Nationwide, SmartHub - Pioneer Utility Resources · 2015. 5. 12. · See for yourself with the...

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www.clearwaterpower.com

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Nationwide, SmartHubhas been used by more than

450,000 consumers!(The SmartHub platform is used by over 400 utilities across the country.)

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4230 Hatwai Road • PO Box 997Lewiston, ID 83501(888) 743-1501(888) 798-5280 (Propane)www.clearwaterpower.com

Board of Directors:Alan Lansing, Lenore, Idaho PresidentKenneth Weiss, Asotin, Washington Vice-PresidentM.M. Harris, Saint Maries, Idaho Secretary-TreasurerRobert Callison, Kendrick, Idaho Assistant Secretary-TreasurerThomas Hutchinson, Craigmont, IdahoPamela Anderson, Potlatch, IdahoRichard E. Butler, Culdesac, Idaho

Management & Sta� K. David Hagen

General ManagerEdwin Ausman

Director of Purchasing and WarehousingLisa Hall

Manager of Financial and O� ce ServicesLorrie McCabe Director of Member ServicesDouglas Pfa� Manager of EngineeringRobert Pierce Manager of Member ServicesScott Seegmiller Manager of Information SystemsCynthia Tarola Director of AccountingStanley Vannoy Manager of Operations

Business Hours:Monday - Thursday7:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.Closed Fridays

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to � le a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_� ling_cust.html, or at any USDA o� ce, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Offi ce of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S. W, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at [email protected]

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Board of DirectorsPresident Lori Anderson, Condon Vice President John Qualls, HeppnerSecretary/Treasurer Roy Carlson, Fossil

Gary Wilde, OlexDan Lindsay, Lexington Gerry Arnson, HeppnerDeacon Heideman, Ione

ManagerTom Wolff, Heppner

171 Linden WayP.O. Box 398

Heppner, OR 97836 (541) 676-9146

[email protected]

Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative’s main objective is to provide reliable electric service to its members at the lowest cost consistent with good business practice.

OR-2

32 F E B R uA R y 2015

The NFPA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission says any widely used heating device can be used safely, if the following precautions are followed:

» Buy a space heater that has been tested and labeled by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as underwriters’ Laboratory.

» Shop for a heater with an automatic safety switch that will turn it off if it is tipped over; an overheat sensor that shuts off the heater if it gets too hot; a low surface temperature to protect people and pets from burns; and a screen or grill around the heating coil, with openings small enough children’s fingers cannot get through to touch the heating element.

» Keep the heater at least 3 feet away from flammable objects. Do not place it where towels or other items could fall on it.

» Do not hide cords under rugs or carpets. Placing anything on top of the cord could cause it to overheat and cause a fire.

» unless absolutely necessary, do not use an extension cord, and never use a light-duty household extension cord with a heater. It could start a fire.

» Never use the heater to dry clothes or shoes, or to thaw pipes.

» unless specifically certified for that purpose, do not use heaters in wet or moist places, such as bathrooms. Corrosion to heater parts may lead to a fire or a shock hazard.

» Make sure the cord is not worn. Do not just put electrical tape over a break. Have the cord replaced by a professional. Make sure it is replaced with one designated as an HPN cord. It is the only kind acceptable for electric space heaters.

» Be sure the plug fits snugly in the outlet. A loose plug can overheat.

Board of DirectorsDan Williams, PresidentClay Smith, Vice PresidentHoward Gonser, SecretaryBarbara Nagle, TreasurerKen Leibham, Director

ManagerDwight D. Langer

Board MeetingsUsually the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the PUD offices, 2345 River Rd. The public is always welcome.

Our MissionTo provide reliable, competitively-priced energy and related services that benefit our customers, in the tradition of public power.

Our Core Values and BeliefsLocal citizens championed and fought to create our People’s Utility District. They believed—and we believe—in the public’s right to own and control its electric utility.

Today, our values are a legacy from our public power heritage, as well as guideposts for a changing future.

We believe in: Public ownership and local control. Integrity. Keeping power rates as low as possible.

Providing quality essential services. Quality customer service. Community involvement.

2345 River RoadThe Dalles, OR 97058(541) 296-2226 FAX 298-3320www.nwasco.com Dear Customers—Our Friends and Our Neighbors,

We have some well-deserved congratulations we would like to share.

First, to Energy Northwest that operates the Columbia Generating Station (CGS), the region’s only nuclear plant. CGS set a new generation record in 2014 producing 9.5 mil-lion megawatts of power.

CGS is one of the top performing nuclear plants in the nation providing our homes and businesses with carbon-free power and big savings. Hats off to CEO Mark Reddemann, his capable staff and all of the Energy Northwest employees. Job well done and keep up the great work on behalf of our

customers and community.Next, congratulations to all the utilities in the Pacific Northwest for collectively

adding another 268 aMW of energy savings through energy efficiency and conser-vation. The utilities exceeded the 2014 target of 260 aMW set by NW Power and Conservation Council which serves Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.

The region’s total investment in energy-efficiency for the year was $375 million. The savings were equivalent to about 1.34 percent of regional retail electricity sales and twice the national average. The Pacific Northwest has achieved more energy savings than any region in the U.S.

At Northern Wasco PUD, we invested $762,000 in energy efficiency and conser-vation in 2014 and achieved over 2 million kwh in energy savings.

Last, but not least, we wish to congratulate Marshall Fullenwider on his recent retirement from the PUD. Marshall worked as a journeymen lineman and crew foreman. We appreciate Marshall’s 35 years of dedication and service to the PUD, our customers and our community. Best wishes Marshall for a happy and healthy retirement with family and friends.

Until next time, have a great day.

Dwight LangerGeneral Manager

OR-3

Manager’s Report

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Board of Trustees President Ralph RiseDistrict 2, Elmer City

Vice President Albert PreugschatDistrict 8, Bridgeport

Secretary/Treasurer Monte JosephDistrict 5, Nespelem

Cindy CorpeDistrict 1, Coulee Dam

Brad DudleyDistrict 3, Belvedere

Dorothy PalmerDistrict 4, Nespelem

Patrick Morin Jr.District 6, Nespelem

Gilbert Desautel Jr.District 7, Disautel

Chuck GoldmarkDistrict 9, Okanogan

Board meetings are the fourth Tuesday of every month.

P.O. Box 31 • 1009 F St.Nespelem, WA 991558 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (M-F)Phone: (509) 634-4571Fax: (509) 634-8138 email: [email protected]: www.nvec.org

For after-hours emergencies, call 634-4571 to page an on-duty employee.

WA-5

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Manager’s MessageDear Members,The 2015 legislature is in session!

The exclamation point is meant to alert all members that we need to be especially vigilant this time of the year as to what is happening in Olympia that may affect us and future generations. Visions for the future can be quite different among individu-als, including our legislators.

Our governor has his own agenda that he believes is best. He is aggressively pur-suing that agenda, whether we as individuals or corporations agree with it or not. It is no different with our legislators as they introduce bills that can have effects, both negative and positive for your cooperative.

It is part of your member-elected board of trustees’ duties to monitor these bills and give input as needed to try to stop, shape or promote legislation that can affect Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative Inc.’s ability to provide low-cost, reliable and safe service to you.

NVEC is a member of Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association. WRECA monitors and advises cooperatives across the state on bills and issues that come out of Olympia concerning the utility industry. They work closely with our legislators in an attempt to ensure any negative effect is limited and positive effects are promoted. This goes on all year —not just when the legislature is in session. As a very small cooperative, belonging to WRECA gives NVEC a much stronger voice in Olympia.

Your board of trustees will certainly keep the members informed and may even request your help if issues arise.

Doug AdamsInterim General Manager

Last month, I discussed CPI’s operations and maintenance projects planned for 2015. These projects are developed with one overrid-ing intent: maintaining a reliable distribution system.

Our employees strive to reduce the out-ages you may experience, especially during storm-related events. However, despite our best efforts and aggressive maintenance projects, power outages are inevitable.

If you experience an outage, please report it at (541) 929-3124 or (800) 873-9036, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our automated outage reporting system ensures your call is matched to our billing system, providing accurate locations and a log of events for our dispatch center.

Updates on power restoration are pro-vided via our outage update line, social media (Twitter) and our website. Soon we will imple-ment a web-based outage map that provides better information on our restoration efforts.

The key to making these technological sys-tems effective is to have accurate contact infor-mation for your account, including your phone number.

Please do not take for granted that we have your current contact information. Verifying your information is as simple as calling our office or logging into our mobile SmartHub app via the Internet or your smart device.

Safe HeatingWith the cold weather, many of us turn to space heaters to keep our homes comfortable inside. While these portable heaters keep us

warm, they also create safety risks we do not encounter during warmer months.

Place heaters at least 3 feet away from flam-mable materials and away from areas where they can be knocked over. Use only heaters with three-prong grounded plugs directly plugged in three-hole wall outlets, and avoid using with extension cords.

With these simple tips, your family will stay warm and safe during the cold. For more safety tips, visit www.cpi.coop.

Heating EfficiencySaving energy does not mean adjusting the heater so low you end up cold. By finding ways to make your home more energy efficient, you can save money and be more comfortable. If you do not have a programmable thermostat, manually lower it before bed and raise it when you get up. Keep it as low as is comfortable.

Unless using a forced-air system, close off and reduce the temperature in unused rooms. Clean furnace filters regularly, and have your heating system tuned up annually. Arrange furniture to allow heated air to flow freely. Keep registers clean and free of obstructions.

Maximize the use of solar heat by opening drapes on the south windows during the day, and minimize heat loss by closing drapes at night.

For more information on saving energy, see our website at www.cpi.coop.

Roman GillenPresident and CEO

OR-6

President’s ReportMAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 1180Philomath, OR 97370(541) 929-3124(800) 872-9036

LOCAL OFFICES

6990 West Hills RoadPhilomath, OR 97370

1900 W Oak St.Lebanon, OR 97355

Russ Sapp CHAIRMAN

Thad Springer VICE CHAIRMAN

Terry Plagmann SECRETARY

Kevin ChristopherASSISTANT SECRETARY

Roman Gillen PRESIDENT/CEO

Tony Wilson TREASURER/CFO

www.cpi.coop

Happy Valentine’s Day

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Main Office402 7th StreetP.O. Box 1150

Prosser, WA 99350www.bentonrea.org

Phone: (509) 786-2913toll free (800) 221-6987

Fax: (509) 786-0291

Toppenish Office410 South G Street

P.O. Box 744Toppenish, WA 98948Phone: (509) 865-2600

West Richland Office6095 W. Van Giesen

West Richland, WA 99353Phone: (509) 967-2921

WA-7

Benton REAThe Board meets the last Wednesday

of each month at 6:00 p.m.Trustees:President.........................................Virgil BoyleVice -president...................................Kyle ShinnSecretary/Treasurer............................Mark PlattTrustee, District #1....................Buddy TreadwayTrustee, District #2..................Michael FreeponsTrustee, District #3 ..............................Jim MoonTrustee, District #5..............................Tim Grow Trustee, District #7..........................Connie Krull Trustee, District #8..................Catherine Russell

Staff:Manager..............................Clint GerkensmeyerEngineering Manager.....................Derek MillerSpecial Services Manager...........Mike BradshawManager of Finance & Admin.............John PorterOperations Manager............................Jeff EkrutI. T. Manager.....................................Jeff BastowMember Services Manager...........Troy BerglundAttorney.......................................Terry MundorfConsulting Engineer...................................HDRAuditor....................Blodgett, Mickelsen & Naef

Manager’s Message

Reminder: Annual MeetingDear Members:

Just a friendly reminder that Benton REA is holding its 78th Annual Meeting on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015, at Housel Middle School in Prosser. Activities and registration for the Health Fair begin at 9 a.m. and we’ll kick off our business meeting at noon.

In addition to the business meeting, attendees can participate in health screenings by PMH Medical Center staff, talk with vendors at the Energy Fair to learn more about energy conservation and efficiencies, enjoy bingo games and entertainment by a school steel drum band.

This year’s theme is Our Cooperative Principles: A High Standard of Serving Our Members. These principles are important as they’ve been guiding our cooperative since 1937. I hope you make it a point to join us on Feb. 7 at the 78th Annual Meeting so we can tell you more about these principles and why they are important not only to us, but to our members as well.

Remember, you’re a member-owner of Benton REA and you have a voice in how we operate as your electric cooperative. I hope to see you and your family at our Benton REA Annual Meeting next month!

On Another Note—ElectionsBecause of recent changes to our Benton REA Bylaws, we’re handling this year’s Board of Trustees elections differently. Members living in Districts 7, 8 and 9 should have received their ballots in the mail last month, and have the option of either mailing in their ballot or bringing it to the Annual Meeting to be counted prior to the beginning of the business meeting at noon. Make sure your voice is heard―don’t forget to mail in your ballot or bring it to the Benton REA 78th Annual Meeting!

Sincerely,

Clint GerkensmeyerGeneral [email protected]

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

OR-8

Less Coal Power Means Higher Energy CostsCoal-fired plants generate about 39 percent of electricity produced in the nation, because as a fuel, coal is abundant, inexpensive and not subject to large fluctuations in price. Since affordable energy is fundamental to a strong American economy, coal-fired electricity gen-eration is the core of the U.S. economy.

Comparatively, the Columbia and Snake hydro system, along with all other hydro proj-ects in the U.S., produce less than 7 percent of the nation’s electricity.

Although coal-fired generation still holds the largest share among all sources of electric-ity, its use has declined since 2007. That’s due to flat or at most slow growth in electricity demand, strong price competition with natural gas, greater use of renewables and new envi-ronmental regulations.

Natural gas may be cheaper than coal at today’s market rates, but natural gas prices are enormously volatile. In the 1990’s during the energy crisis, market prices, based primarily on natural gas generation, reached 32 cents per kWh, 10 times the current market price.

Coal provides the baseload power needed to meet demand 24 hours per day, regardless of the weather. Imagine a future in which we no longer use coal and instead rely on wind and solar generation. Without coal, backup gen-eration at night or on cloudy or windless days would be another fossil fuel, natural gas.

Power generation dominated by wind and solar may force us to build twice as many gas-fired plants to make up for the loss of coal and to fill in when wind and or solar energy is not available. In the Northwest, wind energy is available about one third of the time. So, two thirds of the time generation which can supply electricity as needed, turns on (at present there is no utility scale storage other than pumped storage of water available).

The Northwest’s wonderful hydro system fills in for a significant portion of wind, but

even our hydro system can do no more than it is presently. Portland General Electric and PacifiCorp fill in for their wind supplies now with both coal and natural gas. Please remem-ber that Northwest wind is available about one third of the time, so if the other two thirds of the time electricity is required and is supplied by natural gas, the carbon emitted is essentially the same as it would be with no wind and only natural gas generation.

Generally speaking, wind and solar are more expensive because they must be supple-mented by other generation. If the supplemen-tal generation is affordable (hydropower and coal at the moment), then the additional cost for wind and solar is manageable.

Solar may ultimately be a better renewable energy investment than wind. Fortunately, the cost of both wind and solar have improved over the last 10 years. If we follow a national policy to replace coal, as if that’s the only adjustment we have to make, we could very likely burn as much fossil fuel as before coal. Energy prices will rise, and little if any reduc-tion in carbon emissions will result.

