Southwest inesA monthly publication for members of Southwest Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative April 2018

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Corning | Mount Ayr | Stanton

SouthweSt IowaRuRal electRIc coopeRatIve

The sun was shining brightly as more than 200 rural electric cooperative (REC) employees and directors,

representing 38 co-ops, traveled to the Iowa State Capitol on Wednesday, March 14 to advocate on behalf of their member-owners during their annual REC Day on the Hill event. With the proposed Energy Omnibus Bill working its way through the House, co-ops met with legislators to discuss regulatory parity and clarity in addition to maintaining fair and affordable rates. Iowa’s electric co-ops support efficiency programs that are cost-effective. The co-ops also strongly support a utility’s ability to recover fixed costs associated with providing safe, reliable service, ensuring that all co-op members pay equitably to use and maintain the electric grid.

“This annual visit to the Iowa Capitol is an excellent opportunity to personally meet with our elected officials and provide them with a local co-op perspective on issues that are important to our business,” says Phil Kinser, CEO/General Manager.

The electric co-op advocates first gathered for a briefing on state legislative issues, then met with their local elected officials during a dessert social on the first-floor rotunda of the Capitol. Booths in the rotunda shared various ways Iowa’s electric co-ops work to keep electricity safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible.

Pictured above, from left: Rep. Cecil Dolecheck, Rep. Tom Moore, Marilyn Werner, Dick Ballantyne, Kay Fast, Phil Kinser, Sen. Tom Shipley and Rep. Clel Baudler.

Electric Co-ops Advocate for Fairness Down the Lines and Regulatory Parity and Clarity

Administrative Professionals Day is April 25, 2018. Please join us in celebrating their contributions to

the workplace and the benefit they bring to our Cooperative! Pictured below, left to right: Wendy Wimer, Denise Hallquist, Ginny Eighmy, Marilyn Rubel, Jamie McManis, and Sarah Newton.

AG DAY PRIZE WINNERS! Southwest Iowa REC would like to thank all who stopped by our booth during the Ag Day Expo. Congratulations to Deanna Anderson and Wanda Victor who were our lucky prize winners!

AgExpo

2018

2 | Southwest Lines | April 2018

Cooperative Audit Reports Strong Financials for 2017; No Price Increase Projected in 2018 Operating Budget

CEO’s COmmEnts:

Phil KinserThe annual, independent financial audit of your cooperative’s 2017 books was recently completed

resulting in a clean, favorable audit opinion. The financial performance of your Cooperative in 2017 was excellent and we were able to exceed all of the requirements placed upon us by our lenders. Kilowatt-hour sales for 2017 were .55 percent below budget but 1.54 percent more than 2016. Although sales were slightly below budget, operating margins beat budget by 5.2 percent due to operating costs (excluding purchased power) coming in 2.45 percent below the budgeted amount. Member equity improved from 42.44 percent in 2016 to 43.74 percent at the end of 2017 and $320,516 of member patronage capital was refunded during the year. The following table shows where the money we collected from you was spent in 2017:

The Operating Budget for 2018 does not include any increase in the base price you pay for your electricity. The cost of wholesale power we purchase from Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) is also projected to be slightly less than 2017 so the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) portion of your monthly electric bill should reflect that as well.

Sales during the first few months of 2018 have been strong due to the colder weather. Our crews have been concentrating on vegetation management (tree trimming and removal), finishing construction projects started in 2017, line inspection and maintenance, mapping updates, and preparing material orders for new construction projects.

The 2018 Operating Budget includes $2,704,915 in system upgrades and improvements to be completed by our line crews as follows:

• $156,250 for new services construction

• $1,475,050 for new tie lines, line upgrades, conductor replacement and line relocations

• $450,220 for pole replacements and misc. additions/replacements

• $100,000 for substation improvements

• $150,000 for service wire updates

• $270,000 for new meters, transformers and other special equipment

• $68,750 for automated metering infrastructure

• $25,020 for new security lighting

• $9,625 for sectionalizing equipment, voltage regulators and capacitors

These upgrades and improvements are part of our 2017-2020 Construction Work Plan which makes rebuilding critical infrastructure a priority. As such, in addition to the projects listed above, we have

contracted with Legacy Powerline Inc. to complete 15.3 miles of line upgrades at a budgeted cost of $1,293,700. This work began late in 2017 and will be completed in 2018. We have also budgeted $1,885,982 for ongoing operations and maintenance programs including vegetation management, pole inspection, meter testing, transformer and breaker maintenance, general line maintenance and security light maintenance. All of our programs are designed to continue to provide you with safe and reliable electric service.

