Registration is open for the Electric Utility System Operation Short Course (EUSO). This year’s course will take place July 26 – 28, 2022.
 
This course will once again be 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.
 
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.​

​Here’s what participants had to say about last year’s course:
​
“I was blown away on how he made everything understandable!”

“Had a great time! You are a very good teacher!”

“Would recommend this class to anyone in the Utility Industry.”

“I think anyone in the Electrical Field would benefit greatly from this class.”
​
“Skip explains everything very well.”

Registration
Registration is OPEN.  Participation is LIMITED to 50.
 
Registration Costs (includes materials and lunch)

• IAMU Members - $1,000
• Non-Members - $1,100

 
In order to receive member pricing you must be logged in to your account
 
IAMU Cancellation Policy is in effect.​

Location
This year’s training will take place at the IAMU Training & Office Complex
 
IAMU
1735 NE 70th Ave
Ankeny, IA 50021​

​For additional information, brochure, and registration, please click HERE.  The registration deadline for the workshop is July 19, 2022.

IAMU Safety Services will be holding a Drug & Alcohol Employee/Supervisor Training Webinar. This webinar will address the following:

• The effects of drugs and alcohol on the body
• Recognize the signs, symptoms, and indicators of substance abuse at the workplace
• Comply with federal DOT regulations requiring 2-hour reasonable suspicion training for supervisors

60 minutes will be spent on symptoms of alcohol abuse; 60 minutes will be spent on the symptoms of drug/controlled substance abuse.

*A Certificate of Completion will be emailed to participants upon confirmation of participant’s full attendance in webinar.

Who Should Attend?
Employees and supervisors involved with CDLs and/or gas operations.

Webinar Time and Length:
Thursday, July 14th, 2022 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

All registered participants will receive an email from Zoom on July 13th with the webinar link. Please provide the email you want this to be sent to on your registration.

Cost:
$50 per IAMU Member participant
$70 per Non-IAMU Member participant

Questions?
Contact Don Heck at [email protected], or (800) 810-4268.

Registration is open.  For additional information and online registration, please click HERE
​
(Webinar instructions and information will be sent to the registered participant’s email on July 13th.)

​If you have social media accounts for your utility and you want to post images, keep in mind that you don’t want to overload the image with too much text.
 
Too much text is difficult to read due to its size for most people and becomes almost impossible, if not completely impossible, to read for individuals with limited or no sight.
 
Instead, use the post itself to put out your message and leave the image to stand on its own or have minimal text. Think of the image as a billboard. Most effective billboards have very little text so people driving by can easily get the main point without having to slow down.
 
When adding your image, social media platforms will give you the option of adding what’s called alt text. This is behind-the-scenes text that an assistive reading device will read aloud to anyone, including those with limited or no sight, who may not be able to fully see the image to understand what the image includes. The reading device will also read aloud any information that you put in the post. If you put your message on the image itself (and not the post) and don’t include any alt text to describe the image, someone with limited or no sight would not be able to access the information. 

The Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities 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 2022 at the IAMU complex.  Please click HERE or visit the IAMU website for available dates. 

August 22nd - 26th
September 27th - 29th (Re-Certified class)
October 25th - 27th (Re-Certified class)
December 13th - 15th (Re-Certified class)

Mobile Crane Operator Certification/Examination Class Schedule:
 
Class Day
Times
Classroom/Exam

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

Tuesday
8:00 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:

• There is a maximum of 8 participants per class session.
• Lunch will be provided Monday through Thursday.
• 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.
• 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.

Questions?
If you have any questions in regards to the classes, or requirements, please contact:
​
Margret Meade, IAMU Safety Outreach Coordinator ([email protected])
Phone:  (800) 810-4268

This one-day workshop will provide an overview of a wide range of management and human resource type topics, and is designed for municipal utility personnel including general managers, superintendents, utility clerks and anyone who is responsible for the supervision of utility staff.  Opportunities will be provided to ask questions in advance of the workshop and throughout the presentations.

Representative topics to include:

• Intro to Employment Law
• Managing Attendance & Poor Performance
• Discipline & Discharge
• Harassment & Discrimination for Managers

​Please click HERE for registration and additional information.

Throughout the 19 weeks of the 2022 legislative session, the Iowa legislature introduced 2201 bills and resolutions. IAMU actively tracked and engaged on 99 of the 2201 bills and resolutions. In the end, 155 bills and joint resolutions were enrolled and signed into law. Eight of these bills impact municipal utilities in some fashion. The bills can be broken down into themes of administration, taxation, and infrastructure.

Legislative Session 2022 bills impacting municipal utilities
​
For more information on legislative matters, or to participate in IAMU’s legislative council, contact: Attorney Alex Cutchey, IAMU Director of Government Affairs at [email protected].

