2014 August Daviess-Martin County REMC News

NEWS FROM YOUR COOPERATI www.dmremc.com CONTACT US

Daviess-Martin County REMC TOLL FREE

800-762-7362

EPA at it again; we need your help

GENERAL MANAGER

Ken Frye

OFFICE HOURS

7:30 a.m.– 4 p.m., Monday-Friday STREET ADDRESS

12628 E 75 N, Loogootee, IN 47553 MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 430, Loogootee, IN 47553 SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS

To report an outage or emergency, call 812-295-4200 or 800-7627362 day or night.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dean Harrawood, PRESIDENT John Edwards, VICE PRESIDENT August Bauer, SECRETARY Michael E. Arvin, TREASURER Terry Chapman Dale Marchino Steve Streepy BILL PAYMENT OPTIONS

Online bill payment Budget billing Auto bank draft Drive-through window Night depository Credit card payment (VISA, Discover and MasterCard accepted) Pay-by-phone MISSION STATEMENT

“Our mission is to provide dependable electricity and quality services for our members at reasonable cost.”

Like us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/Daviess MartinCountyREMC

TIP OF THE MONTH

Cool down with fans first

During summer months, our homes can be extremely hot, making living conditions uncomfortable. Before you fire up your air conditioner, try cooling off with a ceiling fan first. Using ceiling fans can actually raise your thermostat setting by 4 degrees and still feel just as comfortable.

I know you have heard many times over the last few months about how important it is that you visit Action.coop. I have been asking members to join us in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to KEN FRYE reconsider the regulations it wants to put on our power plants. Those regulations could cost you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars each year on your electric bill.

This month, I’m asking you to help us again.

Earlier this spring, more than 950 members of Daviess-Martin County REMC sent comments to the EPA on its regulation dealing with new power plants. I can’t thank you enough if you were one of those members. Lucky (or not) for all of us, we are going to need you again this summer to help us send another message to the EPA telling officials there we can’t afford the approach they are taking.

In June, the EPA published another regulation. This regulation is even more dangerous to your electric bill because it deals with our existing power plants.

These are the power plants you own as members of our co-op. Some of these plants use coal to generate electricity, and those will be hit the hardest by these regulations. Coal is one of our most afford-

— U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

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ELECTRIC CONSUMER • AUGUST 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org

able resources for producing electricity, and these regulations will hurt our ability to invest in an all-of-the-above approach that includes all of our resources in the future.

Electric cooperatives continue efforts in favor of a flexible, balanced, all-of-theabove energy strategy that will improve the environment while maintaining an affordable and reliable supply of power that supports economic growth.

You should be asking yourself this question: Didn’t I already do this?

Answer: No. Unless you’ve visited Action.coop in the last four weeks, we need your help again.

Please take 45 seconds to visit Action.coop and submit a comment to urge the EPA to reconsider its approach to our power plants. Don’t hesitate to let your neighbors and family know we need them, too.

I want the EPA to work with us on regulation, not against us. This EPA approach will lead to higher electricity bills for you and your family while having little impact on climate change. I think that we can do better by working together.

The EPA wants to hear from you. Join me and our co-op in making sure your voice is heard at Action.coop.

“In June, the EPA published another regulation. This regulation is even more dangerous to your electric bill because it deals with our existing power plants.”

KEN FRYE is general manager of Daviess-Martin County REMC.

IVE Three students visit nation’s capital Three local high school students, chosen by Daviess-Martin County REMC, were among 72 from Indiana and 1,600 from 43 states who participated in the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., June 12-19.

Standing in front of the White House in the photo at right, from left, are Audrey Sanders and Ashton Allbright, Shoals Jr./ Sr. High School, and Ashley Jones, Loogootee Jr./Sr. High School. The students met several legislators from Indiana.

“It was an action-packed trip with one cool stop after another. I learned about politics up-close, saw things I’d only heard about before, and really understood why history matters,” stated Jones. “I also learned more about what it means to be a U.S. citizen.”

‘Win! Win! Win!’ monthly drawing Each month, Daviess-Martin County REMC asks our readers three questions to which the answers can be found in the articles of Electric Consumer. Follow these simple rules: 1.) Clip the coupon along the dotted line. 2.) Fill it out. 3.) Return it to our office with your monthly payment before the 20th of the month. (Delinquent payments are not eligible.)

Each month a winner will be drawn from the entries submitted. Make sure

you bring or mail in your most recent coupon, as the coupons are dated monthly.

Members with automatic payment accounts will be entered in the contest as well.

Copies will not be accepted, and coupons are not available at the office! Winners will be notified and their names published in the following monthly issue of Electric Consumer.

JUNE WINNER: Randall and Rose Rink,

Washington

$50 MONTHLY DRAWING (FOR BILLS DATED AUG. 5; PAID BY AUG. 20)

1. Who was the first general manager of Daviess-Martin County REMC? _________________________________________________________________ 2. Name one of the recipients of the latest distribution of Operation Round Up grants: _____________________________________________________________ 3. Use ___________________________________________ appliances instead of cord-connected appliances around pools.

NAME: ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________________________________ ACCOUNT NO.: ________________________________ PHONE NO.: ____________________________________

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Daviess-Martin County REMC News Celebrating 75 years

History of our MANAGEMENT W

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e have talked about the original incorporators and the board of directors of the REMC in the last few issues. The general manager also plays an important role in running the cooperative.

