October 2018 Coop Connections PDF

West River Electric October 2018 Vol. 19 No. 6

Energizing Careers: Energy Sector Seeks Talented Workers Page 8

Celebrating Cooperatives Page 12

MANAGER’S NOTE

Powering You For a Brighter Future This theme for our annual meeting means a great deal to us. It will be our new slogan for the future. At our strategic planning a couple of years ago, we were tasked with reviewing our logo and mission statement along with coming up with our vision, statement of values and a slogan/tag/brand for West River. We asked our employees to help us come up with these. Our new slogan is our theme for this annual meeting: Powering You For a Brighter Future. It was the vision of our Billing Clerk, Aimee Paulson.

Dick Johnson & Andy Moon dick.johnson@westriver.coop

“The theme for the 2018 Annual Meeting is Powering You For a Brighter Future”

We have again made a retirement of our capital credits to help power your future. This is the second year in a row we have been able to retire $1.0 million in capital back to you, our member-owners. We will be retiring $500,000 spread among 1988, 1989, and 1990 specifically to those members along with the another $500,000 spread among members from 1991-2017.

We had another good year financially at the cooperative during 2017. We ended with kWh sales at 5.3% over 2016 with sales revenue 9% over 2016. We added over 250 new accounts in 2017. There is further financial information in this annual meeting issue of the Cooperative Connections.

Our largest undertaking this year from a member standpoint was a review of our current bylaws. The Board appointed 3 of their members along with 3 members from the communities we serve. Deb Harwood, Union Center, Brenda Whiting-Degan of Rapid City, and Josh Geigle of Creighton served as outside members on the Committee. We had several cooperative sets of bylaws guide us along with a bylaw review guide from our national trade association, NRECA. The main reason for the bylaw review was to be certain they were up to current business standards. Many of the changes related to allowing electronic means of communication and notices. A couple of the main changes we saw were: • Elimination of the nominating committee. The committee normally met and appointed the incumbent director if they wished to seek re-election. If someone wanted to run, most normally went through the petition process and obtained 15 signatures instead of using the Nominating Committee. The revamped provision will allow the incumbent Director to declare their candidacy, and an interested nominee may then file a petition with 15 member signatures to run for the Board.

This should eliminate some expense for the coop yet allow all members an easy opportunity to run for the Board.

• We added provisions on what constitutes a conflict of interest for Board members.

This is a great addition for transparency, and lets Directors know what they must do if there is a conflict, or apparent conflict, for them.

• We added a specific way members can bring an amendment to the bylaws.

Previously only the Board could bring an amendment to the bylaws.

• We added the ability for the Board to have more than one class of membership.

Where we see this happening is if we get a very large or unique load to our system, we could place them in that pool. Several coops have done this that have had very large loads. We currently have none that would fit this category.

The Board and Committee have unanimously recommended these changes for your approval. The complete changes are in the insert in this issue. We hope you review them thoroughly before the meeting and give one of us or a staff member a call if you have questions prior to the 10569300 meeting.

I said that our theme and slogan was from an employee suggestion. It just shows us what a great group of employees we have been blessed with. We have said this before; we would put them up against any utility or company as they are second to none. They have worked hard to keep the lights on, bills ran, and questions answered all year long. Thanks for the great job!

We hope to see you at the annual meeting on October 13, 2018 starting at 10:00 AM at the Wall Community Center. This is your opportunity to participate as a member/owner of

West River Electric.

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Cooperative Connections | October 2018

Powering You For A Brighter Future

October 2018 | Cooperative Connections

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SAFETY TIPS

S.D. Fire Marshal: Know That Fires Can Start Anywhere This year’s Fire Prevention Week encourages people to be mindful that fires can start anywhere. Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 7-13 and will be observed by fire departments throughout South Dakota. This year’s theme is “Look. Listen. Learn. Be Aware – fire can happen anywhere.”

“It is easy to take fire safety for granted, especially if we are staying in a new hotel or working in a new building,” says State Fire Marshal Paul Merriman. “But it is important to be aware of your surroundings and know where the exits are if a fire starts.”

Merriman says the three “L’s” in this year’s theme signify essential ways people can reduce their risk to fire: Look for places fire can start Listen for the sound of the smoke alarm Learn two ways out of each room At the same time, Merriman says individuals and families should make sure they have two ways out of their home in case of fire. He says people need to remember that fires can start anywhere in the home due to an electrical problem or another issue.

“Families should hold fire drills in their homes at least twice a year; once during the day and another time at night,” Merriman says. “It is important that everyone, especially children, know how to get out of a burning structure using more than one exit.”

KIDS CORNER SAFETY POSTER

Another emphasis during the week will be the use of smoke alarms. Merriman says the importance of smoke alarms can’t be stressed enough.

“We have seen too many house fires where there were no smoke alarms present or the alarms in the homes were not properly working,” he says. “Smoke alarms can help save lives. But they do no good when not properly maintained.”

Smoke alarm messages for this week include: Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.

Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.

Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do when they hear it.

If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Go to your outside meeting place.

Call the Fire Department from outside the home.

To learn more, go to www.firepreventionweek.org.

The state Fire Marshal’s Office is part of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

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Cooperative Connections | October 2018

“Don’t plant trees below power lines.”

Erin Kangas, 10 years old

Erin is the daughter of Andrew and Gail Kangas, Lake Norden, S.D. They are members of H-D Electric Cooperative, Clear Lake, S.D. Kids, send your drawing with an electrical safety tip to your local electric cooperative (address found on Page 3). If your poster is published, you’ll receive a prize. All entries must include your name, age, mailing address and the names of your parents.

Colored drawings are encouraged.

RECIPES

Perfect Pasta Pasta Rings and Deviled Ham Salad 1 (7oz.) pkg. macaroni rings, cooked and drained 2 cups ground cooked ham 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped 1 cup finely chopped celery

1/3 cup dill pickle relish 1-1/4 cups mayonnaise

2 cups penne pasta

1 tsp. mustard

2 T. butter

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Hamburger-Macaroni Casserole brown

1 T. instant onion 1/2 cup diced celery 1/2 cup diced green pepper 1 cup uncooked macaroni

1 lb. chicken tenders 1 cup half-and-half 2 T. cornstarch

Becki Hauser, Tripp, SD

1 lb. ground beef, do not

Creamy Parmesa and Sun-dried Tomato Chicken Penne

1 can tomato soup 1 can cheese soup 1 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt 1/4 T. basil, optional

Combine all ingredients in casserole; refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350°F. for 1 hour. Serves 6.

Shirley Thedorff, Centerville, SD

Easy Chicken Noodle Dish

1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 tsp. McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Italian Seasoning 1/2 tsp. McCormick® California Style Onion Powder 1/2 tsp. McCormick Gourmet™ Sicilian Sea Salt 1/4 tsp. McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Black Pepper, Coarse Ground 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain well. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Mix half-and-half and cornstarch in small bowl until smooth. Add to skillet along with tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, seasonings and Parmesan cheese. Bring to boil, stirring constantly with wire whisk until well blended. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta; toss gently to coat. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Shrimp variation: Use 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined, in place of the chicken. Cook and stir shrimp in melted butter 2 minutes. Continue as directed.

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 tsp. salt

1 T. butter

1 cup sour cream

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories 292, Total Fat 12g, Saturated Fat 7g, Cholesterol 66mg, Sodium 486mg, Protein 22g, Carbohydrates 24g, Dietary Fiber 2g

3 cups noodles, uncooked

2 cups cooked chicken

Pictured, Cooperative Connections

2-3/4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup silvered almonds

1/4 tsp. lemon extract

3 T. snipped parsley

Sauté onion in butter. Add noodles, chicken broth, extract and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 25 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir in sour cream, chicken, almonds and parsley. Serve hot in bowls. Serves 4.

Verna Knapp, Waubay, SD

Please send your favorite slow cooker, holiday favorite or soup recipes to your local electric cooperative (address found on Page 3).

Each recipe printed will be entered into a drawing for a prize in December 2018. All entries must include your name, mailing address, telephone number and cooperative name.

October 2018 | Cooperative Connections

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ANNUAL MEETING

Jerry Hammerquist District 1

2018 Annual Meeting

West River Electric Annual Meeting Saturday, October 13, 2018 Wall Community Center

Registration at 9:00 a.m. with coffee and cookies being served during registration.

The Business Meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m.

Door prize drawings during the meeting with a grand prize chance at the end. One lucky member will be given the opportunity to win up to $900.00 by playing the High/Low Game.

Dick Johnson CEO/General Manager

We will be drawing for 6-$500 Scholarships - High School Seniors or College Students are eligible, but must be in attendance from the beginning of the meeting to the end.

Howard Knuppe District 1

Jamie Lewis District 1

After the meeting lunch tickets will be given out and lunch will be served at your favorite restaurant in Wall.

Marcia Arneson District 2

Stan Anders District 2

Chuck Sloan District 2

Larry Eisenbraun District 3

Sue Peters District 3

Andy Moon District 3

Meeting Agenda Registration - 9:00 a.m Call to Order & Welcome - 10:00 a.m.

Pledge of Allegiance National Anthem Invocation Report of Credentials Notice of Meeting & Proof of Mailing Minutes of Meeting - October 7, 2017 Introduction of Guests

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President’s Report Drawing of Prizes Manager’s Report Report of Nominating Committee Registration Closes Voting of Director Positions Voting of Bylaws Operation Round-up Presentations Drawing for Prizes

Cooperative Connections | October 2018

Employee Years of Service Old Business New Business Announcement of Election Results Drawing for Scholarship Recipients Drawing for Grand Prize & Jackpot Drawing Adjournment

BOARD ELECTION

Notice of Nomination By The Nominating Committee Notice is hereby given that the members of the Nominating Committee, at a meeting of the Nominating Committee on May 30, 2018 held pursuant to Section 4, Article IV of the Bylaws of West River Electric Association, Inc. nominated the following individuals for the position of Director, to be voted on at the October 13, 2018 Annual Meeting from the following Districts: District No. 1: Consisting of the area served by the cooperative in Pennington County, South Dakota, West of the Cheyenne River.

