matters MEMBERSHIP
A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM BLUE RIDGE ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION
April 2014
Director voting options, reminder of Annual Meeting Overwhelmingly positive response by members the past few years to vote by mail and Internet in director elections has led Blue Ridge Electric to continue offering these options to members in the upcoming director election this May. Members have also been very positive in changing the Annual Meeting format to help control costs so therefore, the new business format will continue this year. Members will receive the Annual Meeting notice and director election kit in May. For convenience and to
and vote by mail if preferred. Finally, members also have the option to vote during the Annual Meeting. The success of offering more convenient, modern ways for members to participate in director elections helped Blue Ridge Electric staff realize an opportunity to meet another very important goal: saving members’ money with a business style Annual Meeting format.
This year’s Annual Meeting will continue with a strictly business meeting format. The Thousands more members now vote in cooperative director elections due to multiple options. is holding the meeting in its save postage and other costs, memcorporate office meeting room in bers are strongly encouraged to visit Lenoir on Thursday, June 12, beginthe website listed in the kit in order to ning at 4 p.m. Key board and staff vote by Internet. However, members members will report on business recan choose to make their director sesults and director elections will be lections on the proxy form provided announced. By changing the meeting
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format, savings have exceeded $150,000 annually by eliminating costs for food, facility rentals including chairs, tables, sound, registration prizes, entertainment and employee labor, and other items. Historically, the primary reason for the Annual Meeting is to give members the opportunity to elect their board of directors and learn about important cooperative matters. Since the cooperative added options to vote by mail and Internet, thousands more members now vote in director elections than when the only option was to attend the Annual Meeting.
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the
perspective From Blue Ridge CEO Doug Johnson
So No One Goes Cold Update
Working to keep bills low Keeping your electric bills as low as possible is important at Blue Ridge Electric and I’d like to share several key ways we’re working to benefit you.
Finally, we’ve secured the best wholesale power pricing available in the marketplace from our supplier, Duke Energy, and this has helped keep your rates lower.
First, I’m very excited we’re able to provide a third month temporary rate reduction for March usage on bills arriving in April. Winter is when our members see their highest electric bills due to increased heating needs so the reduction comes at a time when it can help the most.
However, many members are struggling with high heating bills as our area was hit with one of the coldest winters on record. We wanted to help with the impact of increased heating needs and costs, which is why we created the “So No One Goes Cold” campaign in February.
Secondly, we have two separate, for-profit subsidiary companies, Blue Ridge Energies and RidgeLink, that were formed to produce profits to help hold down member rates. For the first time ever in 2013, our subsidiaries produced more than $2 million. That’s exciting because those are funds that you as members don’t have to pay.
This special effort goes beyond Operation Round Up® — because this winter’s need for crisis heating assistance is significantly higher. As this newsletter went to press, members had donated $20,000 to add to a $100,000 contribution from our subsidiaries. I’m proud to report this has enabled us to help twice as many families as we typically assist in February — many who’ve never before needed help.
Thirdly, our WorkSmart employee program has implemented innovative ways to avoid spending $3.5 million annually, with a cumulative savings of over $10 million since the program’s inception. These have included not replacing several positions of retiring employees, restructuring employee insurance coverage, and refinancing loans used for construction of electric plant. Giving a helping hand is what “So No One Goes Cold” is all about. One such case is Nancy Howell, of Ashe County, who has endured personal life experiences and health issues and recently had to ask for help for the first time in her life. Nancy received funds from “So No One Goes Cold” to help with her higher than normal heating bill.
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I appreciate the support of our members. Every dollar given – 100 percent – is being used to help your neighbors . . . right now, when the need is greatest!
