Archive for category: General Information

“Better to be busy than to be busy worrying” – a quote I once heard that couldn’t be more appropriate for KMEA over the last few months. We all have been busy worrying as the world is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and we at KMEA are no exception. Many hours of contemplation have taken place among us all – Was I in contact with someone that has the virus? Will my parents be OK? What changes will the school implement for my kids? Should I go out to the store? When will this all be over and what will the new normal look like?

In Mid-March, we shuttered our offices and staff worked from home for 8 weeks. We discovered that we were still very efficient and getting the work done “between the walls of KMEA.” And in fact, these last few months have probably been some of the busiest and most historical in KMEA’s history.

• May 1: KMEA providing line maintenance service has been discussed, explored, debated and analyzed for several years and on May 1, we started up this service for the City of Dighton. In March, just as the COVID-19 virus was revving up, we began our search to hire a line crew and this continued into the month of May. Many thanks go out to the cities of Garden City and Russell who provided line crews that located in the Dighton for the first four weeks. On May 26, KMEA’s first journeyman lineman reported to work – Steve Porter and on June 8, KMEA’s first apprentice lineman came on board – Nick Wapelhorst. As we progress over the coming months, our new crew will begin branching out and helping other members in western Kansas. We are excited about this new service and will continue to look for opportunities in other parts of the State.
• June 1: A big KMEA welcome goes out to six new cities who joined the EMP3 group on June 1 – the cities of Arma, Blue Mound, Chetopa, La Harpe, Lindsborg, and Moran. These cities will see significantly savings in their power supply costs – up to 40% in some cases. This is the largest increase in participants in our EMP’s since their formations. We now provide full energy management services for 41 members.
• July 1: This will also be a historical day in KMEA’s history. We will close on the asset purchase of the Mid-States Energy Works Inc. culminating many, many months of hard work to bring our two entities together for the benefits of the members. The current eight employees of Mid-States will become employees of KMEA as we plan to continue the great service that Mid-States has performed for many of our members. We are very hopeful that we will grow the services provided with the combination of our two groups.

I want to thank the leadership of the Executive Committee and the crew at KMEA. In spite of the historical pandemic, we were able to stay “busy” to bring to fruition these historical events for the members and the Agency. We are looking forward getting past the COVID-19 pandemic and getting on with the new normal which will look different in many ways.   Paul Mahlberg, General Manager

​

​

The Garden City Electric Department continues to support the KMEA Lineman Services effort in the City of Dighton.  Mike Muirhead, Public Utilities Director and Cliff Sonnenberg, Electric Superintendent have helped spearhead this first phase by allowing a crew from their city to cover the first ten days of services for the city giving KMEA time to get staff and equipment in place.  The crew has been busy researching the system, gathering maps, setting up and stocking the warehouse and making repairs as needed.  KMEA would like to personally thank the Garden City Linemen, Jeremey Hatch and Michael Guerrero for taking on this first phase.  These two gentlemen are giving our efforts a great start!

Not every holiday’s lucky enough to have a classic pop song attached to it.  But that’s exactly how things turned out for National Lineman Appreciation Day.

“I am a lineman for the county
And I drive the main road
Searchin’ in the sun for another overload…”

Jimmy Webb wrote “Wichita Lineman” in 1968 and Glen Campbell recorded it later that year. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked it at number 195 on a list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

More on that later.

Linemen (and women) work on power or phone lines — keeping the current flowing to our homes and businesses. It’s a dangerous job. After 2012’s Hurricane Sandy, the 113th Congress passed a bill designating April 18 as National Lineman Appreciation Day…

Read More…

Saturday is National Lineworker Appreciation Day! From everyone at KMEA, we’d like to thank you for everything you do to keep our power safe and reliable! #ThankALineworker

Following in the direction of the 2019 KMEA Strategic Plan, KMEA will provide electric line maintenance services to one of its members, the City of Dighton, beginning on May 1, 2020. Under the two year agreement, KMEA will provide the labor for the operation and maintenance of the City’s distribution system. KMEA has been exploring providing these services to its members over the last several years and the City of Dighton will be the first member to receive these services.

The City has contracted for line maintenance service for over 20 years with the local rural electric cooperative and felt it was the right time to make a change. “We are excited about the new agreement with KMEA and believe this partnership with KMEA will provide us more control and involvement in maintenance and health of our electric system,” said Dighton’s Mayor Doyle Capra.

Initially, KMEA will hire one journeymen lineman to work closely with the City staff, with eventual plans to expand to a two person line crew by the end of the year.  Once the two man crew up is up and running, KMEA will be able to assist other members in western Kansas that need assistance with line maintenance and special electric system projects.

“We are excited that the City was willing to step out and allow KMEA to help them with regards to their system,” stated KMEA President, Mike Muirhead. “One of the top needs identified through a 2019 survey of our membership was line maintenance services. This is the kick start that was needed for us to begin providing these services to our membership and we hope to expand to other parts of the State in the future.”