FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
March 16, 2009
LAST WEEK
FMPA Mous the Loss of Bob Williams
FMPA mous the passing of Robert C. “Bob Williams, a 24-year employee of the Agency, who died Sunday after a long battle with cancer. He was 63. Williams was instrumental in forming FMPA’s All-Requirements Project, enabling municipal utilities of all size to become owners-not just customers-of a large, efficient statewide power system. “We will miss his experience, his knowledge and his dedication to municipal electric utilities, said Interim General Manager Nicholas Guarriello. Funeral arrangements are being held in Louisiana. A celebration of life will he held in Orlando at a later date.
Cane Island Unit 4 Construction Power
FMPA and KUA took advantage of a scheduled outage of Cane Island Unit 1, 2 and 3 last week to connect a temporary power source for the construction power needs of Cane Island Unit 4. Contact: Steve Carroll
Network Maintenance
FMPA’s Information Systems Department completed network maintenance over the weekend that will enhance the Agency’s disaster recovery capabilities. The changes optimize the way FMPA’s in-house servers and the back-ups at the co-location facility work together. Data will now be instantly backed-up at both locations, and in the event of an emergency, FMPA could quickly arrange to run all servers out of either location with minimal disruption. Contact: Carter Manucy
ARP Competitiveness Discussions
FMPA staff from various departments and FMPA’s financial advisor met last Thursday to discuss options for making the All-Requirements Project as competitive as possible, in terms of power costs and financial health. The meeting was an initial brainstorming session to discuss a variety of ideas. A follow-up meeting will be scheduled in the near future. Contact: Mark Larson
Accounting Meetings
FMPA’s Accounting Department recently introduced a new practice of hosting pre-closing and post-closing meetings. The pre-closing meeting is used to prepare for monthly closing and to identify any potential challenges or issues that need to be addressed in the closing process. The post-closing meeting is an opportunity for the group to review the monthly financial statements together and discuss any questions or opportunities for improvement.
Treasury Updates
FMPA’s Treasury Department met with the Agency’s bond counsel and underwriters last Monday to discuss the upcoming All-Requirements Project bond issue. Bond proceeds will fund Cane Island Unit 4 and Public Gas Partners. FMPA also hosted a conference call last week to discuss ISDA swap agreements with Merrill Lynch. Contact: Janet Davis
Cane Island Unit 4 Groundbreaking
Friday was the deadline to RSVP for the Cane Island Unit 4 groundbreaking. If you have not already done so, please RSVP to Diane Nelson as soon as possible. The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for March 27 at 8:30 a.m.
St. Lucie Unit 2
St. Lucie Unit 2 retued to full power last week, following a downpower to 62 percent on March 6.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Cara Gowan , who became a permanent employee of FMPA on March 2, after ably serving the Agency as a temporary employee since June 2008. Cara serves as FMPA’s Regulatory Compliance Analyst. She holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from Valdosta State University, and she has extensive experience as a legal assistant and executive assistant.
THIS WEEK
APPA CEO Roundtable
Nick Guarriello will be in Scottsdale, Ariz., through Tuesday attending the American Public Power Association’s CEO Roundtable. The roundtable will include presentations on the global economy and its effect on the public power industry, market rate compensation for employees, and the future of the municipal bonds market.
Joint Transmission Operations
FMPA hosts a meeting Wednesday in the first floor conference room at 11 a.m. to discuss a potential joint transmission operation program. Representatives of Beaches Energy Services, Homestead, Kissimmee Utility Authority, New Smya Beach and Vero Beach are scheduled to participate. Contact: Tom Reedy
All-Requirements Project Load
The weekly update of the All-Requirements Project historical load graph has been posted on the Member Portal. The graph shows the month of March up to March 16. Contact: Jim Atz
Service Anniversaries
Congratulations to Karen Culpepper , who celebrates six years with FMPA on Tuesday, March 17.
Congratulations to Michelle Pisarri , who celebrates four years with FMPA on Saturday, March 21.
Congratulations to Peter Moore , who celebrates five years with FMPA on Sunday, March 22.
COMING UP
Policy Makers Liaisons Committee
FMPA’s Policy Makers Liaisons Committee meets March 25 at the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) office in Tallahassee at 10 a.m. The meeting coincides with the annual Legislative Rally in Tallahassee, organized by FMEA, and the Florida League of Cities’ Legislative Action Day. Agenda topics include: 1) updates on FMPA’s recent strategic planning session, and 2) a roundtable discussion of what is happening in individual cities. If you have any questions or other agenda suggestions, contact Mark McCain .
FMPA Logo Apparel
Semi-annual ordering for FMPA logo apparel is once again available. The deadline to submit orders is March 27. Complimentary logo embroidery is available for two items per employee or Board member each fiscal year. For additional details and order forms, please visit the