Advocacy, Leadership & Education for ’s Energy Marketers

Maine Standard Biofuels Staying true to their roots

www.maineenergymarketers.com 1 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 2 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 Contents summer 2020 • volume 3 issue 2

MEMA Member Info 6 5 MEMA Team Members & Officers of the Board 6 Day on the Hill Lots going on at Capital Hill 7 MEMA staff message Next steps after COVID-19 8 MEMA Committees & Trusts Join a committee 11 Multi-headed Monster The unplanned service call 11 14 14 Holding True to their Roots Conversation with Maine Standard Biofuels 16 Making a Difference 27 Companies in the community 20 Student Financial Options MTEC helps students with choices 22 Transportation Fairness Fixing America’s roads 23 Tech Corner Pool heater sizing 24 Insurance Corner A health insurance check-up

26 New Members MEMA MAG is a quarterly magazine designed to engage and communicate Welcome to the family with members with useful, timely, and member related content. MEMA MAG will be published four times each year by MARS Marketing LLC.

27 NOT Business as Usual Do you have a suggestion for MEMA MAG? Would you like to ADVERTISE Doing business has changed OR SUBSCRIBE? Contact Hannah Estes, Business Manager at MEMA. Email her at [email protected] or call 207-729-5298.

30 MTEC 2020 Class Schedule Copyright ©2020 MARS Marketing LLC & Maine Energy Marketers Association. All rights Top-notch classes for the HVAC industry reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission, in writing, from the publisher. Printed in Maine, USA.

www.maineenergymarketers.com 3 4 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 Our Team

Matt Morrison Hannah Estes Sarah Nadeau Robin Manson Bryan Champagne Dan Weber Jennifer Grace Vice President Business Manager Administrative Insurance MTEC Senior MTEC Instructor Director of Marketing & Assistant Administrator Instructor Communication

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mike McCormack Charlie Burnham Claudette Townsend Downeast Energy Burnham Energy Dead River Company Chairman of the Board Vice Chair Treasurer

Executive Board Mark St. Germain ~ St. Germain Tom Schwarm ~ Gould Technologies Rob Cort ~ Maine Energy Inc. Robert Luce ~ Valley Gas & Oil Company William Beck ~ , LP Michael McCormack ~ Downeast Energy Saunya Urban ~ H.A. Mapes Inc. - Alt Claudette Townsend ~ Dead River Company Tim Heutz ~ Heutz Commercial Enterprise Marc LaCasse ~ Augusta Fuel Company Association Board Carrie Tomforde ~ Irving Oil Jamie Robinson ~ A.E. Robinson Oil Co. Katrina Waite ~ C.N. Brown Co., Inc. Steve Flewelling ~ Irving Oil - Alt David Babcock ~ Adams & Fogg Oil Equip. Charlie Burnham ~ Charlie Burnham Energy Jim Carroll ~ J.P. Carroll Fuel Co. Robert Shibley ~ Bob’s Cash Fuel LLC Matt Poole ~ Colby & Gale Steve Ness ~ Ness Oil Company Peter Buotte ~ Community Energy Company Roger Arsenault ~ Community Energy Robert Tracy ~ R.H. Foster Energy, LLC Carter Vaillancourt ~ Daigle Oil Company Michael Estes ~ Estes Oil & Propane Jeff Murdy ~ Renewable Energy Group Deanna Sherman ~ Dead River Max Marston ~ Fabian Oil Elwin Scott ~ Simard & Sons, Inc. Greg Krise ~ Eastern Propane & Oil, Inc. Jonathan Mapes ~ H.A. Mapes Inc. Marc Dorsey ~ Sprague Energy Jim Pike ~ Energy Kinetics Charlie Page ~ Maritime Energy Michael Tammaro ~ V.L. Tammaro Oil Co. Judy Delaney ~ Global Corp Mark Gagnon ~ P. Gagnon & Sons Inc.

Get Your Business Noticed! Advocacy, Leadership & Education for Maine’s Energy MarketersMaine Standard Biofuels Staying true ADVERTISE IN MEMA MAG to their roots v Be part of the industry’s leading authority on today’s energy market

v Directly mailed to ALL members quarterly

v State-of-the-art training facility for current employees and future employees

www.maineenergymarketers.com 1 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 Join us Today! FMI: Contact Jennifer Grace at 207-729-5298 or email: [email protected]

www.maineenergymarketers.com 5 DAY ON THE HILL

NACS Day on the Hill March 10 - 11, 2020

any of you are probably familiar with the NACS Day on the And most importantly, it gives you the opportunity to educate members Hill. This is a conference that has been around for a while. of Congress about issues they’re voting on. They want to hear from their MYou may even remember when it was called the Government constituents and people like you – people who live and work hard each Relations Conference. The event lasts for two days. During those two day.” days, convenience stores, vendors, and retailers are able to interact with legislators regarding important issues such as fuel, alcohol, and tobacco. MEMA will be keeping an eye on the schedule for 2021 and will let you This year the event was held from March 10-11 right before we were hit know when we find out the time and location of the next event. hard with the COVID-19 Pandemic. Photo description: Kevin Farley, Vice Chairman of the NACS Supplier Board and GSP’s Farley’s recap on the Chief Operating Officer writes in a recap: “With 2020 being a presi- GSP website dential election year, it was more important than ever to connect with Congress. Keeping convenience and fuel retail industry issues top of mind with U.S. legislators is vital as they campaign in their home states this year.”

