Alger Delta June 2020

June 2020

MICHIGAN

COUNTRY LINES Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association

Small-Town Calumet Electronics Has

BIG IMPACT Alger Delta’s 2019 Annual Report

Local Students Earn Scholarships

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Contents countrylines.com

June 2020 Vol. 40, No. 6

/michigancountrylines

/michigancountrylines

Michigan’s Electric Cooperatives

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Casey Clark EDITOR: Christine Dorr GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Karreen Bird RECIPE EDITOR: Christin McKamey PUBLISHER: Michigan Electric Cooperative Association Michigan Country Lines, USPS-591-710, is published monthly, except August and December, with periodicals postage paid at Lansing, Mich., and additional offices. It is the official publication of the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association, 201 Townsend St., Suite 900, Lansing, MI 48933.

Subscriptions are authorized for members of Alger Delta, Cherryland, Great Lakes, HomeWorks Tri-County, Midwest Energy & Communications, Ontonagon, Presque Isle, and Thumb electric cooperatives by their boards of directors.

Postmaster: Send all UAA to CFS.

Association Officers: Robert Kran, Great Lakes Energy, chairman; Tony Anderson, Cherryland Electric Cooperative, vice chairman; Eric Baker, Wolverine Power Cooperative, secretary-treasurer; Craig Borr, president and CEO.

#micoopcommunity

CONTACT US/LETTERS TO EDITOR: Michigan Country Lines 201 Townsend St., Suite 900 Lansing, MI 48933 248-534-7358 editor@countrylines.com

6 THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT Electric co-ops are doing their part to stabilize the state's monarch butterfly population.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please

10 MI CO-OP KITCHEN These flavorful Mexican recipes go way beyond your basic taco.

notify your electric cooperative.

See page 4 for contact information.

The appearance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.

MI CO-OP COMMUNITY

14 SMALL TOWN HAS BIG IMPACT U.P.-based Calumet Electronics discovers just how powerful its product and sense of community is during the COVID-19 crisis.

18 BEST OF MICHIGAN: CAMPGROUNDS From location to amenities to water access, find out why these campgrounds are our members' favorites.

Once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through and how you survived.

You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain—when you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person that walked in. #wecangetthroughthis @karfar Karen Farrell

Be featured!

Use #micoopcommunity for a chance to be featured here and on our Instagram account.

To enter contests, reader-submitted content & more visit countrylines.com/community

MI CO-OP KITCHEN

BEST OF MICHIGAN

GUEST COLUMN

Up Next: Kid-Friendly Cooking, Easy Recipes Share your favorite recipes.

Up Next: Wineries!

Which is your favorite spot amongst the vines to sip Michigan’s world-class wines?

Submit your fondest memories and stories.

Win a $50 bill credit!

Win $150 for stories published!

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

3

What’s In It For ‘We’?

Troy Tiernan, Operations Manager

ne of the most attractive features of cooperatives is that we answer the popular question, “What’s in it for me?” with “What’s in it for we!”

Cooperatives are formed when the market fails to offer a good or service, with decent quality, at an affordable price. Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association was formed in 1937 because when investor-owned utilities realized there was not enough profit to be made in our community, they refused to offer electricity.

O

algerdelta.com /algerdeltaelectric

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

District 1—Big Bay Darryl Small 906-345-9369 • smallwld14@gmail.com

District 2—Harvey/Deerton Karen Alholm 906-249-1095 • karenalholm@gmail.com

District 3—Grand Marais Mike Lawless 906-494-2080 • mclawless79@gmail.com

District 4—Cedar River/Palestine Dave Prestin 906-424-0055 • cedarriverplaza@gmail.com

District 5—Gourley/LaBranche/Cornell Ivy Netzel 906-639-2979 • MyAlgerDeltaRep5@gmail.com District 6—Nathan/White Rapids Paul Sederquist 906-753-4484 • sedergrove@gmail.com

District 7—Stonington/Rapid River Kirk Bruno 906-399-1432 • kbruno.algerdelta@gmail.com District 8—Nahma/Isabella Ray Young 906-450-1881 • kyoung@uplogon.com

District 9—Hiawatha/Maple Ridge Doug Bovin 906-573-2379 • dorobo22@icloud.com HEADQUARTERS: 426 N. 9th St, Gladstone, MI 49837 906-428-4141 • 800-562-0950 Fax: 906-428-3840 • admin@algerdelta.com algerdelta.com OFFICE HOURS Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. (ET) Alger Delta Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

MARQUETTE ALGER DELTA

MENOMINEE

4 JUNE 2020

SCHOOLCRAFT

The founding members of Alger Delta went door to door to collect $5 to raise a portion of the original investment the co-op needed. Those “go-getters” realized the only way to get electricity for “me” was to get it for “we,” the whole community.

