Membership MATTERS
Avoid danger
Call 811 before you dig
Homeowners can make risky assumptions about whether they should get utility lines marked, but every digging job requires a call — even small projects like planting trees, shrubs or installing a mailbox.
The depth of utility lines varies and there may be multiple types of utility lines in any given area. Erosion and root system growth can also alter depth or location of buried lines. Hitting a line can knock out service to your home and an entire neighborhood, cause serious injury to you and others, and can result in fines and repair costs.
For your safety, please call 811 at least three business days before any digging project on your property. If you have a contractor performing work, make sure they’ve called 811.
In fact, it’s required by law to notify local utilities of digging projects. This one call will get all participating utility underground lines marked for free to help prevent problems or injuries. Simply call 811 and answer a few questions about your location and the type of work to be done, or go to the website at Call811.com
Pro tip: Be sure to keep the ticket number 811 gives you for future references or to track your request online.
Remember: know what’s below before you dig — always call 811!
Perspective
A Message From Our New CEO: Katie Myers Woodle
As an Alleghany County native and lifelong resident of this region, I can imagine no greater privilege than serving the members of Blue Ridge Energy. Before I officially begin as Chief Executive Officer on April 1, I want to thank Doug Johnson for a remarkable 47 years of leading this cooperative to become one of the top-performing utilities in the nation. He has nurtured an energized employee culture inspiring our entire team to keep the best interests of our members at the forefront of all we do.
It is my commitment to you, the members, to serve with integrity and to continue leading this great cooperative successfully through the evolving challenges of the electric utility industry. I am confident that the future is bright in the hands of the talented and dedicated employees of the cooperative and its subsidiaries. I consider them family and am so thankful for their support and encouragement during my 12 years with
Blue Ridge Energy. Together, we will focus on fostering innovation, continuous improvement, and strategic execution to ensure you have reliable electricity at the most affordable cost and delivered in a manner that demonstrates the highest care for our members and communities. This commitment extends to our Propane and Fuels and RidgeLink subsidiaries, which are important to both the cooperative’s success and the well-being of our communities, providing essential jobs and services.
Finally, I’d like to thank your Board of Directors for placing their trust and confidence in me to lead our employee team and this cooperative into the future. It is an exciting time of growth and change, but you can be assured that we will remain true to our cooperative’s timeless vision of making life better for the members we serve.
Meet Katie:
Joined Blue Ridge Energy as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in 2012
Previously served as CFO for Alleghany Memorial Hospital
Appalachian State University Alumna: bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Daughter of Marvin and Sandra Myers
Married to Greg Woodle, native of Sparta and teacher at William Lenoir Middle School
Two children, Nora and Luke
Summary: Bylaws, Service Rules and Regulations Updated
As mentioned in the February Membership Matters, at a recent Board meeting, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation’s Board of Directors approved several updates to the Cooperative’s Bylaws and Service Rules and Regulations. Redline versions indicating changes as well as final documents can be found online at BlueRidgeEnergy.com/CorpDocs or by contacting the Cooperative for a hard copy.
A SUMMARY OF KEY BYLAWS CHANGES FOLLOWS:
Added Governing Documents language to Sections 1.01 and 1.04:
• 1.01 Eligibility & Requirements for Membership: (c) Agreeing to comply with and be bound by the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Cooperative and any Service Rules and Regulations adopted by the Board of Directors (“Governing Documents”);
• 1.04 Membership & Service Connection Fees: Upon application for membership a member shall be entitled to one (l) membership and shall be eligible to receive electric service after the payment of any required deposits, charges and fees. Any required deposit, charges and fees as established by policy of this Cooperative shall be paid by said member for each additional electrical connection. If the application for membership is accepted, then the member is bound by the terms of the application (or sometimes referred to as the Membership Agreement) as well as the Cooperative’s Governing Documents.
Renumbered and inserted new Sections in 1.09 and 1.10; New Section 1.09 sets forth requirements of Member compliance with Governing Documents and Membership Agreement as well as the impact of noncompliance; New Section 1.10 sets forth Indemnification obligations and Liability of Members to Cooperative and its directors, officers, employees, agents and representatives:
• SECTION 1.09 Compliance with Governing Documents and Membership Agreement: A member shall: Comply with the Governing Documents; provide and maintain a current mailing address, electronic mail address, and telephone number with the Cooperative; pay the Cooperative for Cooperative’s damages, costs, or expenses, including attorney fees and legal expenses, caused by or associated with the member’s failure to comply with the Governing Documents or the Membership Agreement.
If and as requested by the Cooperative, a member shall correct or remedy, or pay to correct or remedy, the member’s failure to comply with the Governing Documents or Membership Agreement. The Cooperative may notify or inform the owner, landlord, renter, or tenant of a location occupied by a member that the member has not complied with the Governing Documents or Membership Agreement.