But that is not all, NACS also gives attendees advice on how to con- tinue to engage members in congress after Day on the Hill. It remains important for the industry to fight back on certain issues not just during Day on the Hill, but all the time.

NACS writes on their website: “There’s a lot happening on Capitol Hill right now, which gives retailers an exciting opportunity to influence decisions that will impact their business.”

One issue of particular interest was the recent crackdown on the sale of flavored electronic cigarettes by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Farley explains, “This year’s event gave retailers time to share their thoughts regarding the FDA targeting convenience stores.”

NACS writes: “This conference provides you with a better understand- ing of current industry issues, how they directly affect the way you do business, and how they are being legislated. It also offers an opportunity for you to interact with retailers facing the same challenges and issues.

6 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 MEMA Staff Message

Spring is here and with it a bucket-load of problems that many want everyone else to of us in the industry are up against as a result of the COVID-19 know about it too! Pandemic (see Laurie Jewett story page 27). All that we considered to be normal has rapidly changed. As many of us are learning how We believe that our to implement caution in our daily lives, others are learning to work industry is going to from home or (sadly) not working at all. One thing we do know come out of this even for certain: behind all the mask wearing, zoom crazed, fear induced stronger than before. panic that is surrounding us, our industry is an essential backbone in In the coming weeks, Maine, even with a huge drop in business for many of us. we would love to hear from you on how The question we all are dreading - what’s next? How will we pull MEMA can best sup- ourselves out of this spiraling vortex? MEMA doesn’t have all the port your business. answers, but we can assure you that whatever your company is going through, the association and its staff are standing tall and ready Again, we ask you all to take a moment and visit maineenergymar- to roll up our sleeves and help our industry thrive as it always has keters.com/MyMag to let us know how we can improve upon this throughout the years and many hardships. publication.

Our membership is an amazing group of companies big and small Sincerely, and we are excited to share some of the awesome things they con- tinue to do for the community, even through the hardest of times. The MEMA Staff Collecting materials for this edition was a necessary evil. Partially because times are changing so rapidly. Who knows what will be going on the day the magazine is distributed and the fear of informa- tion being outdated. But regardless, we felt it needed to go out; even if for no other reason than to send a positive message of encourage- ment to the membership. We see all the good you’re doing and we

www.maineenergymarketers.com 7 Every member of MEMA is eligible to sit on one or more of the Association’s Committees. All of MEMA’s operations are based on the “one compa- ny, one vote” principle. Each & every member company counts as each has one single vote. The largest member has one vote – the smallest member has one vote. We believe every company’s opinion is important and is weighed equally. Whether your opinion is brought to the table and voiced, however, is up to YOU!

OUR 2020 COMMITTEES & TRUSTS

Advertising Committee Membership Committee This committee is responsible for advising and assisting MEMA staff with This committee is responsible for establishing policies that will grow the advertising and communication campaigns and management of federally organization by attracting new members and retaining existing members provided NORA advertising funding. through clear focus on ensuring and delivering superior value to members.

Chair: Claudette Townsend, Dead River Company Chair: Mark St. Germain, St. Germain

Convenience Retailing & Transportation Education Committee This Committee is responsible for setting association policy on motor fuel This committee is responsible for establishing policies, providing advice, and convenience store issues. and aiding staff that guides planning and oversight of technical training and management level seminars for MTEC and the association. Chair: Katrina Waite, C.N. Brown Chair: Roger Arsenault, Community Energy

Governance Committee Heating Fuels Committee This committee is responsible for creating a model organization within the This Committee is responsible for setting association policy on heating fuels boundaries of its founding and operating documents (By-laws and policies) issues including: Propane, Heating Oil, and Liquid Biofuels. for the purposes outlined in these documents and for the full potential of board members. Chair: Charlie Page, Maritime Energy

Health Trust Workers’ Comp Trusts This trust is responsible for the planning and management of the Self-In- This trust is responsible for the planning and management of the Self-In- sured MEMA group health, life, dental & vision insurance programs. sured Workers Compensation Trust.

Chair: Tim Freeman, Daigle Oil Co. Chair: David Thompson, Waldo-Thompson Brothers

Convention Committee Golf Committee This committee assists the MEMA and EMANH staff in the planning and This committee is responsible for the planning, fundraising, and execution execution of the Annual Northern Energy Conference. of the Association’s annual golf events.

