2014 12 bre mm

A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM BLUE RIDGE ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION

matters MEMBERSHIP

DECEMBER 2014

Did you know...

Services like FlexPay and MyUsage.com have been shown to help consumers lower electricity usage and costs simply by becoming more aware. The typical Blue Ridge Electric FlexPay member reduces their usage by 10 percent!

Want a more flexible payment option?

FlexPay may be right for you! Thousands of members love the convenience of this “pay-as-you-use” program that eliminates bills, deposits, late fees and hassles.

office kiosks which also accept cash. District offices are also available during regular business hours.

Checking your account balance to keep power on is easy.

Members can receive their choice of account balance notifications by text, email or phone call. You can also log in to MyUsage.com. (Note: To avoid disconnecMyUsage.com: We provide this free "power awareness" tion, always keep a positive balance on tool to help members see their daily electricity usage and your account.)

FlexPay members choose to pay in any amount, on any schedule: daily, weekly or whatever suits your budget and

the effect weather has on usage. Any member of Blue Ridge Electric can sign up! Simply go to MyUsage.com and enter your Blue Ridge Electric account number and an email address. schedule. Members can conveniently keep their FlexPay account loaded anytime, day or night, by check, credit or debit card by telephone, online at BlueRidgeEMC.com or at district

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With FlexPay, you’ll still be a Blue Ridge Electric member, with access to all of the great cooperative benefits including earning capital credits and receiving excellent member care.

For more information about FlexPay, call us today or go to the “Residential” tab on BlueRidge EMC.com.

11/10/14 10:22 AM

the

perspective From Blue Ridge CEO Doug Johnson

Thank you for your service!

I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize two dedicated individuals who have represented you on the Blue Ridge Electric Board of Directors and are retiring when their terms end on June 11, 2015.

Charity Gambill-Gwyn, of Alleghany County, is our Assistant Secretary-Treasurer and has served on the Board since 1976. Jimmy Hemphill, of Caldwell County, has served on the Board since 2006. Each have served on numerous Board committees throughout the years.

These two directors — like the other members of your Board — represent the entire membership of Blue Ridge Electric. In addition to regular Board and committee meetings, directors spend a lot of time each year in state and national training to keep updated in every aspect of the electric utility industry, including legislative and governmental regulations, safety and legal issues, technology updates, power supply, reliability and member service.

In guiding the cooperative to the best of their abilities, Charity and Jimmy both earned Board Leadership and Credentialed Cooperative Director certifications from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the service organization for more than 900 not-for-profit electric cooperatives providing service to 42 million consumers in 47 states.

and the Region D Council of Governments. Honored by her county with “Charity Gambill Day”, she also served in capacities for Special Olympics and mental health. Charity received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award and was bestowed a Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation award for personal service and lifetime efforts of helping others.

Jimmy retired as executive vice president of Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute and has assisted with fundraising for the college’s Foundation. He served on the Board of Directors for Caldwell County Hospice. Jimmy also served as a Hudson Town Commissioner and was chair of the fundraising committee for Redwood Park. He currently serves on the Caldwell County Schools/CCC&TI Cooperative Advisory Committee. He was a Hudson Man of the Year, a Dysart Man of the Year and was recognized with the state’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine award as well as a “Nine Who Care” community service award from WSOC. Please join me in recognizing these two retiring Board members and giving our sincere appreciation for their tireless service and leadership to Blue Ridge Electric, our members and their communities!

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Charity and Jimmy are also to be commended for their involvement and dedication to their communities — a foundation upon which a cooperative is built.

Charity, retired Environmental Health & Safety Manager/ Coordinator from Lane Ltd., helped form one of the state’s finest emergency rescue squads in Alleghany County and was involved in that effort locally and on a state level for 30 years. She served on Alleghany County’s Board of Education and County Commission, the regional library board, Page 22

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Charity Gambill-Gwyn

Jimmy Hemphill

Corporate Officers Finance & Rates Committee

Policy & Member Relations Committee Chair

MEMBERSHIP matters

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First steps in director elections

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Nominating Committee This committee of nine cooperative members reviews and nominates qualified candidates to run for all open seats on the Board of Directors in the upcoming election. They may not be employees, agents, officers, directors, close relatives, or known candidates to become directors. The makeup of the committee reflects an equal number of members from each district, in addition to one representative from any district.

