2022 May NAECI Arkansas Living Center Pages

north arkansas electric cooperative

Co-op promotes safety

Tyler Ochoa, Member Services technician, shows Salem Elementary School students the danger of flying kites near power lines.

Chris Waltrip, NAEC's safety/training coordinator, demonstrates the danger of coming into contact with energized lines.

May is recognized as National Electrical Safety Month, but North Arkansas Electric Cooperative personnel promote electric safety in the communities we serve throughout the year.

NAEC has educational safety programs available for all ages. They include: • High-voltage Safety Trailer Demonstration: NAEC's line personnel show the danger of coming into contact with energized lines and share how to avoid as well as handle potentially dangerous situations. The program is suited for teenagers and adults, but it is particularly beneficial for first responders as well as school and civic groups.

• "Making Accidents Disappear" Electrical Safety Magic Show: Scott Davis weaves magic tricks into a program that teaches elementary- and middle-school-aged children that electricity is a tool that must be used wisely.

They need to stop, look and think to be safe.

• Electric Safety Village: NAEC personnel use an energized tabletop display to demonstrate for young children common instances where they can encounter electricity and how to keep themselves and others safe.

NAEC offers the programs free of charge. For more information, email info@naeci.com or call 870-895-3221 during business hours.

Memorial Day NAEC remembers and honors those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Our offices will be closed May 30. In the event of an outage, please call 870-895-3221 or use the NAEC app.

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NORTH ARKANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Director election to be held by mailed ballots

NEXT debuts new portal NEXT, Powered by NAEC internet, phone and television subscribers can view and pay their balance using the new online portal. Access it in the same place as the old one: By clicking on "Pay Your Bill" in the top right of mynextfiber.com.

Subscribers using the new portal for the first time will need the latest NEXT statement to get started.

• Click "Register here" on the NEXT portal sign-in page.

• Enter the invoice number on the bottom right of the NEXT statement as well as the amount due.

• Enter the email address on file with NEXT on the next screen.

• Create a password, and answer a security question to be used in the event the password is forgotten.

After logging in for the first time, the system will send an email with an activation link to confirm the address is correct.

That email also acts as the username.

Once logged in, subscribers can make a payment, save payment information and/or set up a recurring monthly payment using a bank account or debit or credit card.

For assistance accessing a NEXT account online, email info@naeci.com or call 870-895-3221 and select the option for "NEXT." More co-op news on page 26

Co-op's Annual Meeting format to be business session only

The 2022 Annual Meeting will entail only a business session at the co-op’s Salem headquarters at 10 a.m. June 21. Members will be able to watch the meeting live at naeci.com.

NORTH ARKANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

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my co-op

Subscribers can access the new NEXT portal by clicking "Pay Your Bill" in the top right at mynextfiber.com. New users can click "Register here" to get started.

NAEC will conduct the election for the open board of directors seats by mail again this year.

Members will receive an envelope with the NAEC logo from Survey & Ballot Systems the third week of May. The Minnesota company is handling the election and tabulation of votes on behalf of NAEC. Along with the ballot, the envelope will include the 2021 Annual Report, candidate biographies and a prepaid postage return envelope to mail the ballot to Survey & Ballot Systems.

Ballots cannot be given to NAEC. They must be mailed to Survey & Ballot Systems and received by June 17 to be considered valid.

Members on the nominating committee nominated incumbent Cameron Davis for the Baxter County position and incumbent Jasper "Doc" Freeman for the Sharp County position. Petitions were due April 22, which was after the magazine's print deadline.

Results will be published in The Messenger and at naeci.com.

north arkansas electric cooperative

Third-party payment services can lead to delays NAEC wants members to be aware of possible drawbacks to using third-party payment services.

All payment methods provided by the co-op include no additional charge; however, many thirdparty payment services charge their users a fee.

Also, some third-party payment services mail NAEC a check for the electric bill once users pay them rather than using a direct payment method.

Depending on when the payment is processed, this could lead to the co-op not receiving payments by the due date of the 14th.

NAEC offers several payment options. The most convenient is automatic bank draft. Enrolling in this free service ensures the bill is paid on time each month and eliminates the cost of a stamp, a lobby visit or trip through the drive-thru lane.

Automatic bank draft is an electronic transfer from a member’s checking or savings account to NAEC’s each month. The member will continue to receive an itemized statement of the bill unless he or she prefers E-Bill notifications only. On or about the 10th of each month, the amount of the bill will be deducted from the account.

To enroll in automatic bank draft, please call NAEC at 870-895-3221 during regular business hours or sign up through the Member Account Portal at naeci.com.

Other NAEC payment methods include: • Member Account Portal — Visit naeci.com, click “Account Login,” and enter user ID and password. If using for the first time, please click “New User” to get started. The system accepts payments from a checking or savings account and a debit or credit card.

• NAEC Mobile App — Log in to an account.

• Phone — Call 870-895-3221 to make a payment with a Member Services employee during business hours or any time through our automated system.

• NAEC offices — Visit Ash Flat, Salem or Mountain Home offices. The Salem and Mountain Home drive-thru are open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Night deposit boxes are available at each office. (No cash.)

• Mail — Send a payment in the return envelope enclosed in the statement.

Air-Source Heat Pumps Geothermal Heat Pumps ▶ Insulation ENERGY STAR® Windows Marathon® Water Heaters LED Lighting

Energy Efficiency & Conservation Loan — A way for members with approved credit to improve their home’s efficiency and comfort. Visit naeci.com/loans or call NAEC at 870-895-3221 to apply.

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NORTH ARKANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE