Fall is officially here, even if temperatures are still a tad warm this week. Now is a good time to remind your utility customers of fall to-dos that can help with utility costs and safety.
 
Consider sending a list of tips in utility bills or posting tips to social media if you have accounts. Here are a few tips to consider.
 

• Check for drafts in your outlets, windows, and doors: If you find a draft, use outlet covers, caulk, weather stripping, or spray foam to fill any holes or cracks.
• Change your air filters: This simple task can ensure cleaner, safer air for you and your family. Set a reminder on your calendar to change your air filters every three months, and more often if you have pets. A clean air filter will also help to prevent your HVAC unit from having to work harder.
• Clean out your gutters and consider gutter guards if you don’t have them: This can prevent roof damage, water damage in your home, and pests from nesting in your gutters.
• Check your heating system: Check all aspect including the furnace filter, venting system, pipes, thermostat, and burners for any cracks, blockages, or broken pieces BEFORE turning on your heat for the winter. If you’re not sure how to inspect your system, contact a local heating and cooling specialist to help you.
• Remove outdoor hoses from faucets: This will help to keep undrained water in your faucet from expanding and bursting during the winter months. This also prevents mice and other creatures from nesting in your hoses.
• Clean out your fireplace/chimney: Regularly cleaning your fireplace and chimney can prevent a fire. If you’re unsure of how to clean your fireplace, contact a local chimney sweep. If you have a gas fireplace, check gas connections for leaks.

The Utility Pole Climbing Workshop will take place October 27-29 at the IAMU Training & Office Complex.  This workshop will focus on the fundamentals and technique of climbing. Training will be a combination of classroom & hands-on.
 
Who Should Attend:
This workshop is beneficial for anyone that is interested in learning how to climb. Apprentices in Module A of the IAMU Electric Line Maintainer Program are encouraged to attend.
 
What to Bring:
Class attendees will be required to bring their own PPE equipment, including:

• Hard hat

• Leather gloves

• Fall protection strap  
• Safety glasses
• Climbers

• Alternate strap  
• Safety-toe boots
• Body belt

• Clothing suitable for weather conditions

           
Registration is OPEN.  The workshop will be limited to 10 registrants.

​For additional information regarding the workshop, including online registration, brochure, agenda and schedule, please click HERE.

The latest edition of IAMU's Toolbox Talks - Tire Codes - What Do They Mean? is now available.  Click here to download it.

Other Toolbox Talk articles are available here.
​
If you have a Toolbox Talk idea, please send it to Margret Meade.

​The 2021 IAMU Municipal Broadband Conference will be held Oct. 20 and 21 at the Stoney Creek Hotel in Johnston.
 
This annual event is filled with educational sessions and networking opportunities. There are numerous general sessions, break-out sessions, and times to check out vendor booths. More details on sessions and topics will be announced as they become available.
 
To learn more about attending as a member or vendor or to register, visit the event webpage on the IAMU website.
 
Note: The location of the conference has been moved to the Stoney Creek Hotel this year. If you’re planning to stay at the hotel, reservations must be made by Oct. 1 to guarantee event pricing.
 
A special thank you to this year’s presenting sponsor Power & Tel. 

​Water and wastewater members: Mark your calendars and plan to attend the annual Water and Wastewater Operator’s Training Workshop, which will be held Nov. 17 – 19.
 
Please note that the venue has changed this year. The workshop will take place at Prairie Meadows – The Meadows Events Center in Altoona.
 
This three-day workshop is geared toward water and wastewater professionals wanting practical information to help them do their jobs. There will be both basic and advanced topic for water treatment, water distribution, and wastewater. Attendees can earn 1.2 CEUs toward certification.
 
For more information or to register as an attendee or vendor, visit the event webpage on the IAMU website.
 
The early registration deadline is Nov. 3.

​Want to have a blast and support a great cause? You are invited to the inaugural IAMU Shooting for Scholars event. The sporting clays competition, which will benefit the IAMU scholarship program, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 13 at the New Pioneer Gun Club (31454 312th Place) in Waukee.
 
