Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections April 2016

APRIL 2016

VOL. 16 NO. 12

Tech Ed

Building Skills for Workforce of Tomorrow

P8-9

Manager’s

Column

Clean Power Plan Paused Court Order Stay Approved on Clean Power Plan Rule Last month the Supreme Court ordered a “Stay” on the Clean Power Plan so the implementation dates for the rules are suspended until the final court hearing is held. This is good news for our members since this will give additional time to prepare for what might Merlin Goehring happen in the future to our General Manager Bon Homme Yankton Electric power costs. Our power supply provider has indicated that if or when the rules go into effect, they will have a major rate impact on our members. This could be an increase of 30% within a few years of the rules being enforced with an additional 20% increase by the time the final rule compliance would need to be met. What would cause this kind of increase you might ask? First of all, if our major power supplier has to start closing down power plants even though they were recently updated with improved clean air technology, we could end up paying large amounts of money for non-producing power plants since they may be shuttered before they can run long enough to pay for those improvements. In other words, we could have major stranded investments to pay for plus the new investments that will be required if the plans go forward as is or with substitute rules. The cooperative network will continue to follow these issues while the “Stay” is in place and being an election year and a replacement to Supreme Court is pending; I am not sure anyone has an answer on how this will all turn out; but stay tuned. Board Approves Upcoming Change in Facility Fee For the last couple of months your Board of Directors has been talking about our budget and the revenue shortfall that is projected for 2016. Due to many factors, including the continuous increase of our power bill for generation and transmission components and increases on our distribution system, we are going to need to increase revenues to meet our financial requirements of our Rural Utilities Services mortgage and other lender ratios. We are in the process of having a Cost of Service 2 April 2016 • Cooperative Connections

Study completed along with doing a rate review this spring. Once these items are completed, the Board will study this information in depth and consider taking further steps in setting goals to achieve the cooperative's financial requirements. Since the current 2016 budget shortfall is nearly $400,000, the Board has taken steps to put into place a facility fee increase of $7 per month starting May 1, 2016 which will be on your June bill. This increase will help recoup about half of the revenue needed to meet the financial goals. As in this past year, we will be looking at using funds from the Margin Stabilization Fund to get through the rest of the year to meet our mortgage requirements. If you recall, the purpose of this fund is to help even out the years' margins without having to change or adjust rates as often. The last couple years have had less than stellar performances financially due to lower sales and higher power costs. By reviewing our rate structure and looking at the current changes taking place in the electric industry, we are taking steps to ensure the revenue flow regardless of energy sales during the year. With all of our fixed expenses from generation, transmission, substations and distribution, we have to look at all of our costs prior to selling any energy to anyone. On the other side of this issue is the price of energy or the kwh use. If more of the facility or fixed costs are paid up front that will mean we should have the ability over a period time to reduce the rate blocks or at least decrease the number of those rate blocks and look at a flat energy rate component. Yes, this is going to be a change in the way things have always been done so it may seem a little concerning to all of us, but it will take time to do the study and review where we are with our rates today and what those rates will need to be in the future. Sometimes just the thought of a change makes us more anxious than what the actual change will be. That is why the staff and Board of Directors will be doing the review and taking time in establishing the future rates. We will keep you informed on any changes through this publication, with the billing, on our webpage (www.byelectric. coop) and on Facebook. Thanks again for taking the time to stay informed on the matters of your cooperative.

Board

Report

Facility Charge Increased (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 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.

The board approved an increase in rates effective May 1, 2016 to cover a portion of the shortfall predicted in the 2016 budget. The facility charge, also known as an access fee, will go up by $7.00 a month for most electric accounts. This fee is charged to cover a portion of the cooperative's fixed costs. These are costs that will occur even if no electricity is used. Fixed costs include maintenance, operations, billing and administrative expense as well as interest, depreciation and substation capacity. Members that fall under the following rate policies will see the increase on their bill dated June 1, 2016. • Policy 50-01 Farm, Rural Residential, Small Commercial Single Phase up to 25 kva of transformer size. • Policy 50-02 Town Residential • Policy 50-03 Three phase accounts under 75 kva in transformer size.

• Policy 50-04 Single phase large service from 37.5 to 100 kva transformer size. This change signifies an additional $56 per account for the eight months the rate will be in effect in 2016. All of the rates and rate structures will be reviewed in a board planning session after the cost of service study is finalized. The last rate adjustment was May 1, 2012.

Welcome New Members Menno Jacob Kopejtka Scotland Nathan Meyer Tabor Pechous Dairy Morgan Schenkel Marissa R Claspell Tripp Jeff Sedlacek

Tax Information As members get ready to prepare their 2015 tax returns, they have been calling our office asking if there is anything to report. 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.

Since we will not be sending out the allocation notices until April, you may want to save that notice for your 2016 taxes. If you report your refund check, we refunded capital credits for 1993, 1994 and a small portion of 1995. These checks were mailed out in June of 2015. For more information, members should contact their tax preparer.

