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Elk River <br /> Municipal Utilities UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING <br /> TO: FROM: <br /> ERMU Commission Tom Sagstetter—Conservation and Key Accounts Manager <br /> MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER: <br /> July 10, 2018 5.4 <br /> SUBJECT: <br /> Holiday Lighting Contest <br /> ACTION REQUESTED: <br /> Discussion and direction regarding future of the holiday lighting contest <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> The holiday lighting efficiency program and lighting contest began in 2012 with a focus on <br /> community engagement and energy efficiency education. At the time,the goal was to raise <br /> awareness of the new LED holiday light technology and provide residential customers with <br /> incentives to purchase the new LED lights that supported our conservation improvement <br /> program efforts for residential lighting. ERMU provided educational materials and coupons for <br /> each residential customer through bill inserts and newspaper advertisements. <br /> The holiday lighting contest had 8 participants in 2012 and grew to a peak of 29 in 2015. The last <br /> two years, despite additional marketing through social media,the participation dropped to 14 and <br /> 15 respectively. In addition to the decline in participation,the educational and energy saving <br /> opportunities have decreased dramatically. The lighting market has been transformed and <br /> virtually all holiday lights sold today are LED. Due to this lighting market transformation, <br /> ERMU no longer provides coupons for the purchase of LED holiday lights. <br /> DISCUSSION: <br /> Per commission direction, staff has researched holiday lighting contests that are sponsored or <br /> supported by municipal utilities. Only two such programs were found: one in Kentucky, and the <br /> other in Princeton, MN. Princeton Public Utilities staff indicated that the program has had <br /> decreasing participation, but intends to continue the program through 2018. <br /> The contest does provide value as a community event through community engagement. <br /> However,the contest does not currently provide energy saving value for ERMU's conservation <br /> improvement program (CIP) as ERMU no longer has a residential LED holiday light rebate. <br /> Staff has had discussions with other potential program administrators, including the City of Elk <br /> River and Independent School District(ISD) 728 Community Education,to determine whether <br /> they would be interested in assuming the administration and promotion of the Holiday Lighting <br /> Contest.Neither the City of Elk River nor ISD728 have provided staff with an answer regarding <br /> assumption of the program. Regardless, based on the recent declining participation, staff is <br /> recommending that ERMU discontinue the holiday lighting contest effective immediately. <br /> Page 1 of 1 <br /> 101 <br />