April 2017_CEO Newsletter

CEO’s
Corner
GRAND VALLEY POWER ú EMPOWERING LIVES WITH HOMETOWN SERVICE APRIL 2017
Every year, we take the time to thank our extraordinary
linemen who dedicate their lives to keeping the
lights on for our Grand Valley Power consumers. Fifteen
linemen maintain 1627 miles of line in
Grand Valley Power’s service territory, and
without them, our world would be dark.
We depend on our entire staff to
keep Grand Valley Power running smoothly,
but on April 10, 2017, we honor our linemen
who often find themselves in dangerous and
challenging situations, so our lives may be a
little bit brighter and safer every day. These
brave men repair damaged lines and maintain
critical infrastructure for our communities.
Without their hard work and commitment
to the job, our co-op would not thrive.
No matter the time––day or night, weekday
or weekend––if the lights go out, so do they.
Perhaps you have seen them raising
their bucket trucks in howling winds and
torrential rains, or in freezing, icy conditions.
They work around the clock near highvoltage
power lines until power is restored
Lives on the Line
by Tom Walch | CEO
to every member affected by an outage. They epitomize
GVP’s mission statement – Empowering Lives

with Hometown Service.
The job our line workers do is even more remarkable
when you stop to consider that each and
every one of them put their lives on the line every
day they come to work. Their job is rated as one of
the most dangerous in the United States. That’s
why, when we put our guiding principles on paper,
number one on our list was a commitment the safety
of our workforce and the general public. The board
and management team do what we can to provide
them the best tools and training so that they can
perform the job safely, but it’s up to each worker to
execute the duties of his or her position in a safe
manner. I’m pleased to report that in 2016 our team
delivered. No lost time accidents occurred, and we
were not required to report any instances of days
away from work, restricted duty, or transfers due to
an on-the-job accident or injury. We hope you
will join us in thanking the many line workers––both
locally and around the world––that light our lives.
Remember, your power works because they do.
The 22 nd Annual Fruita Fat Tire
Festival is back for another year
of the singletrack mountain
biking tradition. Come ride miles
of pristine MTB Trails, meet MTB
friends from around the world
and support those who support
the passion, the lifestyle and the
sport. From the VIP party
Thursday night, to the live bands
Friday and Saturday evenings in
downtown Fruita, this festival has
a little something for everyone. Celebrate hundreds of miles of World Class MTB Trails and join in the
fun April 27-30th, 2017. For more information and how to register for some of the events, visit
www.fruitafattirefestival.com.

Knowledge Center