Dave Leathers, Board of Public Utilities general manager, provided the board of directors with various updates regarding general operations, as well as the upcoming Retool 2023 Conference during Monday’s meeting. Pictured is Ellen Ditonto, Board of Public Utilities business development coordinator, during Monday’s monthly meeting with the board of directors. P-J photo by Timothy Frudd

Dave Leathers, Board of Public Utilities general manager, shared multiple updates regarding the Retool 2023 Conference and the utility company’s general operation during Monday’s monthly meeting.

Leathers told the BPU board that Ellen Ditonto, BPU business development coordinator, is continuing to work on planning the Retool 2023 Conference, which will take place at Chautauqua Institution July 26. The theme for this year’s conference is “Going Green: Growing Our Workforce, Our Community and Our Economy.”

Registration for the upcoming conference is $30 and includes entrance to the Chautauqua Institution, a morning lecture at the Amphitheater, a private lunch at the Athenaeum Hotel and a panel discussion in the Smith-Wilkes Hall. The conference will also include an “informal networking event to conclude the schedule.

“We’re excited and hope that some of you will join us,” Ditonto said.

As the small business development coordinator, Leathers said Ditonto is also going to be providing a new monthly report that will be shared with the board of directors. “We look forward to that going forward,” he said.

Additionally, Leathers had Ditonto introduce the BPU’s current marketing intern to the board of directors.

“Jack Brinkley is with us this summer,” Ditonto said. “He is a student at RIT in marketing and communications, and he’s working with Becky and I over the summer and will be working toward his co-op, so it’s really important that we have him do some important work, and he’s spending a lot of time with me on Retool Western New York Retool 2023.”

In other news, Leathers told the board of directors that the BPU’s electric division recently received the 2022 Safety Award of Excellence from the American Public Power Association.

“The new plaque is on the wall, and I think there was a press release issued for that, but it’s just recognizing the tremendous performance related to safety, specifically the electric division, but it does go for all of our departments as well,” he said.

Leathers told the BPU board that the spring water flushing concluded earlier this month. Based on the overall report, Leathers said the water flushing went “quite well” without any major issues.

The water main replacement project on Roland Road was also completed last week.

“That was a great opportunity to start earlier in the year with the nice weather,” Leathers said, “and they completed that entire road as of last week.”

Leathers said the power plant is continuing to undergo spring “maintenance outage,” with “quite a bit of work” being addressed with regard to the power plant. Leathers said the power plant maintenance should be concluded and the plant should be available for usage by mid-to-late June.

Finally, Leathers reminded the BPU board and the public of the BPU’s upcoming hotdog sale to benefit the “Cents for St. Susan’s” campaign.

“I’d be in trouble with Becky if I didn’t say that there’s a hotdog sale Friday, June 2, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. to continue our efforts related to fundraising for St. Susan’s,” he said.