Statement of Non-Discrimination This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

Cooperative Connections • April 2016 3

Safety

Tips

Power Tools and Equipment Safety Many do-it-yourself projects involve the use of power tools. Working with power tools requires skilled instruction and training. They can be deadly if not properly used or maintained. The most common scenario for power tool-related electrocutions is when the equipment comes in contact with live electrical wires while it is being used.

Facts and Statistics: • According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there are nearly 400 electrocutions in the United States each year. • Approximately 15 percent of electrocutions are related to consumer products. • 8 percent of consumer product-related electrocutions each year are attributed to electrical accidents with power drills, saws, sanders, hedge trimmers and other electric power tools. • 9 percent of consumer product-related electrocutions each year are caused by accidents involving the use of lawn and garden equipment and ladders, which come into contact with overhead power lines. Power Tool Safety Tips: • Use ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) with every power tool to protect against electric shocks. • Do not use power tools with an extension cord that exceeds 100 feet in length. • Never use power tools near live electrical wires or water pipes. • Use extreme caution when cutting or drilling into walls where electrical wires or water pipes could be accidentally touched or penetrated. • If a power tool trips a safety device while in use, take the tool to a manufacturer-authorized repair center for service. • When working with electricity, use tools with insulated grips. • Do not use power tools without the proper guards. • When using a wet-dry vacuum cleaner or a pressure washer, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid electric shock. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): • Safeguards on outdoor electric tools are there for a reason. Make sure that they are always in place before operating. • Invest in the safety goggles, hearing protection, dust masks, gloves and other safety gear as recommended for each tool. A few dollars now are well worth the lifetime of good sight and hearing that they are protecting. • Wear the appropriate clothes for the job. Wearing sandals while mowing the lawn is just asking for trouble. Source: esfi.org 4 April 2016 • Cooperative Connections

Kids’ Corner Safety Poster “Be careful of power lines.” Dani Carlson, 7 years old Dani is the daughter of John Carlson and Kristina Matucha, Burke, S.D. They are members of Rosebud Electric, Gregory, 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.

Reader

recipes

Appetizers and Beverages Hot olive puff 1 cup grated natural sharp cheese 3 T. soft butter 1/2 cup flour

powerhouse Green smoothie 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. paprika 24 stuffed green olives

Blend cheese with butter. Stir in flour, salt and paprika; mix well. Wrap 1 tsp. dough around each olive, completely covering olive. Bake at 400°F. for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. May be prepared ahead and frozen until time to bake. Carolyn K. Wickert, Baltic

1 (1 lb.) pkg. small cocktail bread, rye or pumpernickel 2 large cucumbers, sliced 1/4-inch thick Dill weed

Combine first 3 ingredients in bowl; mix well. Spread on slices of bread. Top with a cucumber slice and sprinkle with dill weed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Milk punch 2 quarts vanilla ice cream 1 bottle lemon-lime soda

Combine punch, milk and ice cream; stir until ice cream begins to melt. Add soda just before serving. Shirley Dreher, Clark

pepperoni Dip 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sour cream 3 oz. chopped pepperoni

In blender, combine all ingredients. Blend for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or until desired smoothness is achieved. Yields 1 serving. Serving size: 1-2/3 cups Nutritional analysis per serving: 290 calories; 7 g total fat (0.5 g saturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 31 g sugars; 17 g protein; 75 mg sodium; 502 mg potassium

sunrise smoothie 1-1/2 cups frozen sliced strawberries 3/4 cup milk 3/4 cup or 1 (6 oz.) can pineapple juice

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt 1/4 cup frozen pineapple pieces 2 T. sugar 2 T. orange juice 6 large ice cubes

Place all ingredients into blender. Blend until smooth. Garnish with fresh fruit. Serve immediately. Charlotte Hoverstadt, Webster

Glazed Meatballs

Jan Nelson, Belle Fourche

12 oz. fruit punch concentrate, thawed 2 quarts cold milk

2/3 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt 1-1/2 tsp. canola oil 1/2 cup ice cubes

Pictured, Cooperative Connections

Cucumber sandwiches 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 3 to 4 T. sour cream or real mayonnaise 1 (1 oz.) pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix, dry

3/4 cup seedless green grapes 1/2 cup ripe banana slices 1/4 cup chopped kale

1 lb. ground beef 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs 1/3 cup minced onions 1/4 cup milk 1 egg, beaten

1 T. parsley 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup bottled chili sauce 12 oz. grape jelly

Please send your favorite casserole, dairy and dessert 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 2016. All entries must include your name, mailing address, telephone number and cooperative name.

Combine first 7 ingredients; mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place in cake pan. Bake at 375°F. for 20 to 30 minutes, until browned. Mix together chili sauce and grape jelly. Warm in microwave 2 minutes. Place meatballs in slow cooker. Add sauce and warm for 2 to 3 hours. Margene Paige, Presho

1 can chopped green chiles, undrained 1 to 2 T. minced onion

Fruit Dip 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 (6 oz.) can lemonade

1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip

Combine all ingredients and put in a small baking dish. Bake at 325°F. for 30 minutes. Serve with crackers.

