JULY 2020
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Tips to make your shop more efficient
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Operation Round Up report
A supplement to the Oklahoma Living
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Lig ght Post
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It’s time to choose: Members nominate trustee candidates at District Meetings Kiamichi Electric will hold District Meetings on Aug. 4 for members in Districts 2, 4 and 6. The meetings will be held at the following locations: • District 2: First Baptist Church, Talihina, 6 p.m. • District 4: Highway 9 Community Center, Longtown, 10 a.m. • District 6: High Hill Baptist Church, 6 p.m. District Meetings provide an important format for members to get involved by choosing their trustee. Candidates for trustee may be nominated at the meeting. To run for office, a candidate must meet the qualifications listed in the KEC bylaws. If more than one candidate is nominated, an election will take place at the meeting. To hold an election, at least 10 percent of the members in the district must be present at the meeting. Without a quorum,
the incumbent trustee will retain the position for another two-year term. If you aren’t sure which district you live in, please refer to the map below, or call KEC at 800-888-2731. Members living in Districts 2, 4 and 6 will receive an official meeting notice in the mail.
Summer Cucumber Salad
PUBLISHED FOR MEMBERS OF KIAMICHI ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
ARE YOU QUALIFIED TO SERVE? To serve as a Kiamichi Electric Cooperative (KEC) trustee, a candidate must be a member of the co-op and live within the district he or she wishes to represent. A member who is employed at KEC or a competing business cannot serve as a trustee. A business that would represent a conflict of interest could be an electrical supply company, a company selling energy or other supplies and services to the co-op, or a company selling electrical or plumbing appliances or fixtures to members or the cooperative. Trustee qualifications are listed in Article IV, Section 3 of your KEC bylaws. The bylaws also include sections on member and trustee meetings, elections, tenure of office, compensation, vacancies, removal, and responsibility of officers. Find your KEC bylaws online at www. kiamichielectric.org or request a copy by calling 800888-2731.
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ceo’s report BRETT ORME
C HI E F E X E C U T I V E O F F I C ER
Kiamichi Electric Cooperative 944 SW Highway 2 PO Box 340 Wilburton, Oklahoma 74578 tele: (918) 465-2338 toll free: (800) 888-2731 FAX: (918) 465-2950 www.kiamichielectric.org email: support@kiamichielectric.org HOURS OF OPERATION Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm 24-HOUR OUTAGE HOTLINE (800) 888-2731 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Don Parr, President DISTRICT 5 Mark Ichord, Vice President DISTRICT 6 Ron Pelanconi, Treasurer DISTRICT 3 Russell Shaw DISTRICT 1 Amy Miller DISTRICT 2 David Ray DISTRICT 4 Larry Culwell DISTRICT 7 Brett Orme Executive Vice President-CEO Kiamichi Electric provides reliable and affordable electricity to members in Pushmataha, Leflore, Latimer, Atoka and Pittsburg Counties.
One 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. KEC was formed because, when investorowned utilities realized there was not enough profit to be made in our community, they refused to offer electricity. The founding members of KEC went door to door to collect $5 in order to raise a portion of the original investment the co-op needed. Those “gogetters” 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 the 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, decline in housing values and school closures. Because local residents own a majority of cooperatives, they are less likely to leave their community. 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.
The co-op is a critical part of what makes the community a community.
Happy Independence Day! KEC offices will be closed Friday, July 3, in observance of Independence Day. You may report outages via your KEC mobile app or by calling 800888-2731. Have a safe holiday!
