As I travel to visit with many of you and see how much your work means for your communities, I also see how your actions embody a core truth about public power: we connect the community through much more than just wires.
The nature of public power utilities, being owned and operated by our communities, necessitates a deeper level of civic engagement, involvement, and investment in the success of the community. It’s making sure to be involved in conversations about local economic development, taking time to listen to customer feedback and local interest groups, and motivating employees who recognize the great importance of the mission.
This type of deep connection is evident in articles throughout this issue of Public Power including how Rolla Municipal Utilities in Missouri is finding new and creative ways to get meaningful feedback from its customers and how Janisse Quiñones, the new leader of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, is prioritizing community outreach. There are many examples showing how public power’s connection is about much more than electricity; there is even a section of our website devoted to communicating the various ways public power adds value.
Just in the last two months, I saw many examples of how public power connects within communities while visiting with members in Tennessee, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania. We’ll hear even more great ideas discussed at our Customer Connections Conference in Louisville in late October.
Public power utilities support local job development not only through their direct workforce, but in programs to encourage young people to understand and get interested in science, technology, engineering, and math. That can be anything from Lincoln Electric System’s support of a tinker lab at a local children’s museum in Nebraska to Chelan County Public Utility District’s partnership to host a STEM Career Academy in central Washington state, to the internships that introduce people to careers in public power (often thanks to support from APPA’s DEED program).
In holding community events or supporting activities, such as taking part in a parade, speaking to interest groups, or doing a safety demonstration outside the fire station, public power’s presence makes residents feel less isolated and supports engaged communities that are happier and healthier. Being interconnected with many other city services, such as other utilities, street repair, parks and recreation, or general city hall functions also adds a vitality and stability to the community.
Demonstrating the multi-pronged value of public power through community connection enables more trust in government, increases civic participation, and creates economic opportunity. Public power should be proud of these deep connections to and within the communities. Thank you for all you do to keep your community connected.