Cooperative ownership is in the hands of the people who use the co-op’s goods and services (not investors), so not only do co-ops start out answering the question of “What’s in it for we?”—they continue to answer that question for as long as they exist.

These days, we often hear about companies that abandon their local communities and move overseas in search of cheaper labor. This negatively impacts the community through job loss, the decline in housing values and school closures.

Because local residents own a majority of cooperatives, they are less likely to leave their community. In fact, it would be impossible for Alger Delta to leave the Upper Peninsula. The co-op is a critical part of what makes the community a community.

The way co-ops continue to answer the question, “What’s in it for we?” is critical to their survival. It is imperative that we keep you—our members—as the primary focus.

Keeping rates as low as possible is one major part of that focus, but ensuring that we provide real value as your trusted energy advisor is also extremely important.

By maintaining that focus with your help and support, we will continue to be able to serve the “me” and the “we” in our community long into the future.

Reminder!

Alger Delta Workweek And Office Hours Change June through September Period

Days of the Week

June–September

Monday–Thursday

Office Hours

For Service or Outage

7 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Eastern)

Call: 800-562-0950

After-hours answering service takes calls anytime outside of regular hours. * As of press time, the Alger Delta office is currently closed to walk-in traffic. We encourage you to communicate with us via electronic communication or telephone. As we continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic, Alger Delta continues to update our emergency response plan to protect our employees, directors and members.

Official Notice Of The Annual Meeting Of The Members Of The Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association Pursuant to the Bylaws, notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of the members of the Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association shall be held on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, at 1 p.m. (Eastern Time) via virtual conference. Members must register at bit.ly/algerdelta by June 8.

Actions shall be taken on the following matters: 1. Seating of elected directors 2. Presentation and consideration of reports Dated this 20th day of May, 2020.

David C. Prestin – President

2020 Winners Congratulations!

Fuel Mix Report The fuel mix characteristics of Alger Delta Co-op Electric Association as required by Public Act 141 of 2000 for the 12-month period ending 12/31/19.

Comparison Of Fuel Sources Used Regional average fuel mix used Your co-op’s fuel mix

Fuel Source

Brooke Landis Annalise Poupore

Coal

41.6%

60.4%

Oil

0.0%

0.7%

Gas

25.9%

8.9%

Hydroelectric

1.7%

0.5%

Nuclear

21.6%

24.6%

Renewable Fuels

9.13%

4.9%

Biofuel

0.0%

0.7%

Biomass

0.21%

0.4%

Solar

0.04%

0.1%

Solid Waste Incineration

0.34%

0.0%

Wind

8.52%

3.2%

Wood

0.02%

0.5%

NOTE: Biomass excludes wood; solid waste incineration includes landfill gas.

Your Co-op’s Fuel Mix

Two Students Earn Alger Delta Scholarships T

Regional Average Fuel Mix

he Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association recently awarded two $1,000 scholarships to local area school seniors Brooke Landis of Rapid River High School and Annalise Poupore of North Central High School.

Landis and Poupore were selected to receive the cooperative’s Public Power Scholarship based on a variety of criteria, including academic achievement, community involvement, charitable work, extracurricular activities, and future goals and plans.

Landis will attend Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba to study elementary education and Poupore will attend Bellin College in Bellevue, Wisconsin to study radiologic science.

“Supporting local students is important to us," said Amanda Seger, Alger Delta CFO. "The scholarship program is a way for our member-owned, not-for-profit utility to invest back into the community."

Alger Delta congratulates Brooke Landis and Annalise Poupore and the graduating class of 2020. For eligibility requirements and other information about Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association’s scholarship programs, visit algerdelta.com.

Emissions And Waste Comparison lbs/MWh

Type Of Emission/Waste

Your Regional Co-op Average*

Sulfur Dioxide

0.25

7.6

Carbon Dioxide

1,117

2,170

Oxides of Nitrogen

0.44

2.0

High-level Nuclear Waste 0.001

0.0083

*Regional average information was obtained from MPSC website and is for the 12-month period ending 12/31/19.

