By Tom Sherman

Board of Commissioners President

From 2 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5, Austin Utilities will celebrate the opening of our new Service and Operation Center with an Open House that includes full tours of the new building. We’ll also be unveiling a plaque dedicating the building to the community of Austin and by extension our rate payers.

As current President of the Austin Utilities Board, I’m excited to be a part of this event. It’s the culmination of many years of planning that started in 2013. At that time, we were presented with a proposal to update facilities or construct a new building. The next few months were spent making face to face contact with over 350 people through meetings with key customers, community leaders, local organizations and the public. In addition, focus groups were held with residential and business customers in order to assess the needs of the community and our utility employees.

As a board member and rate payer, I feel we did substantial due diligence on these proposals in order to make sure there was a demonstrated need to make this large capital investment. When it came time for a decision, two options were considered the most effective. The first was to find a way to update and utilize our multiple existing facilities. The second option was a new facility that would replace seven buildings on three separate properties, and help us gain utility efficiencies, while positioning us for success well into the future.  Knowing a remodel had a high potential for unknown costs, your board chose to move forward on the new facility we are in today.

The new building opened to the public on July 25, both on schedule and on budget. It’s a wonderful facility, brightly lit, with good access for the public and work flow for our employees. There have been comments about the size of the new building, but keep in mind this is actually three utility businesses in one building – Electric, Natural Gas, and Water. We have combined the contents of 7 old buildings, some dating back to the 1920s. About half of the building is storage, warehouse and garage.  One company servicing three utilities is somewhat uncommon outside of Austin but allows Austin Utilities to gain cost efficiencies.

I hope you will able to attend the Open House on October 5th where you will be able to see for yourself this beautiful new community asset. Experience the light filled and expanded customer lobby with acoustic privacy panels, sit in one of the new comfortable stations for account services, walk through the new parking garage which is large enough to accommodate our entire fleet. Come see for yourself what we all have gained with this terrific facility, built by our neighbor, The Joseph Company using local contractors and labor. Completed on time and on budget with the hard work of our Austin Utilities staff and partners at TKDA and Associates.

It’s an honor to serve on the Austin Utilities Board. Your board has been diligent in keeping a watchful eye on the financial health of the organization. The community of Austin is fortunate to be served by such a high caliber municipal utility which has been able and willing to invest in our future energy needs.

Please join us at our open house as we continue to make Connections for Better Living.

Austin Utilities is a municipal utility serving approximately 12,300 electric customers, 10,300 natural gas customers, and 9000 water customers. Their mission is to offer utility products and services in a safe, reliable and responsible manner in order to enhance the quality of life in our community. For more information about Austin Utilities visit their website at www.austinutilities.com.