Former manager receives Public Power award

Former manager receives Public Power award
Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer

TEMPLETON - Former Templeton Municipal Light and Water Manager Gerald Skelton received the James E. Baker Service Award last week from the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company for lifetime achievement in public power service.

Mr. Skelton helmed the Municipal Light Department for 24 years, taking over the Municipal Water Department as well in 2000 once the two entities merged. He described his time at the plant as “the best years of his life” and fondly remembers working both for the town and the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company.

“I enjoyed those years thoroughly,” Mr. Skelton commented. “I loved my job.”

After his reluctant retirement[?], Mr. Skelton went on to serve as on the Light and Water Commission and as a selectman for several years.
 

 

Former Templeton Municipal Light and Water Manager Sean Hamilton presents Gerald Skelton with the James E. Baker Service Award.

 In addition to his work in Templeton, Mr. Skelton sat on the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company Board of Directors for nine years, with three years dedicated to serving as the board’s chairman.

Mr. Skelton was instrumental in organizing a debt refunding initiative — benefiting municipal light plants and ratepayers across the commonwealth, according to former Templeton Municipal Light and Water Plant Manager Sean Hamilton.

Mr. Skelton also lobbied the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on behalf of Massachusetts Municipal Whol-esale Electric Company and other public power entities in Washington, D.C., while acting as New England Public Power’s representative on the Policymakers Council.

While on Capitol Hill, Mr. Skelton said he visited legislators and advocated, not only on behalf of the state’s public power companies, but also for Templeton — establishing lucrative relationships with former Rep. John Olver, D-Mass., and former Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., which helped bring millions in funding for roads and other projects to Templeton.

“We got to know Mr. Olver and Mr. Kerry very well,” Mr. Skelton commented. “We just became pretty good friends.”

The James E. Baker Service Award was created in honor of the former Shrewsbury Municipal Light Department manager who helped create the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company in 1960.

Mr. Hamilton said the award it is meant to recognize “distinguished service to the public and to the MMWEC.”

Mr. Skelton said Mr. Baker was a “pioneer” in the field of public power and that he was honored to be first to receive the award.

“I think it’s tremendous to be remembered by your peers and your past peers,” he stated.

Mr. Hamilton agreed, saying that he was glad that — even a decade after his retirement — Mr. Skelton’s accomplishments were still recognized and appreciated.

“It speaks volumes as to the importance of having had MMWEC and Public Power advocates like Jerry (Skelton)  keeping our legislators informed and protecting public power consumers rights during deregulation,” Mr. Hamilton commented.

Although he is no longer officially involved with the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company or the Templeton Light and Water departments, Mr. Skelton said he likes to keep up-to-date with their activities. Looking back, he said joining the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company had been a win-win situation for both the town and electric company.

“I was just fortunate that I had commissioners that supported me and the idea,” he said.