The Nebraska Municipal Power Pool (NMPP) awarded Marv Schultes, manager of utilities for the City of Hastings, Neb., with the Bob Arraj Innovative Service Award at its 35th Annual Meeting and Conference in Norfolk, Neb., March 30.
The award is presented annually to an official or employee of a NMPP member utility system who has excelled in the area of service and/or used innovative technological changes in the utility industry. The award is a memorial tribute to Bob Arraj, former city administrator and utilities superintendent of Kimball, Neb. Arraj’s years of knowledge, insight and expertise in the energy field allowed NMPP members to benefit from numerous innovative energy and service projects. The award includes a $350 gift that will be given to a local community project in Schultes’ name.
Schultes began his work for the City in 1977. He became utilities manager in 1988. Under his leadership, Hastings Utilities has had many successes to benefit the city, including:
- Voltage conversion and system reliability projects;
- Adding new substations throughout the community to better serve industrial, residential and commercial electric loads;
- Excellent track record of operating Gerald T. Whelan Energy Center Unit 1, which helped to influence site selection of Whelan Energy Center Unit II, a 220-megawatt power unit that is scheduled to be in commercial operation in early 2011;
- Expansion and modernization of the city’s Pollution Control Facility (wastewater treatment plant). The facility was increased by 50 percent to enhance recruitment of business and industry to Hastings;
- Continual improvement of the city’s natural gas distribution system, including adding a second propane/air mixing facility that improved the system’s reliability;
- Improvements to the water system including the development of a water wellfield located in an area that should provide low nitrate, high quality water for many years.
Schultes served 15 consecutive one-year terms as secretary/treasurer for the Nebraska Municipal Power Pool Board of Directors since 1995. He was re-elected for a 16th year as secretary/treasurer for the 2010-11 fiscal year during the NMPP board meeting that was part of the conference.
Hastings is a charter member of NMPP, joining the organization in 1975.