Central Valley Electric Cooperative Boots on the Ground with Mario Grado Manager Charles T. Pinson, Jr. Address 1403 N. 13th Street P.O. Box 230 Artesia, NM 88211 Artesia/Dexter/Roswell 575-746-3571 Hagerman 575-752-3366 Fax 575-746-4219 Website www.cvecoop.org Office Hours 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (M-F) Se habla español Board of Trustees President Charles G. Wagner, Jr., North of Roswell, District 6 Vice President Michael Bennett, Hope, District 7 Secretary-Treasurer Wesley R. Pilley Dexter/Hagerman, District 4 Larry Benedict South of Roswell, District 5 Jason Ciempa Loco Hills, District 2 Rusty Gwynne Artesia/Lakewood, District 1 Steve Spence Cottonwood, District 3 Board Meeting
Central Valley Electric Cooperative has almost 90 employees, and each one plays a special role in making sure the co-op operates in a safe and efficient manner. There are a variety of jobs at CVE ranging from linemen, engineers, and customer service representatives to accountants, mechanics, and dispatchers. But one of the most unique jobs is the One-Call Line Locator. Mario Grado started working at CVE in August 2013 as the Line Locator, and it’s his job to go out and locate underground electrical lines for customers who have contacted 811 the “call before you dig” number. Anyone who is planning a project that requires digging should call 811 a few business days before digging to request the location of buried utilities and have them marked with paint or flags so you don’t unintentionally dig into underground utility lines.
The Board of Trustees meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at 9:00 a.m. at CVE. 16 August 2020 • enchantment.coop
When you call 811, Grado has two business days to go out and mark the approximate location of underground electrical lines. Once all utilities have marked their lines, you can start your digging project. Keep in mind you should not dig within 18 inches on either side of the painted marks or flags. Grado stated he didn’t know anything about the electric utility business when he came to work at CVE, and with time and on the job training with another employee, he has been able to hone his skills at locating lines. Grado takes his job seriously because he knows that someone can get hurt if they don’t know where underground electric lines are when they start digging. Hitting a buried utility line while digging can disrupt utility service, cost money to repair, cause serious injury or death. In an effort to keep you safe, call 811 the next time you have a project that requires digging and Mario will come out and mark any underground electrical lines. For more information call 811 or go to www.call811.com
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