Mix together all ingredients. Serve with any kind of fruit.

Nancy Noess, Mitchell

Catherine Jungwirth, Ashton

Cooperative ConneCtions • April 2016 5

Co-op

News

ND Trip for Teens Teens from all over South Dakota will join together this summer for the Youth Excursion to North Dakota on July 25-28, 2016. The students ride in a deluxe bus, stay on a college campus, eat healthy meals, enjoy social activities and tour the huge power generation facilities that provide electricity to Bon Homme Yankton Electric members. Best of all, Bon Homme Yankton Electric picks up the tab as part of our commitment to tomorrow’s co-op leaders. Spend time having fun and making new friends from other rural electric cooperatives across the state. Students will leave for Bismarck, ND from Bon Homme Yankton Electric’s headquarters where they will receive transportation to meet the bus in Sioux Falls on July 25. The group returns late in the day on Thursday, July 28. Each participant will also receive a free T-shirt commemorating the fun event. Applying is the easiest part. The Youth Excursion is available to current sophomores and juniors who are dependents of Bon Homme Yankton Electric members. Fill out the form below and send it to: Bon Homme Yankton Electric, PO Box 158, Tabor, SD 57063 by May 6, 2016. Three people will be randomly drawn to attend the 2016 Youth Excursion.

2 0 1 6 Yo u t h E x c u r s i o n Registration

Name: _______________________ Address: _____________________ _____________________________ E-mail Address: _______________ Parents/Guardian: ____________ _____________________________ Phone Number: _______________ School: ______________________ Circle: Sophomore Junior Circle: Male Female T-Shirt Size: ___ 6 April 2016 • Cooperative Connections

Empty House, Higher Bill? The energy experts at Bon Homme Yankton Electric occasionally receive calls from members who are questioning their electric bill being the same or even higher than the previous month but thought it should be lower because they were out of town. Here are some things to keep in mind when comparing bills and when leaving home for an extended period of time: 1. Weather has a huge effect on your bill. If you were home during a mild month and the month you were gone turned very cold, your heating costs could go up even if you turned down the thermostat. This is also true for air conditioning season. 2. Human activity produces heat. Cooking, laundry, showers and body heat can all assist with maintaining the desired temperature. Without that activity the heating system has to work a little harder to maintain the temperature. 3. Lack of human activity can save energy. No cooking or laundry and keeping the door closed will all save kilowatt-hours, but your water heater, refrigerators and freezers will still be running even when you aren't there. 4. There may be electronics left running that you don't normally think about: alarm clocks, chargers, Internet equipment, "instant on" television sets and anything else that has a digital readout. The usage on these devices will not change when you leave unless you unplug them. 5. Don't forget about those outbuildings or outside equipment. Do you have an engine heater plugged in? Think about that fountain heater, electric fence or sump pump that will still be running when you are gone. 6. Part of your electric bill is set up at a flat rate to help recover some of the cooperative's fixed costs. Facility charges, transformer fees and security light rent will remain on your bill even if no electricity is used. 7. If you turn off everything for an extended period of time, make sure to winterize your property and drain all water lines. If you have any questions regarding the usage of your electric account, please contact the energy experts in the Member Service Department of Bon Homme Yankton Electric at 605-463-2507.

News

Briefs

U.S. Supreme Court Issues Stay on CPP

Rapid City Stevens Team Wins South Dakota Science Bowl

Electric cooperatives said they welcome the U.S. Supreme Court’s Feb. 9 decision to block the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan until all legal challenges to it are resolved. “Charging ahead with implementation of the Clean Power Plan would have caused immediate and irreparable harm to America’s electric co-ops,” said NRECA interim CEO Jeffrey Connor. “Had the stay not been granted, co-ops would have been forced to take costly and irreversible steps to comply with the rule, which is a huge overreach of EPA’s legal authority. The Clean Power Plan is a direct threat to co-ops’ ability to provide affordable and reliable electricity to their member consumers and should be erased from the books.” Under the 5-4 order, the Clean Power Plan is on hold until the Supreme Court either takes up the case and issues a final decision, or denies a request to hear an appeal. That means a final resolution might not come until 2017. A federal appeals court is scheduled to take up arguments on the case in June. Basin Electric Power Cooperative petitioned the Supreme Court Jan. 27 to stay the Clean Power Plan after a federal appeals court rejected pleas to halt the rule. NRECA, 38 electric co-ops and other utility interests joined the petition. The order, issued without explanation, responds to a similar request filed by 29 states and industry interests. Legal analysts noted that it is unusual for the court to issue such a stay when a regulation has been finalized, indicating the court has doubts about the plan’s legality. The Clean Power Plan sets carbon dioxide limits for each state to achieve an overall emissions reduction of 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. The rule’s compliance period was set to begin in 2022. It is aimed at fossil-fuel generation. NRECA has estimated that total compliance costs for electric co-ops could reach as much as $28 billion. An appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments in June. - By Cathy Cash/ECT.coop Staff Writer