The cost is $45 per person, which covers the shooting and lunch. You will need to bring your own gun and shells, although shells will also be available for purchase at the range. Eye and ear protection is required.
 
Check-in begins at 9 a.m., and shooting starts at 10 a.m. There will be awards and prizes.
 
The registration deadline is October 8. To register: go to the IAMU website events page. You can register online or download, print, and fill out a PDF form.
 
For IAMU associate members, two sponsorship levels are available if you’re interested in supporting this fundraiser.
 

• 12-Gauge: cost - $300, logo included on sponsorship banner displayed at lunch, 1 complimentary round of sporting clays, 4-week Informer ad, logo displayed at 1 shooting station
• 20-Gauge: cost - $200, 1 complimentary round of sporting clays, logo displayed at 1 shooting station

 
The sponsorship deadline is September 29. Submit your logo (300 DPI, high-res .jpeg, .png, or PDF format) to [email protected].
 
For any questions, contact: Steve Marsh at [email protected] or by phone at 515-289-1999.

​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 even private attorneys working for a municipal utility.  Opportunities will be provided to ask questions in advance of the workshop and throughout the presentations.

Topics will include:

• General municipal law
• 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
• Workers’ Compensation Law

​Please click HERE for registration and additional information.

​In accordance with section 11.6(7) of the Code of Iowa, The Office of Auditor of State is to be immediately notified of any suspected embezzlement, theft, or other significant financial irregularities.  The Auditor recently learned of amounts a City paid email scammers posing as vendors and determined it is in the public interest to issue this Alert to help prevent other governmental subdivisions form falling victim to the same circumstances.

In January 2020, the Auditor issued an Alert regarding unknown parties which had attempted to fraudulently misdirect state and local governmental entities in Iowa into issuing payments by posing as vendors.  A copy of the Alert can be found here.
​
Read the full notice from the Auditor here.

​Want to have a blast and support a great cause? You are invited to the inaugural IAMU Shooting for Scholars event. The sporting clays competition, which will benefit the IAMU scholarship program, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 13 at the New Pioneer Gun Club (31454 312th Place) in Waukee.
 
The cost is $45 per person, which covers the shooting and lunch. You will need to bring your own gun and shells, although shells will also be available for purchase at the range. Eye and ear protection is required.
 
Check-in begins at 9 a.m., and shooting starts at 10 a.m. There will be awards and prizes.
 
The registration deadline is October 8. To register: go to the IAMU website events page. You can register online or download, print, and fill out a PDF form.
 
For IAMU associate members, two sponsorship levels are available if you’re interested in supporting this fundraiser.
 

• 12-Gauge: cost - $300, logo included on sponsorship banner displayed at lunch, 1 complimentary round of sporting clays, 4-week Informer ad, logo displayed at 1 shooting station
• 20-Gauge: cost - $200, 1 complimentary round of sporting clays, logo displayed at 1 shooting station

 
The sponsorship deadline is September 29. Submit your logo (300 DPI, high-res .jpeg, .png, or PDF format) to [email protected].
 
For any questions, contact: Steve Marsh at [email protected] or by phone at 515-289-1999.

Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a proclamation designating September 19 - 25 as "Water and Wastewater Workers of Iowa Week."
 
In her proclamation, Reynolds commends the water and wastewater workforce of Iowa for dedicating themselves to applying environmental passion and science to enhance drinking and recreational waters of Iowa. She goes on to include that “their applied environmentalism continues to be a vital element in improving the quality of life and preserving and protecting public health in our state and promoting sustainability in our way of living.”
 
IAMU water utilities and cities are encouraged to take time next week to recognize the contributions of their water and wastewater professionals and to make their communities aware of the tremendous benefits of their water systems that are often taken for granted.
 
Here are some ideas:

• Share posts about the week and your workers on social media. IAMU will post a few Water and Wastewater Workers of Iowa Week Facebook posts next week that you can share on your own pages.
• Let local media know about the week in case they would like to highlight your utility in coverage.
• If your city council meets next week, consider asking for a city proclamation for Water and Wastewater Workers of Iowa Week.
• If budgets allow, hold a doughnuts and coffee breakfast or other workday treat time for water staff.  

