TMEPA Overlook

After a lengthy period of near-paralysis, Congress, in late 2015, started to get back into a routine and flex its legislative muscles again. The result: notably bipartisan energy legislation aimed at electric utilities cleared the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The full House approved similar legislation, although in a less bipartisan way than the Senate. Congress approved and the President signed a long-term transportation funding bill that folded in key APPA priorities.* Public power was able to move its priorities forward in this process because APPA members, grassroots advocates, and staff in Washington never abandoned our routines, as tempting as it may have been to take a break.

Visit http://blog.publicpower.org/sme/?p=913 to view the full article online.

As high-definition television technology emerged in the 1980s, it didn’t take long for American consumers to see the difference. It quickly became a matter of not if, but when HDTV would take over analog. A similar picture holds true for LED streetlights. The Department of Energy (DOE) predicts by the year 2020 LED lighting will generate half of the nation’s lighting market, and will dominate by 2030.

Visit http://www.hometownconnections.com/news/led-street-lighting-not-if-but-when/ to view the full article online.

Join us for our 2016 Legislative Rally & Reception in honor of the Members of the 109th General Assembly, 2nd Session. Our "Day on the Hill" will begin Tuesday Morning, February 23, 2016 with a Rally Meeting starting at 11 a.m. at the Hermitage Hotel, Nashville, TN. You should have already received the information but if not give us a call. Click on "Learn More" to see the invitation to the Legislators, and a Rally Registration form.

Visit http://www.naylornetwork.com/tmp-nwl/pdf/Invitation_to_Legislators_and_Registration_form.pdf to view the full article online.

The beginning of the year is a great time to flip through the calendar looking for reasons to celebrate. Once you identify a few opportunities, make plans to welcome your customers to the party. There are many accomplishments you can highlight as part of your communications program. Perhaps you’ve reached a safety milestone or set a new reliability standard. Maybe you’re rolling out a new service, or energizing a new business or residential development. Years of service is a particularly strong milestone to celebrate — especially if your utility has been serving your area for a round number of years, such as 65 or 70. You can build a multi-faceted communications program around this celebration.

Visit http://www.naylornetwork.com/tmp-nwl/pdf/WordSouth_January_2016.pdf to view the full article online.

Nashville Electric Service used to maintain a set number of telephone lines to handle outage calls. The lines worked well during normal operations, but major storm-related outages overwhelmed the system, frustrating customers and hampering utility crews.

Visit http://www.hometownconnections.com/news/hosted-ivr-solution-improves-customer-interaction-and-crew-response/ to view the full article online.

And so begins another year, and with it another opportunity to learn and serve. You who provide vital utility products to your communities bear a solemn responsibility, but it's one I know you take seriously as proven by your record of consistent outstanding performance. That being said, it’s time to prepare that perennial list of New Year’s resolutions. Professionally, I resolve to continue providing to you, our esteemed readers, monthly musings for as long as desired. Personally, I am choosing a slightly different path. For decades of Januarys, your humble and highly motivated correspondent set all the usual lofty goals with all the best of intentions. But somehow, the New Year’s resolution vehicle seemed to slide into the ditch, and I never bothered to call a tow truck.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/tmp-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=356510&issueID=46411 to view the full article online.

We're getting closer to the 50th Anniversary/Annual Meeting of TMEPA and it's really exciting preparing for this exceptional meeting. Your Annual Meeting Committee has almost completed the agenda and, as usual, it's full of exceptional speakers, outstanding topics and a special round table of TMEPA Distinguished Retired System Managers talking about the origins of TMEPA. It's the best opportunity available for networking and interaction with other municipal systems and managers from across the state. We hope to send the initial information out soon so keep your eyes on the "inbox." Click on Learn More for a special representation of our coming meeting.

Visit http://www.naylornetwork.com/tmp-nwl/pdf/SAVE_THE_DATE_MAG_AD.compressed_FINAL.pdf to view the full article online.

