March 2017 – Connections Member Newsletter

CONNECTIONS MARCH 2017 | THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF COBB ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION

We’ve been spring cleaning behind the scenes to improve your browsing experience at cobbemc.com. Our new and improved website offers you a fresh look plus more convenience. See what’s coming in March.

• Quick access to your account: Sign in directly from the home page.

• Easy-to-find information: Most likely you’ll see what you need right on our home page – important notifications, energy savings, outage center, news and quick links. Looking for more?

Our redesigned menus display several options so you can easily find the information you need.

• Available on any device: View our full site on a desktop, mobile phone or tablet.

Upcoming events Town hall meeting The Cobb EMC board of directors will host a town hall meeting March 27 in the Cobb EMC Community Room.

Registration is required. To RSVP, visit cobbemc.com/townhall or call 678-355-3225.

Energy efficiency seminar and rate info session Attend our free Energy Efficiency Seminar and Smart Choice Rate Info Session April 13 at 6 p.m. Learn how to save money with easy and low-cost home improvement tips, and learn how to save with the Smart Choice Rate. RSVP: cobbemc.com/seminar

Your mobile experience is now better than ever.

We’ve enhanced your mobile experience with a fresh lineup of icons so you can pay your bill, view energy use and connect with us from the palm of your hand. The Cobb EMC app is free and provides a secure environment for bill payments and transactions.

Download our app – it’s easy and free!

The new Cobb EMC mobile app is available for download.

DEADLINE FOR DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS

May 26: Nomination petitions for Director elections must be submitted (Sec. 3.07). Terms for directors of districts 1, 6 and 7 will be expiring at the Annual Meeting.

cobbemc.com

Introducing our new website and mobile app

1. Search for Cobb EMC in the App Store or Google Play store.

2. Sign up, or sign in.

If you already use the SmartHub app to manage your account, use your same credentials to sign into the Cobb EMC app.

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MARCH 2017

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CONNECTIONS

Cobb Electric Membership Corporation

BRINGING YOU THE

www.cobbemc.com Email: memberservices@cobbemc.com President and CEO

Vice Chairman

Chip Nelson

Tripper Sharp Edward Crowell

Secretary-Treasurer Malcolm Swanson

Eric Broadwell

Kelly Bodner

Bryan Boyd

David McClellan

David Tennant

Rudy Underwood Editorial Staff

Brooke Melton Leslie Thompson Traci Washington Angela Croce, CCC

Contacts & Office Hours Phone: 770-429-2100 Report an outage: 770-429-2100 Fax: 770-429-3330 Pay by phone: 1-855-730-8714 In person: 1000 EMC Parkway Marietta, GA 30060 Walk-in hours: Monday – Friday

(8 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Drive-through hours: Monday – Friday (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Member Care Center hours: Monday – Friday (7 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

Express Pay drop box is available for non-cash payments 24/7

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OF MEMBERSHIP

Make the most of your membership

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman

POWER

Chip Nelson President and CEO

When you started service with Cobb EMC, you became a member. That’s because Cobb EMC is a member-owned cooperative, and the people we serve are more than just customers. We’re different from an investor-owned or municipal utility. Members who receive power through our lines have a say in our business because we exist solely for your benefit.

Cobb EMC members have benefits: A voice in our co-op. As a member, you have ownership in the company and this means you have a voice. You elected our board of directors, who oversee the business.

Reliable, low-priced electricity. Our mission is to provide you with safe, reliable and competitively priced electricity. We achieve this by purchasing from several different producers at the best rates we can negotiate.

Valuable discounts. The free Co-op Connections® Card gives you direct access to local and national deals. We also partner with Gas South to help you save money with a special discount on natural gas service. Learn more at cobbemc.com/gassouth.

Community stewardship. We believe it’s our responsibility to give back to the areas in which our members live and work. You’ll see our employees volunteering in the community and mentoring students at local schools. But we don’t stop there. Every year, we award scholarships to help local students achieve their educational goals and build our community’s future. Apply at cobbemc.com/scholarships.

Trusted resources, industry expertise. The services we offer are carefully selected to provide value-added benefits to your membership. Every year, members are invited to attend seminars led by energy experts. We also offer energy efficiency loans and provide information to help you save energy and money. Sign up for our April Energy Efficiency Seminar and Smart Choice Rate Information Session at cobbemc.com/seminar.

We live by the cooperative difference. We are not driven by profits and making a return for shareholders. Our focus is on keeping costs low and the business financially strong on your behalf and to continue to provide you safe, reliable service. We appreciate your membership.