Alger Delta purchases 100% of its electricity from WPPI Energy, which provided this fuel mix and environmental data.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

5

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT

By James A. Curtis

A

s the ground thaws and the world warms up, one of the planet’s great travelers and most recognizable insects returns to Michigan from its warm winter getaway. The monarch butterfly can migrate thousands of miles in a generation, from as far as Canada to Mexico, to spend the winter. The monarch then returns to the southeastern United States to reproduce before flying further north to paint our Michigan skies with its unmistakable orange and black fluttering.

But monarch butterflies are more than just winged beauties and harbingers of warmer weather. They play an important role in the critical pollination of many wildflowers, which in turn maintains and produces clean air, water, and soil. In addition, according to the U.S. Forest Service, pollinators like the monarch butterfly are responsible for pollinating nearly 80% of the 1,400 crop plants grown around the world that produce our food and plant-based industrial products.

Monarchs may be a familiar sight during Michigan summers, but their numbers are

6

JUNE 2020

dwindling. Overuse of pesticides, urban development, and reduction of natural habitat have driven the monarch population to the point that they are being considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Monarchs that overwinter in California are at historic lows, and other pollinators are also facing drastic population declines.

As the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service considers a threatened or endangered designation for the monarch, Michigan’s electric cooperatives continue their commitment to environmental stewardship by collaborating with the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies to maintain, establish, and preserve additional habitat for species in decline.

Co-ops are achieving this by cultivating pollinator habitat along rights-of-way through minimal mowing, removing undesirable trees and shrubs, sowing pollinator-friendly seed mixes along rights-of-way during construction restoration activities, and incorporating milkweed—the essential food and nesting source monarchs depend on for survival.

A tiny monarch butterfly egg in the center of a milkweed blossom.

Monarch chrysalis.

Electric cooperatives often go above and beyond federal and local environmental regulations in their commitment to being good citizens, neighbors, and stewards of natural resources and wildlife. Because of this, and the pollinator-friendly vegetation management practices, cooperatives will be well-positioned to meet new requirements should the monarch

Monarch caterpillar eating a milkweed leaf.

A monarch butterfly newly emerged from its cocoon.

butterfly be designated as a threatened or endangered species.

While electric cooperatives are doing their part, so can you! Here are several ways the U.S. Forest Service recommends you can help support the pollinators in your neck of the woods.

How You Can Help The Monarchs And Other Pollinators At Home For more information on pollinators, visit the U.S. Forest Service at www.fs.fed.us.

Plant local plants!

Pollinators that exist in your area are specially adapted to meet the needs of local plants in physical structure and behavior.

Grow a wide variety of plants that bloom from early spring to fall, making pollen and nectar available throughout the seasons. When selecting your plants, vary the bloom shapes and colors to attract a wider variety of pollinators.

Provide a source of water. Pollinators like bees need water and seek out shallow water sources. Incorporate a birdbath or other water feature to create their ideal habitat.

Limit using pesticides.

Pesticides are absorbed by the plant tissue and become present in its nectar and pollen, which can be harmful to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

7

2019 ALGER DELTA COOPERATIVE

ANNUAL REPORT Amanda Seger, Chief Financial Officer

t is my pleasure to be providing you, our members, with my first annual report. Alger Delta Cooperative, like every other organization, has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope our response to our members is one that you will look back on and appreciate. It is Alger Delta’s goal to exceed your expectations and to provide value to our members and to the communities we serve during these uncertain times. We are here for you, and we are in this together.

I

Alger Delta’s financial performance complies with the obligations required by lenders and regulators.

In February 2020, Alger Delta engaged in our annual audit.

The auditors and staff worked together to ensure that we comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Government Auditing Standards, and loan covenants, and to review our internal control processes. The auditors expressed an unmodified opinion, meaning that our financial statements present fairly, in all material respects.

This expression is the goal of the cooperative. We are happy to report to our members that we have once again received a clean audit opinion.

At its April meeting, the board of directors was presented with a detailed report from the auditor, including financial statements that you can view on the next few pages.

The board of directors accepted the auditor’s report and allocated 100% of the 2019 margins to the members, and that is what sets cooperatives apart. The members of the cooperative are the owners. Therefore, in the future, the allocation for 2019 will be paid back to the members that consumed electricity that year.

8 JUNE 2020

Severe storms impacted Alger Delta.

2019 is a year that we will talk about and refer to often.