The U.S. has enough coal to last more than 200 years, based on current production levels. Caution is needed in making any huge changes on coal and other energy sources until we have a consensus national energy plan covering the next 50-100 years.

Without an integrated, unified and long-range national policy on energy, the risk and the consequences for high cost, unreliable elec-tric energy is extremely high.

If you share these concerns, please let Governor Kitzhaber know, as well as your state and national representatives.

Sincerely,

O� cesHermiston O� ce750 W. Elm St.541 567-6414

Boardman O� ce203 E. Boardman Ave.541 481-2220

Toll-Free1-800-452-2273

To Report An OutageCall 888-465-5701 any time day or night

DirectorsPresidentJe� Wenholz

Vice PresidentBryan Wolfe

Secretary-TreasurerBob MacPherson

RoseEtta Ansotegui Lee DockenJohn Otis Glenn Rohde

General ManagerSteve Eldrige

MissionUmatilla Electric Cooperative is a member-owned business that sells energy and other services to improve the quality of life in our communities.

umatillaelectric.com

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

UEC General Manager/CEO

OR-9

32 f e b R ua R y 2015

105 E. 4th St.The Dalles, OR 97058Office phone: (541) 296-2740Toll-free phone: (800) 341-8580www.wascoelectric.com

Board of DirectorsRon Holmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PresidentMichael Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice PresidentJim McNamee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SecretaryH . Kelly McGreer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TreasurerGary brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorRobert Durham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorRobert “bob” Hammel . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorMathew Clausen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorDeOra Patton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director

StaffJeff Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General ManagerMarie Wilson . . . . executive admin . assistantShannon bessette . . . . . . . . . . . . . accountantJim bailey . . . . . . . . . . . . engineering assistantJim Green . . . . . . . . . engineering TechnicianTraci brock . . . Marketing & Member ServicesLaura Correia . . . . . . . Customer Service Rep .Jennifer Lindsey . . . . Customer Service Rep .Casey McCleary . . . . . . . Operations ManagerMichael North . . . . . . . . . The Dalles foremanRobert Gridley . . . . . . . . . The Dalles LinemanWesley Woods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Servicemanbrewster Whitmire . . . . . . . . . . . field TechnicianDan funkhouser . . . Grass Valley Line foremanGerald Haeffelin . . . . Maupin Line foremanfrank Roeder . . . . . . . . . . . . Maupin LinemanRay Kindley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . attorney

Mission Statement“Wasco Electric Cooperative Inc.will provide its members withcompetitively priced, reliable energyand related services.”

Office Hours:Monday - Thursday,7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Capital Credit Retirement In December, Wasco Electric retired a portion of the 1985 capital margins to members. The total capital credits sent to members who received service in 1985 was $250,173. In addition to these general retirements, the co-op retired $23,666 to the estates of deceased members throughout the year, bring-ing the total capital credits returned to members in 2014 to $273,839.

Capital credits are unique to cooperatives such as Wasco Electric. Private power companies make profits and pay divi-dends to stockholders. But cooperatives work on a nonprofit basis and allocate leftovers from their operating income back to their members.

Capital credits represent your share of the cooperative’s operating income, which is the operating revenue that remains after operating expenses.

The amount designated in your name each year depends on your energy purchases for the year. To calculate this, we divide your annual energy purchase by the coopera-tive’s operating income for the year. The more electricity you buy, the more capital credits you earn.

Next month, each member who received service last year will be mailed a state-ment of his or her 2014 capital credit allocation. The member’s allocation amount is based on the year-end operating margin.

Capital credits are not necessarily dollars in a bank account. They represent funds that have been invested in the co-op’s utility plant.

Most months, Wasco Electric receives more cash from operations than is necessary to pay for operating expenses. However, the cooperative needs cash for purposes other than paying for operating expenses. Wasco Electric must pay principle and interest on money it has borrowed.

The cooperative also must use cash to pay for capital expenditures. The amount of cash needed for capital expenditures is largely determined by the growth of the utility and the replacement schedule of its aging system.

The distribution of capital credits and its effect on the financial well-being of the cooperative is an issue your board of directors deals with each year. It is the policy of the cooperative and the discretion of the board to return capital credits as long as the cooperative is financially fit to return them without borrowing more or raising rates to pay capital credits.

Jeff DavisGeneral Manager

Manager’s Message

Dear Member,

� e Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), conducts a rate case every two years to ensure that its projected revenue from the electricity it sells will cover the expenses it incurs. � is is necessary because all of the expenses that BPA incurs for the electric-ity it sells, as well as the cost of maintaining the transmission lines that carry it, must come from the revenue that it raises from Douglas Electric Cooperative and other BPA customers.

In 2014 BPA conducted a series of public meetings to review BPA’s annual expenses and long-term capital requirements, which directly correlate into what it must charge its customers in the next rate period. � e amount that BPA charges must cov-er payments on federal dams, building and maintaining transmission, � sh and wild-life mitigation, energy e� ciency programs and other obligations that are required by federal and state laws. We were an active participant in these sessions through our power supplier, PNGC Power. BPA considered our suggestions for spending reduc-tions, and in early December proposed an average increase of 6.6% for power and transmission. � is would be for the two year period beginning October 2015. BPA’s announcement marked the beginning of a formal process known as a rate case. A BPA rate case resembles a court proceeding and involves a number of stakehold-ers including BPA, tribes, environmental groups and customers like us. � e process involves testimony, rebuttal, cross-examination and comments on a dra� record of decision. � e � nal decision is made by the BPA Administrator. � is entire process is expected to last through the end of July, although it could end before then if a settle-ment is reached.

When BPA’s exact increase is determined this fall, we will then know how much we have to pass through to our members. � e good news is that the wholesale cost of power represents only about half of your retail cost, so if the BPA increase is 6%, we’ll only be looking at around 3%.

Douglas Electric Cooperative will continue to work closely with PNGC Power and other electric cooperatives to identify ways that BPA can decrease the rates it charges. Please don’t hesitate to call us if you have any questions.

Best Regards,

Dave SabalaGeneral Manager

OR-10

OwnedBy ThoseWe ServeDouglas Electric Cooperative Inc.,Roseburg, OregonPhone (541) 673-6616 (800) 233-2733

O� cersPresident. . . . . . . Terry NelsonVice President . . Robert PoageSecretary. . . . . . . Shirley CairnsTreasurer . . . . . . . Dick McHa� eDirector . . . . . . . . Larry ShipleyDirector . . . . . . . . Evan BarnesDirector . . . . . . . . Carey Weatherly

General ManagerDave Sabala(541) 637-0342

Assist. General ManagerCameron Frasnelly(541) 430-7676

SuperintendentTodd Sherwood(541) 580-7205

O� ce ManagerPaul Leonard

Member ServicesTodd C. Munsey

Douglas FastnetTodd Way

Mission StatementThe mission of Douglas ElectricCooperative, a member-owned and operated cooperative, is to provide a� ordable, reliable electric and other compatible services that en-hance the quality of life for its mem-bers, using progressive marketing in conjunction with sound � nancial and management principles.

Bonneville Power AdministrationProposes Wholesale Rate Increase

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

P.O. Box 97Monument, OR 97864

(541) 934-2311Toll free (888) 203-7638

DIRECTORS President Paul WaltonVice President Adam TempleSec./Treasurer Tom Campbell Dan CannonDave Humphreys Cheryl JenisonLaReta Jones

MANAGERTroy Cox

The board of directors meets the second Monday of each month.

Columbia Power Co-op

POWER OUTAGE NUMBERSCo-op office . . . . . . . . . 934-2311Ed Andersen . . . . . . . . . 934-2255Guy Andersen . . . . . . . 934-2098Troy Cox . . . . . . . . . . . . . 934-2155Josh Hamilton . . . . . . . 934-2133Mike Osborne . . . . . . . . 934-2067Joe Ringering . . . . . . . . 934-2198Gary Warner . . . . . . . . . 934-2961Brian Woodell . . . . . . . . 934-2260

OR-11

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015


» Buy a space heater that has been tested and labeled by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters’ Laboratory.




» Unless absolutely necessary, do not use an extension cord, and never use a light-duty household extension cord with a heater. It could start a fire.


» Unless specifically certified for that purpose, do not use heaters in wet or moist places, such as bathrooms. Corrosion to heater parts may lead to a fire or a shock hazard.



Is it a good idea to get electricity from renewable resources that emit no carbon emis-sions? Of course it is. Central Electric Cooperative has been doing so throughout our 73-year history. More than 96 percent of our electricity comes from sources that emit no greenhouse gases, chiefly the hydroelectric production of the federal Columbia River Power System. But every good idea also needs to be pursued in the right way at the right time.

We clearly see increasing demands and expectations that we use more renewable sources for our electricity. Each session of Congress or the Oregon Legislature includes new proposals to promote greater use of renewable energy. It sometimes seems the thinking is that you cannot have too much of a good thing.

However, when bringing on new energy sources of any type, economics are impor-tant. Is the energy needed? How much does it cost? When talking about sources such as wind and solar, they cost much more than our established generating resources. When it comes to wind power in particular, the Northwest has experienced a boom that far exceeds the growth in demand for energy. The 2015 Oregon legislative session now underway includes a number of proposals to promote solar power. A legislative work group has been formed by Rep. Paul Holvey of Eugene and is directed to look at these pieces of legislation in a comprehensive manner. CEC, through my direct par-ticipation and our membership in the Oregon Electric Cooperative Association, will be at the table working to represent Oregon co-ops’ interests.

Will we just say no? Of course not. Renewable energy growth is inevitable and an important trend. In fact, you may already be aware that CEC is pursuing development of a solar project right here in Central Oregon. You can read more about it on page 25. This project demonstrates our desire to move into solar power in a responsible way. Underlying that effort—and from our perspective, all renewable energy proj-ects—is the challenge of bringing them online without creating undue cost increases for our modest-sized membership. We argue this is fair and reasonable when so much of our electricity already comes from carbon emission-free resources and our rural economies are just now showing signs of recovery.

Central Electric is committed to being an active party in Oregon’s pursuit of more renewable energy. Not as obstructionists, but in a collaborative manner. Throughout, we will work tirelessly to ensure it does not happen at the expense of our members’ best interests.

Dave MarkhamPresident and CEO

OR-12

Central IssuesCentral Electric CooperativeDIRECTORS:

Chairman Tom Strand, TerrebonneVice Chairman Dan Steelhammer, BendSecretary/Treasurer Kip Light, Madras Beverly Clarno, RedmondWilliam J. Rainey, SistersBoyd Keeton, TumaloShirley McCullough, Prineville Kelly McFarlane, Powell ButteKenneth H. Miltenberger, Alfalfa

Attorney Robert E. Maloney Jr.Lane Powell PC, Portland

STAFF:President Dave Markham

Chief Financial Officer Rawleigh White

Operations & Engineering Director Bob McConnell

Corporate Information Officer Lisa Cutter

Member Services Director Jeff Beaman

Bend District ManagerKaren Lewis

24-HOURPHONE NUMBERS:

Redmond .............(541) 548-2144Bend ......................(541) 389-1980Madras ..................(541) 475-3266Prineville ..............(541) 447-5321Sisters ....................(541) 549-5698

Board meets the third Thursday of each month at the CEC office, 2098 N. Highway 97, Redmond, OR.

www.cec.coop

Mission StatementThe aim of Central Electric Co-op is to make electric energy available to its members at the lowest cost consistent with sound economy and good management.

Timing Critical to Reasonable Growth in Renewables

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

BPA Proposes Rate IncreaseThe Bonneville Power Administration conducts a rate case every two years to ensure its projected revenue from the electricity it sells will cover the expenses it incurs. This is necessary because all of the expenses BPA incurs for the electricity it sells and the transmission lines that carry it must come from the revenue it raises from Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative Inc. and other BPA customers.

In 2014, BPA conducted a series of public meetings to review its annual expenses and long-term capital requirements, which directly correlate into what it must charge customers in the next rate period. The amount BPA charges must cover payments on federal dams, building and maintaining transmission, fish and wildlife mitigation, energy-efficiency programs and other obligations that are required by federal and state laws. We were an active participant in these sessions through PNGC Power, our power supplier. BPA considered our suggestions for spending reductions, but in early December it proposed a 6.7 percent increase for power and a 5.6 percent increase for transmission for the two-year period beginning October 2015.

BPA’s rate increase announcement marked the beginning of a formal process known as a rate case, which resembles a court proceeding and involves a number of stakeholders, including BPA, its customers such as your cooperative, tribes and envi-ronmental groups. The process involves filing a draft record of decision followed by testimony, rebuttal, cross-examination and a public comment period. A final decision is then made by the BPA Administrator. This process is expected to last through the end of July, although it could end earlier if a settlement is reached.

We are working closely with PNGC Power and other electric cooperatives to iden-tify ways BPA can decrease the rates it charges before the end of July. We will commu-nicate with you as we move through this process. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.

Roger MeaderGeneral Manager

OR-13

Special MessageTo those we are committed to—and serve electrically—every day.

Board of Directors PresidentCheryl McMahan, Southern At-Large

Vice PresidentJohn G. Herzog, Brookings/Harbor

Secretary/ TreasurerGeorgia A. Cockerham, Brookings/Harbor

Edward Dowdy, Northern At-Large Jim Kolen, Gold Beach Peter C. Radabaugh, BandonDaryl C. Robison, Port Orford/Langlois

Attorney—Tyler Pepple

StaffGeneral Manager/CEORoger Meader

Corporate Services/CFOFrank Corrales

Operations ManagerC. Dale Wilson

Manager of System Planning & EngineeringAndrew McBride

Marketing and Member Services ManagerChristine L. Stallard

Local numbersCoquille ........................... (541) 396-3118Port Orford ..................... (541) 332-3931Gold Beach ..................... (541) 247-6638Brookings ....................... (541) 469-2103

Area office hours 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Closed Friday.

After-Hours Outage Number (866) 352-9044

Call Before You Dig811

www.ccec.coop

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015 www.ccec.coop

OR-14 652 Rose Ave.

P.O. Box 69Vernonia, OR 97064

(503) 429-3021 Toll free (800) 777-1276

www.westoregon.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident Robert VanNatta (Dist. 2 – Mist, Apiary, Birkenfeld)

Vice President Bob Paleck (Dist. 5 – Timber, Buxton)

Sec./Treasurer Larry Averitt(Dist. 7 – Manning, Hagg Lake,Yamhill County)

Brian Baker(Dist. 1 – Jewell, Elsie, Hamlet)

Jim Buxton(Dist. 3 – Vernonia, Keasey)

Dan Murphy(Dist. 4 – Vernonia)

Rosemary Lohrke (Dist. 6 – Chapman, Scappoose)

GENERAL MANAGERBob Perry

Contact the Board: [email protected]

Board meetings are the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.Members are welcome.

West Oregon Electric Co-op

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Manager’s MessageDear Member,

The Bonneville Power Administration conducts a rate case every two years to ensure its projected revenue from the electricity it sells will cover the expenses it incurs. This is necessary because all of the expenses BPA incurs for the electricity it sells and the transmission lines that carry it must come from the revenue it raises from West Oregon Electric Cooperative and other BPA customers.

