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SECONEWS DEAR MEMBERS,
is another convenient way for members to pay bills directly from their bank account. SmartHub messenger provides advanced notification of amount due and draft date.
SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric 223101 cooperative whose Paperless billing, bank draft and SmartHub account purpose is to provide exceptional service enrollments are green options that save money for to our members, the cooperative, too, and help us keep rates low. co-workers and Per surveys, members who receive eBill are more communities. We are a satisfied with the email’s promptness and prefer it over waiting for the paper bill to unique business that promotes print and mail. less use of our product rather MONTHLY PRIZES than more – we’re your partner Throughout 2021, members who in saving energy and money. INCLUDE A $200 partner with SECO to help reduce billing costs and paper waste will BILL CREDIT, A NEST Throughout the cooperative, be eligible for a monthly drawing. we look for ways to reduce THERMOSTAT AND AN Each month, three prizes will be spending and waste while awarded to lucky winners drawn providing exceptional customer AMAZON ECHO DOT from those enrolled in these billing service to our 210,000+ members. WITH ALEXA. options. Prizes include a $200 bill We are adapting as technology credit, a NEST thermostat and an changes as well. Surveys show Amazon Echo Dot with Alexa. that members want convenient billing and payment options (along with low rates and reliable service). Environmentally conscious members want to reduce paper waste and enjoy leisure time instead of writing checks and driving to the post office to buy stamps. Safety-minded folks don’t want the worry over the potential lack of security of mailing a paper check that contains an account number, routing number, address and signature. Mailbox thieves and porch pirates remain a threat despite the fact that they’re captured on video doorbells every day! Currently, over 100,000 SECO accounts are enrolled in in our online account platform called SmartHub and nearly 50,000 of those are enrolled in eBill and have opted out of paper billing statements altogether. Members can view, manage and pay their bills through SmartHub. Enrolling in bank draft
There are three criteria your account must meet to qualify for the monthly incentive: Account is registered through SmartHub Account is opted out of paper billing statements Account is enrolled in automatic bank draft
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE • New Smarthub Features • Less Coins; Big Change • Winners’ Circle • Florida Fauna & Flora Hurricane Handbook FEBRUARY 2021 | SECO NEWS
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If you have more than one account that meets these criteria, each account is eligible to be drawn as a monthly winner. These enrollment options are available through SmartHub. To establish a SmartHub account or log in, visit SECOEnergy.com > My Account > 12 Ways to Pay. SmartHub is also available as an app on your smartphone or tablet. Members who aren’t as tech savvy or do not have a smartphone or tablet can reach out to Member Services by phone for enrollment assistance. Read more about SmartHub’s features on page 4. We’ll publish the winners’ names in our Winners’ Circle in the upcoming SECO News editions. SECO’s five Member Service Centers are equipped with debit/credit card processing machines for walk-in transactions. These will help us begin to phase out our existing kiosks. These third-party kiosks are under-utilized, under perform and are no longer cost effective. All of these incentives and changes are part of keeping costs low and using technology that offers you convenience and security. Thank you for considering new options.
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Sincerely,
Jim Duncan Chief Executive Officer
ADVICE FROM THE
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! CELEBRATE YOUR SWEETHEART ALL MONTH LONG WITH THESE HELPFUL IDEAS. Do you enjoy camping? The Old Farmer’s Almanac recommends planning your honey’s camping trip on either February 6 or 7. If you like warmer weather, wait until March 5 or 6. Are you planning a trip with someone special? The best days to schedule a trip for pleasure are February 24 – 26 or March 24 and 25. Getting married? The best days ahead for a wedding are February 1 or 2 or March 1, 2, 28, or 29. Make your love happy by tackling your honey-do list. The best day to start a project is February 12 or March 14.
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Starting February 1, our Member Service Centers ask members to help make a difference in local communities. As the coin shortage continues, Service Centers are no longer stocking coins to make change on a cash bill payment. We ask members who visit a Service Center and pay in cash to donate their spare change to SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven program. Less coins in your pocket will create big change in the communities we serve. Last year, an unprecedented number of members reached out to United Way and other local service agencies for help. SECO’s Pennies from Heaven program responded by providing thousands of dollars for bill payment assistance and dollars to local food banks in our area. Why wait to visit a Member Service Center to donate your spare change? Enroll in Pennies from Heaven today, and SECO will round up your monthly billing amount to the nearest dollar (no matter how you choose to pay your bill). The average donation is small, only about $6 per year, but your small change equals big help for local families. You can enroll online by visiting SECOEnergy.com > Your Co-op > Pennies from Heaven or click on the homepage banner. To all the members who are current Pennies from Heaven enrollees or who have made a one-time donation, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Our CEO Jim Duncan supports the program, as do many SECO employees. Thank you for your generosity!
