May 17, 2024

Muscoda: The power of a small utility

Member Utilities

People who work in public power help their communities thrive while overseeing the everyday responsibilities of a locally owned utility. One of those workers is Muscoda Village Administrator Clerk Cinda Johnson.

A long title for a woman who does it all when it comes to municipal operations. Johnson began her time with the village as a junior in high school, filing documents and performing office work for school credits. She was deputized in 1985, became clerk and treasurer in 1994 and took on even more responsibility in 2006 as village administrator.

“When you’re a small utility, everybody is involved,” Johnson said. “It’s a necessity.”

She has been working for decades as a dedicated employee focusing on the utility and its goal of providing reliable, affordable and responsible power to customers within the village and surrounding areas. In December, Johnson marked her 40th year as a full-time village employee.

Longevity is a staple of Muscoda Utilities, which has been around since 1907. Johnson has upheld the tradition — she is just one of three Muscoda village clerks in the last century.

Johnson champions the expanding industrial park and improvements to recreational space in recent years.

“From Meister Cheese to Scot Industries, we have a large customer base in our industrial park, especially for a village of our size,” Johnson said. “Our significant industrial load and our updated outdoor spaces along the Wisconsin River show that our utility workers excel at ensuring everyone we serve can continue to operate their business or their home seamlessly.”