NEPPA eNewsletter
October 2014
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Next year is going to be a big year for NEPPA as we celebrate our 50th year! We are asking YOU, the members, to help us in gathering old photos, momentos, plaques, or anything you think that best describes or illustrates what NEPPA is or what we do!
Please contact Courtney Crouse at ccrouse@neppa.org if you would like to contribute!
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The 8th Annual Lineworker's Rodeo was held on September 11, 2014 at the NEPPA training facility in Littleton, Mass. The weather was perfect for the event. There were 10 teams competing in six different events that tested safe work procedures and timely workmanship. We also had a great showing of support from our generous sponsors, and we even had a sizeable crowd of spectators. The opening ceremony began at 9:15 a.m. with a short prayer in remembrance of the 9/11 tragedies and the singing of the National Anthem by Chris Guyette. The competition immediately followed at 9:15. The teams each competed in Hurtman Rescue, Speed Climb, URD Transformer, Two Phase Dead End Changeout, and the mystery event: Double Crossarm Changeout. Two lucky teams, Peabody and Groveland, had the good fortune to also perform the Cutout and LA Changeout. Those two teams had so much fun completing that event that it was pulled from the competition. (Truth be told, the event was too lengthy and involved for all teams to complete by the end of the day, so the event coordinators eliminated it from the overall scoring compilation).
At 11:30 a.m. lunch was provided by Altec Industries, Inc. Everyone in attendance was treated to cheeseburgers, hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies and a drink. Once lunch was complete, the teams went back to climbing poles. By 3 p.m. all of the teams had finished the events. At this point the venue shifted to the Boxboro Holiday Inn. The competitors had an opportunity to change out of their work clothes and prepare for the reception and awards ceremony.
The overall top three finishers from the 8th Annual Lineworker's Rodeo are:
1st Place: Princeton, Mass.
2nd Place: Georgetown, Mass.
Also, a new tradition began this year, as the Princeton team got to take home the Rodeo banner that was signed by everyone in attendance. Congratulations to the winners and all of the participants at the Rodeo!
In summation, the Rodeo was a great success. Everyone involved had a great time, and many special memories were made. This event is unique in that it allows the linecrews to network with each other at an event designed to safely showcase their skills. Oftentimes when crews from various utilities get together, it is for the purpose of rendering mutual aid. There is very limited opportunity to socialize, as power restoration is a serious and dangerous undertaking. At the Rodeo, crews can talk and share work procedures without the stress of foul weather and demanding working conditions.
So, thank you one and all who participated either by competing, sponsoring, volunteering or observing; the Rodeo would not be possible without the support we receive on many different levels.
If you are interested in buying a shirt, the information can be found at www.neppa.org on the home page. Please email Courtney Crouse at ccrouse@neppa.org if you do want one!            ##SHARELINKS##
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This year’s Customer Service Conference was held on September 10 at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Mass. We had 55 attendees representing utilities and affiliates from all over New England. The day began with Courtney Crouse, NEPPA’s Communications Manager, welcoming all the guests. After, Maureen Hanifan, Chair of the Customer Service Committee, introduced everyone to what the Customer Service Conference is all about. She then went on to thank our three sponsors who helped make the event possible: Cogsdale Corporation located in Canada, Century Bank located in Medford, Mass., and Invoice Cloud located in Charlestown, S.C. and Braintree, Mass.
We started the conference with a one-hour tour of Salem provided by Salem Trolley that informed attendees of all the history Salem has to offer. We returned to the hotel to have Jennifer Kauffman speak from The Results Group located in Quincy, Mass. Jennifer discussed topics such as why customer service is the heart of any business; what do your customers really want; defining the characteristics for creating an amazing customer experience; and handling complaints and upset customers.
After lunch, the winners of the Carol Tracy Customer Service Award were given. Please go here to see the list of who received the award.
Our last speaker was Seamus McNamee from GreatBlue Research, Inc. He covered whether customer care at the utilities is adapting to customers on their terms.