Chair: Jeff Murdy, Renewable Energy Group

8 MEMA MAGMAG || SummerSpring 20202020 www.maineenergymarketers.com 9 10 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 MULTI-HEADED MONSTER: THE UNPLANNED SERVICE CALL By Barry Aruda of Advanced Fuel Solutions

hen we think about the old adages of the oil heat industry, From the customer perspective, the second head of the monster emerges. there are few that uttered more frequently than “service Let me be frank. You are never going to get there fast enough, even Wis just part of the cost of doing business.” If I’ve heard it a within a two to three hour window, a reality that may actually be unique hundred times, that would be an understatement. Dealers have said it, to the oil heat industry. Couple that with the anxiety of no-heat, the conference presenters have included in their PowerPoint slides and, to worry about unseen costs, and the fact that the customer most certainly some degree, even homeowners understand the statement to be true. had something better to do that particular day, and you undoubtedly But, what the sentiment carries behind its simple phraseology, is a num- have an unhappy homeowner. ber of perspectives that nobody ever seems to put much thought into. An unplanned service call is part of doing business, but the ripple effect “I hope this doesn’t cost a lot. I already buy their oil.” each of these calls comes with is largely overlooked. What is the cause of these unplanned service calls? That’s the $64,000 The first, and most obvious place to start, is with the company perspec- question. The answer is typically found in the back-office software, cod- tive. Unplanned service calls interrupt whatever else the employees are ed as something along the lines of “nozzle, filter, strainer replacement.” supposed to be doing. Office staff is rarely ever waiting to only answer So, perhaps the better question might be why the customer is having phones. Instead, they are typically in rhythm lockstep, answering issues with a nozzle, filter, or strainer? As the customer may have told phones, processing checks, and working through the company data- you, “You were here only six months ago.” base—what those folks will sometimes refer to as “my real work.” The real answer is sludge..it’s sedimentation…it’s the black mass inside Second, these repeated emergency calls can take an emotional toll on the bottom of a tank. Water, “algae” and dirty fuel has carved out a the dealer. It’s not only understandable, but also too often that a dealer home down there, and when a delivery is made, that concoction gets may ask themselves if the calls will ever stop. They may question where stirred up quickly. Once the burner calls, the sludge makes its way down the issue is coming from in the first place. Is it my supplier? Finally, to the filter and, well, you know what happens next. What the problem there’s the financial concern. As the calls are unscheduled, they are was 30 years ago is the same thing today, what we call the pitch, vent, inherently costly. You’re sometimes doing these calls on overtime or and suction line dilemma. These are three things that are common using subcontractors for additional support. Regardless, unscheduled with all of the legacy equipment out there. Every tank is vented to the equals costly. atmosphere and, as a result, every tank is susceptible to condensation from time and temperature changes. The Steel Tank Institute has iden- Customer is on an agreement contract? Scratch that call up to another tified that water is the number one contaminant in fuel. That moisture no-charge event. No-contract customer? Okay, but how long until you provides a safe haven for microbes to live and reproduce, eating the drive a customer away because you’ve been to the house three times in hydrocarbons in fuel, and driving the production of acetic acid, which is 45 days? Finally, the future is nothing if not uncertain. The emergence corrosive to tank walls and lines. of Covid-19 has created yet another hurdle: the safety and wellbeing of not only your employees, but the customer as well. This problem isn’t new. I’ve certainly sung this tune a long while. But I can tell you that the Steel Tank Institute also recommends proper tank

www.maineenergymarketers.com 11 installation and treatment of fuel. And let’s not forget NORA. They’ve to treat the fuel across your company, but I’m giving you back $165. chimed in and let us all know that pump sticking—not leaking—but And, more often, we are eliminating not one, but dozens of unplanned sticky, varnish residue in fuel pumps is another sad reality caused by service calls a year. The ROI is immediate. sludge and bacterial build up.

Defeating this multi-headed monster starts with understanding your role as a fuel provider, and what cannot come more highly recommended: Housekeeping and fuel testing. A good and cheap place to start is stick- ing bulk storage tanks with water-finding paste. If there’s water in your bulk tank, there’s a good chance it has made its way downstream to you customers. Keeping tank bottoms dry will eliminate most of your expo- sure because your tanks have vents on them, too. They are not immune to time and temperature.

Action items to mitigate these issues and resulting service calls begin with diagnosis—sticking the tank or testing the fuel. Beyond that, you should consider working with a fuel-quality company to introduce a multi-functional treatment program that begins and ends with stabili- zation of the fuel, protecting it from time and temperature. Chemistry is your friend, works overtime with no additional pay, and fights against corrosion, fuel degradation, etc. It’s no wonder that pipeline companies use corrosion inhibitors in their fuels. They understand the breakdown Treatment isn’t a challenge. Whether you are a dealer with 20 trucks of fuel and the risk associated with it. or a one man show, treatment options can be loaded into bulk storage as easily as a single delivery truck. Make sure your additive provider is Biodiesel blends? Not a problem. Any fuel-quality company worth their willing and able to meet your specific business needs. One size does not weight is going to provide you a package with biodiesel stabilizer. These fit all. low carbon liquid fuels are the pathway to our future as an industry, and we understand that. Which is why we introduced dual biodiesel stabiliz- If you decide to treat your fuel, wonderful. And if you do that, take ers in our heating oil treatment packages in 2012 and modified it again credit for it. That’s how you differentiate yourself from your competition in 2017 anticipating higher blends of biodiesel would become the norm. in the marketplace. Branding is a great way to let your customer know you are taking care of them from the inside out. Maybe you’ve thought about treatment. Perhaps you’ve been wondering what the cost is associated with it? I’ll say this: any cost associated with You’ve built a good name for yourself as a trusted and essential member introducing an additive solution is quickly offset by the financial benefit of the community. Don’t let the monster of unplanned service calls dent to the company—typically in multiples. Alternatively, what does it cost your reputation and brand. Taking responsibility for the integrity of the you to send a technician to a home to address one of those unplanned fuel you provide begins today. There is no better time than now. service calls? You could be doing other work, scheduling installs, etc. Secondly, your reputation may suffer as a result of an unhappy customer. Barry Aruda is the Northeast Regional Territory Manager for Advanced Fuel Lastly, the economics of sending out a technician is costly. Solutions. As an admitted “fuel quality fanatic,” he spends a great deal of his full-time job testing fuel for analysis, recommending preventative defensive We’ve read that the average cost of an employee in a van is somewhere strategies, and working with dealers to overcome the challenges of housekeep- between $90-$120 an hour. As an example, let’s assume an unplanned ing and changing technology. service call costs $165. Now, if we, as your additive provider, can reduce one service call for every 20 customers, you may be spending $80 a year

