Forwarded from: Fairfield Safe Meters <fairfieldsafemete...@gmail.com>
Fairfield Safe Meters December 17 Update Dear Fairfield Community, In light of the recent unacceptable response letters from Alliant to our Refusal Letters, we want to share with you some news on how we can still succeed at keeping our Analogs. We have had a number of reports from people in Fairfield that their Analogs have been switched out to a digital or a smart meter, without notice or approval. We need to act now to dramatically increase our number of filed online complaint forms. If you have not already done so, you can follow this link to the complaint form online and get all your friends to do the same this week, This Complaint form is the foundation for all of our next steps to keep our Analogs or get them back. Here is the online complaint form: https://iub.iowa.gov/complaint-form <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001NT-9WK6QVgijrDzCxfW5zVZckQJWNhLEAOiU-6d9ZZ-vke2gAAzu1QxsTXjs1yP9K_VvotEXh0BM2k_hYBfFihtAKfwxp-x1ZEEDDexF2RN6CbkymPr23kVh0ErQtaP5e0Jiir-IrCaUKdT6vPSoSTY_QOZp7GyE&c=HWhBIaiGQvHRFrvEdox96PcuGWYGSd8ozgVSAiWcOO_OqkFsYhi96g==&ch=_Th8Rz7scplPpxdaDA9y8zGeXYVeqUvkuLRf93qz8d34UJKi-ecXNQ==> (See bottom of email for list of suggested complaints). Its helpful if you write your complaint to us first in an email at fairfieldsafemeters.compla...@gmail.com <mailto:fairfieldsafemeters.compla...@gmail.com> and then cut and paste that wording into your complaint form so we can collect and count them. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NEWS AND INFORMATION: We want to make sure you know how the process will work to retain or regain Analog Meters so we are hosting a Community Meeting. -- Thursday, Dec 21, 2017 at Phoenix Rising 7:30-9:00 PM -- In the meantime we would like to inform you about the following: A. How the Iowa Utility Board (IUB) functions B. Alliant's Rights and Decisions C. How do we go about achieving our goal of keeping Analog Meters? (A). How the IUB functions: The IUB, has control and influence in two areas only: 1. Rate control: Anything to do with rates and rate increases, including tariffs such as the ones that Alliant claims they will charge us if we opt out. 2. Customer Service Enforcement: The IUB has the responsibility to enforce their Utility Companies to treat their customers fairly and with good customer service, so they do not take advantage of the power they have being a monopoly. The IUB has the authority to accept complaints about the Utility Companies it oversees. Complaints from Individuals are answered by the IUB and copied to the Office of Consumer Advocacy (OCA), whom they work closely with to make sure that their Utility Companies customers are satisfied. When any complaint is filed against a Utility Company such as Alliant, the IUB is required to respond to that individual with a proposed solution. The complainant has 14 days after the IUB has proposed a solution to their complaint, to either accept their solution, or ask for a hearing in person with the IUB and the opposing Utility Company present. If the IUB sees many, complaints come in, in a short space of time that are similar in nature, that group can qualify to file what is called an F.C.U. docket, and that is when the OCA (which has an Attorney on staff), is called into action to defend that injured group in the IUB Hearing. Yes, at that point, the OCA is here to defend us. This is our goal, to turn in enough complaints about Alliant's refusing to allow us to keep our Analogs, to warrant a Hearing in which they (OCA) will present to the IUB our group of complaints, claiming that there is a massive customer service problem, and defend our case (which is their job as consumer advocates). The OCA has told us this is the only circumstance under which they will defend our position in a hearing setting. The OCA said it is very much like Court, and we will be invited to have an Attorney defend our case. (B) Alliant’s Rights and Decisions: The IUB has explained to FFSM that Alliant already has the right to grant us an opt out including Analogs. The IUB clearly states that it does not interfere with such decisions Alliant is making. Omitting or including Analog Meters in the opt-out program is entirely up to Alliant and the IUB/OCA will not interfere, UNLESS there is a large customer base that is unsatisfied with Allian's decisions. *****Alliant has made an internal decision to refuse to allow Analogs to be a part of the opt out, of their own volition, not because of guidance from the IUB, nor will Alliant be seeking or securing input on this decision from the IUB. We have been misled on this point. (C). How do we go about achieving our goal of retaining or regaining our Analog Meters? The IUB has told FFSM that it has no agenda for the Smart Meter roll out to be successful or not, They claim complete neutrality. They told us both verbally and in writing, that this is Alliant’s project, and they will only become involved if Alliant is not serving their customers’ needs, and if those customers file large numbers of complaints proving that a large percentage of our Fairfield population is like minded on keeping Analog Meters. If the number of complaints filed is insignificant, they will assume that the complaints are coming from a very noisy minority and our case will not be strong. **This is why you need to have your Alliant Account number and address on your complaint form to prove you are an actual customer and have the right to file this complaint. Please put it at the