Each year we plan and budget for major outages, generally storms that will cost several thousand or even several hundred thousand dollars to restore. We budget for these storms based on historical data and have been within budget for the past several years. In 2019, our service territory was hit with four major events, two that hit within days of each other. The Upper Peninsula received so much snow that restorations efforts in some areas were halted due to unplowed roads. The Thanksgiving storm, otherwise known as “Dorothy,” cost the cooperative over $1 million in restoration efforts, nearly wiping out all of the year’s margins.

In 2015, the cooperative reviewed its maintenance plan along with a long-range plan to address vegetation management. We are in year five of that 10-year plan.

Currently, we spend over a million dollars each year on tree maintenance and vegetation management, or about 8 to 10% of our annual sales. Annually, we evaluate this plan along with the outage history to make sure we are focusing on the areas that require more attention.

Alger Delta members benefit from a long-term wholesale power supply agreement.

Alger Delta has a long-term power supply agreement with WPPI Energy out of Wisconsin. Aligning cooperative principles with our power supplier is and continues to be a value-added benefit to our members. The partnership with WPPI has allowed Alger Delta to increase contributions to members for:

• • • •

PV solar installations School lighting upgrades and signage Township hall lighting upgrades Street light LED dusk to dawn lights

we donated funds to the County Road 440 projects, UP Honor Flight, Gladstone Little League, and Delta Animal Shelter. We remain committed to helping the communities and organizations in our service territory with the goal of making a positive difference and a lasting value.

Alger Delta gives back to the community.

Alger Delta is continuously looking forward.

In 2019, we entertained six elementary schools in our service territory with a national theatre group for children.

This theatre group put on a play called “Showdown at Conservation Canyon.” We received high reviews from the students and comments, such as “highly entertaining and educational.” We appreciate the feedback and hope to continue to provide education on energy conservation and safety on electricity in the home and out.

As a cooperative, we follow a set of cooperative principles.

One of these principles is contributions to the community.

In addition to the previously mentioned items, we offer two scholarships for graduating seniors each year, and

With 2019 behind us, we can look forward to the exciting things to come. We will be replacing our meters with an updated version that will allow us to detect outages within minutes. We are constructing a new substation to increase service reliability in the Harvey/Deerton area. In late spring, we will be energizing the newly constructed substation in Seney, providing increased service reliability for members in Grand Marais. These projects, along with many others, are part of the construction work plan we put in place every four years to accomplish our mission to be your partner for safe, efficient, and reliable energy.

OPERATING EXPENSES 10%

10%

8%

8%

3%

Cost Of Power Distribution Expense

3%

2017

11%

Depreciation And Amortization

2018

12%

Other Interest On LongTerm Debt

48%

48% 20%

Administrative And General Expenses

19% 10%

7%

2017 Cost of Power

3%

2019

11%

25%

2019

$ 6,870,018 $ 6,910,281 $ 6,761,977

Distribution Expense

2,863,579

2,689,218

3,847,070

Depreciation & Amortization

1,615,225

1,661,859

1,658,622

482,491

490,422

521,410

Interest on Long-term Debt

1,065,346

1,090,936

1,088,678

Administrative & General Expenses

1,445,076

1,408,658

1,463,446

Other

44%

2018

TOTAL

$ 14,341,735 $ 14,251,374 $ 15,341,203

Financial statements continued on page 13.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

9

MI CO-OP Recipes

Photos by Robert Bruce Photography || Recipes Submitted by MCL Readers and Tested by Recipe Editor Christin McKamey

M

A C I N X E E I F S TA WINNING RECIPE!

BLACK BEAN AND CORN QUINOA

Spice up the party with these Mexicaninspired recipes.

Joyce Tamminga, Great Lakes Energy

2 tablespoons canola oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 medium sweet red bell pepper, finely chopped 1 celery rib, finely chopped 2 teaspoons chili powder ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 2 cups vegetable stock 1 cup frozen corn 1 cup quinoa, rinsed 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained ¹⁄ ³ cup plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, divided In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, red pepper, celery and seasonings; cook and stir 5–7 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in stock and corn; bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 12–15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Add beans and ¹⁄ ³ cup cilantro; heat through, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Serve with lime, avocado, salsa, and tortilla chips.

Watch a video of this month’s winning recipe at micoopkitchen.com/videos

10 JUNE 2020

Win a

$50

energy bill credit!

