Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative
J U N E 2016
Faces From GCEC’s Annual Meeting See more photos on page 28
GCEC Secre Gulf Countytary Eddie Jones, left ,a Sheriff Mik e Harrison. nd
District 2 gressional Florida Con candidate Dr. Neal Republican and GCEC President Dunn, left, ham. Waylon Gra
hael White, left, GCEC CEO/General Manager Mic State Attorney, for ate and Greg Wilson, candid uit. Circ l icia Jud 14th
GCEC Trea Judge Timsurer Rupert Brow n, le McFarland and GCEC ft, Gulf County Attorney Pat Floyd.
ith Gulf County ingham, left, wand Jim’s son, James. rm Bi ug Do e GCEC Truste t of Schools Jim Norton Superintenden
Employees Celebrate Safety Achievements PAGE 4 CEO’s Annual Meeting Message PAGE 26 n
Gulf Coast
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higher SEER means lower bills
When it comes to the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of your home’s heating and cooling system, the higher the number the more efficient it runs. Upgrade to a high-efficiency air-source, dual-fuel or geothermal heat pump and $ave! Make your purchase easier by taking advantage of Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative’s rebate program. For details, visit www.gcec.com or call (800) 568-3667.
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June 2016 Vol. 5, No. 8
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Also In This Issue Side Roads 10 In the Kitchen 16 Great Picture Hunt 18
Travel Journal 20 Festival Roundup 22 Parting Shot 30
Your utility pages: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32
JUNE 2016
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Gulf Coast
Employees Celebrate Safety Achievements GCEC earns national recognition, records no lost-time accidents
Co-op to Clear Trees From Lines
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Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative employees and trustees recently celebrated important safety achievements. The cooperative earned a Certificate of Safety Achievement from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s RE Safety Achievement Program. The nationally recognized certificate is awarded to electric cooperatives that exhibit dedication to employee and public safety, and commitment to regulatory compliance and loss control practices. RESAP is based on two guiding principles: • Safety must be embraced as a core value where the actions and decisions of the cooperative reflect a fundamental and unwavering commitment to safety at all levels of the cooperative. This is achieved through a strong safety leadership culture. Cooperative leaders accept responsibility for a culture that ultimately drives safety performance. • Cooperative leaders and employees take ownership of the systems and processes that create a safe working environment. Safety systems are a shared responsibility and focus on enhancing safe behaviors and reducing unsafe acts and risks to injury. Cooperative leaders commit to creating an environment in which all employees own the safety culture. As part of the program, GCEC will participate in a formal safety program assessment every three years. The cooperative also developed an annual safety improvement plan, agreed to participate in ongoing training to help improve organizational safety awareness and safety competencies, and must provide an annual update of cooperative safety performance Do you live in Ebro or Crystal Lake? In June, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative crews will clear rights of way in those areas from trees and plants that threaten members’ access to safe, reliable power. GCEC is required by federal law to eliminate hazardous conditions along its 2,600 miles of distribution line. Vegetation that comes into contact with power lines can interfere with electric service and create a dangerous situation. When a person signs up to be a member of the cooperative, there is an agreement between the member and GCEC to allow right-of-way
GCEC Vice President of Operations Francis Hinson, who oversees all safety programs for the cooperative, displays the Certificate of Safety Achievement that Gulf Coast Electric recently received for its dedication to employee and public safety and commitment to regulatory compliance and loss control practices.
measures per national program guidelines. The employees and trustees also celebrated an important milestone: 403 days of no lost-time accidents. A lost-time accident is a work-related injury that hinders an employee from being able to carry out his or her regular job duties. This achievement represents nearly 250,000 hours worked by more than 70 cooperative employees during this period. “For many years, the culture of our industry revolved around getting the job done as quickly as possible,” GCEC Vice President of Operations Francis Hinson said. “We have worked diligently to change our employee mindset to a culture of ‘safety first.’ ” “There is nothing more important than each and every one of our employees going home safely to their families at the end of each workday,” GCEC maintenance. The agreement gives GCEC the legal right to remove anything that could interfere with safe, reliable electric service for all members. The co-op realizes most people regard trees as an asset. However, if the cooperative’s right-of-way clearance is not maintained, tree limbs and other growth coming into contact with power lines could increase the number of power outages. GCEC tries to work with landowners to preserve landscaping when maintaining rights of way. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to bring you quality, reliable service. n
Employees enjoy a low country boil and cake to celebrate their safety achievements. Clockwise from left, Brennis Smith, Josh Pitts, Jeremy Horton, Cole Barfield, Chad Creamer, David Syfrett and Hassan Abdelhalim.
