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In addition to the key messages delivered to the Capitol, MMUA hosted a legislative <br /> reception. The rally also included conference sessions on: MMUA new financing <br /> program; the Minnesota Chamber's 2018 Energy Policy; and updates from the Center for <br /> Energy&Environment regarding the 2018 CIP potential study and strategic <br /> electrification. <br /> Following the rally and conference,the MMUA board of directors met. During this <br /> meeting the board discussed and/or took action on the following items: the new MMUA <br /> finance program; government relations items; PUC railroad crossing decision discussion; <br /> the Municipal Utility Action Fund (MUAF)report;the American Public Power <br /> Association (APPA)Public Power Forward initiative; MMUA strategic planning goals <br /> updates; Safety&Training updates; Engineering and Policy updates; and upcoming <br /> board planning session. I will finish my second term and roll off the board at the MMUA <br /> summer meeting this August. <br /> • ERMU, Great River Energy(GRE), and MMPA scheduled a conference call regarding <br /> power provider migration for Monday May 7. <br /> • On April 16 a joint MMUA and Minnesota Rural Electric Association(MREA) <br /> workgroup meeting was held regarding the CIP. I am one of approximately one dozen <br /> members of this workgroup. The work product from this group was used for talking <br /> points for the MREA legislative rally and the MMUA legislative Rally. The group will <br /> continue to develop work product over the coming year. <br /> • Customer Service Manager Jennie Nelson and I have conducted interviews for the vacant <br /> Customer Service Representative (CSR)position. An offer was made and accepted with a <br /> May 21 start date. The new CSR will be introduced to the Commission in June if <br /> schedules allow. <br /> • I attended the 2018 APPA Lineworkers Rodeo and Engineering & Operations <br /> Conference in Raleigh,NC. During this conference,the Reliable Public Power Provider <br /> (RP3)Panel met. I am the reliability representative on this national panel of 18 members. <br /> While at this conference I was also a speaker for one of the sessions. I made a <br /> presentation on our electric vehicle initiative. <br /> During the conference I also attended sessions on: Legislative and regulatory overview; <br /> GIS mapping and automation; battery storage; information technology (IT)vs operational <br /> technology (OT); generation interconnection to the grid; operational resilience;reliability <br /> benchmarking; and a roundtable discussion on customer service vs employee safety. The <br /> keynote speaker for the conference closing session was Army Ranger First Sergeant Matt <br /> Eversmann. His inspiring story of resilience, survival, and leadership through adversity <br /> became the story for the movie Black Hawk Down. He related his experiences to the <br /> public power industry. <br /> This conference creates a great opportunity to network and research issues. I intentionally <br /> connected with utility leaders regarding issues that ERMU is facing. Much discussion <br /> occurred around cyber security and IT,Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and <br /> Automatic Meter Reading(AMR), succession planning, and disaster planning and drills. <br /> Page 2 of 3 <br /> 82 <br />