Associations North CEO Sync group provides high ROI for MMUA

One of the unseen duties undertaken by MMUA staff is networking with peers and assuring access to best practices in association leadership. Karleen Kos, MMUA's CEO (fourth from left), is shown here with a group of Minnesota association leaders with whom she meets on a regular basis. Together, they obtain the continuing education they need and learn from one another about emerging association trends.

It's not all coffee and chit chat at Association Sync meetings. Last year this team helped MMUA save more than $100,000 through relationships that outfitted MMUA's new offices with like-new furniture donated by a law firm that was redecorating. The group was also instrumental in connecting MMUA with a new insurance and benefits broker that helped us reduce costs and increase coverage for the organization. One of the members also connected us with a real estate broker that assisted MMUA in negotiating a 10-year office lease deal that will provide stability and affordability for years to come.

Do you wish you had a peer group like this? Stay tuned! MMUA is hoping to develop something similar for municipal utility leaders in 2026 as a follow up to our new DUEL^TM program. The best way to stay in touch about it is to enroll in DUEL — registration opens later this month.

More funds available to citizens through Minnesota Energy Assistance Program

Minnesota Department of Commerce (DOC) spokesperson Michael Schmitz says the DOC still has ample funds for distribution to households needing help with heating or utility bills through the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program. In November, Minnesota received $112 million in federal funding, and additional monies could be distributed in the coming months. As of the end of 2024, more than $40 million in grants have been earmarked for 68,000 Minnesota households.

Learn more here.

Elk River City Council passes firewall resolution 

On December 9, the Elk River City Council passed a resolution that said in order for Elk River Municipal Utilities to be sold or abolished in the future, the citizens of the city would have to allow the move with a voter-approved referendum.



“I don’t think that getting rid of an asset like (this) should be up to a few politicians,” said Elk River mayor John Dietz.

To learn more, click here.

Number of Minnesotans losing heat or electricity for non-payment hits ten year high

Data collected by the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Minnesota, a nonprofit that advocates for utility customers, has found that more than 85,000 residential households were disconnected from their gas or electric service, the most in ten years. These numbers are drawn only from investor-owned utilities in the state, and do not include municipal utilities or rural cooperatives.

CUB reported that $100 million in utility bills are outstanding from customers. CUB, along with MMUA and the Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA), is working to decrease disconnections and give customers more ways to make things right with their local utility.

Learn more here.

Municipal Investment Fund opportunity

Local Governments for Sustainability USA, along with the Coalition for Green Capital (CGC), is offering market-building funding and technical support to help cities, towns, counties, Tribal Nations, and their partner not-for-profit organizations develop and finance clean energy projects.

Grants are available through CGC’s Municipal Investment Fund. CGC’s rolling open solicitation targets projects that can accelerate clean power projects, create jobs, lower energy costs, and improve the quality of life.



The grants will provide technical assistance and up to $500,000 in funding for up to 100 communities (approximately two communities per state) for market-building activities necessary to develop and finance National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) -qualified projects.

Cities, towns, counties, and Tribal Nations must be designated as Low-Income and Disadvantaged Community (LIDAC) as defined by the White House Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool or an equivalent definition under the U.S. EPA NCIF program.

The deadline for this opportunity is March 3. To learn more about the submission process, click here.

Meter School and pre-conference workshop

February 4–7

MMUA Training Center, Marshall

Meter School is a once-a-year opportunity to obtain hands-on technical electric metering training. Participants select from two course options:



• Beginner/intermediate: This track is ideal for those with little metering experience. It builds on the concepts covered in the pre-conference workshop and advances your skills within a few days.
• Advanced: This track is intended for those who steadily work with meters and wiring meter installations.

Please click below to register for this valuable training opportunity. Register by

January 10, 2025, for best rate.

Emergency Preparedness and Restoration Conference

February 19–20

St. Cloud, MN

Make plans to join other municipal utility professionals at this interactive conference. If your utility is ever in need of receiving mutual aid or interested in traveling, in-state or out-of-state, to assist with mutual aid, this conference can help prepare you and your team to be successful. Leadership and crew personnel will gain valuable insight into the process and help MMUA improve its coordination efforts.

Topics to be covered include:

• Review Hurricane Milton efforts
• Hands-on tabletop exercise
• Mutual aid coordination and strategies
• Florida's new F-ROC billing form

Please click below to register for this valuable training opportunity. Register by January 23, 2025, for best rate.