MAY 2015
VOL. 16 NO. 1
Co-op
News
Operations Center Open House The new operations center was open to the public on March 14th as Bon Homme Yankton Electric hosted an open house. This gave members or other interested parties the chance to take a look at the project that was in the planning for years and under construction throughout 2014. The visitors were greeted at the door by General Manager M.J. Goehring who directed them to Cashier/Receptionist Linda Bares and Accountant Karla Kortan who were cheerfully serving coffee and cookies. After checking out the crew quarters, they were ushered to the meter testing room where Staking Engineer Ken Carda explained the meter testing and replacement program. From there they could wander out to the truck storage and line materials area. Operations Manager Robert Ulmer, Journeyman Lineman Floyd Burbach and Jack-of-All-Trades Willie Cap were on hand to answer questions. The next step on the semi-guided tour was the mezzanine area which houses a climate controlled record storage area, power washer, air compressor and the water flow heat pumps. Thanks to everyone who stopped by, it was a pleasure visiting with you!
Building Stats
Architect - Jim Schramm General Contractor - Welfl Construction Sub-Contractors - Kaiser Heating & Cooling, Climate Systems, Redlinger Plumbing, Allen Electric Size - 100' x 90', 9,000 sq ft plus 2,880 sq ft on the mezzanine Heating & Cooling - Two ten ton Climate Master Ground Source Heat Pumps including 27 Vertical 200' loops and 5400 ft of piping for wells plus the in-floor heat tubing. Two water to air units for the office space and record storage area. Generator - 150 kw Emergency Power Supply Total Cost - $1.25 Million (site prep, ground work, building, labor, fixtures and equipment)
Floyd Burbach shows Robert Hill the material storage area. 2 May 2015 • Cooperative Connections
M.J. Goehring and Director Dave Sternhagen welcome visitors Emil Beran and Jason Sternhagen.
Ken Carda talks about meters with Gladys Hamberger, Dennis Jerke and Adeline Merkwan.
Robert Ulmer answers questions from the guests.
Board
Report
Loan Audit Reviewed (USPS No. 018-973)
Bon Homme Yankton Electric Assn, Inc. PO Box 158 134 S Lidice Tabor, SD 57063 Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30am to 4:30pm
To Report an Outage or For Internet Tech Support, Call: Local From Tabor, Tyndall and Yankton 605-463-2507 or Toll Free in South Dakota 1-800-925-2929 NOTICE: Electric bills must be paid by 10:00am on the 20th of each month to avoid a $10 late fee. Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections is published monthly by Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc., PO Box 158, 134 S. Lidice St., Tabor, SD 57063-0158 for its members. Families subscribe to Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections as part of their electric cooperative membership. Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connection’s purpose is to provide reliable, helpful information to electric cooperative members on matters pertaining to rural electrification and better rural living. Subscription information: Electric cooperative members devote $6.00 from their electric payments annually for a subscription. Nonmember subscriptions are available for $12 annually. Periodicals Postage Paid at Tabor, SD 57063 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections, Bon Homme Yankton Electric, PO Box 158, Tabor, S.D. 57063 TELEPHONE (605)463-2507: FAX (605) 463-2419. Design assistance by TDG Communications, Deadwood, S.D.
A representative from the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) was on site in February to review all of the documentation associated with our last construction work plan and loan. A report was given to the board stating that the audit was complete and there were no adjustments recommended. Auditors from the accounting firm Eide Bailly were also in the office in March to conduct the annual financial audit. This report will be presented to the board at the April meeting. Safety Policy Review As part of our triennial Safety Achievement Plan, the board reviewed policies 70-06 Safety Program, 80-36 Information, Job Training and Safety Program, 80-37 OSHA Clothing Requirements and 80-38 Safety Rules/ Suggestion Program. Some discussion was held in regards to new fall protection belts and the
number of D-rings required. The wording in the policy will be adjusted and brought back to a future board meeting. Other Business The annual meeting date was set for August 18, 2015 in Tabor. Director petitions are available for districts three and five and are due June 18, 2015.
Welcome New Members Tabor Joyce Engle Mark Povondra Neal L Keiser Yankton Chuck Pinkelman Donald Hopkins Mylar "Mick" D Wilson Paul Hejna
Bill Showers Retires Member Service Advisor Bill Showers retired effective March 31, 2015 after serving the cooperative for 31 years. Bill began his employment at Bon Homme Yankton Electric in 1983 as a Journeyman Wireman. In 1994, Bill became the Member Service Advisor. Electrical Contractor Bob Felber has moved into the Member Service Advisor position and Kevin Meyer will now be the head Electrical Contractor. The search is on for a temporary and/or permanent electrician to join the crew. Bill said he will have no trouble staying busy working on projects around the house, travelling with his wife, Suzie, participating in various activities, watching the Broncos and spending time with family and Bill Showers receives a meter lamp and cake in friends. honor of his retirement. Cooperative Connections • May 2015 3
SafetyTips
Gardening Health and Safety Tips Gardening can be a great way to enjoy the outdoors, get physical activity, beautify the community and grow nutritious fruits and vegetables. If you are a beginner or expert gardener, health and safety should always be a priority. Below are some tips to help keep you safe and healthy so that you can enjoy the beauty and bounty gardening can bring.