Budding scientists from Rapid City, S.D., Stevens High School will represent the Rushmore state at the National Science Bowl April 28 to May 2 in Washington, D.C. The Stevens team had to beat another Stevens team to capture the South Dakota title on Jan. 23 in Huron. At the national competition, the top The Rapid City Stevens High School team of Coach 16 high school teams and the top 16 Angela Giffin, Alan Zhu, Gabriel Spahn, Joshua middle school teams in the National Morin-Baxter, Rachel Fenenga and Nathan Wiley Finals will win $1,000 for their schools’ will represent South Dakota at the National Sciscience departments. ence BowlApril 28 to May 2. Minnesota will be represented at the national competition by a team from Edina Senior High School in Edina, Minn.

Estimated 500 Attend Electric Cooperative Day at the Capitol When the dust settled on the 2016 Electric Cooperative Day at the Capitol, only two sets of prepackaged silverware were left from the box of 500. About 80 cooperative directors and employees from most of the state’s cooperatives attended the event. Attendees were able to attend committee hearings in the morning and visit with their local legislators. In the afternoon, Chairman Chris Nelson of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission provided an update on various topics and SDREA Lead Lobbyist Darla Rogers and her colleague, Margo Northrup, provided updates on SB127, the railroad/utility crossing bill. Participants were also recognized from the floor of the Senate and House.

COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS • April 2016 7

Skilled Education Technical Schools See to Tomorrow’s Workforce

T

By Brenda Kleinjan

wo South Dakota technical institutes are once again being recognized on the national stage for their efforts to educate tomorrow’s workforce. Highlighting the critical importance of improving student success in America’s community colleges, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program named Lake Area Technical Institute (LATI) and Mitchell Technical Institute (MTI) among the nation’s top 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the 2017 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and $1 million in prize funds, as well as Siemens Technical Scholars Program student scholarships. The Prize, awarded every two years, is the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges and recognizes institutions for exceptional student outcomes in four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and access and success for minority and low-income students. Both schools have made the list since the inception of the award and Lake Area Tech has been a Finalist with Distinction each time. Six Minnesota schools also made the list: Alexandria Technical and Community College in Alexandria; Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids; Minnesota State Community and Technical

Right: Classroom instruction is part of technical institute education. Here, a Mitchell Technical Institute instructor works with a student in the classroom. On the Cover: MTI instructor Jason Juhnke supervises a student in MTI’s Heating and Cooling Technology program. Photos courtesy Mitchell Technical Institute

8 April 2016 • COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS

College in Fergus Falls; Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Granite Falls, Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls; and Ridgewater College in Willmar. “Everyone in our organizations is focused on one mission: building South Dakota’s technically skilled workforce. Our students can be confident their education prepares them for in-demand technical careers; and business and industry can be assured our graduates are ready to tackle the challenges of today’s dynamic and technology-driven environment. As a system of four technical schools, we are committed to continually improving. National recognition like the Aspen College Excellence program affirms our efforts are making a difference,” LATI President Mike Cartney and MTI President Mark Wilson said in a joint statement. Nearly half of America’s college students attend community college, with more than 7 million students – youth and adult learners – working towards certificates and degrees in these institutions across the country. More than 6,300 students are currently enrolled in South Dakota’s technical institute system. “Community colleges have tremendous power to change lives and their success will increasingly define our nation’s economic strength and the potential for

social mobility in our country,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “This competition is designed to spotlight the excellent work being done in the most effective community colleges, those that best help students obtain meaningful, high-quality education and training for competitive-wage jobs after college. We hope it will raise the bar and provide a roadmap to better student outcomes for community colleges nationwide.” Tiffany Sanderson, director of South Dakota’s Division of Career and Technical Education, points out, “The four technical institutes in Watertown, Mitchell, Sioux Falls and Rapid City do an outstanding job of preparing students as skilled scholars, ready to contribute to business’ goals and the communities where they live. For half of our schools to be named to the nation’s top 15 percent of two-year colleges, speaks heavily to their quality.” South Dakota’s technical institutes came into being in 1965 as an extension of the K-12 education system. Since then, their status has changed to fully-accredited postsecondary institutions that award Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees in technical areas requiring unique training and education from other postsecondary institutions. Supporters for tech ed point out that the schools status under the South Dakota state constitution has not been recognized as the last change to the constitution dealing with postsecondary education was made in 1944. As a consequence, the state’s technical institutes lack a clearly defined and recognized status, they say. Voters in the November general election will be asked to consider supporting Amendment R – The Skilled Workforce Amendment, which advocates say will provide the foundation for fixing the shortage of skilled workers in South Dakota. The amendment would elevate the mission of the state’s four technical institutes to a constitutional mandate, allowing for a stronger voice in prioritizing state and federal assets in support of the technical institute mission and increase their output – entry level skilled workers. Amendment R is a result of a House Joint Resolution that was passed unanimously through both the House and the Senate and had proponents from the South Dakota Board of Regents, the governor’s office, business and industry, technical institutes and school districts. Without the mandate, technical institutes have no advocate to represent their realistic funding and program needs during the state’s appropriations process. Per student funding is significantly lower for technical institutes than it is for universities of K-12 districts. This creates staggering disparities, organizers with Tech Schools for South Dakota note. South Dakota’s technical institutes cost less to operate than two-year colleges in the six surrounding states, but receive less state support. Students are left to make up the difference, paying more than their counterparts at any two-year colleges in neighboring states.

