Iowa Utilities Board encourages LIHEAP qualified customers to continue paying toward monthly energy bills during winter moratorium
  
(Des Moines) – The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) reminds Iowans that limited financial heating assistance is available to income-eligible utility customers through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The general application period runs from November 1, 2020, through April 30, 2021. Early applications began October 1 for households that have a resident who is 60 or older or disabled, or in cases where disconnection is imminent. The IUB encourages anyone facing difficulty in paying their utility bill to contact their local community action agency or their local utility company.
 
The LIHEAP program is designed to help low-income homeowners and renters pay a portion of their primary home heating costs through a one-time payment made directly to the utility or heating fuel vendor. Eligibility for the federally funded program is based on household size and income, type of fuel, and type of housing. Funding for LIHEAP and the Weatherization Assistance Program is limited. Learn more on the IUB’s LIHEAP webpage.
 
Applicants qualified for LIHEAP or the Weatherization Assistance Program are protected by Iowa law from being disconnected from natural gas or electric service during the moratorium period of November 1 through April 1. However, the IUB urges all LIHEAP-certified customers to continue paying toward their energy bills through the winter to avoid accumulating high debt.
 
Interested applicants should apply at the community action agency serving their area. To find your local agency, call 211, visit the Iowa Department of Human Rights (IDHR) website, or call IDHR at 515-242-5655 or 800-351-4659.
 
For assistance, contact IUB Customer Service staff at 877-565-4450 or customer@iub.iowa.gov.

The current pandemic has pushed more and more employees into remote work, resulting in many supervisors, often with little experience, managing employees remotely. This webinar will address health and safety concerns with managing employees remotely. Panelists include Matt Finnegan (Berkshire Hathaway Energy Pipeline Group), Richard Thomas (Speedway Motors), Susan Walter (Wolters Kluwer), and Adrienne Wheeler (HNI Corporation), and will be moderated by Professor Beth Livingston (Tippie College of Business). This webinar is appropriate for managers at all levels and may particularly be useful for those supervising remote workers for the first time.

Click on the photo below to register.

Annual Client Employment Law Seminar Being Changed to Webinar Series Early 2021.

~~ Please Save the Dates ~~

Due to COVID-19, we are cancelling the in-person Employment Law client seminar this year that was to be held on Friday, October 16, in Des Moines.

We are revamping this educational program to be held as a webinar series across several weeks.

Due to numerous seminars/webinars being held throughout October/November 2020 that many of our clients attend, we are pushing our program back to January/February 2021, on the dates below.

Each webinar will be held from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, covering a different Employment Law topic.

All webinars will be presented live by Ahlers & Cooney, P.C. attorneys.

Wednesday, January 13
Wednesday, January 20
Wednesday, January 27
Wednesday, February 3
Wednesday, February 10

We will be sending information for registration and details on each program at a later date.

If you have any questions, please contact Tamara Kenworthy at tkenworthy@ahlerslaw.com.

Financial Assistance Available to Eligible Low-Income Iowans for COVID-19 Utility Disruption Prevention
 
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) today announced the launch of the new Residential Utility Disruption Prevention Program. The program will provide eligible households with up to $2,000 towards electric, natural gas and water bills if they are at risk of disconnection due to an inability to pay due to a COVID-19 related loss of income. Payments through the program will be made directly to utility providers and applied to the applicant’s account.  

“We are facing an unprecedented pandemic and from the very beginning the state has made it a priority to provide critical assistance to families, farmers, renters, homeowners, and small business owners,” said Gov. Reynolds. “For Iowans who lost their job or saw their paycheck shrink as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Residential Utility Disruption Prevention Program will help them keep the power on and their water running.” 

