Registration for The Complete Watt-Hour Metering Workshop, February 8-12, is now open!

Mistakes, tampering, and improper operation can turn your watt-hour meters into a large source of revenue loss! Gain valuable information on how to keep your meters humming with this workshop. 


This workshop will be conducted by Larry Chapman of Chapman Metering. Mr. Chapman is a highly regarded expert on watt-hour meters, and is a strong supporter of IAMU and Iowa’s municipal utilities.

Learn how to keep your meters “in the black” with this workshop. A solid review of the Basics, combined with in-depth study of installation, troubleshooting, and tampering.

Participants should bring their laptop computers to take full advantage of this opportunity.

To register, please click here.

Several of our members have requested basic information for employees working with electrical equipment and the requirements for NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. The standard covers all city departments that service or use electrical shut-offs (switchgear, circuit breakers, and relay switches) above 50 volts. With that in mind, let’s explain what arc flash is and then review some of the requirements from the NFPA 70E Handbook for Electrical Safety in the Workplace.

Please join us for an OSHA 300 Recordkeeping Webinar on January 13th.

This workshop explains the regulatory requirements of OSHA’s recordkeeping standard; Part 1904 - Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. Class attendees will learn which types of injuries and illnesses are recordable, how to make entries on the OSHA 300 recordkeeping forms and how to complete the annual summary form.

This session will also discuss OSHA’s updated reporting requirements that go into effect in Iowa in March of 2015.

Who Should Attend?
Those responsible for, or who have been given the task of, documenting work-related illnesses or injuries. The recordkeeping standard applies to those cities with 10 or more employees throughout the year (include full and part-time employees in the count) while the reporting standard applies to all cities.

To register, please click here.

Gas operators, check your qualifications.  Is it time to renew?

2016 Operator Qualification Workshops for the Three - Year Overall Evaluation are open for registration.

Choose from two workshop dates - January 14th & 15th, or January 28th & 29th.

To register, click here.

Registration for the 2016 Business & Finance Conference is now open!

To register, please click here.

To reserve a room at the Embassy Suites at the IAMU rate, please click here.
**Hurry, room reservations at the special conference rate ends January 11th**

OSHA requires a competent person be on-site at every excavation.  The competent person is required to evaluate site safety and resolve existing and potential hazards.

This workshop is an excellent opportunity to become qualified as a competent person (or stay current with the responsibilities).

The DNR has approved 0.6 CEUs for WD and WW only.

To register, please click here.

The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council is a public-private partnership representing education, business, industry, nonprofits, students, families, and state government. It is focused on raising student interest and achievement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects and improving STEM economic development in Iowa. The Iowa STEM Teacher Externship program, through the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, aims to facilitate collaborations between Iowa businesses and teachers in science, mathematics and technology fields.

Launched in the summer of 2009, the benefits of this unique business-education partnership include:

• Matching talented, educated and skilled teachers as participants and contributors to your business needs.
• Providing students with career information pertaining to businesses and industries right here in Iowa, creating a future work force in the area.
• Lasting partnerships between businesses/industries and local schools.
  

Iowa STEM Teacher Externs work side-by-side with knowledgeable and skilled employees at the local business level which provides educators with the experience to steer students towards STEM fields.

Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, doing electricity portfolio management and consulting business through Utilities Plus, is changing its consulting division’s name to Central Municipal Power Agency/Services (CMPAS – pronounced “compass”) and unveiled a corresponding logo.

Originally serving utilities located only in South Central Minnesota, the new name, Central Municipal Power Agency/Services better reflects the power agency’s relationships and presence in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Please join us for an OSHA 300 Recordkeeping Webinar on January 13th.

This workshop explains the regulatory requirements of OSHA’s recordkeeping standard; Part 1904 - Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. Class attendees will learn which types of injuries and illnesses are recordable, how to make entries on the OSHA 300 recordkeeping forms and how to complete the annual summary form. This session will also discuss OSHA’s updated reporting requirements that go into effect in Iowa in March of 2015.

Who Should Attend?
Those responsible for, or who have been given the task of, documenting work-related illnesses or injuries. The recordkeeping standard applies to those cities with 10 or more employees throughout the year (include full and part-time employees in the count) while the reporting standard applies to all cities.

To register, please click here.

Registration for the 2016 Superintendent and Foreman's Meeting is now open!

Click here for more information and to register.

PROPOSED RULE BACKGROUND
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the publication of the Revisions to the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 4) for Public Water Systems; Proposed Rule (80 FR 76897; December 11, 2015). UCMR 4 will provide EPA and other interested parties with scientifically valid data on the occurrence of particular contaminants in drinking water. This data set is a primary source of occurrence and exposure data that the EPA uses in its determination of whether or not to regulate drinking water contaminants to protect public health.

PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY
EPA invites public comments on the proposed rule. Comments must be received on or before February 9, 2016. Please refer to the FR notice for more details about submitting comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0218 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.

PUBLIC STAKEHOLDER WEBINAR MEETING DETAILS
EPA will host a webinar on January 13, 2016 from 1:00-4:30 p.m. eastern time to discuss key aspects of the UCMR 4 proposal, including monitoring requirements, analyte selection and rationale, analytical methods, the laboratory approval process and ground water representative monitoring plans. Those who wish to participate in the public webinar must register in advance at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7326881974233959170 no later than January 10, 2016 by 5:00 p.m. eastern time.

Individuals or organizations interested in making a statement should identify their interest when they register. We ask that only one person present on behalf of a group or organization, and that the presentation be limited to ten minutes. To help ensure accurate records, EPA requests that written presentation materials be submitted to [email protected] no later than January 10, 2016 by 5:00 p.m. eastern time.

Registrants will receive confirmations and further webinar information via email. Questions regarding webinar registration should be emailed to [email protected].

IAMU currently has an opening for an electric services coordinator.

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

IAMU recently welcomed Timothy J. Whipple as its new in-house legal counsel. Tim comes to IAMU from the Iowa Economic Development Authority where he was the agency’s General Counsel and was responsible for all legislative, legal, regulatory, and public policy issues. Tim takes over for Julie Smith who recently transitioned out of her multi-client lobbying practice.

Tim grew up in rural Franklin county and attended elementary school in Hampton. He is a 1995 graduate of Cedar Falls High School, a 1999 graduate of St. Olaf College where he majored in English and minored in Linguistic Studies, and a 2007 graduate of Drake University Law School where he obtained a Legislative Practice certification.

After undergraduate studies at St. Olaf, Tim spent 5 years working at Epic Systems Corporation, an electronic medical records vendor in Madison, WI. After law school, Tim accepted an academic fellowship at the Drake Agricultural Law Center where he researched legal issues affecting the agribusiness industry and rural areas.

Tim left Drake for a position in the Legal division of the General Assembly’s Legislative Services Agency where he drafted legislation in the areas of environmental protection, economic development, taxation, and appropriations.

After Governor Branstad’s election in 2010, and having drafted the legislation that restructured the old Department of Economic Development, Tim left the legislature for a position as the General Counsel at the newly created Economic Development Authority. At IEDA, Tim was responsible for representing the agency before the Iowa legislature, developing its public policy agenda, monitoring state and federal regulatory issues, implementing new loan and tax credit financing programs, drafting contracts, rules and regulations, handling administrative law issues, and providing general legal support to the state of Iowa's primary economic development agency.

In 2014, Tim was selected by the Des Moines Business Record as a member of its 40 under 40 class. He was also the recipient of the Business Record’s 2014 “Legislative Deal of the Year” for his leadership in restructuring the state’s economic development programs.

In his spare time, Tim teaches Legislative Practice at Drake Law School, sits on the board of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Des Moines, serves as an officer in the Des Moines Scottish Rite, and coaches a high school Mock Trial team. His wife Anna works for the City of Des Moines and his two children, Edwin and Eleanor, attend elementary school at the Downtown School.

Tim is excited to be on board and looks forward to getting to know the members of IAMU. You can contact him at [email protected] or 515-289-5218.

IAMU currently has an opening for an administrative assistant.

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

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has sent out the following updates for December 2015:

2015 Water Use Annual Report Forms: Changes in Forms

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will mail out the Water Use Annual Report Forms for 2015 this week.  This year’s form has a new table to allow for entry of well-specific water level and pump information that includes fields for static water level, pumping water level, gallons per minute, and measurement time.  Static water level information is still required for all groundwater-sourced permits.  Pumping water levels are mandatory for all permittees utilizing the Jordan aquifer.  Also new, reporting is now split by source, instead of one report for the entire permit number.  If you have any questions on the water use program, please call Mike Anderson at 515-725-0336 or send an email to the Water Use Team at [email protected].

Water Use Annual Permit Fee Reminder Notices – Error in IDNR Payment Address

To the water use permit holders that were sent a reminder notice in mid-November for the annual water use permit fee (due December 1):  The old PO Box mailing address was incorrectly listed in the notice.  The PO Box was dropped in late spring and the mail is no longer forwarded.  The correct address to remit payment is:

IDNR Water Supply Engineering Section
502 E. Ninth Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0034.