2016 April Orange County REMC Newsletter

NEWS FROM YOUR COOPERATI www.myremc.coop CONTACT US OFFICE

812-865-2229 TOLL FREE 888-337-5900 BILL PAYMENTS 855-865-2229 CONTACT US BY EMAIL

orangecoremc@myremc.coop GENERAL MANAGER/CEO

Matthew C. Deaton OFFICE HOURS

7 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday-Friday STREET ADDRESS

7133 N. State Road 337 Orleans, IN 47452 MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 208, Orleans, IN 47452 EMERGENCY POWER OUTAGES

To report service interruptions, call: 812-865-2229 or 888-337-5900, day or night. Please have the phone number associated with your account ready when reporting outages. Please limit after hours calls to emergencies and outage situations.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Eugene Roberts, DISTRICT 1 Randy Roberts, DISTRICT 2 Danny Easterday, DISTRICT 3 Rodney Hager, DISTRICT 4 Ben Lindsey, DISTRICT 5 Brian Hawkins, DISTRICT 6 George Key, DISTRICT 7 REMC KEY STAFF

Marty Frank, OPERATIONS MANAGER Marcy Bennett, OFFICE MANAGER Larry Pinnick, MATERIALS MANAGER Michael Roberts, STAKING ENGINEER Misty Tincher, ACCOUNTANT Billy Chastain, STAKING ENGINEER AIDE Mark Belcher, MARKETING/MEMBER SERVICES

Budget billing takes the guesswork out of your monthly bill.

Come on out for your Orange County REMC annual meeting Orange County REMC wouldn’t exist without our members. That’s because YOU are our REMC. But, have you ever wondered, why attend the annual meeting?

There are at least three great reasons why.

MATTHEW C. 1. It’s fun!

DEATON 2. It’s free!

3. It’s all for you!

Join us on Friday, June 3, for the annual membership meeting. Doors open at 5 p.m. at Paoli High School for fun, food and the opportunity to share in our special community. We have plenty of activities, so let your kids and the kid in you enjoy some welldeserved time off from your regular routine. There will be a catered meal, vendor areas including health screenings provided

by IU Health, Hoosier Energy’s Energy Wall, and many fun activities for kids including face painting, birds from the Department of Natural Resources, bounce houses and Fresh Water Fred!

The cooperative staff has been busy gathering some great prizes to give away, too, including some cold hard cash! More importantly, the Orange County REMC annual meeting is a great time to speak with your cooperative elected officials about what’s on your mind, as well as on issues that affect our communities.

It’s your chance to vote for your elected representative. As a member of a cooperative, you have a voice in how your cooperative is run. You elect directors from the membership to represent you on the cooperative board. What does this mean?

It means that every one of our nearly 8,000

Our budget billing plan allows members to avoid paying high monthly bills by averaging 12 months of bills. Contact Orange County REMC to start budget billing.

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members has a voice, and that voice is heard!

Our purpose — what drives each of us at Orange County REMC — is an absolute desire to improve the quality of life in the community where we both live and work while providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity.

Before we celebrate our annual meeting, Orange County REMC will celebrate some of our special employees. On April 11, Orange County REMC will honor those hardworking men and women who often work in challenging conditions to keep the lights on both locally and around the country.

We proudly recognize all electric lineworkers for the services they perform around the clock in dangerous conditions to keep power flowing and protect the public’s safety.

To honor our 10 linemen, Orange County REMC plans to formally recognize them for making 2015 yet another great, safe year. These linemen work in environments that result in numerous opportunities for injury. To do so again this year without incident is commendable.

Your linemen are Gary Cheatham, Carl Sneed, Jeff Bennett, Chris Wesner, Ed Thurman, Mike Duke, Robert White, Michael Newlin, Brandon Bambusch and Scott Strange. Orange County REMC invites members to take a moment to thank a lineman for the work they do. Comment on our Facebook page or #LoveOurLinemen to show your support for the men and women who light our lives. …

MATTHEW C. DEATON is the general manager/ CEO of Orange County REMC.

IVE Rate Schedule (for April, May and June of 2016) Rate Schedule for Standard Service Standard Service Consumer Charge Standard Service Energy Charge Wholesale Power Cost Tracker Total bill x Indiana sales tax 7%

2016 Director Election Timeline Incumbents whose terms expire: District 2 – Randy Roberts District 4 – Rodney Hager District 7 – George Key

k Nominations by the board (absent incumbents seeking re-elections or petitioners) by April 20 k Full slate of candidates posted and mailed by May 13 k All candidate biographies published in the May or June issue of the Electric Consumer k Election at annual meeting on June 3

Example for 1,200 kWh Standard Service Standard Service Consumer Charge 1,200 kWh @ $0.1124 Wholesale Power Cost Tracker @ $0.0028465 Total Indiana sales tax Total bill Rate Schedule for Time of Use Service Time of Use Consumer Charge Energy Charge On-Peak

$26.00 $0.1124 $0.0028465

$26.00 $134.88 $3.42 $164.30 $11.50 $175.80 $30.90 $0.1671

(On-Peak: 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday–Friday, EST)

Energy Charge Off-Peak Wholesale Power Cost Tracker Total bill x Indiana sales tax 7%

$0.0691 $0.0028465

Example for Time of Use, 300 kWh On-Peak and 900 kWh Off-Peak Time of Use Consumer Charge $30.90 Energy Charge On-Peak 300 kWh @ $0.1671 $50.13 Energy Charge Off-Peak 900 kWh @ $0.0691 $62.19 Wholesale Power Cost Tracker @ $0.0028465 $3.42 Total $146.64 Indiana sales tax $10.26 Total bill $156.90 Rate Schedule for Security Lighting Security Lighting: 100 W HPS Security Lighting: 40 W LED

$9.82 $9.82

Visa, MasterCard and Discover cards accepted

Congratulations to our recent $50 winner, Robert and Sharron Wesley of Campbellsburg.