Dress to protect. Gear up to protect yourself from lawn and garden pests, harmful chemicals, sharp or motorized equipment, insects and harmful rays of too much sun. • Wear safety goggles, sturdy shoes and long pants to prevent injury when using power tools and equipment. • Protect your hearing when using machinery. If you have to raise your voice to talk to someone who is an arm’s length away, the noise can be potentially harmful to your hearing. • Wear gloves to lower the risk for skin irritations, cuts and certain contaminants. • Use insect repellent containing DEET. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants tucked in your socks. You may also want to wear high rubber boots since ticks are usually located close to the ground. • Lower your risk for sunburn and skin cancer. Wear long sleeves, wide-brimmed hats, sun shades and sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher. Put safety first. Powered and unpowered tools and equipment can cause serious injury. Limit distractions, use chemicals and equipment properly and be aware of hazards to lower your risk for injury. • Follow instructions and warning labels on chemicals and lawn and garden equipment. • Make sure equipment is working properly. • Sharpen tools carefully.
• Keep harmful chemicals, tools and equipment out of children’s reach. Know your limits in the heat. Even being out for short periods of time in high temperatures can cause serious health problems. Monitor your activities and time in the sun to lower your risk for heatrelated illness. • If you’re outside in hot weather for most of the day, you’ll need to make an effort to drink more fluids. • Avoid drinking liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar, especially in the heat. • Take breaks often. Try to rest in shaded areas so that your body’s thermostat will have a chance to recover. Stop working if you experience breathlessness or muscle soreness. • Pay attention to signs of heat-related illness, including extremely high body temperature, headache, rapid pulse, dizziness, nausea, confusion or unconsciousness. Enjoy the benefits of physical activity. Gardening is an excellent way to get physical activity. Active people are less likely than inactive people to be obese or have high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, depression, colon cancer and premature death. • Be active for at least 21Ž2 hours a week. Include activities that raise your breathing and heart rates and that strengthen your muscles. Help kids and teens be active for at least 1 hour a day. • If you have been inactive, start out with just a few minutes of physical activity each day. Gradually build up time and intensity. • Vary your gardening activities to keep your interest and to broaden the range of benefits. Source: arifleet.com
Kids’ Corner Safety Poster “Don’t stick your finger in a plug-in.” Kate Kramme, 9 years old Kate is the daughter of Shane and Dawn Kramme, Fort Pierre, S.D. They are members of West Central Electric Cooperative, Murdo, S.D. Kids, send your drawing with an electrical safety tip to your local electric cooperative (address found on Page 3). If your poster is published, you’ll receive a prize. All entries must include your name, age, mailing address and the names of your parents. Colored drawings are encouraged. 4 Ma y 2015
•
COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS
Reader Recipes
Comforting Casseroles Chicken Biscuit Bake
Double Cheese Spinach-Potato Pie
1/4 cup melted butter 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken 1-1/2 cups mixed vegetables Salt and pepper to taste
1 (4.2 oz) carton Hungry Jack Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes 3/4 cup Hungry Jack Mashed Potato Flakes 3/4 cup milk 2 eggs 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 cups milk 2 cups Bisquick 1 can cream of chicken soup 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
In a 9x13-inch pan, layer butter, chicken and vegetables. Combine milk and Bisquick (a few lumps are OK). Pour over chicken/vegetables. Do not mix. Combine cream of chicken soup with chicken broth. Pour over Bisquick layer. Do not mix. Bake at 350°F. for 40 to 45 minutes until brown and bubbly. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Mary Truman, Kimball
Potato Beef Casserole 3 lbs. potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick 1 lb. lean ground beef 1/2 cup chopped onion 4 T. butter 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 2 cups milk 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
Cook potatoes with a pinch of salt in water until tender; drain. Arrange in a 6x9x2-inch casserole dish. Brown beef and onion; drain. Melt butter in a medium pan; whisk in flour to make a roux. Cook until mixture bubbles, whisking constantly until light brown in color. Gradually add milk while continuing to whisk. When mixture thickens, add salt and pepper. Stir in cheese and beef. Pour beef mixture over potatoes. Bake at 350°F. for 20 minutes until heated and bubbly. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and bake an additional 5 minutes. Lois Hanson, Howard
Cowboy Baked Beans 2 (15. oz) cans pork and beans 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheese 2 T. molasses
2 T. Worcestershire sauce 2 T. brown sugar 1 tsp. chili powder 4 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