Please make sure to keep an eye out for next year’s Customer Service Conference as NEPPA celebrates 50 years!!
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Carol A. Tracey Customer Service Award is for employees of NEPPA member utilities who deliver outstanding service to their customers, either through sustained, exceptional performance in serving their customers, or the development of new and/or innovative programs to meet customer needs. This year’s winners were announced at the Customer Service Conference held at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Mass., on September 10.
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NEPPA is seeking speaking topics for the 2015 Engineering and Operations Conference & Expo. The presentations must be relevant to current topics in the electrical distribution industry. They must appeal to a broad audience of operations and engineering employees of municipal companies. The speakers are limited to 45 minutes per topic. Please send a one-page description of your topic and a speaker biography to Kris DiGirolamo at kristind@neppa.org.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
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We are a month away from mid-term elections and the number-crunchers tell us we are scheduled for the traditional mid-term drop in voting participation. It is hard to fathom with the record low satisfaction rates with Congress that people are less willing to exercise their right to create change.
The experts attribute this lack of action mainly to gerrymandering, apathy and reduced get-out-the-vote efforts in non-Presidential election years. Gerrymandering is the practice of politically motivated re-districting of individual congressional districts, which in this case results in more homogenous voting communities. This of course leads to the incredibly high incumbency rates. When you do not have true competing political debates at the district level, it is easy to be uncompromising when in office. You can go to Washington, D.C., with a sense of mandate. This has been the trend of late in the elections for the House of Representatives.
The opposing requirement for Senators to draw upon a more diverse politically thinking base to win elections creates the stalemate between houses that frustrates each of us. That being said, maybe it is truly ourselves that we are disappointed in. We allow the gerrymandering, because we want people to vote our positions and we treat the election process as an us-versus-them scenario. We point to the change in the civil decorum in Washington, D.C., as the source of this problem. We talk of how they used to reach across the aisle after hours. However, the extreme name calling and public disparaging of opponents goes back to our founders.
What changed? We did. With all of the options in news, information and opinions, we have become adverse to true debate. We go to the information sources that reinforce what we think and we allow them to mix opinion with facts. The days of Walter Cronkite and "the Fairness Doctrine" are gone. I admit there is one news source I tend to ignore or avoid. Then I go to get my car serviced and it is on. When I do watch, I see some new stories that I haven’t been exposed to and some opinions I may not agree with, but at least by listening I can better understand them.
On the bright side, New England as a populace has not drifted as far into the apathy that other parts of the country have. The voting percentages for New Englanders are higher than the national and other regional averages. The voting statistics from the 2012 election show that residents of our states exceed the national average:
Do these higher voting rates give New Englanders any advantage? I am not sure. But, they do provide an opportunity for NEPPA members. By communicating clearly and effectively to our constituents we have the opportunity to promote and advance the importance of strong public power utilities. As trusted community sources, we get past the banter.
As integral parts of our communities, our continued efforts to educate consumers to our benefits and issues are crucial to our success. So, make the most of the next 30 days. Take part in Public Power Week. Use this link Public Power Week to get APPA resources for next week’s Public Power Week. Communicate to your consumers the uniqueness of your business model and the importance of maintaining it. And of course, encourage them to get out and vote in November!
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AROUND NEW ENGLAND
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New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Inc. (NHEC) announced that Fred Anderson will retire as CEO in the spring of 2015 after 34 years with the company.
Anderson joined the Cooperative in 1981 and became the President/CEO in 1992. He has a long history in the rural electrification program; he began his career in 1974 with the Rural Electrification Administration in Washington, D.C.
He has been a valuable member of the Cooperative community serving on a variety of boards including the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC); Cooperative Research Council (CRC); Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA) and the Consumer Owned Energy Foundation. He is a Cooperative Credentialed Director and Founding Board member of the NHEC Foundation. He has also served the greater community at large, active as a past board member of the Whole Village Family Resource Center in Plymouth, N.H., the Plymouth Regional High School Board and Northway Financial (Symbol NWFI) as well as the Pemigewasset National and Berlin City banks.
"I am grateful to have spent 34 years with this great company and am deeply honored to have had the opportunity to lead it for the past 23 years. I am very proud of what we have accomplished together," said Anderson. "I am so thankful to have worked with such a tremendous staff and Board who remain committed to our membership. Their unwavering belief in the cooperative way of doing business will continue to lead the way for NHEC’s future."
"NHEC is well positioned for the future because of Fred’s vision, leadership skills and commitment to excellence. He will be greatly missed by NHEC’s members, employees and the Board of Directors," said Earl Hansen, Chairman NHEC Board of Directors. "Fred has the Board’s appreciation and gratitude for his exemplary service to NHEC and the Cooperative vision."
NHEC has secured the Executive Search Firm of Mycoff, Fry & Prouse LLC to conduct an extensive search for Mr. Anderson’s replacement. All employment inquiries should be directed to Scott Fry at 800-525-9082 or sfry@mfpllc.us.
NHEC is a consumer-owned electric distribution cooperative providing electric service to approximately 83,000 members in 115 communities throughout New Hampshire. Founded in 1939, the Co-op is the second largest utility in New Hampshire.
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John P. Bachhuber, 63, of Bedford, died Aug. 28, 2014, surrounded by his family after a four-year battle with cancer. Born in Milwaukee, Wis., on Dec. 28, 1950, he was the son of Ralph and Evelyn (Schumann) Bachhuber. He lived in Milwaukee into adulthood, and before moving to Bedford 24 years ago, John and his family lived in Columbia, Conn., North Kingstown, R.I., and Voorhees, N.J. Employed by the Okonite Company for 35 years, John sold high voltage power cable and made friends up and down the East Coast. John wore many "hats." He was an avid cook and passionate foodie and was known by many for his "soon-to-be-world famous" mashed potatoes. He loved cars, all types of music, was the original do-it-yourselfer and religiously hosted his family for brunch every Sunday. He'll be remembered for his rare combination of strength, generosity, incomparable storytelling ability, wit and presence.The family includes his wife of 41 years, Catherine A. (McGuire) Bachhuber of Bedford; four children, Aaron J. Bachhuber and his wife, Jennifer, of Nottingham, Samuel G. Bachhuber and his wife, Danielle, of Manchester, Julie A. Mudd of Bedford and Elizabeth C. Stanton and her husband, Ryan, of Nashville, Tenn.; six grandchildren; three siblings, James Bachhuber of California, Joel Bachhuber of Florida and Jeanne Libby of Wisconsin; and aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.  ##SHARELINKS##
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ASSOCIATION HAPPENINGS
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Yes folks, it’s that time again! NEPPA has mailed out the 2015 Education & Training Catalog and the 2015 Safety & Training registration forms, so please be on the lookout for them. The sooner you send in your registration forms, the sooner next year’s calendar will be completed and you will be notified of your yearly schedule. If you have certain days or times of the month that you require classes be held, please make a note of this somewhere on the registration form so we can take this into consideration before beginning the scheduling process. NEPPA provides on-site training to about 84 utilities and municipalities in the Northeast region, as well as parts of New York; therefore, it is very important that we receive your registration forms in a timely manner. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Colleen Del Signore at 978.540.2200 or cdelsignore@neppa.org. You may also contact Director of Training Steve Socoby at ssocoby@neppa.org. ##SHARELINKS##
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Overall
1st - Princeton
 2nd - Georgetown
 3rd - Norwich
 Hurt Man Rescue
1st - Norwich
 2nd - Groveland
3rd - Mansfield
Speed Climb
1st - Georgetown
 2nd - Littleton
3rd - Princeton
Two Phase Dead End Replacement
1st - Braintree
 2nd - Norwich
 3rd - Georgetown
 Cutout and L/A Replacement
1st - Peabody
 2nd - Groveland
URD Transformer Event
1st - Littleton
 2nd - Middleton
 3rd - Mansfield
 Mystery Event - Crossarm Changeout
1st - Princeton
 2nd - Middleton
 3rd - Norwich
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CALENDAR
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The General Foremen’s Roundtable provides an opportunity for GFs to network with their counterparts in other utilities, get answers to questions and gain knowledge. The sessions are interactive and participation from attendees is strongly encouraged. October 1, 2014 NEPPA Training Center 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. For more information or to register, please click here! ##SHARELINKS##
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EDUCATION & TRAINING UPDATE
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
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In This Issue:
Congress Passes Continuing Resolution
Congress adjourned on September 19, after passing a $1.012 trillion Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government funded through December 11, before hitting the campaign trail in the run-up to the November mid-term elections.
To read the complete legislative update including the following topics, click the links below: ##SHARELINKS##
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PUBLIC POWER WEEK AROUND NEW ENGLAND
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Braintree Electric Light Department (BELD) will celebrate national Public Power Week this year with a tent at the Braintree Farmers Market on October 4 and a Senior Breakfast on October 7. This annual celebration is observed by more than 2,200 electric utilities that collectively provide electricity on a not-for-profit basis to 43 million Americans.
Join us at the Farmers Market between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, October 4, on the Town Hall Mall. Visitors can visit with BELD staff, who will answer questions about our new solar energy project and BELD Broadband offerings. Kids can pick up a hardhat and explore the bucket truck — parents are encouraged to bring a camera. There will be free apple cider and a "Taste of the Farmers Market" drawing just for Braintree residents (look for the entry form in BELD’s Bright Ideas newsletter with September electric bills).
Back by popular demand — and in partnership with the Department of Elder Affairs — BELD will host a Senior Breakfast there Tuesday, October 7. Come to 71 Cleveland Avenue for a delicious breakfast prepared by members of the Braintree Rotary Club. A BELD representative will provide an overview of what’s new at Braintree Electric, and there’ll be giveaways and drawings as well. Two sittings will be available (8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.) but seating is limited, so please call the Department of Elder Affairs at 781.848.1963 to make your reservation.
During Public Power Week, BELD honors the democratic tradition of community decision-making and participation that led to BELD’s founding in 1892. "Our customers are an important part of what we do — not only as consumers, but as owners as well," said Municipal Light Board chairman Thomas Reynolds during a recent meeting with Vice Chair Anthony Agnitti and Secretary Jim Regan. "This is our opportunity to say ‘thank you’ for your continued support."
For more than 120 years BELD has been a nonprofit public power utility owned and operated by the citizens of Braintree. BELD Broadband offers affordable high-speed Internet, cable television and phone service to Braintree residents and businesses.
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Saturday, October 4, the lawn of Middleborough’s Town Hall will be the scene of an energy savings and renewable energy expo featuring hands-on demonstrations from local solar energy installers, thermal imaging (infra-red heat-loss pictures) taken by Energy New England, and lots of energy saving advice from Middleborough Gas & Electric Department. Energy Day has a little something for everyone: electric and natural gas cars for adults to check out; bucket truck demonstrations and solar model cars rally for the kids. The department and Green Energy Committee will be taping interviews with solar customers answering questions about their solar experience and scouting for Kid Conservation Crusaders to help create a public service announcement and spread the word about saving energy.
Energy Day activities will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, rain or shine. All area residents are invited to attend and learn how to make homes more energy efficient and save money on electric bills. The event is sponsored by the Middleborough Green Energy Committee and the Middleborough Gas & Electric Department, celebrating Public Power Week.
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Celebrate National Public Power Week with Reading Municipal Light Department.
A fun learning experience for all ages Thursday, October 9, 2-5 p.m. RMLD Garage and Tent 218 Ash Street, Reading, MA
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Chicopee Municipal Lighting Plant is hosting their annual Big Truck Day on October 4, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.! This event showcases:
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