A12
ASSOCIATION NEWS
SECTION A • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016
Columbus Metropolitan Club
March 9 forum topic is the regulated electricity industry
Clean, efficient, safe, reliable and
reasonably priced electricity is a good
plan for all. The next CMC forum on
March 9, “Keeping the Lights On,” will
focus on the future of securing Ohio’s
electricity needs. The panel discussion will include Gene Krebs, chair of
the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, Ned
Hill, economist and professor at The
Ohio State University’s John Glenn
College of Public Affairs, Pablo Vegas,
president and chief operating officer,
American Electric Power Ohio (AEP)
and Asim Haque, a commissioner of
the Public Utilities commission of
Ohio (PUCO).
There are several parties involved
in setting electricity and other utility
rates in Ohio. First there are the utilities, such as American Electric Power,
which happens to be based in Columbus but has 5.4 million customers in
11 states, including areas in Texas,
Oklahoma, Virginia and more. AEP has
1.5 million customers in Ohio, where
electricity rates are regulated and the
company is also involved in transmission, power generation and providing
energy to non-regulated markets. AEP
stock is publicly traded on the New
York Stock Exchange; revenue in 2014
was $17 billion.
The Public Utility Commission of
Ohio regulates utilities, transportation
and communication, such as electricity, telephone carriers, water, rail lines
and trucking. PUCO is also involved in
facilitating competitive utility choices
that have become an option in recent
years. Their mission is “to assure all
residential and business consumers
Hill
Krebs
“The electric light has caused me the
greatest amount of study and has required
the most elaborate experiments …”
— Edison
access to adequate, safe and reliable
utility services at fair prices, while
facilitating an environment that provides competitive choices. In carrying out our mission, we must balance
consumer protection by creating a fair
competitive environment, while relaxing regulation where appropriate.”
– Calendar of Events –
This Week
Wednesday, March 2
Urban Farming – Not Your Backyard Garden
Featuring Michelle Mills, president and CEO of
St. Stephens Community House, Joseph Swain, chief
cultivating officer at Swainway Urban Farm, Casey Hoy,
Faculty Director, the Initiative for Food and AgriCultural
Transformation and the Kellogg Endowed Chair
in Agricultural Ecosystems Management OSU,
moderated by Elissa Schneider, major gift director
at the Mid-Ohio Food Bank
Sponsored by The Ohio State University
The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel represents residents’ interests with the
PUCO, federal regulatory agencies,
appellate courts and the Ohio General Assembly. The counsel monitors
public utility compliance and offers
education about utility issues to consumers involving pricing and quality
Vegas
Haque
of service. The nine governing board
members are appointed by Ohio’s attorney general. The Counsel has approximately 35 employees and an
operating budget of $5.6 million. Its
operating funds are paid through a fee
on the intrastate gross earning of utilities and other entities regulated by the
PUCO, not from government taxes.
The forum series, “Fueling Ohio’s
Future,” is presented by American
Electric Power with support for the forum from Columbia Gas and in partnership with the OSU Office of Energy
and the Environment.
————
CMC forums are frequently aired
on the Ohio Channel via WOSU digital and Columbus Television at channel 3 on Insight and Time Warner
and channel 99 on Warner, WOW and
AT&T U-Verse. For schedule details,
visit ctv.columbus.gov.
Astrophysicist
wows CMC crowd
Last Tuesday, Feb. 23, 100
CMC members and their guests
enjoyed a evening with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson
at the soldout Palace Theatre.
With no major theatrics on
stage, Tyson shared his view of
the universe, Earth and education in his two and a half hour
presentation delivered sans
shoes. There were a few slides
that demonstrated Tyson’s
thoughts, including the periodic table labeled with the country of where the element was
discovered. His program ended
with a reading from “The Carl”
(Sagan) as the theatre turned
dark and an amazing image of
Saturn, taken from the Cassini
spacecraft, was shown on the
screen.
Prior to the theatre presentation, many CMC members and
guests stopped by Oliver’s, in
Lynn Alley, for a drink, appetizers or dinner.
The next Members First event
will be May 17 for the Broadway in Columbus presentation
of “Dirty Dancing” at the Ohio
Theatre. CMC has a group of
tickets reserved on the main
floor of the theatre. All CMC
guests will be invited to a preperformance reception, at the
theatre, courtesy of PNC Bank.