Mix together all ingredients except bacon. Place in a 2-quart baking dish and top with bacon. Microwave about 10 to 12 minutes on High or bake at 325°F. for about 60 to 75 minutes. Grace Loerzel, Hermosa
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper 1/4 tsp. salt 16 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 2 T. vegetable or olive oil
Refresh hashbrown potatoes according to package directions. After 12 minutes, drain and squeeze out any excess liquid from carton. Heat oven to 425°F. Coat 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray. While hashbrowns are standing, combine potato flakes, milk, eggs, Parmesan, pepper and salt in large bowl. Mix in spinach. Add oil to refreshed hashbrowns in carton and mix well. Spread 3/4 of hashbrowns firmly onto bottom and sides of prepared pie dish. Spoon spinach mixture lightly into dish. Top evenly with remaining hashbrowns, fluffing hashbrowns with fork. Bake until hashbrowns are well-browned and center is set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing into wedges. Note: To thaw spinach, microwave in large bowl on High for 4 to 5 minutes. Place in colander and press firmly with spoon or spatula to drain liquid. Makes 6 servings. To make a casserole pie, double ingredients and prepare in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Allow additional time to thaw spinach. Reserve 1/2 carton of hashbrowns for topping; press remaining 1-1/2 cartons of hashbrowns on bottom and halfway up sides of baking dish. Prepare spinach filling as directed in recipe. Bake at 400°F for 40 to 45 minutes. Makes 12 servings. Nutritional information per serving: 260 calories; 11 g fat (3 g saturated fat); 11 g protein; 28 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 70 mg cholesterol; 710 mg sodium. Pictured, Cooperative Connections
Blend of the Bayou Seafood Casserole 4 oz. cream cheese 1/4 cup plus 1 T. butter, divided 1/2 onion, chopped 2 ribs celery, diced 1/2 red or yellow pepper, diced 1 large clove garlic 1 small can mushrooms, drained 1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can water 1-1/2 cups minute rice, uncooked 1 (6.5 oz.) can crab meat, drained and rinsed 1 (6.5 oz.) can shrimp, drained and rinsed 2 tsp. lemon juice 1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Heat cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter until melted. Saute onions, celery, pepper and garlic in 1 T. butter. Combine all ingredients. Pour into a 9x13-inch pan or 2-quart casserole. Bake at 350°F. for 45 minutes. Fresh shrimp or crabmeat can be added to enhance the seafood flavor. Also, you may opt to add cheese on top. Sharon Steckley, Geddes
COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS
Please send your favorite dairy, dessert and salad recipes to your local electric cooperative (address found on page 3). Each recipe printed will be entered into a drawing for a prize in June 2015. All entries must include your name, mailing address, telephone number and cooperative name. • Ma y 2015
5
Are You Up For the Challenge? Become A Bon Homme Yankton Electric Director Bon Homme Yankton Electric is making plans for its annual meeting. The meeting will be held August 18, 2015 in the Beseda Hall in Tabor. The director positions with three year terms expiring this year are districts three and five. Any person wishing to run for a directorship of Bon Homme Yankton Electric will need to file a nominating petition. The petition must have at least 15 signatures of members living in the appropriate district in Bon Homme Yankton Electric’s service area. Petitioners must reside in the district and have an active membership in the cooperative. The petitions are available in the main office and must be filed at the Bon Homme Yankton Electric office by 4:30 p.m. June 18, 2015. If you should decide to become a director, you should be aware of the responsibilities involved: 1. A director must be prepared to abide by and uphold the bylaws of the
R61 MONROE
R60 EMANUAL
R59
R58
WASHINGTON
SCOTLAND
T96 cooperative. 2. Directors act as trustees for T95 the assets of the cooperative and protect its assets. T94 3. They formulate, approve and T93 review policies to provide T92 guidelines for the cooperative. 4. The board is responsible for sending representatives to the associations to which the cooperative is a member. 5. Directors are asked to lobby and remain informed on pertinent legislative issues. 6. A great deal of reading and studying as well as attending seminars is necessary to keep informed of current local and nationwide happenings and how they AVON
JEFFERSON
HANCOCK
FRANKLIN
ALBION
SPRINGFIELD
JACKSON
CLEVELAND
BON HOMME
LINCOLN
TABOR
LITTLE TABOR
R57 ODESSA
LESTERVILLE
NORTH ZISKOV
SOUTH ZISKOV
R56 JAMESVILLE
R55
R54
MAYFIELD
TURKEY VALLEY
CENTRAL
WALSHTOWN
NORTH UTICA
NORTH MISSION HILL
SOUTH UTICA SOUTH MISSION HILL
MARINDAHL
VOLIN
GAYVILLE
RUNNING WATER
may affect the cooperative. 7. The board reviews financial reports, work plans, audits, approves purchases and evaluates the cooperative operations. 8. An important quality required of directors is responding to member’s concerns and questions. They need to be available to their constituents. 9. A good director must have a genuine spirit of wanting to help at all times.
