UNDERGROUND LOCATION COMPANY
IOWA ONE CALL
Minutes of the Board of Directors and Officers
Call Center, Davenport
June 13, 2014
Participating Directors
Dan Childers (Interstate Communications)
Mark Erpelding (Erpelding Excavation Enterprises)
Ed Greiner (Alliant Energy)
Brian Hanna (USIC Locating Services Inc)
Curt Hodges (Mediacom)
Leon Hofer (Iowa Network Services)
Bryon Stilley (Chariton Valley Electric Coop)
Bart Weller (Clive Public Works)
Paul Wiegand (Iowa State University)
Mike Wildung (Central Iowa Water Association)
Participating Officers
President, Steve Stone (Black Hills Energy)
Vice President, Charles Bruggemann (Windstream)
Secretary/Treasurer, Brian Mueller (Enterprise Products)
Chairman, Terry Fox (MidAmerican Energy Company)
Officer & Directors Absent
Neal Drefke (IA Assoc. Municipal Utilities)
Dan Klopfer (Des Moines Water Works)
Ross Wendell (Century Link)
Additional Participants/Guests
Jerry Blomeke (North Dakota One Call)
Ben Booth (Walter & Associates)
Don Frye (North Dakota one Call)
Dan Florenzo (One Call Concepts)
Jim Holzer (One Call Concepts)
Michelle Payne (MidAmerican Energy Company)
Matt Ruddo (One Call Concepts)
Ryan Schmaltz (One Call Concepts)
Stephen Stonebraker (Walter & Associates)
Craig Walter (Walter & Associates)
Call to Order
A quorum was confirmed and President Stone welcomed all attendees.
Approval of Agenda
The agenda for the June 13, 2014 Board Meeting was approved.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes from the April 24, 2014 meeting were published with the wrong month (March) in error; correction requested.
MOTION made by Charles Bruggemann and seconded by Paul Wiegand to correct the meeting date to April 24, 2014. All in attendance voted in favor. Motion carried.
Financial Report
Craig Walter reported that the financials through April 30th are on track and comparative to previous years, with a deficit of $289,000, which is typical through April due to the normal decrease in call volume.
Excavator Safety Report
Dan Childers reported that the Committee will hold the first planning meeting in latter June to begin developing the 2015 program, including the selection of meeting locations throughout the state, the development of a new program theme and presentation, the coordination of the direct mail/invitation program, and the selection of door prizes. Also reported, was the status of current program planning already underway, including video production arrangements, scripting for the PowerPoint presentation, and content development for the discussion points. Ben Booth reported that the 2015 PowerPoint presentation will feature a section that focuses on the new legislative changes to Chapter 480.
Advertising Report
Curt Hodges provided a status update on the current 2014 advertising programming strategies and tactics, which includes the completion and distribution of a new thirty-second television Public Service Announcement (PSA) advertisement, which will be run on YouTube and various television stations across Iowa. A new outdoor advertising campaign, featuring new “billboard” creative; the development of a new trade show exhibit display for the Iowa State Fair and other trade shows. It was also reported that the advertising agency, Amperage, has been implementing a “Google AdWords” Internet search engine advertising campaign featuring custom ads prominently displayed on the Google search engine, based on key user search criteria. The committee is currently reviewing other programming options that may be funded with the balance left in the Advertising Budget, including paid advertising in movie theaters throughout Iowa – featuring fifteen-second video ads placed in advance of movies being shown in selected theaters on more than 140 screens during a ten-week airing.
State of the Art Report
Bart Weller reported on the status of the current programming and on programming that is in the development and planning phase. Programming that has been completed and is currently being implemented includes the distribution of the Legislative Communications plan, featuring a direct mailing to more than 2,000 IOC Member Operators, and the electronic distribution, via an email blast, to more than 18,000 Iowa One Call stakeholders. The distribution includes a detailed letter outlining the new changes, a revised IOC Excavators Manual, revised “Ticket Check Electronic Positive Response System” User’s Manual, a “Cheat Sheet” summary of the Ticket Check EPRS, which contains the revised Ticket Check EPRS status codes and a detailed “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)” document.
Programming currently in development includes; new custom mobile application that will provide users with options for interfacing with various NTMS systems via smart phones and other electronic devices, a new enhanced version of the ITIC system that will provide users with virtual mapping capabilities and other applications. One Call Concepts (OCC) will present an overview of the new ITIC system at the July 11th SOTA meeting.
Mr. Weller reported that the Call Center experienced a glitch in the Ticket Check EPRS that caused outdated ticket status summary tickets to be transmitted to IOC users. This occurred between 9:45PM on June 9, 2014 and 7:00AM on June 10, 2014. The cause of the glitch was due to a coding error used to program the system, which has been identified and corrected.
Legislative Report
Leon Hofer provided a legislative update, including a summary of the recent Legislative Committee conference call that focused on tracking the impact of the new laws by monitoring operator and excavator usage of the Ticket Check EPRS, white-lining activities and other requirements of the new laws. Additionally, Mr. Hofer reported on the next phase of planning that the Committee will undergo to address the action plans contained in the IOC Strategic Plan, including further assessment of Iowa Code, Chapter 480, monitoring of the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Recommended Best Practices and other industry trends - including dispute resolution procedures, and the development of procedures that will allow for incorporating IOC damage prevention language into construction documents.
Administrative Update
Craig Walter reported that staff is currently conducting major communication outreach efforts to reach IOC member operators, excavators and other key stakeholders with information pertaining to the new law that goes into effect July 1, 2014. These efforts include a statewide direct mailing and an email distribution along with in-person presentations to key operators and excavator groups across Iowa, including key industry conferences and meetings. Mr. Walter also reported that Leon Hofer will be retiring from Iowa Network Services in July. Mr. Hofer will continue on the IOC Board through April of 2015.
It was reported by Mr. Walter that the Adhoc Committee established to review the current bylaws will meet on July 11, 2014.
OCC Report
Jim Holzer provided an overview of the current Dashboard Report, which included current ticket volume being higher than last year due to “pent up demand” by excavators who were hampered by inclement weather, and that non-compliant tickets are down. It was also reported by Mr. Holzer that during the OCC Technology and Users Conference scheduled to be held in Seattle, WA October 1-3, 2014, there will be a special breakout meeting for the various users to discuss marketing, public relations, promotional programming, and other communications and education awareness activities. The conference will be held at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.
Open Forum
Don Frye and Jerry Blomeke (North Dakota One Call) asked about the procedures that the state of Iowa has in place to handle enforcement of Chapter 480. Mr. Blomeke shared how enforcement is handled in North Dakota. It was explained by Mr. Blomeke that the commission set up to handle enforcement in North Dakota is not as active or progressive as the ND Board wished they were.
MOTION to adjourn made by Curt Hodges and seconded by Charles Bruggemann. Motion carried.
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