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Orange County REMC News Do not use third-party sites for online payments

Marty Frank Orange County REMC’s Marty Frank has served the co-op for 22 years. He is the operations manager and has four sons and seven grandchildren.

Orange County REMC advises members to only use our website, www.myremc.coop, for payments on your electric bill, not thirdparty websites.

Recently, members have found a website called doxo.com, which allows members to make payments to many companies, including Orange County REMC. Unfortunately, a link to the site comes up when members do a search for Orange County REMC or Orange County REMC online bill payment. If the member is not careful to select our actual website, the doxo.com website could easily be selected. While Doxo seems to be a legitimate company, Orange County REMC has not solicited or partnered with the company to take payments for our members.

It is not recommended for Orange County REMC members to use this third-party payment site.

Doxo charges fees per transaction, but worse yet, the payments

Ed Thurman Journeyman Lineman Ed Thurman has worked at Orange County REMC for 21 years. He and his wife, Cindy, have two daughters, four grandchildren, one great-grandson, and another grandaughter, Violet, arriving soon.

Pictured from left are Cindy and Ed Thurman, Kyle and Michelle Terrell, Jamie Thurman with fiancé Eric Laws, Murphy and Erica Laws, Graydan Padgett, Mason Laws and great-grandson Jackson Laws (in front).

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are not immediately posted to the member accounts. Payments can take two days or longer to process to our utility. We have to manually key into the system and post to each member’s account. This could pose issues for our members who are using our prepaid service or members who have submitted payments on a disconnect notice. They may run the risk of their payment not making it to our system before their service is disconnected for non-payment.

Our goal is to provide our members with the ability to pay bills and post payments in real time without incurring additional costs. Our website, www.myremc. coop, is available 24/7/365 and posts all payments in real time. To ensure you are using the Orange County REMC eBusiness site, look for either www.myremc.coop or https://ebiz.myremc.coop in the URL. The https preceding this shows that your payments are processed securely.

Be prepared when storms threaten

W

e’ve all heard the saying that “April showers bring May flowers.” But are you prepared when those docile rain showers turn into threatening storms?

“According to statistics from the National Weather Service, in 2014 more than $75 million in property damage was caused by hazardous weather throughout Indiana,” said Marty Frank, operations manager at Orange County REMC. “While not all damage can be prevented, being prepared can minimize damage and reduce injury or death.”

Here are some helpful tips from your electric cooperative for staying safe before, during and after a storm hits.

Before the storm k Make sure your cell phone is charged. Consider purchasing an external battery charger for your phone to charge it without electricity. k Program the number of your electric cooperative into your cell phone. This will make it easier to report a power outage. k Have a battery-operated radio available so you can stay updated on the latest weather watches and warnings. k Remove dead or rotting trees on your property that could cause damage to power lines or your home during a storm. k Unplug appliances and other electrical items, such as computers. Damage can occur from power surges as a result of lightning strikes. k Have an emergency kit ready and create a family communication plan.

During the storm k Don’t use corded phones or electrical devices that are plugged in.

k Plumbing and bathroom fixtures can conduct electricity.

Use with caution. k If caught outside during a storm, move to a low point because lightning hits the tallest object. Get in a crouched low position if you are in an exposed area. Stay away from water and metal objects. k Do not leave your vehicle during a storm. While inside your vehicle, don’t use electronic devices. If a downed power line falls on your vehicle, stay in the vehicle unless it’s life threatening. Call 911. If you must exit the vehicle, shuffle away with small steps, keeping your feet together at all times.

Following the storm k Be aware of hazards from exposed nails and broken glass. k To avoid the chance of a fire or explosion, use a flashlight, instead of a candle or torch, to inspect your home in the dark. k Because downed power lines could still be energized, do not touch them or any objects in contact with them. Call Orange County REMC to report the downed lines. k If you notice frayed wiring or sparks, or smell a burning odor, shut off the electrical system at the main circuit breaker immediately. k Know how to properly use portable generators if you lose power during the storm.

If spring comes in like a lion instead of a lamb, know how to keep yourself, your family and your property safe from harm during a severe storm. …

SOURCES: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, RUTHERFORD ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

The popular Orleans Summer “Concert in the Park” series is held in June, July and August in the Historic Congress Square (town park). All concerts are FREE and begin at 7 p.m., EST. Lawn chairs, blankets, and picnics are welcome!

2016 summer Concert in the Park dates: June 18 June 25 July 9 July 23 August 6 August 13

No Xpections Tobin and Friends Ladies for Liberty River Cities Concert Band Sweetwater Band Darla McFadden (Gospel Night)

For more information, please contact the Orleans Chamber of Commerce by calling 812-865-9930 or by sending an email to historicorleans@netsurfusa.net Note: In the event of inclement weather, concerts may be slightly delayed or moved to nearby Unity Hall, located behind the Orleans Christian Church.

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