There’s Still Time to Send Your Kids to North Dakota! 2 0 1 5 Yo u t h E x c u r s i o n Join teens from around the state for a three-day, expensepaid excursion to North Dakota on July 28-30, 2015. Transportation, lodging and meals are paid for by Bon Homme Yankton Electric due to our commitment to tomorrow’s co-op leaders. Learn “The Story Behind the Switch” and see where South Dakota’s electric cooperatives’ electricity is generated. Tour the Great Plains Synfuels Plant where coal by-products are turned into synthetic natural gas, the Freedom Coal Mine and Antelope Valley Station electric power plant. Spend time swimming, dancing and shopping with new friends from other rural electric cooperatives across the state. This trip is great for kids interested in science, the future of wind energy, jobs in the utility industry and making new friends from around the state. The Youth Excursion is available to current sophomores and juniors who are dependents of Bon Homme Yankton Electric members. Fill out the form and send it to: Bon Homme Yankton Electric, PO Box 158, Tabor, SD 57063 by May 8, 2015. Three people will be randomly drawn to attend the 2015 Youth Excursion. 6 May 2015 s COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS
Registration
Name: _______________________ Address: _____________________ _____________________________ E-mail Address: _______________ Parents/Guardian: ____________ _____________________________ Phone Number: _______________ School: ______________________ Circle: Sophomore Junior Circle: Male Female T-Shirt Size: ___
Co-op
News
Capital Credit Allocation Notices Sent In order to share more detailed information regarding the members’ capital credit accounts, full page allocation notices were sent out again this year instead of postcards. This notice indicates your share of the margins from previous years of electric energy sales. What are capital credits? Bon Homme Yankton Electric is a non-profit, member owned cooperative. This doesn’t mean there are no profits earned, but that any profits or margins that are generated are split amongst the members based on how much they spent on electricity for the year that is being allocated. I have several accounts, why do I only receive one notice? Even if you pay a bill for several locations, you have just one membership with the cooperative and will just receive one official allocation notice. If you would like more detailed information, contact our office. When do you issue refunds? In the past, capital credit refunds have been issued approximately every other year using a first in first out method. The 2012 refund included allocations from 1991 and 1992. Depending on the financial condition of the cooperative, the next refund is tentatively scheduled for the spring of 2015 and will start with the allocation for 1993. What happens if a member moves? Members cannot claim the balance of their account when they leave our system. As long as we have their current
Keep In Touch Contact Bon Homme Yankton Electric If: • You have a new mailing address • You have a new name • You have a joint membership and you have gotten divorced • A member has passed away • Your business or organization is no longer in existence
address, we will continue to send them their refund checks on our regular refund schedule. Several checks go unclaimed because we are unable to locate previous members. The Affidavit of Address form as well as a list of members with uncashed checks are available at www.byelectric. com. What if a member passes away? Upon the death of a member, the bylaws allow the capital credit account to be refunded at a discounted amount up to the date of death. 30 days need to pass after the date of death and an application has to be made, reviewed by our attorney and approved by the board. Do members have to pay taxes on their capital credit allocation? It is not required that capital credit allocations be reported to the IRS at the
time it is allocated. When the capital credits are refunded, the refund is only considered taxable income in relation to the same portion of the electric bill that was claimed as a business or farm expense in the year that it was originally allocated. Most members either report the allocation or the refund as taxable income for their farm, but you should not report both--just be consistent. If you always report the allocation but have already filed your taxes, you may save this notice for your 2015 taxes. For more information, members should contact their tax preparer. Contact the office if you have any questions regarding capital credits. The actual notice may differ than the sample below as we are still working on the format on the new computer system.
Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc. PO Box 158 Tabor, SD 57063-0158 605-463-2507 www.byelectric.com by@byelectric.com
Notice Date: Current Allocation:
57063-
CAPITAL CREDIT ALLOCATION NOTICE YEAR
KWH Usage
Patronage
0
$0.00
$65.93
$0.00
$65.93
1994
0
$0.00
$73.08
$0.00
$73.08
1995
0
$0.00
$67.46
$0.00
$67.46
1996
0
$0.00
$75.99
$0.00
$75.99
1997
0
$1,448.77
$55.72
$0.00
$55.72
1998
0
$1,385.29
$34.00
$0.00
$34.00
1999
0
$1,472.32
$36.67
$0.00
$36.67
2000
23,600
$1,505.66
$222.57
$0.00
$222.57
2001
24,200
$1,603.21
$216.42
$0.00
$216.42
2002
26,300
$1,660.57
$156.04
$0.00
$156.04
2003
23,800
$1,581.05
$112.59
$0.00
$112.59
2004
23,491
$1,618.58
$136.95
$0.00
$136.95
2005
25,358
$1,705.60
$141.96
$0.00
$141.96
2006
25,363
$1,690.82
$181.60
$0.00
$181.60
2007
24,696
$1,629.17
$101.68
$0.00
$101.68
2008
55,334
$3,004.93
$441.71
$0.00
$441.71
* You have a joint membership and you have gotten divorced
2009
94,969
$5,266.02
$703.52
$0.00
$703.52
* A member has passed away
2010
62,584
$4,098.43
$404.09
$0.00
$404.09
2011
50,712
$3,704.24
$20.36
$321.04
$341.40
* Your business or organization is no longer in existence
2012
36,895
$3,208.30
$0.00
$38.42
$38.42
$3,248.34
Current Allocation
$359.46
Total Allocation
You are part owner of Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc. and one way your ownership is reflected is through capital credits or patronage capital--your share of what's left over after the cooperative pays all its expenses. This capital is held for a time and then refunded using a first-in-first-out method.
