March 2018 Current Lines

current lines March 2018

A monthly publication for Tri-County EMC members

In this issue:

Bright Ideas Grants

Right-of-Way Maintenance, Pole Inspections

page 1

page 2

Bright Ideas Grants, Cont’d.

Info Update Contest page 3

Upcoming Scholarships, Recipe Box page 4

$30,000 in Bright Ideas Grants Awarded to Teachers

T

ri-County EMC recently surprised 25 teachers in Baldwin, Jasper, Jones and Putnam Counties with educational grants totaling $30,000. Since 2008, Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation has provided more than $210,000 in grants to local schools. Funded by unclaimed capital credits, the grants help teachers improve education in their classrooms through innovative projects that would otherwise not be funded. Georgia certified public or private school teachers in grades Pre-K through 12 in Baldwin, Jones, Putnam, Jasper, Twiggs and Wilkinson counties qualify to apply.

This year, judges evaluated the 101 blind applications that were submitted for innovation, goals, objectives, student involvement and budget. Thanks to all teachers who applied in 2017-2018 and we look forward to seeing your applications in 2018-2019. This year’s winners are listed below and continue on Page 3. Learn more at tri-countyemc.com/bright-ideas.cms.

Liz Allison Wells Elementary Are You Sure I Can Use A Calculator?: $1,467.45

Tyson Harty Jasper County High School An Electric Racecar Designed, Built and Driven by Students: $1,500

Mandie Behling Jasper County Middle School Technology Student Association: $1,500

Skylar Holder Putnam County Primary School Stemming in Kindergarten: $861.95

Gregory Brickell Putnam County Elementary School Corn Hole for A Cause $1,163.94

Heather Jackson Gray Elementary School Versatile Learning for Kindergarteners with VersaTiles: $1,050.65

Patty Cole Jasper County High School Alzheimer’s and Dementia Simulation and Community Outreach: $1,500 Tricia Coxwell Putnam County Primary School Fun with Osmo: $1,333.81 Lisa Davis Jones County High School 3D Printing in Math: $855.47 Bonnie Garvin Jasper County High School Constitution Escape Room: $352

Ida Jackson Putnam County Middle School Globetrotters: $1,460 Kirstie Knighton Jones County High School Literacy on Fire: $1,499.30 June Lassetter Wells Elementary Let’s Max Out With MobyMax!: $897.40

Right-of-Way Seasonal Maintenance Begins

20 441

ea

Greensboro

Madison

20

Lake Oconee

Beginning in April, Tri-County EMC will work with NaturChem for herbicide application to keep trees, brush and foliage from interfering with the delivery of your electric service. Overgrown trees and other vegetation within 15 feet of overhead power lines are trimmed year-round. Herbicide is applied in five-year cycles.

This year’s herbicide application will occur in the southern Baldwin County, northern Wilkinson County and eastern Jones County.

The map to the right shows the general area where the maintenance will occur. For a full list of addresses that will be affected, visit tri-countyemc.com/rightofway.cms. Only nonrestrictive, nonresidual chemicals are used. Landscaped areas such as lawns, streams or ponds will not be sprayed. (80314001)

Putnam County

ShadyDale

Monticello

Eatonton 380

Lake Sinclair

441

Tri-County EMC Service Area Application Area

83

Lake Juliette

129

75

Baldwin County Milledg l gevill Milledgeville

Gray 18

Jones County Gordon

475

When planting trees this spring, always be sure the width of the foliage of the mature tree will not grow within 15 feet of each side of a power line. It is important to keep trees, limbs and climbing plants away from power lines to prevent outages and power blinks.

Bibb County

80

Macon 75

16

Twiggs County

Wilkinson County

441

Minimum Bill Change in March Starting March 2018, the minimum bill charge for residential and commercial accounts will increase by $2 per month. The minimum bill charge is located in the Energy and Distribution line item on your bill, along with your kWh usage. This minimum charge increase reflects the true cost it takes to get power to you, as it recovers much of the fixed costs of providing service.

The minimum bill will rise from $30 to $32 for residential accounts, and from $40 to $42 for prepay accounts. General service commercial accounts will see an increase in the base rate from $32.50 to $34.50. “The cost to deliver electric service is a cost that every member shares,” said Ray Grinberg, CEO. “ Raising the minimum bill allows us to cover those fixed costs of providing service without tying fixed cost charges to how many kWhs you use.”

Walter Harrison Scholarship Finalist Peyton Walker was named Tri-County EMC's finalist for the Walter Harrison Scholarship. She will go on to compete in the statewide scholarship competition for one of eleven $1,000 scholarships. Statewide scholarship winners will be announced in April.

Peyton is a senior at Jones County High School. She plans to attend Valdosta State University in the fall and major in education and sign language. Upon graduation, she plans to be a deaf education teacher.

For more information on scholarships offered through Tri-County EMC, visit us online at tri-countyemc.com/ scholarships-overview.cms. (21626001)

Power Pole Inspections Begin Beginning this month, Tri-County EMC is contracting with Osmose Utilities to conduct pole inspections in our service area. Proper pole maintenance can reduce unnecessary replacement costs and add many years of durable service life to the power pole. Please be aware of their logo in the photo to the right to be able to recognize them in your area.

Bright Ideas Grants continued from page 1

Shannon Smith Clifton Ridge Middle School Virtual Reality: $1,469.68

Wendy Little Putnam County Middle School Breakout Box EDU: It’s Time for Something New!: $918

Shelley Tingler Washington Park Elementary School Kindling the Fire of Reading: $1,429.74

Susan McGill Baldwin County High School 3D Printing in the Science Classroom: $1,492

Vickie Thigpen Clifton Ridge Middle School Literacy in Science Content: $1,003.61

Brittany Nichols Lakeview Primary Learning with Legos: $1,477.98

Amy Thompson Turner Woods Elementary School Stand Back - STEM-atist at Work: $717.30

Becky Nipper Putnam County Middle School Voyages with Virtual Reality: $1,481

Angela Watts Gray Elementary School Literacy through the Senses Garden: $1,500

Rhett Roberts Putnam County High School Intro to Video Game Programming: $1,359.84

Dawn Wicker Putnam County Primary School Cardio Drumming: Not Just Your Average PE Class: $1,444.18

Scarlett Scoville Clifton Ridge Middle School Growing Solutions Using Hydroponics: $963.45

@MY CO-OP

Having the correct information on your Tri-County EMC account and participating in our electronic communication programs can save you time, make reporting power outages easier, and even save you money. Update your phone number(s) and email address now to win cash!

n Connect faster to report power outages

Our automated system recognizes your account by caller ID.

n Receive important information first

Get critical information and your monthly bill delivered to your inbox.

n Make your voice heard

Participate in important surveys. Your opinion matters.

n Get your news electronically

Have Current Lines, our newsletter, sent paperless to your email address.

5

Update your account at www.tri-countyemc.com/info _ update.cms and get:

$

Tri-County EMC

+

Bill Credit

An Entry to Win: iPad mini™

or

$

400

bill credit

Each active Tri-County EMC account updated before 4/30/2018 at https://www.tri-countyemc.com/info_update.cms will receive one (1) $5 bill credit and one (1) entry into a drawing for the winner’s choice of an Apple iPad mini 4 or a $400 bill credit.

Scholarship Applications Due April 15 Cooperative Scholarship

Operation Roundup Scholarship

Each spring, Tri-County EMC awards three $2,000 Cooperative scholarships to students residing within the cooperative’s service area. One scholarship is awarded in each of the three Tri-County board districts.

Applications are judged by an outside panel of education professionals based equally on academics, financial need and community involvement. (8705001)

In addition to funding community grants, the Tri-County EMC Foundation offers scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students (with preference given to non-traditional students), to help pay their college costs. Through Operation Roundup, a total of $4,000 is awarded annually to students residing in the homes of Tri-County EMC members. The applicant must be enrolled in any U.S. accredited college or university and have maintained at least a 2.0 average.

TRI-COUNTY EMC

COOPERATIVE

SCHOLARSHIP

Applications may be downloaded at tri-countyemc.com/ cooperativescholarship.cms. Applications are due April 15.

Did you find your account number?

Applications may be downloaded at tri-countyemc.com/ roundupscholarship.cms. Applications are due April 15.

Find your complete account number inside parentheses in this issue of Current Lines and win a $50 bill credit. Call 478.986.8126 to claim your bill credit.

Recipe Box Georgia Ranch Chicken Cups This recipe is courtesy of Georgia Grown. Did you know your recipe is worth $20 if chosen? Send your best recipes to kimb@tri-countyemc. com or mail to P.O. Box 487, Gray, GA 31032.

Ingredients: • • • • • •

1-1/2 pounds cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie chicken works well) 1 cup Ranch-style salad dressing 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix 1 (24-count) package wonton wrappers Salsa, optional

Directions: Combine chicken and salad dressing in a bowl and set aside. Combine cheese and taco seasoning in a bowl and set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Using a muffin pan, place a wonton wrapper in each muffin cup and press the wrappers down into the cups to make nests. Bake wonton nests in oven for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture in each wonton nest and sprinkle with cheese mixture. Return to oven and bake until cheese melts (or longer if you want to serve them heated through). Top with salsa, if desired. Repeat process with remaining wontons and filling. Makes 24 appetizers.

Ray Grinberg, CEO

Owned By Those We Serve

P.O. Box 487 Gray, GA 31032 478.986.8100 FAX 478.986.4733 www.tri-countyemc.com

Board of Directors Brenda P. Green, Chairman Sammy Hall, Vice-Chairman Thomas Noles, Secretary/Treasurer George “Buck” Comer, Dan Greene, Chester Mercer, Marion Nelson, Cecil Patterson, Mike Rainey

current lines Monthly Publication for Tri-County EMC Members Kim Broun, Editor Communications Specialist