Archive for October, 2009
Region 6 Quarterly Meeting held at Tullahoma Utilities Board
Thursday, October 29th, 2009 | TAUD, Where we will be | No Comments
Members of the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts met on October 28th in Tullahoma at the Tullahoma Utilities Board (TUB) for their final quarterly meeting for 2009. Kenneth Carr of Lewisburg Water & Wastewater serves as the Region Leader which covers the counties of Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Rutherford and Williamson in Middle Tennessee. A good crowd of around 40 members were in attendance for the meeting.
Staff members from TAUD on hand were: Bob Freudenthal, John Hall, Will Taylor, Bruce Trotter and Dewayne Culpepper. Scott Young of TUB opened the meeting by welcoming all attendees to Tullahoma and Kenneth Carr went over the program for the meeting. First up was Frank Lammers of the Mueller Company who gave a presentation on the new style check valves that in the final stages of development which will help reduce the water loss with Fire Hydrants. These valves are also being developed to help control the possibilities of someone trying to get into the water systems and dump unwanted chemicals into our drinking water.
Next, Matt Baachhuber of the Kupferle Foundry Company presented the demonstration of the automatic flush valves. Members had a chance to go outside and see the demonstration on a live Fire Hydrant in use.
Members then heard a report from Rural Development on their low interest loan programs available. Also, officials were on hand from TDEC to give a regulatory report update. Holly Austin of TN811 gave a report on the new laws that have gone in place regulating digging and locating utility lines.
Dewayne Culpepper of TAUD gave a brief report on Wastewater Updates. John Hall of TAUD gave a report on the upcoming Training Opportunities and Executive Director of TAUD Bob Freudenthal gave members a legislative report update on changes in the laws involving Utility District operations.
At the conclusion of the meeting, members enjoyed a lunch sponsored by Mueller Company and Kupferle Foundry Company.
We thank Kenneth Carr and Scott Young for their hospitability in hosting the Region 6 meeting at Tullahoma Utilities Board.
Kirk Smith
Account Executive
Next Generation Underwriters
615.822.5454
ksmith@nguins.com
Associate Members host Annual TAUD Cookout in Murfreesboro
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 | TAUD, Where we will be | No Comments
On October 20th, Associate Members of the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts put together the Annual TAUD Staff cookout. This tradition was started a few years ago as a way to show the staff of TAUD how much the Associate Members appreciate their assistance in working with the membership and supporting the programs. This year Rick Kirby of Jordan, Jones & Goulding Inc. of Knoxville brought over his custom made cooker built on a trailer. Early in the day, Rick along some of his staff began cooking the Prime Rib and Drunk Chicken along with smoking up some thick bologna.
While Associate Members got things ready back in the training room of the TAUD complex, Board Members met up front for their quarterly. As the meeting concluded around 5:30, the staff along with the Board and Associates Members started lining up for a great meal. Executive Director Bob Freudenthal said grace and then the food was on.
The turnout for this year’s cookout was tremendous and we know that the staff appreciates the Associates making this happen. On hand from Next Generation Underwriters was Kirk Smith who help with meal prep and cleanup.
Kirk Smith
Account Executive
Next Generation Underwriters
615.822.5454
ksmith@nguins.com
Region 7 Members Cull Quarterly Program
Monday, October 5th, 2009 | TAUD, Where we will be | No Comments
Members of the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts met in Waynesboro on October 1st at Bradley’s Restaurant for their 3rd quarterly meeting of the year. Annie Chiodo serves as the Region Leader and General Manager of Waynesboro Utilities. This region encompasses the areas of Lawrence, Lewis, Perry and Wayne Counties in Southwestern Middle Tennessee. While it is the smallest of the regions for a TAUD group of utilities, the meetings usually average around 25 to 30 attendees. This was not the case on October 1st, with only 15 members in attendance to hear one of the most informative programs that we have presented said Chiodo.
Michael Walden of Windsor Technologies Inc. presented a power point presentation on Distribution System Vulnerability via the Fire Hydrant. This was a “Shock Factor” program designed to get utilities to study putting in safety controls on their existing hydrants and monitor the activity around them. This program should be shared in each of the 11 Regions throughout the State.
Next, Matt Schichtle of the Air-EVAC Life Team presented their program of Membership Benefits to encourage and promote the availability of Air Ambulance Service to rural Tennessee Counties. Also on the program was Rural Developments Doug Shelton who gave a report on the availability of the Low Interest Loan programs designed for Utility Districts. A brief reports was presented by the Columbia Environmental Field Office.
Region Leader Annie Chiodo could not put a finger on the reason for the low attendance but stated, members of TAUD must take advantage of these wonderful educational opportunities when they are presented to them. We work extremely hard to provide good programs that will benefit all of our Utility Districts.
TAUD representative Larry Lewis gave a report on the upcoming Training Sessions coming up in Murfreesboro at the TAUD Training Center. Following the program, lunch was provided by Windsor Technologies and Michael Walden.
The next Region 7 Meeting will be scheduled in December.
Kirk Smith
Account Executive
Next Generation Underwriters
615.822.5454
ksmith@nguins.com
North Utility District of Rhea County chooses TNRMT program.
Friday, October 2nd, 2009 | TAUD, Where we will be | No Comments
Explaining a need to have a program that will provide service, Doug MacEwen, General Manager of North Utility District of Rhea County states, just because we are small utility most insurance agents by pass us and won’t provide any service after we sign on with their company. Doug indicated that after he heard a presentation by Kirk Smith of Next Generation Underwriters at the quarterly Region 10 meeting in Sweetwater, he wanted to learn more about the programs of insurance with the Tennessee Risk Management Trust. MacEwen explains that he understands that it is hard to service a small utility like the one located in the Pine Grove Community but, it’s reassuring to be associated with a program that takes special interest in the members of TAUD. We have always tried to use the Associate Members of TAUD for all of our services since they are the ones that provide the resources for the members to have programs that benefit our Utilities.
Located between Hwy. 27 and the Western Boarder of Watts Bar Lake, this community in the northern part of Rhea County consist of retirement and summer homes which makes it a great place to live and enjoy the scenery of Watts Bar.
Next Generation Underwriters along with the Tennessee Risk Management welcomes Doug MacEwen and North Utility District of Rhea County.
Kirk Smith
Account Executive
Next Generation Underwriters
615.822.5454
ksmith@nguins.com