In 2014, BPA conducted a series of public meetings to review its annual expenses and long-term capital require-ments, which directly correlate into what it must charge customers in the next rate period. The amount BPA charges must cover payments on federal dams, building and maintaining transmission, fish and wildlife mitigation, energy-efficiency programs and other obligations required by federal and state laws.

We were an active participant in these sessions through our power supplier, PNGC Power. BPA considered our suggestions for spending reductions, but in early December it proposed a 6.7 percent increase for power and a 5.6 percent increase for transmission for the two-year period beginning October 2015.

BPA’s announcement marked the beginning of a formal process known as a rate case, which resembles a court proceeding and involves a number of stakeholders, including BPA, customers such as West Oregon Electric, tribes and environmental groups. The process involves testimony, rebuttal, cross-examination and comments on a draft record of decision. The final decision is made by the BPA administrator. This process is expected to last through the end of July, although it could end earlier if a settlement is reached.

West Oregon Electric Cooperative is working closely with PNGC Power and other electric cooperatives to identify ways BPA can decrease the rates it charges before the end of July. We will communicate with you about what is happening in this process along the way.

Bob PerryGeneral Manager

Electronics have become increasingly sophisticated and—as a result—more sensi-tive. Unlike older appliances, microprocessor-controlled devices operate on low voltage. They require precise, constant power to work properly.

Voltage fluctuations and power interruptions both inside and outside the home are inevitable. Among the causes of those fluctuations and power interruptions inside the house are faulty wiring, loose connections, poor grounding, operation of heating and air conditioning units, and major appliances and large motors switch-ing on and off.

Causes outside the home include bad weather, downed trees, lightning, birds and other animals contacting lines, accidents involving power poles and lines, and neighbors using major power equipment.

Once inside the home, high-voltage fluctuations can damage the electronics in many household products—everything from computers and home entertainment centers to cordless telephones, electronics and microwave ovens.

The only way to safeguard your equipment is to use high-quality surge suppres-sion devices. The most effective systems contain two stages of suppression: primary, at the service entrance; and secondary, at the outlet.

Primary protection is provided by installing a device between the meter and the wall. It protects motor-driven appliances wired out of the main panel. It is designed to instantaneously isolate the home from external events that affect power quality—something slower circuit breakers can not do as well. Secondary protection is pro-vided inside the house by a power strip plugged directly into the outlet. If properly connected, it protects sensitive electronic equipment.

SVE carries the PSP Vortexx whole-house surge protector that can be installed at the service entrance for primary protection and the PSP Vortexx eight-outlet high-quality strip-type surge protector for secondary protection.

The whole-house protector is $143 and the strip-type is $47. Surge suppressors handle the most frequent—but not all—voltage problems.

Hybrid power conditioners and uninterruptible power systems are available to han-dle more sensitive and critical needs.

Surge protection can keep you and your devices safe

Surprise Valley Electrification Corp.516 U.S. Hwy. 395 E.Alturas, CA 96101

Phone (530) 233-3511Toll-Free: (866) 843-2667www.surprisevalleyelectric.org

Office open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.Monday through Friday

After hours and outages:Call office numbers above

Staff

Brad Kresge, General ManagerJohn Minto, EngineerDennis Reed, Line SuperintendentLynn Culp, Member Service Manager

Board of directorSCraig Joiner, PresidentLookout

Dennis Flynn, Vice PresidentAdel

Raymond Cloud, Secretary/TreasurerNew Pine Creek

Wesley CookCedarville

Scott WarnerLakeview

John ErquiagaLake City

Duane McGarvaLikely

Board meets the fourth Thursday of the month at the SVE office.

CA-15

32 FEBRUARY 2015

Protecting Your Electronics

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

787 Bailey Hill Road / P.O. Box 21410Eugene, Oregon 97402

O� ce Phone: 541- 484-1151Website: www.laneelectric.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORSChris Seubert, President; Central District

Susan Knudsen Obermeyer, Vice-President;Oakridge District

Ed Bangle, Secretary/Treasurer; Row River District

Jack Billings, Central District

J. Ingrid Kessler, Central District

Kathy Keable; McKenzie District

Jeri Nelson, Oakridge District

GENERAL MANAGERMatt Michel

MANAGEMENT STAFFTony Toncray; Mgr. Construction & MaintenanceDoug Stockdale; Mgr. Engineering ServicesDebi Wilson; Mgr. O� ce & Sta� ServicesDave D’Avanzo; Mgr. Member & Regional A� airs

BOARD MEETINGS4th Monday of each month(Unless otherwise noted)Lane Electric’s O� ce at 11 a.m.

Dear Lane Electric Community:

Our winter season can bring high winds and/or heavy snow that can cause lights to flicker and occasionally go out, but what’s really happening to Lane Electric’s system? How power flows to your home is an interesting story I’d like to share with you this month. I’ll also share how you can protect your electronic equipment when these events happen.

Let’s start with what a power distribution system looks like normally. Power is always flowing through those wires you see along Lane County roads. Now, should a limb contact a wire, the power sees an opportunity

to flow faster away from the wire—a short circuit resulting in excessive electric current. This happens in a fraction of a second. Our distribution system’s circuit breaker interrupts power in the wire for less than a second to allow the short circuit to clear. Usually the limb falls free and we’re back to normal with no damaged wires or equipment. Your flicker—our momentary interruption —is corrected by a self-healing distribution system.

If the limb doesn’t fall free, the circuit breaker tries a few more times to let the short circuit clear before it finally opens the circuit to prevent more current flowing through the wire. That’s when the outage occurs. Lane Electric mobilizes quickly to visually inspect the line connected to the opened circuit breaker and find the limb. Only after the crew has inspected the line is it safe to “close-in” the circuit breaker to let the power flow once more. Safety is critical when re-energizing a circuit and while we work hard to restore your power, we also work hard to stay “Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow”—that’s Lane Electric’s safety motto.

So that’s how power flows to your home. Now, what about inside your home? We just learned that those flickers are a quick loss of power, like turning the light switch on and off real fast, yet what people most often use to protect home electronics are surge protectors and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) devices with a battery backup.

Surge protectors safeguard against excessive voltage. A surge is a voltage increase above a normal level (120V for example) typically caused by lightning introducing higher voltage into a circuit. And not only electric circuits: Cable or satellite connections, telephone lines, and even water lines or any other metallic pathway in your home can carry surges to your equipment. We have lightning arrestors on Lane Electric’s distribution system for protection.

There are also “switching surges” that may occur if the power comes back on and the electric furnace or dishwasher or other motorized appliance immediately starts-up so it’s best to protect your electronic devices at their point of use by plugging them into a surge protector.

Look for a joule rating of at least 1,000, a warranty for connected equipment, and don’t forget about a port for routing your cable or satellite connection through as well. To prevent loss of data while working on a computer, install an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to provide enough battery back-up time to allow you to power down your most sensitive electronics equipment.

These UPS devices are typically more expensive than a surge protector and they can be worth every penny.

Down the line

Matt Michel, General Manager

In This Issue

Odds-n-Ends For The New Year...

LEC Partners With United Way To Assist Members...

Applications For Scholarships To LCC Available Feb. 1...

Powerlines...

Down the Line...

Feature: Page #

4 & 5

8

25

28 & 29

32

OR-16

A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative

Dear Members,The Blachly-Lane Board of Directors recently raised the resi-dential facilities charge from $28 to $38 a month. A recently completed cost of service analysis indicated the charge should be $42.25 per month.

The board has a policy of charging each type or “class” of customer what it costs to serve them. This is fair, equitable and, to a large extent, avoids one customer class subsidizing another.

Breaking down the cost to serve the various customer classes yields some interesting facts. In the 2015 budget, about 54 per-cent of the cost of service is from purchasing wholesale power to sell to members. The rest is for electric system maintenance, tree trimming, operating expense, debt service, taxes and other costs. These nonpower-related costs are independent of power pur-chased for sale to our members and are the basis of the facilities charge.

Most utilities undercharge for the facilities charge and overcharge for power used. The facilities charge is often misunderstood and/or poorly communicated by the util-ity. Some utility customers think they are paying for something they are not getting when they pay the facilities charge. The reality is they are paying to be connected to an electric system that is there day and night to provide whatever power the customer wishes to consume. That electric system costs money to maintain and operate regard-less of power use.

When the power and nonpower-charges are not closely related to their costs, unin-tended subsidies are created. When a customer insulates their home and reduces their use, some of that customer’s nonpower-related costs are shifted to other customers. The same is true for customers choosing to provide their own power through solar or other on-site generation. If the facilities charge is set correctly, the utility is indifferent to how much power is consumed by each residential member. The utility’s revenues will track right along with its costs.

It is not fair to all of the customers if the facilities charge and use rates are uncou-pled from the true cost of service. The customers are not seeing the true value of con-servation and customer-owned generation. In that case, some of the nonpower-costs get unfairly shifted to the remaining customers when a customer reduces their use.

Joe JarvisGeneral Manager

OR-17

Making Sense of the Facilities Charge

General ManagerJoe [email protected]

TM

Blachly-LaneElectric Cooperative90680 Highway 99Eugene, OR 97402(541)-688-8711(800)-446-8418www.blachlylane.coop

Mission Statement: Blachly-Lane’sprimary objective is to provide safe, cost-effective, reliable, and competitive electrical energy and service to its members.

Board of Directors:Ernie Jacksch, Vice Chairman(ph: 927-3466) District [email protected](Low Pass, Blachly, Deadwood andIndian Creek areas)

VacantDistrict 2(Fern Ridge and Elmira-rural areas)

Cheryl Haskell, Secretary/Treasurer(ph: 998-3954) District [email protected](Junction City-rural and Hwy 99N)

Marlene Northrup, Director(ph.998-1216) District [email protected](Hwy 36, Hall Road andNorth Poodle Creek Road)

Cliff Kelley, Chairman(ph: 935-5728) District [email protected](Warthen, Sheffler and Walton areas)

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Board of Commissioners

Dan G. GunkelPresidentRay A. MosbruckerVice PresidentRandy L. KnowlesSecretary

Jim SmithGeneral ManagerRon IhrigChief Operating OfficerHolly DohrmanPower ManagerAnita ThompsonAccounting ManagerGwyn Miller Human Resources Manager

Ron SchultzChief EngineerJeff ThayerOperations Manager

Mike DeMottCustomer Service Supervisor

www.klickitatpud.com

Goldendale Office1313 S. Columbus Ave.Goldendale, WA 98620(509) 773-5891(800) 548-8357

White Salmon Office110 NE Estes Ave. P.O. Box 187White Salmon, WA 98672(509) 493-2255(800) 548-8358

WA-18

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

2015 Financial OutlookMission statement: Public Utility District No. 1 of Klickitat County provides safe, reliable, cost-based utility services at the lowest possible cost con-sistent with sound business principles.

Following a public hearing, the KPUD Board of Commissioners adopted the 2015 budget on December 9, 2014. The budget was reviewed at three previous commission meetings and revised as a result of feedback during those public meetings.

So why are we starting this budget article with our mission statement? With respect to budgeting, the key in the mission statement is, “with sound business principles.” This means the board’s direction to staff is to operate as a sound business, not as a quasi-governmental agency.

As far back as the early 1990s, our board of commissioners and manage-ment had the foresight to plan for when

we could no longer rely on Bonneville Power Administration—or anyone else, for that matter—to supply our whole-sale power. They also wanted to place us in a position where additional revenues would be generated to help offset rates in the interim.

This led to decisions to diversify the business lines of our utility by investing in generation assets, such as H.W. Hill Landfill Gas Plant, White Creek Wind, and generating turbines at McNary and Packwood dams. We also built transmis-sion lines and facilities to serve local wind projects. Today, this diversification provides many tools for us to use to gen-erate revenue besides solely raising cus-tomer rates.

The sources of KPUD revenue are shown in the chart below. Note that revenue sources other than your retail rates provide 45 percent of our revenue requirements.

Continues on page 28

2015 Budget Revenue SourcesOther

2%Aid in Construction6%

Generation24%

Transmission10%

Water/Wastewater Rates3%

Electric Rates55%

The basic charge is usually the smallest part of your bill but, in a way is the most important part. This charge is standard for most utilities.

To derive the appropriate basic charge, a cost-of-service analysis is performed. We have outside, professional consultants analyze our operations and determine what mix of the basic charge and energy charge returns the required margins to the cooperative.

The cooperative’s cost to serve a member is not based simply on the footage from the main line to the meter. The cost to serve includes the meter, the service drop, the distribution line, the distribution substation, the transmission line, the transmis-sion substation and the power generation plant. In addition, there is the cost of all the people back at the cooperative who must build, monitor and maintain all of our infrastructure.

It is an amazing chain of events that allows you to flip the switch and enjoy the benefits of electric energy. Your account must share some of each of these costs.

The most recent cost-of-service analysis indicated NLI’s current basic charges are under-collecting the appropriate revenues. The total of the fixed costs does increase every year, so this component of our rate needs to be adjusted periodically.

The NLI Board of Directors intends to increase NLI’s basic charge gradually during the next few years. Without an equitable basic charge, those who use minimal energy would not pay their fair share of the system and heavier users would overpay for their share. It costs about the same to maintain lines and infrastructure for someone who uses little power as it does for someone who uses more power. NLI maintains the sys-tem with the same high-quality approach, no matter how much or how little energy individual members use.

As you can see, it is our responsibility not only to include a basic charge as part of our rate structure, but to do the best we can to ensure it is fair and equitable among members and rate classes.

—Annie TerraccianoGeneral Manager

ID-19

The Importance of the Basic Charge

The power of local service

Board of Directors by DistrictDist. No. 1—Eric Anderson, Priest Lake, ID(208) 610-1718Dist. No. 2—Judith Simonson, Noxon, MT(406) 847-2643Dist. No. 3—Steve Elgar, Sandpoint, ID(208) 265-0570Dist. No. 4—David Pemberton, Careywood, ID(208) 661-5911Dist. No. 5—Kennon McClintock, Moyie Springs, ID(208) 267-7064Dist. No. 6—G.E. Butch Hagen, Bonners Ferry, ID(208) 819-3191 Dist. No. 7—Jim Woodward, Sagle, ID(208) 946-7963

www.nli.coopP.O. Box 269Sagle, ID 83860

For Outages: (866) NO-LITES(866) 665-4837 For regular business within the Sandpoint area: (208) 263-5141

Outside Sandpoint:(800) 326-9594

Board President Steve Elgar

Board Vice PresidentEric Anderson

Board Secretary/Treasurer Judith Simonson

General Manager Annie Terracciano

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Dear Members,We are planning work projects for the coming year, and it looks like we will be busy with a line upgrade project for approximately 3 miles of feeder lines out of the Tahoe Substation and pole change-outs, line equipment maintenance and upgrades, and the never ending right-of-way clearing.

In addition, we will research and ana-lyze the John Day Hydro Project to see if we can improve our generation while being cost effective.

