6.6. ERMUSR 01-13-2009J~
Elk River -~=
Municipal Utilities
13069 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 430
Elk River, MN 55330-0430
January 7, 2009
To: Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission
Jerry Takle
Jerry Gumphrey
John Dietz
From: Vance Zehringer
Subj: Operation Roundup
Phone: 763.441.2020
Fax: 763.441.8099
Other utilities in the region have a mechanism to provide donations to area charities and
receive a lot of recognition for same. Elk River Municipal iJtilities has always had the
same response to legitimate requests - "the law doesn't allow us to do that"'
Would the Commission be acceptable to starting a fund from ratepayer donations similar
to what Connexus Energy and Wright-Hennepin does with their "Operation Roundup"
programs? They collect money voluntarily donated by ratepayers derived by rounding up
their payment to the nearest whole dollar. These funds accumulate several hundred
thousand dollars annually. The funds are expended to area charities via a volunteer
advisory board made up of local citizens.