S “I want people to know how much I thank Blue Ridge for helping me and others in our area who are struggling,” said Nancy. “I am getting through tough times because God always takes care of me.” One way Nancy gives back to her community is by volunteering at Ashe Really Cares, a helping agency in the county. Want to help? Please make a tax-deductible donation to So No One Goes Cold by writing a check to the Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation. Call or drop by your local Blue Ridge Electric office, or donate online at BlueRidgeEMC.com. MEMBERSHIP matters
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Copper theft costs everyone Copper theft across the nation has cost utilities and consumers thousands of dollars and poses safety hazards for thieves as well as innocent bystanders, but a law has been designed to help address the problem. North Carolina’s copper theft law prohibits metal recyclers from paying cash for copper brought to them by a seller. This can help reduce copper theft because thieves typically have a goal of quickly selling copper to get cash they use for purchasing methamphetamines and other illegal drugs. The law also requires recyclers to take photographs of sellers with the metals they are selling and record information about the make, model, year, color and license plate number of the vehicle used to deliver the metals. This gives law enforcement officials a way to identify and prosecute copper thieves.
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A recent survey conducted by the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives showed that electric cooperatives in our state suffered more than $1 million in damage as a result of copper theft. While this problem is expensive for cooperatives and their members, the most serious threat is to safety.
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Our substations are marked with warning signs alerting the public to keep out due to danger. If a thief leaves access into a substation, a child or other community member could wander in and be seriously injured or even killed.
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Since the law took effect, Blue Ridge Electric has experienced a reduction in copper theft in its substations. As an additional step, your cooperative has installed surveillance monitoring systems in substations to further deter thieves. Blue Ridge also asks community members who notice any suspicious activity around substations, power poles, storage sites and other electric utility property to call the cooperative or 911.
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Service inspections
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To ensure you receive the most reliable electricity possible, we perform regular or periodic service inspections that sometimes include the need to be on a member’s property. However, we do not require entry to your home. Our service technicians will have identification and vehicles that are clearly marked to include the Blue Ridge Electric name and logo.
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Our check includes inspecting the meter, service wiring, potential tree issues, and other things that could affect the quality of your electric service from the transformer to the meter. These inspections are in accordance with the reliability requirements of the National Electrical Safety Code to help ensure you receive reliable electricity.
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MEMBERSHIP matters
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Self-service is growing While Blue Ridge Electric is committed to always having a person available to serve you when needed, our members also have 24/7 “self-help” telephone options as well as district office payment kiosks as fast and easy ways to access account information and make payments. Members are choosing to use these self-help options at record levels!
Call us 24/7 at any of the telephone numbers listed below. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Doug Johnson
EDITOR Renée R. Whitener
PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Susan Simmons
Telephone self-help options. • (Press 1) Report an outage • (Press 2) Pay your bill by check, debit or credit card. Even FlexPay members can pay on their account with this option! Have your account or phone number handy. • (Press 3) Account information or to extend your payment due date • (Press 4) General Blue Ridge Electric information such as office locations and website address.
If you prefer to speak directly to a member services representative, simply stay on the line for one to assist you. To help ensure you receive the best member service by phone, please let us know of any changes to your telephone number or address so that we can assist you quickly, both now and in the future. New! District Office Kiosks: Payment kiosks are available in Caldwell, Ashe and Alleghany offices (and coming soon to the Watauga office!). The kiosks can be used at anytime, but are especially convenient to members needing to pay their electric bill outside of our regular office hours. These easy-to-use touch-screen kiosks can accept “whole dollar” cash, debit or credit card payments of any amount and can be applied to any account you have with Blue Ridge Electric. All you need is your account number to pay at a kiosk!
KITCHEN #38: Only run dishwasher when fully loaded.
DISTRICT OFFICES Caldwell Watauga Ashe Alleghany Wilkes PowerLine®
(828) 754-9071 (828) 264-8894 (336) 846-7138 (336) 372-4646 (800) 451-5474 (800) 448-2383
Toll Free
(800) 451-5474
(PowerLine® is an automated account information and outage reporting system.)
Go to BlueRidgeEMC.com > GreenSmart and find out how the little changes add up.
Source: 101 Easy Ways to Save Energy and Money
(for members outside of the service area.)
To report an outage at any time, call one of the number listed above. OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday Night deposit available. Visit us on the web: BlueRidgeEMC.com
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MEMBERSHIP matters
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