TIP OF THE MONTH Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your room air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.—Source: energy.gov

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MAY 2016 | THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF COBB ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION

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Cobb EMC, Etowah High School and Holly Springs Elementary STEM Academy recently sponsored a Star Wars-themed LEGO® building competition for second- through eighth-graders and high school students.

Students competed within their grade level and were given identical LEGO® kits to assemble. Judging was based on both speed and accuracy. Grand- prize winners for each grade received $125, while runners-up received $100. For the adult rounds, first, second and third prize winners received LEGO®

kits. Contestants were also able to take home all sets they built during competition.

Between competitions, East Cobb Robotics, Etowah High School and Walton High School robotics teams entertained more than 600 competitors and attendees with robotic displays and demonstrations. Additionally, Holly Springs hosted several interactive breakout sessions including balloon rockets and helicopter builds. Door prizes were also awarded to students who did not place.

A total of $5,000 in proceeds raised at the event will benefit Etowah High School Robotics and Holly Springs Elementary STEM Academy.

Cobb EMC sponsors STEM LEGO competition

Upcoming eventsOffice closingCobb EMC will be closed May 30 for the Memorial Day holiday. Crews are always standing by for emergencies. Please call our automated outage system at 770-429-2100 in the event of an outage.

Annual MeetingThe 2016 Annual Meeting will take place Sept. 17. Key dates & deadlines:

• May 27: Nomination petitions for Director elections must be submitted (Sec. 3.07). Terms for directors of districts 4, 5 and 8 will be expiring at the Annual Meeting.

• June 9: Member sponsored bylaw amendments must be submitted (Sec. 10.01).

• August 12: Notice must be received from any member desiring to exceed the 5 minute speaking limitation for the Annual Meeting (Sec. 2.12).

Stay up-to-date at cobbemc.com/annualmeeting.

C O N N E C T I O N S | M AY 2 0 1 6

Pictured above: Third-graders compete in the finalist round.

Pictured below: Winning students stand with Wattson, Cobb EMC’s safety ambassador.

2 0 B C O N N E C T I O N S | M AY 2 0 1 6

Control your bill with our innovative rateAs a Cobb EMC member, you’ll soon have the option to take advantage of a new rate that puts you in control of your electric bill.

Available in June, the Smart Choice Rate is an innovative rate that gives members a simple way to reduce their electric bill by conserving energy during a limited number of hours each summer. The Smart Choice Rate also makes budgeting easy by minimizing fluctuation in power bills,

allowing members to more easily budget expenses.

What’s more, this rate plan helps the co-op save and, in turn, could help keep rates low.

All members are part of a larger system and when energy use is lowered at the most critical times—during peak conservation hours when demand spikes—Cobb EMC can reduce the cost of electric generation.

To fairly cover the cost of power production and transmission, utilities across the country use rates like Smart Choice. Cobb EMC’s Smart Choice Rate ensures that members who use a significant amount of energy during peak conservation hours pay for its availability, and those members who use less benefit from lowering their use during these hours.

One of the biggest advantages of being served by a cooperative is that we work only for you. In a challenging electric utility industry, we are committed to safely delivering reliable, competitively priced electricity to our members.

Learn more about the Smart Choice Rate at www.cobbemc.com/smart.

Chip Nelson President and CEO

B R I N G I N G Y O U T H E POWER O F M E M B E R S H I PCONNECTIONS

Do we have your latest information on file?It helps us alert you in case of changes in service that could affect your home or business. Plus, by providing your email, you’ll be made aware of the latest discounts, promotions and news available to our members.

Updating your account information is simple. Give us a call at 770-429-2100, or visit www.cobbemc.com/update.

