(Sept. 15, 2016) Berlin continues to receive national recognition, this time from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Program and from American Municipal Power Inc. (AMP).
During his comments at Monday night’s Town Council meeting, Berlin Mayor Gee Williams highlighted both instances.
Last month, Berlin received a four-page spread in AMPlifier, a publication put out by AMP, that touted the town’s sustainable practices and the reliability of its electric company.
Williams said AMP held its board of directors meeting in Berlin in June.
“The profile was just very gratifying, very positive,” he said. “They gave a very concise, but very informative overview of the Berlin electric utility. They made note that Berlin’s electric utility was recognized for its reliability as one of the most-reliable municipal electric utilities in the nation.”
He said the average outage in Berlin was 17 minutes, and that the top 25 percent times in the nation were “usually up to an hour.”
Williams credited the “leadership of the electric utility employees” for the well above-average numbers.
“I have seen a significant and very rewarding increase in morale and pride in that group over the last several years,” he said. “I want to thank everyone on the council and all the citizens for really getting behind the electric utility [and] giving them encouragement. And I think that they are extremely dedicated folks. We just wish them a very safe day, every day.”
Williams said the article also reported the Maryland Public Service Commission was “thrown for a loop” when the town petitioned for a rate reduction.
“In their history, they’d never been asked for [a reduction]. But they granted it,” he said.
The AMP profile also observed that Berlin once had one of the highest electric rates in the country. Now, it has one of the lowest in the area.
“I see a real difference [and] I get real, genuine compliments regularly about all of our departments, but particularly we get compliments about electric utility folks,” Williams said. “It is extraordinarily rewarding and I’m glad to see they got this national recognition.”
Councilwoman Lisa Hall specifically credited Electric Utilities Director Tim Lawrence with the turnaround.
“Honestly, I really believe that if the changes hadn’t been done with the electric department in the past eight years … under your leadership, I don’t think we would have physically been capable of generating 22 times,” she said, referring to the record number achieved by the electric department already this year.
The previous high was 13.
Because of those generations, Berlin should save about $411,500 in capacity charges and $124,000 in transition charges in 2017, according to information released by the town on Tuesday.
Williams said the town was also being recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as an example of its Rural Development program.
He said the director of the Maryland-Delaware USDA program visited Berlin in August and had “a very cordial interrogation” with the mayor.
Traditionally, Williams said USDA Rural Development was seen as “a place you go to get grants and loans.”
“What they’re getting into, is they want to have more influence and help rural community have a game plan to know what works, what’s working in other places,” Williams said. “They asked questions in a very nice way for two-and-a-half hours and I did my best to answer them, and what came out of it was a memo or a summary that they put together, and it’s called ‘Attributes of a Successful and Thriving Rural Community.’”
“We are being recognized as a rural community that is succeeding on many fronts,” Williams added.
He said USDA officials asked for permission to share the memo with “all their folks in Washington” and the other state directors across the country, using Berlin as a positive example of a rural community.
“I’m just fortunate enough to happen to be here at the time when they’re taking this message to so many communities,” Williams said. “Part of the revitalization of America’s economy will be smaller cities and towns. [In] the 20th century they’d pretty much written us off, but now I think the entire country is starting to realize these are good places to live in.
“I want to thank everyone on the council and certainly the citizens for making that happen,” he added.
During his comments at Monday night’s Town Council meeting, Berlin Mayor Gee Williams highlighted both instances.
Last month, Berlin received a four-page spread in AMPlifier, a publication put out by AMP, that touted the town’s sustainable practices and the reliability of its electric company.
Williams said AMP held its board of directors meeting in Berlin in June.
“The profile was just very gratifying, very positive,” he said. “They gave a very concise, but very informative overview of the Berlin electric utility. They made note that Berlin’s electric utility was recognized for its reliability as one of the most-reliable municipal electric utilities in the nation.”
He said the average outage in Berlin was 17 minutes, and that the top 25 percent times in the nation were “usually up to an hour.”
Williams credited the “leadership of the electric utility employees” for the well above-average numbers.
“I have seen a significant and very rewarding increase in morale and pride in that group over the last several years,” he said. “I want to thank everyone on the council and all the citizens for really getting behind the electric utility [and] giving them encouragement. And I think that they are extremely dedicated folks. We just wish them a very safe day, every day.”
Williams said the article also reported the Maryland Public Service Commission was “thrown for a loop” when the town petitioned for a rate reduction.
“In their history, they’d never been asked for [a reduction]. But they granted it,” he said.
The AMP profile also observed that Berlin once had one of the highest electric rates in the country. Now, it has one of the lowest in the area.
“I see a real difference [and] I get real, genuine compliments regularly about all of our departments, but particularly we get compliments about electric utility folks,” Williams said. “It is extraordinarily rewarding and I’m glad to see they got this national recognition.”
Councilwoman Lisa Hall specifically credited Electric Utilities Director Tim Lawrence with the turnaround.
“Honestly, I really believe that if the changes hadn’t been done with the electric department in the past eight years … under your leadership, I don’t think we would have physically been capable of generating 22 times,” she said, referring to the record number achieved by the electric department already this year.
The previous high was 13.
Because of those generations, Berlin should save about $411,500 in capacity charges and $124,000 in transition charges in 2017, according to information released by the town on Tuesday.
Williams said the town was also being recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as an example of its Rural Development program.
He said the director of the Maryland-Delaware USDA program visited Berlin in August and had “a very cordial interrogation” with the mayor.
Traditionally, Williams said USDA Rural Development was seen as “a place you go to get grants and loans.”
“What they’re getting into, is they want to have more influence and help rural community have a game plan to know what works, what’s working in other places,” Williams said. “They asked questions in a very nice way for two-and-a-half hours and I did my best to answer them, and what came out of it was a memo or a summary that they put together, and it’s called ‘Attributes of a Successful and Thriving Rural Community.’”
“We are being recognized as a rural community that is succeeding on many fronts,” Williams added.
He said USDA officials asked for permission to share the memo with “all their folks in Washington” and the other state directors across the country, using Berlin as a positive example of a rural community.
“I’m just fortunate enough to happen to be here at the time when they’re taking this message to so many communities,” Williams said. “Part of the revitalization of America’s economy will be smaller cities and towns. [In] the 20th century they’d pretty much written us off, but now I think the entire country is starting to realize these are good places to live in.
“I want to thank everyone on the council and certainly the citizens for making that happen,” he added.