PAGE 2Why Co-ops Replace

Utility Poles

PAGE 3“Frost

is on the Punkin’” Pumpkin Recipes

for Fall

PAGE 4Photos of NFEC’s New Headquarters

Northfork

Sparks & Flashes

CONTENTS

Supplement to Oklahoma Living

November

15

NFEC offices will be closed Thurs-day, Nov. 26 and Friday, Nov. 27 in recognition of Thanksgiving.

Please call 1-800-668-6587 to report an outage or a safety hazard.

New Headquarters Facility on Road to Completion

New design elements will allow North-fork Electric to offer enhanced services and conveniences to its members. Once com-pleted, the new facility (above) will have a drive-thru payment window and be fully ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant; both of which are lacking at NFEC’s current office.

More photos are available on page 4.

Construction on Northfork Electric’s new headquarters facility is moving toward an end-of-the-year completion date.

Located just off Exit 25 on the east side of I-40, the building faces west toward the highway, has a drive-thru window and night deposit, and will utilize a geothermal heat pump system.

Ground was broken in October 2014 with the structure’s frame going up in early March 2015, followed by insulation and siding instal-lation in April. Since then the geothermal heat pump system has been installed, and construc-tion on the warehouse, and maintenance facilities have continued also.

Although some work remains dependent on the weather, completion is currently slated for December, with employees moving in by January. Members who want to see more photos of the construction process can visit the cooperative’s website. Go to www.nfecoop.com and navigate to the ‘photos’ page under the ‘new facility’ tab. Up-to-date photos and other current building information are added periodically.

Northfork ElectricCooperative, Inc.

Operating inBeckham, Roger Mills, Washita,

Greer, Custer, Harmon, and Dewey

SCOTT COPELANDGENERAL MANAGER

BOARD OF TRUSTEESJimmy Taylor-Pres ............................. Elk CityCharles Hickey-V. Pres .....................ReydonRansom Snowden-Sec-Treas ...........ErickChris Mackey ....................................... SayreLarry Smith ..................................CheyenneLloyd Joe Patton ............................... Sayre Danny Davis .....................................Elk CityBrendon Atkinson........................Attorney

SAYRE OFFICEKenny Waugh ................ Mgr. of MarketingLisa Dailey................Mgr. of Office ServicesJeff Mohr ................Mgr. of Acct. & FinanceKay Brown ............................Adm. AssistantRichard Bowdre ............... Operations Mgr.Heath Martin...........................Safety Director

REYDON OFFICEBarbara Swope .......................... 655-4557

FOR OUTAGES AFTER 5 P.M. CALL1-800-NO-VOLTS(1-800-668-6587)

or(580) 928-3366

OFFICE HOURS8 AM TO 5 PM

MONDAY-FRIDAY

DATES TO REMEMBERREADINGS MUST BE IN NORTHFORK OFFICE BY THE 10th OF EACH MONTH

TO BE USED FOR BILLING

ADDRESSP.O. Box 400

SAYRE, OK 73662301 E. MAIN

This institution is an equal oppor-tunity provider and employer.

You probably don’t pay much atten-tion to the utility poles found throughout Northfork’s service territory, but these tall structures are the backbone of our distribution network.

Strong, sturdy utility poles ensure a reliable electric system, which is why we routinely inspect the thousands of poles found on our lines. Throughout the year, our crews check poles for decay caused by exposure to the elements. They know which poles are oldest and conduct inspections through a rotational process. Typically, a standard wooden distribution pole is expected to last more than 50 years.

Occasionally, poles need to be re-placed for other rea-sons besides decay and old age. Weather disasters, power line relocation and car crashes are potential causes for immedi-ate replacement.

Here is a quick breakdown of how crews replace a util-ity pole:

When a pole needs to be replaced, crews will start the process by digging a hole, typically next to the pole being re-placed. The depth of the hole must be 15 percent of the new pole’s height. Next,

the new pole must be fitted with bolts, cross arms, insulators, ground wires and arm braces – all of the necessary parts for delivering safe and reliable electric-ity. Then, crews safely detach the power lines from the old pole. The new pole is then raised and guided carefully into po-sition, and the lines are attached, leaving the new pole to do its job.

So, the next time you come across a Northfork Electric crew replacing a pole, use caution and know this process ensures a more reliable electric system for you, our members.

By Heath MartinNFEC Safety Director

Why Electric Co-ops Replace Utility Poles

Pumpkin PecanBites

Pumpkin-Parmesan Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 Tbsp. baking powder1 Tbsp. sugar1 tsp. Kosher salt1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg2 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan

cheese1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced,

plus melted butter for brushing1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin1/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups milk½ cup white chocolate chips1 to 2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree1 Tbsp. corn starch1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

Place all ingredients, except for the Rum, in a medium-sized sauce-pan and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until chocolate is melted and the liquid has thickened.

Pour into two coffee glasses, stir in the Rum, and top with marshmal-lows.

Spiked PumpkinPie White Hot Chocolate

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees; line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk in 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Add the diced butter and work it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil, cinnamon, baking soda and cloves; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on me-dium for 2 minutes.

Fill paper-lined miniature muffin cups two-thirds full. Press a pecan piece into each. Bake at 350° for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add confection-ers’ sugar and mix well. Add enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with cinna-mon. Yield: about 6 dozen.

Note: This recipe can be pre-pared in 2 dozen regular-size muffin cups. Bake for 22-26 minutes.

like coarse crumbs. Mix the pumpkin and cream in a small bowl and pour over the flour mixture. Mix with your hands or a fork to make a soft dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle using a floured rolling pin. Cut out biscuits us-ing a 2-inch-round cutter and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the biscuits cool slightly before serving or cool completely and freeze.

MAKE IT AHEAD: Let the bis-cuits cool completely, then freeze in a resealable plastic bag for up to one month. To reheat, arrange on a baking sheet, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees until warmed through, about 10 minutes.

1 pkg. spice cake mix (regular size)1 15-oz. can solid-pack pumpkin3 lg. eggs1/2 cup canola oil1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon1 tsp. baking soda1/4 tsp. ground cloves36 pecan halves, cut in half

Cream Cheese Frosting:1/2 cup butter, softened4 oz. cream cheese, softened1 tsp. vanilla extract3 & 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar2 to 3 Tbsp. milkGround cinnamon

1 shot of rum (optional)Marshmallows

Hidden Account Number

If you see your account number in this newsletter, call our office, identify yourself and the number. We will credit your electric bill $25. The number may be located anywhere in the newsletter and is chosen at random.

If you don’t know your account number, call our office or look on your bill. To get the credit, you must call before the next month’s newsletter is mailed.

Find Your Account Number and Win $25

The new facility will provide mem-bers with improved parking and side-walks. Safety and security have been improved as well. Employee parking will be enclosed with fencing and will only be accessible with an authorized key card.

Parking Lots

Inadequate warehouse and equip-ment storage, maintenance shops, and fleet parking have caused significant problems for the co-op. Today’s line maintenance and construction equip-ment is far more sizable than when the original facility was designed and constructed. The new facility address-es these issues. The pole digger and bucket trucks 11072-002 will now be able to fit through the shop doors for routine maintenance.

Warehouse

At the current facility, fleet ve-hicles and equipment have to remain outdoors exposed to the elements. Canopies at the new headquarters will protect costly bucket trucks while greatly improving efficiency.

Truck Canopies