CEO/General Manager Michael White said. In celebration of this accomplishment, GCEC employees were awarded with a luncheon and a tumbler laser-marked with the cooperative’s logo. “I am proud of our employees for a job well done,” White said. “We work to provide a safe working environment for our employees, but it takes the employees working individually and as a team to follow our safety processes each day.” n Dr. Neal Dunn, Republican candidate for Florida Congressional District 2, stopped by to congratulate Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative on its safety record and hard work. From left, Jacob O’Bryan, line technician apprentice; Waylon Graham, GCEC board president; Michael White, CEO/general manager; Dunn; Rupert Brown, GCEC treasurer; and T.J. Davis, line technician apprentice.
Flexible Billing Cycles Offered to Coincide With Federal Benefits
Considering Solar? Please Call Us First
To better serve members who are recipients of Social Security and disability benefits, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative offers three billing cycles based on the dates members receive their checks. If you receive government funds and are interested in this option, please call our office for more information. • Southport: (850) 265-3631; (800) 568-3667 • Wewahitchka: (850) 639-2216; (800) 333-9392 • Panama City: (850) 481-1188 Office hours are 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. n
Members interested in solar should know that all solar applications must be preapproved and inspected to ensure they meet specific engineering codes and criteria. If you are considering solar, please contact Peyton Gleaton, vice president of engineering for Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative:
(850) 265-3631 • pgleaton@gcec.com JUNE 2016
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Gulf Coast
Help Reduce Demand for Electricity H2O Plus, a program available to you from Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative, has the potential to dramatically reduce the demand for electricity. But we need your participation. Using energy wisely has never been easier. A device that allows our power supplier to cycle your unit for short periods is installed on your electric water heater. By managing energy use when demand is high—when you and your neighbors use the most electricity—our supplier can reduce demand when electricity is most expensive, putting off the need to build facilities to generate more power, alleviating or postponing those costs. An added benefit is the reduction of greenhouse gases, which helps our environment. You still will have enough hot water for showers and household chores. In fact, you shouldn’t even notice a difference in the amount of hot water available. For more information, please call GCEC Energy Services Representative Manuela Heyn. She will take your information and, after ensuring the program is a good fit for your household, schedule someone to come to your home and install the device at no cost to you. For your participation, GCEC will make a one-time $25 credit to your electric bill. We look forward to hearing from you soon. n
Three Locations to Serve You XX
Southport 9434 Highway 77 (850) 265-3631; (800) 568-3667
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Wewahitchka 722 W. Highway 22 (850) 639-2216; (800) 333-9392
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Panama City 6243 E. Highway 98 (850) 481-1188
GCEC Supports High School Athletic Teams
GCEC CEO/General Manager Michael White, right, presents a $1,000 check to Deane Bozeman School Principal Josh Balkom for the baseball team’s trip to Fort Myers to compete in the state championship tournament. 6
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Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative was proud to support two local high school athletic teams in their quest for state titles. The cooperative donated $1,000 to the Wewahitchka High School softball team to help cover expenses the team incurred as the girls traveled to the Class 1A state championship in Vero Beach, where they defeated Union County in the semifinals. They advanced to the championship game, coming in as the state runner-up after falling 12-6 to Chiefland. The cooperative also donated $1,000 to the Deane Bozeman School baseball team to help cover expenses the team incurred as the boys traveled to the Class 1A state championship in Fort Myers. At press time, the team was scheduled to play Chiefland in the semifinal. “We are extremely proud of these young women and men,” said GCEC CEO/General Manager Michael White. “Their accomplishments, both on and off the field, are commendable. We were happy to support them as they traveled to the state championship games to represent our area.” n
Instructor Tracey Strickland, standing, observes Jay Shiver during forklift training.
Employees Complete Forklift Training Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative employees recently completed forklift training. The training was conducted by Tracy Strickland of North Florida Safety and Health LLC. Strickland is an OSHA General Industry and Construction certified trainer, as well as a certified instructor through Chipola College. The training began with formal instruction. The training then moved to the cooperative’s warehouse, where employees
performed practical exercises that were evaluated by Strickland. OSHA requires that forklift operators complete this training every three years. “This forklift training is part of GCEC’s safety program through which we ensure that we are complying with all safety rules and regulations,” GCEC Vice President of Operations Francis Hinson said. n
Cooperative Celebrates Lineman Appreciation Day America’s electric cooperatives have designated the second Monday in April as Lineman Appreciation Day. To celebrate, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative provided breakfast for all employees. “Although we value all of our employees and appreciate the role that each of them play in delivering reliable service to our members, Lineman Appreciation Day is a day that is set aside to recognize the extraordinary efforts of lineworkers,” said GCEC CEO/General Manager Michael White. “Many times, electricity is something we take for granted. We expect the lights to come on at the flip of a switch. In rare instances when they don’t, we depend on these men and women to come out and make repairs, no matter what time of the day or night, no matter what the weather conditions are, no matter if it is a weekday, weekend or a holiday. At times it can be a thankless job, but this is our opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to our line technicians for all of their hard work.” n
Randy Mayhann, supervisor of operations, gets breakfast.
