On Monday, August 3, 2015 IAMU is offering a Grants Workshop to provide members with information about grant opportunities available for infrastructure improvements and energy efficiency.  If you've never applied for a grant before, this workshop will help you get started.

The IAMU offices will be closed on Friday, July 3rd to observe the Independence Day holiday.  We will return to normal hours on Monday, July 6th.  

by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Take note. First responders, industries, businesses, cities and livestock producers – in short, anyone who might need to report an environmental emergency – the DNR’s 24/7 environmental hotline changes on July 1.  

“If you’ve ever had a spill, a wastewater discharge, a fish kill, problems with drinking water or similar event, change the number now,” said Barb Lynch, chief of the DNR’s field services. “The last thing you want is to look for the number during an emergency caused by a power outage.”

The 4th Annual "Shrimp and Bingo" scholarship fundraiser for the Water Environmental Technology Program at Des Moines Area Community College is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2015 and tickets are now on sale.  

Just a friendly reminder that the Introduction to GIS Mapping Workshop is quickly approaching!  This workshop will take place in just over two weeks - Monday, July 13 - at the IAMU Training and Office Complex.

This workshop is intended to give operators of electric, gas, water, and wastewater systems an introduction to the benefits of mapping infrastructure to help with identification, outage response, maintenance planning, and sever other key items.  The program will also introduce some free and low cost solutions to start a GIS program on your own.  Public works, parks, cemeteries, and other city departments can also benefit from mapping.

The price of this workshop is $150.

Registration is open.  You may sign up for the workshop by sending in the registration form by mail, fax, or register online at the IAMU website.  Space is limited to the first 40, so register early.

For registration, agenda, and additional information please click HERE.

We look forward to seeing you.

Exposure to heat can make you sick or even kill you. Risk factors for heat stress include not being acclimated to the hot environment, high heat index, low liquid intake, physical labor and heavy clothing or certain types of personal protective equipment.

The end of the Iowa 86th General Assembly saw a flurry of activity, including the passage of HF 645 that makes municipal utilities eligible for renewable energy tax credits.  Governor Branstad will be signing the bill into law Friday in a formal signing ceremony that IAMU staff will be attending.

IAMU worked with many stakeholders throughout the session on passage of this legislation.  Municipal utilities could use these tax credits to reduce the cost of energy produced by a solar photovoltaic (PV) array owned or contracted for by the utility.  Many municipal utilities are considering building community solar arrays or utility scale solar, and this tax credit could provide benefits. 

IAMU is hosting an OSHA 30-hour construction outreach training course on July 20-24 at the IAMU Office and Training Complex in Ankeny.  The 30-Hour course establishes a foundation for the utility /company safety program.  It will help locate and apply OSHA safety & health standards, policies, and procedures; utilize OSHA standards & regulations to implement an on-going safety & health program; identify common violations of OSHA standards and propose abatement actions; describe appropriate abatement procedures for selected safety hazards and conduct internal training on OSHA regulations.  Hands-on activities will be included.  Iowa OSHA’s Administrator, Jens Nissen, will be one of the guest speakers and will be available to answer questions.

IAMU is holding a workshop on funding opportunities for infrastructure and energy efficiency improvements on August 3 at the IAMU Office and Training Complex in Ankeny.  CLICK HERE for the complete agenda and registration information.

There's a new face at IAMU this summer.  Jeb Kopera, a junior at Iowa State University, is assisting with a number of projects during his three-month internship in the energy services department.  

Jeb's primary focus has been assisting members with the filing of their biennial IUB energy efficiency reports, a task that takes a great deal of time and attention to detail.  Jeb has also been working on a general education presentation on the electric industry.

Jeb returns to Iowa State this fall to complete is undergraduate degree in industrial engineering, after which he hopes to launch a career in operations research or ergonomics and human factors.

Thanks Jeb for helping out this summer!

On Wednesday, June 22, Governor Branstad signed into law a bill addressing one of his key legislative priorities of the last two years - the “Connect Every Acre” bill.  House File 655 encourages the expansion of high-speed broadband internet.  IAMU has been generally supportive of broadband expansion in the state and was registered in support of the Governor’s broadband bill.  

by the American Public Power Association

Don Miller, electric superintendent at Carlisle Municipal Electric Utility in Carlisle, Iowa, received an American Public Power Association Larry Hobart Seven Hats Award at the Association’s national conference in Minneapolis, Minn. This award recognizes managers of small utilities serving fewer than 2,500 meters. These managers have a very small staff and must assume multiple roles. The seven hats they must wear are: planning and design, administration, public relations, field supervision, accounting, human resources, and community leadership. Miller is one of eight winners in 2015.

Miller has been with the City of Carlisle for more than 22 years. He is directly involved in undergrounding electrical lines and making sure the lines are in place for any new construction. He replaced the utility’s outdated meter system to allow for more accurate billing. Miller is on the front lines with customers, answering their questions, and he is a champion of electrical safety.

One of the most commonly used pieces of equipment in any shop is the abrasive wheel grinder. These machines are used to remove excess or to shape metal. The grinder may be a bench mounted or on a pedestal and will use a straight wheel. These types of wheels are designed to be used on the periphery only. Some grinders may also be outfitted with wire wheels or buffing wheels.