If a member fails to comply with the Governing Documents or Membership Agreement, then the Cooperative may suspend or terminate the member of a Cooperative service provided to the member. Regardless of whether money damages are available or adequate, the Cooperative may: bring and maintain a legal action to enjoin the member from violating the Governing Documents or Membership Agreement and bring and maintain a legal ac tion to order the member to comply with the Governing Documents or Membership Agreement.
SECTION 1.10 Indemnification and Liability As requested by the Cooperative, and except to the extent, if any, caused by the negligence, gross negligence, or willful misconduct of the Cooperative, a member shall indemnify the Cooperative for, and hold the Cooperative harmless from, liabilities, damages, costs, or expenses, including reasonable attorney fees and legal expenses incurred by the Cooperative, or by a Cooperative Director, Officer, employee, agent, or representative (“Cooperative Official”), and caused by the negligence, gross negligence, or willful misconduct of the member [or a non-member occupying the same location as the member], or by the unsafe or defective condition of a location occupied by the member.
In general, a member is not liable to a third party for the Cooperative’s acts, debts, liabilities, or obligations solely because of membership in the Cooperative. A member may become liable to the Cooperative or a third party as provided in the
Governing Documents, Membership Agreement or as otherwise agreed to by the Cooperative and the member. The Cooperative is liable to a member only to the extent of, and only in proportion to, the negligence, gross negligence, or willful misconduct of the Cooperative. The Cooperative is not liable to a member for the contributory comparative, or similar negligence, gross negligence, or willful misconduct of the member.
Added compliance with the Cooperative’s Non-Discrimination Policy in Article III, Directors, Section 3.02 regarding Director Qualifications:
• must comply with the requirements of the governing conflict of interest policies and guidelines as adopted by the Board and the Cooperative’s non-discrimination policy.
A SUMMARY OF KEY SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS CHANGES FOLLOWS:
Section 305, added new Member Responsibilities:
• If any member, or any individual within the member’s household or permitted on the member’s property, endangers or causes harm to any employee, contractor, or representative of the Cooperative, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to suspend or terminate the member’s
membership. The Cooperative may also pursue criminal or civil actions, seek recovery of damages, and demand indemnification for any losses incurred as a result of such actions.
Updated Appendix A:
• Section 104 - Contribution in Aid to Construction
Notes: 1Homeowner or developer pays costs above allowance. 2Allowance is based on engineering estimate of cost including transformer and secondary conductor. 3Phased developments will be based on ultimate development plan excluding transformer and secondary conductor cost.
Greater 75
Notes: 4Board approved allowance estimate which may only vary based on independent verification by Blue Ridge Energy and at Blue Ridge Energy’s sole determination. 5Allowance is based on engineering estimate of cost including transformer.
Director Proxy Committee to be Appointed
As part of the director election governance process, giving members an option to vote for cooperative directors by mail or Internet, a Director Proxy Committee will be appointed by the Board of Directors at their regular March board meeting.
This committee will be made up of three directors elected by secret ballot and whose terms are not expiring and who are not running for re-election this year to the Board of Directors.
As stated in the cooperative’s Bylaws, the Proxy Committee serves multiple roles for the membership. First, the committee will cast votes for all members designating their preferences selected on their submitted electronic or paper proxy forms. Secondly, the committee will serve as a proxy for any member wishing to assign their vote for director elections to the committee. Lastly, the committee will cast votes for members who return their proxy but do not make a choice on the voting options.
Director election kits will be mailed or sent by email to members who have requested to receive this information electronically, on May 28, 2025. The notice of Annual Meeting, along with information about board candidates, will be part of the director election kit.
Members have convenient options to vote by Internet or mail and therefore, are not required to attend the Annual Meeting in order to vote for directors. However, members who have not voted by the deadline date of June 18, at 5 p.m., or who voted by Internet or mail, but wish to change their vote, must attend the Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 26, at 4 p.m. in order to do so.
Members wishing to be considered for nomination to serve on the Board of Directors have two options: the Nominating Committee or Nomination by Petition. Interested members must first submit a director application packet, which is available by contacting Julie O’Dell, chief administrative officer, Blue Ridge Energy, at jodell@blueridgeenergy.com or by calling 1-800-451-5474, ext. 3202
The completed packet is due by 5 p.m., Monday, March 3, when using the Nominating Committee process or by 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 1, when using the Nomination by Petition process.
For a complete list of qualifications and requirements to serve as a director of the cooperative, please refer to the cooperative’s Bylaws available at BlueRidgeEnergy.com under Company>Board Governance>Corporate Documents or by contacting any Blue Ridge Energy office.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Katie Woodle
EDITOR
Renée R. Walker
PRODUCTION
SUPERVISOR
Jacob Puckett