1993
Total Capital Credit Allocation
Previous Allocation
9999999
$359.46
This is NOT a bill. Do NOT pay. Do NOT deduct this amount from any energy payments.
DOE, JOHN PO BOX TABOR SD
3/26/2014
Account Number:
$3,607.80
The allocation of the current year margins are delayed due to the margin stabilization plan. This means that margins for the balance of 2012 and all of 2013 have yet to be added to your account. For any questions about tax issues in regards to capital credit allocations or refunds, contact your tax preparer.
Contact our office if: * You have a new mailing address * You have a new name
* You have any other questions regarding this notice or anything else about your cooperative Remember: We can't send out your future refund checks if we don't know your current mailing address!
* KWH and Patronage were not available for all years. * Capital credits have been refunded up through 1992. Amounts are held until a check is at least $5.00 for active accounts and $10.00 for inactive accounts. * Patronage figures do not include sales tax or penalties. * The figures from multiple accounts are added together as a total for the membership.
See the May issue of the Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections for more information about capital credits!
SAVE THIS NOTICE FOR YOUR RECORDS
Cooperative Connections • May 2015 7
EMS Strong Emergency Responders are the Front Lines i n a region where the population is spread out
By Brenda Kleinjan
among small towns and some of the more remote areas of the state, chances are the emergency responders who answer your call for help are part of a volunteer crew. In fact, a July 2014 survey prepared by the Government Research Bureau of the W.O. Farber Center for Civic Leadership at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, found that many of the agencies surveyed for an Ambulance Provider Survey reported having higher numbers of volunteer personnel than either full-time or part-time staff. (Typically, full-time personnel are found at agencies in or around the state’s largest communities such as Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Aberdeen.) Nationally, the National Emergency Medical Services Week observation is observed in May each year. In 2015, it is May 17-23 with the theme
8 May 2015 • Cooperative Connections
“EMS Strong.” National Emergency Medical Services Week brings together local communities and medical personnel to publicize safety and honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services of medicine’s “front line.” For additional information, contact emsweek@acep.org. The first EMS Week was declared by President Gerald Ford in November 1974. It continued for four more years and was reinstituted by the American College of Emergency Physicians in 1982. It has been an annual event since 1982 and is currently observed in May. “Not everyone needs EMT services, but when they do, it’s nice to have it,” said Stephanie Horst, Director of Communications and Marketing at FEM Electric Association in Ipswich, S.D. Horst has been a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician
(EMT) with the Ipswich Ambulance Service just west of Aberdeen since 2010. “There was a need in the community,” Horst said of why she decided to undergo the training and testing to become an EMT. “It’s hard to pass the test, but that service is so needed in our rural communities. There are communities in South Dakota that are in dire need for people to step up and become EMTs.” Horst’s observation about the need for responders was noted in a state 2010 EMS Workforce Summit held in South Dakota. Observations made at the summit included that rural areas were being under served and there was a growing need for more people to start volunteering for rural and smaller town ambulance services. “At first I was worried if I could handle it, but with the training, the emotions get set aside. You’re there to help the person you’re responding to,” said Horst. While the Ipswich Ambulance Service has additional people working to become EMTs, it currently has five EMTs to cover calls in the community and area. EMTs are scheduled to cover 12-hour on-call shifts. The Ipswich service is not alone in needing more EMTs. According to the USD survey, 15 agencies reported having 10 or fewer active personnel on their rosters. Thirty-two reported having 11-20 personnel while 25 had more than 21 people. Horst estimated she will be on call 10 shifts a month, a number that has decreased as she balances demands of her full-time day job with the co-op. “In the last few months, I haven’t been able to be on call as much as I’d like,” said Horst. Horst said 24 hours of continuing education are needed annually to cover the state minimum requirements; however to maintain the national certification
that she and others on the Ipswich crew have requires 72 hours of training annually. That training, on top of the on-call shifts, can mean a significant investment in time to serving one’s community. But, the work can be rewarding. “It’s a way to give back. There’s a need,” said Horst. In 2011, Horst and fellow ambulance crew member Kelsey Holien teamed up to compete in the Trauma Wars competition at the South Dakota EMT conference. The duo went into a room not knowing the scenario they would face and were to respond to the scene, treat the patient and then transport the patient to a local hospital. As Horst and Holien (whose husband, Ryan, also works at FEM Electric and is a volunteer firefighter) competed, the co-op background helped play a role. “It happened to be that the scenario was an electrical contact,” Horst said. Countless hours of safety training at work came in handy. “It brings in the whole safety thing with our job. When you’re responding to a call, being safe is a priority. At the co-op, it’s something that’s drilled into us, too,” said Horst. Horst’s husband is also a firefighter in Ipswich. For firefighters, based on 2014 certification, there are 8,065 volunteer firefighters statewide and 430 paid firefighters. In 2013, volunteer fire departments account for the majority of the fire departments in the state – 326 – while career paid departments account for five and six departments are comprised of a combination of paid employees and volunteers. Statewide, the South Dakota Office of Emergency Medical Services certifies 123 in-state ground ambulance services and five in-state air ambulance services. To find out more about getting involved, contact your local fire department or ambulance service.
