Operating Rules & Regulations
Updated January 2026
About JULIE
Background
JULIE, Inc. (JULIE) … which stands for Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators … is a member-based, not-forprofit organization that acts as the communication conduit between underground utility facility owner/operators and excavators. JULIE’s services are used to notify underground utility facility owners, that are members of JULIE, with information from someone that is planning a project that requires digging. JULIE members or their representatives will then come out and mark the approximate location of where their underground utility lines are located before anyone ever puts a shovel in the ground. The service is free and contacting JULIE before digging is required by state law. JULIE neither owns nor marks any underground utility lines.
Based in Joliet, JULIE serves the state of Illinois with the exception of the city of Chicago, which is served by 811 Chicago (Digger). The notification center is staffed 24/7/365 with approximately 100 employees during peak seasons.
History
For more than 50 years, JULIE has made safe digging a priority so the services that are critical to our communities…like electricity, natural gas, water, communications, internet, and more… flow uninterrupted. And the residents of Illinois are protected.
In August 1974, Illinois Bell Telephone, Natural Gas Pipeline, Northern Illinois Gas and Commonwealth Edison founded JULIE as a means of preventing excavation related injuries and reducing damages to underground facilities. JULIE began operations initially in Will County and expanded its coverage by December 1980 to include all of Illinois with the exception of the city of Chicago. In February 1992, construction of a state-of-the-art facility was completed at our current location. The building has served as a model for similar facility notification centers, like JULIE, across the nation.
In 1976, the JULIE system was accepted by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) as compliance with the one-call notification section of General Order 185. The Illinois General Assembly enacted the Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act on January 1, 1991 with changes to the law in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2025.
Today, JULIE has more than 2,000 members and processes more than 1.5 million locate requests on an annual basis.
JULIE Governance
Board of Directors
JULIE’s Board of Directors consists of 10 Voting Directors and between 20 and 25 Non-Voting vice presidents that collectively represent all the different underground utility facility stakeholder groups. The Board of Directors shall manage the affairs of the Corporation as set forth in the By-Laws of JULIE, Inc.
Membership Agreement
The Membership Agreement is required to be signed by all JULIE members and provides that the member agrees to be bound by the By-Laws and the Operating Guidelines of the Corporation, as the same shall be in effect from time to time.
By-Laws
The By-Laws, which were adopted at the initial meeting of the corporation, provide that there shall be one class of members which shall consist of owners or operators of subsurface utilities whose voting rights are set forth in these ByLaws.
Board Policy Resolutions
From time to time, it is necessary for the JULIE Board of Directors to enact new policies. Some of those policies directly impact JULIE members. Here is the chronological list of member policy resolutions in place:
• #01-01 Relating to Mandatory Requirement of Member Companies and Their Subcontractors to Provide Section/Quarter Section Information on Utility Locate Requests.
• #01-02 Relating to Mandatory Requirement of Member Companies with 300 or Fewer Messages a Year to Participate in a Prepayment Plan.
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• #02-05 Relating to the Mandatory Requirement of Member Companies and their Subcontractors to Provide Free Locating and Marketing of Underground Facilities on Utility Locate Requests.
• #03-04 Relating to JULIE Members’ Database Responsibilities.
• #05-02 Authorizing Staff to Provide a New Address Generation Report Service to Members.
• #06-02 Amending the JULIE Membership Agreement to Include Townships and Counties in the Definition of Municipality.
• #07-03 Relating to Mandatory Requirement of Member Companies and Their Subcontractors to Provide Section/Quarter Section Information OR Sufficient DigSite Information to Allow for the Drawing of a DigSite Polygon on Utility Locate Requests.
• #10-03 Method of Billing of New Members after the Implementation of the New Funding Model.
• #13-03 Amending JULIE, Inc. By-laws to Allow for the Suspension or Termination of a Member for Non-payment of their Assessment.
• #18-02 Creating the JULIE Member Information Security Policy.
• #23-03 Approving a Surcharge of not more than 3% for all credit card transactions in the Member Payment Portal.
• #24-01 Requiring All JULIE Member Coordinators and Alternate Member Coordinators to Complete the JULIE Member Coordinator LMS Course.
• #24-03 Creating Response Policies for JULIE Member and JULIE Member Excavators/Subcontractors in Positive Response Related to Beyond Reasonable Control.
• #25-01 Amending JULIE By-Laws (Article XI-Fees for Services) to Clarify the Impact of Positive Response on Annual JULIE Member Assessments.
Mailing Address
The corporate headquarters of JULIE, Inc. is located at 3275 Executive Drive, Joliet, IL 60431
Corporate Website
juliebeforeyoudig.com
Member Responsibilities
In order to start and to continue to receive locate request messages from the JULIE System, each JULIE member shall provide to the Member Services Department, all of the following on the forms provided by JULIE, Inc.:
Designate a JULIE Member Coordinator and Alternate Coordinator(s)
JULIE members shall furnish the Member Services Department with the name and telephone number of a responsible person (coordinator) in their organization who can discuss and cooperate in the solution of problems that may arise between that member and the JULIE system. This designated person will be authorized to instruct JULIE regarding modifications to their company’s database.
