 in Norman, Oklahoma.

The one-day conference is based on the book “Turn the Ship Around” and will be presented by nationally-recognized speaker, Jeff Leap.

“’Turn the Ship Around’ is one of the most powerful books on leadership I’ve read,” said MESO General Manager Tom Rider who also serves as OGA Executive Director. “I would highly recommend this conference to anyone interested in improving their leadership skills.”

Leap imagines a workplace where everyone engages and contributes their full intellectual capacity,

MESO Members Invited to “Intent Based Leadership™” Conferencea place where people are healthier and happier because they have more control over their work, and their work is more fulfilling — a place where everyone is a leader.

Before joining the Turn the Ship Around team, he was a Lean/Agile Coach and Trainer at Adobe. In this role, he helped teams in every part of the company find ways to deliver more customer value with less effort through applying Lean and Agile principles to their work.

Cost: $150 per person ($125 per person when registering five people or more) Registration deadline is May 9. Seating is limited. Register online today at www.okgas.org.

Page 2 MESO April 2018 Newsletter

MESO BOARD OF DIRECTORS & STAFF

PresidentMike Doublehead, Tahlequah

President-ElectBill Bruce, Pawhuska

Vice PresidentDave Slezicky, Kingfi sher

Secretary / TreasurerVacant

DirectorsDan Blankenship, Stillwater

Dwayne Elam, WagonerPhil Johnston, Ponca City

Gary Pruett, PryorDean Sherrick, EdmondKeith Skelton, SallisawDavid Yeager, Duncan

Ex-Offi cio MembersDrake Rice, OMPA

Nathan Reese, GRDA

General Manager Tom Rider

Director of Administration & Finance

Deborah Gonzales

Administrative AssistantsMichelle Danner

Nita LaBlue

Director of Communications& Professional Development

Jeff Kaufmann

Director of Training & SafetyTom Dougherty

Training and Safety Instructors

Ray ArmstrongRichard O'Connor

MESO OFFICE308 N.E. 27th Street

Oklahoma City, OK 73105-2717(405)528-7564 or (800) 636-

MESO(405)524-5095 FAX

www.meso.org

UPCOMING MESO & AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER EVENTS

April 22 – 24, 20182018 MESO Public Power ConferenceTulsa, OK

April 27 – 28, 2018APPA Lineworkers RodeoRaleigh/Wake Forest, North Carolina

June 12 – 13, 2018MESO Basic Lineman SchoolFairview, Oklahoma

June 15 – 20, 2018APPA National ConferenceNew Orleans, Louisiana

September 19 – 20, 20182018 MESO Lineworkers Rodeo and Safety TrainingStillwater, Oklahoma

ON-GOING PROGRAMS:

MESO Electric Supervisor Development (ESD) Sessions• Tuesday, June 5, 2018• Tuesday, August 7, 2018• Tuesday, October 2, 2018• Tuesday, December 4, 2018MESO Training Center,Oklahoma City

MESO Regional Professional Development Sessions for OMPA• June 7, 2018, Waynoka• August 9, 2018, Okeene• December 6, 2018

OMPA Headquarters, Edmond

2017-2018 Supervisor Course • April 17, 2018• May 8, 2018• June 12, 2018MESO Training Center,Oklahoma City

Fred Oberlender & Associates Dallas | Houston | Fort Worth | San Antonio | Tulsa | Oklahoma City

www.oberlender.com

Proudly representing the following manufacturers:

Ameron International(Fiberglass, Concrete & Steel Lighting Poles)Armorcast(Subsurface Boxes, Vaults and Pads)Cantex(PVC Conduit and Fittings)Cementex(Insulated Tools and ProtectiveEquipment)ERICO(Grounding Accessories, LightingProtection)GE Lighting(Lamps for Utility, Roadway & Security)GE Lighting Solutions(Roadway & DecorativeLighting Fixtures)Georgia / Virginia Transformers (Small,Medium, and Large PowerTransformers)Hastings(Hotline Tools & GroundingEquipment)Hendrix (Marmon Utility)(Molded Products & Spacer Cable)

