6.1.F ERMUSR 11-10-2020UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:FROM:
ERMU Commission Michelle Canterbury– Executive Administrative Manager
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
November 10, 2020 6.1f
SUBJECT:
Staff Update
ACTION REQUESTED:
None
DISCUSSION:
The2020 Consumer Privacy Notice is the November bill insert. The notice, which is
required to be sent out annually to our customers, explains how we collect, share, and
protect their personal information. In addition, it is the policy of Elk River Municipal
Utilities (ERMU)to comply with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act
pertaining to government data, which includes customer data. Attached is a copy of the
bill insert.
October and November social media posts will feature a variety of topics including:
ERMU’s field services facility construction project, 5 ways to save energy while staying
warm, how to avoid energy waste from phantom loads, ask an expert: energy-efficient
clothes washers, and introductions of new employees and employee promotions. Staff
will also be posting public service announcements such as dates of upcoming
commission meetings, holiday business closures, and daylight savings time.
The ERMU website overhaul initiative is now complete! The go-live date was November
4, 2020. Staff is planning to provide an overview to the commission at the December
commission meeting. In the interim, pleasecheck out the site at www.ERMUMN.com.
ERMU recently won two merit awards in the Excellence in Public Power
Communications Awards, a national competition sponsored by theAmerican Public
Power Association. This year’s entries were judged in three categories: print/digital,
video, and web/social media. Kudos to Conservation & Key Accounts Manager Tom
Sagstetter and Communications Coordinator Tony Mauren for all the thought and hard
work that went into producing these award-winning educational pieces!
In the print/digital category, ERMU received the merit award for “Your Guide to Home
Energy Use.” The guide gives customers the knowledge and tools they need to
effectively manage their energy consumption. It provides an understanding of the
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biggest electricity draws in the home, immediate and long-term energy saving ideas,
and methods for tracking usage.Link:https://bit.ly/369PLBj
In the video category, ERMU was recognized for “The Electric Vehicle Driving
Experience.” The videofeatures an ERMU customer explaining what it’s like to drive an
EV, particularly the benefits some people may not have known about. It was one of
three videos posted late summer 2019to promote the National Drive Electric Week
event, which involved ERMU and Elk River city staff hosting an informational booth at
the Elk River farmers market to educate residents about the benefits and opportunities
that EVs offer. Link: https://bit.ly/2U2WUh3
ATTACHMENTS:
Bill Insert – 2020 Consumer Privacy Notice
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WHATDOESELK RIVER MUNICIPAL UTILITIES DOWITH
FACTS
YOUR PERSONALINFORMATION?
Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives
Why?
consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you
how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to
understand what we do.
The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you
What?
have with us. This information can include:
Social Security number and income
Account balances and payment history
Credit history and credit scores
Financial banking information and/or credit card information
When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this
notice.
All financial companies need to share customer personal information to run their everyday
How?
business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their
s personal information; the reasons Elk River Municipal Utilities chooses to share; and
whether you can limit this sharing.
DoesElkRiver Municipal
ReasonswecanshareyourpersonalinformationCanyoulimitthissharing?
Utilitiesshare?
Foroureveryday business purposes
YesNo
such as to process your transactions, maintain
your account(s), respond to court orders and legal
investigations, or report to credit bureaus
Forourmarketingpurposes
Yes No
tooffer our products and services to you
Forjointmarketingwithother financialcompanies
No No
Forourbusinesspurposes
No
No
information about your transactions and experiences
Forourbusinesspurposes
No
No
information about your creditworthiness
Forouraffiliates tomarkettoyou
No No
Fornonaffiliatestomarkettoyou
No No
Call 763.441.2020orgoto www.ERMUMN.com
Questions?
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Whoweare
Whoisprovidingthisnotice?
Elk River Municipal Utilities
What wedo
Howdoes Elk River Municipal Utilities
To protect your personal information from unauthorized access
protectmypersonalinformation?and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law.
These measures include computer safeguards and secured files
and buildings.
Howdoes Elk River Municipal Utilities
We collect your personal information, for example, when you
collectmypersonalinformation?
open an utility account
pay your bill
We also collect your personal information from others, such as credit
bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.
WhycantIlimitallsharing?
Federal law gives you the right to limit only
sharing for everyday business purposes
information about your creditworthiness
affiliates from using your information to market to you
sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you
State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to
limit sharing.
Definitions
Affiliates Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be
financial and nonfinancial companies.
Nonaffiliates
Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be
financial and nonfinancial companies.
Jointmarketing
A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that
together market financial products or services to you.
Other important information
Elk River Municipal Utilities is already very limited on what data can be shared due to Government Data Practices Law.
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