Howard Knuppe District No. 2: Consisting of the area served by the Cooperative in Meade and Ziebach Counties, South Dakota.

Stan Anders District No. 3: Consisting of the area served by the Cooperative East of the Cheyenne River.

Andy Moon You are further notified that the above nominations are made for the position of Director for a three year term to fill the term of the expiring Director, and that one individual from each district will be elected at the October 13, 2018 Annual Meeting of the Association.

Dated this 4th day of June, 2018.

Nominating Committee of the West River Electric Association, Inc. duly appointed by the Board of Directors, 4077900 pursuant to Section 4, Article IV of the bylaws.

By Elden Helms, Chairperson of the Nominating Committee.

Nomination for Board of Directors Stan Anders - District 2 Stan Anders is seeking re-election to the West River Board of Directors in District 2. He is a life long member of the Union Center community and has been in the trucking business since 1973. He is past board chairman of the South Dakota Trucking Association, past Commander of the NAJA Shrine Air Patrol, served as Secretary of the Rapid City Shrine Club and Secretary of the Rural Meade Ambulance Service. Stan is a Credentialed Cooperative Director and Board Leadership Certified. Stan and his wife Chris have nine children and thirteen grandchildren. “I would like the opportunity to continue to represent the members of District 2.”

Howard Knuppe- District 1 Howard Knuppe is seeking re-election to the board from District 1. He was born and raised near New Underwood and still operates a ranch east of New Undewood.

Howard worked as Haakon County agent from 1967 to 1973. Since returning to the ranch in 1973, he has served on the New Underwood School Board and has been a director of the Penningon County Crop Improvement Association. Howard and his wife Delores are the parents of three children and eight grandchildren.

Andy Moon - District 3 Andy Moon is seeking re-election to the District 3 director positon. He is a Credentialed Cooperative Director, serves as the Board President and is currently working on receiving his Board Leadership Credentials. He was born and raised on a farm/ranch near Montevideo, Minnesota.

Andy graduated from SDSU with a B.S. in Business Economics. He is employed by Kjerstad Livestock as a Ranch Foreman since 1995. He is a member of St Patrick’s Catholic Church and past treasurer of Eastern Penn Investment Club. Andy and his wife Lisa have three children.

October 2018 | Cooperative Connections

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ENERGY CAREERS

Line workers account for a portion of energy-related careers.

ENERGIZED JOBS Careers in Energy Fields Hold Potential Brenda Kleinjan editor@sdrea.coop

Jobs in the energy sector hold potential for many seeking careers.

America’s energy sector looks to put a spotlight on careers within the field during Careers in Energy Week Oct. 15-19.

Industry leaders work to ensure there is a balance in the supply of qualified workers with specific demands. The goal is to have the right number of workers with the right skills at the right time and in the right place.

A 2015 CEWD report noted that while the workforce is getting younger in these key jobs, gaps still exist for engineers and technicians and, in some areas, especially small, more rural areas, utilities, in particular can struggle with attracting 8

Cooperative Connections | October 2018

Photo by iStock/Getty Images/Theerapong28

According to information from the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD), key jobs in the energy workforce – line workers, technicians, plant/field operators and engineers – represent 44 percent of the energy workforce. And, demand for these jobs has remained steady.

ENERGY CAREERS

According to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, more than 116,000 people work as electrical power line installers and repairers. In South Dakota 850 people have such jobs, representing about 2.04 jobs per 100,000 jobs in the state, ranking it among the highest location quotients in the nation. (The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.)

Another visible energy job in the area deals with wind energy. According to United States Department of Labor statistics, there are 4,390 wind turbine service technicians nationwide, with 510 calling the Dakotas and Minnesota home.

The U.S. Energy and Employment Report released in May 2018 by the National Association of State Energy Officials and the Energy Futures Initiative noted that

the traditional energy and energy efficiency sectors employed approximately 6.5 million Americans out of a total workforce of approximately 145 million. The report noted this was a 2 percent increase from the previous year, adding 133,000 net new jobs.

The report noted that within the traditional energy sector, electric power genera-

Electric power generation and fuels directly employed more than 1.9 million workers in 2017.

Firms covered by the survey anticipate about a 6 percent growth in jobs in 2018.

But while these sectors are anticipating growth, more than 70 percent of employers reported difficulty in hiring qualified workers in the past 12 months.

Two South Dakota technical schools – Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, S.D., and Mitchell Technical Institute in Mitchell, S.D., offer energy-sector career training and have received national recognition for the educational programs and Minnesota’s technical schools have strong energy-related programs.

tion and fuels directly employed more than 1.9 million workers in 2017, an increase of 15,000 jobs from 2016. In 2017, 55 percent – or 1.1 million – of these employees worked in traditional coal, oil and gas electric power generation and fuels, while almost 800,000 workers were employed in other generation technologies including renewables, nuclear and natural gas.