Cobb Electric Membership Corporation

www.cobbemc.comEmail: memberservices@cobbemc.com

President and CEO Chip Nelson

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairman Bryan Boyd

Vice Chairman Tripper Sharp

Secretary-Treasurer Malcolm Swanson Eric Broadwell Kelly Bodner Edward Crowell David McClellan David Tennant Rudy Underwood

Editorial Staff Brooke Melton Angela Croce, CCC

Contacts & Office HoursPhone: 770-429-2100Report an outage: 770-429-2100Fax: 770-429-3330Pay by phone: 1-855-730-8714

In person:1000 EMC Parkway Marietta, GA 30060

Walk-in hours:Monday – Friday (8 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

Drive-through hours: Monday – Friday (7 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

Effective July 5, new walk-in and drive-through hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Member Care Center hours: Monday – Friday (7 a.m. – 6 p.m.)Saturday (8 a.m. – 3 p.m.)

Express Pay drop box is available for non-cash payments 24/7

2 0 CGEORGIA MAGAZINE

Smart Choice Rate Start taking control of your bill today.

The Smart Choice Rate gives you a smart way to manage your bill. Thanks to this innovative rate program, you have a simple way to reduce your annual electric bill. Simply control your use at the right time to control your bill.

With this rate, by lowering your use during peak hours just a little, you can lower your annual cost of service.

Learn more at www.cobbemc.com/takecontrol

POWER OF MEMBERSHIPBRINGING YOU THE

BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF ENERGY

C O N N E C T I O N S | M AY 2 0 1 62 0 D

Make energy efficiency work for your budgetA budget can feel restricting when considering energy-efficient upgrades for a home. Try these no-cost and low-cost tips to boost home efficiency without stretching your budget!

No-cost energy efficiency tips

• Ceiling fans are a great way to keep cool during summer months and can even allow you to raise your thermostat setting about 4 degrees without affect-ing your comfort.

• Got a programmable thermostat? Use it to automatically lower and raise your home’s temperature. Setting your thermostat 2 degrees Fahrenheit higher in summer and lower in the winter results in major energy savings.

• When cooking, keep the lids on pots, and let hot food cool off before placing it in the refrigerator.

Low-cost energy efficiency tips

• Check for gaps around doors and windows. Can you see daylight? If so, you can seal cracks with caulk or weather stripping to reduce air flow.

• When lightbulbs burn out, replace them with LEDs, which have an estimated operational life span of up to 50,000 hours. Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when purchasing LEDs.

• Summer is right around the corner! Have you changed your home’s air filter? A dirty air filter makes your system work harder to keep you cool, which wastes energy.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy

Beat the peak

Did you know that you could help your co-op reduce how much it pays for electricity? It’s true. All you have to do is lower energy use during peak conservation hours.

On certain days in the months of June through September from 2 to 7 p.m., Cobb EMC’s demand peaks. This usually occurs on weekdays when we experience the highest temperatures.

Limiting your energy use during these hours helps the co-op save and, in turn, could help keep rates low.

Lower your energy use to beat the peak! Learn more at cobbemc.com/beatthepeak.

Install energy-efficient LED lights under your cabinets for an instantly brighter kitchen.

cobbemc.com/conserve

BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF MEMBERSHIP

GEORGIA MAGAZINE 2 0 E

Show us your design skills!Design our Annual Meeting T-shirt and win cash

Cobb EMC invites members to show off their design talents by creating a one- of-a-kind T-shirt for our Annual Meeting. The winning design will be printed on thousands of T-shirts, which will be distributed Sept. 17 at the Annual Meeting. The winner also receives a $1,000 cash prize.

How the contest worksDesign a T-shirt that relates to Cobb EMC or energy efficiency and submit your artwork by June 30. After the closing date for submissions, June 30, at 5 p.m., up to three finalists will be selected. In July, the designs will be shared on Cobb EMC’s Facebook page where fans can vote for their favorite design. The winner will be announced at the Annual Meeting. For a list of contest deadlines and details, visit www.cobbemc.com/tshirt.

• The first place winner receives $1,000 cash and their design printed on thousands of T-shirts.

• The second place finalist receives $500 cash.

• The third place finalist receives $250 cash.

How to enterOnce your design is ready, complete the online submission form and upload your artwork. On our website, you’ll find the submission form, contest details, example T-shirt designs, frequently asked questions and official rules. All contest participants must adhere to the official rules of the contest.