All of these projects are based on our five-year work plan and engineer-ing studies we conduct to make sure we address areas that have the greatest need and get you the best bang for your buck in maintaining or improving service to you. If you have questions or comments on any of our projects, please give us a call.

Youth Rally ScholarshipHere is a question for you, do you know of a student who is interested in saving for college or tech-school and would like to meet say, 80 or 90 other like-minded young people from the Pacific Northwest?

If so, your cooperative has the answer. Idaho County Light & Power sponsors the Youth Rally Scholarship competi-tion each year from which we award three $750 scholarships. In addition, each of the scholarship winners receives

an all-expense-paid trip to the Idaho Consumer-Owned Utilities Association Youth Rally Leadership Summer Camp.

To be eligible for the scholarship and leadership camp, a student must be a sophomore or junior at an accredited high school or home schooled, and their parents or guardian must be an active member/consumer of the cooperative.

To apply, the student needs to fill out the application and submit a 400-word essay. The application and rules will be in the March issue of Ruralite. You also can find application materials on our website at www.iclp.coop.

While the money is always welcome and the competition is good training for later in life, the ICUA Leadership Camp is a great experience. Students come away with valuable lessons and lasting friendships.

Did I mention additional scholarships are available at the youth rally? One par-ticipant also will be selected to repre-sent Idaho at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association-sponsored Washington Youth Tour in Washington, D.C.

If you have a student who is inter-ested in saving money for college or tech school, do not miss this opportunity. If you have questions, give me a call. Thanks for listening,Jake Eimers, Manager

Upgrades and Maintenance Fill 2015 ScheduleIdaho County Light & PowerCooperativeP.O. Box 300Grangeville, Idaho 83530Phone: (208) 983-1610Toll free: (877) 212-0424Fax: (208) 983-1432Email: [email protected]: www.iclp.coop

DirectorsPresident Ernie RobinsonWhite Bird

Vice President John SolbergKamiah

Secretary-Treasurer Cliff TackeGreencreek

Frank McIntireKamiah

Gerald FreiGrangeville

Kim DahlerKooskia

Jim PoxleitnerCottonwood

AttorneyGreg FitzMaurice

ManagerJake Eimers

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

c-21

Wa-22115 East Main StreetP.O. Box 46Dayton, WA 99328Phone: (509) 382-2578Fax: (509) 382-2736

2929 Melrose StreetWalla Walla, WA 99362Phone: (509) 526-4041Fax: (509) 526-3666Toll Free: (800) 642-1231

ColumbiaREA.coop

Board of DirectorsDennis Munden, PresidentVic Parks, Vice PresidentKatie Wooldridge, Sec/TreasurerMarc Armstrong, DirectorEric Johnson, Director Greg Knowles, DirectorBruce McCaw, DirectorTim Pettyjohn, Director Bill Stonecipher, Director

Board meetings are normally the fourth Tuesday of each month. The meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. and is usually held in the Dayton office.

Sta�

Chief Executive Officer, Les Teel

Executive Assistant/HR, Jennifer Aichele

Manager of Marketing & Member Services, Scott Peters

Manager of Engineering & Operations, Dave Reller

Manager of Financial Services,Jim Cooper

Manager of Communications & IT, Bob Greene

Manager of Safety and Regulatory Affairs, KC Dors

Letter from Les...While the national elections of the past November may be fading from your memory, voting for politicians is not the only way we as co-op members can practice democracy.

Every co-op – whether it’s Columbia REA, your credit union or a farm co-op – follows the basic principle of one member, one vote. Most often you are asked to vote and elect individuals that will represent you on the board of directors. These folks are your friends, neighbors and fellow residents of our community. Occasionally, you may be asked to vote on a policy, such as a bylaw change (this is like the constitution for your co-op).

Every co-op member in good standing may run for the board. This is one of the key differences between a co-op member and a customer of an investor-owned utility (IOU). Most IOUs are not too interested in customers’ opinions on how the company should be run.

Co-ops invite participation. In fact, it is critically important to the survival of the co-op. Most co-ops serve far fewer people than IOUs. Co-ops measure the number of members in the thousands, IOUs in the millions. If you are not actively involved with the co-op, we all suffer. As the electric utility industry evolves, having interested mem-bers who are willing to take an active role is critically important.

At Columbia REA, we believe in the Own, Use, Serve and Belong model. Own - Refers to each member truly believing and feeling that they do indeed share

in the ownership of the co-op. This can come from attending the Annual Meeting, voting, receiving a capital credits check or participating in other co-op events.

Use - For electric co-ops this means that you use the co-op’s resources wisely (after all, you are an owner of those resources). You utilize the free, Together We Save, Energy Savings Home Tour from Touchstone Energy, www.togetherwesave.com. You use energy-efficient appliances, weather strip windows and doors, use LED or CFL lights – and you turn them off when you leave the room. Share that one with the kids!

Serve - If we are successful with “own” and “use,” perhaps you will feel called to serve your co-op – maybe as a board member, volunteer, committee member or com-munity contributor through the co-op.

Belong - We all seek to belong to something. In the early days when the co-op was just getting started, neighbors helped neighbors. While our lives seem busier and more electronically driven than ever, the need to connect and belong is necessary for us and our communities to thrive.

There is great power in the human connection, and at Columbia REA, we strive to do that every day.

Until next time,

Les TeelCEO, Columbia REA

32 f e b r ua r y 2015 www.columbiarea.coop

Dear Member,

In my November message, I let you know the OregonLegislature returns this month for a full session. I told you Midstate Electric Cooperative will work actively with lawmakers regarding the importance of affordable and reliable electricity.

Initial review of this year’s legislative session shows a num-ber of proposed bills that could raise the price of your electric-ity. If we are to keep rates affordable and reliable, we may need your help. If you have not already joined Power of Community, please take a moment to do so. POC is our political action grassroots network that contacts elected officials about legislation that would affect electric rates.

If you have joined, thank you. It is important for elected officials to hear from us. The more people they hear from, the more they pay attention to what Oregon electric cooperatives are saying.

We keep our POC members as informed as possible on issues affecting our electric rates. From time to time, we may ask you to contact your legislator about a particular piece of legislation that is being considered. You are never under any obligation to do so and may cancel your participation at any time.

Email is the quickest and most economical way of keeping our POC members up to date. Email your name, address and phone number to [email protected]. If you do not have email, call us at (541) 536-2126, option 5.

Annual MeetingMEC’s 63rd Annual Meeting of the Members is Saturday, May 9, at La Pine Middle School. Registration, a health fair and a barbecue lunch begin at 10:30 a.m. The busi-ness meeting starts at 12:30 p.m. Please join us to learn what is new at your co-op.

Districts 1 (Lazy River), 2 (South La Pine) and 8 (Christmas Valley) are up for election in 2015. Candidates to represent those districts may be nominated for direc-tor by filing a petition signed by at least 15 cooperative members who reside in that district. Petitions are available at the cooperative office.

Petitions for the three positions must be on file by Monday, March 9. For more information, see page 8 or call (541) 536-2126, option 5.

Touchstone Energy Co-op Connections CardU.S. drug prices are on the rise. Medical insurance deductibles also are rising. When deductibles are not met, high-priced prescriptions must be paid out of pocket. Fortunately, there is a solution, and it comes in the form of a small card.

When buying a prescription, present both your insurance card and Co-op Connections Card. Ask the pharmacist to use whichever card saves you the most. If you need a Co-op Connections Card, call (541) 536-2126, option 5.

Dave Schneider, General Manager

OR-23

16755 Finley Butte RoadP.O. Box 127

La Pine, OR 97739

[email protected]

(541) 536-2126 • (800) 722-7219

DepartmentsCustomer Service . . . . . . . Option 3Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . Option 4Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Option 5Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Option 6

After-Hours Outage and Emergencies: (541) 536-2165or (800) 752-5935

OFFICE HOURS Monday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed Fridays and holidays

BOARD OF DIRECTORS PresidentAlan Parks, Fort RockVice PresidentBud Kendall, La PineSecretary/TreasurerKen Wilson, Chemult Diana Cox, Christmas ValleyGordon DeArmond, Crescent Robert Reed, La PineVic Russell, Fall RiverRon Sommerfeldt, GilchristLeland Smith, Sunriver

Board meets the fourth Mondayof each month at the co-op office.

STAFF General Manager Dave SchneiderOperations/Engineering ManagerDave MunsonMarketing ManagerTeresa LackeyCFO/Accounting ManagerJami BartunekAttorneyWilliam Sheridan Jr.

Manager’s Message

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

DIRECTORS President Larry HensonVice President Dennis Poulsen Secretary-Treasurer Larry MonroeRalph ScissonsStan SpencerKrinn McCoyDoug WebbGary JonesBlaine Tanner

GENERAL MANAGERHeber Carpenter

OPERATIONS MANAGER Kim Smith

Board meets the fourth Wednesday of each month

P.O. Box 617Malta, ID 83342

To Call Raft River• Office hours (208) 645-2211• Toll free (800) 342-7732 (After hours and outages)

Western Division(All calls for Jackpot, Jarbidge, Mountain City and Owyhee)• Office hours (208) 645-2211 • Toll free (800) 342-7732 (After hours and outages)

www.rrelectric.com

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Raft River Rural Electric

Cooperative Inc.ANNOUNCES

76th Annual Meeting of the Members

March 21, 2015Raft River High School, Malta, Idaho

• Arts and crafts display • Health fair • Member information booth • Roast beef lunch • Membership meeting • Kids' activities

ID-24

BIG BEND ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.

P.O. Box 348Ritzville, WA 99169

Ritzville office 659-1700

Toll free (866) 844-2363

www.bbec.org

TRUSTEES

President Curtis DahlVice President Daniel HilleSecretary Ken StoryTreasurer John HarderRobert ClinesmithLyle HoltStacy KnivetonJames PersonDennis Swinger Sr.

GENERAL MANAGER/CEOYvette Armstrong

LEGAL COUNSEL

Kenneth D. Carpenter

® WA-25

•••••

Ritzville, Lind, Washtucna areaafter hours, Saturday, Sunday and holiday emergency calls:

659-0487

All other areas after hours, Saturday, Sunday and holiday emergency calls:

(866) 844-2363

Big Bend Electric Cooperative is turning 76 this year and we are very proud of this accomplishment. From humble beginnings and a pioneer spirit, this co-op has grown and worked diligently to be a dependable electricity provider for its members.

Your co-op is financially secure and has been able to return capital credits checks to you, the members, for the past 37 years totaling $32.8 million. The board of trustees and management have made many decisions to ensure that Big Bend Electric Co-op supplies the best electric service at the lowest possible cost to you, the member.

It isn’t always easy, since we are dealing with the price of electricity and transmis-sion costs. Operating an electric co-op also requires great employees, equipment and a commitment to the membership.

With that being said, it would be a great time for you as a member to attend Big Bend Electric Co-op’s 76th annual meeting. You will get a chance to visit with employees and trustees of the co-op, as well as visit with neighbors and meet other members of Big Bend.

You will hear the scholarship winners read their essays and will understand that a new generation of young people will be ready to be our future volunteers, business people and leaders.

You will have a chance to win a door prize and enjoy a superb lunch. We also will present an electrical safety demonstration for you to better understand the importance of respecting this fantastic resource.

We hope you will be able to attend Big Bend Electric Co-op’s annual meeting on February 21, 2015. After all, this is your annual meeting!

The Seven Cooperative Principles1. Voluntary and open membership.2. Democratic member control.3. Member economic participation.4. Autonomy and independence.5. Education, training and information.6. Cooperation among cooperatives.7. Concern for community.

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

The Annual Meeting is for Our Members

32 f e b r ua r y 2015

P.O. Box 1253521 Davis DriveOdell, OR 97044

(541) 354-1233www.hrec.coop

DirectorsPresident butch GehrigVice President Patrick MooreSecretary bernie Wells Treasurer roger NelsonGary bloomOpal DeboardDoug MahurinJohn McGhee

ManagerJohn Gerstenberger

Serving rural Hood River County

since 1945

Hood RiverElectric

Cooperative Or-26

Dear Members,

At the time of this writing in mid-January, we are working closely with our auditor, Friend and Reagan PC, to complete the 2014 year-end annual financial reports. We then will have a firm understanding of how the weather and economy affected the financial performance of your cooperative the past calendar year.

The impact of the retail rate increase, in effect since April, also will be evaluated to determine if the intended outcome was achieved. I will speak on the topic at the annual meeting in March. Nate Reagan, representing Friend and Reagan, will review the auditor’s findings at the meeting.

Your directors fulfilled an important requirement of the Hood River Electric Cooperative bylaws at their January meet-ing. They appointed a committee of members for the nomina-tion of candidates for positions on the board of directors.

The term of three directors expires each year. Members fill the director positions by electing or re-electing fellow members from the list of candidates identified by the nominating com-mittee, by petition as specified in the bylaws or by nomination from the floor at the annual meeting. Members must attend the annual meeting to cast their votes.

Another item of business at the January board meeting was setting the dates for annual membership meetings for HREC and the Communications Access Co-op (CACHE). The meet-ings are the second full week of March at the Hood River County Fairgrounds community building. If you are a member of one or both these organizations, you will receive a notifica-tion or invitation in the mail. I hope you are able to join your directors and employees for these important events.

Take care, and watch your mailbox for an announcement of—and invitation to—the HREC and/or CACHE annual membership meetings.

John Gerstenberger, Manager

Manager’s Message

Board of DirectorsPresident John Ugalde Sec./Treasurer Gary MillerFrank AlbisuJoe CroninRod HoaglandAlex Dufurrena Zach Sword

General ManagerRandy WhitakerOperations ManagerBrent BeverlyLine SuperintendentJason HillElectrical EngineerShane SweetOffice ManagerFred FlippenceAttorneyRaymond S. Kindley

Harney Electric Cooperative

277 Lottery Lane Hines, OR 97738 (541) 573-2061

[email protected]

Orovada, Nevada (775) 272-3336

[email protected]

www.harneyelectric.org

OR-27

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015











P.O. Box 384Challis, ID 83226 Phone: (208) 879-2283 Fax: (208) 879-2596After-hours emergency numbers: Propane: (208) 879-2201 Electric: (208) 879-4900

Dear Members:Scam artists are targeting electric utility customers throughout the United States. We have had reports from SREC customers of scams where a caller represented him/herself as a utility employee and threatened to shut off elec-tricity or remove electric service if payment was not made.

Scammers who pretend to be utility employees count on the trust customers place in their utilities, the confu-sion generated by surprise and aggressive pressure tactics. The growing access to personal information and new tools available through the Internet make these tactics even eas-ier today.

Scam artists are becoming more creative and are not just using the telephone to scam customers. They are also using email, personal visits and even texting. The Federal Trade Commission has issued the following alert: “Scammers can use computers to make it look like they are calling from someplace else. If you get a call, email, text or even a home visit from someone telling you to make a payment via PayPal, or to buy a GreenDot card or a gift card, it’s prob-ably a scam.”

There are several practices that, when followed, may pre-vent you from being scammed. If someone calls threatening to cut off your electricity if you do not pay, hang up and call your electric utility using the published phone number, (208) 879-2283, to inquire about your account.