Building a Better Future Build Dakota is a new scholarship program created through a $50 million investment funded by a $25 million donation from T. Denny Sanford and a $25 million contribution from the South Dakota Future Fund. Build Dakota Scholarships will be awarded to skilled scholars entering high-need workforce programs at South Dakota technical institutes. Build Dakota gives students entering South Dakota tech schools an opportunity to plan a foundation for their future. You’ll come out of school with no student debt and a set of skills in high demand, so you’ll be ready to hit the ground running and start your career right away. The scholarship application priority period is Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. However, some schools may still be accepting applications through March 20 for the 2016-2017 school year.

Program Details • Both in-state students and out-of-state students are eligible for the scholarships. • The scholarships will support tuition, fees, books and other required program expenses in the eligible technical institute programs. • Recipients of the scholarships will commit to living and working in the state, in their field of study, for three years following graduation. • In the first five years, a projected 300 scholarships will be awarded annually. Beyond the first five years, the endowment will support approximately 50 full-ride scholarships. Eligibility Requirements • U.S. citizen or U.S. national • Applicants need not be South Dakota residents Financial Need Demonstrated aptitude through one or more of the following: • The National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) or other industryrecognized certifications in the career area. • Technical, dual or concurrent credit courses taken in the career interest area. • Career and Technical Education coursework completed in the career interest area. • Work-based learning experiences, internships or work experience in the career interest area. • Enrolling as a first-time student. Student Commitment In accepting scholarship awards, recipients will agree to: • Enroll full-time in a technical institute program determined as a high-need workforce area in South Dakota. • Following graduation, work full-time in the field of study in South Dakota for a minimum of three years.

The Skilled Workforce Amendment: Recognizes today’s need for a job-focused post-secondary education system

Helps provide businesses with much-needed skilled employees

Educates skilled workers for immediate employment right here in South Dakota

Allows our technical schools direct access to government decision-makers

Clarifies where our technical schools fit in our state’s education landscape

Aligns South Dakota’s public education system with trends in jobs-related education

COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS • April 2016 9

Co-op

News

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 16, 2016 in the Beseda Hall in Tabor. Director positions with three year terms expiring this year are districts two and seven. 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 16, 2016. 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 cooperative.

R61 MONROE

R60 EMANUAL

R58

WASHINGTON

SCOTLAND

T96 2. Directors act as trustees for the assets of the T95 cooperative and protect its assets. 3. They formulate, T94 approve and review policies T93 to provide guidelines for the T92 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 may affect the cooperative. 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

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.

Classifieds

WWW.BYELECTRIC.COOP

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month

R59

Earth Day is April 22. Give back to the environment by planting a deciduous tree near your home. Deciduous trees lose their leaves during the fall, allowing sunlight to warm your home. The extra shade during summer months will keep your home cooler and give your AC a much needed break.

1 0 April 2016 s COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS

May Issue Deadline: April 1, 2016. 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.r FOR RENT: Tabor Self Storage. Call 605660-0247 or 605-660-3497.r FOR SALE: 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis LS 4 door sedan. Excellent condition. 22,000 miles! Call 605-6659257.

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Warm Air, Air to Air, Geothermal Heat Pumps WE DO EMERGENCY HOME REPAIRS Cooperative Connections • April 2016 1 1

Beyond Belief

Don’t Let Scams Make You an April Fool

A By Brian Sloboda

quick search of the Internet reveals many great ways to save energy around your home. Simple things, such as adding insulation or using energy efficient light bulbs, are simple and relatively inexpensive ways to save small amounts of energy. The same search will also reveal “amazing” products that claim to cut up to a third of your energy bill – without you changing anything about your energy use habits. Claims like this sound too good to be true, and there is good reason for that. These claims almost always turn out to be exaggerations or downright lies. An energy efficiency scam is generally easy for a person who works at an electric co-op to spot and identify. However, it isn’t so easy for most people. Scams generally center around misstatements of science or confusion over utility programs. A popular scam is a little box that promises to save you energy. The box is a device that supposedly saves energy without the consumer making any changes to behavior, turning anything off or adjusting the thermostat. The people who sell these boxes