LAPP / Pfisterer(Porcelain & Polymer Insulators, andHardware)Mehta Tech(Digital Fault Recorders)Pascor(HV Disconnect Switches)Power Delivery Products(Fault Circuit Indicators)Power Monitors(Power Quality Recorders)S&C Electric Company(T&D Switching and Fusing Equipment)Sefcor(Connectors for Substation and EHV)Tech Products(Tags, Signs, and Markers)Trench(Reactors, Line Traps, InstrumentTransformers)Unifin / Cardinal Pumps(Transformer & GeneratorCoolers / Pumps)Utilco(Electrical Connectors, Taps, and Splices)Zenith(Transformer Radiators and Fans)

Doug Osborn | Senior Territory Manager – Tulsa Office Mobile: 918-630-2782 Email: [email protected]

Matt Tiffee | Territory Manager – Oklahoma City Office Mobile: 405-760-6498 Email: [email protected]

Rachael Farnan | Inside Sales Office Support for Tulsa and Oklahoma City Office: 918-627-4200 Email: [email protected]

Page 3 MESO April 2018 Newsletter

Powerby Design

High-voltage transmission lines

Power distribution substations

Distribution systems

Generation

System studies

Protection and control relaying

Route-selection studies

Environmental and permitting

Surveying and property acquisition

For more information contact Matt Robinson

at [email protected]

Exceeding Expectations GarverUSA.com

Garver customizes energy services to meet client standards

By Nidhi ChaundhryFrom the American Public Power Association

Many utilities are faced with an aging workforce that is beginning to retire — taking decades of institutional knowledge with it. The problem is even more acute for small utilities that serve fewer than 5,000 customers and operate with a small number of employees.

Smaller utilities feel an outsized impact when someone leaves, as each employee often fills multiple roles in the utility.

To prepare for the future, some utilities are trying innovative measures to recruit and retain the next generation of workers — taking advantage of the unique aspects of their location, size and culture to do so.

Attracting local talent“Back in the ’60s and ’70s, it was cool to work for

the power utility — those were often the most stable, best jobs in town — so the pool to draw from was larger,” said Carol Brehm from Nebraska Municipal Power Pool, which represents more than 60 small

Recruit Local: The Next Generation in the Utility Workforceto midsize utilities. “Now, kids go off to college, [and] there’s not a lot to bring them back to rural communities.”

Part of the challenge in recruiting the younger generation is its lack of awareness about electric

utility opportunities, according to Danette Scudder, executive vice president, member services and strategic relations at the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association.

“For the past 30 years, our education system has focused on a minimum four-year degree instead of more hands-on

skills, like line work, that may not require as much time in a formal, higher education setting,” she explained. “To counter, many smaller utilities have undertaken campaigns to get into the local school system or regional community colleges, to make local students aware that there are stable, well-paying (at least within the small community) careers in the electric utility industry, if they want to stay in the area.”

The city of Pierce, Nebraska, has a symbiotic understanding with nearby Northeast Community

(see RECRUIT LOCAL, page 5)

Page 4 MESO April 2018 Newsletter

PLATINUM SPONSORKriz-Davis Company

GOLD SPONSORGridLiance

SILVER SPONSORSHoneywell

Smart EnergyGarver Clifford

Power Systems

BRONZE SPONSORSAutomated Energy

CaselleCLEAResult

Fred Oberlender & AssociatesIrby

OMAG

Pelco ProductsSolomon Corporation

Techline, Inc.Utilismart Corporation

Wesco Distribution

SPONSORSA2V Partners LLC

Allgeier, Martin and Associates, Inc.Anixter

CECEnergy Reps

ESC EngineeringETI

Finley Engineering CompanyFluke

Green Equipment CompanyGuernsey

Hawrylak & AssociatesHendrix Aerial Cable Systems

JELCO

Len T. Deloney Co.Nighthawk

Okie 811 (Okla One Call)Osmose Utilities

Power Equip Sales RepsRepCom/Vivax/Metrotech

SkyHelm TechnologyT&R Electric Supply Co., Inc.

