NEPPA eNewsletter
November 2015
 After a thoughtful and extensive national search, David F. White, Esq., CAE, has been named the Executive Director of the Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA)."I am incredibly excited to be joining the NEPPA team," says Mr. White. "As the new Executive Director, my priorities are engaging the membership, continuing to coordinate NEPPA’s OSHA certification, and developing long and short terms strategic goals with our leadership."
"The Executive Committee is very pleased with the work undertaken by Rick Dacri, Dacri and Associates to assist us in finding such a qualified candidate pool," says Mr. Calvin Ames, President of NEPPA. "We spent the better part of the spring and summer, and agreed unanimously to offer the job to Mr. White."
Mr. White joins NEPPA just before the Annual Membership Meeting on November 13, 2015. "I’m looking forward to addressing the organization at the meeting. It will be great to interact with so many of our members and to have a chance to discuss their needs moving forward," he says.
Building relationships with NEPPA members is a priority for Mr. White. "I want to get out and visit our members early and often. In order to ensure that the organization is delivering value to our members, it is critical that we take a proactive approach to identifying how we can put them in the best position possible to be successful. The best way to do that is to be in the field, not behind a desk."
Another one of Mr. White’s priorities is to become familiar with the NEPPA staff. "I truly believe that one of NEPPA’s greatest resources is its staff. Given the nature of the services that NEPPA provides, accountability is important," he says. "That means holding the staff and trainers accountable, but also means that the leadership is equally accountable and that I ensure they have the best chance to succeed."
Mr. White comes to NEPPA from the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS), where he most recently served as Director of External Affairs and Strategy. During his 8 years at MDS, Mr. White was responsible for representing the dental profession before government bodies and organizing dentists in grassroots efforts. He also developed programs to educate MDS members about important issues and lead a strategic planning process with an eye toward ensuring the visibility and relevance of the association.
Before arriving at MDS, Mr. White worked in a variety of political organizations, including serving as Client Services Director at Sage-Systems, LLC, and as Regional Field Director for Northeast Pennsylvania during the 2004 presidential election.
Mr. White attended Northeastern University in Boston, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science. He is also a graduate of Suffolk University, where he completed both his Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees, graduating cum laude from the School of Law. Mr. White is a member of the Massachusetts bar.
Mr. White has also earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives. To earn the CAE credential, candidates must first submit an application satisfying professional experience and education requirements. Successful applicants must next pass a challenging examination on all aspects of association management. "Earning the CAE designation was important to me because it allows me to ensure that my business and legal knowledge and experience are properly applied to association management," says Mr. White. "I am excited to bring those skills to NEPPA."
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Let me begin by saying how grateful and excited I am to be joining NEPPA. Having just celebrated our 50th anniversary, this is an excellent opportunity to plot the future course of this organization. I look forward to meeting and working with each of you to understand how NEPPA can best serve the needs of our members. Please do not hesitate to reach me at any time.
Sincerely,
Dave White
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AROUND NEW ENGLAND
Paxton Municipal Light Department hired Jason Lavallee as their new General Manager on October 13, 2015. For over two decades Jason has been cultivating his knowledge base within the electric industry. His early work experience included journeyman and master electrician and journeyman lineman. Jason continued to expand his role into electric system operations, training, and safety. He is an Authorized OSHA Outreach Trainer, Certified Utility Safety Professional (CUSP), and is pursuing a Certified Safety and Health Official (CSHO) certification from Keene State College. He has an Associate’s Degree in Business, a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, a Master’s Degree in Business, and is currently finishing a second Master's Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology concurrently with a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
When asked what he hopes to achieve now that he is the General Manager of Paxton, he goes on to say, "Our goals in Paxton are to ensure our customers have exceptional system reliability, while maintaining a perfect safety record, and that our workforce has advanced training to meet the demands of the future. Moreover, we will strive to lower operating costs and increase organizational effectiveness by reviewing and modifying business strategy as necessary. "
Jason has big plans for Paxton! He comments, "Our workforce development plans partially include the implementation of a proactive safety program where the employees themselves choose their own training based on individual needs. We are also currently working to implement OSHA 10 certifications in electrical transmission and distribution to all affected employees. Furthermore, we will continue and, most importantly, improve upon the existing customer reliability programs. Inevitably, the committed employees we have at Paxton Municipal Light Department are the building blocks for the future success of this organization. " Jason continues, "The people at Paxton Municipal Light Department are truly dedicated to their customers, and it is an honor to be part of the team!"