RECIPE CONTEST

Kid-Friendly Cooking due July 1 • Easy Recipes due August 1 Submit your favorite recipe for a chance to win a $50 bill credit and have your recipe featured in Country Lines with a photo and a video. Go to micoopkitchen.com for more information.

CHEESY FIESTA CORN BAKE Michele Smith, Ontonagon 1 1–2 ½ 1 2 1 1 ½ 1 3 1½ ¾ 3 •

pound ground beef tablespoons taco seasoning mix cup chopped green onion (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles eggs (14¾-ounce) can cream-style corn cup milk cup canola oil cup cornmeal tablespoons all-purpose flour teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided Toppings: shredded lettuce, sour cream, diced tomatoes, etc.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Brown beef in large skillet; remove from heat. Drain; stir in seasoning mix, green onion and chiles. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, corn, milk and oil. Stir in cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well and pour half of the batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1½ cups cheese. Top with beef mixture.

Sprinkle with remaining 1½ cups cheese. Top with remaining batter. Bake, uncovered, for 50–60 minutes. Cut into squares, serve warm with desired toppings. Yield: 12 servings.

POSOLE

C. Hodges, Ontonagon 4 cups canned white or yellow hominy (One 28-ounce can or two 14-ounce cans) 8 cups water 2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch chunks 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, cut into pieces 2 tablespoons ground cumin 2 large onions, peeled and chopped 2 tablespoons minced garlic • Juice from 2 limes 1 tablespoon salt • Ground black pepper, to taste 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro • Toppings (any/all of the following): additional chopped cilantro, avocado chunks, grated sharp cheddar cheese, sliced radishes, shredded lettuce or cabbage, chili peppers Drain hominy and add to crockpot. Add water, pork, oregano, chipotle peppers, cumin, onion, garlic, lime, salt and pepper. Turn heat to low. Cook 8–10 hours covered until pork is falling apart. About 15 minutes before serving, add tomatoes and heat through. Stir in chopped cilantro just before serving. Ladle into bowls and let diners customize their bowls with assorted toppings.

EASY OVEN CHICKEN FAJITAS Madalyn Crawford, Great Lakes Energy

FAJITA SEASONING: 1 tablespoon chili powder ½ tablespoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon onion powder ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon cumin ¹⁄ 8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (¼ teaspoon for spicier version!)

1 teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt FAJITAS: 1 large onion 1 yellow bell pepper 1 red bell pepper 1 green bell pepper 1 pound chicken breast 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • Tortillas of choice, OR serve over lettuce

Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix all fajita seasoning spices together in small bowl and set aside. Chop onion and bell peppers into ½-inch squares or ¼-inchwide strips. Place in 9x13-inch baking dish. Rinse chicken breast and cut into thin strips. Add to dish with vegetables.

Add vegetable oil to vegetables and chicken; toss. Sprinkle fajita seasoning over mixture and toss again. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Stir together after the first 20 minutes and continue cooking for another 20 minutes. Serve hot on your choice of prepared tortillas or eat over a bed of lettuce. Top with sour cream, cheese, hot sauce, and even a sprinkle of lime if you wish!

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

11

Find Savings With A Home Energy Audit ith so many changes happening in the world, many of us are spending more time at home looking for creative ways to stay active and productive. You may also be thinking about new ways to cut energy costs and save money.

W

When is the last time you took a good look around your home? Have you noticed such issues as mold, mildew, ice dams, drafts, or overall discomfort around your home? Is your home properly sealed, insulated, and ventilated? These things can have a big impact on your home’s energy efficiency and utility costs.

To better understand and manage your home’s energy use and costs, take advantage of the Energy Optimization program’s free online home audit!

How To Complete Your Home Energy Audit: • Visit the Energy Optimization website (michigan-energy.org).

The Home Energy Optimizer is a brief online survey that analyzes your home’s energy use. You will be required to enter some specific information, such as the year your home was built, the type of heating and cooling systems in place, and when various other systems and appliances were purchased and installed.

• Select your electric utility from the drop-down menu at the top of the page.

• In the left-hand menu bar, select “Online Home Audit.”

• Click “Get Started Now!” and complete the questionnaire.

Once you’ve completed the survey, you will receive a personalized, comprehensive report, as well as costsaving tips and recommendations to help reduce energy waste throughout your household. Additionally, all participants will receive a free energy-saving kit, which includes light bulbs and other devices to help save energy and water!