In addition, JULIE members shall furnish the Member Services Department with the name(s) and telephone number(s) of one or two responsible people (alternate coordinator(s)) in their organization who will serve as a back-up when the member coordinator is for whatever reason unavailable.
Member coordinator and alternate coordinator designations will be maintained by members with prompt notifications when changes occur. Member Responsibilities
Member Database
Members will provide a complete geographic database that contains all underground utility facilities that they are mandated to protect under the Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act. Members must keep their databases up-to-date, making additions and deletions as they occur.
Establish Message Delivery Receiving Terminals
Designate, by geographic area, the specific receiving terminal to which each utility request message is to be distributed from the JULIE Call Center.
Notify the Member Services Department of any changes or corrections to said list(s).
Maintain Message Delivery Receiving Devices / Methods
Each member is responsible for ensuring that its receiving device(s) or method(s) is operational and provide 24 hours a day, 7 days a week coverage via primary and alternate terminal locations.
Train Member Staff that will Interact with Receipt of Messages from JULIE
All members shall instruct their necessary personnel in the operation of the JULIE System. JULIE is available to assist in this training.
Review the Daily “End of Day” Report
Upon receipt of the good morning message, each JULIE member shall determine if they received the number of messages indicated. If not, it is their responsibility to request the missing messages. JULIE’s Call Center Chief Operators should be contacted for this purpose at (815) 741-5002 or the Member Services Department at 815-741-5011.
Positive Response
Effective January 1, 2026, in addition to responding to, by marking or clearing, all utility locate request messages it receives, all JULIE members are additionally required to record within the Positive Response System hosted at JULIE, their response to every message they receive through the JULIE system.
JULIE Departments
Staff
JULIE, Inc. staff consists of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a Chief Operating Officer (COO), six Department Directors, Management staff, and Call Center and Member Services personnel.
The CEO is selected by and reports to the JULIE, Inc. Board of Directors and the Board President. The CEO focuses on member relations, board relations, legislation, and industry initiatives.
The COO reports directly to the CEO. The JULIE system, and internal operations, including all six Departments, are under the direction of the COO.
Management personnel required to operate the JULIE System report to the COO.
Organizational Chart
This management team organization chart reflects the structure of each JULIE, Inc. Department.
Administration Department
The Administration Department is responsible for overseeing both external affairs and internal operations for the organization. This Department coordinates board meeting agendas with the Board President and assists with new Board Member training.
Call Center Department
The Call Center Department is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, to receive incoming utility locate requests. When a locate request is submitted, a dig number is issued to the caller. JULIE members and/or their designated representative will receive the system-created locate request message via email or printer. A record of the request is retained for a period of five years.
Homeowners and professional excavators can utilize JULIE’s self-service programs and submit their utility locate requests online. Once submitted, the Call Center will review the information, complete the electronic request, and issue a dig number. An email confirmation will then be sent to the person who entered the utility locate request.
Call Center Chief Operators are responsible for several tasks related to members, including the delivery of manual locate requests for members who choose to receive their regular and/or after-hour notifications by phone. Additionally, Chief Operators handle the retransmission of locate requests for members who have missed a sequence number. Members who need retransmissions may call a JULIE Chief Operator 24 hours a day at 815-741-5002.
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Message Types
Keywords in the banner line of the messages delivered to JULIE members are used to help members quickly differentiate the type of locate request that was created and distributed through either the JULIE Call Center or through JULIE’s self-service programs. Those keywords or message types are defined as follows:
Emergency – Indicates an excavation that requires a response within two hours.
Emergency Rush – Indicates an emergency excavation, as defined by state law, with less than four hours prior to the start of the excavation.
Emergency Short – Indicates an emergency excavation, as defined by state law, with more than four hours, but less than two-day notice, not including the day of the notice.
Normal Notice – Indicates a two-day notice not including the day of the notice, weekends, and JULIE-recognized holidays.
Repeat Request – Indicates an additional request regarding a no show to mark, incomplete marking, remark, retransmit, or extension of an existing dig number.
Planning and Design Stage – Some large projects may need a design stage notification to be submitted by the project designer/planner. The Planning/Design Notification is beneficial for architects, engineers, and others who are in the planning or design stage of a project, and where excavation is not intended in the immediate near future. When a planner or designer indicates they are in the planning or design stage of the project, the required information will be processed, and they will be sent a list of affected member engineering contacts via email. It is then the responsibility of the individual making the request to contact each facility owner.
