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Municipal Utility Law 101 Workshop - November 3rd

9/30/2016

Presented by Ahlers & Cooney, P.C.

This one-day workshop will provide an overview of a wide range of important municipal utility related legal topics, and is designed for municipal utility personnel including general managers, superintendents, finance officers, and utility clerks. Opportunities will provided to ask questions in advance of the workshop and throughout the presentations.

Topics will include:

General municipal law
Utility financing
Utility rates and charges
Service territories
Billing and collections
Disconnections
City payments, franchise fees, PILOTs, and surplus transfers
IUB jurisdiction
Public purpose requirements
Ordinances and resolutions
Open meetings and open records
Public bidding and improvements
Employment law
Gift laws and public employee ethics

To register, please click here.

Cyber Liability

9/29/2016

Provided by Jester Insurance Services

In recent years there has been much publicity and conversation about the exposures that all enterprises have to an outside person hacking into their computer system. There has been considerable publicity given to very large such events, including Target and other retailers, and even the National Defense System at the Pentagon.

Many times people think this will never happen to them, but as one knowledgeable person in the field mentioned to me, “It’s not a question if you get hacked, it is a question of when”.
All exposures related to cyber-attacks can filter down to individual Municipal Utilities and Cities. For some time now we have offered coverage in this area as an option to IAMU members that they can buy as part of the IAMU Safety Group Program underwritten by EMC Insurance. We have talked about this at length in the IAMU seminars, explaining the various facets of this important coverage. Many IAMU members already have this coverage, but there are still a majority that do not at this point in time.

Open Position at IAMU - Communications Specialist

9/29/2016

IAMU currently has an opening for a communications specialist.

For more information, and to apply for this new opportunity, please click here.

22nd Annual Water/Wastewater Operator's Training Workshop

9/28/2016

Registration for the 22nd Annual Water & Wastewater Operator's Workshop is now open.

Click here for more information, and to register.

Labor and Employment Seminar - Tuesday, November 15

9/28/2016

Location
Hilton Garden Inn
205 S. 64th St., West Des Moines, IA 50266

Registration - 8:30 AM
Seminar - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Topics that will be covered:

ADA recent developments
FLSA overview and update
EEOC and Legislative update
OSHA complaints and investigations
Responding to employment litigation

Questions? Contact Lindsay Vaught at [email protected] or telephone - (515) 243-7611.

To register, click here.

Client Alert: EEOC Releases Final Enforcement Guidance on Retaliation: Understanding the Most Frequently Alleged Discrimination Claims

9/28/2016

Provided by Ahlers & Cooney, P.C.

Understanding retaliation and implementing practices and procedures to address these claims is an important issue for employers. Allegations of retaliation are now the most frequently alleged civil rights claims, comprising nearly forty-five percent of all charges received by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

On August 29, 2016, the EEOC released its long awaited Enforcement Guidance on Retaliation and Related Issues (Guidance). The new Guidance replaces the section on retaliation contained in the EEOC's 1998 Compliance Manual and is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of retaliation in light of increased filings and key United States Supreme Court decisions.

The Guidance provides a detailed overview of the EEOC's position regarding retaliation, including numerous examples of potential scenarios. A summary of the Guidance is included below.

AttorneyConnect - Is It Time to Reexamine Policies on Pregnancy Accommodation?

9/28/2016

by Patrick D. Smith, Attorney with the law firm of Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave, P.C.

How to best accommodate pregnant employees is a frequent challenge Iowa employers face. Pregnant employees may be entitled to protection under the laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, as well as those laws requiring equal treatment based upon gender and disability. Many employers, including municipal employers, have tried to walk this fine line with policies that allow for accommodation of a temporary disability only if it is the result of an on‐the‐job injury. For non‐work related temporary disabilities (which presumably includes pregnancy almost all the time), no accommodation is offered.

The theory behind such policies is to treat similarly situated employees equally, regardless of gender or the nature of the temporary disability. The distinction is drawn between work and non‐work causes of the temporary disability. The rationale for treating on‐the‐job injuries differently is that the workers’ compensation law provides an incentive to return injured workers to work as soon as possible, so as to avoid paying benefits for temporary total disability.

Apply for Targeted Technical Assistance with Smart Growth Development

9/22/2016

From EPA’s Greenstream, 9/16/2016

“EPA’s Office of Sustainable Communities invites communities to apply for targeted technical assistance to help overcome barriers to implementing smart growth development approaches. Communities can choose from tools to help them make development more equitable, attract infill development, assess policies in small towns and rural areas, improve resilience to floods, or promote streets that are safe for all users and provide environmental benefits.

The Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program provides quick, targeted technical assistance to selected communities using a variety of tools that have demonstrated results and widespread application. EPA delivers the assistance using teams of experts who conduct one- to two-day workshops in the selected communities. After the workshop, the community gets a next-steps memo with specific actions it can take if it chooses to implement the ideas generated in the workshop.

SRF Eligibility Handbooks Now Available

9/22/2016

From Patti Cale-Finnegan, DNR’s SRF Coordinator, [email protected]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released handbooks covering what is and what isn't eligible for the Drinking Water SRF and the Clean Water SRF.

Drinking Water SRF Eligibility Handbook
This statement in the handbook sums up the purpose of the DWSRF: “The principal objective of the DWSRF is to facilitate compliance with national primary drinking water regulations or otherwise significantly advance the public health protection objectives of the Safe Drinking Water Act.”

