Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative
M A R C H 2017
Coal is Critical to the Energy Mix Coal is unloaded from a barge at the Charles R. Lowman Power Plant, which serves Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative. See page 26 to read what the dean of The University of Alabama has to say about the importance of coal to the nation’s energy portfolio. PHOTO COURTESY POWERSOUTH ENERGY COOPERATIVE
Keeping the Lines Clear PAGE 4 Utilities Raise Awareness About Scams PAGE 6 n
Gulf Coast
Members acknowledge that $3.96, plus actual postage, is the cost to publish 12 issues a year of Florida Currents (USPS8300). Published by Ruralite Services Inc., 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124—a not-for-profit Oregon cooperative corporation—the magazine serves the communications needs of consumer-owned electric utilities in Florida. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Hillsboro, OR 97123 and at additional mailing offices.
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Change your air filter every month. A dirty filter makes the system work harder—wasting energy. We value your membership. We value you.
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Inside
March 2017 Vol. 6, No. 5
Oh, Deer! What’s Eating You? 12
Trend Offset Printing Services 10301 Busch Drive North Jacksonville, FL 32218
Implement three strategies to keep interlopers from feasting on your foliage.
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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
MARCH 2017
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Gulf Coast
Trees and other vegetation cleared from Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative lines are placed into a chipper. Below, wood chips are ready to be hauled to a paper mill.
Keeping the Lines Clear Right-of-way trimming is necessary to ensure safety and reliability Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative has about 2,600 miles of distribution line. If vegetation comes into contact with power lines, it can interfere with your electric service and cause a dangerous situation. Vegetation must be cleared from power lines to provide reliable electric service and prevent a hazardous condition. 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 maintenance. The agreement 4
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March Work Zone Do you live in the Crystal Lake or Fountain areas? Gulf Coast Electric will be clearing rights-of-way in those areas during March. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to bring you quality, reliable service. n
gives GCEC the legal right to remove from the right-of-way anything that could interfere with safe, reliable electric
service for all members. GCEC’s right-of-way program is on a five-year rotation. This means it is about five years before crews clear vegetation from the entire system and return to an area to start the rotation again. What happens to all of the vegetation once it is cleared from the lines? It is hauled to cooperative property. About six times a year, all of the debris goes through a chipper. This produces about 180 semi-truck loads of wood chips, which are
transported to a paper mill. If the cooperative’s right-ofway clearance was not maintained, tree limbs and other growth coming into contact with power lines would greatly increase the number of power outages experienced by GCEC members. The cooperative tries to work with each landowner to preserve landscaping when maintaining rights-of-way. While most property owners regard trees as an asset, federal law requires the co-op to eliminate hazardous conditions. n
Meet Your District II, Group 2 Trustee Doug Birmingham is a lifelong resident of Gulf County. He began serving on Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative’s Board of Trustees in 2008. Doug holds a bachelor of science degree from Troy University. He has served as chief deputy clerk of the circuit court, city commissioner, county commissioner and clerk of the circuit court. Doug earned the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Credentialed Cooperative Director certification. The program requires attendance and demonstrated understanding of the basic competencies contained in five core courses: Director Utilities and
GCEC Annual Meeting May 6 As Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative celebrates its 69th Annual Members’ Meeting on Saturday, May 6, it also is time to elect your representatives. District 2 trustees are up for election this year. The incumbents are Waylon Graham, Group 1; Doug Birmingham, Group 2; and Eddie Jones, Group 3. n
Liabilities; Understanding the Electric Business; Board Roles and Relationships; Business Planning; and Understanding Financial Planning. He also earned the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Board Leadership certificate. That program consists of 10 courses focused in greater depth on specific industry and governance issues. Courses provide