The state allocated approximately $14.5 million of federal CARES Act funds for utility assistance programs (the Small Business Utility Disruption Prevention Program launched in mid-July). To be eligible to receive assistance, a residential electric, natural gas and/or water utility customer must have: 

• A primary Iowa residence with active residential utility accounts, renters may apply as long as the utility account is in the applicant’s name;
• An unpaid utility bill balance or have previously entered into a payment plan with their utility provider;
• An annual income that is 80% of the median family income, based on county and household size
• Experienced a COVID-19 loss of income (job loss, reduction in hours, reduction in pay) on or after March 17, 2020 that resulted in hardship in paying bills for electric, natural gas, and/or water utility service provided between March 17, 2020 and October 31, 2020. 

“Iowans, especially our low-income citizens have been greatly impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said IEDA and Iowa Finance Authority Director Debi Durham. “We are proud to make available this program offering to help our most vulnerable maintain critical utility services.” 

For a full list of eligibility requirements, additional information and to apply, visit iowahousingrecovery.com. Applications will be accepted between October 8, 2020, and November 20, 2020, or until funding is depleted, whichever comes first. Assistance will be awarded based on application completeness and eligibility in order received until all funds have been exhausted. 

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 2020 at the IAMU complex.  Please click HERE or visit the IAMU website for available dates. 

October 19-23
November 9-13
December 14-18

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:

• Registration for all dates is open
• There is a maximum of 12 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 (mmeade@iamu.org )
Phone:  (800) 810-4268

The 26th Annual Water and Wastewater Operator’s Training Workshop will be presented as a series of one-day online courses in the month of November.
 
Each day will provide both basic and advanced topics focused on:
 
Water Treatment – November 10
Water Distribution – November 17
Wastewater – November 24

Water and wastewater professionals wanting practical information to help them do their jobs should plan to participate in these courses.

Pricing
 
$25 per day for IAMU Members; $50 per day for Non-Members

CEUs Available
 
Five (5) CEU hours are available for each day.

Registration Information
 
You may register for each day at the links below.  *Please note:  if you are attending more than one day, you will have to register for each session respectively.
 
Water Treatment – November 10 Registration
Water Distribution – November 17 Registration
Wastewater – November 24 Registration

*The conference link will ONLY be sent to the registered attendee’s email address.*

Questions?
 
Contact Steve Marsh at smarsh@iamu.org or (800) 810-4268.

IAMU currently has a career opening for anyone looking to join our talented staff.  For more information and to apply, click the link or submit cover letter, resume and references to:

Erica Kirkland, HR Specialist
Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities
1735 NE 70th Ave.
Ankeny, IA  50021-9353
ekirkland@iamu.org

Staff Accountant

The Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) currently has an opening for a staff accountant.

The latest edition of IAMU's Toolbox Talks - What's the big deal about 'swarf' 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 Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities is pleased to offer the Utility Pole Climbing Workshop.  This workshop will focus on the fundamentals and technique of climbing. This workshop will be a combination of classroom & hands-on training.

Course Overview
This course will identify the personal protective equipment, pole climbing equipment, inspection process and techniques needed to climb wooden poles. Besides learning about each piece of climbing equipment, participants will learn how to inspect each component to assure it is in good condition and safe to use.

In the hands-on portion of the course, participants will learn how to inspect a pole to ensure it’s safe to climb; this will also include identifying items such as signs attached to poles, or objects (i.e. fence posts, etc.) located near the pole that may pose as a potential hazard. Participants will learn proper foot placement on the pole, practice using a fall protection safety strap to ascend and descend a pole; learn how to climb a pole (clockwise and counterclockwise) and the proper technique for climbing over attachments on the pole.

The course will conclude with participants learning some basic knots, how to use a hand line and attempting to achieve the climbing certification criteria currently being used by the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities.

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. Registration is limited to 10 registrants.
 
*COVID-19 precautions will be in place.

When & Where
October 7 – 9, 2020
IAMU Shop Building
1735 NE 70th Avenue
Ankeny, IA 50021

Cost
$250 per IAMU Member participant
$325 per Non-Member participant
 
Click HERE for registration and additional information.

Questions?
Contact Jared Masker at jmasker@iamu.org or (800) 810-4268.