Municipal power group recognizes Fallon mayor

Fallon Mayor Ken Tedford has been honored as Elected Official of the Year at the recently held members meeting of the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) in Salt Lake City.

The Elected Official of the Year Award recognizes an elected official of a member utility who has provided exceptional service to the local utility and public power, demonstrating vision and unusual devotion in the performance of their duties.

Tedford is a lifelong resident of Fallon. He was elected to the City Council in 1987 and served eight years before being elected mayor. As mayor, Tedford oversees the city’s electric, water, water treatment, wastewater, sanitation and landfill enterprises.

Tedford has been a steadfast leader and supporter of public power throughout his years of service. He was instrumental in the city’s decision to join UAMPS.

“Since the city was incorporated in 1908, I think one of the finest decisions we ever made as a city was to join UAMPS,” Tedford said. “I accept this award on behalf of the city council, staff and the crews on the ground. Each of them work hard every day to make life-enriched services for the residents of Fallon.”

Tedford is father to four children, and he continues to own and operate Tedford Tire and Auto Service, a small business in Fallon started by his parents in 1947.

Presentations and speeches at the member meeting focused on UAMPS 2016 accomplishments; the challenges facing public power, including new technologies enabling distributed energy generation; regulatory issues; and continued investigation of a small modular nuclear reactor energy project.

UAMPS officers include Jackie Flowers, general manager of Idaho Falls Power, as board chair; Jason Norlen, representing Heber Light & Power, as vice chair; Les Williams, representing Beaver City, as secretary; and Dwight Day, representing Oak City, as treasurer.

UAMPS is a joint-action agency providing wholesale electricity and electric energy services to 47 public power utility members in seven western states. Established in 1980, UAMPS helps its members with planning, financing, development, acquisition, construction, operation and maintenance of various projects for the generation, supply, transmission and management of electric energy.