Don’t forget to look for the last six digits of your account number in this month’s SECO News. You can email us at customerservice@secoenergy.com or call if your number appears. Six winners will be drawn at random from all submissions. Winners receive a $25 gift card.
Mary Maloney from Clermont is the January winner of a SECO Energy branded JuiceBox Pro 40 EV Level 2 charger. We’re giving one charger away each month while supplies last. To enter, text “EV” to (352) 320-4500 for a link to enter. Or click on the EV Charger Giveaway homepage banner. Learn more about the benefits of electric vehicle ownership on our EV website pages. You’ll find an EV savings calculator, information about CO2 reduction, an EV and PHEV model finder and a nationwide charger-finder map. Visit our Electric Vehicles page for more details. Watch SECO News for next month’s charger winner.
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ACCOUNT ACCESS 24/7 WITH SMARTHUB SmartHub is SECO Energy’s 24/7 account access and management platform. SmartHub is available as a user-friendly app for your smartphone or tablet or on your desktop computer or laptop. A SmartHub account registration is a criterion for winning the monthly incentive announced in this month’s Duncan’s Digest on page 1. 631011
Register your SECO account with SmartHub for 24/7 access to these features: PENNIES FROM HEAVEN
PAYMENT ARRANGEMENT* Request a payment arrangement 24/7.
Enroll in SECO’s Pennies from Heaven program.
SOCIAL MEDIA
PREVIOUS STATEMENTS
Click on the Facebook or Twitter icons for direct access to SECO’s social media feeds.
Examine past consumption history and view previous billing statements.
PAY YOUR MONTHLY BILL
NO WAITING TIME View monthly billing statements faster (usually less than two business days) of meter reading and bill calculation.
SmartHub accepts debit/credit card or electronic – without the added expense of a convenience fee.
UPDATE INFORMATION
ACCESS STORMCENTER
You can change your mailing address (hi there, Snowbirds), add a new email address or update your phone number.
Report outages 24/7, enroll in outage communications via email, text or voice and check the status of a current outage.
SET IT AND FORGET IT Enroll in monthly bank draft from a checking or savings account of your choice. GO GREEN Suppress paper bills and reduce waste by receiving your statement via email. View the bottom of your eBill for a link to the current edition of SECO News.
NEW SMARTHUB FEATURES: CLOSED ACCOUNT ACCESS
PAY IN ADVANCE Going out of town and need to schedule a payment? You can schedule a one-time advance payment in the amount you choose (up to $600) through SmartHub.
We’ve opened up SmartHub access for members who have closed/inactive accounts. View and pay a final bill or gain access to prior account history.
All these features are available for members with registered SmartHub accounts. Register at SECOEnergy.com > My Account > 12 Ways to Pay today. Download the app on the Apple App Store or get it on Google Play. APPLE
GOOGLE PLAY
*SmartHub can schedule payment arrangements for eligible accounts only. FEBRUARY 2021 | SECO NEWS
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PAYMENT NOTIFICATIONS Members who pay via SmartHub will now receive an immediate payment confirmation via email or text based on your SmartHub notification preference.
SMARTHUB 24/7 account access is available through our SmartHub online account manager. Have fun with our SmartHub word search and enroll your account today at SECOEnergy.com > My Account > 12 Ways to Pay.
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February is the month of love, and Surgeo is asking for your help to aid domestic animal shelters and wildlife animal rescue organizations. Beginning February 1, for each new Surge MitiGator enrollment, SECO Energy will donate $5 to a local pet shelter that you designate in one of the four major counties we serve. The Surge MitiGator takes the bite out of damaging surges and spikes caused by lightning, vehicles crashing into SECO poles, small animals, birds or fallen trees. Power surges can damage or destroy household appliances and sensitive electronics such as televisions, computers, stereo equipment and more. SECO’s meter-based surge arrester helps prevent unnecessary financial loss by reducing surges BEFORE they enter your home through the meter. The Surge MitiGator has a beastly 15-year warranty and is designed to protect your home’s large-motor appliances. You can lease the MitiGator for only $5.95 plus tax per month plus a $25 installation fee. The purchase price ranges from $349 to $399, with installation included. SECO’s Surgeo loves pets. Help him share the love by enrolling in SECO Energy’s Surge MitiGator to donate $5 to the pet shelter of your choice. To enroll, visit SECOEnergy.com > Energy Solutions > Surge MitiGator. Click on the enroll icon to fill out the webform and choose which pet shelter will receive a $5 donation on your behalf from SECO. SURGEO THANKS YOU!