If your account is in order, report the scam to the util-ity. If you believe scam artists are soliciting you, contact the local police and the state attorney general’s office. Never give personal or financial information to an unsolicited caller. If someone claiming to represent the electric utility shows up at your door for unscheduled service, phone the electric utility to verify credentials and scheduled service.

Remember: Your electric utility is there to help you through any type of payment issue and will not use aggres-sive or threatening tactics.

—Ken Dizes, Manager

Protect Yourself from Scams

Ken Dizes

Board of DirectorsPresident Bob BorenVice President Jeff BittonSec./Treasurer Norman WallisMichael MillerDoug ParkinsonEarl SkeenChuck Wunsch

Manager Ken DizesAttorney Dale Storer

Board meets the third Wednesday of each month

Email: [email protected]: www.srec.org

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

ID-28

What do St. Patrick’s Day and the United Electric Annual Meeting have in common? They are both March 17, 2015. Don your favorite green, and join the directors and employees of United Electric for the festivities.

The annual meeting of the members is March 17 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Minico High School. Registration is 5 to 6:30 p.m. The business meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Soup or chili and cin-namon rolls will be served prior to the business meeting.

Last year was the first year the annual meeting was held in March, and the results were good! Members commented on the excellent homemade soup, chili and cinnamon rolls prepared by the Minidoka Food Service Association. Many members were pleased the event was held indoors as it was nice and warm. The meeting and prize drawing concluded by 7:30 p.m., leaving plenty of daylight for the drive home.

Just like last year, the cafeteria will serve up the feast. The business meeting and prize drawing will be in the auditorium, which has great acoustics and cushy seats.

If you cannot attend the annual meeting, you can still participate in the director elections and vote by mail. For your convenience, an insert is included in this issue. Simply fill out the postcard. Prior to the annual meeting, a ballot will be sent to your home. The ballot can be returned via mail or dropped off at the office. Even if you plan to attend the meeting in person, you can still vote by mail.

Mark your calendar now: March 17, St. Patrick’s Day and the United Electric Annual Meeting.

Jo Elg, General Manager

Co-op Connections is a product of Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, a national alliance of more than 700 electric cooperatives working together to gain greater savings for members.

ID-29

Annual Meeting Time at United Electric

UNITED ELECTRICCO-OP, INC.

UnitedElectricCo-op Inc.Directors President Dean NielsenVice President Bruce BeckSec./Treas. Cordell SearleBrent Bowen Ronald Osterhout David PhillipsGeorge TonerJohn R. West

General ManagerJo Elg

Engineering and OperationsTrevor Parke

Line SuperintendentDan Kidd

Executive AssistantPenny West

Manager of Finance and Admin.Curtiss Peterson

Community Relations ManagerChris Seibold

Mailing address:1330 21st St.Heyburn, ID 83336Phone: (208) 679-2222Fax: (208) 679-3333Email: [email protected]: www.uec.coopO� ce hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After Hours: (208) 679-4444

Jo Elg

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Lost RiverElectricCooperative Inc.

P.O. Box 420305 Pine StreetMackay, Idaho 83251-0420

Phone: (208) 588-3311Fax: (208) 588-3038Email: o� [email protected]

DirectorsBrad J. GamettPresident

Susan M. HarrisVice President

Bret L. ZollingerSecretary/Treasurer

Chad H. AngellJames D. McKelveyRandy R. PurserLynn O. RothwellWiley F. SmithMerlin A. Waddoups

Manager/CEO F. Richard Reynolds

The Board of Directors meets the second Thursday of each month.

December 31, 2014, marked the end of an era for Lost River Electric Coopera-tive Inc. with the sale of a decades-old coal-� red power plant. On September 1, 1975, Lost River Electric Cooperative Inc. and six other cooperatives in the Paci� c Northwest came together to form what would come to be known as Power Resources Cooperative. PRC signed an agreement for construction, ownership and opera-tion of the No. 1 Boardman Station on Carty Reservoir, e� ective October 15, 1976, acquiring a 10 percent interest in the Boardman Project. � e coal-� red power plant was soon to be constructed in north central Oregon. Idaho Power Co. was also a 10 percent owner. Portland General Electric was the majority owner and plant operator. PRC has been working with PGE for about two years to sell its share of Boardman back to PGE. � at deal came to fruition at the end of 2014. While the Boardman Project has been a successful power generation facility, PRC’s need and relationship with the facility has had a challenging past. Shortly a� er the plant was completed, BPA reversed its notice of insu� ciency, which was originally issued in 1974, thereby eliminating the PRC members’ need for the plant. An expensive coal supply contract caused the plant to remain idle during some of its early years. Eventually, PRC reached a long-term agreement with the Turlock Irrigation District in Northern California to take PRC’s 10 percent share of the plant’s output. � at agreement will end in 2018. PGE has announced plans for the plant to cease op-erations as a coal-� red facility by the end of 2020. By transferring ownership back to PGE, PRC frees itself from site clean-up, remediation and other liabilities.

Lost River Electric Reconsiders Old Assets

ID-30

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Board of DirectorsWill Stark, President Lon Rake, Vice PresidentDan Stowe, SecretaryFred Williams, TreasurerMichael Johnson, DirectorPaul Kildal, Director Mary Odden, DirectorJe� Saxe, Director

P.O. Box 45Glennallen, AK 99588www.cvea.orgCopper Basin District(907) 822-3211(907) 822-5586 (fax)Mile 187 Glenn Hwy.Valdez District(907) 835-4301(907) 835-4328 (fax)367 Fairbanks Dr.After hours outage line(866) 835-2832

Important Dates

FebruaryDeadline: Scholarship applications must be received by Friday, February 13, 2015, prior to 5 p.m.

Deadline: Board of Director petitions must be received by Friday, February 13, 2015, prior to 5 p.m.

CVEA Board Meeting: The February meeting of the Board of Directors is 2 p.m. Thursday, February 19, 2015, in Glennallen

MarchCVEA Board Meeting: The March meeting of the Board of Directors is 2 p.m. Thursday, March 19, 2015, in Valdez

CVEA O� ces Closed: The CVEA o� ces will be closed, Monday, March 30, 2015, for Seward’s Day

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Save the Date!CVEA 2015 Annual Membership MeetingCopper Basin, April 14Valdez, April 16

After a focused internal application and interview process, Copper Valley Electric Association Inc.’s Board of Directors has named John Duhamel as the organiza-tion’s next Chief Executive Officer. John will succeed Robert Wilkinson, who retires effective June 1, 2015, after having served as the Cooperative’s CEO for 18 of his 28 years with the Cooperative.

Duhamel joined Copper Valley in 2010 and currently holds the position of Executive Engineer. He brings more than 35 years of diverse professional experience in various leadership roles to CVEA. John is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, veteran of the Gulf War and holds an Engineering degree from the Air Force Academy and masters degrees in Public and Business Administration.

According to Will Stark, President of CVEA’s Board of Directors, “The Board is confident that John’s strong executive leadership skills, strategic planning abilities and overall experience in industry and at CVEA will provide continued strong leadership as our Cooperative meets the challenges ahead.”

For additional information, please contact Robert Wilkinson at (907) 822-3171 or email [email protected].

CVEA Names Next Chief Executive O� cer

AK-34

Dear Customers:Electric bill scams continue to make their way across the United States, including here in Tillamook County. Most recently, scammers targeted our business community, but all of us should stay on guard.

Please beware of thieves posing as Tillamook PUD represen-tatives who request immediate payment and financial informa-tion over the phone.

Attempts by scammers to con innocent people are unpredict-able and the messages are often inconsistent.

In recent schemes, scammers claim the electric bill is past due and threaten to disconnect electric service unless immediate payment is made. They instruct the customer to purchase a prepaid credit card and call them back with the card number, or they request personal banking or credit card information for immediate payment. These criminals are capable of manipulating the phone number displayed on the caller ID, making it look as if it is coming from the utility.

Please keep in mind that prior to actual disconnection, Tillamook PUD sends reminders and notices, makes courtesy phone calls attempting to contact customers and offers a variety of payment options.

If you receive any suspicious calls regarding your Tillamook PUD bill, do not pro-vide any personal or financial information. Hang up and call our office at (503) 842-2535 or (800) 422-2535.

Tillamook PUD is committed to your privacy and the protection of your personal information.

Sincerely,

Raymon D. SielerGeneral Manager

OR-35

Be Wary of Callers Asking for Money

Board of DirectorsKen Phillips, President Harry Hewitt, Vice PresidentBarbara Trout, TreasurerDoug Olson, SecretaryEd Jenkins, Director

General Manager Raymon Sieler

Board meetings are in the PUD office at 6 p.m. the first Tuesday after the 11th of the month

Mission StatementTillamook People’s Utility District is dedicated to delivering the best value of electric services, while continuing our commitment to the customer-owners and communities we serve.

CreedWe shall work together to:XX Provide exceptional customer service;

anticipate and strive to exceed our customers’ needs.

XX Provide high-quality and cost-effective services to our customers.

XX Ensure a safe electrical system and working environment for our customers and employees.

XX Operate a financially stable business.XX Encourage cooperation and open

communication among the customers, board of directors, management and employees of Tillamook PUD.

XX Support all the communities we serve.XX Be environmentally responsible.

1115 Pacific Ave. • P.O. Box 433Tillamook, OR 97141Phone: (503) 842-2535 Toll free: (800) 422-2535www.tpud.org

Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

For EMERGENCY service afterbusiness hours, call (800) 842-2122

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

AK-36

Barrow Utilities and Electric Cooperative Inc.P. O. Box 449Barrow, AK 99723Phone: 852-6166Fax: 852-6372www.bueci.org

Board of Directors PresidentPrice E. Brower Vice President Roy Nageak Sr.

Secretary/TreasurerDon Nungasak

Doreen A. AhgeakHerman AhsoakFrederick F. BrowerEllen LeavittRichard Ungarook Sr.Edith Vorderstrasse

General Manager Ben L. Frantz











32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Golden Valley Electric Association32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Oil prices are falling, and Golden Valley is attempting to pass those savings on to our members as quickly as possible.

GVEA has requested the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) approve a 28 percent reduction to the cur-rent Fuel & Purchased Power (F&PP) charge. If approved, the effective date would be February 1, 2015. The average residential bill of 600 killowatt-hours will be reduced $17 a month, and that’s good news for our members.

Does GVEA have a fuel surcharge? No. The F&PP charge reflects GVEA’s actual fuel expenses (oil, coal, wind) used to

generate electricity, as well as power purchased from other utilities, such as Aurora Energy (coal) in Fairbanks, Chugach Electric (natural gas) in Anchorage, Bradley Lake Hydro and Alaska Environmental Power (wind) in Delta Junction.

The next scheduled F&PP adjustment is due March 1. However, due to the dra-matic drop in oil prices, GVEA is asking the RCA to not only approve the lower F&PP charge but also to implement it one month early. The adjustment would remain in effect through the end of May.

How often is the F&PP charge calculated? Quarterly. We closely monitor all factors that make up the F&PP charge. Based on what we anticipate those factors will be for the next three months, that cost is reflected on our members’ monthly bill as the F&PP charge. If the calculation is over or under for a quarter, a true-up mechanism is built into the following quarter’s calculation.

Why won’t this have a greater impact on your monthly bill? Last year oil comprised just 25 percent of our generation fuel mix. The other 75% of our power came from coal, natural gas, hydro and wind. The cost of these other fuels has remained stable. So the reduction applies only to the oil portion of the F&PP charge on your electric bill. The bottom line when you write a check – an overall decrease of 12 percent.

In the past seven months, the F&PP charge has gone down 33 percent, and that’s welcome news. We wanted you to know we are trying to pass those savings along to our members as quickly as possible. GVEA is your not-for-profit utility – when we save, you save.

Cory BorgesonPresident & CEO

GVEA asks RCA to lower the Fuel & Purchased Power charge by 28%

AK-37

Owned By Those We Serve

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Bill Nordmark, Chairman (District 7)Tom DeLong, Vice-Chairman (District 2)John Sloan, Secretary (District 6)Rick Schikora, Treasurer (District 3)Chris Bunch (District 5)Aren Gunderson (District 1)Frank Eagle (District 4)

MAIN OFFICE

758 Illinois StreetPO Box 71249Fairbanks, AK 99707-1249

Regular Business Phone(907) 452-1151Fax (907) 458-6365Member Services

DISTRICT OFFICES

Delta Junction1681 Richardson Hwy.PO Box 909Delta Junction, AK 99737(907) 895-4500Fax (907) 895-5472

NenanaMile 303.5 Parks Hwy.PO Box 00130Nenana, AK 99760(907) 832-5481Fax (907) 458-6387

Toll-Free Number1-800-770-GVEA (4832)

www.gvea.com

CA-39

Manager’s MessageDear Members:The beginning of a year is a great time to high-light the qualities that make electric coopera-tives different from other types of utilities and businesses. With the holidays now behind us, we can focus on matters important to us as a community.

Electric co-ops are entrenched in their com-munity. As such, we have a vested interest in its health and economic stability.

Why do we care?For starters, electric co-ops are owned by

those we serve. That is why those who receive electric service from us are called members, not customers. Members mean member-owners. There is no profit motive for us, just a determination to keep your money in your pocket. Without members, there would be no Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative.

One of the seven guiding principles that set us apart from other businesses is our concern for community. As a cooperative, we have a special responsibility to support the areas in which our members live and work. From sup-porting new jobs and industry through our economic development efforts, to bringing new technologies, we stand as a driving force in our community. Co-ops overall are more accessible than other types of businesses. We give our members a voice, and we are local—living and working alongside those we serve.

To learn more about the cooperative differ-ence, see page 4.

Scholarship Deadline ApproachesIt is not too late to turn in an application to

win one of two $1,000 scholarships. These scholarships are open to high school

seniors and older students with no upper age limit. Details are on page 8. Deadline is March 13, 2015.

Beware of Scammers!Scammers are targeting PSREC members. The scam involves a phone call to a member by a con artist posing as a co-op employee seeking an immediate payment for service. Customers are threatened with having service discon-nected unless they pay cash, buy a pre-paid debit card or use an online payment service to pay their bill at once.

Please be suspicious of calls asking for pay-ment information. If you receive a suspicious call, please call PSREC directly to verify the request for payment before providing any per-sonal information.

Also, report scammer calls to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC provides great information on identifying scammers and how to protect yourself at www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0076-telemarketing-scams.

Fiber We have added three new hotspots: Eastern Plumas Chamber of Commerce/Rec and Tech office in Blairsden, Neighbors Barbeque in Cromberg, and the Golden West Saloon Restaurant and Hotel in Loyalton—bringing the total number of hotspots to 12. For a complete list of hotspots where you can access high-speed Internet for free, please visit www.plumassierratelecommunications.com/hotspots.php.

