MEETING MINUTES— 8.13.2015
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska – The Pizza Ranch – 84th & Lexington | 12pm
Present: Members: Nga Vu, Fred Knight, Steve Maly, Patty Gerlach, Joanne Bartels, Diana Schilf, Darlene Boardman, Christy Sueverkreupp, Tony Lawhorne, RJ Lipert, Bill Neeman, Carl Tesch, Kolleen Meyer-Krikac, Amy Fish, John Rood, Angela Caldwell, Julie Robinson, Dr. Michael Patestas, Steve Sheridan, Shannon Meysenburg
Guests: Monte Conrad, Marc Shkolnick
Introductions/ Member Announcements:
- Amy called the meeting to order. Joanne & RJ approved the July minutes.
- All members introduced themselves.
- John Rood announced his concern regarding the sale of the Highlands Golf Course and asked if NLBA should take an official stance on the subject as the prominent business association for north Lincoln. Joanne said that it has been NLBA’s policy to remain neutral on such issues.
Member Spotlight – Julie Robinson:
- Julie announced that she started a new career at KLKN TV. She was approached by the company to work in sales. Julie had some history with the company as an advertiser when her family owned Stephenson’s School Supplies and with her past radio experience at KFOR, Julie decided it was a wise move to get back in to broadcast.KLKN has been the ABC affiliate in Lincoln for the past 20 years. Their local news is very popular with long-term news anchors like Rod Fowler who has been with the company since inception. Julie also touted the mid-day forums loaded with local news and interest stories as well as the popular Holiday Guide with gives advertisers the opportunity to utilize broadcast television and print in unison.
If you have questions regarding KLKN or if you would like to visit about advertising opportunities, contact Julie at 402-436-2232 or email her at julierob004@yahoo.com.
Social Chair Update:
- The NLBA Golf Scramble at Mahoney Golf Course was a success. There were two foursomes and two riders. A good time was had by all.
- We are looking to schedule a NLBA group tour of small towns around Lincoln. VIP Services, Inc. has agreed to provide a 16 passenger limo at cost to provide the transportation. Details are being worked out and will be announced at the next meeting.
Treasurer’s Report:
- In Tim’s absence Amy announced that we have money.
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Featured Speakers:
MARC SHKOLNICK – Manager of Energy Services, LES
Marc opened the discussion by asking the group which of these they felt was the most important initiative for LES:
- Lowest possible rates
- Reliable energy
- Environmentally responsible energy
The majority of those in attendance said the reliable energy was the most important. And formal surveys reflect the same answer. “But in reality”, Marc said, “LES must provide all three.”
Nationally, Lincoln enjoys some of the most reliable energy in the country. Outages are few and seldom last long because LES crews work on a pro-active basis. When storms are in the forecast, additional workers are scheduled and that policy has worked pretty well for LES. There was an exception about 3 weeks ago when a freak storm developed quickly and unexpectedly causing some power outage that lasted longer than most since additional crews were not on staff. Marc added that LES is governed by the City Council and the company can be fined if power is not consistent and reliable.
Marc spoke about some of the most common fuel sources used by LES:
- Coal – the most common and least expensive to build, but it has high CO2 emissions.
- Natural Gas – fracking has opened more markets, but the prices are volatile.
- Nuclear – very expensive to build with long construction time and storing of radioactive waste is a problem.
- Wind – free, but not dispatchable.
- Solar – free, but it only generates about 20% of the time
- Hydro – free, abundant, reliable.
Marc said a combination of all is the best approach and that it what LES strives toward.
Q & A:
Dr Patestas asked why the rates change so dramatically between winter and summer. Marc said that during summer months when usage is the highest, LES has to use different fuel sources and bring energy in from other states which costs more money.
Darlene asked about the renewable energy used at Innovation Campus and if there are plans to use it elsewhere. Marc said they use the water from the wastewater treatment plant to produce geothermal energy and that LPS and a few select businesses such as Fireworks use it.
Steve Maly asked if the wind turbines on I-80 are just a buy-in for the community. Marc said to a degree they are … they don’t really produce that much energy and the technology is already somewhat dated.
Darlene asked about the cost of the turbines and Marc said they run $1 – $1.5 million.
In closing, Marc provided the following energy saving tips:
- Install programmable thermostats at home and work.
- Recommended settings are 78 in the summer and 68 in the winter.
- Install LED lights for less operating costs and much longer life.
Kolleen commented that the LED lights are irritating to the eyes and Marc to experiment with different brands. - There is new ductwork technology which could also provide substantial savings over time.
NLBA Meetings:
- The next Association meeting is Thursday, September 10th
- THE PIZZA RANCH – 84th & Lexington | 11:30am – 1:00pm
- Speaker: Sean Quigley – Author of The Cash Play, Capitalizing on the Opportunity Value of Cash
- The next Board meeting is Thursday, October 22nd | 11:30am | NAI FMA Realty, Wells Fargo Center 1248 “O”
Meeting Adjourned.
Respectfully submitted by Fred Knight
NLBA Secretary
www.NorthviewLincolnBusiness.com
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