Timber Oklahoma LLCTransdata, Inc.

Ultimate Tool and SafetyUtility Sales Agents of North TexasUtility Sales Agents of OklahomaUtility Technology Services, Inc.

Page 5 MESO April 2018 Newsletter

MESO Affi liate/ Associate

MembersA2V Partners, LLC

Allegiant Utility / Sooner MeterAllgeier Martin & Associates, Inc.

Altec Industries, Inc.Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.

Automated EnergyBevins Company

BurndyCaselle

CEC CorporationCIA Machinery, Inc.

Clifford Power SystemsCross Discipline Engineering, LLC.

DeloneyDemand Safety

Electric Power Systems InternationalEquipment Technology Inc.

Finley Engineering Company, Inc.Fred Oberlender & Associates

Garver, LLCGRDA

Green Equipment CompanyGridLiance GP, LLC

GuernseyHawrylak and AssociatesHoneywell Smart Energy

JELCOJones Power Products

K.D. Johnson Inc.Kriz Davis Company

Marathon Electric CompanyNational Meter and Automation, Inc.

Nimble StorageOMAGOMPA

Osmose, IncPelco Products, Inc

RepcomRope Works

Solomon CorporationStanley Consultants, Inc.

T & R Electric Supply Company, IncTechline

Terex Utilities, IncUltimate Tool and Safety

Utility Sales Agents of OKUtility Technology

WESCO Distribution

(see RECRUIT LOCAL, page 8)

MESO Basic Lineman School Returns for 2018The MESO Basic Lineman School will be held June 12 and 13 at the

OMPA Fairview Field Office.This two-fold training course combines classroom sessions (covering

the basics of electricity) and hands-on work. This training will assist workers whose job assignments may

require pole climbing, assisting journeymen and operating mechanical equipment. While this course covers BASIC materials and is designed for Apprentice Linemen, professionals at any skill level or knowledge will benefit by participating.

Participants are expected to gain proficiency in the following areas:• Basic Knots• Bucket Rescue• Digger Derrick and Bucket Truck Operation• Meter Base Inspection• Personal Protective Equipment• Truck Grounding• Pole Climbing• Pole Hardware Knowledge• Pole Top Rescue• Rigging

The cost for the two-day course is $179 per person and includes lunches and book. For more information about the training session contact Tom Dougherty at [email protected]. Registration questions may be directed to Deborah Gonzales at [email protected].

College’s two-year lineman degree program. Rich Eymann, electric superintendent in Pierce, recalled how he turned to the college program to help rebuild a line, which helped introduce the students to the public power utility and give them a sense of the work it does. In turn, instructors in the program keep a lookout for promising local students that can join the utility as apprentices or interns.

“I go with hometown kids who don’t want to go anywhere because they’re going to stick around, they’re not going to look outside of the rural area,” explained Eymann. “And we do pay pretty good for it being a small town.”

Appealing to the next generationMillennials are on track to make up 50 percent of the U.S. workforce

by 2020 and 75 percent of the workforce by 2025. Close behind them, members of Generation Z are starting to graduate from college and are joining the workforce.

Just as workers belonging to the baby boomer generation helped to shape the current culture and values of what is now perceived as the traditional utility, the emerging workforce can help shape the culture of the utility of the future.

Small public power utilities can offer an environment that resonates well with the values of some members of the emerging workforce. For

Recruit Local(continued from page 3)

Page 6 MESO April 2018 Newsletter

GRDA Recognized for Electric System Reliability with Outage TimesMuch Shorter than National Averages

The Grand River Dam Authority’s role as a reliable electricity supplier is garnering national recognition.

