5.5 ERMUSR 04-12-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Elk River ^~-~ Municipal Utilities 13069 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 430 Elk River, MN 55330-0430 UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING Phone: 763.441.2020 Pax: 763.441.8099 TO: FROM: Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission Troy Adams, P.E. -Director of Operations John Dietz, Chair Daryl Thompson, Vice Chair Al Nadeau, Trustee MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER: A ril 12, 2011 5.5 SUBJECT: 2011 Minnesota Munici al Utilities Association Le islative Rall DISCUSSION: The MMUA Legislative Rally was held March 30`h -April 1 a`. The conference covered many timely topics including: Transmission cost allocation, Utility performance indicators, Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) tracking and reporting, Local Government Aid (LGA), and Legislative hot topics relating to municipal utilities. The presenters included William Grant-Deputy Commissioner of the Dept. of Commerce Energy Division, Gary Carlson -Director of Intergovernmental Relations with the League of Minnesota Cities, and Joe Plummer from the Minnesota Office of Energy Security. Overall, the conference portion of the rally provided a forum for much "round table" discussion amongst the utility managers and commissioners in attendance. The most important part of this rally is the unification of municipal utilities presenting positions on key topics to our elected officials at the State Capitol. This year we spoke to our elected leadership about three topics: CIP, evasion of water conservation rates, and coal and nuclear ban repeal. I was asked to be a presenter for the evasion of water conservation rates topic. The tone from the elected officials was that the current priority was the budget. Generally speaking, if it didn't create non-government jobs or lower taxes then it wasn't a top priority. The legislators were supportive of the municipal utilities' position statements because they are typically about providing reliable services and lower costs. Overall, we were well received and it was a productive legislative rally. Attached for your review are the 2011 MMUA State Position Statements. tl~t u+ ACTION REQUESTED: No action required.