pRESS RELEASE

PUBLIC UTILITIES BOARD TO HOST PLANNING WORKSHOP

ALAMEDA, Calif., November 19, 2007 —Next Monday afternoon, the City of Alameda’s Public Utilities Board will meet in a special workshop as part of an ongoing strategic planning initiative.

“The purpose of this workshop is twofold,” said Public Utilities Board President Ann McCormick.  “We want to ensure that Alameda Power & Telecom’s operations are in alignment with customer expectations, community goals, and City direction, as well as to ensure that we are appropriately anticipating and addressing future challenges.”

The Board’s Annual Planning Workshop will be held on November 26, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., at the Alameda Power & Telecom Service Center, 2000 Grand Street (at its intersection with Clement Avenue).  

In early September and in mid-November, the City Council and the City’s executive staff, including General Manager Girish Balachandran, participated in priority-setting workshops for the entire City organization. The Board’s Annual Planning Workshop parallels that effort. While all Board meetings are open to the public, the Board and staff are placing particular emphasis on their desire to include residents in the planning effort.  President McCormick noted, “We’re looking forward to establishing an ongoing stakeholder- and community-based planning process that will serve as a sound basis for the course we set.”

General Manager Balachandran echoed Board President McCormick’s sentiments.  “The opinions and perspectives of our customers are vital to setting our future path,” he said.  “That’s what Public Power is all about!” “One of our primary goals for this agency is total transparency and full disclosure.  We invite and welcome resident and customer participation.”

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