Easton Utilities is offering paid internship opportunities to college students entering their junior or senior year. The program consists of tours, learning workshops, projects, job shadowing, and presentations. “Our goal is to offer a robust, hands-on learning experience in a professional setting for numerous fields of study,” states Vicki Petro, Vice President of Human Resources for Easton Utilities.

The internship program is a formal, comprehensive experience led by Julie Andrew, HR Generalist. At the onset, the participants attend a series of tours to learn about the services, infrastructure, and demands of each department. The interns select a specific project or topic and are required to give a presentation to the management team at the culmination of the program. “It is important to give these interns an authentic experience with a realistic understanding of what will be expected from them in the real world,” says Hugh E. Grunden, President and CEO of Easton Utilities.

With the limited number of internship options available in this region, this program truly benefits the entire community. Giving the interns the experience needed to build their resumes is invaluable and has led to several local job placements, including a couple at Easton Utilities. Andrew herself participated in the internship program in 2018 and 2019, and is currently a full-time employee, along with several others. “Internships provide such a great opportunity for students to gain professional development which will lead to future career success,” adds Petro.

Anyone entering their junior or senior year of college looking for a rewarding experience can learn more about the internship program and apply at eastonutilities.com.

Easton Utilities’ Civil Engineer Rebecca Saduk recently joined the Board of Directors of Miss Utility of Delmarva. “I am excited to serve in this capacity as we rely on the service Miss Utility provides to protect our extensive infrastructure,” stated Saduk.

Miss Utility, short for “miss the utilities,” exists to help prevent damage to underground infrastructure and is a free service.  Anyone engaged in excavation activities is required to notify underground facility owners prior to the start of any excavation. Miss Utility of Delmarva streamlines this process by providing a service that allows excavators to notify area utility companies quickly and efficiently, either online or by calling 8-1-1. This system also allows utility companies to locate and mark the utilities in the area of excavation, then directly provide a positive response back to the excavator so they can begin their work.

Rebecca Saduk

In her role as Civil Engineer, Saduk oversees licensed Certified Public Infrastructure Inspectors and Professional Locators. Easton Utilities responds to over 6,000 requests from Miss Utility for underground electric, gas, water/wastewater, internet/fiber, and cable line marks per year. While the majority are generated by commercial excavators, several hundred requests come from private homeowners, who are required to use the service if a digging activity is planned. “Calling Miss Utility before you dig not only prevents damaging utility lines but also can prevent serious injury, including possible death,” added Saduk.

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. Visit eastonutilities.com for more information.

Tucker G. Bullock, P.E.

Easton Utilities Gas Department Manager Tucker G. Bullock, P.E., recently graduated from the Shore Leadership Class of 2022. “The Shore Leadership program offered such a great opportunity to combine leadership development with a deeper understanding of issues the Eastern Shore faces,” stated Bullock.

Over the past nine months, the graduates participated in various sessions in Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s, Worcester, Wicomico and the Lower Shore. Leadership Development trainings included: Emotional Intelligence, Transformational Leadership, Adaptability, Managing Energies, Creativity, Personal Mission Statements, the History of Leadership Development, Building Strengths, and Coaching. Each session also includes a focus on learning more about specific Eastern Shore industries and issues including Manufacturing, Agriculture, Legacy and the Environment, Education, Workforce Development and Technology, Tourism and the Arts, and Mental Health.

Easton Utilities has been a strong supporter of the Shore Leadership program since its early years and have sent numerous employees through the program. “Between the lifelong connections made and the solid leadership development brought on by the exceptional facilitators, I believe this program will have a huge impact on my role at Easton Utilities,” added Bullock.

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. Visit eastonutilities.com for more information.

Following the annual employee meeting, all Easton Utilities employees participate in a community tree planting event. This year they planted 38 trees on Commerce Drive and at John Ford Park. “I find this tradition personally rewarding as it combines teamwork and environmental stewardship with pride for our community,” said Hugh E. Grunden, President and CEO of Easton Utilities.

The entire staff of Easton Utilities planted trees, spread mulch, and placed slow-release watering bags on a variety of trees including Pin Oak, London Plaine, Red Maple, Kwanzan Cherry, Nellie Stevens Holly, Sweetbay Magnolia, Green Giant Arborvitae, and Cryptomeria Japonica. Easton Utilities Commissioner Bill Stagg, a retired Landscape Architect, created the design for the Commerce Drive warehouse location.

The tree planting initiative is a tradition at Easton Utilities since it first began in 2008. Every employee is required to participate in some capacity following the annual employee meeting. Following a safety briefing, the teams embark on their mission to plant and mulch the pre-selected location. To date, Easton Utilities has planted over 470 trees to enhance the Town of Easton.

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. Please visit www.eastonutilities.com or call 410-822-6110 to learn more.

Easton Utilities recently celebrated significant service anniversaries achieved by five employees. “These incredible individuals deserve to be recognized for their ongoing commitment to our company, our customers, and our community,” said Vicki L. Petro, Vice President of Human Resources for Easton Utilities. “We are fortunate to have them on our team.”

