| |
Current Events
Best Practices
Clarksville Featured in Statewide
Magazine
MEC Returns Over $1.8 Million
MEC selected best
practices
Message From Employees
Youth Tour
Archives
|
|
Mecklenburg Electric
Cooperative’s Annual Meeting Held |
| |
Over 400 Mecklenburg
Electric Cooperative members and their families came to the
Cooperative Pavilion in Chase City on June 15 for the 2011 Annual
Meeting of the Members held for those who own and receive
electricity from the Cooperative. Chairman of the Board Bobby
Conner welcomed MEC members and guests to the event.
The meeting is held each June to conduct business with the
membership and for Board of Director elections. Four directors
were elected for three-year terms: Donnie Moore of Chatham,
Peggy Lee of Freeman, Frank Myers of Gasburg, and Mike McDowell
of Vernon Hill. The opportunity to select representatives on the
Board and participate in the election of the Board of Directors
is among the benefits of being a Cooperative member.
Special guests in attendance were recognized by MEC director
Mike McDowell and included Delegate Tommy Wright, who represents
District 61 in the Virginia House of Delegates, Delegate Don
Merricks, who represents District 16, Senator Frank Ruff, who
represents District 15 in the Virginia Senate, and newly elected
State Senator, William M. Stanley, Jr., who represents District
19. Stanley, who recently had an opportunity to accompany
Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative crews as they restored power to
Staunton River State Park after an EF2 tornado struck the area,
spoke to the group of his admiration for the work of the
Cooperative’s linemen. “I have a new and profound appreciation
and respect for the work done by the Cooperative in their
efforts to keep the lights on,” he said. “They make the tough
tasks that they do look easy.”
A portion of the meeting was set aside to honor military
veterans and their families. John Lee, President and CEO of
Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative, introduced a video by saying,
“In recognizing our special guests, we would like to take a
moment and honor three groups of true American heroes . . . our
veterans, those currently serving in our armed forces, and the
warriors who have been laid to rest after making the ultimate
sacrifice for this country and our way of life. We ask that you
join us in remembering that, as we speak, there are brave men
and women in harm’s way in faraway lands, protecting our
freedom, and that each day, their families also make great
sacrifices for each and every one of us.” A video presentation
of soldiers returning and surprising their loved ones was shown.
Hilda Puryear, Chase City Elementary School principal, made a
special presentation to John Lee and Mecklenburg Electric
Cooperative for support and encouragement of the readers at
Chase City Elementary.
The theme of this year’s meeting, “My Electric Cooperative,”
emphasized that Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative is owned by
those it serves. President and CEO John Lee highlighted the
major responsibilities that the Cooperative has to its members.
He pointed out that safety for the members and employees is the
top priority. “There is no greater responsibility for our
organization than doing everything possible to ensure that our
employees all go home safely to their families every day,” said
Lee. He explained the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program
(RESAP) audit administered every three years that reviews 16
areas of safety which are subjected to intense scrutiny by an
evaluation team of safety officials from other electric
utilities across the state. Lee announced that this year’s
evaluation rendered excellent results, and the Cooperative’s
safety practices were verified as sound and effective.
In his address to the audience, Lee talked about system
improvement projects that have taken place over the past year to
better serve the members. Upgrades and rebuilds to various
substations will pay reliability dividends for years to come and
will assist in meeting the membership’s ever increasing electric
needs.
Also mentioned was the Cooperative’s intensified efforts to
encourage the wise use of energy. While the concept of
conservation and energy efficiency has been promoted by
Mecklenburg Electric for many years, it has become an
increasingly more important subject, given the continuing
volatility of power supply costs and the regulatory uncertainty
associated with traditional generation sources. The president
and CEO pointed out that a residential energy audit is available
for members who desire an advisor to complete a 100-point
checklist and use an infrared camera to document air
infiltrations and temperature variances in their home to
determine where losses of conditioned air may be occurring.
Of special interest to MEC members is a pilot program being
conducted where load management switches are being installed on
heat pumps and air conditioners of 500 volunteers, allowing a reduction in system
demand at times of peak usage to help the Cooperative save on
wholesale power costs. If the program renders the desired
results, it will be rolled out to the entire membership.
Another critical factor in providing reliable service to the
members is the Cooperative’s right-of-way maintenance program,
which includes bush-hogging, herbicide application,
side-trimming, mitigating yard trees, and removal of danger
trees. Lee stated that the Cooperative continues to evaluate the
right-of-way program to improve service reliability and verify
that maintenance costs are in accordance with industry
benchmarks.
Last but certainly not least, Lee shared information about
ratings that Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative received in the
American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). MEC received an
ACSI score of 84 which surpasses an elite group of acclaimed
consumer friendly corporations, including Nike, Outback, Dell,
Hyatt, Nordstrom, and Starbucks. He emphasized that MEC
employees continue to put the members’ best interests first and
are working diligently to provide the very best in customer
service.
He closed by recognizing the efforts of the Board of Directors
and employees saying, “I would like to again say thanks for the
honor of working for each of you and with the determined and
dedicated employees of this organization. I am proud to be your
President and CEO and pleased to be a part of the outstanding
team of professionals here at Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative.”
|
| |
|
|