Press Release

North Carolina Team Wins First Place in Public Power Lineworkers’ Rodeo

Raleigh, NC, April 22, 2008 – The team representing the North Carolina Association of Municipal Electric Systems (NCAMES) won first place in the American Public Power Association’s eighth annual Public Power Lineworkers’ Rodeo, held April 18-19. The team, made up of four electric linemen from across the state, took home top honors in the annual competition, held this year in Indianapolis, Ind.  

Sixty-two teams from throughout the United States participated in the rodeo. The rodeo is a series of competitive events demonstrating the safe work practices that lineworkers must carry out at their utilities. The NCAMES team included: Keith Gaskins and Mark Howery, Greenville Utilities Commission; Mike Harper, New Bern; and Jody Kiser, Gastonia.

The team spent much of its time strapped to utility poles nearly 40 feet off the ground.
The team won the overall first place trophy as well as the alley arm event and placed second in the 'disconnect-switch' event and the '600 amp switch' event.

“Winning this competition is a huge achievement for NCAMES and for NC Public Power,” said ElectriCities CEO Jesse C. Tilton, III. “It is a testament to the professionalism of the linemen who serve public power customers. City linemen fill a critical role in keeping the lights on in public power communities and working together to restore power after storms and other emergencies. We are extremely proud of our partnership with NCAMES and congratulate the team and all NCAMES members on this outstanding achievement.”

NCAMES is an organization of 69 public power cities and towns that works to promote safety and training among municipal electric workers. Each year, the NCAMES Safety and Training Committee sponsors a state rodeo. The winners of the state rodeo represent the organization at the national rodeo. NCAMES is governed by a President and Board of Directors.

"I am extremely proud of the group's accomplishment at the national rodeo," said Dennis Roberts, NCAMES President and Electrical Engineer for the City of Concord. "The team spends countless hours preparing for the rodeo by adhering to safe work practices every day. I'm pleased that the team was recognized at such a high level for their professionalism."

ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc. (ElectriCities), North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number One (NCMPA1), North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA) - More than 70 North Carolina public power communities, municipally owned and operated electric systems, serve more than 500,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in North Carolina. ElectriCities' members in NC, SC and VA serve more than one million customers. Most have been providing reliable electric service for 100 years or more. ElectriCities is the service organization that provides customer service and safety training, emergency and technical assistance, communications, government affairs and legal services to public power cities. ElectriCities provides management services to the states two municipal power agencies: NCMPA1 and NCEMPA. NCMPA1 has 19 member cities in the western part of North Carolina and NCEMPA has 32 member cities in eastern North Carolina. More information about ElectriCities, the power agencies and public power is available on the Internet at www.electricities.com or at www.ncpublicpower.com.

Standing, L-R: Keith Gaskins (Greenville), Jody Kiser (Gastonia), Mike Harper (New Bern), Mark Howery (Greenville), Chris Bosnick (Apprentice from New Bern).

Photo provided by Larry Blair, Wilson Energy

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