At every Annual Meeting a very special group of our friends across the industry unite with us to bring an outstanding meeting to Tennessee Municipal Electric Systems. Quite frankly, we couldn't bring in the speakers addressing topics important to each of you, have the many opportunities for special events, provide all the outstanding food and drink and give you the opportunity to learn and network without their help. We encourage you to give these folks the opportunity to meet your system needs. They'll be represented at the annual meeting and most will have an exhibit.

Visit http://www.tmepa.org/AnnualMeeting2016/Sponsors2016.htm to view the full article online.

In the halls of Legislative Plaza, when legislature goes back into session it feels like the first day of school. Everyone is back together after a long break, feeling the excitement of another year. Legislators and lobbyists walk the halls with enthusiasm, looking forward to getting something passed, or in some cases to make sure nothing passes. This year’s session will get off to a fast start. The bill filing deadline has been moved up several weeks to January 21, which should speed up the work of each chamber’s committees. Committees will begin closing in mid-March, with a projected adjournment in mid-April, and possibly as soon as the week of April 11.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/tmp-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=357146&issueID=46411 to view the full article online.

As the legislature convened last week, the battle over expanding municipal electric broadband in Tennessee also resumed. The bill (SB1134/HB1303) is still on the minds of many. The week before the legislature went back into session, TACIR continued its study of broadband. The commission heard an update from TACIR staff on where the study is currently and some of the challenges they're facing. It also heard presentations from the University of Tennessee Joint Institute for Computational Science and state government’s Strategic Technology Solutions. The UT presenter talked about the advantages of fiber as a broadband delivery method, and that 10 years is a good timetable to achieve 1 gigabit speed statewide. That's too long for most Tennesseans that currently don't have access to high-speed broadband. We need it much sooner.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/tmp-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=357148&issueID=46411 to view the full article online.

Tucked away in the pastoral East Tennessee river valley, a once-rural electric company is widely recognized today as one of the region’s preeminent multi-service utility providers with the well-earned reputation for going the extra mile.

LCUB was formed in 1938, when Lenoir City signed a contract with the fledgeling Tennessee Valley Authority to offer TVA-supplied electricity to its residents and businesses. The tiny electric department had four employees and 317 customers. By the mid-1940s, LCUB’s services expanded to include water and sewer under the authority of a newly created Water and Light Commission with citizen oversight.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/tmp-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=357318&issueID=46411 to view the full article online.

Have an important meeting or event coming to your town? Let us know and we'll put it on the TMEPA Calendar. Stay up to date with all the TMEPA meetings and other events around the state and even nationally for TMEPA Member Systems.

Visit http://www.tmepa.org/MeetingsEvents.htm to view the full article online.

As TMEPA staff and annual meeting committe are finalizing preparations for next year’s big 50th Annual Meeting at the Omni Hotel in Downtown Nashville, plans are also being made to hold another annual TMEPA event along with it. Board member training will be held in conjunction with next year’s Annual Meeting to increase the value and attendance of system board members at the meeting. Usually TMEPA’s board training is held as a one-day stand-alone session, bringing TMEPA managers and system board members to Nashville for the training. This requires many system board members to take an additional trip or day off off in service of their utility. Next year presents a unique opportunity for board members to attend the Annual Meeting while getting the information they need to run a municipal electric system.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/tmp-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=357149&issueID=46411 to view the full article online.

Frank Welch retired from Dayton, TN at the end of 2015 after almost 34 years of service. He was employed by the City of Dayton in 1982. His first position was City Recorder. He was promoted to city manager in 1983. As city manager, Frank was responsible for government operations, including the Library, Airport, Electric Water, Sewer, Fire, Police and the Street Department. Frank plans to work around the farm and spend time with his grandchildren. We know he'll be active and busy. For more information from the Rhea Review, click on Learn More below.

Visit http://rheareview.com/city-manager-frank-welch-celebrates-33-years/ to view the full article online.