Clean Water SRF Eligibility White Paper
This statement from the white paper sums up the balance between federal rules and state innovation in the CWSRF:   “The 51 state programs have the flexibility to direct funding to their particular environmental needs. In addition, each state program may have its own statutes, rules, and regulations that guide project eligibilities. This paper represents a set of examples of what may be eligible at the national level. Within these parameters, each state program will determine what projects and borrowers are eligible to receive assistance.”

Save the Date - Municipal Utility Law 101 Workshop - November 3rd

9/21/2016

Save the date for a Municipal Utility Law 101 Workshop on November 3rd!

This one-day workshop will provide an overview of a wide range of important municipal utility related legal topics, and is designed for municipal utility personnel including general managers, superintendents, finance officers, and even private attorneys looking for a municipal utility primer. Opportunities will provided to ask questions in advance of the workshop and throughout the presentations.

Topics will include:

General municipal law
Utility financing
Utility rates and charges
Service territories
Billing and collections
Disconnections
City payments, franchise fees, PILOTs, and surplus transfers
IUB jurisdiction
Public purpose requirements
Ordinances and resolutions
Open meetings and open records
Public bidding and improvements
Employment law
Gift laws and public employee ethics

Registration and more details coming soon!

Public Power Week is October 2nd-8th

9/21/2016

Provided by the American Public Power Association

Public Power Week, celebrated the first full week in October every year, is an opportunity for public power utilities to remind customers and stakeholders about the distinct advantages that public power offers.

Check out this page for resources from APPA to help you tell the public power story in your community.
In 2016, Public Power Week will be Oct. 2-8 (first full week of October).

Need help? Email us at [email protected].

Celebrate Public Natural Gas Week - October 2nd-8th

9/20/2016

Provided by the American Public Gas Association

APGA invites its members to take part in the annual, national tradition of Public Natural Gas Week (PNGW). PNGW is a nationwide observance that offers the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your public natural gas system and generate enthusiasm about the benefits of public natural gas. This year, PNGW will be October 2-8.

We hope that all APGA member utilities join us in this nationwide observance to honor the work and importance of locally-owned public natural gas systems. The American Public Gas Association is here to help you plan and promote your system’s PNGW celebrations.

Many APGA members do a wonderful job preparing promotional events and campaigns each year. For additional ideas, we encourage you to download sample materials that include a stock press release, op-ed, design templates and suggestions for events to celebrate the week in your community. We hope you find these materials helpful and that together we make 2016 Public Natural Gas Week one of the best yet!

Access the materials mentioned above at www.apga.org/PNGW. For questions on PNGW or to share how your system plans to celebrate the week, please contact Audrey Anderson of APGA staff by phone at 202-464-2742 or by email at [email protected].

Toolbox Talk - Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome

9/19/2016

Hand/Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is caused by the frequent & repeated use of hand-held vibrating tools; such as power drills, hammer drills, concrete vibrators, chainsaws, jackhammers, powered lawn mowers, brush cutters, pedestal grinders or oscillating tools. The loss of feeling or pins & needles in one or more fingers is usually one of the first symptoms of HAVS, followed by not being able to feel things with your fingers, loss of strength in your hands, tips of fingers going white (and possibly then red) and becoming painful in cold or wet weather.

The prevention of HAVS is key because once you experience the onset of symptoms, there is no cure.

Buy good quality, low vibration tools.

Use urethane power tool handle grips or dampening pads.
Poorly maintained tools tend to develop worn or loose parts that may vibrate.
Keep your hands warm so that blood flow is not restricted.
Avoid smoking as this also restricts blood flow.
Grip the tool as lightly as possible, as not to restrict blood flow.
Keep the cold exhaust air of pneumatic tools away from the hands.
Use work rotation as a method to reduce the exposure to vibration.

One of the key elements of preventing HAVS is keeping the hands warm and maintaining good blood flow.
Use good quality gloves with vibration dampening qualities built in.
True anti-vibration gloves are labeled “meet ANSI S2.73/ ISO 10819 standards”.
Practice finger/hand stretching & massaging to assist good blood flow.

IAMU Safety Group Insurance Seminars- 2016

9/19/2016

We are pleased to announce our fall seminars for the IAMU Safety Group Insurance Program. These seminars have always proven very useful for city and utility personnel, as well as agents. Topics will include extra expense exposures, open meetings law, coverage options and various risk management tools. Shown below is the schedule of locations and dates. Refreshments will be available one-half hour prior to sign in and registration. As always, there is no registration fee for the seminar.
Please click on one of the locations below for more information and to register.

Storm Lake - October 25th

Independence - October 27th

Altoona - November 1st

Municipal Utilities Had Lowest Frequency, Duration of Outages in 2015

9/15/2016

Provided by the American Public Power Association

From the September 15, 2016 issue of Public Power Daily
Originally published September 14, 2016

By Jeannine Anderson
News Editor

In 2015, compared to investor-owned utilities and rural electric cooperatives, municipal utility customers “experienced the lowest instances of power outages in both frequency and duration, averaging one outage and about two hours of interrupted service,” the Energy Information Administration said Sept. 12 in the EIA’s Today in Energy publication.

“Our data backs the results of this EIA analysis,” said Alex Hofmann, director of energy and environmental services for the American Public Power Association. “Whether they are classified as rural or urban, municipal utilities prioritize service restoration and reliability.”