NEPPA eNewsletter
May 2015
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
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Customer Service Conference May 14, 2015 Nantasket Beach Resort Hull, Mass. Come join with the Customer Service Committee to celebrate NEPPA's 50th year at this picturesque oceanview venue with intriguing speakers including Jennifer Kauffman from The Results Group, Pete Moscariello and Scott Farris, co-owners of Personal Best, and Victoria Stevens, from Hull Lifesaving Museum. For more information or to register, please click here! Engineering & Operations Conference and Expo 2015 June 3 & 4, 2015 Danvers Doubletree Danvers, Mass. This year’s Engineering & Operations Conference and Expo is scheduled to take place at the Danvers Doubletree in Danvers, Mass., on June 3 and 4. We encourage general foremen, lineworkers, and general managers to attend this annual event that brings together the latest in products and technology for our municipal membership. Some highlights of this year's conference include Mobile Technology, Fault Locating and LED Lighting. Please join us for this interesting cross section of learning, networking and connecting with your peers! For more information or to register, please click here! 17th Annual Northeast Public Power Apprentice Lineworker’s Rodeo June 17 & 18, 2015 NEPPA Training Center Littleton, Mass. NEPPA would like to invite all general managers, general foremen and supervisors to attend the Apprentice Lineworker Skills Assessment Rodeo to be held at the NEPPA Training Center in Littleton, Mass., June 17-18, 2015. Please keep an eye out for more information to come soon! Mount Washington Resort August 23-26, 2015 Bretton Woods, N.H. Don't miss out on NEPPA's biggest event this year!! The 50th Annual Conference will be held at Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, N.H., on August 23-26, 2015. We are very excited about the agenda and all the special activities we have planned for you! 9th Annual Northeast Public Power Lineworker's Rodeo September 17 & 18, 2015 NEPPA Training Center Littleton, Mass. On September 17, NEPPA will conduct the 9th Lineworker's Rodeo. Ten + teams from around New England will be competing for supremacy. Please keep an eye out for future information about this event and how to become a sponsor or enter a team! ##SHARELINKS##
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AROUND NEW ENGLAND
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Representatives from Belmont Light recently visited fourth graders and teachers Jess Endres (back row, second from left) and Samantha McCabe (back row, third from left) at Roger Wellington School to present them with a certificate honoring their local win of the PTA/PTO Green Alliance’s Green Cup Energy Challenge for 2015. The students helped to reduce the school’s electricity consumption by 18.2% over a four-week period, earning them the top finishing spot in Belmont and 9th place in the country for the energy conservation challenge. This was the second consecutive Green Cup Energy Challenge win for Wellington School. Last year, students and teachers there reduced energy consumption by over 13.6% during the competition. General Manager Jim Palmer (back row, third from right in the photo) congratulated the students for their outstanding conservation efforts, highlighting the message that seemingly small changes can produce meaningful results when reducing energy waste. When Palmer asked the students what they did to achieve such great results, they offered an impressive plethora of answers, including always turning off lights in empty rooms, unplugging electronics after they used them, and checking in at the end of the school day to make sure that anything that used energy was properly shut off.
Also in attendance to congratulate the students and teachers were Belmont Light staff Becca Keane (back row, left), Executive Assistant and Communications Coordinator Jim Palmer (back row, third from right), General Manager Waseem Aldabagh (back row, second from right), Engineer; and Ed Crisafi (back row, right), Operations Manager.
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The Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD) recently recognized seven Wakefield fifth-grade students for the essays they submitted as part of the 7th annual WMGLD Energy Conservation Essay Contest. Galvin Middle School students Madalyn LoCoco, Steven Woods, Riley Suntken, Kymani Fleurme, Jonathan Guida and Brendan Jaena and St. Joseph’s School fifth-grader Stephanie Curran were honored at an awards celebration at Wakefield Community Access Television studios in Wakefield. The seven winning essays were selected from among more than 300 essays submitted by fifth-graders at the Galvin Middle School and St. Joseph’s School. Each winner read his or her essay during the ceremony that was recorded at the WCAT studios for airing at a later date.
To read the winning essays, please click here!