advanced study in areas such as risk management, ratemaking and policy development. In recognition of his commitment to continuing education throughout his service on the board, Doug also earned the Director Gold certificate from NRECA. The designation recognizes directors who have earned both their Credentialed Cooperative Director and Board
Doug Birmingham
Leadership certificates. Doug also represents GCEC on the PowerSouth Energy Cooperative Board of Trustees. n
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Utilities Raise Awareness About Scams Don’t fall victim to scammers, who come up with new tactics every day to try to take advantage of consumers By Tracy Warren
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When a scammer called Florida pet clinic operator Cindy Evers last year and demanded immediate payment on an overdue electric bill, it sounded real. “They knew my account number and gave me a figure that I owed that’s close to what I usually pay on my electric bill,” Cindy says. She paid, even though—in the back of her mind—she knew her payment was not late. “I have pets under sedation, and I’m taking care of animals,” Cindy says. “I think I just panicked, thinking they were going to shut my electricity off. I did what they told me to do.” The call was a scam. Cindy lost $900. She is not the only person to have been victimized. The scam that duped Cindy has been plaguing utility consumers across North America for several years, robbing them of millions. Now, utilities are fighting back. More than 80 utilities and energy industry organizations from across the United States and Canada joined forces to recognize the first-ever North American Utilities United Against Scams Day on November 16, 2016. Electric cooperatives have increased their communication efforts, sending information directly to members and encouraging local TV stations and newspapers to warn citizens about the scam, how it works and what people should do and not do if they are targeted. Even the wariest consumers can be duped. Scammers develop new tactics every day. The “past due” scam—similar to the one Cindy experienced—goes something like this: A customer gets a call from an 800-number that looks like a valid utility company phone number. Widely available spoofing software allows crooks to display what appears to
Tips to Protect Yourself Do not assume the name and number on your caller ID are legitimate. Caller IDs can be spoofed. XX Never share your personal information, including date of birth, Social Security number or banking account information. XX Never wire money to someone you do not know. XX Do not click links or call numbers in unexpected emails or texts— especially those asking for your account information. XX Most utilities will NOT require their customers to buy prepaid debit cards or money orders to avoid an immediate disconnection. n XX
be an official number on caller ID. The caller threatens to cut off power if the customer does not pay. But here is the giveaway: The crook will demand payment via a prepaid debit card or money order, and will ask for it within a specified time frame—often an hour or less. The scammer may even quote an amount that sounds like your typical monthly bill. That way, the threat has more credibility. Scammers might direct the customer to a specific store nearby that sells the prepaid cards and instruct the customer to put money on the card and provide the card number to the scammer. Some scammers have even been bold enough to contact potential victims in person, coming to the member’s house. If you receive a call that sounds like it may be a scam, or if you believe the call is a scam, hang up, call the police and report the incident to your local utility. n
How You Can Help Thwart Scammers Awareness is the first step to preventing you or someone you know from becoming a victim of scammers. Here are two ways you can help spread the word: XX Alert your family members and friends. Share the scammers’ tactics described in this article and any other tactics you have heard about. XX Warn even those you do not know by reposting scam awareness information on social media. Use the hashtag #stopscams. n
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Help Reduce Demand for Electricity GCEC Offices XX
Southport 9434 Highway 77 (850) 265-3631; (800) 568-3667
XX
Wewahitchka 722 W. Highway 22 (850) 639-2216; (800) 333-9392
XX
Panama City 6243 E. Highway 98 (850) 481-1188
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 is installed on your electric water heater that allows GCEC’s power supplier, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, to cycle your unit for short periods. By managing energy use when demand is high—when you and your neighbors are using the most electricity—the co-op’s supplier can reduce demand when electricity is most expensive, delaying the need to build facilities to generate more power, alleviating or pushing those costs out to the future.