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ASSOCIATION HAPPENINGS
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NEPPA welcomes MGR Electrical Contracting, Inc. as an associate member as of Wednesday, October 7, 2015! MGR Electrical Contracting, Inc., is an electrical contracting firm. The company is located at 24 Trumbull Avenue, Haverhill, MA 01832. The primary contact person is Michael G. Raymond. He can be reached at michaelgraymond@verizon.net or 978.807.2065 (phone) or 978.521.2065 (fax). 6-Nines Inc. became an associate member of NEPPA on Thursday, 29, 2015! 6-Nines Power is a New York State company established in 2009 whose primary business is to develop and finance energy storage projects which reduce the cost and increase revenue by the use of energy storage. As Contractor to NYSERDA Policy Project 11057 for the ownership of energy storage, 6-Nines Power developed, demonstrated and used the 6-Nines Power software prototype tool to analyze three reference cases for the ownership of energy storage. The follow-on NYSERDA Commercialization Project 26290 has resulted in the marketing and sales plans for the launch of the commercialized 6-Nines Power software. The proposed engineering study will provide the first field test site of the software product. This will serve as a reference for the product launch and the development of the 6-Nines business, beginning in New York State in 2014. The company is located at 375 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10152. The primary contact person is Larry Kruger, who is the President and CEO. He can be reached at larry@6ninespower.com or 508.393.9003 (phone). ##SHARELINKS##
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 A team of FireIce representatives visited the NEPPA Training Center recently to demonstrate a new product that is emerging into the firefighting marketplace. This product is designed to quench fires that have been burning and also to prevent fires from spreading. Approximately 50 local utility and fire department personnel were present to hear and then to witness the product in action. Several members of the team worked in conjunction with the Littleton Fire Department to set various displays on fire (cars, hay bales, pallets, and Christmas trees) and then  extinguish those fires with the new product. During the demonstration one of the team members coated his hand with the product and then placed the flame from a propane torch directly onto that hand with no sensation of heat whatsoever.
Another amazing part of what was seen was one of the team members actually eating the product, which shows that it is totally harmless to humans and it is safe for the environment. One application of this product in the electrical field might be as a protection for electrical workers inside manholes that have been exposed to an electrical fault. There are several videos available on YouTube that can give you a glimpse of the demonstration witnessed here at the NEPPA facility.     ##SHARELINKS##
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CALENDAR
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November 18 - 20, 2015 Water's Edge Resort and Spa Westbrook, Conn. For more information or to register, please click here!  ##SHARELINKS##
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December 9 - 10, 2015 NEPPA Training Center Littleton, Mass. For more information or to register, please click here!  ##SHARELINKS##
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EDUCATION & TRAINING UPDATE
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On October 26, Omicron, a test equipment manufacturer with a location in Waltham, Mass.. conducted a "Lunch and Learn" meeting at the NEPPA Training Center in Littleton, Mass. The day started with Dave Stelmach presenting a talk on power transformers and the tests that can be performed on them. He was followed by Jay Andersen who spoke on instrument transformers and their importance in system protection and revenue metering along with how to test those pieces of equipment. Lunch was provided and was followed by a presentation by Charles Sweetser covering circuit breakers and circuit breaker testing. Interpretations of test results was also covered. The meeting was predominantly a training session and again was extremely informative for the approximately 30 attendees.   ##SHARELINKS##
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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
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In This Issue:
Kennedy Fights Capacity Market "Reliability" Provision as Energy Bill Goes Partisan
On Sept. 29 and 30, the House Energy and Commerce Committee considered H.R. 8, the "North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act," a wide-ranging energy bill the Committee has been developing since the beginning of the year. The bill was reported by vote of 32-20 with only three Democrats voting in favor.
