2018 03 bre mm

matters MEMBERSHIP

A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM BLUE RIDGE ENERGY

March 2018

Helping members with higher heating bills from cold weather deductible and will be added to regular ORU funds donated by members who ask the cooperative to round up their bill to the amount they wish to contribute.

Blue Ridge Energy is helping members manage the cost of higher heating bills caused by this winter’s severe cold weather.

The cooperative has worked with members on payment solutions such as Budget Billing to spread costs over a year, customized payment plans, and FlexPay, a pay-as-you-use account plan.

Visit “So No One Goes Cold” at BlueRidgeEnergy.com/WeCare

Blue Ridge Energy also re-established the “So No One Goes Cold” campaign to go beyond the regular crisis heating assistance available from the Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation and Operation Round Up® (ORU) funds. Contributions are tax

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To give, donate online at BlueRidgeEnergy.com/ WeCare or mail a check (made payable to "Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation") to Blue Ridge Energy, PO Box 112, Lenoir, NC 28645.

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the

perspective From Blue Ridge CEO Doug Johnson

So No One Goes Cold In life, opportunities to make a difference are all around us. Sometimes the smallest action means more than you know.

Operation Round Up. Our Propane and Fuels subsidiary is giving $25,000, and RidgeLink, which leases high capacity fiber to businesses, schools, hospitals and cellular providers, is donating another $25,000.

That’s the case with members and employees contributing to Operation Round Up. The crisis heating A lot of families are keeping warm, assistance provided by the Blue thanks to efforts like Operation Ridge Electric Members Foundation Round Up. But we still need your through Operation Round Up funds help! I’d like to personally invite our helps right here at home — giving members, employees, and others to a helping hand join us in our “So to people who No One Goes “We make a living by what could be your Cold” campaign. friends or Whether you can we get, we make a life by neighbors. donate $1, $10 what we give.” or $100, your – Winston Churchill And the need contribution will has never been make a differgreater. Early ence. Every penny 2018 brought some of the coldest donated goes to help those in need. temperatures in years, which means And all donations are voluntary and people need a lot more heat — and as based upon the member’s request. a result, energy bills are the highest we've seen in some time!

During this 10th anniversary of the Members Foundation, I’m reminded That’s why we’ve re-established the that the power behind it has always “So No One Goes Cold” campaign. been the cooperative spirit of joining Now, more people than ever can retogether to help each other. So, won’t ceive crisis heating funds through the you join us in this special campaign?

Members Foundation. In addition to You may never know the gratitude of member and employee donations, the the person you help, but your good two subsidiaries of your cooperative deed may just be the spark that keeps hearts and homes warm this winter. are contributing on an annual basis to Page 26

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Join us to make sure no one goes cold!

Help meet the urgent need for crisis heating assistance by donating one of the following ways today: • Mail your check, made payable to “Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation,” to Blue Ridge Energy, PO Box 112, Lenoir, NC 28645 • Donate securely online by check or credit card: BlueRidgeEnergy.com/ WeCare

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Director Proxy Committee to be appointed As part of the director election governance process giving members an option to vote for cooperative directors by mail or Internet, a Director Proxy Committee will be appointed by the Board of Directors at their regular March board meeting.

This committee will be made up of three directors whose terms are not expiring and who are not running for re-election this year to the Board of Directors.

As stated in the cooperative’s Bylaws, the Proxy Committee serves multiple roles for the membership.

First, the committee will cast votes for all members designating their preferences selected on submitted electronic or paper proxy forms. Secondly, the committee will serve as a proxy for any member wishing to assign their vote for director elections to the committee. Lastly, the committee will cast votes for members who return their proxy but do not make a choice on the voting options.

Director election kits will be mailed, or sent by email to members who have requested to receive this information electronically, on May 30, 2018. The notice of Annual Meeting along with information about board candidates will be part of the director election kit.

Members have convenient options to vote by Internet or mail and therefore, are not required to attend the Annual Meeting in order to vote for directors. However, members who have not voted by the deadline date of June 20, 2018, or who voted by Internet or mail but wish to change their vote, must attend the Annual Meeting in order to do so.

Members wishing to be considered for nomination to serve on the Board of Directors have two options: the Nominating Committee or Nomination by Petition. Interested members must first submit a director application packet which is available by contacting Julie O’Dell-Michie, Chief Administrative Officer, Blue Ridge Energy, at jmichie@BlueRidgeEnergy. com or by calling 1-800-451-5474, Ext. 3202.

The completed packet is due by 5 pm, March 1, when using the Nominating Committee process or by 5 pm, April 2, when using the Nomination by Petition process.

For a complete list of qualifications and requirements to serve as director of the cooperative, please refer to the cooperative’s Bylaws available at BlueRidgeEnergy.com or by contacting any Blue Ridge Energy office.

Helping local communities Community service is in the very roots of cooperatives like Blue Ridge Energy. It’s one reason locally based cooperatives benefit the communities they serve.

Realizing this tradition, Blue Ridge Energy is making it even easier for employees to volunteer. The company’s new Community Service/Volunteerism initiative supports employees volunteering individually or in groups for community service projects.

One of the first projects was in Sparta, where Blue Ridge line technicians chose to volunteer a day cutting wood to benefit local residents in need as qualified through We Care in Alleghany County.

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This is part of a series of articles discussing vegetation management.

Vegetation management balances reliability with scenic beauty Keeping the path of power lines free of large trees and brush helps ensure reliable, safe electricity for our members. It also provides a safe working environment for our line technicians.

That’s why your cooperative uses a certified arborist to manage our right-of-way program.

We use a combination approach that includes selective herbicide application. First, trees and large growth that threaten reliability are either removed with mechanical trimmers or trimmed by hand. The following summer, crews use a backpack applicator to apply environmentally-safe herbicide targeted to vegetation that could grow into power lines. This herbicide allows low-growing vegetation to thrive. This low-volume, manual method of vegetation management helps protect the natural habitat of the many plants and wildlife in our area.

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These practices are endorsed by animal and plant organizations such as the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources, The National Wild Turkey Federation, Ruffed Grouse Society, Buckmasters and the National Butterfly Association.

Member notification is an important part of our plan.

Planned maintenance that requires us to be on a member’s property begins with a phone call to give members advance notice. If we cannot reach a member by phone after several attempts, a postcard is mailed. This process ensures members have the opportunity to learn more about the project and the need to be on their property.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Doug Johnson

Pay on the Go!

EDITOR

Renée R. Whitener

Caldwell Watauga Ashe Alleghany Wilkes PowerLine®

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

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

Do you have a busy schedule? Our community payment kiosks are a handy way to pay your bill. They’re open 24/7 and you can pay by check, debit or credit card or cash! Have your phone and account number to securely pay. Once you’re done, you get a printed receipt. Save a stamp and save your time!

Toll Free

(800) 451-5474

Kiosks are located inside:

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Susan Simmons

DISTRICT OFFICES

(for members outside of the service area.)

To report an outage at any time, call PowerLine at (800) 448-2383.

OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday Kiosk available 24/7 Visit us on the web: BlueRidgeEnergy.com +

• • • •

Harris Teeter, Boone Scotchman Convenience Store, Hudson Warrensville Drug, Warrensville Fast Track, Millers Creek

Drive through kiosks are also available at all Blue Ridge district offices!

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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