Your Electric Co-op

General Manager

Chris Martinez

Address

900 N. Gold • P.O. Box 631 Deming, NM 88031

Telephone

575-546-8838

Toll-Free

800-950-2667

Emergency Outages

800-228-0579

Website

www.columbusco-op.org

Office Hours

8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (M-F)

Board of Trustees President

Randy L. Massey, Animas, District 3

Vice President

Nancy Clopton, Hachita, District 1

Secretary-Treasurer

William A. Swift, Animas, District 4

Assistant Secretary-Treasurer

Joel Nañez, Deming, At-Large

William J. Cloudt

Rodeo, District 4 Joe Johnson

Columbus, District 1

Hal B. Keeler

Deming, District 2

Zane Shannon Nunn

Deming, District 2 Jay Peterson Animas, District 3

Board Meeting

The Board of Trustees meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at 1:00 p.m. in the Cooperative boardroom.

Please Practice Social Distancing

Columbus Electric is practicing social distancing to help flatten the curve of COVID-19.

We are asking our members to help as well by keeping your distance while visiting our office. We have limited the lobby to four members at a time. Please follow all social distance signs that are posted inside and outside of our office.

If you are not feeling well, we ask that you do not enter our building and use our other payment options.

Other ways to pay your electric bill

❑ Call Our Office: 575-546-8838 or toll-free at 800-950-2667 and speak to a member service representative during normal business hours or at 800-228-0579 after hours. ❑ Payment Drop Box: Drop your payment with your utility coupon in the box. ❑ Online: Visit www.columbusco-op.org, or use the SmartHub app on your mobile device. ❑ By Phone: Call 855-874-5352, 24 hours a day, seven days a week using our Interactive

Voice Recognition (IVR) system. ❑ By Bank Draft: The Bank Draft program allows you the convenience of having your bill paid automatically from a checking or savings account each month. ❑ By Mail: Columbus Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 631, Deming, NM 80031.

It is imperative that all community members work together at this time to lessen the possible spread of the illness and reduce the long-term impact on our community.

If you have any questions, call 575-546-8838 or 800-950-2667.

SCAM ALERT: STOP, CALL AND VERIFY

Unfortunately, scammers take advantage of opportunities during times like these and we would like to remind our members to stay alert. Please be aware, these scam artists can be very convincing. Never give your credit

card number or other personal information over the phone without verifying the call.

If you receive a call that asks you to pay using a third-party system, or at all appears suspicious, please hang up and contact us at 800-950-2667 or 575-546-8838. Do not call the number the caller gives you. By calling us directly, you can talk to a service representative who will confirm your bill and let you know of any problems with your account. Please report all incidents to your local law enforcement agency.

2020 Census

Why We Conduct This

Count: The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data.

The results of the census also determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives, and they are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.

It’s also in the Constitution: Article 1, Section 2, mandates the country conduct a count of its population once every 10 years. The 2020 Census will mark the 24th time the country has counted its population since 1790.

Counting Everyone: Participating in the census is required by law, even if you recently completed another survey from the Census Bureau. A complete and accurate count is critical for you and your community, because the results of the 2020 Census will affect community funding, congressional representation, and more.

Energy Saving Tips

• Program your thermostat to maximize energy savings. Setting your thermostat one degree higher when cooling can reduce energy use by up to 5 percent. • Do full loads of laundry and wash with cold water. Using warm water instead of hot can cut a load’s energy use in half, and using cold water saves even more. • Air dry dishes. This step can cut your dishwasher’s energy use by up to 50 percent. • Substitute LEDs for conventional light bulbs. LED bulbs can cut lighting costs by 75 percent. • Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use. Small versions use energy even when not in use. When powered on, game consoles, TVs and similar electronics are responsible for up to 12 percent of energy use.

How to Respond Online: www.Census2020.gov How to Respond by Phone: 844-330-2020

Who Should Respond: The 2020 Census counts everyone living in the United States and its five territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).

One person should respond for each home. That person must be at least 15 years old. They should live in the home or place of residence themselves and know general information about each person living there.

Happy Father’s Day: June 21

Summer Electrical Safety Tips for Kids

1. Instruct children to stay away from all utility lines, especially playing with a fallen line. 2. NEVER play or hang around electric utility boxes or substations. If a toy gets stuck inside any substations, transmission equipment, or electrical equipment, forbid them from entering to retrieve the toy.