July 20, 2023

Meyerhofer elected vice chair of Policy Makers Council

Advocacy

Kaukauna Utilities Commission President Lee Meyerhofer has been elected as vice chair of the American Public Power Association’s Policy Makers Council. Meyerhofer previously served as the first vice chair after being elected in 2022 and is expected to become chair of the council next summer.

The APPA represents the 2,000 locally owned electric utilities throughout the country. There are 81 public power communities in Wisconsin and Kaukauna Utilities is one of them. Public power utilities are not-for-profit and locally owned.

“I have said it before, having a partnership with other public power communities gives our municipal utility a voice at the highest level of decision making that we just would not otherwise have,” said Meyerhofer. “I am proud to advocate in support of locally owned utilities, both for the residents of Kaukauna and for all communities served by public power across our nation.”

Another leader for public power, Jim Brooks, is stepping down from his role as chair of the Policy Makers Council. Brooks serves as Evansville City Council president and chair of the Municipal Services Committee in Evansville, Wis.

“I’m proud to have represented public power communities in a unified voice to elected officials throughout the country,” Brooks said. “Lawmakers hear a lot of noise from every angle, but they know that when members of the APPA Policy Makers Council show up, we are bringing the thoughts and needs of thousands of voters in their district. They know the concerns are directly from local government officials dialed into their communities.”

The Policy Makers Council acts on legislative and regulatory issues that impact customers in communities like Kaukauna, Evansville and other public power communities across the United States. Members of the PMC meet twice a year in Washington, D.C., and at least once a month by telephone. The group advocates on issues such as climate policy, reducing emissions, a reliable and affordable power supply, preserving local control for public power communities and energy infrastructure investments.

Both Kaukauna and Evansville utilities are member-owners of WPPI Energy, a joint action agency made up of 51 utilities in Wisconsin, Iowa and Upper Michigan. The not-for-profit organization is located in Sun Prairie, Wis.

Brooks was the second public power leader from WPPI Energy to serve as chair of the APPA Policy Makers Council. Paul Fisk, a previous mayor of Lodi, Wis., was also actively engaged with the joint action agency and was elected chair of the council in 2016. Meyerhofer, who has also served as Kaukauna city council president and as the 5th District State Assembly Representative, is slated to take the chair in 2024 as the third public power leader associated with WPPI Energy within the past decade.

 

Pictured right: Jim Brooks receives recognition on July 20, 2023 at the PMC Fly-In for serving as chair for the past year.