Upon completion of the Home Energy Optimizer survey, your free energy-saving kit will be mailed to the address you indicate. Have questions about the free home energy audit or energy-saving kit? Call us at 877-296-4319.

Virtually Attend

The 81st Annual Meeting Wednesday, June 10, 2020 1 p.m. (Eastern Time) Register for the meeting by June 8 at bit.ly/algerdelta.

Login details will be emailed to you prior to the event.

In an effort to follow good social distancing practices and help protect co-op members and employees from the coronavirus (COVID-19), we modified this year’s Annual Meeting to consist solely of a virtual business meeting without in-person attendance.

Rest assured that this Annual Meeting format is only temporary, and we expect to return to our normal format in 2021. This was not an easy decision, but it’s our job to do what’s best for the membership in the best and worst of times.

2019 ALGER DELTA COOPERATIVE

ANNUAL REPORT

(audited)

BALANCE SHEET Year ended December 31

2019

2018

ASSETS Electric Plant

$

38,546,059 $

37,196,356

Investments

2,357,092

2,217,795

Current Assets

2,319,982

2,273,216

321,027

423,740

Deferred Debits TOTAL ASSETS

$

43,544,160 $

42,111,107

$

656,971 $

695,385

MARGINS & EQUITIES (NET POSITION) Membership & Equities

15,379,982

Patronage Capital TOTAL MARGINS & EQUITIES

15,520,799

$

16,036,953 $ 16,216,184

$

24,804,675 $ 23,639,204

LIABILITIES Long-Term Debt, Net Current Liabilities Deferred Credits

2,373,196

1,932,338

329,336

323,381

TOTAL LIABILITIES

$

27,507,207 $ 25,894,923

TOTAL NET POSITION & LIABILITIES

$

43,544,160 $ 42,111,107

STATEMENT OF REVENUE AND PATRONAGE CAPITAL Year ended December 31 OPERATING REVENUE

2019

2018

$

14,942,763

$

15,006,047

$

6,761,977

$

6,910,281

OPERATING EXPENSES Purchased Power Distribution Expense Consumer & Customer Service Expenses Depreciation Taxes General & Administrative Expenses

3,847,070

2,689,218

330,633

325,632

1,658,622

1,661,859

521,410

490,422

1,132,813

1,083,026

$

14,252,525 $ 13,160,438

TOTAL OPERATING INCOME

$

690,238 $ 1,845,609

Interest Expense

$ (1,088,678) $ (1,090,936)

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

Interest Income

371,096

360,183

Other Nonoperating Revenues (Expenses), Net

159,196

202,034

CHANGE IN NET POSITION

$

131,852 $ 1,316,890 MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES 13

Small-Town Calumet Electronics Has

BIG IMPACT

By Emily Haines Lloyd

“Rugged” is a word that people in the most northern regions of the Upper Peninsula hear frequently. It’s a characteristic that is put to the test on a daily basis. But in the time of COVID-19, this is a characteristic that allows folks to not only survive but thrive.

Calumet, Michigan, was once the center of copper mining activity in the Keweenaw Peninsula. After World War I, the demand for copper decreased, taking much of the industry, jobs, and people out of the area.

When Calumet Electronics opened its doors in 1968, it had a mission to bring new business life to the area. Its purpose was to create local, familysustaining jobs. Today it is the area’s largest private-sector employer.

Calumet Electronics designs, builds and delivers printed circuit boards (PCBs). These circuit boards are used in energy grids, life support systems, medical devices, avionics, aerospace and defense markets. It’s a source of pride that while Calumet’s boards are found in products all over the world, they are manufactured entirely in Michigan.

14 JUNE 2020

“Circuit boards aren’t exactly ‘sexy,’” said Dr. Meredith LaBeau, process engineering manager. “But we believe in this area, the lifestyle it can provide, and the people who make it their home. We are proud to create jobs that allow people to build lives here.”

A secret recruitment weapon in Calumet Electronics’, back pocket is a “little” technological school nestled in the woods less than 15 miles away— Michigan Technological University in Houghton.

With engineers in multiple disciplines graduating every year, the efforts to both groom and recruit from the university take a lot of effort and input.

“Ultimately, we’re trying to keep the talented people who have fallen in love with the area—in the area,” said LaBeau.

HITTING THE NATIONAL STAGE

Audra Thurston (right), a process engineer, represents Calumet Electronics, the IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries), and the domestic electronics industry at the White House, advocating for workforce development while telling the Calumet Electronics story.