YOUR DESIGNHERE

1st

$250 cash

2nd 3rd$500 cash

$1,000 cash

Your design on thousands

of T-shirts.

What makes us who we are? Four simple ideas: energy, membership, safety and community. We bring you the power of all four.

cobbemc.com/myemc

Member wins laptop

Chattahoochee Technical College student and Cobb EMC member Nick Holt was the lucky winner of GEORGIA Magazine’s 2015 laptop giveaway contest. Pictured: Holt receives a new Dell laptop from Cobb EMC’s Angela Croce, director of corporate communications, and Mark Goddard, director of commercial marketing and Chattahoochee Tech Board of Trustees member.

BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF SAFETY

Planting tips to rememberStarting your spring gardening soon? It’s important to know what lies under-ground before prepping the garden. Consider the following tips before you begin digging:

1. Decide what and where you want to plant. When considering placement, select a planting location that will not interfere with utility lines both in the air and underground. Tree branches can interfere with overhead power lines and roots can do the same with underground utilities.

2. Call before you dig. Once you have your planting area selected, make sure to call Georgia 811 before putting a shovel in the ground. The “Call Before You Dig” number is a free service that locates and marks underground public utilities. Call at least three days in advance of when you want to dig to provide enough time for a professional to locate underground utilities such as electri-cal, gas, water, cable and telephone.

3. Check the weather forecast before working outdoors. If it’s raining or the ground is wet, do not use elec-tric power or yard tools. Always store power tools and extension cords in dry areas. Replace any that have been damaged by water.

Source: Safe Electricity

2 0 F C O N N E C T I O N S | M AY 2 0 1 6

When working in the yard, keep ladders at least 15 feet away from power lines.

cobbemc.com/safety

Report an outage

Cobb EMC works year-round to make sure we’re ready to respond to outages. When severe weather is predicted, our trucks are stocked and our crews are ready to mobilize if an outage occurs.

Follow us on social media to stay informed during an outage. However, power outages should not be reported on our social media sites. Our social media team cannot schedule crews, and these accounts are not monitored 24/7.

For 24/7 outage reporting, please use one of the following methods:

• Call 770-429-2100 and follow the automated prompts.

• Visit cobbemc.com/outagecenter to report an outage, view an estimated restoration time and find important safety tips.

Trees with mature height >40’ tall50’ away

Mature trees <40’ tall30’ away

Small trees & shrubs <25’ tallwithin 20’

50 ft

40 ft

20 ft

10 ft

30 ft

30 ft

50 ft

Give a ChanceT R E E S

Trees planted too close to power lines grow into a BIG problem. To prevent power outages and safety hazards, these trees need to be trimmed and sometimes removed. Do your part to keep trees healthy and prevent power outages.

Plant trees a safe distance from power distribution lines.

Within 20 ft (but not under lines)

BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

Cobb EMC announces 2016 Washington Youth Tour winnersLocal students set sights on leadership trip

Cobb EMC recently selected three winners for this year’s Washington Youth Tour scholarship program.

• First place: Olivia Klingler, of Etowah High School, will receive a $1,500 scholarship, a trip to Washington, D.C., and eligibility to interview for Cobb EMC’s summer internship.

• Second place: Veena Jaipradeep, of Milton High School, will receive a $1,000 scholarship, a trip to Washington, D.C., and eligibility to interview for Cobb EMC’s summer internship.

• Third place: Trey Collins III, of North Cobb Christian School, will receive a $500 scholarship.

The 2016 Washington Youth Tour is a fully paid leadership trip sponsored by 38 of Georgia’s electric co-ops, including Cobb EMC. As Georgia’s oldest leadership program for teens, the Youth Tour is designed to teach students about U.S. history, the role of democracy, the importance of community and public service, and the need for civic leadership.

Winners Klingler and Jaipradeep will travel to Washington, D.C., June 9-16. While there, these student delegates will join nearly 1,600 Youth Tour participants from co-ops across the nation, providing another life experience: the chance to meet and learn from a diverse group of peers representing nearly every state in the U.S.