​Some of the largest ransomware attacks we’ve seen in the news this year impacted municipalities and public entities. In fact, in 2020 over 40% of the global cyberattacks were directed towards municipalities! These attacks can result in data being lost, ransomed, or even stolen. In addition, you can suffer from loss of access to email, telephone systems, and websites as well. There’s no question that municipalities are increasingly targets of cybercriminals, and purchasing comprehensive Cyber Insurance in combination with other proactive defense measures will lessen the likelihood of an attack and can mitigate financial loss and damages should one occur.
 
Why do I need cyber insurance?
While the following list is not exhaustive, it covers the most common attacks from cybercriminals today:

1. Malware:  Cybercriminals use this type of attack to access financial data, medical records, emails, passwords, etc.
   
2. Spyware:  Spyware is used to access your employee’s login information, which can give the cybercriminal access to any data on your servers.
   
3. Ransomware:  This is the fastest growing area of attack.  Your files and servers are encrypted and you receive a ransom demand in order to return the encrypted data to you.
   
4. Phishing:  We’ve all received these fake emails from someone we know asking us to provide sensitive information or even money.
   
5. Hacking:  If you are hacked, you are responsible for any sensitive personal data you maintain on customers which may fall in the hands of the cybercriminals – this can create a huge liability.
   
6. Viruses or worms:  These often require extra IT help to find the source and recover lost information.  In addition, viruses will often ruin hardware and software, forcing you to replace damaged equipment.

 
What does cyber insurance cover?
If you experience an attack you could be responsible for financial damage to third parties, fees and fines, forensic costs, legal fees, hardware replacement or even reputation rebuilding. While coverages can vary greatly depending on the policy, below is an outline of the coverages available through CFC Underwriters and exclusively available to IAMU Safety Group members. For additional detail click here.

1. Third-Party Liability:  This covers the cost of notifying anyone affected by a data breach as well as costs associated with damages or settlements that have to be paid to those affected by a breach. In addition, our CFC Cyber policy includes coverage for media liability associated with alleged defamation or intellectual property rights infringement.
2. First-Party Costs:  This will cover legal costs associated with a cyber attack including settlements, government fines, or fees. In addition, our comprehensive policy includes coverage for system damage and rectification costs as well as income loss and extra expense associated with an attack.
3. Cyber Crime and Extortion:  While often not included on every policy, this coverage is standard with the IAMU Safety Group program and covers things like ransom demands, funds transfer fraud due to social engineering or phishing, as well as telephone hacking or customer payment fraud.    
4. Loss of Reputation:  Sometimes called crisis management or reputational harm, this will cover the cost of repairing damage done to your reputation such as public relation costs and marketing costs associated with recovering from an attack.

 
If you’re concerned with the amount or availability of your existing coverage and would like a quote, please contact:
​
Mark Stearns
Account Executive
Jester Insurance
[email protected]
P. 515-350-7674
C. 515-631-0338

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 the remainder of 2021 at the IAMU complex.  Please click HERE or visit the IAMU website for available dates.

September 27th - October 1st
November 8th - 12th
December 6th - 10th

Mobile Crane Operator Certification/Examination Class Schedule:
 
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

​If you don’t have time to create your own communication materials, don’t fret. Many organizations provide resources that you can use for free, as your own materials or co-branded with their organization. You can often find the electronic versions of these resources on websites. This week’s spotlight: American Water Works Association (AWWA).
 
The AWWA offers a Public Communications Toolkit. The online toolkit is organized by:

• Strategic Planning
• Media Relations
• Events
• Crisis and Issue Communications
• Community and Youth Outreach
• Digital and Electronic Communications

​Under each section, you can find and download various materials, including guides, tip sheets, templates, PowerPoint presentations, public service announcements, and more.
 
If you need individualized communication assistance, IAMU has you covered. We have contracted with Jen Cronin to offer public relations support to our members. She can provide consultations and work with you to develop public relations campaigns for issues, events, and other information that you need to get out to your customers. You can reach Jen at 616-610-2546 or [email protected].