So, your utility has a Facebook page, now what? If you struggle to come up with post items for your page, here are some ideas to get you started:
 

• Posts showing your utility’s culture: A culture post is an image or article showcasing what your utility is all about. Think behind-the-scenes image of your employees doing something, or an article about how your utility does something a certain way.
• Question posts: Get your audience talking and engaging by asking a question. For example, you could ask, “When is the last time you changed your furnace filter?” that would always serve as a reminder to change a furnace filter if someone hasn’t in awhile.
• Photos: Take a picture of something and explain it. Maybe it’s a piece of machinery. You can then explain (in layman’s terms) what it is and how it’s used to provide customers with their utilities.
• Image scrambles: You’ll have your customers scratching their heads in no time when you post image scrambles. Image scrambles can be posts where an image is scrambled up or zoomed in, so your audience must guess what it is.
• Videos: Record a video of something on a smartphone. It could be of a crew working on a project or a simple reminder about something from someone in the office.
• Customer testimonials: Did someone have something nice to say about your utility and/or your employees? Share it. Ask if the person is comfortable sharing his or her name with the testimonial. If not, ask if you could share the testimonial without a name and simply sign it with “a satisfied customer.”
• Quick tips and advice: Everyone can use some utility tips. Even if your audience may already know something, a good reminder always helps.
• Post answers to commonly asked questions: Receiving the same questions over and over from customers? Instead of constantly responding to questions one by one, solve it once and for all by sharing posts with the answers.
• Team member spotlights: Post pictures and short bios on members of your team. Make the posts fun and share interesting, non-utility tidbits, too (if team members are comfortable sharing).
• Utility accomplishments: Share your successes with your customers on social media and celebrate together!
• Posts showing off your utility history: It’s always fun to see how far a utility has come and where it started. 

​Congratulations to Nick DeBerg of Cedar Falls Utilities on completing the IAMU Apprenticeship Program.

Brandon began the program on November 17th, 2017 and graduated September 11th, 2021.

Congratulations to Jasen Bender of Muscatine Power & Water on completing the IAMU Apprenticeship Program.

Brandon began the program on March 17th, 2017 and graduated September 4th, 2021.
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Pictured with Jasen (on left) is Ryan Streck, Director, Utility Service Delivery

​For more information about the Apprentice Program, contact IAMU Director of Electric Services Jared Masker at jmasker@iamu.org.

​IAMU Safety Group Program Members,
 
The below link will take you to our Jester Insurance Services YouTube channel. There you will find individual video recordings of the various topics covered at our recent IAMU safety group workshop. Our speakers did an excellent job providing valuable insight on several very important topics. If you were unable to attend the workshop in person I would strongly encourage you to take time to watch each video over the next few weeks.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o63pIyJQtgs&list=PLYrmVZQvUeVldUjOqSYB13ytS4nCwbMvP
 
The IAMU safety group program exists and continues thriving because of you all. Thank you for your continued support of the program!

The first of many test results for per- and polyflyouroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals are expected to start coming in soon. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) include a large group of man-made chemicals that have been used for decades.

The DNR began sampling for these chemicals in October as part of a comprehensive plan to better understand PFAS levels in Iowa’s drinking water. DNR focused on public drinking water supplies because drinking water is the primary path for people to be exposed to PFAS.

DNR identified 102 sites where the facilities are supplied by surface water or shallow groundwater sources, and those close to a potential PFAS source. So far, DNR has collected raw and finished (or treated) drinking water samples at about 15% of the sites. Samples went to a laboratory certified to test for PFAS. As test results come in, DNR will report results to each public water supply. Results will also be posted on the DNR’s PFAS webpage.

EPA set a lifetime health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS to protect people from the risks of exposure in drinking water. If PFOA or PFOS is detected, DNR will work with the public water supply to set up a year-long sampling plan, requiring monitoring every three months.

If individual or combined test results show PFOA or PFOS levels above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s health advisory of 70 ppt, the water supply is required to notify its customers. And, DNR will work to identify potential sources of contamination.  Additionally, the department is working with the Iowa Department of Public Health on this issue.
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DNR is taking a proactive approach to protect Iowans’ health and the environment. By testing the public drinking water sources, DNR will gain a better understanding of the potential for PFAS levels in Iowa. Results of the testing will guide DNR’s next steps  to ensure safe drinking water. ​

​The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host AWIA Office Hours to answer questions that small-sized (serving a population of 3,301 to 49,999 people) community water systems (CWSs) may have on completing and certifying their AWIA Emergency Response Plan (ERP) by the upcoming December 31, 2021 deadline. While Section 2013 of AWIA does not require the use of any standards, methods, or tools, EPA Office Hours will focus on the resource that EPA developed to aid small-sized CWSs in complying with AWIA ERP requirements, the ERP Template and Instructions for Drinking Water Utilities.

Office hours will be held in 45-minute sessions from December 1-30, 2021. Everything discussed during office hours will remain confidential.