JUNE 2016
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Gulf Coast
True Cooperative Values The priorities are safety and concern for the members
Commentary By Gary Smith President and CEO
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JUNE 2016
The past couple of years, I have written a number of articles about global warming and regulations the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has imposed or is attempting to impose on the electric utility industry. I receive emails and letters about those articles. Most of the comments are positive and supportive of the positions and issues I discuss. Some even encourage me to be more aggressive and public with my positions. However, a minority are negative, critical and, at times, attack me personally. The personal comments often accuse me of only following the “almighty dollar” and ruining the earth for our children. I take offense to those personal attacks. Electric co-ops run their businesses with the best interests of the customer-members and the communities they serve as the first priority. In order of importance, the corporate values of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative are safety, member relations, reliability, cost of service, community development and employee development. This month I will focus on safety for our employees, our customers and the public. Electricity is around us all the time. It makes modern life possible. We take it for granted, but it can be dangerous, even fatal. Making, transmitting and distributing electricity is extremely dangerous. You do not have to work for an electric utility to know that putting something other than an electric plug into an electrical outlet is very dangerous. Electric generation is a heavy industrial process that involves high temperatures, high pressures, heavy moving parts and dangerous chemicals. Electric transmission is high voltage with the danger of contact injuries. Electric distribution involves deadly infrastructure within the reach of ladders, antennas and poles. It is all dangerous. We have had a number of serious accidents at PowerSouth through the years. I will never forget sitting at the funeral of a fellow employee who was killed in a workplace accident at one of our generation plants. It was one of the saddest days of my career. We don’t
want that to happen to anyone else. Electric cooperatives have made safety the foundation for their operations. They promote a culture of safety: planning the jobs safely, executing the work safely, and watching after their co-workers and the public. We devote money and people to build an effective safety program and a work environment of safety. We implement safety practices around all jobs to direct work in a manner that protects people and property. We encourage workers to talk about safety and point out potential unsafe conditions. We have tailgate safety meetings before any job is started to ensure the scope of the job is understood and dangerous circumstances are discussed. We hold celebrations and provide incentives for meeting safety goals. But a safety record is not good enough. The next accident is the one we are concerned about and the one we want to prevent. We recognize most accidents happen because someone was in a hurry and rushed the work to save time. We stress that the job must be understood and managed in both a productive and safe manner. We ask our employees to go home at the end of every day the same way they came to work. If our employees do not comply with our culture of safety, we implement sanctions to ensure the safety of our employees and property are not compromised. We have made an investment in safety, and insist our employees make an investment as well. PowerSouth’s safety record is not perfect. We have had a couple of years without a lost-time accident. Last year we had one lost-time accident and six recordable incidents. That record is good, but not good enough. We expect zero accidents from our people. PowerSouth and its member systems are committed to reliable and affordable service to the people and communities in our service areas. We are devoted to providing that service in a safe way for our employees, customers and the public. If you know us, you know that is what we are truly about. n
Gulf Coast
Trading Post For Rent Horse barn with five stalls, paddock and about 4 acres of pasture in Wewahitchka, one block from the old courthouse. Lease by the stall, with discount for multiple horses. (740) 334-0341. Four-bedroom, one-bath, 1,800-sq.-ft. home in Scotts Ferry. Rents monthly. (850) 265-0872 or (850) 674-6409. Three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home in Lynn Haven. Great room with fireplace, two-car garage, privacy-fenced backyard and shaded, private patio. Quiet, friendly neighborhood on low-traffic street. $1,295 a month. (850) 271-0289. Three-bedroom, two-bath home in Lynn Haven. Garage, ceiling fans and inside laundry room. On a cul-de-sac with a wooded area behind the backyard. Lease/purchase possible. $1,035 a month. (850) 271-0289.