Please join us in welcoming

Zach Stewart to the cooperative family as an Apprentice Lineman at our Corning facility. Zach is a high school graduate from New Virginia and a 2017 graduate of the Powerline program at Northwest Community College in Sheldon. Zach most recently worked for an electrical contractor. He began his duties with the cooperative March 5.

Cody Stackhouse, Apprentice Lineman at the Mount Ayr location, resigned from the Cooperative to pursue new opportunities. Please join us in wishing Cody the best of luck and thanking him for his years of service.

Sam Elsberry, Lineman at our Corning facility, transferred to our Mount Ayr facility to fill Cody’s position.

Staff Updates

April 2018 | Southwest Lines | 3

Help Us Find These Missing Members

We are looking for the following former members of SOUTHWEST IOWA SERVICE COOPERATIVE that served Adair, Adams, Cass, Fremont, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Taylor and Union counties for the year 2000-2001. These

members have patronage checks at our office. If the member is deceased, we would like to have a family member contact us with estate information so we can refund their patronage. Thanks for your help!Adams, GarvinAnderson, James FAnderson, Mrs. David CAnesty, W EdwardBaird, KathleenBauer, Sr., FrankBeedle, RobertBender, GeraldBenskin, Duane RBerry, NeilBrassfield, ElmaBraymen, Joel ABright, Donald GCarlson, EarlCasey, FrankCole AirportCrow, Curtis GDavis, Anne or Jones, RobertDavis, NancyDegase, Jennifer DEllison, MaryEvans, Angela or DoyleFichter, James LFilkins, Evelyn GForsyth, Robert N

Fox, Dorothy EFrost, Larry SGadino, NickGage, Curtis EGallup, Scott or MelindaGarber, PatriciaGittings, Brian DGrady, WayneGruber, MarciGTE Telephone OperationsGwinn, Buddy GHalley, JohnHamilton, NateHayes, MaryHillman, DorisIngebritson, Lois GJohannes, ShirleyJohnson, Everett or MaryJohnson, Mark, Robert, or JoanKelley, BrianKlimek, DebraKnott, Leonard or Nordstrom, SundaeLair, Matthew WLamm, Bonnie JLarson, Sylvester

Lund, EvelynMartin, Ron LMaxwell, EugeneMcCoy, RalphMcKern, JackMercer, DaveMiller, LouAnnMommens, John MMoore, David LeeNims, Ron or VirginiaOathoudt, ShelbiParks, SusieRenninger, TyroneRucker, Barbara LSchilz, JamesSchutt, Vern RSchwerdt, Shawn DSimmons, MarkSkinner, JoySobota, Mitchell A

Disbursements and pledges for the second half of 2017 from Southwest Iowa REC’s

Operation Round-UP® totaled $8,250.00. This brings the total disbursements paid and/or pledged from Operation Round-UP since its inception to $184,475.

$1,500: Medical/Fire Emergencies – assist families with unusual expenses resulting from serious health problems and accident related injuries and those who have experienced personal property damage due to fire.

$6,750: Community Support – Corning Center for the Fine Arts (interior painting), City of Clearfield (computer equipment), Lenox Public Library (computer equipment), Ringgold Co. Conservation (outdoor learning environment), Ringgold Co. Water Emergency Team (equipment).

Operation Round-UP funds are generated through a voluntary rounding up of member-owner’s electric bill to the next nearest dollar.

Of our 5,870 accounts, we’re excited that 3,831 meters are signed up for Operation Round-UP.

If you’re not currently participating in Operation Round-UP and would like to become a part of this worthwhile program, please call our office at (888) 220-4869 for information or fill out the registration form below and return to us!