On Wednesday, March 20, the American Public Power Association recognized GRDA for achieving “exceptional electricity reliability during 2017.”

That recognition came after APPA compiled GRDA’s reliability data and system outage data through its eTracker Reliability Service, and compared it similar data for other utilities, as collected by the Energy Information Administration. According to those numbers, GRDA’s System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) for distribution level electric service was only 19 minutes, compared to an industry average of 129 minutes. In simple terms, that means during 2017 the length of any GRDA electrical outages for its distribution customers (the industries of the MidAmerica Industrial Park) were 110 minutes shorter than the national average for outages.

“This recognition helps demonstrate public power’s commitment to reliable electric service,” said the APPA Senior Vice President of Engineering Services, Michael Hyland.

GRDA President/Chief Executive Officer Dan Sullivan echoed Hyland’s comments, adding that both efficiency and reliability continue to be at the very core of GRDA’s mission.

“We are proud to receive this recognition,” said Sullivan. “It is a testament to the hard work our employees do every day to ensure that the lights stay on for our customers. Most of all, it helps us keep our reliability promise to our customers.”

Reliability is important to GRDA customers all across its service area, including Oklahoma municipalities, electric cooperatives and the industries of the MidAmerica Industrial Park.

“We appreciate GRDA’s continued commitment to reliability and responsiveness to the many companies at MidAmerica. This recognition is certainly well deserved,” said MidAmerica Industrial Park Chief Administrative Officer David Stewart.

This GRDA recognition comes roughly a year after GRDA also received the “Clarence Fulkerson Electric System Achievement Award” from the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma (MESO). GRDA also garnered that recognition based on the reliability of its systems, as well as its ongoing system enhancements and innovated efforts to improve municipal electric power in Oklahoma.

“Our goal is to always be the most reliable power supplier possible for all our customers,” said Sullivan. “Through proper planning and efficient operations our dedicated workforce is achieving that goal.”

APPA is the national trade group that represents more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities.

Headquartered in Vinita, GRDA is Oklahoma’s state-owned electric utility, funded by revenues from electric and water sales. GRDA strives to be an “Oklahoma agency of excellence” by focusing on the 5E’s: electricity, economic development, environmental stewardship, employees and efficiency.

Linemen with the Grand River Dam Authority’s Distribution Maintenance Crew work on a project in the MidAmerica Industrial Park (MAIP). Recently, the American Public Power Association recognized GRDA for “exceptional electricity reliability” to its distribution customers in 2017. That includes GRDA’s many industrial customers in MAIP.

Page 7 MESO April 2018 Newsletter

OMPA Hosts Legislative LuncheonThe Oklahoma Municipal Power

Authority story was told during an annual luncheon with state legislators in Oklahoma City on March 27.

This was the third straight spring for OMPA to host such a luncheon,

which provides the Authority an opportunity to educate legislators on the role of a joint action agency and the value the state’s municipal utilities bring to the communities they serve.

OMPA invites all of the state’s legislators to the event.

General Manager Dave Osburn and Board Chairman Charles Lamb each spoke to a large group that also included staff representatives from member cities and towns served by OMPA.

At the request of cities and towns looking to control their own power supply, the Authority was created by the state legislature in 1981, and began serving power to an original 26 members in 1985. Since so much time has passed since the creation of OMPA, staff has recently made an extra effort to educate legislators on the Authority’s role and its mission. This luncheon is accompanied by smaller-scaled events throughout the year.

An update was provided on the growth of OMPA, which includes the addition of one member in 2016, two in 2015 and two in 2011.

An update also was provided on the resource portfolio of OMPA, which includes coal, natural gas and renewables like wind and hydro. That prompted another discussion regarding solar power and its potential future in the state.

OMPA encourages its member cities and towns to stay engaged with their local state legislators, reminding them how decisions made at the Capitol can impact their municipal utilities, which can drastically impact their communities.

OMPA Members and legislators at the OMPA Legislative Luncheon.