An added benefit is reducing the amount of greenhouse gases, thereby helping the environment. You still will have enough hot water for showers and household chores. In fact, you should not 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 down your information and, after ensuring the program is a good fit for your household, schedule an installer to visit your home and install the device at no cost to you. For your participation, GCEC will make a one-time credit of $25 to your electric bill. We look forward to hearing from you soon. n
GCEC Employees Achieve State Traffic Certification Nineteen Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative employees recently completed the Florida Department of Transportation’s 16-hour Maintenance of Traffic course. During the training conducted by the North Florida Safety Council, employees learned about the equipment, techniques and procedures needed to safely and correctly set up work zone traffic control devices, and how to maintain
traffic on state and federal highways. Through visual and hands-on techniques, they learned how to set up a work area that complies with state and federal laws, thereby creating a safe environment for utility workers and drivers approaching work crews along highways. Employees who completed the training were Frank Bailey, Chad Creamer, Jason Curry, T. J. Davis, Matthew Fleming,
Considering Solar? Please Call Us
New Employees Join Cooperative Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative announces the addition of two new employees. Stephanie Cherry is an accounting specialist. Jamie Schwarz is a cashier. Welcome, Stephanie and Jamie! n
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Jamey Guffey, Jeremy Horton, Issac Madrid, Chris Melvin, Jeremy Miles, Chris Pippin, Baylen Price, Jay Shiver, Brennis Smith, David Syfrett, Luke Vickers, Mike Waites, Hal Walden and Steven Ward. The North Florida Safety Council is a community service organization that collaborates with several health and safety organizations to promote injury prevention and increase safety awareness. n
Stephanie Cherry
Jamie Schwarz
Members interested in solar should be aware all solar applications must be preapproved and inspected to ensure they meet Gulf Coast Electric’s specific engineering codes and criteria. If you are considering solar, please contact Peyton Gleaton, vice president of engineering: (850) 265-3631 pgleaton@gcec.com
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. Small area to sublet on 5-acre parcel on Porter Pond, surrounded by land management. Hiking trails, boat and canoe launch close by, also close to natural springs of Econfina. Great for hunting and fishing. $300 a month. Tim, (850) 326-5577.
For Sale
vent and drains. Lubricate hinges, locks and doors. Inspect fireplace, fire extinguisher, garage door opener/motor, well pump and sprinkler system. Free estimates. (850) 722-4619 or (850) 596-2788 or proactivems@outlook.com.
Real Estate FSBO. Three-bedroom, three-bath home on 2 acres. New roof and air, two sheds, wood floors. Must sell. (850) 571-5253. One acre cleared on paved road close to landings. $16,500. (850) 774-8048.
Cape San Blas and Mexico Beach properties for sale by owner: 0 SR 30-A, Cape San Blas, bayfront lot, sewer tap pad, 0.50 acre, $89,900. 6390 CR 30-A, Cape San Blas, no HOA, X flood zone, 0.42 acre, $99,900. 0 CR Hwy 30-A, Cape San Blas, 14.42 acres, $149,900. 73 Westview Blvd., Port St Joe, Gulf view lot, 0.31 acre, $89,900. 512 Long St., Mexico Beach, 111 feet of waterfront on Intracoastal Waterway, 2.37 acres, $99,900. Jay Rish, (850) 227-5569 Four acres, two ponds, barn, deep well and electricity on paved road. $39,900. (850) 774-8048. Three-bedroom, one-bath, 888-sq.-ft. home on two lots at 1234 7th St. in Southport. $54,000. (317) 254-1984.
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.
Log cabin on Vann Drive. High and dry; has never flooded. Completely furnished. Grassedover lot. New roof and appliances. Outside cook shed. (850) 271-4750 or (850) 832-5054.
Bose 3-2-1 home entertainment system. Includes media center, two 3-2-1 gemstone speakers, acoustimass module, remote control, two universal table stands, demo disc, manual. $200. (850) 832-6828 or (850) 265-0843.
1/2-acre cleared. Close to boat landings on a paved road. $10,500. (850) 774-8048.
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.
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.
Waterfront property in Gulf County, minutes from the Intercostal Waterway, about 6.5 miles from Mexico Beach. 875 feet from the highway to the water. Private with no neighbors. Excellent salt and freshwater fishing. High ground, no flooding. (850) 648-4214.