If you have any questions, please call me at (800) 555-2207 ext. 6076 or email me at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Bob MarshallGeneral Manager

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

PresidentDave Roberti, Sierra Valley

[email protected]

Vice PresidentFred Nelson, Clio

[email protected]

Secretary/TreasurerDavid Hansen, Doyle

[email protected]

Dan Kenney, [email protected]

Ole Olsen, [email protected]

Tom Hammond, [email protected]

Chris Miller, [email protected]

Manager Robert (Bob) Marshall

[email protected]

Our subsidiary,Plumas-Sierra

Telecommunications offers a variety of high-quality

Internet solutions.For more information,

please visitwww.pst.coop or call

(800) 221-3474

For information about any of our products, please call

(800) 555-2207 or visit ourwebsite at www.psrec.coop

RU

RAL ELECTRIC CO-O

PPSREC

PLUMAS-SIERRA

PST

PLUMAS-SIERRA

TELECOMMUNICATION

S

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

NV-40

P.O. Box 1510001600 Great Basin Blvd.Ely, NV 89315

(775) 289.8981(800) [email protected]

Emergency ContactsEly Office(775) 289-8981

Eureka Office(775) 237-5693

Outside Ely / Eureka Area(800) 97-POWER

Board of DirectorsDistrict 1 – Ron MillerDistrict 2 – Bob SwetichDistrict 3 – Jerry MorrillDistrict 4 – Don PhillipsDistrict 5 – Rick HendrixDistrict 6 – Jerald AndersonDistrict 7 – Sandra GreenDistrict 8 – Wilma SanfordDistrict 9 – Frank Leon

Proudly serving more than 10,000 residents and businesses throughout Nevada and Utah.

Winter hours are November through April; Summer hours are May through October.

Winter hours: The Ely office is open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Eureka office is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Powering Your Future”











» If living in an older home, Mt. Wheeler Power encourages you to check with an electrician before adding the additional space heater load to your service.

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

The great philosopher Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”

Actually, Tyson may have been a better pugilist than philosopher but he did have a point. Your electric cooperative is diligently implementing its 2015 Strategic Plan and work plans to ensure your access to reliable, cost-based electricity but it is also important to be prepared for an unexpected right hook.

One of the punches we are always watching for is costly legislation and regulation. I believe that Wells Rural Electric Company’s record clearly demonstrates that your company is a good steward of resources and a responsible corporate citizen. That standard of conduct reflects the collective conscience of our owners. While some regulation is necessary, some of it just inflates costs without achieving any meaningful social purpose.

Its quite likely that the first meetings of the 2015 Nevada Legislature are being held as you read this message. For the next 120 days, we will have our gloves up, ready to fight for you.

We’ve been fighting for decades and in training for this fight for months. During the 2014 campaign season, money donated to the Rural Electric Advocates of Nevada Political Action Committee by your employees, directors and friends of public power was used to make campaign contributions. We met with our friends in elected office and promising candidates to remind them that Wells Rural Electric Company (WREC) is a different kind of power company. We are a locally-owned, democratically-controlled non-profit cooperative. At least 94% of our power

supply is generated by carbon-free resources. We aggressively pursue energy efficiency and we support local social service organizations and churches in assisting low-income owners. Our rates are among the lowest in the state. All of that and more is done without costly regulation by the Public Utilities Commission.

Through our membership in the Nevada Rural Electric Association (NREA), we have been building our relationships with other public power organizations across the state. We have also been strengthening our relationships with organizations who share similar interests and who represent portions of our ownership.

If prior legislative sessions are a guide, this legislature will probably consider about 1,300 bills. About 940 have been proposed so far. We have read every Bill Draft Request (BDR) and are closely following 67 proposals that could impact your rates.

Although none of the BDR’s appear to target public power directly, all of them have the potential to affect our operations or rates, especially the 14 that will attempt to change Nevada’s tax structure. Representatives of NREA can often persuade Legislators to amend proposals which could have detrimental effects to exempt public power or to include public power in measures that would benefit our owners. There are times, however, when only a strong grass roots effort can change a decision maker’s mind. Please check www.wrec.coop or follow us on social media for updates on legislation that could affect your bill.

More information on how legislation and regulation affect the reliability and cost of electricity can be found on pages 28 and 29 inside.

Clay R. FitchChief Executive Officer

NV-41

CEO Report

Wells RuralElectric CompanyBoard of Directors

F. Scott EgbertPresident

Gerald AndersonVice President

Mary WrightSecretary/Treasurer

Jonathan DahlKirk DahlOrlin KidnerFred Montes de OcaLois NanniniJim WhitedBruce WidmerHoward Wright

Director Emeritus

D. Vernon Dalton

Carlin office:1322 Chestnut StreetP.O. Box 727Carlin, Nevada 89822(775) 754-6362

Wendover office:1706 West Butte StreetP.O. Box 3699West Wendover,Nevada 89883(775) 664-2204

Wells office:1451 Humboldt AvenueP.O. Box 365Wells, Nevada 89835(775) 752-3328

website:www.wrec.coop

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Kittitas County Public Utility District No. 11400 Vantage HighwayEllensburg, WA 98926(509) 933-7200 (24-hour phone service)Office hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday

Commissioners Roger C. SparksPaul RogersShan Rowbotham

General ManagerMatt Boast

Assistant General ManagerBrian Vosburgh

Please visit our website to view all approved board minutes:

www.kittitaspud.com

The Board of Commissioners meets the last Tuesday of each month in Building B.

Manager’s MessageAs most of us are aware, it is not getting any easier to make ends meet these days. No sooner than our paycheck arrives is it eaten up by bills, mortgage and food. Consequently, we at Kittitas PUD are finding we also need to cut costs to make ends meet.

Therefore, we are revisiting distribution of Ruralite to our members. We cannot judge how many customers enjoy the magazine and how many may never read it. We are asking those of you who wish to not receive Ruralite to call and let us know.

Please call at your earliest convenience at (509) 933-7200. Our regular office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. You also can reach us on the web at www.kittitaspud.com. If you call after hours, please leave your account number and your first and last name. There will be no cost to our customers who decide to keep your subscription.

We thank you for your time with this decision. Personally, we at Kittitas PUD hope you enjoy this magazine as much as we do. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Matt BoastGeneral Manager

32 F E B R uA R y 2015

WA-43

District Offices4005 23rd Street

Baker City, OR 97814523-3616

567 West PierceBurns, OR 97720

573-2666

400 Patterson Bridge Road P.O. Box 575

John Day, OR 97845 575-0161

2408 Cove Ave. P.O. Box 790

La Grande, OR 97850 963-3155

[email protected]

Report Outages at (866) 430-4265

Officers/Directors: President Greg Howard,Union CountyVice President George Galloway,Union CountySec./Treas. George “Austin” Bingaman, Union County

David Baum, Union CountyAletha Bonebrake, Baker CountyRobert Cargill, Harney CountyCharlene Chase, Baker CountyCharles Hofmann, Baker CountyGary Miller, Grant County

Werner Buehler, General Manager

Ron Williams, Attorney

OR-48

There are seven cooperative principles that give all cooperatives guidance. These principles set us apart from other business models that are based simply on the bottom line.

1. Voluntary and open membership.2. Democratic member control.3. Members’ economic participation.4. Autonomy and independence.5. Education, training and information.6. Cooperation among cooperatives.7. Concern for community.Concern for community is the one that sticks out the most to me. It is the reason

Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative was founded by community members 26 years ago. Community members chose the cooperative business model as their guide. It was their concern for our community—to bring safe, reliable and affordable electric power to our region—that defined our purpose.

To me, concern for community means that while focusing on member needs, electric cooperatives work for the sustainable development of communities through policies and programs accepted by the members.

It is in this spirit that we continue to offer some of the most affordable rates and reliable electric power in the nation. In addition to providing electric service, OTEC supports our community through scholarships, the Washington, D.C., Youth Tour, the Peggi Timm Civic Leadership Award, school safety programs, work-in-kind projects and community sponsorships.

For cooperatives, these are easy decisions to make. Unlike investor-owned busi-nesses—where the owners and employees can be far removed from the users of the service —in a cooperative, the owners and the users are the same people: You!

This is why we call you a member and encourage you to engage actively with us. You read about the proposed bylaw changes in this issue, and there are three board of director positions up for re-election this year. The health and long-term sustainability of our community depends on all of us demonstrating our mutual concern for community.

While it has been 26 years since we began offering electricity, our concern for community has never wavered. We continue to work for the sustainable development of our community. We welcome your input as we work to meet your needs for the next 26 years and beyond.

Regards,General Manager Werner Buehler

Manager’s Message

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Member-owned since 1921

Ohop MutualLight Co.34014 Mountain Highway E.Eatonville, WA 98328

Phone: (253) 847-4363Night troubles: (253) 847-4363

Email: o� [email protected]

Board of DirectorsPresident Jerry WalterVice President Mel CoxSec./Treasurer Frank Ho� manDirector Louie Mettler

General ManagerIsabella Deditch

Dear Members,Last year was a turbulent one in respect to special projects and the increased work associated with them. Sometimes it felt a little overwhelming. This year we are finish-ing these projects, which took longer than anticipated due to county regulations and permits, as well as the increased work our staff took on to keep as much of the work in-house to save money.

This also has delayed my anticipated retirement . I want to finish the projects I started so the next manager is not left with loose ends or incomplete items.

We were busy last year remodeling the Ohop Substation and are close to completion. The control house has been set, and the new transformer runs smoothly. Now we are connecting the substation computer equipment with our cellular network.

Once that is accomplished, the Ohop Substation will be able to carry the total load of all Ohop members—similar to the Mashel Substation—which, in the end, amounts to providing our members with more reliable power.

In combination with the upgrade of the Ohop Substation, our crews have been busy on the Mountain Highway constructing an intertie between the Mashel and the Ohop substations. This work will connect the two substations by an expressway of heavy con-ductor that will allow us to switch all of our customers from one substation to another in case one substation should fail or need to be taken out of service for maintenance, thereby reducing the need for a prolonged outage.

The intertie gives our crews the ability to isolate areas affected by winter power out-ages. They will be able to switch sections of the distribution system to another substa-tion, reducing the number of customers affected by the outage.

Our new storage building also was delayed because of additional county require-ments. But our persistence prevailed and we broke ground the first week of January. We now can secure our trucks and equipment to avoid theft and vandalism.

We still have a few challenges left, but with the help of talented and hardworking people—and a few prayers—we are confident we will succeed.

We at Ohop wish you a happy, healthy and successful new year.

Isabella DeditchGeneral Manager

WA-49

Looking ForwardLast year in review and looking ahead to the new year

Nomination for Board PositionsA committee has been appointed to nominate members for board positions. Any member who wishes to run must contact Betty Deck, (360) 832-3572; Sally McKay, (360) 832-6262; or Geneal Palmer, (360) 832-4912. Nominations close 40 days prior to the annual meeting, which is April 10, 2015.

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

P.O. Box 142645710 SE North Bend WayNorth Bend, WA 98045-1426 Telephone: (425) 888-0623Toll-free: (800) 472-0208www.tannerelectric.coop

Board of DirectorsPresident Ed StephensonVice President Julie FrommTreasurer Susan Serrette-EganSecretary Mike HodgeRoger GuayJeff GilletteKendel LymanPaul BayMark Dilger

An electric utility ownedby those we serve in:

North BendAmes LakeAnderson Island

Tanner Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer

General ManagerSteve Walter

Chief Financial O� cerRob Carr

Operations ManagerJames Anderson

WA-50

Director ElectionsDear Member,Director positions to the Board of Tanner Electric Cooperative are up for election at the next annual meetings on May 13, 2015, for North Bend/Ames Lake and May 16, 2015, for Anderson Island.

Qualified applicants must file a membership petition nomination signed by 15 or more members residing in their respective service area. Only one member of each account may sign the petition. Petitions must be delivered to the cooperative’s headquarters in North Bend on or before February 25, 2015.

If you are interested, the descriptions of the cooperative membership eligibility and director qualifications, duties and responsibilities are set forth in the bylaws and are available at www.tannerelectric.coop or you may contact Lisa Peabody by email, [email protected], and ask to have the information emailed to you.

The incumbent directors up for re-election are:

Anderson Island North Bend Ames Lake

Best Regards,

Steve WalterGeneral Manager

are available at www.tannerelectric.coop or you may contact Lisa Peabody by email, [email protected], and ask to have the information emailed to you.

The incumbent directors up for re-election are:

Jeff GilletteMike HodgePaul Bay

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Parkland Light & Water Company

Owned By Those We Serve

12918 Park Ave. P.O. Box 44426 Tacoma, WA 98448-0426 (253) 531-5666

Board of TrusTees Gary Hauenstein - President Gary Grazzini - Vice President Janet Detering - Secretary Elaine Walter - Treasurer Charles Nelson - Public Relations

General ManaGer

Mark Johnson

Incorporated in 1914— The country’s oldestmutual cooperative

WA-52

Please plan to attend.We need

your vote!

Annual Meeting NoticeParkland Light & Water Co. will host YOUR annual meeting on Tuesday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be at the Keithley Middle School cafeteria, 12324 12th Ave. South, Tacoma.

Parkland Light & Water Co. is owned by its members. Please plan to attend your annual meeting. We will hear reports on the cooperative’s condition and elect one trustee.

Charles Nelson has announced his candidacy for the 5-year term. Candidates also may be nominated from the floor. If you are also interested in running for this position, please announce your candidacy by February 13 so your name can be published in the March edition of Ruralite.

32 f E B R uA R y 2015

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

495 E. Columbia River HighwayPO BOX 216

Clatskanie, Oregon 97016(503) 728-2163 Office

www.clatskaniepud.com

Office Hours: 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday

Please call to report outages(503) 728-2163

Automated Payment Center1-855-430-0765

Board of directorsDon HooperBob WigginsMerle GillespieStephen D. PetersenLinda A. Hooper

General ManaGerMarc Farmer

CPUD $10 Bill Credit Drawing Account #00030155-00If this is your account number, please call the office to claim your prize. Congratulations!

OR-60

Community CalendarFebruary 2: Groundhog Day

February 14: Happy Valentine’s Day

February 14 -15: Tiger Tourney Youth Basketball TournamentClatskanie Schools - all weekend

February 16: Observance of Presidents’ Day- CPUD office closed

February 18: Clatskanie PUD Board Workshop at 5:30 p.m., followed by regular board meeting at 7 p.m.

February 21 - 22: Tiger Tourney Youth Basketball TournamentClatskanie Schools - all weekend (last one of the season)

Beware of Scams

In these days of intensified scams and identity thefts, it was only a matter of time before it hit the electric utilities. Electric utility customers around the country have been the target of scams in recent months.

In Oregon and California, customers were receiving tele-phone calls from someone claiming to be a utility employee and asking for credit card information. The customer is told their service will be cut off because of an overdue bill unless a credit card number is provided to pay the bill.

While some utilities like Clatskanie PUD do accept credit card payments for electric bills, none will contact a customer and ask for a credit card number over the telephone. Anyone who receives such a call should hang up and call local law enforcement and the electric utility. Clatskanie PUD will accept a credit card payment for an account over the telephone if requested by our customer as form of payment, but we will not call and request you provide us with your number.

A South Carolina utility reported some customers had been contacted by a person claiming to be an employee and asking for social security numbers to sign the person up for the bank draft payment plan.

In Georgia, calls were made to customers asking for personal information due to a “company database failure.”

In Wisconsin, customers have reported being contacted by someone claiming to be a company representative who offered to “erase their utility bill debt for a fee.” However, the utility did not have such a program.

