Please welcome new Associate member - KDW Advisors, LLC!

KDW Advisors, LLC has over 15 years of financial, regulatory and managerial experience primarily in the municipal utility sector.  We understand the challenges being faced with the addition of new regulations, the increase in costs, changing business models, extensive Baby Boomer retirements, hiring freezes due to budget or revenue concerns, compensation challenges, competition for talent and diminished skilled workforce.  KDW was formed to support municipal utilities during times of change and uncertainty to help with their continued success.  KDW offers a broad range of support services and we take pride in our experience and ability to respond to clients in a timely and professional manner.  Our services include, but are not limited to some of the following areas:

• Business opportunity evaluations and feasibility studies
• Cost of service studies
• Rate design studies
• Contract controller
• Interim support for financial or managerial positions
• Financial analysis and guidance
• New employee training
• Strategic planning
• Regulatory reporting

The City of Pleasantville, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, is holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Shadle Park on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at 1 p.m. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will celebrate the completion of Pleasantville’s State Revolving Fund Water Resource Restoration Sponsored Project, in conjunction with Soil and Water Conservation Week.  

Speakers for the event include Joe Mrstik, Pleasantville City Administrator, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, Ed Tormey, Acting Division Administrator of Environmental Services Division of the Iowa DNR, and Nate Carhoff and Jordan Stoermer from Snyder & Associates.

Students from the Pleasantville School District will be installing native prairie plants in the bioretention cells as an educational component of the project. The student activity will take place before the ribbon cutting.

“This project is just one example of many projects across the state that allows cities to address and improve water quality measures in their communities,” said Acting DNR Environmental Services Division Administrator Ed Tormey. “The City of Pleasantville has implemented some cutting-edge efforts through this project. This is a great example of how important the SRF program is to our state and the communities.”

“Urban water quality projects allow partners and local stakeholders to work together and take actionable steps that support the Nutrient Reduction Strategy,” said Naig. “I commend Pleasantville for their commitment to improving Shadle Park.”

Through the Sponsored Project Program, Pleasantville developed a project to address a water quality concern in its community. The project includes permeable pavers, bioretention cells, and soil quality restoration at Shadle Park. These practices collectively capture and treat stormwater from the park before it runs into Shadle Park Pond to prevent nutrients and sediment from entering the water.

The Sponsored Project Program enables communities like Pleasantville to fund a locally-directed, watershed-based, non-point source water quality improvement project. The Sponsored Project Program is implemented through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), a loan program for construction of wastewater improvement projects.

On a typical CWSRF loan, principal is borrowed for the wastewater project and the borrower repays the principal plus interest and fees. On a CWSRF loan with a sponsored project, principal is borrowed for both the wastewater project and the sponsored project. In return the interest rate of the CWSRF loan is reduced so the borrower does not pay any more than they would have for just the wastewater project. Effectively, two water quality projects can be completed for the cost of one.

The Shadle Park project was made possible through partnerships with multiple groups and agencies, including the City of Pleasantville, Snyder & Associates, and the State Revolving Fund, which is jointly administered by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Finance Authority with technical assistance provided by Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. 

Falls are still the leading killer of workers doing construction activities and have been so for the past 20 years. To bring awareness to fall hazards and fall prevention, OHSA has partnered with other construction organizations and union groups to develop the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction.

For the past five years, employers, work organizations, unions, and other agencies have held conversations about correcting fall hazards and other workplace hazards to which employees have exposure.

This year, IAMU is taking part in the week-long stand-down by encouraging our members to conduct Toolbox Talks or other safety activities such as conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans, or discussing job specific hazards.

Here are links to two ladder-related Toolbox Talks:

• Inspect Your Step Ladders!
• Use Your Extension Ladder Properly!

IAMU has ordered 1,000 hardhat stickers for members’ teams who participate. If you are interested in receiving stickers for your team, you may contact IAMU at 515.289.1999.

The IAMU Overhead Electric Transmission and Distribution Workshop is quickly approaching, and there only a few spots left!  This year’s workshop will take place May 15 – 17, 2019 at the IAMU Training and Office Complex. 

