Utilities Section Newsletter League of Nebraska Municipalities March 2017 2017 Nebraska Legislature convenes By Lash Chaffi n, was elected chair of the Appro- Utilities Section Director priations Committee. 2017 Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha LEGISLATIVE Nebraska lawmakers and their was elected as chair of the Bank- families and friends packed the ing, Commerce and Insurance SESSION George W. Norris Legislative Committee. He succeeds Sen. Chamber on Jan. 4, 2017, for the Scheer, who was elected speaker. opening day of the fi rst session Sen. Mike Groene of North was elected to serve as chair of of the 105th Legislature. Owing Platte was elected chair of the the Urban Aff airs Committee. mainly to the eff ects of term lim- Education Committee. Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion its, 17 new faces were among the Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill was elected to chair the Revenue total of 49 Senators. was elected chair the General Af- Committee. After the swearing-in ceremony, fairs Committee. Sen. Curt Friesen of Henderson the Legislature began the process Sen. John Murante of Gretna, was elected chair of the Transpor- known as reorganization, which was elected chair of the Govern- tation and Telecommunications is when lawmakers choose the ment, Military and Veterans Af- Committee. speaker and committee chairper- fairs Committee. Sen. Dan Watermeier of sons who serve two-year terms. Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston Syracuse was elected chair of the Twenty-fi ve votes are required was elected chair of the Health Legislature’s Executive Board. for election to leadership posts. and Human Services Committee. Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln These elections are – and were – Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete was was elected to chair the Rules conducted by secret ballot, despite elected to the Judiciary Commit- Committee. discussions before the session be- tee Chair. Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln gan and during opening day about Sen. Dan Hughes was elected was elected as Enrollment and recording the votes in the open. to chair of the Natural Resources Review Committee Chair, a posi- Norfolk Sen. Jim Scheer, Committee. tion traditionally awarded to the who previously had served as Sen. Mark Kolterman of youngest freshman Senator. the Banking, Commerce and Seward was elected as chair of To close an estimated $900 Insurance Committee Chair, was the Nebraska Retirement Systems million budget gap, Gov. Pete elected speaker. Speaker Scheer Committee. Ricketts proposed a tight budget, also served as a Mayor and Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston spending cuts, dipping into sev- owns an insurance business. The was elected chair of the Business eral cash funds and taking about Speaker of the Legislature has and Labor Committee. $92 million from the cash reserve the responsibility for setting the Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha fund. Legislature’s daily agenda that In addition to these budget lists the order in which bills and cuts, the Legislature will address resolutions will be considered. many issues that aff ect municipal Outcomes in other standing utilities and public works depart- committee races, included: ments. Sen. Lydia Brasch of Bancroft As part of the budget-cutting was elected chair of the Agricul- procedure, it appears that there ture Committee. will be attempts to reduce funding Sen. John Stinner of Gering Continued on page 2 Utilities Section Newsletter March 2017 2017 Nebraska Legislature convenes Continued from page 1 facilities hoping to fi nd a service of-way and pole use, would make for municipal stormwater grants, provider to lease their facility. it almost impossible to conduct water sustainability and Depart- A municipality still would be right-of-way and pole attachment ment of Roads transportation able to require a permit, but there management. funding. would be restrictive guidelines This bill also is opposed by the Municipal public works depart- on permit length, permit phasing Nebraska Power Association, ments also are concerned about for multiple projects, construction which represents all of the Ne- LB 389, which purportedly commencement construction, and braska electric public power enti- creates an accelerated regulatory insurance requirements. These ties, including municipal systems. framework to deploy small wire- provisions, and other provisions Although the next two bills less technology. Small wireless dealing with charging for right- Continued on page 3 technology is a way to enhance internet capacity in highly con- gested areas such as the Century- Link Center, Memorial Stadium, 2017 Backfl ow/Cross Connection or Pinnacle Bank Arena. Small wireless technology on its own Workshops to be held does not provide broadband