Among energy sector workers are the nation’s 4,300 wind service technicians, 510 of which are in the Dakotas and Minnesota.

Photo by iStock/Getty Images/ aydinmutlu

Photo by Jessie Tucker/West Central Electric

talent and replacing expertise lost by retiring workers.

October 2018 | Cooperative Connections

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MINUTES

ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES October 7, 2017 “Powering You For A Brighter Future” veronica.kusser@westriver.coop

The meeting was called to order by President Andy Moon at 10:01 a.m. at the Community Building in Wall, South Dakota.

All Veterans in attendance were asked to stand and be recognized. The membership and all in attendance recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

The National Anthem was sung by Miss Athena Simons, age 9, for the membership.

The invocation was given by Pastor Russell Masartis, United Methodist Church of Wall.

Secretary Jamie Lewis reported for Roger Scott, Chairperson of the Credentials and Election Committee, that 153 members of West River Electric Association, Inc. were registered and that a quorum was present at the meeting. At the present, we have a total of 13,180 members.

A motion was made and seconded 10478300 to dispense with the reading of the Notice of Annual Meeting. Motion carried.

A motion was made and seconded to dispense with the reading of the Affidavit of Mailing and filed in the Minute Book September 19, 2017.

Motion carried.

The minutes of the October 8, 2016 Annual Meeting were presented for approval. President Moon asked for a motion to approve the minutes as presented. A motion was duly made and seconded to approve the minutes as mailed. Motion carried.

President Moon introduced the guests in attendance.

President Andy Moon stated the theme for the meeting was “Focused on the Member-Committed to the Community!” A dedicated group of people started our cooperative back in 1939. Since then we have been focused on our member owners while being strongly committed to the communities we serve. Moon stated that we unexpectedly lost Director Terry Peters who passed away in July. Through bylaw obligation, the Board of Directors must appoint another member to fill the unexpired term and they appointed Ms. Sue Peters. In early 2017, the Board approved our final long range strategic plan that included long term goals along with working on a thorough cost of service study and will finalize decisions shortly regarding rates in 2018. He thanked the employees who are dedicated, committed and loyal to our members at the end of the line.

Drawings were held for door prizes.

Dick Johnson, CEO/General Manager, presented the 2016 financials. He reported that a member survey had been conducted through Touchstone Energy Services and reviewed the results. He talked about the Rural Electric Economic Development Fund (REED Fund), cyber security and what we are doing to secure the grid. Reports were given from the Operations Department, IT, Marketing and Office departments. He thanked all the employees for all of their hard work. A presentation was shown of a few of our linemen’s children on the focus of safety and what it means to them. Dick touched on the loss of Director Terry Peters, thanked the Board of Directors along with the employees who came home safely every night.

Allen Nelson, Attorney for West River Electric read the Report of the Nominating Committee from May 30, 2017 based on Section 4 Article 4 of the Bylaws. The Committee nominated Jerry Hammerquist from District I, Chuck Sloan and Marsha Simmons from District II and Larry 10

Cooperative Connections | October 2018

Eisenbraun from District III. Allen Nelson read the Notice of Nomination by Petitions nominating Amanda L Frink as a candidate for Director from District III. Allen Nelson announced that if any member had not yet registered, they should go and register at this time. He then announced registration had closed.

Attorney Nelson asked for a motion to cast a unanimous vote to re-elect Jerry Hammerquist, District I for a 3 year term. A motion was made, seconded and carried to cast a unanimous vote for District I. The two candidates for District II and 2592500 the two candidates for District III were each allowed three minutes to address the membership.

At this time, the ballots were distributed to the membership present for voting.

Chris Baumgartner, Senior Vice President of Member Services of Basin Electric Power Cooperative of Bismarck, ND, addressed the membership. Chris talked about the history of Basin and their power supply. He discussed the renewable energy resources, specifically wind energy, that the cooperative owns or has purchase rights on. He said Basin hopes to keep rates stable in the future years. He reminded the members that Basin is a cooperative just like West River and drove home the relationship from the member at the end of the line as members of West River, West River is a member of Rushmore, and Rushmore is a member of Basin. Therefore as Basin makes every decision, it affects members all the way down the line.

Operation Roundup dollars were presented to the Wall Rodeo Booster Club and SD FFA Foundation.

Drawings were held for more prizes.

Employee years of service were presented: 30 years-Joel Stephens, Byron Frank and Ross Johnson, 25 years-Lane Butler, 20 years-Dwight Peterson, 15 years-Jannette Thayer and Becky Chihak, 10 years-Amy Thompson and Jenny Patterson.

President Moon called for old business. There was none.

President Moon called for new business. There was none.