There are communities in South Dakota that are in dire need for people to step up and become EMTs.
Cooperative Connections • May 2015 9
Co-op
News
Scholarship Winners Calla Harper and Broc Mauch were each selected to receive $500 scholarships sponsored by Basin Electric. The scholarship program is designed to encourage and recognize the achievements of the children of our cooperative members. Calla will graduate from Irene-Wakonda High School this spring and has enrolled at North Dakota State University where she plans to major in marketing. She is the daughter of Arlene Harper and Clair Bakke of rural Irene. Broc will be a 2015 graduate of Yankton High School. He plans to study animal science/preCalla Harper veterinary at South Dakota State University. He would like to join a veterinary practice in the Yankton area. He is the son of Mark and Jan Mauch of Yankton. Congratulations to these outstanding students on their awards.
Generator for Sale Bon Homme Yankton Electric is accepting sealed bids for this Olympian/CAT generator. This generator is designed to be in an enclosure (not included). • Diesel • 50 kw • 3 Phase • Voltage 120/240/208 • 400amp Auto Transfer Switch • 400amp Manual Transfer Switch • 314 Actual Hours Contact the Operations Center to inspect the generator in person. Submit your sealed bid to: Sealed Bids, Bon Homme Yankton Electric, PO Box 158, Tabor, SD 57063 by 4:30pm on May 15, 2015 to be considered at the May board meeting. Bon Homme Yankton Electric reserves the right to refuse any and all bids.
PAY ONLINE @ WWW.BYELECTRIC.COOP 1 0 May 2015 • Cooperative Connections
Broc Mauch
Classifieds June Issue Deadline: May 1, 2015. Email your classified ad to: by@byelectric.com. Members can post one free ad per year. Repeats or longer ads are $1/column inch. FOR RENT: 1 bedroom apartment. Tabor Manor. Contact John at 605-463-2478 or Gary at 605-463-2209.r Thinking about building a home? Don’t pick a floor plan or a builder until you’ve talked with the area’s ONLY Certified Aging-in-Place specialist, Certified Green Professional Builder and ENERGY STAR Partner Builder. Call 4 Life Homes today. 605-661-4488.r Beseda Hall, Tabor, SD for rent for any special occasion such as weddings, anniversaries, graduation or birthdays! For more information contact Linda Bares at 605-661-6220 or snlbares@gmail.com.
Keep cool this summer! ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators are about 9-10 percent more energy efficient than models that meet the federal minimum energy efficiency standard. Source: energystar. gov
Haase Heating & Cooling
Dan Haase
Heating, Cooling, Heat Pumps We sell the best and service the rest
Bohemian Farmers Mutual
GT Repair & Autobody
R. Martin Koch, Secretary PO Box 206 Tabor, SD 57063 605-463-2558 1-800-868-1756
Glenn Tycz Tyndall, SD 57066
605-589-3018
If only the future was predictable. Farming is always a gamble. You never know when bad weather or other problems will strike. The only thing you can be sure of—you need quality insurance protection. Call our office today for a competitive quote.