Credentials & Election Committee Made up of members from across the cooperative’s service area, this committee ensures director elections are conducted in compliance with Blue Ridge Electric’s Bylaws. Responsibilities include: selection of a professional election administration firm, review of petition candidate qualifications, approval of proxy and ballot forms, validation of all proxies and ballots and certification of election results.

The Board appointed the following committee members: Caldwell district: Joe Sims, Reggie Ford and alternates Elaine Setzer-Maxwell and Zela Beckett; Watauga district: Ray Reid, Margaret Pierce, Traci Royster and alternates Susanne Winebarger and Gerry Staninger; Ashe district: Brent Graybeal, Melanie Miller and alternates Glen Mast and Todd Roberts; Alleghany district: Donna Moore, George White and alternates Tammy Caldwell and Derrick Murphy.

Members of your Board of Directors (who are not up for re-election next year) appointed the following C&E members: Caldwell district: Ron Kiziah and Jeff Roland and alternates Marla Christie and Jason Carpenter; Watauga district: Angie Miller and alternates Becka Saunders and Nick Lyons; Ashe district: J.E. Blevins and alternates Marty Norris and Ralph Jones; Alleghany district: Larry Prince and alternates Tommy Maines and James Cox.

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Members have the opportunity to vote for their Board of Directors each June. To keep you informed of election governance processes that take place throughout the year, your cooperative updates you in this newsletter. Two of the first steps in the director election process include appointing a Nominating Committee and a Credentials and Election (C&E) Committee. The Board appointed these committees at their October board meeting.

Candidates nominated by this committee as well as candidates running by petition will be posted in each Blue Ridge Electric office and on the website. Information about all candidates will be included in director election information mailed or emailed to all members in early May. Information will also be provided in Carolina Country magazine sent to all members.

(Continued on page 24, see “Director elections”)

Give a ÂHUGÂ this holiday season Are you looking for a meaningful gift to give this holiday season? Why not give something the entire family will benefit from?

Purchase a Holiday Utility Gift (HUG) certificate.

The value of the certificate will then be applied to the Blue Ridge Electric member’s account.

Somebody Gave You a “HUG” this Christmas “Holiday Utility Gift”

Gift Certificate Presented to __________________________________________________ In the amount of $ _____________________

Contact your local Blue Ridge Electric office and give somebody a “HUG” this holiday season!

MEMBERSHIP matters

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Compliments of

_________________________________________________

The amount listed above has been applied to your account at Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corp.

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11/10/14 10:22 AM

Scam alert!

Unfortunately, scam artists work year round. Be diligent about your safety. If you’re contacted by someone claiming to be from Blue Ridge Electric, please feel free to hang up and call us at a number you know to be for the cooperative; not one that a caller gives you. Furthermore, Blue Ridge Electric rarely, if ever, needs access to your home. Employees are always at Blue Ridge Electric 24/7 for members to call to check out any type of contact you may receive claiming to be from the cooperative. Simply call any of the telephone numbers listed to the left on this page.

Looking to lower your bill?

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Doug Johnson

EDITOR Renée R. Whitener

You can find helpful tools and resources under the “GreenSmart” tab on our website at BlueRidgeEMC.com. Watch video tips, get customized tips for your home, and even find fun ways to get the kids involved in saving energy. Saving energy — and lowering your electric bill — is just a click away!

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Susan Simmons

DISTRICT OFFICES Caldwell Watauga Ashe Alleghany Wilkes PowerLine®

(828) 754-9071 (828) 264-8894 (336) 846-7138 (336) 372-4646 (800) 451-5474 (800) 448-2383

Toll Free

(800) 451-5474

(PowerLine® is an automated account information and outage reporting system.)

(for members outside of the service area.)

To report an outage at any time, call one of the number listed above.

OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday Night deposit available.

Director elections (continued from page 23) Director Candidate Nominee Options Members wishing to be considered as a director candidate nominee have two options: the Nominating Committee process or the nomination by petition process.

Interested members must complete and submit a director application packet by contacting Julie O’Dell-Michie, chief administrative officer. All application information is due by March 2 when going through the Nominating Committee process and by April 1 for those seeking nomination by petition. Nominations by petition must include signatures of 15 or more members with each signature in the name that appears on their electric service bill.

For a complete list of qualifications to serve as a director of Blue Ridge Electric, please refer to the cooperative’s Bylaws available at any Blue Ridge Electric office or online at BlueRidgeEMC.com.

Visit us on the web: BlueRidgeEMC.com

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION BLUE RIDGE ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at www.ascr.usda.gov/ complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the

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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, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

MEMBERSHIP matters

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