Closer to home customers are told they will be disconnected unless they immediately obtain a gift card and provide the information from the card to the caller.

Customers should be urged never give out personal information, credit card num-bers, or money to anyone who solicits by telephone, or comes to the door claiming to be from the electric utility. All of our employees in the field can be identified by the logos on their vehicles and all have photo ID’s from the utility. Customers who are still unsure should call us (503-728-2163) and ask for verification that the person is indeed an employee of Clatskanie PUD.

I don’t want to be an alarmist or frighten anyone, but it is important in today’s world to be alert to and on the lookout for scams and identity theft. I hope these examples and precautions will help protect you from falling victim to any scams trying to use our electric utility as a tool to do so.

Marc FarmerGeneral Manager

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Electric co-ops are not just about poles and wires and the next cool gadget to save energy. We are in the people business. Actually, we are in the extraordinary people business.

Many Oregon electric co-ops are part of the Honor Flight program that brings “the greatest generation” to our nation’s capital to visit the World War II Memorial. It is our way of saying thank you to those who fought for this country, and what they went through for the future of our democracy.

You will find many of these World War II survivors in rural America, but we are losing them at a rapid clip. Their stories should be cherished. That is why at the last Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association annual meeting, we heard from Edgar Harrell, a survivor of the USS Indianapolis, which was destroyed in 1945 by a Japanese torpedo after it had delivered components of the world’s first operational atomic bomb. As the boat sank, Harrell went into the water with 900 other crew members. A week later, only 317 remained alive. Hypothermia, dehydration and saltwater poisoning claimed some of the crew. Sharks took the rest.

Harrell is a master storyteller—and it is a chilling story—but he also is remarkable for other reasons. For one, he is a 90-year-old World War II veteran who travels the country like someone in his prime. He is not a bitter man, despite the living hell he endured for a week on the high seas. He was given a second chance and made the most of it.

We cannot be reminded often enough that all the things we take for granted were made possible by remarkable people such as Ed Harrell. Through the Honor Flight program, Oregon’s electric co-ops are proud to play a small part in recognizing their incredible sacrifices for this country.

Ted Case, Executive Director

698 12th St. SE Suite 210Salem, OR 97301

(503) 585-9988www.oreca.org

OFFICERSDave Markham, PresidentChristopher Seubert, Vice PresidentRobert MacPherson, Secretary/TreasurerAlicia Bonesteele, Exec. Committee At-LargeBob Durham, Exec. Committee At-LargeRoman Gillen, Immediate Past President

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Ted Case

LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE

Rachel Kloor

OREGON ELECTRIC CO-OPSBlachly-Lane Electric Co-opCentral Electric Co-opClearwater Power CompanyColumbia Basin Electric Co-opColumbia Power Co-opColumbia Rural Electric Co-opConsumers Power Inc.Coos-Curry Electric Co-opDouglas Electric Co-opHarney Electric Co-opHood River Electric Co-opLane Electric Co-opMidstate Electric Co-opOregon Trail Electric Consumers Co-opSalem ElectricSurprise Valley ElectrificationUmatilla Electric Co-opUmpqua Indian UtilityWasco Electric Co-opWest Oregon Electric Co-op

OR-400

Case in Point

Escambia River

We all know how annoying power blinks can be. They occur on every power system. Power blinks are actually an indication the electrical system is work-ing correctly. They are an important feature of an efficient and safe power delivery design.

A blink occurs when a breaker, or switch, opens along any part of the power system. Usually this happens because of a large, quick increase of electrical current. This can occur due to lightning, a squirrel simultane-ously touching energized and grounded equip-ment on a power pole, a tree limb touching a line or any number of other reasons.

When one of these conditions occurs, elec-trical equipment called a relay senses this rise in electrical current and tells the breaker to open to prevent the flow of excess power. After opening, the breaker closes quickly.

This short delay—usually fewer than 2 sec-onds—allows the equipment to clear.

If the equipment clears—the power spike has returned to normal—everyone on that power line just experienced a blink.

Escambia River Electric Cooperative uses many methods to keep power blinks to a minimum. One of the most common ways to reduce blinks is to keep trees trimmed away from power lines. EREC has right-of-way crews that work every day alongside our lines keeping trees and branches cut back. EREC also operates a thorough maintenance program to identify and repair sources of service inter-ruptions to diminish the effects and frequency.

Power blinks never will disappear from our electrical system. While EREC employs various techniques to reduce the frequency of blinks, there are a few ways you can work with us to keep frustration to a minimum:

• Keep us informed of any trees and limbs located close to a power line.

• Buy an alarm clock with a battery back-up that maintains power through momentary outages.

• Install an uninterruptible power supply on your computer to provide battery backup, and give you time to save your work and prop-erly shut down your computer.

By working together, we can minimize the effects and frequency of power interruptions and maintain the reliability of your electric dis-tribution system.

A Word About Power BlinksManager’s Message

Clay R. Campbell

Members acknowledge that $3.96, plus actual postage, is the cost to publish 12 issues a year of Florida Currents (USPS-8300). Published by Ruralite Services Inc., 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124—a not-for-profit Oregon cooperative corporation—the magazine serves the communications needs of consumer-owned electric utilities in Florida. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Hillsboro, OR 97123 and at additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Please send address corrections to 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124.

HOW TO CONTACT FLORIDA CURRENTS

Have a problem receiving your edition of Florida Currents? Utility members should contact the local utility office listed on the back cover. Nonmembers should contact Ruralite Services, 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124; (503) 718-3717; email [email protected].

Subscription services: Nonmember subscriptions $12 (U.S.) per year; $25 (foreign) per year. Prepayment required. Allow 4 to 8 weeks for first issue. Be sure to identify which local edition you want to receive. Order online at www.floridacurrents.com.

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DISPLAY ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

Contact Jessah WillisNational Country Market611 S. Congress Ave. Suite 504Austin, TX 98704(800) 626-1181 or (512) 441-5200www.nationalcountrymarket.com

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© 2015 Ruralite Services Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Side Roads 10

In the Kitchen 16Great Picture Hunt 18

Travel Journal 20 Festival Roundup 22Outdoor Pursuits 24

Inside

Your utility pages: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32

Also In This Issue

February 2015Vol. 4, No. 4

PicturesqueLake Placid 12Murals salute town’s history in larger-than-life form.

F E B R UA R Y 2015 3

Predicting the Future is ToughHall of Fame baseball player and philoso-pher Yogi Berra said, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”

He was right, but that doesn’t stop us from predicting football game outcomes, the stock market or the weather. And Yogi was right: Our predictions are often wrong because predicting the future is tough.

Predicting the future of global warm-ing, climate change and weather patterns has become the business of a number of scientists, climatologists, physicists and politicians. Those predictions have proven to be really tough, but that hasn’t stopped them or impeded the call for more environmental regulation.

In 1971, Dr. Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University professor and author of the 1968 environmentalist guidebook “The Population Bomb,” forecasted that because of global cooling, the United Kingdom would simply be a small group of impoverished islands, inhabited by some 70 million hungry people by 2000.

“I would take even money that England will not exist in the year 2000 and will give 10:1 odds that the life of the average Briton would be of lower quality than it is today,” he stated.

Ehrlich has changed his position and now asserts the earth faces catastrophic global warming that will eradicate world food resources and will result in humans resorting to cannibalism to survive.

In his 1981 book “Extinction,” Ehrlich stated his models predicted “half the populations and species of the world’s rainforests would be extinct by 2000 and none would be left by 2025.”

Why do we allow people like this to teach our young people?

The United Nations’ Environmental Programme, sponsor of the U.N.’s Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, predicted in 1989 that “entire nations could be wiped off the face of the earth by rising sea levels if global warming is not reversed by the year 2000.”

In 2005, UNEP warned that by 2010 50 million people would be “climate refu-gees” frantically fleeing low-lying areas in the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, China and the U.S. because of imminent sea-level rises, increased hurricanes and desertification caused by man-made global warming. The U.N.’s 2007 IPCC report suggested Himalayan glaciers could melt by 2035 or sooner.

The IPCC has backed away from those predictions and, at times, even denied they were ever made.

Not to be left out, the Pentagon com-missioned a 2003 report that found cli-mate change was a national security con-cern, predicting that by 2013 California would be flooded with inland seas, parts of the Netherlands would be unlivable, polar ice would be all but gone, and surging temperatures would cause mass increases in hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters—sparking resource shortages and, potentially, global wars.

Co-author Doug Randall defended his predictions: “When you are looking at worse-case scenarios 10 years out, you are not trying to predict precisely what’s going to happen, but instead trying to get people to understand what could happen to motivate strategic decision-making and wake people up. But whether the actual specifics came true, of course they didn’t. That was never the main intent.”

Now that is a scientific study.In 1988, Jim Hansen, past director of

NASA’s Goddard Institute and one of the most outspoken climatologists and global warming alarmists, stated, “Within

the next 20 years (2008) the Westside Highway (that runs along the Hudson River in New York City) will be under water. There will be tape across the win-dows across the street because of high winds. And the same birds won’t be there. The trees in the median strip will change.”

In 1990, Princeton professor and lead UN IPCC author Michael Oppenheimer predicted that by 1995, “The greenhouse effect would be desolating the heartlands of North America and Eurasia with hor-rific drought, causing crop failures and food riots. By 1996, the Platte River of Nebraska will be dry, while a black bliz-zard of prairie topsoil will stop traffic on interstates, strip paint from houses and shut down computers. The situation will be so bad that Mexican police will round up illegal American migrants surging into Mexico seeking work as field hands.”

Dr. John Holdren, White House director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (President Barack Obama’s science czar) warned in the 1980s as a University of California physi-cist that it was possible carbon dioxide-induced famines could kill as many as a billion people by the year 2020.

Upon questioning, Holdren recently commented, “My statement in the 1980s about the potential impacts of climate change on world food production by 2020 was not a prediction or a forecast. It was precisely a statement about what is possible. There are still five years left. But the prospects of avoiding such an outcome ... will be greatly improved if this country follows through on the sen-sible measures in the president’s Climate Action Plan.”

Yogi was right. It is tough to predict the future. Maybe climate alarmists should get a pass because, by their stan-dards, they are not making predictions, only suggesting possibilities.

How smart is a billion-dollar bet on possibilities?

CommentaryBy Gary SmithPresident and CEO

Escambia River

F E B R UA R Y 2015 25

In last month’s newsletter we began thecelebration of FKEC’s 75th anniversary,and we feel our history is worthhonoring more than once. It has takenseven and a half decades of vision,ambition, leadership, and hard work toforge this cooperative into one of themost reliable and most uniquelydesigned electric utilities in the nation.So this month we would like to elaborateon our humble beginnings and recognizea few of our founders.

Electricity in the KeysTen years after Thomas Edison

produced an electric dynamo producingdirect current in 1879, John J. Philbrick

built the first power plant in Key West.This was great for Key West, but theluxury of centralized electricity was stillabsent in the Upper and Middle Keys.

Many years after the rest of Floridahad central electric service available tohomes and businesses, most of the Keyswere still in the dark.

The first real attempt to provide thesmall but growing population in theUpper Keys with access to electricity wasmade by H.S. “Mac” McKenzie.McKenzie came from Miami in 1928 andbegan constructing a small business

SCOTT NEWBERRYChief Executive Officer

We’ve Come aLong Way, Baby

FLORIDA KEYS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION, INC.Member Owned Since 1940

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

James J. BoiliniDistrict 1, Key Largo • President

Gretchen HollandDistrict 1, Key Largo • Vice President

Michael H. PutoDistrict 4, Marathon • Secretary

Frank N. Hawkins, Jr.District 2, Tavernier • Treasurer

David C. RitzDistrict 1, Key Largo

Craig BelcherDistrict 2, Tavernier

George D. HertelDistrict 3, Islamorada

Cale SmithDistrict 3, Islamorada

Karl M. WagnerDistrict 4, Marathon

CONTACT US:(305) 852-2431 • (800) 858-8845 Pay by Phone 1-855-385-9912www.FKEC.comMailing AddressP.O. Box 377, Tavernier, FL 33070

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 W W W . F K E C . C O M

FKEC NEWS

Unless otherwise noted, “FKEC NEWS”writing, design & photography by:

Nikki Dunn • [email protected] by: Rebecca Callahan Newman

MEMBERS SHOULDKNOW: Don’t be Scammed!Never give your personal,confidential, or financialinformation to anyunidentified individuals.

4 FEBRUARY 2015

Upper Matecumbe, 1930s •The private power plantinstalled for the CaribbeeColony.

Feb-2015-draft1_Layout 1 1/12/15 4:18 PM Page 2

H.S. “Mac” McKenzie

McKenzie was one of the first pioneersto try and bring electricity to theUpper Keys. After moving to Tavernierfrom Miami in 1928 he beganconstructing a shopping plaza and, inconjunction with FP&L, installed a 50-horsepower generator in the areabehind what is still the Tavernier Inn.

center. Along with bulk oil storagetanks, he built a gas station, anicehouse, hardware store, lumberyard,auto repair garage, drug store andtheater.

The theater he built, inanticipation of entertaining the WWIvets building the highway, was notsuccessful and was later convertedinto a hotel. That hotel still exists asthe Tavernier Inn located at MileMarker 91.8.

Behind the Tavernier Inn (seephoto right) is where McKenzie, inconjunction with Florida Power andLight (FP&L) first installed a 50-horsepower diesel generator andelectric lines to those residents whowished for his service. Mac's daughterJoanne remembers the generator beingnamed "Old Hessie."

In the beginning, power linesrunning along US 1 only carriedpower from “Old Hessie” to homesand business from MM 90.5 to MM 92.And it was only offered for a fewhours in the morning and in theevening. It wasn’t even enough hoursfor food refrigeration, but it wassomething.

A few years later, Alonzo Cothronconstructed a small electric system inMatecumbe. Like the Tavernier unit,he only provided electricity duringessential hours. Eventually, “Mac's”Tavernier plant served about 37customers and Matecumbe about 22customers. Marathon had a similar

small generator operation. Another early private power plant

was installed for the Caribbee Colony(see photo to left) on southern UpperMatecumbe Key in the early 1930s. Itwas known for its electrically litoutdoor dance floor and its extremelylarge thatched roof chickee hut builtby the Seminole Indians. Excursiontrains came in the morning anddeparted in the evenings from theMatecumbe siding. The 1935 hurricanedestroyed the Caribbee Colony.

FKEC is BornAs we noted last month, it was the

combination of the creation of theRural Electrification Administration(REA) by President FranklinRoosevelt, the destruction of the 1935

FEBRUARY 2015 5

The Inception of Florida Keys Electric CooperativeTavernier, 1930s • McKenzie’s 50-horsepowergenerator behind what is now the Tavernier Inn.

Continued on page 6


John A. Russell

Russell was elected as the firstChairperson of FKEC and served in that position for five years.Russell was a second generationKeys native “conch” as the son ofJohn Henry Russell who was theson of Richard H. Russell, whomoved to Key West in 1838. Thefamily then moved to Key Vacaand on to Upper Matecumbe Keyin roughly 1854.

hurricane, and the determination of ahandful of local residents thatultimately lead to the creation ofFKEC.