The results of the election were announced, and Chuck Sloan was elected for District II and Larry Eisenbraun for District III, each for a three year term. President Moon thanked the Nominating Committee and the Credentials and Election Committee for their help with this year’s Annual Meeting.

President Moon thanked the employees who helped to organize and put on this successful annual meeting.

A prize drawing was held for the kids drawing. The winners are Mason Crawford and Jackson Divis.

The drawing was held for 4 - $500 Scholarships for a high school senior or full time student currently attending college or technical school. The winners were Tate Eisenbraun, Damian Bresee, Monica Bielmaier, and William Housman.

The grand prize winner was Donna Fauske.

The high/low prize winner of $100.00 was Gary Keyser. He missed the second card, so the remaining $400 will go toward next years’ prize.

The meeting adjourned at 11:38 a.m. _________________________

Jamie Lewis, Secretary

Annual Meeting Saturday October 13, 2018 Community Center, Wall, SD 9:00 am Registration with coffee & cookies 10:00 am Business Meeting 6-$500 Scholarships to High School or College Students Opportunity to Play High/Low Game for up to $900 Free lunch at your favorite Wall Restaurant

Do You NeeD Special accomoDatioNS to Be a part of the aNNual meetiNg? Need for auxiliary aids or services: Facilities are accessible to people with mobility impairments. If you need auxiliary aids or services in order to participate in the meeting (e.g., sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, materials in alternative format), please submit a 3832800 request to West River Electric at (605) 279-2135. To ensure auxiliary aids or services are available, please make the request(s) at least 10 days in advance of the meeting.

Voting Regulations 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Each voter must be a member of West River Electric Association, Inc. Each member has only one vote.

For joint memberships, where the service is in the name of two individuals, one of the individuals may vote, but not both, and neither are eligible to have any other memberships.

Spouses may both have individual memberships, and under South Dakota statutes, one spouse may vote on behalf of the other, provided that the other has not indicated otherwise at the time of the meeting.

Each member organization should designate a represenative who is an officer, shareholder or member of the organization to vote for a partnership, incorporated business, association, church, school township or other political body.

The said person must have a completed authorization form, signed by an officer of the organization prior to the WREA Annual Meeting. The form can be found on page 15.

No campaigning by or for director candidates are allowed in the hall.

At registration, the member will be given a slip that will be exchanged for a ballot at the time of voting.

Employee Years of Service Board of Directors Jerry Hammerquist Howard Knuppe Marcia Arneson Larry Eisenbraun Stan Anders Andy Moon Jamie Lewis Chuck Sloan Sue Peters

34 30 24 21 12 12 5 3 1

District 1 District 1 District 2 Treasurer, District 3 Vice President District 2 President, District 3 Secretary, District 1 District 2 District 3

Management Staff Dave Semerad Wayne Shull Mike Letcher Veronica Kusser Dick Johnson Dawn Hilgenkamp Cheryl Walker Jenny Patterson

39 34 27 24 24 22 13 11

Branch Manager Operations Superintendent Operations Manager Marketing Manager CEO/General Manager Manager of Finance IT Manager Mgr of Office Services

Linemen & Office Employees Willy Nohr Joel Stephens Ross Johnson Byron Frank Lane Butler Dwight Peterson Betty Haerer Sam Lockhart Tracea Ladner Matt Schmahl Sanden Simons Brendan Nelson

32 31 31 31 26 21 20 20 20 19 18 18

Marketing Rep Journeyman Lineman Metering Foreman Service Technician Enning Foreman Warehouseman Accountant Operations Technician Operations Adm Asst Staking Foreman Wall Foreman Rapid City Foreman

Jannette Thayer Becky Chihak Tyson Gunn Lance Steiger Mike Oyen Amy Thompson Christine Ritter Robert Raker Alicia Fortune Dustin Brimm Justin Wermers Sallie Traver Roberta Rancour John Garrigan Brandon Bisgaard Bonnie Almeida Dakota Douglas Stacey Cihak Eric Emery Adam Daigle Colter Stout Lindsy Reagle Garrett Shearer Turner Donahue Gerri Johnston Matt Kruse Jared Stalley Aaron Scherer Derek Haug Cody Bernstein Alex Preszler Aimee Paulsen Skyler Huber Carolyn Schulz

16 16 14 12 12 11 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 8 8 7 7 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 1 8 Months 4 Months

Lead CSR Member Services Rep Journeyman Lineman Staking Technician Journeyman Lineman Branch Office Supervisor Member Services Rep Marketing Representative Billing Supervisor Journeyman Lineman Journeyman Lineman Member Services Rep Administrative Assistant Utility Maintenance Journeyman Lineman Member Services Rep Journeyman Lineman Member Services Rep Journeyman Lineman Marketing Representative Apprentice Lineman Accounting Clerk/MSR Work Order Clerk Journeyman Lineman Network Administrator Apprentice Lineman Member Services Rep Journeyman Lineman Apprentice Lineman Apprentice Lineman Journeyman Lineman Billing Clerk Apprentice Lineman Billing Support Clerk

October 2018 | Cooperative Connections

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and owns a share of the business.