12 April 2016 • COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS

often claim outrageous energy savings – sometimes as much as 30 percent or more. They often use terms, such as power conditioning, capacitors and power factor, all of which are legitimate industry terms. The sales pitch usually goes something like this: The device being sold will control alternating current, power factor and reduce the cost of electric bills. It will condition your power and make appliances last longer. The device uses no power and has no moving parts. It will make the motors in your home run better. The sales material often claims that the utility doesn’t want you to know about the device. That last part is actually true – because it is a rip off. Variations of the product have been sold to both residential and commercial customers. There are several questions that you should ask a salesman (or yourself!) when reading an ad for the next magical cure-all: 1. Does it violate the laws of science? Some products claim that they are capable of “changing the molecular structure … to release never-before tapped power.” Changing the laws of science is no

easy task. If the inventors truly can do this, the product will surely be sold at every store in the nation and they will become very wealthy. They won’t be mailing out flyers or operating from a poorly designed web site. 2. Was the product tested by an independent group like a national lab or university? If the performance of the product was not tested and certified by a lab or other entity not connected to the company selling it, then be skeptical. Call the third party group and talk to them. Sometimes scammers lie about the tests. 3. Is it too good to be true? In today’s economic times, saving money is top of mind. We want something to be true so that we can save money, improve our lives and feed our families. But wanting something to work doesn’t mean it will. Sometimes energy scammers contact consumers directly, either by calling or stopping by and claiming they represent the local electric co-op. Never give anyone personal or financial information who claims to be an employee of the co-op without confirming their identity. If they call, ask for a call back number, then verify their identity with your co-op. If they stop by, ask the person for a valid employee ID. The key is to be skeptical and ask questions. Asking tough questions and being skeptical will not offend honest people. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Brian Sloboda is a technical research analyst specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy for the Business Technology Strategies (BTS), a service of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

How to Spot a Scam

http://www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Publications/howtospotascam.asp

Scammers are constantly reinventing new ways to perpetrate old ploys. Whether you’re contacted by phone, mail, email, text or in-person, the following tips provide advice on how to spot a scam.

Look For These Tell-Tale Red Flags You are contacted out of the blue. Scam artists aim fake invoices, phony debt collection notices and spam emails at unsuspecting consumers hoping they will pay before checking their records. You should never send money or provide personal information to unknown or unfamiliar people or entities. For example: “Steve” received a call from a man with a heavy foreign accent who claimed to be calling from the IRS about supposed unpaid taxes. Steve knew he’d paid his taxes on time and didn’t owe any money. When the individual said he had to pay immediately to avoid a penalty, Steve hung up.

You are required to send money upfront to receive a prize. Legitimate companies never require someone to pay money upfront to receive a prize. Consider this: “Bill” received a mailing that claimed he’d won $1 million in an overseas lottery. The mailing stated that he needed to pay $500 for “taxes” to receive his winnings. Bill knew that foreign lotteries were illegal – and he certainly hadn’t entered one – so he tossed the mailing in the trash.

You are asked to send money via a wire transfer or “reload pack.” Scam artists often instruct consumers to send money by wire transfer or reloadable money packs. Sending money in these forms is the same as sending cash – it is nearly untraceable and once the money is sent, it is generally gone for good. Just consider: “Mike” received a call from someone who claimed to represent the “U.S. Government Grant Department.” The caller asked him to put $325 on a reloadable money pack and call back with the numbers on the back of the card to receive a $5,000 grant. Mike hung up because he knew that giving the number on the back of the card to the individual was as good as giving him cash.

You are asked to provide personal or financial information. Banks, government agencies and legitimate companies only ask consumers to provide personal information in rare circumstances and don’t do so by email or text message. Scam artists impersonate these types of entities and use deceptive messages to lure consumers into providing their private information so they can use it to commit fraud. Never provide your private information in response to an unsolicited call, email or text message. Instead, call the entity at the number listed on its website or the back of your card. For example: “Roberto” received a text message that appeared to come from his bank. It said he should call a toll-free number to reactivate his credit card. Roberto knew his credit card was working properly and didn’t recognize the texter’s

number. He called his bank using the telephone number listed on the back of his credit card, which confirmed the message was a scam.

You are asked to keep it a secret. Scam artists may ask consumers not to tell anyone about the situation so the consumer doesn’t get advice from someone who might detect the scam. If you are asked to keep a transaction a secret, you should do the opposite: immediately contact trusted family members or friends to investigate the situation and get their opinion: “Delores” received a call from a man she thought was her grandson, “Mike.” He said that he was in trouble and needed money fast. Mike claimed that he was embarrassed about the situation and pleaded with Delores not to tell anyone about the matter, especially his parents. After the call ended, Delores called her daughter, who said Mike wasn’t in any trouble at all.

You are asked to act quickly. Scam artists may say that there is a limited time to act in order to get people to pay money before they have time to think the situation through: “John and Mary” were in the market to sell their timeshare in the Bahamas. They received a call from a supposedly local Bahamian company that claimed it had found a buyer who wanted to buy the unit that same day and asked John and Mary to immediately pay a large upfront fee. When they asked for a few days to think about it, the individual claimed that they must send him the money that day or forfeit the opportunity. John and Mary let the “deal” go because they weren’t going to send money before they had time to review the documents and research the company. It’s a good thing they did, because this was a scam.

