6.1b EMRUSR 10-08-2024��i
Elk River ,
Municipal Utilities UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:
FROM:
ERMU Commission
Sara Youngs —Administrations Director
MEETING DATE:
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
October 8, 2024
6.1b
SUBJECT:
Staff Update
ACTION REQUESTED:
None
DISCUSSION:
• Office walk-in traffic for September consisted of 140 customers, averaging 35 customers
per week over the four -week period.
• The Cold Weather Rule (CWR) goes into effect on October 1, 2024, and will expire on
April 30, 2025. To comply with CWR for disconnection notifications, Elk River Municipal
Utilities (ERMU) is adjusting its procedures as it continues to upgrade to Advanced
Metering Infrastructure (AMI) electric meters. Customers who are at risk of
disconnection will now receive a past -due notice 30 days before the scheduled
disconnection date. This notice will be sent via mail. ERMU will no longer leave a door
hanger two weeks prior to disconnection or at the time of disconnection for AMI
meters. Customers with AMI meters will experience improved reconnection process.
Once a payment for the past due balance is made, they will be reconnected
immediately. This eliminates the need to wait until the next business day for
reconnection. This approach aims to ensure compliance with CWR while enhancing the
efficiency of the disconnection and reconnection process for customers with AMI
meters.
• ERMU disconnections for September
o Cycle 3 — 7 AMI disconnections and 13 manual disconnections
o Cycle 4 — 7 AMI disconnections and 13 manual disconnections
o Cycle 1— 28 AMI disconnections and 16 manual disconnections
Our credit and collections specialist has started the assessment process, customers have
begun receiving their notices with a due date for assessment payments being November
1.
• Finance, inventory, IT, customer service, and administration staff attended the Member
Information Conference (MIC), National Information Solutions Cooperative's premier
learning event. This event has been bringing together members, staff, partners, and
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friends for decades. The MIC is an excellent opportunity to learn more about challenges,
unveil the newest technologies, and share best practices. This year the conference was
held in Lake Buena Vista, FL September 16-19. Staff that attended the MIC will be
holding a post -conference meeting to discuss takeaways, outlining initiatives to review
with the management team.
Through the AMI project and part of our ongoing commitment to exceptional service,
we are proactively reaching out to bring potential water usage issues to our customers
with a continuous water use letter. The letter lets customers know that their AMI water
meter has detected twenty-four consecutive hours of water flow, suggesting a possible
leak in their plumbing. The letter is attached.
In the last 30 days, combined the level two charger located downtown and in the
parking lot in front of ERMU had 47 sessions and provided customers with 988 kWh of
green energy.
The IT staff and city staff are coordinating with the fiber contractor to address punch list
items with an expected completion date of October 4.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Continuous Water Use Notification - Letter
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