Paris, Tenn.—The Paris Board of Public Utilities has received the Community Service Award for mid-size utilities from the Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association. BPU General Manager Terry Wimberley was presented the award at the annual TMEPA’s meeting in Memphis.
Wimberley thanked the State Municipal Electric Power Association for the honor and said, “Over the last few months, we have launched a number of efforts in the community to give back, educate, and get involved. To be recognized for those efforts is quite an honor. I want to express my gratitude to the BPU employees for making a difference outside of our everyday work. Their extra effort has shed a positive light on the BPU and I am thankful. We are striving to earn the trust of our customers and truly become their trusted public power provider.
Wimberley said twenty-six utilities fall into the mid-size group that is defined as having between 10,000 and 30,000 electric meters. The mid-size utility has moved beyond the “small system size,” but typically has not reached the large system comfort of employee and financial resources. Wearing multiple hats is common place to the mid-size manager and his employees.
In presenting the award, officials said the Paris BPU places a high priority on being a good community citizen both through their day to day work providing electric, water and wastewater services, and their involvement in both city and county activities. The BPU is a proud provider of public power and takes every opportunity to share its benefits through public presentations, customer newsletters, social media posts, booth displays, and with legislators in Nashville and Washington.
Officials of the TMEPA said, “BPU is heavily involved in economic development through the Chamber of Commerce and the Paris/Henry County Industrial Corporation. No doubt, BPU is an active and vital part of the Paris and Henry County community and deserves to be honored for their efforts. Dedication to community is obvious. It is with great pleasure that TMEPA presents the mid-size system Community Service Award to Paris Board of Public Utilities.”
BPU’s seventy-three dedicated employees are the driving force in numerous volunteer endeavors during after-hours at local high school basketball games, attending and presenting information to various service and civic organizations, holiday activities such as the Christmas parade and tree decoration, and donating a large number of items to the Helping Hand auction which raised over $300,000 for local non-profit groups. BPU places a high priority on education of the community. Employees regularly conduct educational and safety programs for students in the local school systems as well as day cares and pre-schools. BPU participates in career days at local schools to share job opportunities.
Photo: Terry Wimberley receives the award from TMEPA President Jim Ferrell (also President/CEO of Jackson Energy Authority).
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