OCTOBER IS COOPERATIVE MONTH Carla is one of

100 Million People who work for Co-ops around

Celebrating Cooperatives the world!

Co-ops CO-OP CARLA'S Play AMAZING DAY Important HOW COOPERATIVE IS YOUR DAY? Role in LUNCH TIME Economy Brenda Kleinjan editor@sdrea.coop

Cooperative Carla knows that joining and supporting cooperatives helps to make her community stronger and build a better world. She also knows that the owners of cooperatives are the ones closest to the business and she's proud to After enjoying delicious lunch in cooperatives and happy to benefither from membership from thesupport local food co-op, Carla cooperatives around her. sets out to run some errands.

Carla's typical day is pretty amazing.

Cooperatives generate jobs in their communities, keep profits local and pay local taxes to Her help support first stop is at her Credit Union to apply for a personal loan with a community great rateservices. and grab some cash for

COOPERATIVES FOR A

BETTER

WORLD

an upcoming trip.

From the moment one wakes up to the minute one falls cation cooperatives across the region connect families and asleep and know throughout the night – cooperatives play a businesses with internet, phone and cable services, keeping Did– you that over Credit Unions role6,000 in the daily lives of most South Dakotans and many them informed and connected to the world around them.

As Carla turns off the alarm clock and account for around Minnesotans. turns on the lights she thinks about her Gasoline, ethanol and propane are often bought from membership in her local electric co-op.

Power from electric cooperatives charges phones, illumiregional cooperatives that are among the largest cooperaloans heats eachhomes year? and provides the electricity integral natesinlights, tives in the nation. to many farms and businesses in the area. TelecommuniCarla is one of Grains and other products are bought and sold through farmer cooperatives big and small.

RISE & SHINE

$700 billion

42 Million Americans whose homes are powered

Hundreds of financial transactions occur daily at the areas credit unions.

Carla is also planning on making

some updates to her living room. by local Electric Co-ops!

She stops by her local hardware store for some paint samples and takes a look at her options at the local flooring and lighting stores all cooperatives!

In fact, there are more than 40,000 cooperative businesses in the United States with 350 million members (many people belong to more than one co-op). These cooperatives generate $514 billion in For every $1,000 spent at and more than revenue a food co-op, $25 billion in wages, according to a study conducted by the Univer-

Carla always starts off the day with coffee and breakfast from the local food co-op where she always finds fresh, healthy options for her family. Food co-ops spend Did –you know, more purchasing cooperatives more revenues locally by buying products locally and more to likecontributing Ace Hardware, Carpet One Floor the local economy&than conventional Home and Lighting One help grocery stores. independent, local businesses compete

with big box stores?

$1,604 12

Cooperative Connections | October 2018

goes back into the local economy.

WORLD sity of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, with support from USDA Rural Development (http://reic.uwcc.wisc. edu/default.htm).

Cooperatives represent a strong business model and greatly contribute to both the national and local economies.

Studies show that consumers want to do business with companies that share their values, making today’s environment ideal for cooperatives and their commitment to the communities in which their members live and work.

Co-ops don’t have to answer to outside shareholders; they care about meeting their members’ needs.

RISE & SHINE As Carla turns off the alarm clock and turns on the lights she thinks about her membership in her local electric co-op.

Carla is one of

42 Million Americans whose homes are powered by local Electric Co-ops!

Carla always starts off the day with coffee and breakfast from the local food co-op where she always finds fresh, healthy options for her family. Food co-ops spend more revenues locally – by buying more products locally and contributing more to the local economy than conventional grocery stores.

Co-ops represent democracy in action, with control exercised by a board of directors elected from the ranks of members; the board hires and directs management and is ultimately responsible to the members; Cooperatives generate jobs in their communities, keep profits local and pay local taxes to help support community services. Cooperatives often take part in community improvement programs, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to benefit from the cooperative experience.

Co-op Month Fun Facts

For every $1,000 spent at a food co-op,

$1,604 goes back into the local economy.

Food co-ops buy more organic produce and recycle more plastic than conventional grocers too!

Even the milk in the her cereal is from a farmer-owned dairy cooperative.

Over 2 million farmers own the companies that cooperatively market their dairy products.

Organic Valley, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Land O’ Lakes sound familiar?

They’re all Co-ops!

Callout 1 Center plus whatever text is included in pullquote.

Minnesota was the first state to declare an official Co-op Month proclamation in 1948.

OFF TO WORK

Co-op Month has been a nationally recognized celebration since 1964, when U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Orville Freeman, a former Minnesota governor, proclaimed October Co-op Month.

The first national theme in 1964 was “Cooperatives: USDA Helps Build a Better America.”

The U.S. Government sponsored Co-op Month from 1964-70.

Since 1971, cooperatives, statewide associations and the National Cooperative Business Association have fueled their own events and promotions.

Carla works at a worker-owned cooperative that produces paper products. She takes pride in her work knowing that she is able to weigh in on big decisions and owns a share of the business.

