Utility Board Leadership: Roles, Responsibilities, and Best Practices

This class will focus on capacity of utility boards to operate successfully and understand the necessary oversight they provide for their utilities. The first part of the class will cover topics from FOAA compliance to customer service and the day-to-day operations of successful utilities. It will be an interaction presentation with attendees encouraged to ask questions about broad topics and specifics to their utilities.

The second part of the class will serve as a workshop for utilities to create a plan to implement what they learned in the first part of the class. Standard Operating Procedures and their importance will be discussed and attendees will be given templates for successful versions.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the roles and responsibilities of utility governing bodies, including but not limited to the oversight of finances and physical spaces
• Understand the necessity of Standard Operating Procedures and how to create / implement important ones.
• Identity areas of improvement for their utilities and opportunities to collaborate with stakeholders for concrete next steps.

Class Fee: FREE (Sponsored by USEPA)

State Agency Approval: (Credits Pending)
Maine BLWSO: 2.0 TCHs for Water Operators
Maine DEP: 2.0 TCHs for Wastewater Operators

Speaker:

Brad Sawyer - Deputy Director, MRWA

Bradley is the Deputy Director and focuses on lobbying, communications, board training, and special projects, but can be found helping with any number of tasks throughout the day. He holds a BS from the University of Oregon in political science and has worked in the political sphere for roughly a decade. As the Assistant Secretary of the Senate in the 128th Legislature and the Business Manager for the Maine Bicentennial Commission Brad has effectively worked with members of both parties to accomplish their goals and improve the lives of Mainers.