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Efficiency tips for outdoor shops and barns
ELECTRICITY REMAINS A GOOD VALUE
By Meghaan Evans
Average Annual Price Increase 2014-2019
There are many benefits to having an energy efficient outdoor shop or barn. Aside from saving energy, an efficient outdoor building can keep the environment around your structure healthy and safe; save money on your water bill; keep your animals happier and healthier; and save you from costly structural repairs. Whether you are looking to build a new structure, or make changes to an existing structure, there are many ways you can make your outdoor shop or barn more energy efficient. Are you planning to build a new structure on your property? Follow these tips to achieve energy efficiency: • Location matters. If possible, carefully consider where you build your shop or barn. Consider drainage, sun exposure and how the building may affect your neighbors. • Start with a sustainable design plan. A sustainable design plan, according to the U.S. General Services Administration, includes the ability to use environmentally preferable products; protect and conserve water; enhance indoor environmental quality; and optimize operational and maintenance practices. • If you are hiring a contractor to help build your structure, make sure you look for companies who specialize in “green” buildings and energy efficient practices. • Choose efficient building methods. Pole barns offer reliable shelter without costly excavation, concrete foundations or general site disruption. Follow these tips to make energy efficient upgrades to an existing structure: • Replace indoor lighting with energy efficient LED bulbs. • Ensure your existing structure has adequate insulation levels. • Choose outdoor lighting designed to be energy efficient, and install motion detectors to reduce energy consumption when not in use. • Plant trees around your metal shed or barn. In colder climates, trees act as a windbreak, and in warmer climates, trees have a natural cooling effect that can reduce temperatures in your metal building 3 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit. • Consider adding a ceiling fan to circulate air. Typically, there is a 2 degree Fahrenheit temperature increase for every one-foot increase in ceiling height. A ceiling fan can help keep warm air close to the ground in the winter, and circulate fresher, cooler air in the summer. Not only will this help with energy costs, it will also help keep the air in the building from becoming hot and stagnant, which will keep harmful bacteria from building and will keep insects at bay. To learn more about how to make your outdoor shop or barn more energy efficient, contact the energy experts at KEC. Meghaan Evans writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus consumerowned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.
The cost of powering your home rises slowly when compared to other common expenses. Looking at price increases over the last five years, it’s easy to see electricity remains a good value!
Percent
4.0
3.7%
3.5
3.0%
3.0
2.6%
2.5 2.0
0.4%
1.5 1.0 0.5 0
Rent
Medical Care
Education
Electricity
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index
THE VALUE OF ELECTRICITY
$5.30 average cost of a Big Mac® value meal
$3.87
average daily cost of power
Electricity is expressed on a daily basis using EIA 2018 Average U.S. Monthly Residential Bill of $117. Big Mac® is a registered trademark of McDonald’s Corporation. McDonald’s Corporation does not endorse or sponsor this material.
Sources: Economist.com and EIA, 2018 data.
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operation round up
RECIPE
M O N T H LY U P D AT E Operation Round Up® is a voluntary bill roundup program that benefits local communities, organizations ,and needy families. Funding applications are available at Kiamichi Electric, local social services, or online at www.kiamichielectric.org. YEAR-TO-DATE COLLECTIONS 2020: $32,426.77 YEAR-TO-DATE DISBURSEMENTS: $9,915.78 TOTAL COLLECTED SINCE INCEPTION: $1,640,301.63 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS SINCE INCEPTION:
$1,565,808.10
Adrienne’s Cucumber Salad INGREDIENTS
• 4 cucumbers, thinly sliced • 1 small white onion, thinly sliced • 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water • 3/4 cup white sugar • 1 tablespoon dried dill, or to taste
DIRECTIONS Toss together the cucumbers and onion in a large bowl. Combine the vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and pour over the cucumber and onions. Stir in dill, cover, and refrigerate until cold. This can also be eaten at room temperature, but be sure to allow the cucumbers to marinate for at least 1 hour. Recipe from AllRecipes.com
Energy Efficiency
Tip of the Month Spending more time at home? Try an online energy audit to assess the overall efficiency of your home. Visit www. energystar.gov, then enter “home energy yardstick” in the search box to get started. Source: Energy.gov
Manage your KEC account from wherever you are with our free mobile app
3 View bill & make payments 3 Sign up for auto-pay 3 Go paperless 3 Monitor energy use and savings 3 Report outages 3 Set up text alerts 3 And more!
Use your smartphone’s camera to scan the QR code and download the mobile app
W W W. K I A M I C H I E L E C T R I C . O R G