40 years
• David Allen, Vehicle Maintenance Supervisor
• Rob Himelright, Electric Distribution Field Technician
30 years
• Kenny Wilkins, Power Plant and General Maintenance II
20 years
• Matt Baker, Journeyman Lineman
10 years
• Amy Forrester, Graphic Designer

The Talbot County Council presented a check for $1.75 million to Easton Utilities at their meeting on Tuesday, October 11, fulfilling a promise to residents to invest in broadband access for the entire county.

“This funding will remove the only remaining barrier for those needing access to broadband service as we realize affordability is crucial,” says Chuck Callahan, Talbot County Council President. The funding for this project was made available to counties and municipalities through the American Rescue Plan Act and caps a series of investments made by Talbot County to help fund the development of infrastructure for broadband access.

Easton Utilities was selected by Talbot County through a formal Request for Information (RFI) process that began in 2017. This final funding commitment covers the Contribution In Aid of Construction (CIAC) fee, eliminating the portion of the project that was initially planned to be paid by customers.

President and CEO of Easton Utilities Hugh E. Grunden praised the Talbot County Council thanking them for prioritizing broadband by allocating this funding for Connect Talbot, the rural broadband expansion project. “The residents of Talbot County are very fortunate as all will benefit from having equal access to broadband that is being provided by this grant funding,” stated Grunden.

Grunden also provided a status update for Connect Talbot project, explaining that construction is in progress across several locations throughout the county. To date, Easton Utilities has provided access to more than 575 customers and installed almost 100 miles of fiber. The goal is to complete all construction by the end of 2026, which would make Talbot County one of the only counties in Maryland with 100% access to broadband.

All updates and project information, including an interactive map of the coverage area, can be found at EastonVelocity.com/ConnectTalbot.

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. Easton Velocity, a service of Easton Utilities, is committed to keeping our community connected and current with a variety of service offerings designed to meet the needs of both residential and commercial customers.

Mayor Willey and the Town Council awarded $3.5 million from their second round of American Rescue Plan Act funds to Easton Utilities for broadband improvement projects in Easton. “It is imperative for the residents and businesses in the Town of Easton to have access to state-of-the-art internet service” said Town of Easton Mayor Robert C. Willey.

The funds will be used for the ongoing internet infrastructure upgrade in Easton which will provide the ability for Fiber-To-The-Premise connections. The entire project has an estimated cost of $15 million. The initial construction cost is approximately $5 million and is expected to take about five years, followed by the final connections on each customer property, which will cost $10 million over multiple years. “Investing grant funds in broadband infrastructure is a great way spread the benefit across the community,” said Hugh E. Grunden, President and CEO of Easton Utilities.

Easton Utilities started planning to offer gigabit symmetric service to their existing internet customers about five years ago and completed the first phase of the upgrade in October 2020. This project spanned about two years costing approximately $10 million.

“Investing in this project will advance opportunities for all households in the Town of Easton to access the best quality internet service available today,” stated Megan M. Cook, Town of Easton Council President.

The $3.5 million will be combined with the $1.5 million from the first round of ARPA funds which the Town of Easton awarded to Easton Utilities in October 2021. Councilmember Al Silverstein said, “As a Member of the Easton Town Council, I was pleased to vote to award $3.5 million of this year’s ARPA funds to Easton Utilities allowing them to provide the fastest high-speed internet service to their customers while keeping the cost of this service as affordable as possible.”

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. Visit eastonutilities.com for more information.

Easton Utilities will recognize Public Power and Gas Week, October 2-8, along with more than 2,700 other community-powered electric and gas utilities. This annual nationwide event is intended to build public awareness about the value of having community-owned power and natural gas utilities. “As we all continue to feel the economic impact of rising energy costs, this is an ideal time to remind our customers of the many benefits of public power and gas including lower rates, increased reliability and exceptional customer service through local employees,” said John Hines, Easton Utilities Electric Department Manager.

Having a public power and natural gas utility is good for the community for many reasons including:

• Customer Service: As a not-for-profit entity, public power and gas utilities focus on service, rather than profits.
• Competitive Costs: In order to offer fair and competitive rates, public power and natural gas systems operate as a not-for-profit entity. These systems do not face pressure to pay dividends to stockholders.
• Economic Benefits: Public utilities play a valuable role in helping communities broaden the tax base, and in turn improve the local economy and increase jobs. Public power and natural gas systems ensure that local dollars stay at home.
• Local Control: Decisions are made through local citizen participation instead of being made from a distant location by people who do not understand local issues and who are primarily focused on profits instead of service.

To mark Public Power and Gas Week, Easton Utilities will be sharing tips on how to save energy and money in your home. “The importance of conservation can’t be emphasized enough, especially as we head into the winter months and face higher utility bills due to rising energy costs,” stated Tucker G. Bullock, Gas and Meter Department Manager for Easton Utilities.

Easton Utilities is a member of the American Public Power Association and the American Public Gas Association. These associations advocate and advise on various policy, trends, training and operations. They provide benchmarks and standards for all member utilities to use for measurement and accountability.

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. For more information, visit www.eastonutilities.com or call 410-822-6110.