top of the body of your complaint. Q. How does FFSM know all of this above information is true, we have been told conflicting information many times? A. We called the IUB and asked them, we had several people double check this verbally over the phone, and then we asked the IUB to put these answers in writing. The IUB Communications Manager, confirmed this information with the actual 3 Board members of the IUB and sent that confirmation to FFSM in writing. FFSM asked the OCA Attorney what kind of numbers of complaints it will take to initiate an FCU docket, and he said, "the biggest number you can get. The larger percentage of the population that is in agreement, the stronger the case, we need to hear all of your voices". ****** IF THE IUB RULES IN OUR FAVOR, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO FORCE ALLIANT TO LET US KEEP, AND/OR CAUSE THEM TO RETURN OUR ANALOG METERS********* 54,000 households in California have been granted their Analogs already and about 4,000 households on Kauai have already kept their Analogs, and many more around the US and now in Canada and England as well. This is a reasonable and doable outcome based on these precedents. In Fairfield, we currently have 3,308 total households that comprise our population of about 10,000. We would like to hit as close to 2000 complaint forms filed as we can to make the case for our hearing ironclad. We hope all complaint forms will be in by Friday Dec 22nd ! It Please forward this email to all of your lists and Fairfield friends and, especially, post on your FB pages. We have only to gain from filing complaints because Alliant is now saying "No Analogs, case closed" so it is time to turn up the heat. Thank you Fairfield residents for your prompt attention. Merry Christmas, Fairfield Safe Meter group We are Jennifer, Robert, Janet, Kathy, Shai, Simon, Chris, And many beloved volunteers and supporters too numerous to name “All We Want for Christmas is our Analog Meters” * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Note If anyone (like North Campus Village) had Digital Meters from the start of their electrical service, they should say in their Complaint Description text, that they want the right to have those replaced with Analog meters without penalties or fees. We will have volunteers at HyVee this Mon, Dec 18, Tues the 19th, and Wed, the 20th, from 1-4;30 with hard copy complaints to fill in there, and we will scan them in. Bring your acct. no and you can also do a Certified Letter to Alliant if you have not done that yet. - - - - - - - - - Begin Suggested Complaint Text - OR use your own words - - - - - - - - - - 1. Alliant is attempting to force me to accept, use and pay for Smart Meter technology that I do not believe is safe for myself and family. 2. Alliant is refusing to acknowledge my rights as a consumer to choose the product that I trust and consider safe. I sent a Certified Mail Refusal Letter to Alliant Energy insisting that I be offered the right to keep my Analog meter. I was told that Alliant will disregard my letter. When I walked into the Alliant Open House they posted on Q & A, Q. Can I keep my Analog? A. NO. Then the phone call to Alliant they suggested we make, is an ‘Opt-In’ to whatever options they are deciding to offer, disregarding what we want. We were told we would have a contract to review and we have not been given one, we have nothing in writing. 3. Alliant's alternative technology, called the "Digital Meter" is also not acceptable to me as it causes Dirty Electricity which is a known health hazard. 4. Alliant Customer Service Representative told me on the phone that if I insist on keeping my Analog, I may end up with no Power at all which is life threatening in the Winter and unlawful, taking unfair advantage of their monopoly, and using unreasonable force. 5. Alliant has misrepresented the facts of the Smart Meter radiation and functioning details on their website. Measurements made on Alliant smart meters in Wisconsin show radiation several times a minute. Alliant is telling people that radiation is 6 times per day. 6. The meter they are installing has a history of starting fires. 7. I do not want to live in a town covered by EMF smog, a cloud of radiation. I am not willing to have radiation in my home and town around the clock with no ability to turn it off, escape from or obtain relief from its influence. 8. I am not interested in allowing the surveillance abilities of the Smart Meters to monitor any of the activities in my home. I do not want the usage of my appliances collected and sent to any other party, I consider this a violation of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution. IN SUMMARY: I want to keep my Analog meter and not have to pay a fine or penalty initially or periodically thereafter for this arrangement. Recorded video of State Attorney General Meeting December 5, 2017 click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztmMV27BwoM <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztmMV27BwoM> Recorded video of Alliant's Open House Measurements, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjCHFMByb9c&t=35s <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjCHFMByb9c&t=35s> Fairfield Safe Meters Fairfield, IA 52556 See what's happening on our social sites <applewebdata://582D6956-4431-4AC4-B779-F440CD0C895E> <applewebdata://582D6956-4431-4AC4-B779-F440CD0C895E> <applewebdata://582D6956-4431-4AC4-B779-F440CD0C895E> FF Safe Meters | Janet Evertsen, 501 N. 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