At MEMA Technical Education Center, our courses are concen- trated, direct, hands-on, and designed to provide students with the best HVAC-R training to prepare them to confidently enter the workforce and secure employment quickly.

Visit us online below to learn more about Tuition Assistance or to view classes.

To get started visit https://mtecenter.com

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www.maineenergymarketers.com 13 HOLDING TRUE TO THEIR ROOTS

MEMA had the pleasure of speaking to Jarmin Kaltras & Jason Versey from Maine Standard Biofuels.

A conversation about staying true to their roots during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

ost of you will agree that the world has gone mad. This pandemic is wreaking havoc on business- Mes in Maine. We have seen our members join together with the community to alleviate the burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic for those businesses who are suffering from the pandemic as well as those on the front lines such as our nurses, police officers, grocery store employees, and — yes! — restaurants who feed thousands of people every day.

For Maine Standard Biofuels, it has been business as usual for the most part, but with a few adjustments to help enrich the community during this pandemic.

First, let’s look back at the foundations of Maine Standard Biofuels. During MEMA’s interview with Jarmin, we learned that Maine Standard Biofuels started out in a little green- house on the side of a barn in 2005. By 2006, they officially opened as Maine’s first large-scale biofuel manufacturer. To this day they remain Maine’s largest contributor to biofuel Maine Standard BioFuel fills a full-size tractor trailer bed. The entire process success. will take about two hours.

14 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 Maine Standard BioFuels gives lots of tours to schools. This tank was recently painted specially for a school tour.

Owner Jarmin Kaltras and Director of Fuel Sales & Acquisitions Jason Versey with bottles of their hand sanitizer in front of Maine Standard BioFuel Truck Bed.

It was quite clear to MEMA during our interview that Jarmin is an a temporary order to produce hand sanitizer, which we all know is a incredibly humble person regarding his success both in business and highly monetized item right now. Although, they could be raking in the in community action. With the backing of his company, he has done dough, instead, Jarmin and his staff saw that people were hurting. So, great things for the community, yet he prefers to stay on the sidelines. he stopped soap production temporarily and gave away gallons of hand This company does not do what they do for PR, they do what they do sanitizer back to his customers who need it the most as well as other because it’s what they believe in. It was that way in 2005 and it remains organizations, such as the Preble Street Soup Kitchen, the Lewiston that way to this day. Housing Authority, and Hillview Apartments in Lewiston. This partic- ular project resonates for Jason since he grew up in the housing project Jason explains, “There’s a real push to be carbon neutral in the next as a kid. In addition to the sanitizer and soaps, Maine Standard Biofuels 20 years, which means there will be a real advantage for us to position was also able to give every household in the complex a Hannaford gift ourselves to help Maine meet those low greenhouse gas goals and lower card. They also donated their hand sanitizers and soaps to Blake Street the Carbon Footprint. We can do something good with that wasted Towers also in Lewiston. Jarmin explains, “I think everyone wants to cooking oil.” help out if they can and we are fortunate that we can.”

The State of Maine is adopting biofuels in a way now that was not Jason adds that giving sanitizers back to their customers who are still considered before. This has created the perfect opportunity for Maine working is an honor. These people are still working, still doing takeout Standard Biofuels to step up to the plate and contribute on an even and/or pickup for people during this crisis. They are going to work every larger scale. day putting themselves at risk and they need sanitizers and cleaning products. For years Maine Standard Biofuels has created amazing degreasers and cleaners that they distribute throughout the state. A process that has MEMA is overwhelmed by the amazing community action coming out allowed them to step up to assist their customers during a time of great of Maine Standard Biofuels and many of our other members during need. COVID-19. We hope this story brightens your day up as much as it did for us. A big thank you to Jarmin and Jason for taking the time to speak Jarmin explains, “there’s a need for hand sanitizer and we are able with MEMA to tell us your story. to produce it.” This is to say that Maine Standard Biofuels received

www.maineenergymarketers.com 15 COLBY & GALE Making a Difference in Their Communities

ESTES OIL

16 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 COLBY & GALE EASTERN PROPANE Making a Difference in Their Communities

TIDEWATER OIL

www.maineenergymarketers.com 17 Making a Difference in Their Communities

18 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 Making a Difference in Their Communities

EASTERN PROPANE

www.maineenergymarketers.com 19 INCREASING STUDENT COUNTS WITH FINANCING OPPORTUNITIES MEMA Technical Education Center now has choices to help students

or many years after MTEC’s conception, funding for students outside of company sponsorship was non-existent. This meant that the student had Fto come up with their own funding. Sadly, this decreased the amount of prospects we had to draw from and by proxy encouraged highschoolers and other like prospects to apply to schools where student aid was allotted and sometimes even given to students by way of government grants. MTEC was losing potential students, many of whom we knew would make good techni- cians. This was a problem.