Although the bill was initially intended to be a bipartisan effort, negotiations between majority and minority members of the Committee broke down over a handful of provisions. A few hours before opening statements were scheduled to be heard, Chair Fred Upton (R-MI) released a Manager’s Amendment that added over 100 pages to the text of the bill, including several provisions Democrats had consistently opposed.
Of interest to NEPPA, the Manager’s Amendment included a provision titled "Reliability and Performance Assurance for RTOs," similar to the Sec. 1108 that public power had opposed in earlier drafts because it would likely result in additional revenues for generators without benefits to consumers. Although the new Sec. 1110 was much weaker than prior drafts, NEPPA, APPA, and Committee Democrats remained opposed to the provision.
APPA sent a letter to the Committee, saying they have "significant concerns" about the provision, and said that while "we appreciate the evolution of the language, it is still problematic for load-serving entities (LSEs), including public power utilities, forced to participate in the FERC-blessed mandatory capacity markets, and is silent on the issue of self-supply for such LSEs."
Democrats offered two amendments, one by Rep. Joseph Kennedy III (D-MA) to strike Sec 1110 and the other by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) to significantly modify the provision. Both were rejected on a party line vote. Kennedy spoke at length about the problems in capacity markets and the fact that consumers are seeing little benefit to account for massive increases in costs. Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) joined the debate, saying that it should be possible to balance reliability needs with costs to consumers.
One area of bipartisan agreement was on a compromise developed between Reps. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) to improve the current hydropower licensing process. In offering the agreement, Rep. McMorris Rodgers said, "It takes approximately ten years to license a hydropower facility yet a natural gas facility can be up and running in only 18 months. Clearly, there is room for improvement."
Numerous other amendments were considered, on topics ranging from distributed generation to liquefied natural gas, funding for a natural gas pipeline replacement program to address leaking methane, assistance to low-income communities affected by coal plant shutdowns, and the strategic petroleum reserve. The vast majority of amendments were disposed of via party-line votes, with Democrats winning few of the votes.
The bill is expected to be on the House floor the week of Oct. 26, stripped of provisions that would authorize additional spending, such as workforce training grants and incentives for small hydro development. The funds were removed after a key conservative action group made the bill a "key vote," essentially threatening to oppose Republicans who voted for it.
To read the complete legislative update including the following topics, click the links below: ##SHARELINKS##
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OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
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by Rick Dacri, Dacri & Associates LLC When discussing sexual harassment, I am frequently asked what to watch for to determine whether harassment might be occurring in the workplace. It is a problem for managers who are rightfully concerned about it, but can’t be everywhere all the time. As a manager, you might not be present when an alleged incident of sexual harassment takes place. But, some warning signs may point to potential problems. Here are a few things you should watch for:
Management Principal: Make clear to your employees that harassment by supervisors, co-workers and third parties will not be tolerated and that reporting objectionable behavior will not result in any form or retaliation–even when the harasser is a key person in the organization.
So what should you do to ensure that they have a harassment free workplace? There are five key steps to take:
There is no place in the workplace for harassment. Employers and employees need to understand that. Put in place a proactive prevention program to ensure you have a respectful workplace, free of any form of harassment.
Rick Dacri is a workforce adviser, management consultant, and author of the book "Uncomplicating Management: Focus On Your Stars & Your Company Will Soar." Since 1995, Dacri & Associates has helped NEPPA members improve individual and organizational performance. He can be reached at rick@dacri.com and www.dacri.com.