Carla is one of

100 Million People who work for Co-ops around the world!

October 2018 | Cooperative Connections

13

FINANCIALS

OUR REVENUE CAME FROM: Farms and Ranches Residential Large Commercial Small Commercial Public, Irrigation, Other TOTAL INCOME

$ $ $ $ $ $

2016 2,988,637 17,165,717 8,662,668 2,687,418 3,290,287 34,794,727

$ $ $ $ $ $

2017 3,257,741 18,415,336 9,675,421 2,933,741 2,412,294 36,694,533

WE PAID FOR: Power Purchased Maintenance & Operations Member Accounts General & Administrative Depreciation Interest Taxes & Other Deductions TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSE

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

18,579,914 4,010,268 1,934,368 2,821,952 2,986,056 2,425,888 606,423 33,364,869

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

20,445,754 3,906,723 2,037,691 3,048,369 3,191,483 2,510,584 640,597 35,781,201

Operating Margins Non-Operating Margins Capital Credits TOTAL MARGINS

$ 1,429,859 $ 365,652 $ 1,841,061 $ 3,636,572

$ 913,332 $ 384,011 $ 1,099,991 $ 2,397,334

WHAT WE OWN AS OF DECEMBER 31: Electric Plant Other Property & Investments Cash and Cash Equivalents Accounts Receivable Material & Supplies on Hand Prepayments & Interest Deferred Debits TOTAL WE OWN

2016 $ 86,978,436 $ 14,890,797 $ 2,375,276 $ 2,418,260 $ 4,335,196 $ 1,608,936 $ 1,441,624 $114,048,525

2017 $ 89,908,302 $ 15,461,471 $ 2,711,147 $ 2,343,561 $ 3,977,765 $ 1,536,952 $ 1,173,942 $117,113,140

WHAT WE OWE AS OF DECEMBER 31: Total Long-Term Debt Other Noncurrent Liabilities Notes Payable - Line of Credit Accounts Payable Member Deposits Taxes Accrued Other Current Liabilities Deferred Credits TOTAL WE OWE

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

OUR EQUITIES: Patronage Capital

$ 37,145,580

$ 38,548,561

TOTAL WE OWE PLUS EQUITY

$114,048,525

$117,113,140

69,745,112 396,569 2,541,761 362,702 969,481 540,113 2,347,207 76,902,945

2017 Financials Coop Statistics Members Meters Total # of Employees Service Area Transmission Line Overhead Line Underground Line Avg Residential Usage Avg Residential Bill Avg Sm Commercial Usage Avg Sm Commercial Bill Avg Lg Commercial Usage Avg Lg Commercial Bill Meters Per Mile of Line

13,180 17,038 55 4,500 sq Miles 37 Miles 2,082 Miles 521 Miles 955 KWH $ 124 1,411 KWH $ 204 16,910 KWH $ 1,910 6.45

“Powering You For a Brighter Future” 14

Cooperative Connections | October 2018

72,125,421 391,302 2,306,743 401,894 1,015,778 495,901 1,827,540 78,564,579

VOTING

Notice of aNNual meetiNg of memBerS of WeSt river electric aSSociatioN, iNc. Wall, South Dakota The Annual Meeting of members of West River Electric Association, Inc. will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, the 13th of October 2018, at the Wall Community Center, in the town of Wall, County of Pennington, State of South Dakota, for the purpose of: 1. Receiving reports of officers, directors and committees; 2. Electing one director from each of the (3) districts for a term of three (3) years to replace those directors whose terms expire; 3. Approving, ratifying and confirming all the acts of the Directors of the Association and its officers taken prior to this annual meeting; 4. Transacting any and all business which may be necessary, convenient or desirable in connection with any of the foregoing at said meetings or at any properly scheduled adjournments hereto; Dated at Wall, South Dakota, this 21st day of September, 2018 Jamie Lewis, Secretary, West River Electric Association, Inc.

This form is to designate the voting delegate of an organization. This form should be completed and signed by an officer of the organization and brought to the meeting.

Voting Authorization Necessary for Organizations Non-Individual members such as schools, municipalities, churches, organizations, and corporations are entitled to representation and one vote, but the proper procedure must be followed to exercise this right.

Each member organization should designate a representative who is an officer, shareholder, or member of their organization. This form must be signed by an officer of the governing body.

Authorization to Vote This is to certify that ______________________________________________ of __ _________________________________in a duly assembled meeting, designated _______________________ who is a(n) Officer, Shareholder, or Member (CIRCLE ONE) of said organization, to represent the ________________________________ at the regular Annual Meeting of the members of West River Electric Association, Inc., to be held October 13, 2018 and said person is authorized to cast such member’s vote on all issues that may come before said meeting.