In 1938 the official opening of theOverseas Highway brought growth inpopulation and electrical demand;however, many Keys residents werestill skeptical of joining anorganization that required a $5membership fee, paid in advance. Infact, it was difficult to obtain the 300memberships required by the REA tostart the Co-op. Luckily, the vision anddetermination of the founding leaderscould not be discouraged. Finally,Allen Parrish of Marathon bought 20memberships himself to meet thequota.

With the required membership,Florida Keys Electric CooperativeAssociation, Inc. was certified by theFlorida Secretary of State on January22, 1940, with an office address of the"Marathon Grocery, Marathon,Florida." Four days later theCooperative held its first boardmeeting and elected John A. Russell(see photo) as chairperson.

FKEC Goes OnlineIn April of 1941, Chairperson

Russell obtained a partial loan of$50,000 from the REA to startconstruction of lines. A few monthslater the company purchased theholdings of FP&L and McKenzie for$6,230. We also purchased land andconstructed a plant in Tavernier. With

all the equipment in place, FKECwent online on December 1, 1942.

Captain Eugene Lowe, William"Spud" Albury and Austin Reeseworked as the first plant generationequipment operators. AlonzoCothron (who had built a smallelectric system in Matecumbe priorto 1935) installed the power linesand would later serve as FKEC’ssecond board president.

By 1943, FKEC operated a smallplant in Tavernier with threegenerators and had two portable unitsin Marathon. With the end of the warthe economy grew even more. Manytourists who visited the Keys decidedto stay, and each new resident meantmore work for the Cooperative. FKECwould grow rapidly over the next 20years.

Look for more historical accounts inupcoming issues of this newsletter.

6 FEBRUARY 2015

Keys ResidentsSkeptical of $5 Feeto Join Early FKEC

The Overseas Highway officially opened inMarch 1938. All of the Keys being easilyaccessible by car increased the island chain’spopulation and demand for electricity.

Continued from page 5


OFFICES

Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday

26733 U.S. Hwy. 27 East/P.O. Box 519Moore Haven, FL 33471(863) 946-6200Fax: (863) 946-2150

214 SR 70 WestLake Placid, FL 33852(863) 531-5000

111 SW Park St.Okeechobee, FL 34974(863) 467-5111

POWER INTERRUPTION NUMBERMoore Haven ............................. (863) 946-6200

Phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays. Please have your location or account number handy when you call.

BOARD OF TRUSTEESJohn “Jack” Coxe, President, District 8 Lake Josephine, (863) 655-3056James “Jim” Aul, Vice President, District 7 Lorida, (863) 441-0441 Russell Henderson, Sec./Treas., District 3 Ortona and Palmdale, (863) 946-0865Donnie Lundy, Trustee, District 1 Moore Haven, (863) 946-0402Barney Goodman, Trustee, District 2 Hendry County, (863) 983-7324Shannon Hall, Trustee, District 4 Lakeport and Brighton, (863) 946-3242Ladd Bass, Trustee, District 5 Venus and Hicoria, (863) 441-2227Lee Henderson, Trustee, District 6 Highlands Park, (863) 633-9281Angela Hodges, Trustee, District 9 Okeechobee, (863) 801-3140

The next meeting of the Board will be at 9 a.m. February 19 at the Moore Haven headquarters office. Any changes to this schedule will be posted in the lobby of all three district offices.

EXECUTIVE STAFFCEO Jeff Brewington CFO Jennifer ManningCTO Jesse WallaceDir. of Business Development Paul McGeheeDir. of Employee Services Yvonne BradleyDir. of Engineering Travis TurnerDir. of Member Services Margaret EllerbeeDir. of Operations Tracy Vaughn

FL-153

Wow: 70 years of service! What a milestone. A lot has changed at your cooperative during those years, and yet a lot remains the same.

We still operate in a very rural, mostly agricultural area with fewer than five members per mile of line. It is a beautiful part of the state that most on the coast and many tourists have no idea exists. This remoteness is precisely why big utilities would not provide electric service to our area 70 years ago: There was just not enough profit to be made with so few meters spinning. It remains that way to this day.

We can thank the determined residents of the Glades from so many years ago for the privilege of the electric service we enjoy today. Those brave souls came together and started an opera-tion that has grown to an electric facility valued at more than $100 million and serv-ing small hunting camps to an enormous citrus plant along with the homes of 12,000 residents.

Just around the corner we cel-ebrate the uniqueness of Glades Electric Cooperative with the occa-sion of its annual meeting—the gathering of members to hear the state of operations, elect future leaders, receive gifts, win prizes and, most impor-tantly, enjoy the fellowship of a great and exceptional group of people.

It is hard for me to believe, but I have been a part of this history for 34 years now: first as an employee at United States Sugar Corporation for 19 years, keeping tabs on its capital credits within the cooperative, and for the past 15 years as a cooperative employee. Both careers have been gratifying, but I must say I have enjoyed serving you most.

I look forward to seeing you soon at the celebration of our cooperative’s 70th anniversary.

Jeff Brewington

An Incredible MilestoneCEO’s Message

so many years ago for the privilege of the electric service we enjoy today. Those brave souls came

Electric Cooperative with the occa-

state of operations, elect future leaders, receive gifts, win prizes and, most impor-tantly, enjoy the fellowship of a great and

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

OFFICES722 West Highway 22P. O. Box 220Wewahitchka, FL 32465(850) 639-2216 or (800) 333-9392

9434 Highway 77 P. O. Box 8370Southport, FL 32409(850) 265-3631 or (800) 568-3667

6243 East Highway 98Panama City, FL 32404Phone: (850) 481-1188

www.gcec.com

CEO/GENERAL MANAGERMichael E. White

TRUSTEESPresident Kinneth DanielsVice President Gary Cox Secretary Eddie JonesTreasurer Robert ByrdDoug BirminghamJimmy BlackRupert BrownWaylon GrahamBetty Moore

Trustees normally meet the third Tuesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. CST. The board meets at the Wewahitchka office in even-numbered months (February, April, June, August, October and December) and the Southport office in odd-numbered months (January, March, May, July, September and November).

The mission of GCEC is to continually evaluate and implement technologies and seek solutions that ful� ll a diversi� ed memberships’ changing expectations for cost-e� ective, dependable utility services through a dedicated and responsive workforce.

FL-154

Growing up in a rural area in the 1960s, horse trader was one of the best reputa-tions a person could have. By the time I came along, horse traders did not trade horses any longer, but they had good business instincts and were accomplished at trading, buying or selling many things.

They were good businessmen who understood the value of different things, had a great sense of human nature and knew how to structure a favorable deal. They knew what was happening in their communities—what was needed and what was surplus. Horse traders were both respected and feared. They were sought to help with deals and avoided when they were on the other side. You always wanted to know whose side a horse trader was on. They were rarely out-traded because they knew exactly what they wanted from a deal and knew what people on the other side could and would give. They lived by their wits, abilities and hard work. They rarely lost a trade and never gave one away, because they were trading out of their own pockets.

A few weeks ago, U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced an agreement—described by the White House as historic—to limit carbon dioxide emissions. China, the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide, pledged to reach peak global carbon dioxide emissions and to reduce its reliance on non-fossil- based fuels to 20 percent of its total energy by 2030. The U.S. agreed to start now and by 2025 reduce its carbon dioxide emissions 26 to 28 percent from 2005 levels. However, the agreement contains no benchmarks, no enforcement actions nor any sanctions for non-compliance.

The U.S., which has reduced a greater amount of greenhouse gas emissions than any other country since 2005, agreed to more than double its carbon dioxide emis-sions reductions by 2025, and China agreed to continue to increase its carbon dioxide emissions year after year until 2030. China’s carbon dioxide emission graph line is almost vertical upward. The U.S.’s carbon dioxide emission line—already declining—turns more downward until 2025 and beyond.

Supporters of the agreement point to China’s commitment to expand its non-fossil energy reliance to 20 percent by 2030 as a significant concession. However, China con-tinues to add a new coal plant without environmental controls every two weeks. That pattern will continue through 2030. It is also adding nuclear power that will result in 20 percent non-carbon energy production by 2030, regardless of the agreement.

Columnist Charles Krauthammer, who has long supported a comprehensive, global agreement to reduce carbon emissions, calls it the most one-sided deal since Manhattan Island was sold for $24 in 1625. Even if it is not that bad, the U.S. bargain is certainly not the work of a horse trader.

Who is the Horse Trader?

Continues on page 29

CommentaryBy Gary SmithPresident and CEO PowerSouth Energy

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

A Lesson in SafetyGulf Coast Electric Cooperative recently took all second-graders at Wewahitchka Elementary School to Safety City.

Kristin Evans, manager of marketing and communication for GCEC, dem-onstrated the dangers of not behaving responsibly around electricity by using the energized model of a city, complete with a house, fencing, overhead power lines, an underground transformer box, people figures and vehicles.

Main points during the presentation included not flying a kite near overhead power lines, not playing on or around underground transformer boxes, not climbing trees that have branches that may come into contact with overhead power lines and not exiting a vehicle that has come into contact with overhead power lines unless absolutely necessary.

Students were taught the proper way

to exit a vehicle that has come into con-tact with overhead power lines if the occupants are in danger and must exit.

In addition to the Safety City demon-stration, students saw actual line techni-cian gear to gain an understanding of what co-op workers must wear to be in compliance with safety laws while work-ing on power lines. Students saw an elec-tric meter and learned how meters record information that cooperative employees use to calculate electric bills.

“The Safety City demonstration gives us an opportunity to teach students not only how electricity travels, but also the dangers of electricity if not used properly,” Evans said. “By using the Safety City model, stu-dents are taught to respect electricity.”

If you are interested in having a coop-erative representative visit your school, please call the cooperative. n

Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative’s Kristin Evans, right, with Wewahitchka second-graders, from left, K’noweltday Siliezar, Davy Gray and Jordan Cain.

“The radical environmental unilat-eralism advocated by climate alarmists would be not just economic suicide but economic suicide without a purpose,” Krauthammer writes. “It would do noth-ing to reduce atmospheric carbon diox-ide so long as China, India and other developing nations more than make up for our cuts with their huge and increas-ing carbon emissions.”

While the substance of the agreement is suspect, the process behind the agree-ment is worse. What if the U.S. radi-cally cuts its carbon emissions between now and 2025, and in 2030 China finds it uneconomic or inconvenient to meet its agreement? Apparently, we call them out for breaking a promise of a president long past, but there are no economic sanctions. Our economy is still damaged, our standard of living is lowered and the cost of everything we produce is higher.

The economic costs of U.S. carbon emission reduction are real, regardless of arguments by environmentalists. Energy costs are a part of every product and ser-vice. Increasing the cost of energy will increase the cost of every product and service we produce and use. Any other conclusion is illogical and wrong.

The environmental benefits are specu-lative at best, non-existent at worst.

The horse traders I knew growing up would be ashamed of the U.S. agreement. Maybe President Obama is not a horse trader. Maybe President Xi is a real horse trader and traded us out of our pants.

Maybe President Obama was not trad-ing with the Chinese at all. Maybe he is just using the agreement with China to set up a trade with all of us—the U.S. cit-izens—that would box us in and force us to reduce our carbon emissions regard-less of what China does in 2030 and regardless of what it does to our econ-omy, to our livelihoods, to our standard of living or to our children’s futures.

If that is the trade, President Obama is a real horse trader—and you always need to know which side of the deal a horse trader is on. n

Continues from page 32

Horse Trader

F E B R UA R Y 2015 29

Democracy is Important to the Operation of Every Co-op

very cooperative — whether it’s Peace River Electric, your credit union or a farm co-op — follows the basic principle of “one member, one vote.” Most often you are asked to vote and elect individuals that will represent you on the board of directors.

These folks are your friends, neighbors and fellow residents of your local community. Occasionally, you may be asked to vote on a policy, such as a bylaw change (this is like the constitution for your co-op).

Every member in good standing of the co-op may run for the board. This is one of the key differences between a co-op member and a customer of an investor-owned utility (IOU). Most IOUs are interested in generating profits for their stockholders rather than their customers’ opinions of how the company should be run.

Co-ops welcome member participation. In fact, it is critically important to the survival of the co-op. Most co-ops serve far fewer people than IOUs. Co-ops measure the number of members in the thousands, IOUs in the millions. If you are not actively involved with the co-op, we all suffer. As the electric utility industry evolves, having interested members who are willing to take an active role is critically important.

At PRECO, we believe in the “Own, Use, Serve and Belong” model.Own: Refers to each member truly believing and feeling that they do indeed share in the ownership of the co-op. This can come from attending the District Meeting, Annual Meeting, voting, receiving a capital credits check or participating in other co-op events.Use: For electric co-ops this means that you use the co-op’s resources wisely (after all, you are an owner of those resources). You utilize the free energy audits that PRECO offers. You use energy-efficient appliances, weather strip windows and doors, use LED or CFL lights — and you turn them off when you leave the room. Share that one with the kids!Serve: If we are successful with “own” and “use,” perhaps you will feel called to serve your co-op — maybe as a board member or committee member for the co-op.Belong: We all seek to belong to something. In the early days when the

co-op was just getting started, neighbors helped neighbors. While our lives seem busier and more electronically driven than ever, the need to connect and belong is necessary for us and our communities to thrive.

In the month of February, members of Districts 2, 5 and 8 are invited to attend their District Meeting for the purpose of electing a director to represent them for the next three years. Your attendance and participation is an important part of the democratic process at Peace River Electric Cooperative. For more information regarding this month’s District Meetings, see page 4 of this magazine.

Co-ops like PRECO draw their strength from the participation, concerns and diversity of the members they serve.

32 F E B R UA R Y 2015

Randy ShawGeneral Manager & CEOPEACE RIVER ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

TO REPORT POWER OUTAGE CALL:1-877-282-3656

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 210 Metheny Road Wauchula, Florida 33873 Hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., M-F Telephone: 1-800-282-3824FAX: 866-201-1814

NOW OPEN: MANATEE SERVICE CENTER14505 Arbor Green TrailLakewood Ranch, FL 34202Hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., M-FTelephone: 1-800-282-3824

INDIAN LAKE ESTATES17363 County Road 630Lake Wales, Florida 33898For your convenience, a payment drop box is located at the front gate. Payments will be posted on the next business day.

BOARD OF DIRECTORSBruce VickersP R E S I D E N T

John MartinV I C E P R E S I D E N T

Hollis Albritton, Jr.S E C R E TA RY/ T R E A S U R E R

Harold SchatschneiderA S S T. S E C R E TA RY/ T R E A S U R E R

Leonard CrawleyD I R E C T O R

Willie DawesD I R E C T O R

Maurice HendersonD I R E C T O R

Chris PortaleD I R E C T O R

Samuel Rawls D I R E C T O R

BOARD MEETING ATTENDANCEAny PRECO member may attend a Board Meeting. Due to building security requirements and for us to facilitate attendance, members wishing to attend a Board Meeting should contact the Cooperative in a timely manner for logistical information regarding the meeting.

UPCOMING BOARD MEETING DATESFebruary 26, 2015March 24, 2015April 28, 2015

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