We knew that this was something that needed to be addressed. Over the past few years the staff at MTEC have put into place certain options for financial assistance funding programs that students can either apply for or participate in. The staff continues to seek out additional options for students and we plan to continue our efforts. Encouraging young people to come into the trades (and specifically into HVAC) is the first step, but making it a possibility for students who have no other options, besides government funding, is fundamental.

The Blue Collar Scholarship Foundation

The Blue Collar Scholarship Foundation is a foundation for students who have talent and who are interested in the trades. They understand that now is the time to invest in young people throughout the State of Maine. The Founda- tion is one that MTEC contributes to and in return the Foundation will work to assist students interested in pursuing HVAC training at our school.

Maine’s Career Centers

The Career Centers have been willing to fund MTEC students since the school first opened back in 1996. Over the past few years, the amount of students they’ve funded through classes here have grown significantly. This is because our success for career placement far exceeds their expectations. They see MTEC as a doorway to real JOBS thus MTEC is a great way to invest in people.

20 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 Military Benefits

MTEC works with many Veterans. The numbers show that Veterans are quite successful in their placements when they leave MTEC and it’s a great option for them to use their benefits. They tend to be hardworking individuals with skills that come in quite handy to our members. MTEC has hired Military Talent Source to help any Veteran gain access to and understand their benefits. They also work with and educate potential talent leaving the armed forces whom they feel would be a great fit for our program. It truly is what we call a win win for us all.

Five County Credit Union

Over the last year, MTEC has been working diligently with Five County Cred- it Union to help fund students interested in the HVAC program. This loan has the features of a federal student loan; including a low interest rate, deferred payments for 6 months after classes end etc. Five County designed a simple loan application specifically for MTEC’s prospective students and can be found on the MTEC website.

Meritize Financing

As well as Five County Credit Union, MTEC also works with Meritize to gain additional financing options for our more non traditional students. Meritize uses more than just a person’s credit score to determine loan eligibility. Their merit-based funding improves financing options by including academic, mili- tary, and work achievements in the credit evaluation.

Students that are coming to MTEC who are not being sponsored by a member, will utilize one of the above methods for borrowing. MTEC will continue to integrate new opportunities for financial assistance as time goes on. Questions and suggestions regarding how we can improve funding for our students should be directed to Hannah Estes [email protected].

https://mtecenter.com/tuition-assistance

www.maineenergymarketers.com 21 THE CASE FOR TRANSPORTATION FAIRNESS

ver the last • Utilities should not raise rates for everyone to cover the cost of EV several months, infrastructure and chargers that serve only a very few OPMAA has been working with several • Utilities and non-utilities should be on a level playing field when it trade associations to form a comes to charging infrastructure diverse partnership of groups that support a competitive • Allowing all companies, not just utilities, to sell electricity to EVs and equitable transportation will encourage competition sector known as The Transpor- tation Fairness Alliance (TFA). • Government transportation incentives should not be Collectively, TFA represents the directed toward competitive technologies that have reached nation’s manufacturers, small business commercial scale owners, farmers and folks who drive on our roads and pay utility bills. • State governments should respect consumer choice and shouldn’t ban gas-powered cars or set vehicle While coalition members are united by their shared quotas that require families and auto dealers to buy concerns about the nation’s current transportation system, they or sell a minimum percentage of EVs arrived at those conclusions because of different considerations, ranging from the deterioration of America’s rural roads and bridges, to PMAA encourages you to visit transportationFair- higher grain costs associated with utility rate hikes, to concerns about ness.org for more information and help us fight for the regressive nature of transportation-related tax credits and mandates. transportation fairness! What unites TFA members is a desire to have a rational, balanced con- versation about how transportation fairness can be achieved. ***As of press time, the COVID-19 pandemic is a developing issue. For the latest information, please visit The coalition believes in fairness and equity in American transportation, the “Coronavirus Resources” page at www.pmaa.org. consumer choice, and sound science. Though not all of the groups may not agree on every issue, some of the issues it’s focused on include:

• Everyone who uses our roads should help pay for their construction and upkeep

22 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 Pool Heater Sizing Thinking of Spring! I thought I would take some time and go to this web site: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/on- talk about sizing a pool heater. For heating a pool used during line/ccd/meantemp.html the summer months you’ll need to know a couple of things. You need the area of the water on top of the pool and you For our example of the 24’ pool, I’ll use 80°F water tempera- need the difference between the average air temperature on ture and in September. Boston’s mean temperature the coolest month average in Sep- you plan on heating tember is 65°F. the pool, and the This gives me a desired water 15°F temperature temperature. differential for 452 square feet. Looking The area of the at the table, I’d use pool is easy. You a 125,000 BTUH just need length pool heater. x width. With a Just as a reminder, round pool A = pi some states are not x r squared or Area allowing standing = 3.14 x half the pilot pool heaters so diameter x half the if you are replacing diameter. For a 24’ pool your math looks like this: Area = or installing a new pool heater please make sure that you 3.14 x 12 x 12 = 452 square feet. The ideal temperature for follow the latest requirements of your location. Currently CT swimmers is 78-82°F. I use 80°F. Feel free to use whatever and MA will not approve any new pool heater unless it has number your customer is comfortable with. You can take your electronic ignition. best guess to determine the temperature difference or you can

www.maineenergymarketers.com 23 HELPFUL REMINDERS

Every business is touched in some way by the Covid-19 Pandemic, only • If possible, ask for volunteers for residential appointments. Be aware, the industry-specific means of contacting it may vary somewhat. If if at all possible, if an employee or a family member is immune-com- employees are working from home, are self-isolating due to an exposure, promised, to minimize personal risk to them. and/or if your industry is considered ‘essential’ and your employees con- tinue to work, the following reminders may be helpful. • Provide hand sanitizer for their use when a task is done, after removing the mask, and before writing up paperwork. • Communicate with employees regularly! Keep them in touch with what is happening in your operations and anticipated plans. While it makes good sense for employees to work from home, keep com- munication open and active. • Assure employees have and are utilizing measures to minimize expo- sure to the Covid-19 virus. • Remind employees of proper workstation set-up—it is more than a computer, printer, and internet connection. • You can find recommendations for PPE use, and care, including home- 1. Kitchen tables, dining room or folding chairs, lighting, and made masks, on the CDC website. (www.CDC.gov) phones are vastly different than in their office settings.

• Provide employees the ability to clean and/or sanitize the inside of • Have them take photos of their workstation and send them to you to vehicles, their hands, tools, and equipment being used. Set the expec- evaluate. Your Workers Compensation Loss Control services may offer tations you have for their practices to minimize risk for your workforce assistance in evaluation and problem solving for those set-ups that are and for their families. less than ideal.

• If Nitrile gloves are available, (they don’t have to be medically sterile) • A possible injury from working at home needs to be followed up, use them, but should be removed and disposed of frequently using the investigated and reported timely for evaluation by a claims adjuster. same protocols as if not wearing gloves: avoid touching your face, and etc. *If your company has specific protocols for hand washing and • Remind employees to stretch frequently and to take their scheduled hand sanitizer use, be sure they are known to all. breaks.

• If you have techs entering homes to provide services, conduct pre-ap- pointment screenings by phone to clarify easiest access to the work area avoiding living spaces and contact, if at all possible. Safer for all concerned! Loss Control Services

24 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 INSURANCE CORNER

MEMA Self Insurance Health Trust maximizes the benefit to our members as well as manage costs so we can provide competitive health plan premiums. Robin at MEMA and our Health Broker at the Allumbaugh Agency are always avail- able to assist you with your questions and insurance needs.

Robin Manson

We are all navigating new territory with the COVID-19 The Maine legislature also passed a bill signed by Governor outbreak and the economic impact to our companies is varied. Mills intended to provide flexibility under the Maine unem- For some, temporary layoffs and shutdowns are an unfortunate ployment system in response to COVID-19. They clarify that reality. One question we have been hearing from members of company provided health insurance during a temporary layoff the MEMA Health Insurance Trust is in regards to employee due to COVID-19 will NOT disqualify employees from unem- benefits, specifically health insurance. The question, if we have ployment benefits. to temporarily shut down or lay off employees, can we keep them covered under our group health plan? While the world stands still with COVID-19, MEMA is beginning preparations for open enrollment. We changed from Yes you can. We recently shared a notice from the MEMA a January to September annual enrollment to better align with health plan Third Party Administrator discussing the ability to the members slower season. If you are not currently a member maintain coverage for up to 60 days for employees not meeting of MEMA Health Trust, this is a great time to join. Contact normal eligibility guidelines due to the impact of COVID-19. Robin Manson at the MEMA office to learn more.

www.maineenergymarketers.com 25 A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS!

from Matt Morrison, Vice President 207-232-1761 or [email protected]

Please join me in welcoming our newest members! Sometimes we think of ourselves as just oil, propane, motor fuels, convenience stores, and HVAC-R, but we are much more than that. The ripple effect can be seen in the diversity of our membership, all working together as a support system for our industry’s success.

We at MEMA strongly suggest that you seek out partnerships with fellow members. This helps us all. And, to our exist- ing members, you are the BEST spokesperson for growing our base. Please take time to talk with anyone you know who is not a member.