OMPA General Manager, Dave Osburn, tells the

OMPA story to legislators.

SAVE THE DATE2018 MESO Lineworkers Rodeo

and Safety TrainingSeptember 19 – 20, 2018

Hosted by Stillwater Electric

Page 8 MESO April 2018 Newsletter

example, workers might be eager for careers that offer opportunities to grow and be challenged; they might want flexibility with scheduling and work location; they might look to be involved in strategy, not just told what to do; and they might want to do work that is socially conscious or that allows them to give back to their community.

This last trait in particular presents an opportunity for public power utilities to shine. “There’s no better definition of an entity that’s about giving back to the community than a public power utility,” said Scudder. “But historically, public power utilities haven’t focused on self-promotion or made a concerted effort to highlight our fundamental value to the community, so most customers don’t think about a lineworker as a type of first responder, which they are.”

The remote location of many small utilities, usually thought of as a hindrance in attracting talent, can be an advantage, as Tennessee’s Erwin Utilities discovered.

“We’re settled in the mountains, the Appalachian Trail runs right through the town, there’s a lot of culture here, and one thing we joke about is that ‘no one around here plays golf because everybody is too busy hiking and camping,’” shared Lee Brown, general manager at Erwin Utilities. This has proved useful as it attracts younger, non-local talent. “Millennials want to move for that authentic feel, and that’s something that we can offer here.” Erwin modified its policies to provide flexible paid time off and ensure a better work-life balance for employees.

A larger culture shift might be required to attract millennials and members of Gen Z, one that smaller utilities have been slower to adopt.

“To some extent, there’s still a more top-down, traditional mindset in the dynamics between manager and employee, rather than being team-centric,” explained Scudder. “The younger generation wants to feel like they’re seeing the bigger picture and contributing to the decision-making process, regardless of whether they’ve been there five months, five years or 15 [years].”

Much of the focus right now, across the industry and within smaller utilities, is on utilities reinventing themselves through the way they engage with technology and their customers. Managing the workforce is an important part of that endeavor.

“You can’t engage with customers and keep up with technology if you don’t have a stable and well-prepared workforce. Internal processes, practices and perspectives need to be given equal attention,” said Scudder. “If you take care of your workforce and have the right people on your team, then it’s going to be easier for you to adapt to the changing external environment.”

Paying competitively, allowing for growthRetaining talent can be a challenge for small utilities. Experienced

linemen especially, explained Scudder, get hired away by bigger utilities that pay more or provide better growth opportunities.

Smaller utilities can be hampered by their revenues, as they serve a smaller customer base with limited opportunity to bring in new customers and businesses. “Sometimes that means having a hard conversation with your board,” urged Scudder, because the constant cycle of hiring, training and losing lineworkers is expensive.

A high turnover rate means having to devote already scarce resources to repeatedly training apprentices, not to mention dealing with the safety implications and related insurance implications. “One of our smaller utilities realized that if they took the money they were losing in retraining apprentices and used it to increase linemen’s minimum salaries, they would be more likely to retain them,” explained Scudder.

Lack of career advancement opportunities is another reason smaller utilities lose experienced people. “In a small utility with one line crew of four guys, there are limited growth opportunities unless they want to get out of line work,” said Scudder. “If you’re at a larger utility, then there’s a higher, longer chain for you to climb.”

Some utilities are solving this problem by identifying different ways for their employees to find personal and professional growth. They are

Recruit Local(continued from page 5)

(see RECRUIT LOCAL, page 9)

Page 9 MESO April 2018 Newsletter

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ClevestMobile Workforce Solutions

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Clean Energy CollectiveCommunity Solar

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PowerSecureInteractive Distributed Generation,

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Katama Technologies, Inc.Utility Technology Consulting

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Wortham Power Gen InsuranceProperty & Cyber Liability Insurance

Recruit Local(continued from page 8)

encouraging staff to cross-train, engage in community organizations and decision-making, to broaden their horizons outside their job descriptions, and become cross-functional, explained Scudder. “The younger generation sees this as an investment in them, and that makes them more committed to the organization, rather than if they felt like an expendable cog in the wheel.”

