AUGUST 2016 | BILL INSERT
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: • Our Annual Meeting is almost here! • Which rate works best for you? • Top 5 savings tips from our energy expert • Must read! New discounts for Cobb EMC members
ATTEND OUR BIGGEST MEMBER EVENT OF THE YEAR! Learn about Cobb EMC’s progress, ways to save on your electric bill and exercise your right to vote at the Annual Meeting. Each Cobb EMC member who registers will receive up to four free North Georgia State Fair tickets with unlimited rides and free parking to use when the fair comes to town. When: Saturday, September 17 Member registration is from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Nominees for board of director election and bylaw sponsors will speak at 8:30 a.m. Where: Jim R. Miller Park Wait,
there’s more!
Early bird prize Members who register in person before the meeting begins will be eligible to enter the early bird prize drawing. Registration opens at 8 a.m. The early bird winner will be announced at 9:30 a.m. when the meeting begins.
Get ready to play and learn! Enjoy several health and safety-related learning activities at the Annual Meeting with your children! Cobb EMC has partnered with Cobb & Douglas Public Health to bring you important information regarding nutrition, safe sleep, sports safety and more.
www.cobbemc.com/annualmeeting
FREE FAIR TICKETS • FUN ACTIVITIES • DOOR PRIZES Door prizes* • Tablets • Visa® gift cards • Bill credits • Big Green Egg® grills • Refurbished Cobb EMC truck *Prize winners are solely responsible for all applicable taxes.
Activities • Energy efficiency booth • Power line safety demo • Cobb & Douglas Public Health booths • Kids fun zone
Mark your calendar Open board meeting Where: 1000 EMC Parkway AUG Marietta, GA 30060 23 When: August 23 at 4 p.m. RSVP: (678) 355-3225 You can also RSVP at: www.cobbemc.com/boardmeeting
BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF MEMBERSHIP Which rate plan works best for you? As a member of Cobb EMC, you have options when it comes to your electric bill. Our goal is to provide rate plans that put you in control of your electric use and your budget.
Smart Choice
Even Bill
Low energy charge
Same bill amount for 12 months
Manage your energy use to save on your bill
No surprises during summer or winter
Avoid spikes during summer months
No true-up at the end of 12 months
cobbemc.com/takecontrol
cobbemc.com/evenbill
BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF COMMUNITY Powering a bright future in our neighboring communities Through Operation Round Up®, our members have contributed more than $1.9 million to our community, supporting local organizations. July 2016 donations • Atlanta Dream Center • Atlanta Glow • Autism Speaks • Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta • Calvary Children’s Home • Center for Children & Young Adults • Cherokee Outdoor Family YMCA • Devereux Georgia • Family Promise of Cobb County
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes • Georgia SPOT • Good Samaritan Health Center of Cobb • Kennesaw State University Civil War Center • Lekotek of Georgia • March of Dimes • Muscular Dystrophy Association • Oppotunity Knocks for Youth • VOICE Today
www.cobbemc.com/roundup
The Cobb EMC Community Foundation proudly supports MUST Ministries to serve our neighbors in need with food, clothing, shelter and employment training.
BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF SAFETY Electrical safety warning for Pokémon Go players Cobb EMC reminds Pokémon Go players to stay away from electric substations and other electric equipment. The smartphone-based augmented reality game sends players to real world places to “catch” Pokémon. Pokémon show up everywhere—from grocery stores to hospitals. But they’re also appearing at electric substations, drawing players into dangerous situations. Remember these important electrical safety tips from Cobb EMC as you try to #CatchEmAll: • Never touch electric equipment, including transformers and power lines. • Never climb utility poles. • Never enter an electric substation. It’s dangerous and a crime. • Never touch a downed power line. Assume all lines are energized and dangerous.
BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF ENERGY
Win a $50 bill credit! Take a short quiz about the Cooperative Solar program and you could win! www.cobbemc.com/ solarsurvey
Summer energy efficiency Energy efficiency measures are often an easy way to make your home more comfortable and cut costs on your electric bill. We asked our energy expert, Jeff Mason, to share his top five energy tips so you can save energy like a pro this summer. 1. Clean or change filters regularly. A dirty filter slows down air flow and makes the system work harder and use more energy. 2. Seal air leaks and properly insulate to save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling bills. You’ll also increase home comfort. 3. Wash your clothes in cold water. 4. In the summer, close blinds on the sunny side of your home to keep out the hot sun. Open blinds in winter to bring in warm rays. 5. Turn off all lights, appliances and electronics that are not in use. Unplug appliances when you’re out of town to avoid phantom loads that waste energy and money. Find the truth about some common energy efficiency myths!
Myth vs. Fact When I’m not home, keeping my air conditioner at a lower temperature throughout the day means it doesn’t have to run harder to cool my home when I return.
To save energy, set your thermostat to a higher temperature during the day, and lower it when you return home.
Closing vents in rooms will boost my central air conditioning system efficiency.
Closing vents can cause the compressor to cycle too frequently and the heat pump to overload. You’ll also use more energy.
Time of day doesn’t matter when it comes to running my appliances.
Time of day does matter when running electrical loads. For example, take advantage of the delay setting and run your dishwasher at night to beat the peak and save energy.
Bigger is always better when it comes to cooling equipment.
Too often, cooling equipment isn’t sized properly and leads to higher electric bills. A unit that’s too large for your home will not cool evenly and might produce higher humidity indoors.
Want to save even more energy? The My Usage section on SmartHub, our account management system, helps you analyze your past and current usage, compare two bills and plan and conserve energy in the future. Visit www.cobbemc.com/aboutsmarthub to find video tutorials, a link to the mobile app and more. See sample views of two My Usage tools featured on SmartHub:
Usage Explorer Find a detailed look at your past and current usage, all in one place.
Usage Comparison Compare two bills worth of usage history side by side.
BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF MEMBERSHIP Enjoy a summer of discounts! New Co-op Connections offers. Cobb EMC members are connected to valuable discounts through our Co-op Connections® Card. With this card, you can enjoy discounts from national and local participating businesses. Find out more at www.cobbemc.com/discounts.
New addition to our Healthy Savings bundle! Your family hearing plan. Hear better, live well and save big by participating in the EarQ Family Hearing Plan. Find providers in your area by visiting www.cobbemc.com/healthysavings. The plan benefits include the following: • Nationwide family coverage* • Free annual hearing checkup • 35% off EarQ-suggested prices • 50-day satisfaction guarantee • Family coverage that includes parents, dependents and extended family members • 4-year warranty on hearing aids featuring: - Repairs when needed - Cleaning and adjustment - Nationwide service plan *Covers parents, children, spouses, etc. *Applies to all EarQ technology
Up to 30% off sports, concert and movie tickets Ticket Monster Perks is our entertainment benefit that offers you exclusive discounts on ALL sports, concerts, theater, movie tickets and theme park tickets nationwide. You can save up to 30% off! Follow these three easy steps below and start saving today!
Exercise your right to vote! Keep an eye on your mailbox this August for your Cobb EMC voting packet, which contains instructions on how to vote for bylaw amendments and nominees for director election in 2016. Visit our website for more information: www.cobbemc.com/meeting
Check out our 2016 Annual Report In the month of September you’ll find the Cobb EMC Annual Report in GEORGIA Magazine. You can also visit www.cobbemc.com/annualreport to download and print a copy of the annual report.
cobbemc.com
1. Visit www.cobbemc.com/discounts and scroll down to find Ticket Monster Perks 2. Sign up using Cobb EMC’s identifier mycooptix (if prompted) and save $10 on your first order. 3. Start searching for discounted theme park, sports, concert, theater and movie tickets in your area.