The undersigned verifies that (s)he is the __________________________ of said organization and authorized to execute this instrument on behalf thereof. _____________________________ Signature

___________ Date

Organization Address ___________________________ ___________________________ Phone Number: ________________ Witness Mailing Address ___________________________ ___________________________ Phone Number: ________________ ___________________________ _______________________ Print Name of Witness Signature of Witness

(USPS No. 675-840)

Our Mission: West River Electric Association, Inc. shall strive to continually improve customer service and satisfaction by providing safe, reliable, efficient and reasonably priced electricity and services, while leading in the development of our community for the well being of our members.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Board President: Andy Moon Board of Directors Stan Anders – Vice President Jamie Lewis – Secretary Larry Eisenbraun – Treasurer Jerry Hammerquist Howard Knuppe Marcia Arneson Chuck Sloan Sue Peters CEO and General Manager: Dick Johnson – dick.johnson@westriver.coop Editor Veronica Kusser – veronica.kusser@westriver.coop WEST RIVER ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS is the monthly publication for the members of West River Electric Association. Members subscribe to Cooperative Connections as part of their electric cooperative membership for $6 a year.

West River Electric Cooperative Connections purpose is to provide reliable, helpful information to electric cooperative members on matters pertaining to rural electrification and better living. Nonmember subscriptions are available for $12 per year. Periodicals Postage paid at Wall, S.D., and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to West River Electric Cooperative Connections, PO Box 412 , Wall, SD 57790-0412.

Other correspondence to: West River Electric Cooperative Connections, PO Box 3486, Rapid City, SD 57709; telephone (605)393-1500, Exts. 6519, 6517, 6531 or 6522; fax (605)3930275; e-mail veronica.kusser@westriver.coop.

October 2018 | Cooperative Connections

15

DATELINE

September 23

Black Hills Chamber Music Society, Sounds of Beauty, Kelley Mikkelsen and Cara Ellen Modisett, First Congregational Church, Rapid City, SD, 605-341-6425

September 29

Fifth Annual Men’s Day at Rainbow Bible Ranch, east of Sturgis, SD, 605-923-2367

October 1-2

SD State High School AA Boys Golf Tournament, Brookings Country Club, Brookings, SD

Your local Touchstone Energy® Cooperative presents the first

LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT NOVEMBER 15, 2018 SDSU CAMPUS, BROOKINGS, S.D. yourcooppower.com/LivestockSummit

October 1-2

SD State High School A Boys Golf Tournament, Rocky Run Golf Course, Dell Rapids, SD

October 4-6

SD State High School Girls Tennis Tournament, Sioux Park, Parkview Tennis Complex, Rapid City, SD

October 5-31

Rapid Valley United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch, 5105 Longview Dr, Rapid City, SD, 605-393-1526

October 6

Rapid Valley United Methodist Church Petting Farm Day, 5105 Longview Dr, Rapid City, SD, 605-393-1526

October 11-12

South Dakota Women in Ag 2018 Conference, The Lodge, Deadwood, SD, 605-390-4241, amy.pravecek@zoetis.com, southdakotawomeninag.com

October 13

West River Electric Annual Meeting, Wall Community Center, Wall, SD, 605-279-2135

October 13

October 20

November 3

Minneluzahan Senior Citizens Center Fall Craft Show, Senior Center, 315 N 4th Street, Rapid City, SD, 605-394-1887

October 20

December 1

October 13

October 20

October 13

October 20-January 6

October 14

October 21

Rapid Valley United Methodist Church Carnival, 5105 Longview Dr, Rapid City, SD, 605-393-1526

October 13

SD State High School Girls Soccer Championship, Sioux Park, Rapid City, SD SD State High School Boys Soccer Championship, Sioux Park, Rapid City, SD Black Hills Chamber Music Society, Sounds of Beauty, Shtrykov-Tanaka, First Congregational Church, Rapid City, SD, 605-341-6425

October 19-20

State Competitive Cheer and Dance Competition, Brandon Valley High School, Brandon, SD

Rapid Valley United Methodist Church Community Rummage Sale, 5103 Longview Dr, Rapid City, SD, 605-393-1526 SD State High School Boys Cross Country Meet, Yankton Trail Park, Sioux Falls, SD SD State High School Girls Cross Country Meet, Yankton Trail Park, Sioux Falls, SD Pheasant Hunting Season, Statewide, Pierre, SD, 605-223-7660 Rapid Valley United Methodist Church Hoe Down Party, 5105 Longview Dr, Rapid City, SD, 605-393-1526

October 26-28

Autumn Festival, An Arts and Crafts Affair, Sioux Falls, SD, 402-331-2889

Minneluzahan Senior Citizens Center Fall Rummage Sale, Senior Center, 315 N 4th Street, Rapid City, SD, 605-394-1887 Rapid City Garden Club’s 57th Annual Wreath Sale, Canyon Lake Activity Center, Canyon Lake Senior Center, Rapid City, SD, 605-343-0710

To have your event listed on this page, send complete information, including date, event, place and contact to your local electric cooperative. Include your name, address and daytime telephone number. Information must be submitted at least eight weeks prior to your event. Please call ahead to confirm date, time and location of event.