Kohler and Campbell piano with padded bench. Good condition, tuned November 2016. $1,000 OBO. (850) 481-5931. Tractor Stiger Shibaura SD1803 with tiller. Runs good. $2,500. V-hull boat, 11 Yahama motor (less than 25 hours), long shaft. $7,000. (850) 639-6882. Two water stock tanks, 8’ long, like new. Paid $250 each; will sell for $150 each. 300-pound poultry feeder. Paid $300; will sell for $150. Ten 40’x100’ lots in NW Calhoun County. $10,000 for all 10. (850) 303-1460.
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
Turkeys. Hens and gobblers. (850) 639-2351. Quarter horses. Ride well on trails, gentle, good for lessons. (850) 773-1957.
½-acre corner lot. (850) 639-2220.
For Sale
Real Estate
Free
Miscellaneous
Trade
Wanted
Items:
Seasoned firewood, $80 per pickup load. Will load for you or help you load. Also, set of four 12” chipper blades, very sharp, $50. (850) 7226004 or (850) 960-4233. Sears Sole E 35 elliptical. Used one year. Asking $750. Total Gym with bench and accessories in good shape. Asking $250. (850) 890-6540.
Miscellaneous Home service installations: child protection devices, pet doors, shelving/organizers, TV mounts and surround sound, surveillance equipment, digital thermostats, whole-house water filters, washer/dryer hook-ups, showerheads, weather-stripping, curtain rods and blinds. Home maintenance: replace filters, clean A/C coils, flush water heater, clean dryer
Name: Address: City:
Phone:
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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Coal Still Important to Energy Portfolio Alabama dean offers perspective based on that state
By Charles L. Karr
I cut my teeth in the mining industry early in my career as a research engineer with the U.S. Bureau of Mines, and I have seen the strength and determination of the people who labor to bring us the raw materials that make so much of our lives possible. Alabama was modernized because of coal, taking us from an agricultural society into one driven by industry and technology. The energy industry in this state relied on coal to power our world, but that is rapidly changing. Still, as the market, government regulations and concerns over greenhouse gasses continue to stress the coal industry, it is important to remember coal remains a vital part of Alabama’s energy portfolio. Coal has been mined in Alabama for more than 150 years. The state ranks 14th in total coal production among the United States, according to an economic impact study commissioned by the Energy Institute of Alabama. Historically, coal has fueled the largest share of electric power generation in the state. About a third of the coal mined in Alabama stays in the U.S., and about half of that is delivered to electric power plants in the state, according to the report. Alabama Power Co. reported in 2015 that coal made up about half of its fuel mix, and about 15
Coal is the primary fuel used at the Charles R. Lowman Power Plant in Leroy, Alabama. It is operated by PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, which serves Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative. 26
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percent of that comes from coal mines in the state. Alabama Power still operates 10 coal-fired generating units. Those numbers are down, of course, as low prices for natural gas and regulations have seen Alabama Power transition. In the late 1990s, nearly 80 percent of electricity generated by the company came from coal, and there were 23 coal-fired units. Natural gas has provided a larger share of electricity in the state, exceeding coalfired generation in 2012, 2014 and 2015. Employment in the coal industry is down, too, but the Alabama Coal Association reports 4,000 people directly employed in the industry. This significant workforce in our state is buoyed by exports. According to the U.S. Energy Department, in 2014, two-thirds of the coal produced in Alabama was exported. Mobile is the nation’s third-largest seaport for exporting U.S. coal, most of which is bound for Europe, South America and Central America. In 2015, Mobile also was second only to Tampa in coal imports, according to an EIA report. It does not take much to read the tea leaves to understand that challenges remain for coal as an energy source in the country. Besides market forces, there is concern over emissions, and that is something academia and industry are trying to resolve. In fact, researchers at The University of Alabama College of Engineering are working with different solvents to more effectively scrub emissions from coal-fired power plants. We have worked with Southern Co. and others to lead the way on carbon capture technologies. Our researchers, along with many across the state at other universities and private research labs, are working to improve a host of other energy technologies to help diversify energy production here and around the world. Even with engineers and scientists moving forward, hurdles to more widespread reliance on renewable energy remain. Coal reserves are vast, and the industry is an important economic driver. Policymakers and cultural influencers must remember that coal is an ingrained part of our energy mix. n Charles L. Karr, PhD, is dean of The University of Alabama College of Engineering and a senior policy adviser for the nonprofit Energy Institute of Alabama. Visit energyinstituteal.org/ impact to see the complete economic impact study commissioned by the Energy Institute of Alabama.