You receive payment in the form of a cashier’s check or money order. Scam artists can create counterfeit checks and money orders that look remarkably authentic. After your financial institution cashes a check or money order, it generally has up to two weeks to reverse the transaction. If the check or money order ultimately ends up being counterfeit, your financial institution will probably hold you responsible for any portion of the funds that were used or sent back to the scam artist. For example: “Terri” was trying to sell her car on an online classified site. One of the offers she received included a check for an amount greater than the sale price. The purported buyer told her the overpayment was for shipping and asked her to wire the money to a transporter. Terri asked her bank to look over the check. Sure enough, it was counterfeit. It’s a good thing Terri didn’t wire the overage to the transporter, because her money would have been gone for good.

It sounds too good to be true. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Consider this: “Rhoda” received a mailing that offered an “exclusive” work-at-home opportunity earning $5,000 a week. Rhoda became suspicious when she noticed the bulk mailing stamp on the envelope. She asked herself, “how many others had received a similar offer?” A quick Internet search told her that thousands of people apparently had – and the offer was a scam.

COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS • April 2016 13

America Mobilizes for Energy Efficiency Progress since the first Earth Day continues into the future

A

pril 22 will mark the 45th celebration of Earth Day. The rallies and marches in the spring of 1970 called for more attention to protecting the environment. If you measure the success of that cause by greater energy efficiency, the results have been remarkable and the future holds great promise.

By Paul Wesslund

Here are a few examples of increases in energy efficiency during the past decades: • The fuel economy of cars and other motor

14 April 2016 • COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS

vehicles in the U.S. has improved from 12.2 miles per gallon in 1975 to 17.6 in 2013. You might think this would mean cars have lost some of their “giddyup,” but horsepower steadily increased during that time, and 0-60 mph acceleration went from 14 seconds to 8 seconds. • New light bulb technologies shine when it comes to using less energy. The Department of Energy says that from 2001 to 2010, lumens per watt rose from 45 to 58. That resulted in a 9

percent drop in the amount of electricity used for lighting during a decade when the number of bulbs increased 18 percent. • The Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR® program of efficiency ratings for everything from appliances to buildings says people bought 5.2 billion ENERGY STAR-rated products, saving $34 billion in energy bills since the program began in 1992. Here’s what experts predict for the future. The Department of Energy reports that super-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs saved $1.8 billion in energy costs in 2013, and that $39 billion would be saved if all bulbs switched to LEDs. A report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy says “There are large and cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities that, by 2050, can collectively reduce energy use by 40 to 60 percent relative to current forecasts.” “The best is yet to come,” says Brian Sloboda, an energy expert with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Sloboda sees “amazing new technologies” that will continue the progress in energy efficiency. He cites lighting as an example of how far we’ve come and how far we can still go. Light bulb efficiency has skyrocketed in the last 20 years, from incandescent lights, to compact fluorescent lights (the curly CFL bulbs), to LEDs. A promising new technology, OLEDs – organic light emitting diodes, isn’t even a bulb, but lighting made of flexible material that can be applied to a variety of surfaces. “Instead of having ceiling lights, the ceiling would actually be made of OLED material. During the day it looks like a regular ceiling, but at night the ceiling itself would glow,” says Sloboda. “Instead of having light poles or roadway lighting, you could actually make the OLED material into the roadway so the stripes on the road provide the lighting. It could completely change the way architects design our buildings.” The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEE) lists a variety of steps for a more efficient future. Those include better energy habits in our own lives, more efficient electronic equipment and smart systems (like thermostats) that adjust to your daily schedule. “If we aggressively pursue these efficiency opportunities,” says the ACEEE, “we can roughly double the rate of efficiency improvement in the next 35 years relative to the past 35 and reduce energy use to half the current forecasts.” Paul Wesslund writes on cooperative issues for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.