Scotland, SD 57059 605-583-4490
We Repair and Install Windshields
Don Wynia’s Shop
Koranda Well Company LLC Tabor, SD 57063 605 - 463- 2244
Jonsered Mowers - Raven Electric Mowers - Kohler - Briggs & Stratton Small Engine Repair & Major Welding & Pick Up Service
Well drilling, repairing and cleaning Water Systems – Artesian Wells Sales and Installation
Call Don, 2 miles south of Tyndall
41566 306th St Tyndall, SD 57066
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Warm Air, Air to Air, Geothermal Heat Pumps WE DO EMERGENCY HOME REPAIRS Cooperative Connections • May 2015 1 1
Learning, Growing in
1,000 Hours E
xperience is often referred to as the best
By Brenda Kleinjan
teacher and for line workers embarking on their careers, getting that valuable experience will often involve a stint as a temporary 1,000-hour employee. The 1,000-hour employee helps cooperatives bridge the construction season gap. And, at the same time, newly-minted line workers gain valuable on-the-job experience, building upon their line school training with real-world experience. “We hire them to assist us. We like to hire them because they help us bridge that construction season gap so we can continue with our normal day-to-day activities that goes on 365-days a year,” said Brian Bultje, Operations Manager at Central Electric Cooperative in Mitchell, S.D. “Typically our busy time is the first week of April to the first of December. Those are our busiest and
12 May 2015 • Cooperative Connections
most demanding times,” said Bultje, noting that having additional help is beneficial. At Central, the 1,000-hour workers are considered utility workers. They assist with the ground work and working in non-energized situations “They’re here to learn – and help,” said Bultje. During their time at the co-op, they learn to run equipment. “Later on in their training they may go up in the bucket to work on de-energized lines,” said Bultje. “They are honing their craft and learning the basics on the job.” Bultje said during the course of their 1,000 hours, the temporary utility workers will help with a bit of everything at the co-op; they’ll go on outages with the crews, do elbowing for underground installations, install transformers and perform line
Left: 1,000 hour employee Nick Kramer, right assists a Codington-Clark Electric Cooperative crew with framing a pole for a pole change out south of Watertown in May 2013. Opposite Page: Kramer works on attaching a crossarm as part of the ground work he did during his 1,000 hour experience at Codington-Clark.
maintenance. “They do everything from setting a pole to burying underground and pulling underground,” said Buljte. “We ask them to do just about anything and everything our guys are doing once we get comfortable with them – except energized work.” And the temporary workers observe how crews operate and how energized work is done. “These hours go towards their apprenticeship hours worked,” said Bultje. A line worker needs 8,000 hours of work as an apprentice along with taking and passing a series of tests over a four-year period to become a journey line worker. An added benefit to the temporary 1,000-hour gig is that it provides a trial-run for both the worker and the co-op. “If we have openings, they are one of the first ones we take a look at. If they’re good at their job and fit in with the crew they’ll have the first shot at it,” said Bultje. “It’s a good way to get in the door. If you’re good at one cooperative and down the road you apply someplace else, the co-ops do talk,” said Bultje. Central and other cooperatives often hire past 1,000-hour workers when full-time positions become available. And, with a number of retirements among the line crew ranks in the future, more posi-
tions will be becoming available. “There are going to be a lot of retirees in the next five to seven years,” said Bultje. “The thousand hours gives you valuable experience and exposure to the co-op world.” This spring several electric cooperatives in South Dakota were looking to fill more than two-dozen 1,000-hour positions. Lake Region Electric Association in Webster, S.D., was among them. “We’ve been on an extensive retirement mode up here, so that 1,000-hour employee is important in our process,” said LREA Manager Tim McIntyre. “We’ve had some of our thousand-hour employees turn into full-time employees. You can kind of read what these guys are all about in that summer time frame,” noted McIntyre. Like Bultje, McIntyre said the 1,000-hour position allows the co-op – and the worker – to size one another up. “If they turn out to be exceptional employees, when we have an opening we keep that in mind,” McIntyre said. “It’s a good training process for them; it’s how they learn,” said McIntyre. “And we can tell if they’re worth their salt.”
The thousand hours gives you valuable experience and exposure to the co-op world.
Cooperative Connections • May 2015 13
Trio of Co-op Bills Pass Legislature t
By Brenda Kleinjan
he 2015 South Dakota Legislative Session found South Dakota’s electric cooperatives actively engaged in three main bills and monitored the progress of dozens of others. And, when the South Dakota Legislature gaveled out of its 39th and final day of the 90th Legislation Session on March 30, bills supported by the electric cooperatives on stray voltage, an issue with how a tax is calculated and a third bill dealing with production credits for wind energy, had all successfully concluded their legislative journey. But, it was a journey with a few bumps along the path – including a gubernatorial veto that was eventually overridden by the Legislature. The two key pieces of SDREA-supported legislation made it through the legislative process with only six dissenting votes. The Stray Voltage Bill, Senate Bill 131, had only “aye” votes throughout its journey through both chambers. Senate Bill 136,
14 May 2015 • Cooperative Connections
Above: Sen. Scott Parsley, D-District 8, Madison, confers with his seatmate Sen. Bernie Hunhoff, D-District 18, Yankton, at the start of a Senate session in Pierre. Parsley is the long-time Assistant General Manager of Member Services For East River Electric Power Cooperative in Madison, S.D.
what electric cooperatives referred to as the “Tax on Tax Bill” had only two nay votes throughout.
Left: SDREA Lead Lobbyist and Pierre attorney Darla Rogers testifies in front of the House of Representatives Taxation Committee about SB 136. Inset: Sen. Larry Tidemann, R-District 7, Brookings, testifies in favor of SB131 in front of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Tidemann was one of 37 legislators who signed on as a sponsor of the bill.