These students also tour museums, memorials and monuments, providing a history lesson that can’t be learned from any textbook.

The Washington Youth Tour was inspired by former President Lyndon Johnson who, as a senator in 1965, encouraged electric cooperatives “to send youngsters to the nation’s capital where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents.”

2 0 GGEORGIA MAGAZINE

Our purpose is mighty: to power communities, and empower members to improve the quality of their lives.

cobbemc.com/community

A little change makes a BIG difference

The Cobb EMC Community Foundation has awarded more than $1,672,300 in Operation Round Up® funds, to date, with $76,500 going to the following nonprofits in March:

• 100 Black Men of North Metro• Achieve Through Education• Act Together Ministries• Advocates for Bartow’s Children• Bullock Foundation Inc. • Chattahoochee Tech Foundation • Cobb Community Alliance to

Prevent Substance Abuse Inc. • Destiny’s Daughters of Promise• The Georgia Ballet• Habitat for Humanity of

Northwest Metro Atlanta• KSU Research and Service

Foundation • LGE Community Credit Union• Lost Mountain Kiwanis

Visit cobbemc.com/roundup for a full list of March recipients or to learn how to request funding.

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POWER OF MEMBERSHIPBRINGING YOU THE

2 0 H C O N N E C T I O N S | M AY 2 0 1 6

Air Conditioning and Heating

A Saylor Company www.asaylor.com

A-Team Services Heating & Airwww.ateamheatingandair.com

Accutemp Heating & Cooling www.accutempair.com

ACR Heating & Airwww.acrheatingandair.com

Air Alliance www.airalliance-llc.com

Airstar Heating & Air www.airstarheatingandac.com

Airtech Mechanical Phone: (770) 819-2500

All-Tech Heating & Cooling Phone: (770) 421-0081

Allatoona Heating & Cooling www.allatoonaheatingandair.com

Assured Comfort Heating & Air www.assuredcomfort.com

Atlanta Air Authoritywww.atlantaairauthority.com

Atlanta Air Carewww.atlantaaircare.com

Bartlett Heating & Cooling www.callbartlett.com

Brucker HVACwww.bruckerhvac.com

Casteel Heating & Coolingwww.casteelair.com

Central Heating & Air Conditioningwww.centralheatofga.com

Champion Air Systems www.championairsystems.net

Cheshire Heating & A/C Co. www.cheshirehvac.com

Cherokee HVACwww.cherokeehvac.com

Christian Brothers Mechanical www.christianbrothersmechanical.com

Controlled Climate Serviceswww.controlledclimateservices.com

Coolray Heating & Coolingwww.coolray.com

Cool Tech HVAC www.cool-techhvac.com

Cool Air Mechanicalwww.770coolair.com

Cunningham Associates Heating and Air Conditioning www.cunninghamhvac.com

D. McKeon Heating & Airwww.dmckeon.com

Dayco—Air Reliantwww.daycosystems.com

Dependable Serviceswww.dependableservices.com

Dickerson Heating & Airwww.dd-hvac.com

DLM Heating & Airwww.dlmheatingandair.com

Dobbs Heating & Air www.dobbshvac.com

Ductz of Greater Atlantawww.ductzatlanta.com

E. Dennis Air Conditioning www.eddennishvac.ruudreliable.net

E. Smith Heating & Air Conditioningwww.esmithair.com

Edwards Heating & Airwww.edwardsheating.com

Estes Heating and Air Conditioningwww.estesair.com

Extreme Mechanical www.extremelytrane.com

Green Heating & Cooling www.greenheatingandcooling.com

Gus HVAC www.gushvac.com

Looking for an HVAC expert? We’ve already done the research for you! As a member of Cobb EMC, you are connected to a network of contractors through our Approved Contractor Network. Below are our approved HVAC contractors, listed A through G. Look for the rest of our HVAC contractors in our July newsletter. A complete list of participating approved contractors is always available at www.cobbemc.com/contractors.