Columbus Metropolitan Club’s Feb. 24
forum focused on housing trends
Upcoming
Wednesday, March 9
CMC and AEP present
Fueling Ohio’s Future:
Keeping the Lights On
Featuring Gene Krebs, chair of the Ohio Consumers’
Council, Ned Hill, economist and professor at
OSU’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs, Pablo
Vegas, president and COO, American Electric Power
Ohio and Asim Haque, commissioner, Public Utilities
commission of Ohio (PUCO)
Series sponsored by American Electric Power
and Columbia Gas
In partnership with OSU Office of Energy and
the Environment
Wednesday, March 16
Cal Thomas
A conservative’s conservative, syndicated columnist,
pundit, author and radio commentator Cal Thomas
will be interviewed by Carol Luper, retired television
journalist
Photos by Rick Buchanan
Participating in the forum were CMC CEO Jane Scott, from sponsor Dispatch Media Group Nikhil Hunshikatti, CMC board member Kermit Whitfield, speakers Jim Hilz, Mark Wagonbrenner, Tim Hall, Jim Weiker and from sponsor WBNS 10TV Joe Gallo.
The Columbus Metropolitan Club’s Feb.
24 program, CMC 40th Best of Columbus: Housing Trends that Will Define US,
featured Jim Hilz, executive director the
Building Industry Association of Central
Ohio, Mark Wagenbrenner, CEO Wagenbrenner Company, Tim Hall, area president for M/I Central Ohio, Jim Weiker,
real estate reporter for The Columbus Dispatch.
The forum was sponsored by 40th Celebration Honorary Founders Dispatch
Media Group, WBNS-10TV and American
Electric Power.
Wednesday, March 23
The Newspaper is the News
Featuring Kirk Davis, CEO Gatehouse Media,
Ray Paprocki, publisher and general manager of
Dispatch Magazines, Brad Harmon, publisher of
The Columbus Dispatch
On Sale NOW
Tuesday, April 12
CMC 40th Bonus Event
Dr. Lori’s Antiques Appraisal Comedy Show
At Franklin Park Conservatory’s new Wells Barn
7:00 p.m. dessert and cash bar
In partnership with Goodwill Columbus and
Grandview Mercantile
With Support from Franklin Park Conservatory
Sponsored by 40th Celebration Honorary Founders
Dispatch Media Group, American Electric Power
and WBNS-10TV
RE-TWEETS FROM
THE FEBRUARY 24
CMC FORUM
– @CMCFORUM
Tuesday, May 17
CMC Members First Event
Dirty Dancing
Join CMC members and guests at opening night
at “Dirty Dancing” at the Ohio Theatre with a
pre-performance reception sponsored by PNC Bank
Main Floor seats and Reception $80
CMC forums are held at the Athletic Club of Columbus,
136 East Broad Street, unless otherwise noted.
Check-in for forums at the Athletic Club is at 11:30 a.m. with
lunch served at noon. The program concludes at 1:15 p.m.
and guests are encouraged to continue the conversation in
the lobby with coffee and cookies.
Tasha Booker (left above), Brian Williams (right above), Warren Fishman (left below) and Kent
Thompson (right below) share questions with the speakers.
‘We’re not even close to
meeting the demand
based on the job growth
we have,’ says Jim Hilz
@biaofcentralohio
Labor availability one
of the main challengers
facing builders right now
#cmcforum
— Columbus CEO
Pre-paid reservations are required. The price is $23 for
CMC members; $33 for CMC members’ guests; and $45 for
the general public.
Wagenbrenner: I have to
pinch myself sometimes b/c
I know I drink a lot of the
local koolaid, but it’s hard
not to be excited!
Wagenbrenner: we hope
we will see lots of smaller,
closer-to-ground housing
with residential elevators &
rooftop decks!
— Kelly Atkinson
Reservations can be made online at www.columbusmetroclub.org or by calling (614) 464-3220. Anyone
requesting additional information may contact Jane Scott,
President and CEO; Andrew Campbell, Vice President
of Programming; Debby Rosenthal, Vice President of
Member Relations and Marketing, or Lanie Cuthbert,
Event Coordinator.
Wagonbrenner just
made a subtle swipe
at CbusCitySchools re
millenniels buying in city
& kids are born move to
“school districts”
— WCBE 90.5
CMC members please note that the early-bird registration
deadline has moved. The new deadline is Friday at midnight,
prior to the standard Wednesday forum.