Operation Round-UP: Small Change That Changes Lives

YES I would like to be part of this worthwhile cause, please add my name to the Operation Round-UP program. I am not currently signed up to donate, but wish to have my monthly electric bill rounded up to the nearest whole dollar and make a meaningful difference in my community.

Name:

Address:

Acct #:

When you start to plan for a new grain bin, please contact Southwest Iowa REC.

Southwest Iowa REC will provide assistance in planning for a safe environment for everyone working and living around grain bins. The State of Iowa requires specific clearances for electric lines around grain bins, with different standards for those filled by portable and permanent augers, conveyors and elevators.

The drawings on this page show the specific clearances required for both scenarios. If you have any questions concerning the drawings, please contact Southwest Iowa REC.

According to the Iowa Electric Safety Code found in Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 199 -- 25.2(3) b. An electric utility may refuse to provide electric service to any grain bin built

Maintain Proper Clearance Around Grain Bins

Sporleder, Chris JStevens, Raymond PStogdill, Dawn MSummers, Michael MSwine USA, c/o Jon BellTaylor, JamesThompson, Ray or EleanorTiemann, GaryTruckenmiller, Dan or LisaTrusty, Alvin PTyner, Edwin AValdivia, AlleyneVanik, Joe or VernaVicker, KristiWalker, Terry LWells, FrancesWestberg, Dwight LWetzel, RonWiese, Alysia

continued on pg. 4

6 chicken thighs, bone and skin on

3 green onions from tip to tail with root trimmed

1/2 yellow onion

1/2 jalapeño pepper de-seeded and de-veined

1/3 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. distilled white vinegar

The

RECipe

Corning1801 Grove Ave., Corning, IA 50841

Mount Ayr1502 W. South St., Mount Ayr, IA 50854

Stanton415 Broad Ave., Stanton, IA 51573

SouthweSt IowaRuRal electRIc coopeRatIve

Phone Number: (888) 220-4869

Board of Directors

Marilyn Werner, President

Dennis Meier, Vice President

Richard “Dick” Ballantyne, Secretary

Mark Herzberg, Treasurer

Kay Fast Deena Moore

Dana Morgan Ken Peppmeier

Jason Smith Dale Walkup

Phil Kinser, CEO

4 | Southwest Lines | April 2018

Add chicken thighs to a large skillet and brown them on medium high heat on both sides 3-5 minutes. In a food processor add the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth. Add chicken to the slow cooker skin side up and pour the sauce over the chicken. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken

Do YOUKnow...

Ever wonder what all those things are on a utility pole? To bring power

to your home your Cooperative uses equipment that will provide you with safe and reliable electricity. The most noticeable equipment on the pole is the transformer. Transformers convert higher

voltage electricity from primary wires to lower voltage for your home. Since your transformer distributes power to your individual location–should it be damaged in any way–you could experience a power outage while your neighbor’s electricity stays on.

near an existing electric line which does not provide the clearances required by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)C2-2012 “National Electrical Safety Code,” Rule 234F. This paragraph “b” shall apply only to grain bins loaded by portable augers, conveyors or elevators and built after September 9, 1992, or to grain bins loaded by permanently installed augers, conveyors, or elevator systems installed after December 24, 1997. (As adopted by the Iowa Utilities Board)

Southwest Iowa REC is required by the Iowa Utilities Board to provide this annual notice to farmers, farm lenders, grain bin merchants, and city and county zoning officials. If you have any questions concerning clearance regulations, please call Southwest Iowa REC.

2 T. vegetable oil

1 T. brown sugar

2 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

Grain Bins...from pg. 3

Summer Help Wanted

Southwest Iowa REC is looking for summer help to assist our line crews in Corning, Mount Ayr, and Stanton. If

interested, please stop by one of our locations or call to request an application. The applicant must be at least 18 years old. The job is only for the summer months of 2018. For more information – please call (888)220-4869 and press option #1 for Mike Stargell in Corning, option #2 for Duane Schafer in Mount Ayr, or option #3 for Ken VanWyhe in Stanton.