Joint Meet - A Joint Meet is a meeting to openly discuss a large or complicated project and to exchange information such as maps, plans, or schedules. It is not a locating session and shall be held at or near the dig site. JULIE shall not recognize a Joint Meet request as satisfactorily fulfilling the statutory requirements of the Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act and shall require excavators that request a Joint Meet to additionally call or submit online, after the Joint Meet, a valid locate request(s) in order to receive field locates. Additionally, following the Joint Meet session, a Joint Meet sheet needs to be filled out by the excavator requesting the Joint Meet and attach to the original Joint Meet ticket.
Education Department
JULIE’s Education Department shares the “JULIE Before You Dig” message by developing training, resources, and outreach programs across Illinois. Whether for homeowners, contractors, or member utility companies, we provide the knowledge and resources needed to dig safely and protect underground utilities.
Our goal is to make digging safe second nature. We do this through in-person training, online courses, our website, communication tools, and community partnerships all provided at no-cost to our members. We have Damage Prevention Managers throughout the state who provide onsite customized training and mediate issues in the field.
A major part of this work includes managing JULIE’s Learning Management System (LMS), which offers a central hub for online courses, resources, evaluations, and progress tracking. The LMS helps ensure training is consistent, accessible, and measurable for everyone we serve.
Members and partners are also encouraged to use JULIE’s website as a primary resource. There, you’ll find access to training opportunities, communication materials, safety information, reporting tools, and updates that support your work in the field and your role in damage prevention.
Finance Department
Among its most important duties, this Department is responsible for the collection of member assessment revenue, the creation of and adherence to the annual corporate budget, the payment of all bills, and the management of JULIE’s investments.
Annual Member Assessments/Billing - Sample
In September, every qualifying JULIE member coordinator will be notified of their funding contribution amount for the upcoming year. This annual assessment notification is not an invoice; it is intended to provide the exact contribution to JULIE for the coming year allowing the member to budget accordingly. In order to qualify for the annual assessment
type of invoicing, a JULIE member company must have at least a 12-month billing look back history as of July 1 of the prior year through June 30 of the current year. If you do not qualify for the annual assessment, you will be considered a pay-as-you-go member and will be invoiced quarterly. Please note that it is the coordinator’s responsibility to forward this information to the appropriate personnel in your organization.
JULIE, Inc. will send an invoice in mid-January. JULIE provides three payment options for scheduled payments: annual, semi-annual, or quarterly. If your January bill is $500.00 or less, you will be expected to pay in full upon receiving that invoice. If it is greater than $500.00, you may choose between the three payment options for scheduled payment. Electronic payment options are available and detailed on the invoice. Please contact a member of the Finance Department staff with additional questions at (815) 741-5938.
Each member company is assessed an amount as determined by the Board approved cash requirements for the upcoming year. If during the actual calendar year, your company’s notifications exceed your Annual Assessment Invoice, you will not be billed for the difference. If your company’s notifications fell short of your Annual Assessment Invoice, you will not receive a refund. The following years’ annual assessment will reflect your message activity (July 1 through June 30) as it proportionally compares to all members. JULIE member coordinators have access to several reports on the Newtin Member webpage. There is a billing reconciliation tab that allows users to see their company’s message counts by month, calendar year or assessment period. This page can be accessed at http://newtina.julie1call.com. Access to this page is password controlled. Coordinators can request or confirm a user account by contacting our Member Services Department at (815)741-5011.
Human Resources Department
The responsibilities of this Department include but are not limited to the following for our staff of nearly 100 employees: ensuring compliance within all federal, state and local labor laws; ensuring compliance within the collective bargaining agreement; and recruitment, retention and training of all personnel. This Department also leads recruitment for JULIE Board service from within our membership.
Marketing & Communications Department
JULIE’s award-winning Marketing and Communications Department leads statewide outreach efforts focused on safety and damage prevention, especially through 811 awareness and outreach campaigns targeting members, professional excavators and homeowners. Our outreach strategy, updated annually based on market research, performance analysis, and organizational initiatives, includes market research insights, goals, key strategies, target audiences, budgets, and timelines.
Core responsibilities include brand management, advertising, campaign development and execution of marketing initiatives, including the production of videos and promotional materials, content creation, search engine optimization, social media oversight, public relations, internal communications, and coordination with external vendors and agencies—all aimed at increasing awareness, engaging key audiences, and supporting JULIE’s mission and continued growth. The Department continuously seeks cost-effective improvements and plays a critical role in promoting the organization’s mission.
Member Services Department
During primary business hours (Monday through Friday), the Member Services Department assists JULIE members with member database changes and member delivery device issues.
Disaster Recovery Preparedness
At JULIE, we are committed to maintaining a safe and secure working environment for both our staff and clients. To ensure ongoing readiness, our Crisis Response Plan is reviewed and updated annually—or more frequently, if needed—to reflect current best practices and emerging risks.
Our Crisis Response Team (CRT) plays a central role in our emergency preparedness and response efforts. The CRT is composed of key decision-makers and primary client-facing personnel, representing the majority of JULIE’s workforce. This team ensures that, in the event of a crisis, both internal operations and external communications are managed effectively and efficiently.