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MARCH 2017

BRINGING YOU THE

POWER OF

ENERGY

Spring is right around the corner! Have you changed your home’s air filter? cobbemc.com/conserve

Energy-efficient remodeling Strategic renovations bring savings for years to come It’s happening. You’ve binged-watched home improvement shows and have decided to take the leap yourself. Before you grab your sledgehammer and shout “Demo day!” take a moment to plan out a design that will save you money in the long run. Investing in your home’s energy efficiency during a remodel can make your home both comfortable and Pinterest worthy!

Before making any plans, contact Cobb EMC for a free energy audit to assess which energy improvements will offer the most savings for your home. Knowing your home’s energy strengths and weaknesses will help you map out where you want to spend your remodeling dollars.

As you begin your design plan, look at the whole house – from the roof to the basement to the landscaping. Think through what improvements will make your home better and bring you the most return on investment. Mapping out a design plan also allows you the flexibility to hire a contractor to knock out all projects at once or to tackle them one at a time, as resources allow.

From the smallest do-it-yourself fix to a large-scale renovation, we’re here to help you get started.

Looking for a home improvement contractor?

We’ve already done the research for you! Through Cobb EMC, you are connected to a network of contractors through our Approved Contractor Network.

These local contractors are qualified, insured and ready to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

A complete list of participating approved contractors is available at cobbemc.com/contractors.

Cobb EMC offers our members a variety of benefits that can help you save money and get more value for your energy dollars.

• Adding on to your house? Use your building code’s minimum amount of framing to leave your contractor more room for insulation in the walls.

• Is your roof in rough shape? Repairing your roof can help keep warmed or cooled air that you have paid for trapped in your home. A whole-house remodel is the perfect time to consider whether rooftop solar is right for you.

• Look up. Don’t forget to insulate around canned or recessed lights. If not properly insulated, warmed or cooled air can escape your home through recessed lighting.

Sources: www.houselogic.com, www.hgtv.com GEORGIA MAGAZINE

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BRINGING YOU THE

POWER OF

MEMBERSHIP

Use our app? Log in with fingerprint access to pay your bill and find what you need faster! cobbemc.com/app

Win a $25 bill credit!

Help us improve our service by taking our online survey.

You’ll be automatically entered into a drawing to win one of 10 $25 bill credits.

Go to: cobbemc.com/survey

Ways to pay your bill We provide several ways to pay your bill so you can select the option that best fits your needs.

Mail: Send a check or money order payable to Cobb EMC. Online: View and pay your bill at cobbemc.com/myaccount, or through your participating financial institution.

Spring forward: change your clocks; change your batteries The second Sunday in March will trigger daylight saving time, when we “spring forward” and set our clocks one hour ahead.

That’s also the best day to change the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors – even if the batteries aren’t dead.

If you don’t have fire alarms and CO detectors, your family is at risk. The alarms will loudly warn you if smoke or gas is present in your home, so you can get out.

Carbon monoxide is a clear, odorless gas that is hard to detect but deadly. If you don’t have an alarm, it’s unlikely you will know if your home has a CO leak.

Carbon monoxide doesn’t come just from cars. Your gas furnace or stove is a potential source of the gas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers these tips for poison prevention: • Keep gas appliances properly adjusted.

• Use electric space heaters, not gas space heaters.

• Install an exhaust fan, vented to the outdoors, over a gas stove.

Phone: 1-855-730-8714.

• Open flues when wood-burning fireplaces are in use.

In person: Pay at our office or take a copy of your bill to any MoneyGram location (fees may apply).

• Choose properly sized wood stoves with tight-fitting doors that are certified to meet EPA emission standards.

cobbemc.com/pay

• Have a trained professional inspect, clean and tune up your central heating system – including furnaces, flues and chimneys – annually. Repair leaks promptly.

• Do not idle your car inside the garage.

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BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF MEMBERSHIP

Man’s best friend has a new best friend For many of us pets are a beloved part of our families, but caring for them can be expensive. In conjunction with the Co-op Connections Card® program, Cobb EMC is happy to offer members access to special reduced sign-up rates to Pet Assure.

Some of the benefits of Pet Assure include: • 25 percent off all in-office medical services performed by a network veterinarian • 5 to 35 percent savings at participating online and local merchants on pet supplies such as food, pharmaceuticals, beds, toys and vitamins • Free pet ID tag(s) and 24-hour location service for lost pets Separately, Co-op Connections cardholders receive 10 percent off online purchases at 1-800-PetMeds.com for prescriptions and other things to keep your pet healthy and strong.

To find out more visit www.cobbemc.com/discounts.

GEORGIA MAGAZINE

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BRINGING YOU THE

POWER OF

SAFETY

Have an outdoor event?