Focusing on excellenceErwin Utilities, which experienced several

retirements over the last eight years but is now settled down concerning turnover, turned the talent challenge into an opportunity to attract new and more-skilled employees. How? By focusing on improving themselves.

“We engaged in the Baldrige Excellence Framework, through the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence, to try to move our 70-year-old processes into something more defined, with technology and automation,” explained Brown. Through the exercise, the utility examined its strategy, leadership, customers, workforce, data management

and processes, identifying gaps and ways to work on continually improving.

Becoming a better organization makes the utility more attractive to job seekers. “Let’s say you’re a top person at your retail job, and you’ve got two opportunities — one with Walmart and one with Kmart,” said Brown. “As a top guy, you’re going to pick Walmart because they’re doing well, they’re growing, they’re getting better. So, as we’re preparing ourselves for the future and improving, that getting awards, that in itself attracts people.”

Focusing on excellence has also helped Erwin Utilities gain efficiency and do more with a same-sized workforce. “To employees, both existing and potential, this demonstrates that, despite their size, Erwin Utilities is going to be pushing the envelope and always looking for ways to do things better,” said Scudder. “It’s a rare exception that someone doesn’t want to be a part of such an environment.”

Sharing workersIn the face of a workforce shortage, some small

utilities are banding together to share employees (and inventory and equipment) and continue to serve their communities while keeping costs low.

(see RECRUIT LOCAL, page 10)

Page 10 MESO April 2018 Newsletter

Recruit Local(continued from page 9)

The cities of Pierce and Battle Creek in Nebraska are two such examples. “Both lie outside Norfolk, as bedroom communities of people that live there but work elsewhere, and we’re both about the same size, serving about 500 meters,” said Eymann, who is in discussion with the Battle Creek community about ways the two communities might work out governance and cost-sharing for the labor force.

Missouri River Energy Services’ (MRES) Distribution Maintenance Program is a similar workforce- and equipment-sharing initiative that has been running since 1997 to help smaller utilities that have always had it tougher.

“We started the program because some of the smaller MRES members were having trouble competing with nearby larger utilities in attracting and retaining lineworkers,” recounted Joni Livingston, director of member services and communications at MRES. It now provides full distribution services

to five members. “We have one distribution system superintendent, for example, that oversees all five of the full-time program members, instead of each of them having to hire a line superintendent. Also, they can keep their staff to a minimum because they know they have support from the other communities, in case of an outage or a special project.”

The program is designed such that the labor force comes under MRES but member utilities retain ownership of the equipment, to ensure that the utilities can leave the program, if they want, without incurring a huge capital cost.

Interest in the program has spiked in the last few years, prompting MRES to offer different levels of service, from sporadic on-call and standby assistance to temporary help with a one-off project, in addition to management services. “Any group of utilities could get together, develop an arrangement, figure out insurance, liability and that sort of thing, and have a contract that spells out all the duties,” said Livingston. “We would be willing to share our template with anyone who’s interested.”

Page 11 MESO April 2018 Newsletter

AM ALLGEIER, MARTIN and ASSOCIATES, INC.

C o n s u l t i n g E n g i n e e r s

Rate Studies SCADA Systems Substa on Designs Grounding Networks Power Supply Studies Op cal Fiber Systems Distribu on Line Design Protec ve Relaying Systems Gas and Diesel-Fired Genera on Regulatory Compliance Assistance System Mapping and GIS Services

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www.amce.com

Page 12 MESO April 2018 Newsletter

Ardmore OK(580) 226-2280

Dodge City KS(620) 408-9179

Wichita KS(316) 945-1313

Grove OK(918) 791-9600

Wichita Falls TX(940) 766-3075

Locations Serving MESO Members

www.borderstates.com

Kriz-Davis is now a part of Border States Electric.