Conroy’s Oil Service - Conroy’s Oil Service is a third-gener- ation oil company that has been providing home heating fuels for The Fuel Ox - The Fuel Ox™ with Combustion Catalyst addi- Southern Maine since 1942. Conroy’s Oil, formally of Scarborough, tive was originally developed for ultra high intensity applications Maine, relocated to 897 Portland Rd, (Rt 1) Saco, Maine, November which included use by the Department of Defense. It of 2016. You can read more about them at conroysoil.com was designed to be soluble in all petroleum based fuels, extremely concentrated, and to drastically improve the efficiency of the fuel and the longevity of the engine components in very harsh climates. Fuel Ox™’s highly concentrated formula allows for easy dosing and Combined Energy Technics - Combined Energy Technics a small inventory. For more information you can visit them at www. specializes in servicing HVAC equipment. They service heating of fuelox.com all fuels (Monitor, Toyostove, Rinnai and heat pumps) and whole house generators. For more information visit them on the web at combinedenergymaine.com Litchfield Fuel Co. -Litchfield Fuel Co. is a family owned and operated company since 1988. Litchfield Fuel has proudly provided our customers quality products and services for over twenty-five Pat’s Propane - Pat’s Propane out of Palmyra, Maine delivers pro- years. pane and tanks to residential and commercial buildings at the best prices! If you would like to read more about them, you will find them on Facebook at facebook.com/pg/patspropane/

26 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS!

BUSINESS

By Laurie Jewett AS USUALof M.W. Sewell

y daughter informed me on March 6th that her place of busi- heads in disgust as it was not the norm, YET. We post on Facebook that ness was going to a work at home schedule starting the 16th our doors are closed to the public and give them several ways to commu- Mdue to COVID19. We both thought that was a bit premature. nicate with us. We ask that if we are scheduled to come into their homes and they have been unwell that they notify us. The office staff is a bit Week of March 9th - Talk of spread of COVID19 starts to ramp up in somber. I offer reduced hours for anyone that feels they need it. Three USA – staff is getting a little anxious, but it is business as usual. Friday high risk people continue to come to the office, but I can see their fear. March 13th, Maine Schools close and go to remote teaching. A techni- Mid-week we change our hours to close a half-hour early so people can cian who is considered high risk decides to stay at home. go home early. One of the high-risk office employees decides to stay at home starting the following Monday. She just happened to have a huge Week of March 16th - I know my staff is scared and we must start mak- project that she could do from home, so we gave her remote access to ing tough decisions. Decision #1: lock the door to keep out the public. assist in other ways as well. One decides to work shorter days and only a Most of our walk-ins are elderly and this decision was made for them as four-day work week. We have little mini meetings each day to see how well as us. We watched people come to the door all day and shake their everyone is doing. But it is still business as usual. Mostly…

www.maineenergymarketers.com 27 Week of March 23rd - Every Sunday night is sombering for anyone who who stated they wear full PPE when going into a house with a confirmed runs an essential business. We are asking people to leave their homes as case. We, of course, do not have full PPE. more businesses are closing. I come to work and chase down all the new options for employees to make them aware of what they can do. As far The next morning, she called back and when questioned more thor- as unemployment, etc. if they are high risk. I offer early payment (up to oughly she said that she had been quarantined for 14 days, the previous a certain amount) on their profit sharing checks in case they need it. I day being her 14th day, after being ill and calling her personal physician offer full-time benefits for part-time work. The other high-risk office em- with symptoms similar to Coronavirus as a precaution. She stated that ployee decides to stay home. Mini meetings continue. Workspaces are she had NOT been tested. This was an elderly woman. Her story was moved around to make sure everyone has a safe workspace. Workloads suspect where she did not mention that fact the night before, but her are changing. Some customers do not want us in their homes, so they story did fall in line with what we have heard from media etc. That are cancelling scheduled work. We have another high-risk technician they are not testing everyone and if your symptoms are similar BUT who wants to work. We find him work he can do outside by himself. He you are not severely ill, they suggest self-quarantining for 14 days. She is reminded he can file also did not sound ill for unemployment. and was not coughing. He DOES NOT want This did not change to stay home. If he our approach as far as can’t work outside entering the home. by himself due to weather, he can work My service manager on weekends to make and I looked at her up his hours. Honestly, equipment and were we do not need all the hoping her applianc- technicians full-time, es were electronic but we are not going ignition. We decided to lay people off. Our that we would make employees are like the delivery and do family. the leak test and talk her through getting Week of March 30th - the appliances up We are getting quieter. and running. In lieu People aren’t calling of a signature on the much. It is a bit creepy. leak test form we did My last high-risk girl a phone recording decides she can’t come (thanks for that idea into the office any- Matt!). I should point more. And then there out we were 99% sure were six (out of nine) including me. We are all taking turns in the office there was not a leak, as the run-out was due to a credit issue. We also “not adulting”. Maybe leaving early or coming in late. We start buying put that credit issue on the back burner to get her heat back up and the office staff lunch every Friday. They have taken the brunt of what is running. After a few conversations with her, again recorded, she told going on due to less employees. We try and support local businesses that me that her furnace needed to be lit which she had done before. I was buy from us. hesitant and suggested she find some more electric heaters, but she was adamant that she could light it if we would just bring her the gas. This is Week of April 6th - Monday – (another Sunday night decision) not normal procedure by any means. Employees who continue to work outside of the home will be getting hazard pay. As long as they work 32 hours, they will accrue an additional My service manager said he would meet a driver there so they could tag 8 hours of PTO time. A small cash bonus is handed out. Statements are team to get the product pumped, the leak test done and talk her through out in the mail, so the phones are a bit busier. getting things back up and running.