Residential Lighting Goes High-Tech By Brian Sloboda and Laura Moorfield Until recently, homes were lit with a single technology – incandescent lamps. This is the bulb that generations of Americans learned by, lived by – and even ate by. But those days are long gone. Over the past 20 years, electric co-ops have promoted efficient lighting by adding CFLs to the mix. In 2012, about 30 percent of U.S. residential sockets were filled with CFLs, with incandescents making up the remaining 70 percent. Today, LED bulbs and fixtures are increasingly preferred in many residential and commercial applications for their efficiency, quality of light and compatibility with automatic controls. Changes to federal lighting standards went into effect for incandescent bulbs in 2007, when Congress passed and President George W. Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), which included provisions to reduce the energy use of everyday light bulbs. At the same time, through industry efforts and government investment, LEDs dramatically improved in performance and dropped in price, making them appealing options for many applications. In the first quarter of 2015, traditional incandescents accounted for just nine percent of the market share in household lighting. EISAcompliant halogen incandescent replacements made up more than 44 percent of the market, with CFLs at 40 percent. And although the percentage of LED sales has increased dramatically over the last year, they made up just over 6 These innovative OLED panels percent of the market share in the first quarter are only 0.7mm thick, but they of 2015. produce bright illumination with a LEDs offer features beyond energy efficiency. visual quality unrivalled by other Some LEDs are part of a system that allows the light sources. http://www.usa.lighting. user to turn off lamps – or even change their philips.com/products/oled.html color – via a smartphone app. This makes the LED lamp more of a consumer electronic than just a light bulb. LEDs are essentially computer chips, so they are more difficult to produce than incandescent bulbs. This is one product where cheaper versions often produce a life span and color that is not what the consumer wants. Higher quality LEDs from reputable brands – such as GE, Philips, Cree and Sylvania to name a few – have tested well. However, some fixtures inside the home do not work well with LEDs. Consumers with older dimmer switches often find that they must purchase newer switches to work with the LEDs. Consumers should pick LED lamps that come with a solid warranty in case there is a problem with quality. What’s next? While LEDs are still on the cusp of becoming our everyday lighting, there are other technologies in development. Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are similar to LEDs in that they are solid-state devices that produce light when current passes through them. But unlike LEDs, they are made up of multiple, organic semiconductive layers that produce diffused light. OLEDs are extremely thin and flexible, which has enabled them to be effectively used in displays, like mobile phone screens and TVs. Manufacturers are developing OLED lighting as well—primarily for decorative architectural panels at this point, although some OLED lamps are available today. It appears that the age of the LED has begun. They are shatter resistant and have a long life. And yes, some even come with their own app. Brian Sloboda is a program manager specializing in energy efficiency for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Laura Moorefield consults for utilities, state and federal governments, and non-profits on energy efficiency, renewables, and program design. Laura founded Moorefield Research & Consulting, LLC in 2013. She currently resides in Durango, CO and is a member of La Plata Electric Association. COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS • April 2016 15

regional Dateline

March 17-19 SD High School State AA Boys Basketball Tournament PREMIER Center/Sioux Falls Arena, Sioux Falls, SD 605-224-9261 March 17-19 SD High School State A Boys Basketball Tournament Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Rapid City, SD, 605-224-9261 March 17-19 SD High School State B Boys Basketball Tournament Barnett Center, Aberdeen, SD 605-224-9261 March 18-20 South Dakota Taxidermy Competition and Convention Watertown, SD, 712-540-5868 March 19-20 Curt Carter Memorial Gun Show, Watertown, SD 605-793-2347 March 19-20 Black Hills Motorcycle Show Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Rapid City, SD, 605-381-0467 April 1-3 Annual Hats Off to the Artists Art Show, Faulkton, SD 605-598-6525

Events of Special Note May 20 11th Annual Custer Stampede Buffalo Art Auction Unveiling Custer, SD, 605-673-2244

Photo CoURtESY of CUStER StamPEdE BUffalo aRt aUCtion

March 17-19 SD High School State AA Girls Basketball Tournament PREMIER Center/Sioux Falls Arena, Sioux Falls, SD 605-224-9261 www.sdhsaa.com

May 27-October 10 Legends in Light® Laser Light Show, Nightly, Crazy Horse Memorial, Crazy Horse, SD

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.

April 2 Spring Coin and Currency Show, Elks Lodge Watertown, SD, 605-882-4663

April 7-9 Jackrabbit Stampede Rodeo Swiftel Center, Brookings, SD 605-692-7539

April 2-3 Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series Sioux Falls, SD, 605-367-7288

April 8-9 Lakota Omniciye Wacipi Black Hills State University Spearfish, SD, 605-642-6578

April 2-3 Spring Big Boy Toy Show Brown County Fair Grounds Aberdeen, SD, 605-229-3632

April 8-10 Sioux Empire Film Festival Sioux Falls, SD, 605-367-4616

April 2-3 Oahe Home Builders Show Expo Center, Fort Pierre, SD 605-280-9688 April 2-3 Zonta Spring Craft Show Northridge Plaza, Pierre, SD 605-280-5806 April 7-9 Forks, Corks and Kegs Deadwood, SD, 800-999-1876

April 8-10 South Dakota Quilters Guild Spring Retreat, Rapid City, SD 605-895-2509 April 9-10 Dakota Territory Gun Show Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Rapid City, SD, 605-394-4115 April 14 Red Green “I’m Not Old – I’m Ripe” Tour, Sioux Falls, SD 605-367-4616

April 15-16, 22-23 Schmeckfest, Academy Campus Freeman, SD, 605-925-4542 April 23 RiverRat Marathon Riverside Park, Yankton, SD 605-660-9483 www.riverratmarathon.com April 23 Jeff Dunham: Perfectly Unbalanced Tour Sioux Falls, SD, 605-367-7288 April 24 Jeff Dunham: Perfectly Unbalanced Tour Rapid City, SD, 800-468-6463 May 7 Avera Race Against Breast Cancer, Sioux Falls, SD 605-322-8900 June 10-11 Two Rivers Exposition, Expo Center, Fort Pierre, SD 605-224-8686