Thank a lineworker today

             It takes a special kind of person to look up at a utility pole and decide they want to see what’s on top. And it takes an even more special kind of individual to decide that they will make a career of repairing the high-energy power lines on those poles day and night, rain and snow, every day of every year.

               That’s a lineworker: the men and women who service powerlines and keep our electric grid up and running. Monday, April 8 is Missouri Lineworker Appreciation Day and Thursday, April 18 is National Lineman’s Appreciation Day, a time for the community to collectively express its thanks and appreciation for the hardworking men and women who do a tough job on our behalf.

               Monett is a fortunate community with a dedicated crew of seven lineworkers, a crew leader, foreman, and support staff who have earned awards and recognition for their fast, reliable, and skillful management of the City’s electrical system.

               From regular maintenance to emergency situations like large storms, there is always a lineworker on-call to respond to power outages, big and small.

               Utilities Superintendent Skip Schaller said the city’s electric crew has been awarded the Reliable Public Power Award three times since 2018 and has been recognized with a Certificate of Excellence for its response time to outages and the overall reliability of Monett’s electric system.

               Monett’s Linemen crew includes one foreman, a crew leader, two tree crew members who are responsible for ensuring trees and other vegetation grows a safe distance from power lines and other infrastructure, seven linemen, one industrial electrician and a support staff member who handles procurement for the team.

               Linemen go through a lengthy apprentice and training process to ensure they can safely complete a sometimes-dangerous job, high in the air, in all types of weather conditions.

               Schaller also said Monett’s crews step up to handle some additional challenges that many linemen don’t face due to the nature of Monett’s industry and some of the unique circumstances those largescale businesses can bring.

               “I’m proud of these guys, they’re a good bunch,” said Schaller. “In 11 years, there is only one time we have needed to hire a contractor, and that was just because we didn’t have the equipment we would have needed.”

Monett’s city crew has handled everything from the regular maintenance and repairs that come with managing a city utility, to responding to ice and windstorms that can damage the system, to constructing new lines for projects like the new Cox Monett Hospital and the city’s new water well.

               “Our guys are definitely doing something right and Foreman Daryl Fenski has done a great job,” Schaller said. “We are fortunate to have the crew we have and the dedication they show our community every day.”

               “I want to express my sincere thanks to the linemen we have,” said City Administrator Chris Weiner. “Like many of our staff members, they do an important job that is often overlooked, and the linemen we celebrate today literally keep the lights on for us all.”