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PUBLIC POWER WEEK AROUND NEW ENGLAND
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After 14 months Groton Electric Light Department finally moved into their new building! Groton used to reside in four separate buildings located around the same area that their new building now stands. Today, the Groton staff are located in one building together which makes for a more accessible area to customers, staff, and lineworker crews. They designed the building so each section has its own purpose and flows easily. When you walk in the front door there is the main window to assist customers, a conference room to the right to hold public meetings, as well as their own private bathroom. To the left of the main window is a door that leads you to the staff offices, a staff bathroom, and then a hallway to the garage. Inside there, they have five heated bays to hold all their trucks. They also were able to put in two extra offices for anyone visiting, or future staff that may be hired.
The total cost of the renovations was $4.1 million. Groton had started a fund two years prior to breaking ground for the new building, which allowed for them to save $2 million. The rest of the money for the building was bonded for the next 20 years.
On Saturday, October 3, Groton held an Open House to celebrate Public Power week and the new building with their customers. I hope you had a chance to go and celebrate with them and take a tour of the building. Anyone can go by and visit at anytime!
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By Courtney Crouse Communications Manager I sat down with James Robinson, the General Manager of Holden Municipal Light Department, to talk about how he got started with the light department and how they celebrate Public Power week. Every year they hold a public lunch at the local Senior Center in Holden. They’ve been doing it for quite a while, even before James started and it’s always a huge hit! Although the Senior Center holds a number of events for the wider Wachusett area, this event is only available to Holden residents. It has become so popular that they must take reservations and sometimes a wait list is needed. Unfortunately, not all of the Holden staff can be involved as they would prefer not to close the offices. So the few that do go to the event help with everything including set-up, serving the food, and cleaning up after the event is over. Jim says, "It gives them a chance to mingle with the customers. It’s usually a pretty good meal."
This is not the only way the light department is involved with the community. About 15 years ago they took all the overhead lines on main street and moved them underground. Every Christmas they put up the holiday wreaths along Main Street and they put up roughly 150 flags to be displayed between Memorial Day and the 4th of July. They also put up any town banners and do some modest light work at the schools, such as changing bulbs. "We’re 30 square miles. We’re what you call the classic good story for public power because we have 8 linemen who all they do is serve the town of Holden, so if we have an outage we’re there within minutes," comments Jim.
Jim has been the light manager going on six years, so all of the great outreach programs they participate in started long before he began. Jim is no stranger to Holden since he has lived in Holden for 28 years. He was working at National Grid in Westborough (when they were located there) up until 2007 when he retired. He took a couple of years off and during that time he did help the light department out in some situations. In 2008, when Holden had a really horrific ice storm, he came down to help and his wife went to the senior center to help out, and that’s how he originally got involved. After that, he was brought back in as a contractor to help them file for their FEMA recovery because of that storm. Jim says, "That was kind of my way of starting to learn about the light department. The position opened up and I became the manager."
The Holden Municipal Light Department is a moderate size municipal with about 20 employees in total. The building in which they are located, which is 12 years old, used to be a school. There was a little bit of concern about putting a light department in that residential area so they had to make the building look nice. All of their trucks are inside and all of their poles and transformers are stored in another building in Holden right around the corner. Jim comments that it’s important to be a good neighbor because the town itself is about 18,000 people and they have 8,000 electric customers.
The light department has plenty of programs they are proud of, especially their robust net metering program. They have 50 houses that have roof top solar systems which is actually not bad for a town their size. They have the same generous net meeting policy that National Grid has although Jim goes on to say, "It varies from department to department because some folks aren’t comfortable giving full credit back for electricity." Holden believes that for now it makes sense to do that; however, it might change in the future. Jim is a big advocate of having a plan like this and he wants to give people as much incentive as they reasonably can and it’s become really popular in their town.
They also have photovoltaic systems on three of their town buildings, which was put in five years ago. They took their old police station and converted it to a recreation department and last winter they put a brand new system in the building. "We’re kinda proud of that. We think it’s an important thing for us to support the town," explains Jim.
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