Gulf  Coast
Have a Concern? Contact Elected Officials Citizens often have concerns regarding their state, and even the country as a whole. This is when you should contact your elected officials. These officials are available to respond to your concerns. Use this information to contact these officials with any issues you may have, and to make your voice heard.
Governor of Florida
Rick Scott State of Florida Republican The Capitol 400 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001 (850) 488-7146
U.S. Congressional Representatives
Matt Gaetz 1st District, Republican
Neal Dunn 2nd District, Republican
Washington: 507 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 225-4136
Washington: 423 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 225-5235
District: 4300 Bayou Boulevard Suite 13 Pensacola, FL 32503 (850) 479-1183
District: 840 W. 11th St. Suite 2250 Panama City, FL 32401 (850) 785-0812 300 S. Adams St. Tallahassee, FL 32301 (850) 891-8610
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State Representatives
Brad Drake 5th District, Republican
Jay Trumbull 6th District, Republican
Halsey Beshears 7th District, Republican
Capitol: 209 House Office Building 402 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300 (850) 717-5005
Capitol: 317 House Office Building 402 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300 (850) 717-5006
Capitol: 303 House Office Building 402 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300 (850) 717-5007
District: Admin. Building, Room 186 Chipola College 3094 Indian Circle Marianna, FL 32446-1701 (850) 718-0047
District: 455 Harrison Ave. Suite A Panama City, FL 32401-2775 (850) 914-6300
District: 78 11th St. Suite 5 Apalachicola, FL 32320-2028 (850) 508-3207 1305 W. Washington St. Monticello, FL 32344-1130 (850) 342-0016
372 Highway 83 North DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433-3800 (850) 951-0547
State Senators George Gainer 1st District, Republican
Bill Montford 3rd District, Democrat
Capitol: 302 Senate Office Building 404 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100 (850) 487-5002
Capitol: 404 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100 (850) 487-5003
District: TBD
District: 20 E. Washington St. Suite D Quincy, FL 32351 (850) 627-9100
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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
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GCEC President’s Message
With Electricity, Value Starts Here It is invisible. It has neither smell nor taste. It has no weight. And it is invaluable. Most people use electricity—either directly or indirectly—at all times. It is so abundant and affordable that most people only think about it when the power goes off. With our reliability rate, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative members don’t have to think about it very often. Whether or not you realize it, you take advantage of an exceptional bargain every time you power up. On average, for every dollar you spend on electricity, here is what you get: • 744 slices of toast • 493 smoothies in your blender • 190 microwave meals • 158 hours on your laptop • 119 hours of cool air from your ceiling fan • 119 uses of your hair dryer • 68 gallons of homemade ice cream • 59 hours of play time on the Xbox • 32 hours of use from your refrigerator • 22 hours of use from your deep freeze • 19 loads of laundry (washed) For less than $5 a day, you keep your home at a comfortable temperature, bathe in hot water, cook your meals, wash your clothes, watch television and power your smartphone. That is a bargain! Compared to the rising cost of other consumer goods, electricity costs have remained relatively stable. Despite increases in the cost of generating and delivering electricity, Gulf Coast Electric remains committed to providing safe, reliable electricity and keeping your bills affordable. As a member-owned cooperative, our goal is to use your money wisely to ensure a bright and prosperous future. Value starts here. We value your membership. We value you. n
Waylon Graham