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The Holyoke Gas & Electric Department on behalf of all NEPPA members has recently awarded the wood pole bid to Cox Industries for all pentachlorophenol and CCA treated wood poles and Bridgewell Resources for all Copper Napthenate treated wood poles. The award is effective immediately through the entire 2015 calendar year. Utilities who wish to purchase pentachlorophenol or CCA poles can contact Gary Dudek at Cox at 803-492-7728 (office) or 803-535-9202 (cell) or gdudek@coxwood.com.
For questions, contact :
Jeff Brouillard, Sr. Electrical Engineer
Holyoke Gas & Electric Department, 99 Suffolk Street, Holyoke, MA 01040
Tel: (413) 536-9358, Fax: (413) 536-9353
E-mail: jbrouillard@hged.com
NEPPA members should reference contract #14-40 when ordering.
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On April 1, Linda Calderiso, one of NEPPA’s Trainers, and Courtney Crouse went out to Marblehead Municipal Light Department to present one of their employees, Kirk Blaisdell, with the MEDIC First Aid Good Samaritan Award. This award is in recognition of someone’s extraordinary actions responding to a medical emergency and providing life-sustaining care. Kirk is currently a First Class Lineman at Marblehead where has been for five years. Kirk graduated last year from NEPPA’s Apprentice Lineworker Program. In April 2014, Kirk and five of his co-workers went out to dinner at a local steakhouse. After their dinner arrived, one of Kirk's co-workers suddenly stood up and started walking toward the bathroom. That’s when Kirk noticed something was wrong, and only a few steps away from the table, his co-worker realized it too. He turned around and started to give the universal sign for choking and Kirk jumped into action. He proceeded to perform the Heimlich maneuver. However it didn’t come up all the way, so Kirk asked if he wanted another and the man shook his head yes. Kirk then gave another thrust and everything seemed to come up that time.
"It felt good I got to help him," said Kirk. "It’s so cliché, but there were five other guys there who would have done the same exact thing; it was just that I was sitting the closest to him and I kind of looked up and saw that he was in a panic." Kirk also states, "I need to thank Linda. She was the biggest part of this. Had it not been for her, no one would have known what to do."
 Linda Calderiso, Kirk Blaisdell, and Willard Snow - General Line Foreman  Kirk Blaisdell and Willard Snow ##SHARELINKS##
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ASSOCIATION HAPPENINGS
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Each year, NEPPA seeks to recognize individuals who have made contributions to their utilities, communities, and to public power. Award presentations are made during the Annual Conference in August. To help identify these individuals, NEPPA asks its members to submit nominations of worthy candidates. The award categories are as follows:
We welcome written nominations for any of these awards, along with a brief description of the individual’s contributions or achievements. Please feel free to nominate more than one individual for Distinguished Service, NEPPA Service, or Commissioner Service, as multiple awards can be made in these categories. For your information, past recipients of NEPPA awards can be found on the NEPPA website (http://www.neppa.org/index.php/membership/past-recipients). Please send nominations to the NEPPA office no later than June 13 (fax: 978-952-7320; email ccrouse@neppa.org).We look forward to receiving your nominations! ##SHARELINKS##
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NEPPA, the quality leader for public power education in the Northeast, is seeking a new full-time instructor for its Littleton, Mass., Training Center and other remote training sessions.
NEPPA offers competitive compensation and presents a positive environment. Candidates must have crew experience and be proficient in operational/technical and safety areas of public utility operations and must be comfortable with public speaking and group management. NEPPA will train the right candidate in our programs. For information or to apply, please contact either Steve Socoby, ssocoby@neppa.org or call 978-540-2200. ##SHARELINKS##
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Automated Energy, Inc. became an associate member of NEPPA on Thursday, April 23, 2015! Automated Energy, Inc. is a web-based energy services and commercial and residential load profiling software firm. The company is located at 4100 Perimeter Center Drive, Suite 202, Oklahoma City, OK 73112. The primary contact person is Erick Rheam, who is the Vice President of Business Development. He can be reached at erheam@automatedenergy.com or 970-672-7207. ##SHARELINKS##
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CALENDAR
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May 14, 2015 Nantasket Beach Resort
Hull, Mass.