If you don’t have a logo and want one or have one that you’d like to freshen up, you should keep in mind a few basic principles.
​

1. Your logo should reflect your utility in an accurate and unique way. For example, are you a water utility? Make sure to have the idea of water incorporated in your logo.
2. Your logo should be simple. Don’t try to include too much detail in any symbol or image. Don’t include too many words, either.
3. Your logo should work well in both color and black and white (one-color printing). Don’t rely on the use of different colors to show distinctions in shapes, for instance.
4. Your logo should be scalable so that it works for anything from a business card to a billboard. For this reason, you may want to make sure to create your logo in vector format so that it doesn’t lose resolution as you increase the size. If you need help with this, consult a graphic designer.
5. Your logo should be artistically balanced. No part should overpower the rest. Shape, color, and line density can affect a logo’s balance. Have a few people review any logo you’re considering to get additional input. 

IAMU Safety Services will be holding a Drug & Alcohol Employee/Supervisor Training Webinar. This webinar will address the following:

• The effects of drugs and alcohol on the body
• Recognize the signs, symptoms, and indicators of substance abuse at the workplace
• Comply with federal DOT regulations requiring 2-hour reasonable suspicion training for supervisors

​60 minutes will be spent on symptoms of alcohol abuse; 60 minutes will be spent on the symptoms of drug/controlled substance abuse.

*A Certificate of Completion will be emailed to participants upon confirmation of participant’s full attendance in webinar.

Who Should Attend?
Employees and supervisors involved with CDLs and/or gas operations.

Webinar Time and Length:
Thursday, July 14th, 2022 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

All registered participants will receive an email from Zoom on July 13th with the webinar link. Please provide the email you want this to be sent to on your registration.

Cost:
$50 per IAMU Member participant
$70 per Non-IAMU Member participant

Questions?
Contact Don Heck at [email protected], or (800) 810-4268.

Registration is open.  For additional information and online registration, please click HERE
​
(Webinar instructions and information will be sent to the registered participant’s email on July 13th.)

Thank you to all the Utility members who participated in the salary survey! We had an outstanding response and appreciate those who took the time to provide the information.  We hope you find the results informative and help you in planning for the future.  We are hoping to be able to do this annually and would appreciate any input you have for information you’d like to see.

You may now access the results of the 2021 and 2022 Salary Survey at this link - 
https://members.iamu.org/page/salary_survey_results

This link is available only to IAMU utility members, and you will need to log into the IAMU website to view this information.  If you need your login information please reach out to Josh Trout for assistance - [email protected].
​
If you have any questions please reach out to Laura DeBartolo-Tow - [email protected] or Dawn Hyler - [email protected] at IAMU.

Would you like to learn more about Iowa OSHA and it’s inspection process? Listen to this 2 hour webinar and learn about your rights and responsibilities as an employer and how to protect yourself when Iowa OSHA is waiting for you to let them in.
​
https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/Rx2kyqNdq-VCOKXcFXgJN91apfjjr_95hb31-wkp-s-Xx0H-ajRgi9h2wcXjCpZg.iAx_Q9lr6kU6aY9s
Passcode: xLgK+.%6

By Attorneys Danielle Haindfield, Kristine Stone, Maria Brownell, and Conner Wasson

On June 14, 2022, Governor Reynolds signed Senate File 183 into law. Senate File 183 makes two significant changes to the public bidding law. First, it amends Iowa Code section 26.4 and prohibits a fee-based selection of an architect, landscape architect, or engineer for a public improvement project. These professionals must now be solicited using a qualifications-based process, with price not being the primary factor.
 
Second, the bill establishes a new Chapter 26A of the Iowa Code, which authorizes public improvement projects to be constructed under the Construction Manager at Risk (“CMAR”) project delivery method. Generally speaking, a CMAR project delivery method involves the negotiation of a Guaranteed Maximum Price (“GMP”) for the project with a Construction Manager who agrees to complete the project within the GMP. The GMP includes the cost of the construction work, plus the Construction Manager’s negotiated fee.
 
This is a major change to Iowa law in that prior to this legislation CMAR was illegal for most public entities in Iowa, and only Construction Manager as Advisor was allowed. With the Construction Manager as Advisor delivery method, the Construction Manager only acts as an advisor in packaging the work for bid and overseeing the construction administration, but the Construction Manager does not perform the actual construction work. Under the CMAR method, the Construction Manager not only packages the work, but also performs and assumes the risk for construction.
 
ENGAGING THE CMAR
 
Iowa Code Chapter 26A requires a two-step solicitation process for a contractor to serve as the CMAR on the project. As a preliminary step, the owner must publicly disclose its intent to enter into a GMP contract at least fourteen days prior to posting a Request for Statement of Qualifications (“RFQ”) seeking a contractor to serve as a CMAR. The selection criteria within the RFQ must comply with Iowa Code sec. 26A.3(3). No price proposals are solicited as part of the RFQ process. The RFQ must be posted for not less than 13 days and not more than 45 days in the following three locations:
 

• Relevant contractor plan room service with statewide circulation
  
• Relevant construction lead generating service with statewide circulation
  
• On an internet site sponsored by the governmental entity or statewide association that represents the governmental entity

 
The owner shall receive, publicly open, and read aloud the names of contractors submitting responses to the RFQ. The owner must evaluate the RFQ proposals within 45 days after the date of opening.

