April 21, 2021
Lost Creek Guide
Morgan County Rural Electric Association holds Annual Meeting of Members
Submitted by Jamie Plakorus MCREA held our annual meeting on Tuesday, March 23 at 6:00 pm via Telephone Town Hall again this year due to restrictions on in-person events in effect during the planning process in December, 2020. Once members had registered online, they were called just before 6:00 p.m. the evening of the meeting to listen to board and management staff reports, vote on business matters, and hear updates on happenings at Morgan County REA over the past year. President Cary Wickstrom reported that the Board of Directors’ approved budget for 2021 had no rate increase, making this the fifth year straight with no increase. The board also approved a patronage capital retirement of $4 million for 2020. This retirement was $1.25 million more than 2019 and $1.5 million more than the 2018 patronage capital retirement. This retirement was returned to members of the Association during years listed on our website in the form of capital credit checks mailed in December. Three director candidates petitioned for available board seats; Cary Wickstrom, Terry Tormohlen, and Brian Pabst. Each ran unopposed and all three candidates were unanimously elected to three-year terms. David Frick, General Manager, spoke of his pride in Morgan County REA employees and the adjustments they have made over the past year because of mandates enacted during this challenging time. Frick welcomed 5 new employees to the cooperative and also thanked 3 retirees for their years of service. There were a few employee role changes last year as well. Rob Baranowski moved into the position of Manager of Member Services, leaving his role as GIS specialist. Jamie Plakorus became the Communications Specialist, moving from the role as Member Services Specialist. Frick discussed Morgan County REA’s continued focus and hard work on safety. He went on to say that the internal Joint Health and Safety Committee worked this past year to strengthen communication and became better at discussing safety proactively. Frick spoke about making the electric distribution system more resilient through MCREA’s Four Year Construction Work Plan. The plan’s main focus is strengthening infrastructure for load growth and improved reliability. This past year, 224 new services were installed and 30 were retired. Additionally, 62 miles of new powerlines were built and 34 miles retired. Frick also provided an update on MCREA’s net metering program, which now has 28 member-installed, small-scale, renewable energy systems in our service territory. There are 26 solar and 2 wind installations, bringing the total to a 251.5 kW offset. Frick’s final comments addressed MCREA’s new grassroots program. As legislators and commissions often make decisions that affect the cost of electricity without knowing all of the effects on their constituents, our Association continually monitors things that could impact rates or reliability. MCREA will be seeking your help, as our best effort to combat these initiatives will be to call upon you as member-owners of the Association from time to time. Similar grassroots efforts have often produced good outcomes, and MCREA’s grassroots effort goal is to help keep the Association flourishing as it has for 84 years. The financial report delivered by Robb Shaver, Manager of Office Services, indicated that Morgan County REA continued to be in sound financial condition in 2020, with operating revenues of just over $46 million and total cost of electric service at $39.7 million. Shaver also noted that MCREA had an operating margin - or total revenues minus total expenditures – of $3.9 million for 2020. David Frick took time to answer questions directed to the Association during attendee egistration at the end of the meeting. MCREA would like to extend a big thanks to our sponsors for their generous donations. Annual Meeting sponsors included: The Mav Kitchen and Tap House, United Tree Service, Hill Petroleum, and Bell Lumber & Pole. All of the meeting materials can be viewed on our website at www.mcrea.org.
Saturday, May 8 * 9 am - 2 pm
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