While Calumet Electronics was busy working to balance its small-town way of life with providing world-class technology, it was jarred along with the rest of the world by the onset of COVID-19.

Todd Brassard, vice president and chief operations officer. “What would this mean for our employees and their families? But when the first RUSH order came in for the ventilator PCB, we knew we had a part to play in the fight.”

Calumet Electronics has produced PCBs for hospital ventilators for some time. It was an area of its business that was suddenly a piece of equipment that would have life-saving implications in the fight against COVID-19.

The importance of PCB manufacturing is undervalued. However, with Calumet Electronics’ products suddenly a vital part of the COVID19 battle, employees suddenly had new purpose and a very concrete way to grasp how one little circuit board could have a huge impact.

As individuals contracted the virus, and their symptoms went from fevers and trouble breathing to needing machine-assisted breathing provided by ventilators, production gained national attention. While many businesses have found themselves closed down and unable to engage in even daily activities, Calumet Electronics found the opposite.

“When the COVID-19 hit, we were uncertain like everyone else,” said

Problem-solving, which is the backbone of engineering and manufacturing, was put to task as production quickly ramped up to full capacity. Calumet Electronics was not only pushing to produce more ventilator PCBs, but to maintain schedules and production for products of other clients, whose functions are similarly essential, like the PCBs they produce for power grids.

To say it was an all-hands-on-deck situation may be an understatement.

What started as an effort to increase manufacturing by 15% quickly exceeded that and hit an increase of 39%. This meant all employees in the trenches, including folks who were more likely to be in client meetings and behind monitors, were suddenly on the production floor.

“Fundamentally, we’re built for this kind of ‘all in this together’ scenario.

We have hard-working, family- and community-focused people,” said Brassard. “At a really uncertain time, it feels good to be able to help, in whatever way we can.”

It’s amazing that in the middle of a crisis that is focused on maintaining physical distance from one another, it is a small-town business with a tight-knit mentality that is able to show that solidarity doesn’t need to be about proximity.

“Fundamentally, we’re built for this kind of ‘all in this together’ scenario.

We have hardworking, familyand communityfocused people.”

—Todd Brassard

SNAP SHOT

Nightscapes 1. Nightscape on Cady Lake in Dickinson County. Katie Webber 2. Photo of the northern lights taken from Presque Isle Park in Marquette. Diane Lang 3. Main Street evening on Mackinac Island. Katie Webber 4. Torch Lake Milky Way. Lisa Lirones 5. Michigan moon on a clear night. Jill Clelland

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Share Your Photos!

Alger Delta invites members to share their amazing photos.

Selected photos will be published in Michigan Country Lines.

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Upcoming Photo Topics And Deadlines: Michigan’s Natural Beauty, due June 20 (September issue) Beautiful Birds, due August 20 (October issue) Cute Pets, due September 20 (Nov./Dec. issue) To submit photos, go to http://bit.ly/countrylines.

We look forward to seeing your best photos!

16 JUNE 2020

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Blue Lips In July n Sunday, July 26, at the Isabella Community Hall, everyone’s lips will be blue. And while snow can fall quite late in the year in the Upper Peninsula, the condition will not be due to cold temperatures. Instead, the historic hall will be the venue for the fourth annual Blueberry Festival. The hall, a notable gem of the community, built in 1912 and lovingly restored in 2015 by a group of dedicated community volunteers, provides an important place for events such as auctions, parties, farmers’ markets and the Blueberry Festival.

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The event will include homemade blueberry pies served with large dollops of vanilla ice cream, raffles, karaoke and, of course, pints of fresh blueberries for sale. Approximately 13 local home bakers make and donate the pies for the event. Numerous raffle baskets and prizes are generously donated by local businesses and include gift certificates for dining, movie tickets, golfing and more.

Funds received from the event will be used to pay for a deck on the historic hall as the existing porch is unsafe. According to committee member Gloria Herod, “We would really like to fix the deck and make it larger. The next big project is to replace the windows. We are hopeful that can happen next summer.”

For more information on this event, please contact Gloria Herod at gherod77@hotmail.com.