The owner shall then issue a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) to each contractor who meets the qualifications in the RFQ. The RFP must include selection criteria which complies with Iowa Code sec. 26A.3(3). Each qualified contractor may then submit a proposal which shall include their proposed fee. The owner must receive, publicly open and read aloud the names of the contractors submitting proposals and proposals must be evaluated within 45 days after date of opening. The submitted proposals shall be ranked according to selection criteria. The owner must select the CMAR that submits the proposal that offers the best value for the governmental entity based on the published selection criteria and on its ranking evaluation.
 
ENGAGING SUBCONTRACTORS & MATERIAL SUPPLIERS
 
Once the CMAR is engaged, Iowa Code Chapter 26A requires the CMAR to solicit subcontractors and material suppliers through a similar two-step bidding process. The CMAR must first issue an RFQ which shall include:
 

• General information on the project site
  
• Project scope
  
• Schedule
  
• Selection criteria
  
• Time and place for receipt of responses

 
The RFQ may only include objective prequalification criteria that meets the requirements of Iowa Code sec. 26A.3(5). In general, the law requires prequalification criteria be reasonably and materially related to the relevant trade contract work and materials package.
 
Public notice must be posted not less than 13 and not more than 45 days before the deadline for responses to the RFQ in the following three locations:
 

• Relevant contractor plan room service with statewide circulation
  
• Relevant construction lead generating service with statewide circulation
  
• On an internet site sponsored by the governmental entity or statewide association that represents the governmental entity

 
All firms who meet the prequalification criteria may submit a bid for the relevant trade contract work and materials package. In general, all firms must be notified whether they met the prequalification criteria no less than fifteen days prior to the subcontractor bids being due. Subcontractor and material package bids must be publicly opened and filed on the date and time specified in the notice to bidders. Bids are reviewed and evaluated by both the owner and CMAR. Contracts must be awarded to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder.
 
The CMAR may self-perform work for trade and materials packages that do not exceed the competitive bidding threshold established in Iowa Code sec. 314.1B. The CMAR may also submit a bid proposal to perform work that exceeds the competitive bidding threshold. The owner shall evaluate the bids in which the CMAR is included as a bidder. If the CMAR is not the apparent low bidder, the owner shall determine whether a recommendation for award to the CMAR is in the best interest of the project.
 
Iowa Code sec. 26A.4 clarifies that government entities are not authorized to enter into design-build contracts for public improvement projects. It further clarifies that the GMP/CMAR project delivery method is not available for horizontal infrastructure projects (highways, bridges, culverts).
 
This client alert includes a general overview of this bill. Public entities should work closely with their design/construction administration team and legal counsel to ensure GMP/CMAR projects comply with the new law. The new law becomes effective on July 1, 2022.​

DPA Invocation Will Boost American Production of the Critical Technologies Necessary to Lower Energy Costs, Support the Clean Energy Economy, and Strengthen National Security.

President Biden has issued presidential determinations providing the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with the authority to utilize the Defense Production Act (DPA) to accelerate domestic production of five key energy technologies: (1) solar; (2) transformers and electric grid components; (3) heat pumps; (4) insulation; and (5) electrolyzers, fuel cells, and platinum group metals. The DPA determinations are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s plan to lower energy costs for families, strengthen national security, and achieve lasting American energy independence that reduces demand for fossil fuels and bolsters our clean energy economy.
​
Read the full Department of Energy article here.

​We will soon hit the half-way mark for 2022. Now would be a good time to figure out what your communications needs are for the rest of the year.
 
Here are some things to consider:

• What observations do you want to recognize/celebrate? For instance, Public Power Week and Public Natural Gas Week are both held the first week of October.
• Is there anything happening locally that you need to communicate with your customers? For example, do you have any planned projects that could potentially impact delivery of utilities?
• Are there any recurring issues that you could deal with through a communication campaign?
• What about internal communications? For instance, are there any upcoming work anniversaries to celebrate or employee benefit changes that team members will need to know about?

 
Take some time over the next few weeks to plan out your communication needs for the rest of 2022. Then, add dates to the calendar of when you need to start working on communications and when you want them to get to their intended audience.  

Registration
Registration is OPEN.  Participation is LIMITED to 50.

Registration Costs (includes materials and lunch)
 

• IAMU Members - $1,000
• Non-Members - $1,100

 
In order to receive member pricing you must be logged in to your account
 
IAMU Cancellation Policy is in effect.

Location
This year’s training will take place at the IAMU Training & Office Complex

IAMU
1735 NE 70th Ave
Ankeny, IA 50021

​For additional information, brochure, and registration, please click HERE.  The registration deadline for the workshop is July 19, 2022.