Tuesday - As my credit manager is out due to high-risk, I assume the Next step, find a driver. We knew she had been outside to check role. I know this is going to be a tough task with so many people out of the tanks and that Coronavirus likes metal per the gas pump story. I work, so I start my day personally analyzing all my budget accounts. I approached one of my drivers with total honesty. Told him everything know there are quite a few with credits after this warm weather. I tell I knew. That the service manager would meet him there with a mask people NOT to pay if they don’t need to. I offer refunds to those that and some Lysol to spray around the tank and some gloves. Told him he have credits that won’t need another delivery. People are thankful for could say no and meant it. He said no. When I mentioned this to the my call. One customer said she was going to pay it forward. One donated service manager, he said he could pump the product and do the leak some to our donation fund. I end my day feeling wonderful despite the test if a driver could handle the meter and Midcom side of things at the turmoil in the world. truck. This was acceptable to a different driver. When they got there the woman’s son was there to help her get things going. Again, not normal Tuesday after hours - BAM the office closes at 4 and I get a call from procedure but I did feel better that she did not have to do it by herself. my dispatcher at 4:15. My on-call driver received a page from the on- We pumped the product, performed the leak test and gave him the go call service stating that a propane customer was out of product. This cus- ahead. My service manager stood by in case he could assist via tele- tomer told the answering service that she had been ill with Coronavirus. phone. I will say I breathed a big sigh of relief when he said things were I reached out to the customer directly and I told her we would be unable up and running. I called the woman who was extremely grateful for what to deliver to her without doing some follow-up with professionals for we did. I gently mentioned that I would reach out next week to talk to some guidance on what to do. I told her I appreciated her honesty. She her about her account. She offered to pay me over the phone. understood. She stated that she had an electric heater that she would use for the night. We made a phone call to the local fire department This was a reality check for me. This is real. This is hard and tough

28 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 decisions that fall out of the norm must be made. based on their past credit history. Some were already on hold when this started and when I saw they were going to run out I authorized a small Wednesday – Phones are crazy, customer statements have arrived delivery until I could talk to them. through the mail. There is talk of a big storm. The six of us in the office are kept quite busy. Credit will be an issue for a while. My credit manager will have to adapt to different ways when she comes back. It will NOT be business as usual. Thursday – A repeat of Wednesday. Businesses and schools have closed. Most under some sort of fixed price Friday – Oh boy. The storm is worse than predicted. There are statewide contract. They will not use all the gallons on their contract. I will not power outages. I think this is the 4th one since October. Customers penalize them. This will cost me. Times will continue to be tough. I are grumpy about it; employees are grumpy about it and then we have hope that some of these steps will help people and businesses survive. COVID19 on top of it. This virus will not go on forever. I want to be remembered as the com- pany that cared. Saturday – On call driver needs assistance. No way am I calling in the troops. They are tired so I go in and field some stuff for him and do some We will continue to screen people about their travel habits and ask scheduling for the beginning of the week for generator accounts. them if they have been sick before we enter a home. We will ask that they stay in another room. We will continue to mail delivery tickets. We Week of April 13 – Monday starts out crazy with generator calls as they will continue to pay highly skilled technicians to do other tasks to make are talking about another wind and rainstorm. Even though most people sure they get their hours when needed. have their power back they are concerned about us not being able to get into their driveways if anymore debris comes down. I again check I know for me, being a boss in an essential business is a double-edged budget accounts as another payment has been made which means more sword. We can run almost as normal with some protective procedures people will not need to make their next two payments. Again, my heart in place. We can keep our employees employed. We struggle daily with is warmed as people thank me for the foresight to help them keep their emotions and customer reactions to different things. We continue to

money in their pocket. The rest of the week is somewhat peaceful. We have (almost) daily “how are you feeling pow wows” but I am happy to have developed a good routine in the office. say they are now a bit lighter and almost fun. If someone doesn’t want to “adult” for a day they don’t have to. It is day by day, hour by hour. Week of April 20th – Crude oil crashes – phones start to ring AGAIN. Luckily it was just a few phone calls that morning. The rest of the week We appreciate the fact that we get paychecks and that we get to have has been good. I truly appreciate these people. some sort of socializing with each other. It helps to normalize our lives that have been uprooted. We are developing a bond stronger than the Next week is another week….. one we had. We are surviving a battle like no one has seen, together as a team. We joke, we come to work in whatever attire we want, we swear, Credit will be a struggle. We are delivering smaller deliveries to those we cry, we are tired. We watch Bob Marley with his Coronavirus Daily’s; that need one with no additional fees. We are setting up payment plans. we watch the CDC daily update. There are no past due letters going out. I am trying to reach every cus- tomer that is in arrears that may need a delivery personally, to make a It is NOT business as usual. It won’t be for a while. We as business own- payment arrangement that works for both sides. We stopped all finance ers or business managers, etc. have a big responsibility to our employees charges before our March statements were mailed. I have authorized de- and our customers. liveries to people that owe us money even though they can’t pay us now,

www.maineenergymarketers.com 29 30 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020 www.maineenergymarketers.com 31 32 MEMA MAG | Summer 2020