2023 June NAEC The Messenger

THE MESSENGER

for North Arkansas Electric Cooperative Members

Future lineworkers

Director election ballots due by mail by June 16

North Arkansas Electric Cooperative is conducting the election for the open system-atlarge board of directors seat by mail.

Members received an envelope from Survey & Ballot Systems at their mailing address on file in late May. The Minnesota company is handling the election and tabulation of votes on behalf of NAEC.

Along with the ballot, the envelope included the 2022 Annual Report, candidate biography and a prepaid postage return envelope to mail the ballot to Survey & Ballot Systems.

Ballots cannot be given to NAEC. They must be mailed to Survey & Ballot Systems and received by June 16 to be considered valid.

Members on the nominating committee reviewed résumés of interested people and nominated Heather Knight Loftis of Mountain Home for the systemat-large position. No petitions were submitted by the April 21 deadline, so she is running unopposed.

The 2023 Annual Meeting will entail only a business session at the co-op’s Salem headquarters at 10 a.m. June 20. Members will be able to watch the meeting live at naeci.com; a recording also will be posted to the website after the meeting.

Walling fills open Sharp County board seat

The North Arkansas Electric Cooperative Board of Directors appointed Marc Walling of Grange to fill the remaining term of Jasper “Doc” Freeman of Poughkeepsie. It expires in June 2028.

Freeman resigned in April after serving on the NAEC Board of Directors since 1967. He became a member of the co-op in 1950. Freeman also served on the board of directors for both Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation and Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. for many years.

Walling previously served on NAEC’s nominating committee. He is principal at Cave City High School.

Walling

NAEC’s Gary Tanner, line foreman, right, and Andy Ward, lead line technician, visit Highland Head Start students. The two demonstrated how a bucket truck works and shared information about being a lineworker.

NAEC’s offices will be closed July 4 in observance of Independence Day. Personnel will be on call in the event of an outage. Please call 870-895-3221 to report.

Smart thermostat, clothesline can save energy, money

Are you a weekend warrior? If you’re considering home improvement upgrades that save energy and money, we’ve got a few project ideas for you — all of which can be completed in a day or less! Here are two energy-saving projects that you can easily tackle whether you’re a weekend warrior pro or a DIY dabbler.

Get smart about home cooling and heating.

Cooling and heating your home typically account for a large portion of energy bills. Smart thermostats can help keep your cooling and heating costs in check, with ENERGY STAR®-certified models saving about 8% on annual energy costs.

Now that smart thermostats are more affordable (as little as $70), this simple upgrade makes for a fun, efficient weekend project. Smart thermostats offer a variety of bells and whistles, but the average model will allow you to set custom temperature schedules, adjust the settings from anywhere via phone, and over time, learn your cooling and heating preferences.

First, make sure the new thermostat is compatible with your unit. It will come with step-by-step instruc-

tions, but this project typically involves shutting off your HVAC at the breaker panel, disconnecting/removing the old thermostat, installing the new smart thermostat and connecting it to your home Wi-Fi. Play it safe: remember to carefully read the installation instructions before you get started.

Create fresh savings with a DIY clothesline.

If you have enough outdoor space available, installing a clothesline is a great way to save on dryer costs. It also can save on cooling costs in the summer, as unwanted heat from the clothes dryer won’t be added to your home. Also, air drying is gentler on fabrics and will keep clothes and linens looking fresh longer.

You can create your own clothesline with two T-posts, wire and hook-and-eye turnbuckles. You may need a small amount of Quikrete to set the posts. Another option is installing the line between two trees. A typical load of laundry requires about 35 feet of line, so keep this in mind as you’re determining the best location.

If an outdoor clothesline isn’t an option, then you can create an indoor drying rack that folds to save space.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIP OF THE MONTH

Looking for additional ways to save energy this summer? Your laundry room is a great place to start. Wash clothes with cold water, which can cut one load’s energy use by more than half. Your washing machine will use the same amount of energy no matter the size of the clothes load, so fill it up when you can. When drying clothes, separate the heavier cottons. Loads will dry faster and more evenly if you separate heavier cottons like linens and towels from your lightweight clothing.

— energy.gov

DAILY HIGHS & LOWS — MARCH 2023

Average Daily High: 70.83° compared to 68.78° in 2022

Average Daily Low: 44.93° compared to 46.77° in 2022

Total Rainfall Amount: 3.13” compared to 5.37” in 2022

Warmest Day: April 18, 82.2° at 2 p.m.

Coolest Day: April 24, 31.7° at 5 a.m.

Matthew Price, right-of-way laborer, throws branches in the chipper while he and his crew trim a tree at NAEC’s Salem office.