BLUEBERRY BUCKLE 3/4 cup white sugar 1/4 cup butter 1 egg 2 teaspoons lemon zest 11/2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 11/2 cups fresh blueberries 1 tablespoon flour

TOPPING 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon butter, softened 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/ 3 cup all-purpose flour Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8x8-inch pan. In a large bowl, cream sugar, butter, egg & lemon zest until fluffy. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to sugar mixture, alternating with milk, mixing just until combined. Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold into batter and spread in prepared pan. Combine all topping ingredients in a small bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter and bake 40–45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Please be advised that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this event may be canceled.

Notice of cancellation will be posted at www.nahmatownship.us.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES 17

MI CO-OP Community

Best Of Michigan

CAMPGROUNDS

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Sleep under the stars at these favorite member campgrounds.

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UP NEXT

WINERIES!

Which is your favorite spot amongst the vines to sip Michigan’s world-class wines? Submit your favorites at countrylines.com/ community by June 25, and look for it in our September issue.

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Scottville Riverside Park, Scottville

This park is really nice and is located right off the Pere Marquette River. It has clean bathrooms and showers, and an outside heated pool. It has big campsites with electric, water and even cable. It's an excellent value for your money. Karen Winters, Great Lakes Energy scottvilleriversidepark.com/

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Munising City Tourist Park Campground, Munising

This place is a favorite campground located on a bay of Lake Superior. We have wonderful memories of summer vacation trips spent camping there. It is reasonably priced, clean, friendly and has a beautiful view of the beach.

Lianne Briggs, Great Lakes Energy munisingtouristpark.com

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Indigo Bluffs RV Park & Resort, Empire

This is one of the easiest campgrounds to get into and out of that we’ve ever visited. It has nice, wide sites and even some wildflower fields on the resort side. It's a great location to get to anywhere in the Leelanau Peninsula and the Lake Michigan coast going south. There are many hikes in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, not just the dunes.

Don Peterson, Great Lakes Energy indigobluffs.com

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Barnes Park Campground, Antrim County

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Hill & Hollow Campground & RV Park, Pentwater

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Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park, Silver Lake

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Burt Lake State Park, Indian River

This is a well-kept campground situated off of Lake Michigan and a stone’s throw from Torch Lake. There are lots of trails and bike paths, too. Shelia Davis, Great Lakes Energy antrimcounty.org/barnespark.asp

Family owned and operated for more than 36 years, this place is simply the best.

Campsites are spacious and private with tons of amenities and all are very clean at all times of the day. The staff is friendly and attentive.

Amy Bird, Midwest Energy & Communications hillandhollowcampground.com

This is a great family atmosphere! There are tons of activities and the grounds are very clean. The location is in the middle of everything to do in the Silver Lake area.

Casey Haines, HomeWorks Tri-Country campjellystone.com/park/33-silver-lakemears-sand-dunes

This is an excellent place to camp on Burt Lake with a nice beach! The lake connects to other rivers and lakes, too. It offers spacious campsites and clean facilities. Lauren Cook, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op

In a world of uncertainty, one thing is certain... there is free energy under your home.

Take control of your heating & cooling costs.

Hybrid Geothermal CALL FOR A FREE HOME VISIT (989) 356-2113 989-356-2113 wellconnectsaves.com wellconnectgeo.com

/algerdeltaelectric

800-562-0950

HOW TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK DROWNING

Each year, 3,800 people die from drowning. Electric shock drowning occurs when an electric current escapes boats, docks and lights near marinas, shocking nearby swimmers.

There are no visible signs of current seeping into water, which makes this a hidden danger. The electric shock paralyzes swimmers, making them unable to swim to safety.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY TIPS FOR: Swimmers

Boat Owners

• Never swim near a boat or launching ramp.

Residual current could flow into the water from the boat or the marina’s wiring, potentially putting anyone in the water at risk of electric shock.

• Ensure your boat is properly maintained and consider having it inspected annually. GFCIs and ELCIs should be tested monthly. Conduct leakage testing to determine if electrical current is escaping the vessel.

• If you feel any tingling sensations while in the water, tell someone and swim back in the direction from which you came. Immediately report it to the dock or marina owner.

• Use portable GFCIs or shore power cords (including “Y” adapters) that are “UL-Marine Listed” when using electricity near water.

• Regularly have your boat’s electrical system inspected by a certified marine electrician. Ensure it meets your local and state NEC, NFPA and ABYC safety codes.

IF YOU SEE ELECTRIC SHOCK DROWNING TAKING PLACE:

TURN POWER OFF

THROW A LIFE RING

CALL 911

DO NOT enter the water. You could become a victim, too.

Sources: Electrical Safety Foundation International, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention