Purpose/Duties
The Ohio Municipal Electric Association provides legislative liaison services for American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) and 80 Ohio public power communities, with the goal of protecting the independence and constitutional rights of Ohio municipal electric systems. OMEA services include lobbying, member activities, coalition building, and legislative analysis. The OMEA also serves as the legislative liaison to AMP Inc. and represents the state and federal legislative interests of Ohio municipal electric communities.
Although closely aligned with AMP, the OMEA is a separate, nonprofit entity guided by a 16-member Board of Directors. The OMEA Board is composed of 12 elected officials from member communities and four municipal electric systems representatives who may be, but are not required to be, elected officials of the communities they serve.
The OMEA staff performs five primary functions:
- Monitor Legislation- OMEA staff members review, on average, more than 500 bills each year for their potential to affect municipal electric systems. Bills with such potential are examined in detail and tracked as they progress through the legislative process. Assisted by Washington-based counsel, the OMEA monitors and tracks federal legislation affecting public power systems.
- Advocate- OMEA staff members and community officials meet with legislators, key legislative aides, and state agency officials, relating the organization’s position on important issues and fostering an awareness of the organization and its member municipal electric systems.
- Build coalitions- The OMEA participates in coalitions on legislative issues and works to create awareness of public power issues with various interest groups and allies. It also works closely with the American Public Power Association on national public power issues and with the Ohio Municipal League on issues of mutual interest.
- Act as an information resource- The OMEA staff and counsel regularly provide information to members, the media, and other audiences about OMEA issues, including the role of municipal electric systems in the restructured electric industry.
- Organize member activities- As part of its mission, the OMEA develops and organizes programs to keep members aware of, and involved in, the legislative process.
Meeting Times
For more information, contact OMEA executive director Michael Beirne at 614-540-1111 or mbeirne@amppartners.org.
Membership
| Name | Term |
|---|---|
| Kristin Peterson | 01/01/2022 - 12/31/2024 |
A complete membership roster can be found here.
Important Documents
Links
Questions related to the application process for City board and commission appointments should be directed to the Oberlin Clerk of Council’s Office