Another key piece of legislation watched by co-ops was SB180, which dealt with production tax for wind energy facilities. It, too, had overwhelming support, making its journey through the legislative process with only seven nay votes (and 149 yea votes.) “It is hard to imagine how SDREA’s 2015 legislative session could have been more successful. Our stray voltage bill (SB 131) passed the session without a dissenting vote, despite opposition from the dairy producers,” said Darla Rogers, the lead lobbyists for South Dakota’s electric cooperatives and the attorney for the South Dakota Rural Electric Association. “We were also successful in passing our “tax on a tax” bill (SB 136), over the objections of the
Department of Revenue,” said Rogers. SB136 had made it through the full House and Senate with only one dissenting vote on the floor (it garnered only one dissenting vote in committee) when it was delivered to the Governor for signature. The governor vetoed the bill which sent it back to both chambers to consider on March 30. The Senate voted to override the veto 31-1 and the House also voted to override with a 63-1 vote. To learn more about these bills and the fate of more than 400 other bills considered by the South Dakota Legislature this year, go to http://legis.sd.gov/Legislative_Session/ Bills/default.aspx?Session=2015. Left: Rep. Tom Brunner, R-District 29, Nisland, pictured at the center of the photo, reviews material prior to the start of business in the South Dakota House of Representatives. Brunner farms near Nisland and has been a director for Butte Electric Cooperative in Newell since 1991. He has represented Butte Electric on the South Dakota Rural Electric Association board of directors since 1994. Opposite Page: Ed Anderson, General Manager for the South Dakota Rural Electric Association in Pierre, testifies in front of the House of Representatives Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee about SB131. Cooperative Connections • May 2015 15
Regional Dateline April 23-25 Black Hills Fiber Arts Fair Rapid City, SD, 605-791-0711 www.blackhillsfiberartsfair.org
April 25 RiverRat Marathon and Bike Ride, Yankton, SD www.riverratmarathon.com April 27-29 Shrine Circus, Mitchell, SD 605-336-1117 May 1 Special Olympics Spring Games Watertown, SD 605-237-3933 May 2 S.D. Coin & Stamp Club Show Watertown, SD, 605-886-4609 May 2 Spring Market and Boats Jets and Pets, Rapid City, SD 605-716-7979 May 1-3 Shrine Circus, Rapid City, SD 605-342-3402 May 6-10 Black Hills Film Festival Hill City, SD, 605-574-9454 www.blackhillsfilmfestival.org May 9-10, 16-17, 24-25 NE Area Pari Mutual Horse Racing Aberdeen, SD, 605-715-9580
May 25 Annual Quilt Show Buffalo, SD, 605-373-3314 June 5-7 Black Hills Quilt Show & Sale Rapid City, SD, bhquilters.org
PHOTO COURTESY OF KAY BAIER
April 23-26 Shrine Circus, Sioux Falls, SD 605-336-1117
Events of Special Note
June 6-7 SDQG Quilt Show Aberdeen, SD, 605-228-3545
To have your event listed on this page, send complete information, including date, event, place and contact to your local electric cooperative. Include your name, address and daytime telephone number. Information must be submitted at least eight weeks prior to your event. Please call ahead to confirm date, time and location of event.
May 20-23 Shakespeare Garden Planting Festival Wessington Springs, SD 605-539-1529 May 22 Williams & Ree Comedy Show, Watertown, SD 1-800-658-4717 May 23-24 Black Hills Music Festival Spearfish, SD, 605-645-1880 www.bhmusicfest.com May 23-24 SDRA Foothills Rodeo Wessington Springs, SD 605-770-4370 May 31 Buffalo Ridge Chorale Spring Concert with guest musicians “Friends of Jazz” Christ Lutheran Church Hendricks, MN, 605-479-3438
May 31 Shrine Circus, Milbank, SD 605-225-4841 June 1 Shrine Circus, Watertown, SD 605-225-4841 June 3-4 Shrine Circus, Pierre, SD 605-225-4841 June 5 Shrine Circus, Mobridge, SD 605-225-4841 June 5-6 The Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD, 605-353-7340 www.sdbbqchampionships.com June 5-7 Wheel Jam, Huron, SD 605-353-7340 www.wheeljam.com
June 6 Sisseton Car & Motorcycle Show & Swap Meet Sisseton, SD, 605-698-3401 June 6-7 Spring Volksmarch Crazy Horse, SD 605-673-4681 June 7 Miss Prairie Village & Prairie Princess Pageant Madison, SD, 605-256-3644 June 7 Mickelson Trail Marathon Deadwood, SD, 605-584-3896 www.gfp.sd.gov June 7-13 RASDAK – Ride Across South Dakota Bike Tour Spearfish, SD, rasdak.com June 12 Northern Bull Riding Tour Madison, SD, 605-256-3844