For Sale Titan power wheelchair. Like new and in excellent condition. Just purchased two new batteries for it. $1,000, OBO. (715) 835-3046. 2001 Corvette T-Top, silver with black interior. 64,000 miles. Very clean. Bose sound system. $17,500 OBO. (850) 571-5253 or (850) 819-3771. 16’ tandem axle utility trailer. Heavy duty 2” square tube and C channel frame, one brake axle, new plank floor and paint, excellent tires. $1,550. (850) 303-1460. “The Great Tide,” copyright 1947. $30. (850) 763-9909. 2012 Keystone Cougar X-lite 30 RLS travel trailer with two slides, full kitchen, fold-out couch/bed, queen bed, full bath with stand-up shower, 27” flat-screen television, AM/FM/CD/DVD stereo, electric awning and jack. Weight distribution hitch included. $23,000. (850) 532-3356. ’03 Chevy Silverado 1500 LS extended cab 4-door 4×4, 158,000 miles 4.8L V8 auto transmission with power windows and locks, cruise, tilt wheel, AM/FM/CD stereo, chrome rims, tinted windows, bed liner, tow package, step bars and tool box. New tires, plugs, wires, front shocks, tie rod ends and instrument cluster. $9,000 OBO. Call or text (850) 227-8352. 4.09 acres with 150’ on high bank of Apalachicola River in Liberty County, Florida. Totally private, wooded, and secluded. Boat ramp within 1,000’. $25,000. Owner financing available with $15,000 down. (850) 209-8039. 2014 Dutchmen Kodiak 200 QB. Loaded with AC/ heat, microwave, stand-up shower, flat-screen television, refrigerator, oven, barbecue grill and propane. Like new. $13,750. (850) 871-5278.
Miniature donkeys. Jacks and Jennys, black, brown, gray and paints. All ages. $300 and up. Make great pets. Also standard donkeys. Betty, (850) 899-7424. Quarter horses. Ride well on trails, gentle, good for lessons. (850) 773-1957.
Miscellaneous Home service installations: child protection devices, pet doors, closet and garage shelving/ organizers, flat-screen TV mounts, surround sound, surveillance equipment, digital thermostats, whole-house water filters, washers and dryers, showerheads, weather-stripping, curtain rods and blinds, etc. (850) 722-4619 or (850) 596-2788 or email proactivems@outlook. com for more details and free estimates. Complete home maintenance service: replace all filters, clean A/C coils, flush water heater, clean dryer vents, clean drains, lubricate all hinges, locks and doors. Inspect all home equipment including fireplace, fire extinguisher, garage door opener/motor, well pump and sprinkler system. Free estimates. (850) 722-4619 or (850) 596-2788 or email proactivems@outlook.com for details.
Vacation Bible School for all ages, July 10-15 evenings at Sand Hills Baptist Church, 6758 Highway 77, one-half mile south of the intersection of Highway 20 and Highway 77. Call (850) 773-8900 for times and transportation.
Real Estate FSBO. Two adjacent lots, about 2.5 acres on paved road, 10 miles north of Wewahitchka, 45 minutes from beaches. Borders the Chipola River and Cypress Creek. Cleared and ready to build. Quiet and peaceful; no neighbors. Deeded restrictions. Underground utilities, deep well and many fruit trees. $69,900. (850) 648-4214. Two- or three-bedroom cabin. About 1,200 sq. ft. with large screened porch. 150’ on West Arm Creek in Meeks subdivision. (850) 271-9040. One-half acre corner lot. (850) 639-2220. Authentic log cabin home/camp. Furnished with new appliances, split-rail fence and new roof. At 511 Vann Drive, Wewahitchka. (850) 271-4750. 13+ acres with 624’ on a paved road, 5 miles north of Wewahitchka off Highway 71, minutes from Dead Lakes. Ready to sell. $29,050 (half off appraised value) OBO. (850) 832-1726.
Trading Post is a FREE service to members of Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative. GCEC reserves the right to edit or reject ads. PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY OR TYPE. Please circle the category that applies: For Rent
For Sale
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Miscellaneous
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Mail your ad to: The Trading Post; Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative; P.O. Box 8370; Southport, FL 32409; return with your electric payment; or email ad information to tradingpost@gcec.com. ** Due to press deadlines, please expect up to 60 days from submission for your advertisement to appear.