AWIA Background: AWIA Section 2013 requires community (drinking) water systems serving more than 3,300 people to develop or update Risk and Resilience Assessments (RRAs) and ERPs. AWIA, promulgated on October 23, 2018, specifies the components that the RRAs and ERPs must address and establishes deadlines by which water systems must certify to EPA completion of the RRA and ERP. Please visit EPA’s AWIA website for more information: epa.gov/waterresilience/awia-section-2013

Sign up for an office hours appointment here:
calendly.com/awia-office-hours/erp

If you have questions, please contact us at dwresilience@epa.gov.      

The elbow is a complex joint that extends, flexes and rotates. Many people experience pain from work or normal daily activities. Pain can occur on the front, back, and either side of the elbow and can vary anywhere from a tingling to sharp pain. It’s important that your doctor evaluate areas above and below the elbow to find the cause of the pain.
 
https://www.worksiteright.com/post/causes-of-and-remedies-for-elbow-pain

Think of your utility service as a product you’re trying to sell to your audience. Now, put on your marketing cap. How should you go about getting potential customers to buy what you have to offer? Steal a sound selling strategy from the pros: Use photos and videos.

Statistics show that people pay more attention to a message if it includes a photo and/or video. Here are just a few compelling numbers to note:
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• Articles with images get 94% more total views.
• Adding a photo and a video to a press release increases views by more than 45%.
• Consumers who watch product videos are 85% more likely to buy products, compared to those who do not watch product videos (TMG: We Capture).

The photos and videos don’t have to be award-winning worthy to be powerfully persuasive. With the popularity of camera-equipped smartphones and social-media sharing sites such as Instagram and Facebook, people have grown accustomed to amateur photos and videos. And actually, testimonial-type photos and videos from participants may be more convincing in selling your message to others because the images and footage come across as more genuine than anything professionals might produce.
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• Encourage your employees to take photos and videos of projects or issues. Make your employees into roving photographers and videographers.
• Have a way for customers to easily submit images and footage of positive, utility-related interactions. Consider creating a designated email address to gather submissions.
• Determine ways to share what people contribute. You might include an image in your newsletter or on your website or social media pages. Another idea: Put together a poster with the image and some compelling copy. If you have a video, include a Quick-Read Code (QR Code) on the poster and throw the footage up on a YouTube channel so others can check it out using their smartphones.

Mark your calendars for the 2022 IAMU Electric Superintendent and Foreman’s Meeting.  The workshop is scheduled for January 12 – 14, 2022, at Prairie Meadows - The Meadows Events Center in Altoona, Iowa.  This workshop is specifically designed to cover topics of interest to electric superintendents and foremen.
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Also returning is the Product Show & Reception.  Come socialize with fellow utility personnel and meet with exhibitors to see their latest products, technology, and services.

Hotel Information

Prairie Meadows is the designated hotel for accommodations at this upcoming meeting.  Please mention the Group Code - “01122022IAMU” and Password – “863000102” when booking.

The room rate is $111+tax per night.  Book early!  Reservation block deadline is December 13, 2021.

Prairie Meadows
1 Prairie Meadows Dr
Altoona, IA  50009
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To make reservations, please use this LINK

Registration & Cost
IAMU Members - $425
Non-Members - $480

Registration is open.  The registration deadline for the meeting is January 5, 2022.  For additional information in regards to the meeting, including full agenda and registration, please click HERE.
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For questions about the workshop, please contact Jared Masker, IAMU Director of Electric Services at (800) 810-4268 or jmasker@iamu.org.

From Alexander J. Cutchey, IAMU Director of Governmental Affairs

On October 29, 2021, HF 902 COVID vaccination exemptions for employers and unemployment insurance was signed into law by Governor Reynolds. [1] The law, which went into effect October 29, 2021, establishes exemptions under state law from employer-required COVID vaccinations for employees and applicants. The law requires the employee to submit a statement that a vaccination would be injurious to their health or that the vaccination is against the employee’s religious beliefs. The law grants employee’s who are fired for refusing to get a vaccination unemployment benefits. The law prohibits the charging or penalizing of any employers who employed the person before the employer who fired the person for the costs of the unemployment benefits.

More specifically, the law:
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• requires any individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity that employs or consider applicants for wages that require a COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment, to waive the requirement if they receive from them
  • a statement that receiving the vaccine would be injurious to their health and well-being or that of an individual residing with them or
  • a statement that receiving the vaccine would conflict with tenets and practices of their religion.
    
    
• adds into Iowa’s Employment Security Law that individuals discharged from employment for refusing to receive a vaccination against the novel coronavirus identified as SARS-CoV-2, or disease or virus caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 shall not be disqualified for unemployment benefits because of the discharge.
  
  
• modifies the employer unemployment benefits account formula if an employee is discharged from employment for refusing to receive a vaccination against the novel coronavirus identified as SARS-CoV-2, or disease or virus caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, so that the contribution rate and unemployment experience of any current or previous employers employing the employee are unaffected by the discharge and prohibits Iowa Workforce Development from imposing any penalty on, or any other action against, any employer employing the employee or an employer that previously employed the employee other than the employer that so discharged the employee.

[1] The Iowa House passed the bill on Iowa’s October 28, 2021, special session on a 68-27 vote. The Iowa Senate passed the bill on a 45-4 vote.