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Have you engaged with our virtual assistant Electra who can answer thousands of calls without missing a beat? In December SECO News, we announced a new contest for members who ask Electra for assistance instead of waiting to speak with a representative. Each week, we’ll draw one winner who will receive a $25 gift card.
December’s winners are: Bruce Cramer from The Villages William Davner from Ocala Brenda Jones from Ocala Judith Pastula from Clermont Josh Sittig from Bushnell
Read Winners’ Circle next month for more winners. Congratulations, winners! FEBRUARY 2021 | SECO NEWS
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ALLIGATOR SNAPPNG TURTLE
SECO ENERGY CELEBRATES 14 YEARS OF TREE LINE USA RECOGNITION We are celebrating 14 years of being recognized as a Tree Line USA utility by the Arbor Day Foundation. Tree Line USA recognizes public and private utilities who take part in activities that protect and enhance America’s urban forests.
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lligator snapping turtles look like a holdover from prehistoric times when dinosaurs roamed
the earth. You can find this unique reptile throughout the southeastern United States and as far north as Iowa. It is the largest species of fresh-water turtle.
The Arbor Day Foundation inspires people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. There are five program standards th at S ECO En e rgy a chieve d to b e recognized as a Tree Line USA utility. Utilities must follow industry standards for quality tree care; provide annual worker training in best tree care practices; sponsor a tree planting and education program; maintain a tree-based energy conservation program; and participate in an Arbor Day celebration.
Alligator snapping turtles rarely venture onto land. Females lay eggs on the ground then quickly return underwater. This carnivore has a tongue with a brightred piece of flesh that resembles a worm. The species lays on the bottom of a riverbed or lake with its mouth open to lure fish directly into its mouth. This turtle can hold its breath underwater for 40 to 50 minutes.
461102 These turtles are giant – males may weigh up to 200 pounds. Alligator snapping turtles have no predators in the wild. They are not on the endangered species list, but their numbers are dwindling because humans like to trap them for their distinctive shells and meat. Many states have bans on killing these turtles.
Prey has a hard time hiding from ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLES.
Trees offer many benefits. Did you know that trees can save energy? According to the Arbor Day Foundation, trees that shade structures and block winds can help reduce your heating and cooling costs by as much as 35%. Plant deciduous trees to the south, southwest or west side of buildings to provide shade from the summer sun and reduce cooling costs. Florida elm and hophornbeam are native trees that flourish in Central Florida. Plant trees to shade driveways, sidewalks, patios and air conditioning units. Evergreen trees and shrubs planted on the north and west sides of buildings block winter winds and reduce heating costs. Plantings around the foundation can also help insulate against cold weather.
They can taste substances secreted by prey in the water that alerts them when a tasty meal is hiding nearby.
To learn more about how trees can reduce yearly energy costs, visit SECOEnergy. com > Reliability > Right Tree Right Place.
Source: The National Wildlife Federation
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BOARD BIOS MEET THE TRUSTEES WILLIAM JAMES DISTRICT 8 TRUSTEE _____
District 8 Trustee William James lives in Leesburg and has been a SECO member since 2002. Trustee James was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 2010 and has previously served as the Board Secretary/Treasurer.
JERRY HATFIELD
GERALD ANDERSON
PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
SECRETARY/TREASURER
District 4 Trustee Member since 1999 Resides in Ocala
District 9 Trustee Member since 1970 Resides in Umatilla
District 3 Trustee Member since 2013 Resides in The Villages
SCOTT BOYATT
JOYCE ANDERSON
RAY VICK
District 1 Trustee Member since 2004 Resides in Clermont
District 2 Trustee Member since 2017 Resides in Sumterville
District 5 Trustee Member since 1974 Resides in Inverness
MIKE MUFFETT
JOSEPH KUSIAK
WILLIAM JAMES
District 6 Trustee Member since 1984 Resides in Summerfield
District 7 Trustee Member since 2002 Resides in Dunnellon
District 8 Trustee Member since 2002 Resides in Leesburg
RICHARD DENNISON
The Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, February 22, at 2:30 p.m. in the Corporate Offices at 330 South US HWY 301 in Sumterville. A Trustees’ meeting will also be held on Monday, March 29, 2021.
24/7 Job Hotline: secoenergyjobs.com Report an Outage: stormcenter.secoenergy.com
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