The classroom topics and/or hands-on activities include:

• 3-Phase Crossarm Change-out
•  Arrester & Cut-out Hot Change-out
•  Bucket Truck Self-Rescue
•  Single-Phase Transformer; Cut-out/Arrestor Hot Change-out
•  Knots / Hand Lines / Rope Block Maintenance
•  Oil Spill Control & Countermeasures
•  Transformer Bank Connections
•  Grounds

The registration deadline for this workshop is Friday, May 10.  You may mail, or fax the registration form in.  Registration is also available online.

Cost:
IAMU Members - $420
Non-IAMU Members - $480

Accommodations:
An IAMU workshop room block has been set at the Holiday Inn Des Moines-Northwest.  The room rate is $87 plus tax per night.

When reserving, please ask for the IAMU block – Group Name:  IAMU Electric, Group Code:  AMU.

Holiday Inn Des Moines – Northwest
4800 Merle Hay Road
Urbandale, IA  50322
Phone:  515-278-4755

Reservation block and rate deadline is TODAY, Wednesday, April 24.  Please act quickly to reserve your room!

For additional information regarding the workshop, including registration, agenda, and schedule, please refer to the brochure HERE.

 From Sara Carmichael-Stanley, IDPH Water Fluoridation Coordinator

The Iowa 2018 Community Water Fluoridation Report is now available. It’s listed under the “Community Water Fluoridation” heading as the full report and also as a one-page summary. 

For further information, contact Sara at sara.carmichael-stanley@idph.iowa.gov or
(515) 204-3450.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is notifying all certified Water Treatment, Water Distribution, and Wastewater operators that their current Iowa certificate will expire on June 30, 2019.
 
Renewal Applications: Renewal applications will be available as of May 1st under each operator’s individual details on our on-line database. Notifications will be sent out on May 3-4, via the U.S. mail. We are encouraging operators to renew on-line using a credit card or electronic check.
 
Continuing Education Renewal Requirements: Continuing education hours are still being reported to the DNR, and we are still missing quite a few from February and March classes. If your CEUs did not appear online after April 18th, please contact Beth at Elizabeth.Feilmeier@dnr.iowa.gov or call 515-725-0463.
 
For renewal on June 30, 2019, you are required to earn the amount of CEUs required by the certificate(s) you held on April 1, 2017. Please note: If you are not required to earn CEUs this renewal period, you still must complete the renewal application and pay the appropriate fee.

Water members, don't miss out on the Water Distribution and Leak Detection/Line-Locating Workshop.  Be sure to register.

The two-day workshop will be held May 22 and May 23 at the IAMU Office and Training Complex in Ankeny, Iowa. Each day of the hands-on training is eligible for 0.6 CEUs for Water Distribution.

Day 1 rotating sessions include:

• Fire hydrant maintenance
• Water main tapping/HydraStop
• Water main installation/repair & fittings

Day 2 rotating sessions include:

• Water leak detection
• Line locating
• Trenching & shoring
• Fittings

For more information or to register, click here.

IAMU's Annual Golfin' Fore Safety is just two months away!  Be sure to register.  You don't want to miss out on this "fun"-raiser.  This year, Golfin' Fore Safety will be held June 24 at Bos Landen Golf Club in Pella, Iowa.

For more information or to register, click here.

Proceeds from the event go toward purchasing materials and equipment for the IAMU Training Field.

Don’t have a foursome?  No worries.  We can pair you up with others.

If you’re an associate member and are interested in helping to sponsor the event, IAMU has several options available.

IAMU is once again offering the Electric Utility System Operation Short Course (EUSO) presented by Skip Collier of Professional Training Systems, Inc.
 
Skip is highly regarded and has an extensive background in electric utility design, construction, maintenance and operation.
 
EUSO Short Course:  July 23 – 25
The EUSO Short Course is designed for any employee whose job performance will benefit from a basic understanding of the operations side of the business.  This includes those from legal, rates, engineering, purchasing, computer application, marketing, customer service, inventory control, finance, accounting, safety, risk analysis as well as those from generating plants.  One goal for this class is to have students leave with the ability to easily identify all of the electrical equipment they see in a substation as they walk by, along with all the equipment found on the poles in a residential area.  Non-electrical engineers are often at a disadvantage in the electric utility environment due to a lack of familiarity with technical issues.  The better you understand the utility’s product – electrical energy – and how it is created and distributed, the better you can serve the utility and your customers.  This course assumes no electrical background, and builds on the basics to provide a comprehensive understanding of the equipment and operations.
 