ser- vice. LB 389 would give authority Four Backfl ow Workshops are scheduled: Aug. 23 in Beatrice, to use municipal right of way and Aug. 24 in Wayne, Sept. 6 in Ogallala and Sept. 7 in Grand utility poles to both wireless pro- Island. Watch for fl yers/brochures or visit our website at www. viders that construct facilities, and lonm.org. Call the League at 402-476-2829 if you have questions. to entities that only build wireless 2017-2018 Executive Board President Past President Anton “Tony” Jelinek Dennis Smith Director of Utilities Public Works Director Kearney Norfolk Board Member 1st Vice President Board Member Dallas Nichols Paul Markowski Larry Brittenham Water Superintendent Utility Superintendent Utility Superintendent Cozad Ord Superior Ex Offi cio Member 2nd Vice President Board Member Tobias Tempelmeyer Bob Lockmon Eric Melcher City Administrator and Utilities Superintendent City Administrator General Manager Stuart Aurora Beatrice Utilities Section Newsletter, page 2 Utilities Section Newsletter March 2017 2017 Nebraska Legislature convenes Continued from page 2 from sources other than LB 127 would change also to be provided by were already killed by your municipality or the provisions under the another appropriate the Legislature by press public power provider Open Meetings Act. The method designated by time, LB 660 and LB that leases or owns your bill strikes language al- the public body. 657 were bills attempt- electric system. There lowing public bodies to LB 256 would allow ing to set the framework are currently 16 states give reasonable advance municipalities to adopt a for retail electric choice that have some form of publicized notice of vacant property registra- in Nebraska. Both bills retail choice for electric- meetings by a method tion system. Under LB were strongly opposed ity. According to the designated by the public 256, a municipality may by all elements of the U.S. Energy Information entity and recorded in adopt a Vacant Property Nebraska Power indus- Administration, the aver- its minutes. The bill Registration Ordinance try, including the League age residential energy then requires the notice (VPRO) that may apply and NMPP Energy and rate in 14 of those 16 to be published in a to residential or commer- many business groups. states exceeds the na- newspaper of general cial buildings, or both. LB 657 would have tional average. And, the circulation within the Continue to follow mandated that public rates in all 16 of those public body’s jurisdic- League publications for power providers, includ- states exceed the average tion and allows notice further details. ing municipal systems, residential energy rate in provide a very detailed Nebraska. billing breakdown that LB 494 would create would include separate an additional category charges for energy, of public records that transmission, generation can be lawfully withheld and distribution. from public disclosure. LB 660 would have The purpose of the set the groundwork for exemption is to allow electric retail choice in public electric utility Nebraska. Upon certain systems to protect data, conditions taking place, maps and information individual customers regarding critical physi- would eventually be al- cal and cyber infrastruc- lowed to purchase power ture. Hello Progress The greatest accomplishments start with the smallest details. This is where great begins. hdrinc.com Utilities Section Newsletter, page 3 Utilities Section Newsletter March 2017 Backfl ow, safety videos available Need to get someone trained/licensed as a through Advantage Library wastewater operator? Backfl ow training and safety videos are available through the Utilities Section Advantage Library. Requests for videos can be made by return- The Nebraska Water Environ- ing a request form or emailing a request to [email protected]. ment Association (NWEA) has a training workshop in Kearney July • WW-008 Backfl ow Prevention Device Testing AWWA Video 20-21, 2017, coinciding with the (VHS) Heartland Conference. • WW-009 Field Testing Backfl ow Preventer USC Video (VHS) Contact Ryan Hurst, NWEA • WW-023 Anybody Can Do It (VHS) Training Chairman, at rhurst@ mindennebraska.org or call 308- • WW-023 Cross Connections: The Unseen Hazard (VHS) 830-3824. • WW-041B Part 5 Cross Connection Control Program (DVD) Information also can be found • WW-045 Watts Backfl ow Prevention (DVD) on the www.ne-wea.org website. Utilities Section Newsletter, page 4 Utilities Section Newsletter March 2017 Classifi eds Job Openings of Broken Bow Water/Wastewater NE 68822, or via email at clerk@ Electric Journey Line Worker. Department is accepting applica- cityofbrokenbow.org. Applications The City of Alliance, Nebraska tions for full-time employment. will be taken until the position is (8,500), is accepting applica- This position involves, but not fi lled. Broken Bow is an EOE. tions for the position of full-time limited to, construction