6.1a ERMUSR 06-13-2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• I attended the Great River Energy Annual Meeting on June 7, 2017. GRE has now reduced to two coal power plants within their portfolio and have added a significate addition of wind energy. Their integrated resource plan includes only wind energy additions over the next 15 years. Declining sales impact to the bottom line have been mitigated through business strategy initiatives resulting in a solid financial 2016. Wholesale power rate increases for the foreseeable future are projected to inline or under inflation. Overall,the takeaway message was positive. As usual, while at the GRE Annual Meeting I was also able to network and speak with many from the GRE leadership team, coop member CEOs, and Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA) leadership. The cooperative electric utilities are strategizing for the same regulatory, consumer,workforce, and technology issues as the municipal utilities. With recent successful efforts from cooperative and municipal electric utilities leadership to partner on regulator issues, the opportunities for communication between the two business model's leadership have opened up. As a result, I have seven follow up meetings with various cooperative leaders to discuss issues also affecting ERMU. • And on a related note,the week prior I had met with new President& CEO of Wright- Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association. We met to discuss the recent"local control" legislation which MREA and MMUA were a part of. In addition,we discussed load growth opportunities, industry technology, and leadership direction for cooperative and municipal utilities. The overall intention is to develop a"good neighbor" relationship and work to align cooperative and municipal leadership on common and mutually beneficial goals. • On June 6, 2017, ERMU staff held a planning meeting with engineering, operations, and billing representatives from Connexus for the upcoming electric service territory transfer in 2017. Similarly to 2015 and 2016, Connexus will be transferring Areas 3 &4 to ERMU in September of 2017. There are approximately 480 customers with 540 meters in these areas which are located on the west side of Elk River. • In conjunction the announced retirement of one of our Forepersons, we held interviews for Lineworkers the week of May 15;there were approximately 120 applications. Interviews for a Foreperson successor were held May 31; there were two internal applicants. And interviews for the resulting vacancy at Lead Lineworker were held on June 5; there was only one applicant. • Water Operator interviews for the vacant water operator position is scheduled for June 15 and 16. • In July 2017, I will roll off of the Elk River Rotary Board. • While attending the American Public Power Association (APPA)National Conference this June, I have been asked to be a presenter. I have done this three other times while attending APPA conferences. I will be speaking on a panel for a session on Communicating the Value of Reliability. They have requested that I speak specifically on Using Reliability and RP3 to Communicate Performance to Customers,Employees, and Page 2 of 3 86