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Gulf Coast
CEO’s Annual Meeting Message Presented at the 68th Annual Members’ Meeting, Saturday, April 30, 2016, at the headquarters office in Wewahitchka
CEO Michael White
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JUNE 2016
I would like to welcome all of you and thank you for attending your 68th Annual Members’ Meeting. At Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative, our No. 1 priority is safety. Within the past year, we have completed renovations to our system in order to make it safer. We appreciate your cooperation with these projects. The cooperative has seen growth in the Southport service area, namely in the Deer Point Lake area and at Lake Merial. We continue to work with Tyndall Air Force Base on the 50-year contract. This continues to be a successful venture that has assisted the cooperative in improving its bottom line. I would like to thank the board for returning $450,000 in capital credits to our members last year. Each member should have received a check or a credit on their power bill. For the past five years the capital credit payout amount has increased. I hope the financial position of the cooperative will allow us to continue this in the future. It has been some time since we have experienced a rate increase. In fact, for the past couple of years, our rates have actually decreased. This is due to fiscal planning from management and directors, and employees working hard in holding down costs. This has been a busy year for right-of-way trimming in the Wewahitchka area. We are now wrapping up work in this area. We appreciate members’ cooperation. Trees were cut for safety purposes, to reduce outage time and to reduce line loss. The right-of-way crew is working in the Ebro area and moving toward Fountain and on to Washington County later this year. I would like to ask everyone to give the employees of the cooperative a round of applause. The employees are the greatest asset the members have at the cooperative. I want to review the process of mail-in ballots. In the past, when members voted at the meeting, the member turnout was between 3 and 4 percent. This year with the mail-in ballot process, the voter turnout was 24 percent. This new process put the power of the cooperative into the hands of all members. If you have questions, please look for directors and employees wearing red polo shirts. They will try to answer any questions you may have. Thank you again for attending your annual meeting. n
Gulf Coast
Annual Meeting in Review The 68th Annual Members’ Meeting of Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative was April 30. Here is a look at a few of the people who attended this year’s event.
Keersten, Sara and Savannah, all of Wewahitchka, enjoyed playing in the Touchstone Energy bounce house. Awards for youngest and oldest annual meeting attendees went to 6-month-old Mariah Gray from Wewahitchka and 951/2-year-old Vilas Pope from Blountstown.
Awards for shortest and longest time married: Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bishop of Youngstown, left, married two months, and Emma and Ivey Young of Wewahitchka, right, married 61 years. 28
JUNE 2016
Patty Fisher of Wewahitchka won a blower.
Anna Stephens of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative presented Safety City demonstrations for the young and young-at-heart.
The Drummond Family had some in the crowd on their feet.
The Foxes of White City won a Pelican cooler. All members who signed up to contribute to ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action were entered to win.
GCEC trustee Betty Moore has her blood pressure checked by the Wewahitchka Ambulance Service. JUNE 2016
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FL-154
Offices 722 West Highway 22 P. O. Box 220 Wewahitchka, FL 32465 (850) 639-2216 or (800) 333-9392 9434 Highway 77 P. O. Box 8370 Southport, FL 32409 (850) 265-3631 or (800) 568-3667 6243 East Highway 98 Panama City, FL 32404 Phone: (850) 481-1188 www.gcec.com
CEO/General Manager Michael E. White
Trustees President Waylon Graham Vice President Jimmy Black Secretary Eddie Jones Treasurer Rupert Brown Doug Birmingham Robert Byrd Gary Cox Kinneth Daniels Betty Moore Trustees normally meet the third Tuesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. CST. The board meets at the Wewahitchka office in even-numbered months (February, April, June, August, October and December) and the Southport office in odd-numbered months (January, March, May, July, September and November). The mission of GCEC: Fulfilling the changing needs of our membership and communities by providing cost effective, reliable and safe utility services through a dedicated and responsive workforce. 32
JUNE 2016
GCEC President’s Message
Annual Meeting Recap Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative hosted its 68th Annual Members’ Meeting Saturday, April 30, at its headquarters in Wewahitchka. Members who attended last year’s annual meeting approved a bylaw amendment to allow for mail-in balloting, and that was the process used for this year’s meeting. In the past, when members voted at the meeting, the member turnout was between 3 and 4 percent. This year, with the mail-in ballot process, the voter turnout was 24 percent. This new process put the power of the cooperative into the hands of all members. For entertainment, GCEC provided a bounce house for the children. Music was provided by The Drummond Family. Booths were open for the duration of the meeting, offering information about the programs GCEC has to offer. The cooperative provided a lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips and Pepsi products, which was served by the Glad Tidings Assembly of God. Each member who returned their mail-in ballot received a $5 electric bill credit. Registered members were entered in a drawing to win one of 10 $100 electric bill credits. We also selected 52 members to win gift cards that ranged in value from $25 to $100. Members who attended the meeting and brought the blue prize ticket that was enclosed in their registration packet were entered to win an array of other prizes. Members who chose to contribute to our Project Helping Hand program or ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action were registered to win one of two Pelican coolers. If you have not taken part in the meeting, I encourage you to do so in the future. Each member has a voice in the operations of GCEC, and those voices need to be heard. For those who attended, I thank you for your participation and hope to see you again next year.
Waylon Graham