Orlando, Fla. — Mayor Steve Leifson, Chair of the Utah Municipal Power Agency, received the Spence Vanderlinden Public Official Award during the American Public Power Association’s National Conference in Orlando, Florida. The award recognizes elected or appointed local officials who have contributed to the goals of the American Public Power Association (APPA).
Leifson has been active in APPA since 2007 and has been a member of APPA's Policy Makers Council since January 2010. As a Utah Municipal Power Agency (UMPA) director, serving multiple terms as chair and vice-chair, Leifson has traveled to Washington, D.C. for every APPA Legislative Rally since 2007 to meet with congressional leaders. For the past 10 years as a member of the Policy Makers Committee, he has attended mid-year visits to Washington in support of the public power agenda.
“Mayor Leifson has demonstrated a long-term commitment to public service, and public service is the foundation of public power," remarked Layne Burningham, President and CEO of UMPA. "He has supported the benefits of public power, including reliability and local control, not only in Spanish Fork but at the State and Federal levels. The Mayor has long realized and protected the value of Spanish Fork’s electric utility to the citizen-consumers it serves. He is most deserving of this National award for his determined efforts. “
UMPA is the power provider for Spanish Fork and five other member cities throughout Utah, Juab, and Sanpete counties.
As mayor of Spanish Fork, Leifson has frequently met with state legislative leaders to protect the interests of public power and local control. For the past 13 years, Mayor Leifson has attended APPA's National Conference and participated in the Public Power Day of Giving. Over the years, he has carried the public power message and demonstrated a strong commitment to public power.
The American Public Power Association is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. We represent public power before the federal government to protect the interests of the more than 49 million people that public power utilities serve, and the 93,000 people they employ. Our association advocates and advises on electricity policy, technology, trends, training, and operations. Our members strengthen their communities by providing superior service, engaging citizens, and instilling pride in community-owned power.