Co-op hosts 61st ANNUAL MEETING
Almost 900 members and their families attended
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Trent Stein, lineworker, and Dana Solem, cashier/ receptionist, registered members electronically at the co-op’s 61st annual meeting. |
Capital Electric Cooperative’s 61st annual meeting on June 5 at the Ramkota Inn in Bismarck. Guests enjoyed jazz and big band music played by the Dennis Gowan quartet while they ate a courtesy meal and visited with neighbors and friends.
Before the meeting, members who had electric service in 1991 picked up their capital credit checks. Erica Roth, co-op accountant, says Capital Electric cut approximately 5,500 checks which totaled $1.1 million, to be given back to co-op members. Checks that were not picked up at the meeting were immediately mailed.
Several subtle changes enhanced this year’s meeting. One difference members noticed and appreciated was the electronic registration. To streamline the process and reduce waiting lines, staff used computers to establish a remote connection with the server at cooperative headquarters.
Louis Ciavarella, information technology specialist at Capital Electric, says the computers eliminated paperwork and allowed the staff to answer questions about specific accounts. It also tracked the names of people who registered and helped clarify which spouse or business representative was eligible to vote.
Once members registered, their names were entered into a drawing automatically. Throughout the evening, the co-op gave away door prizes such as gift cards from business consumers of Capital Electric including Texas Roadhouse, Johnny Carino’s, Space Aliens Grill & Bar, Applebees and Golden Corral. Flower arrangements from another business consumer, Plant Perfect, were also given away.
Special guests welcome members
Board Chairman Dwight Wrangham called the meeting to order. Board Director Arlene Olson gave the invocation, and then guests watched a video presentation honoring military personnel.
After the short video, Mayor John Warford, who is also a Capital Electric member and Bismarck City Commissioner, welcomed the audience and commended the cooperative for planning for and providing service to high-growth areas surrounding Bismarck.
Following Mayor Warford’s address, Annette Olson reflected on her service as Miss North Dakota. She said educating women on the importance of regular cancer screenings has been an amazing experience, and thanked Capital Electric and the North Dakota LIVING magazine for sharing her mission with readers.
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Co-op members re-elected incumbents David Liuska (left) and Arlene Olson to District 2, and Jim Hawkins earned the uncontested board position in District 1. |
Members re-elect District 2 incumbents
Upon hearing no nominations from the floor, Wrangham
introduced the board candidates including Jim Hawkins from District 1; and David Liuska, Mark Mehlhoff, Arlene Olson, Terry Thomsen and Kathy Wagner from District 2. Attorney Carol Larson explained the voting procedures, and members voted for one candidate in District 1 and two candidates in District 2. Following a counting of votes, Hawkins earned the uncontested board position in District 1. When he introduced himself to the membership, he thanked outgoing District 1 board member Ann Reich for her six years of service. In District 2, incumbents Liuska and Olson retained their positions on the board.
Co-op gives reports; expresses thanks
During the course of the business meeting, members heard the following:
• The Treasurer’s Report, given by Christel Pettersen of Eide, Bailly LLP
• The Operation Round Up report, given by Quirina Schmidt, president of the Charitable Trust board
• An update on the automatic meter reading system. Capital Electric crews continue to change out and retrofit meters, and can now read all meters in Burleigh County, thanks to a grant from Rural Utilities Service.
• An update on the Circle K Substation north of Bismarck, which currently provides power.
• Thanks from scholarship recipients Catherine Sage, who earned the member student scholarship, and Mackenzie Lipp, who earned the employee-dependent student scholarship.
• Thanks to members who served on the board of directors over the past year. The directors include: Bernard Falkenstein, Duane “Rusty” Lasher, David Liuska, Arlene Olson, Dwight Wrangham, Blaine Doppler, Ann Reich, Shelley Peterson and Ervin Mund.
• Thanks to current and former employees for their commitment to members at the end of the line.
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General Manager Lars Nygren (left) and Board Chairman Dwight Wrangham gave members a financial forecast. |
Year reflects steady growth
Wrangham reported that over the past year, peak demand and kilowatt-hour (KW) sales have increased. Nygren attributed the growth to the 450 new consumers added to the co-op’s system.
Co-op adapts as power suppliers predict increases
Nygren and Wrangham reported on two of Capital Electric’s power suppliers, Western Area Power Administration (Western) and Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
Because of the drought, Western will continue to raise wholesale power rates. Because Capital Electric purchases only a small share of hydropower from Western, the co-op has been able to absorb past rate increases. To plan for another substantial increase in 2008, Wrangham says the co-op set up a reserve account to make these drought-related payments to Western without affecting the general rate for Capital Electric consumers.
To meet future growth requirements, Basin Electric will need to establish new power supply resources. The generation and transmission cooperative will also retrofit some aging facilities to meet new environmental standards. Nygren reported the expenses incurred by Basin Electric may at some point trickle down to the Capital Electric membership in the form of a rate increase. He reminded members they had not seen a general rate increase since March 1985, and also congratulated the staff at Basin Electric for pursuing renewable energy alternatives such as the Wilton Wind Farm.
N.D. Supreme Court hears territory dispute
Nygren and Wrangham reviewed the history of the co-op’s territory dispute with Montana-Dakota Utilities (MDU). Oral arguments were heard by the N.D. Supreme Court in January 2007. Wrangham reported the co-op is waiting for the N.D. Supreme Court to rule on two items: 1) Whether or not to uphold the District Court’s decision that MDU is interfering with Capital Electric’s electrical system by extending service to the Boulder Ridge subdivision north of Bismarck; and 2) Whether or not the District Court judge acted correctly in dismissing Capital Electric’s request for the court to determine the co-op’s franchise rights.
In addition to the court action, the co-op continues to meet with MDU representatives to work out a new service area agreement. Nygren thanked the membership for their words of encouragement and support. He also asked members to recognize the support of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) for providing financial assistance in the form of a CFC Integrity Fund.
Co-op grows both inside and out
As the co-op serves more consumers, Capital Electric also continues to expand. Nygren reported the co-op plans to renovate the headquarters building and expand. Plans include adding:
• A new hospitality/employee meeting room in the basement;
• Offices to the main floor;
• Offices and a board room on the newly created second floor; and
• An elevator to access all floors.
From the staff at Capital Electric Cooperative: We would like to thank all of our members who attended this year’s annual meeting! Thanks to your attendance and improvements in technology, we felt the annual meeting was efficient and entertaining. We hope you did too, and that you’ll plan to attend next year!