Keep an eye on the weather to help ensure everyone’s safety. cobbemc.com/safety

Write a letter to a Cobb EMC lineman Help us celebrate National Lineman Appreciation Day by sending a letter of thanks to our linemen who sacrifice nights, weekends and holidays with their families to safely work around the clock to keep the lights on for the rest of us.

America’s electric cooperatives have designated the second Monday of April as National Lineman Appreciation Day. On April 10, Cobb EMC will honor the dedicated line crews who often work in challenging conditions to keep the power on.

Mail your letters to: Cobb EMC Linemen Attn: Corporate Communications P.O. Box 369 Marietta, GA 30061

Severe weather preparedness Along with warmer temperatures, beautiful flowers and longer days, spring can also bring volatile storms with tornadoes, heavy rains, high winds, floods and lightning. To be fully prepared for the severe weather it’s important to understand how dangerous these storms can be.

According to the Weather Channel, between April 24-27, 2016, almost 700 severe thunderstorms, including at least a dozen tornadoes, were reported across the central U.S. Georgia has had its share of storms, too. The CDC says the risk of injury and death increases significantly when severe weather hits. Here are some ways to prepare for severe spring storms.

Be familiar with government alerts.

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are emergency messages sent by authorized government agencies (e.g., FEMA, FCC and National Weather Service) through your mobile carrier. When extreme weather is expected in your area, the National Weather Service will send an alert to your phone with an advised action.

Keep an emergency preparedness kit on hand.

•• Battery-operated flashlights, NOAA Weather Radio, extra batteries •• A first-aid kit •• A list of important personal information •• A three- to five-day supply of bottled water and nonperishable food •• Personal hygiene items •• Power banks to charge mobile phone Know what to do when severe weather hits.

•• If you come across downed power lines, call 911. Never touch or get near downed lines or objects that could be in contact with those lines.

•• Stay indoors. No place outside is safe when it is lightning.

•• Don’t touch electric equipment or electronics plugged into the wall, like phones.

•• Stay away from windows and doors.

Practice emergency plans and implement a communications plan for you and your loved ones. Planning and preparing your family members for the possibility of inclement weather beforehand is one of the best ways to keep them safe.

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MARCH 2017

BRINGING YOU THE

POWER OF

COMMUNITY

Co-ops, like Cobb EMC, play an important role in community development, such as educating and investing in today’s youth. cobbemc.com/community

Cobb EMC hosts local students for STEM Career Day Cobb EMC recently hosted 60 students for the cooperative’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) Career Day event. Fifthgraders from 12 local elementary schools observed a variety of STEM careers at the company and saw how power is distributed to Cobb EMC’s member-owners.

Prior to the event, students gained job search skills by filling out applications for the career day job postings for which they felt most qualified. While on the job, students learned what equipment engineers use to distribute power and fix service interruptions across the co-op’s service district.

They also toured Cobb EMC’s Power Control Center to see how technicians provide centralized monitoring of power system operations.

Cobb EMC annually hosts middle school Career Day.

This year’s program included an interactive fiber optics demonstration and a live, outdoor presentation to show how power lines work and teach power line safety.

Cobb EMC also hosted a luncheon for students and teachers with live music and door-prize drawings for the students.

GEORGIA MAGAZINE

Small change improves our community The Cobb EMC Community Foundation has awarded more than $2,396,356 to local charities and nonprofits, thanks to generous members who round up their bills each month.

January recipients include: • Beyond Limits Therapeutic Riding • Booth Western Art Museum • Atlanta Area Council Boy Scouts of America • The Children’s Haven • Cobb Library Foundation • Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia • March of Dimes • Marietta Police Athletic League • Muscular Dystrophy Association • Nobis Works Foundation • Paulding Education Foundation • Reflections of Trinity Visit cobbemc.com/foundation for a full list of recipients or to learn how to request funding.

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cobbemc.com

BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF ENERGY

Join us and learn simple ways to save energy!

Cobb EMC members are invited to attend our free Energy Efficiency Seminar and learn how to save money with simple and low-cost home improvements. Weather permitting, we will tour the Safety Village and see the interactive Cobb EMC building, where you can learn about electrical safety and view our new solar power generating station.

Thursday, April 13, at 6 p.m. (Safety Village tour 4:30-5:45 p.m.)

Cobb County Safety Village | 1220 Al Bishop Drive, Marietta, GA Cobb EMC members are invited to attend the seminar, enter to win a $50 bill credit and more. Light refreshments will be served. Space is limited. Please reserve your spot today. www.cobbemc.com/seminar

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MARCH 2017