The board of directors hires the general manager. The manager is responsible for the overall operation of the cooperative, as delegated by the board, relating to the management functions of planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling. This includes such operating decisions as planning the co-op’s day-to-day activities, directing personnel, and coordinating operations.

Fred Marks was hired as the first general manager of Daviess-Martin County REMC. He began working on Aug. 1, 1939. On reporting to Austin O. Arthur, president of the cooperative’s board, he was given a shoe box full of applications for electricity and a flour sack full of signed blank easements which were obtained from prospective members signed up for electric service. He was also given a key to a building at 307 E. Van Trees St., in Washington.

On Dec. 26, 1967, Marks, because of ill health, retired as manager of Daviess-Martin County REMC after 28 years of faithful service.

Robert Barron was selected as the second manager of the REMC. Barron was raised in Steuben County, Ind. He received his B.S. degree in agriculture business management from Purdue University in 1960 and was employed

by Whitley County REMC. Barron and his family moved to Daviess County in January 1968 at the start of his position at Daviess-Martin County REMC. He retired in July 2000 after 32 years of dedicated service.

Daviess-Martin County REMC General Manager Ken Frye is the third general manager in the cooperative’s history. He has been in this position since July 2000.

Fred Marks, the first general manager of the REMC, served in this position from Aug. 1, 1939, to Dec. 26, 1967.

First employed by Whitley County REMC, Robert Barron began his career at Daviess-Martin County REMC in January 1968.

ELECTRIC CONSUMER • AUGUST 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org

Upon Barron’s retirement, Kenneth Frye took over the reins as general manager and presently serves in that position. Frye is a Loogootee High School graduate. He received his B.S. degree in business management from Indiana State University in 1972. He began working in the member services department at Daviess-Martin County REMC in 1988, and worked in that capacity until his promotion to general manager in July 2000.

These three men have been instrumental in establishing and maintaining the operations of the cooperative.

They have seen it grow and change in many ways, but their mission to provide reliable electric service at a reasonable cost to members has remained the same throughout the past 75 years. …

Round Up grant funds swings for disabled students

BY LINDSAY OWENS

J

ust a few months ago, Nicole Ruble was substitute teaching at Lena Dunn Elementary in Washington, when she noticed an empty swing set frame. Ruble, whose sons attend the school, then asked Principal Brenda Butcher and some of the other teachers why there weren’t any swings.

“I learned that the frame was once home for swings for children with disabilities,” said Ruble. “Due to the updated safety code regulations, the swings had to be removed and were unable to be replaced due to lack of financing.”

The students had gone a handful of years without the swings and Ruble decided something should be done to provide special needs students with new equipment.

Ruble, whose passion for helping others radiates, immediately began researching how to obtain swings for the students. “I have a heart for serving people in our community and this is a need that jumped out to me. Lena Dunn hosts all of the K-6 multi-categorical classrooms and the moderate to severe disability classrooms in the Washington Community School Corporation,” Ruble said.

Ruble submitted an application to the Daviess-Martin County REMC Operation Round Up Program and received a grant for $2,050 to purchase the special swings. The new swings will be made of industrial materials

Interested in applying?

If you know of any non-profit organizations that might be interested in applying for an Operation Round Up grant, download an application at http://dmremc.com/roundup.html.

For questions about this program, call Daviess-Martin County REMC at 800-762-7362.

Lena Dunn Elementary in Washington received a $2,050 grant from Operation Round Up to purchase handicap playground swings. Theresa Showalter, Daviess-Martin County REMC administrative assistant, far left, presents the check to, from left to right, Nicole Ruble, substitute teacher; Brenda Butcher, principal; Jenna, student; Traci LeTourneau, special education teacher; Alexis and Bailey, students; and Rob McCormick, principal.

and will meet the new safety codes.

“We are really looking forward to the kids being able to use the new equipment,” said Butcher. “This is one example of how community schools and parents, like Nicole, can work together for our kids.”

Currently, there are eight children at the school who will benefit from the new equipment which will allow even children in wheelchairs to swing. But the number of children in the special needs program varies throughout the year, due to illness among other things.

Physical therapist Brooke Thompson, who works with some of the children at the school to improve motor skills and muscle function, recommended specific swings to best accommodate the students. One swing will be a platform swing to accommodate wheelchairs.

But as Ruble pointed out, the swings will benefit more than just students during the school day since many in the community use the Lena Dunn playground after school.

“I just want to challenge our com-

munity to see how they can serve our schools,” said Ruble, who had much support from the staff of Lena Dunn, as well as the school corporation when applying for the grant. “Be proactive, see how you can help, and be the change that’s needed.”

Other second quarter Operation Round Up grants awarded: k Huron Volunteer Fire Department — $1,200 to purchase a PRO/PAK portable foam unit, discharge hose and foam; k Knights of Columbus Council #1166 — $500 for the Annual Tootsie Roll Drive project; k Community Foundation Partnership, Inc. — $3,000 to promote the Transfer of Wealth initiative in Lawrence and Martin counties; k Parents Express — $1,500 to aid in purchasing upgraded trampoline equipment; and k Loogootee Fire Department — $3,200 to purchase new hoses for the fire trucks. …

LINDSAY OWENS is a staff writer at the Washington Times-Herald.

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