Speakers:
Pete Moscariello and Scott Farris, Co-owners of Personal Best
Jennifer Kauffman, The Results Group
Victoria Stevens, Hull Lifesaving Museum
The registration deadline has been extended until May 5! Please click here to register or learn more!  ##SHARELINKS##
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Omni Hotels & Resorts believes in providing the very best personalized experiences for our guests. By catering to every need and providing an authentic feel for the local flavor, Omni acts as a gateway to a richer, more fulfilling stay in each of its destinations across North America.
Omni believes truly exceptional service is built from the ground up and has cultivated a corporate culture that recognizes the extra care and contributions each of its team members brings to your travel experience. They believe the results, and the many service awards they’ve received, speak for themselves.
From exceptional golf and spa retreats to dynamic business settings, each Omni property blends seamlessly into the local culture. They feature four-diamond services, signature restaurants, WiFi connectivity, and a complimentary loyalty program that rewards you from your very first stay.  Rooms are now available to book for the conference! To make reservations, please click here. Please use the code in the GROUP CODE box: 082015NEPPA50TH. You can also call 603-278-1000 and refer to "NEPPA's 50th Annual Conference." ##SHARELINKS##
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EDUCATION & TRAINING UPDATE
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The Utility Safety & Ops Leadership Network (USOLN) is pleased to announce that Stephen Socoby of Northeast Public Power Association has received the Certified Utility Safety Professional (CUSP) credential. He is part of the Burlington, Vt., class that took the CUSP exam on March 19. The CUSP program was developed by the USOLN to promote safety leadership in the utility industry by formally recognizing those individuals who meet specific eligibility requirements and pass the CUSP exam. The exam is designed to test a broad-based understanding of utility safety regulations, competencies and task-directed skills. CUSP certification encourages continued personal and professional growth in the practice of utility safety leadership and provides a national standard of requisite knowledge required for certification. CUSP certification is the only program that offers utility-specific safety credentials to meet the unique requirements of utilities and related utility contractors. CUSP certification is a two-tiered, color-designated program. To be eligible for the CUSP Green - Safety Management program, an individual must have three years of experience in a dedicated safety/training role in the utility industry. The CUSP Blue - Operations Management, Supervisory and Foreman program requires three years of utility operations leadership experience and at least one year in role where safety activities are a part of your job description. All eligible individuals must pass either the CUSP Green or CUSP Blue exam in order to be certified.
Stephen met the eligibility requirements for the CUSP Green program and passed the exam to receive his CUSP Green credential.
"Successful completion of the CUSP Green exam confirms a high level of knowledge in the utility safety discipline and allows Stephen Socoby to use the CUSP credential," said Carla Housh, USOLN executive director. "We congratulate Stephen on this significant accomplishment in his career, which will only enhance his value to his employer, Northeast Public Power Association, and the industry.
Before taking the CUSP Green exam, he completed a comprehensive two-day Utility Safety Leadership Review offered by the USOLN. It is designed to enhance job safety knowledge and leadership skills, and to help prepare for the CUSP exam. While it is optional, the USOLN recommends that individuals planning to take the CUSP exam enroll in this valuable review.
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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
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In This Issue:
Energy Legislative Efforts Begin
On April 23, the House Energy & Power Subcommittee held its first hearing to discuss planned energy legislation. The focus of the hearing was a discussion draft titled the "21st Century Workforce Act," based on a draft by Energy and Power Subcommittee Ranking Member Bobby Rush (D-IL). Chair Upton’s decision to work with Rush indicates his desire to develop bipartisan energy legislation.
The discussion draft directs the Secretary of Energy to establish and carry out a comprehensive program to improve education and training for energy and manufacturing-related jobs in order to increase the number of skilled workers trained in energy and manufacturing fields.
On May 6, the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee will mark up the "Federal Permitting Improvement Act" (S. 280), sponsored by Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH). The bill aims to address the problem of lengthy project delays from prolonged federal permitting and approval processes. Portman, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, had indicated his interest in adding S. 280 to the yet-to-be-released Senate energy bill APPA is seeking member feedback by April 29 on whether it should support the legislation.
To read the complete legislative update including the following topics, click the links below: ##SHARELINKS##
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