*Line Maintainer apprentices will receive 21 Basic OJT hours for taking the EUSO Course.*
 
***Registration coming soon***
Registration fees for the course are below.
 
(*If you are planning on sending more than one participant from your organization, please make sure to share this with multiple departments so that you qualify for the reduced cost with the initial registration.)

• EUSO Course - $950 for a single registrant OR $850 each for two or more participants from the same utility/organization

For additional information, please click HERE.

The Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities Safety Services department will be holding mobile crane certification and examination classes for digger derrick, service truck, and mobile crane operators.  OSHA’s updated crane standard REQUIRES that operators of lifting equipment be trained, evaluated and tested in order to obtain certification.

Background Information:

Although the new standard, 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, specifically exempts the digger derrick and the operator from meeting the requirements of the standard, the exemption applies only when it is used for work within the provisions of the power generation, transmission and distribution standards, or for construction work within the telecommunications standard.  The exemption does not apply if the digger derrick is used for lifting materials or to operate in working environments outside the scope of the standard because the equipment is essentially being used as a mobile crane.  For example, unloading materials from a truck, lifting a motor from a pump house to assist your water department, or providing assistance to any other city department will mean that the exemption no longer applies.  When equipment is used as a mobile crane, all provisions of the standard apply, including the operator certification rule.  OSHA also now requires that an operator be certified in specific areas when they operate equipment outfitted with a boom and winch and able to lift at least 2,000 pounds.  This includes service trucks in your public works, or water departments.

The new standard has very specific operator requirements, one being to obtain operator certification from an independent testing organization accredited by a nationally recognized organization.  OSHA’s updated crane standard, 1926.1427 in Subpart CC, requires that for a testing organization to be considered accredited to certify operators, it must be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency based on that agency’s determination that industry recognized criteria for written testing materials, practical examinations, test administration, grading, facilities/equipment and personnel have been met.  IAMU is an Accredited Assessment Center through the National Center for Construction Education Research (NCCER).  We are authorized to conduct both hands-on assessments and practical examinations which are part of our Mobile Crane Operator Certification Program.  Additionally, we are offering Qualified Hand Signal Person and Qualified Rigger programs (available at a future date).

Who Should Attend:

Digger derrick and service truck crane operators who do not currently hold a mobile crane operator’s certification.

What Do These Classes and Certification Consist Of:

Classes will be a week long, requiring classroom instruction, an on-line exam that has a 80% pass requirement, a practical exam for certification of mobile crane, and then finally a short class and practical exam for the signalperson and rigging qualifications. Students who pass the written and practical exams receive nationally recognized certification from the National Center for Construction Education Research (NCCER).

Where Do These Classes Take Place:

IAMU Training and Office Complex
1735 NE 70th Avenue
Ankeny, IA  50021

When Will Classes Be Held:

Dates have been scheduled for 2019 at the IAMU complex (unless otherwise noted).  Please click HERE or visit the IAMU website for available dates.

April 29 – May 3
June 10-14
June 24-28 (NW Iowa Region)
August 19-23
October 7-11
December 9-13
 
Mobile Crane Operator Certification/Examination Class Schedule:
 
Class Day
Times
Classroom/Exam

Monday & Tuesday
9:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Classroom

Wednesday
8:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Classroom/Exams

Thursday
8:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Practical Exams

Friday (if needed)
8:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Retake Exams
Class/Exam
Examination retakes are $100 and may be taken during any scheduled exam date.

Additional Notes:

Registration for each class will open according to the following schedule:

o   April Class – Registration now open!
o   June #1 Class – Registration now open!
o   June #2 Class – Registration open April 29
o   August Class – Registration open June 24
o   October Class – Registration open August 12
o   December Class – Registration open October 14

There is a maximum of 16 participants per class session.

Lunch will be provided.

All participants will attend classroom days. Exams will take place on the Thursday of each class session. Depending on the number of participants, Wednesday evening and Friday may also be used for exams.

Study guides will be mailed for each participant to review before class.  Each participant will need to create an account with NCCER before class; step-by-step instructions are included with the study guide.  Please bring your account number with you to class.

For additional information about the classes and online registration for each event, click HERE.

If you have any questions in regards to the classes, or requirements, please contact:
Margret Meade, IAMU Safety Specialist (mmeade@iamu.org)
Phone:  (800) 810-4268