West Georgia Technical College Receives $25,000 From Carroll EMC
by Douglas Salter, WGTC
West Georgia Technical College (WGTC) recently received a $25,000 contribution from Carroll EMC to support the Robert D. Tisinger Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance to eligible students pursuing a technical education. This scholarship is awarded each semester to students who live in a home serviced by Carroll EMC, or their parent or guardian’s home is serviced by Carroll EMC. The endowment was established in 2012 with a $50,000 donation. Since its establishment, the scholarship has provided more than $200,000 in assistance to over 400 students.
“Carroll EMC's generosity continues to create lasting opportunities for our students,” says Brittney Wells, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement at WGTC. “Their additional investment in the Carroll EMC Robert D. Tisinger Scholarship Fund demonstrates a deep commitment to education, workforce development and the communities we serve together. Because of partners like Carroll EMC, students can focus on achieving their goals, earning valuable credentials and preparing for successful careers that will strengthen west Georgia for years to come.”
In gratitude for Mr. Tisinger’s service to Carroll EMC and the community it serves, Carroll EMC’s Board of Directors established the Robert D. Tisinger Scholarship Fund at the University of West Georgia and WGTC. The fund supports scholarships for WGTC students, while also helping expand the local workforce of skilled technical college graduates and increasing access to higher education opportunities for Carroll EMC Members and their families.
"This donation honors the late Robert D. Tisinger and his lasting commitment to service and the communities he cared deeply about," says Tim Martin, President and CEO at Carroll EMC. "Through these scholarships, we’re proud to carry that forward and support students as they further their education and training right here in west Georgia.”
West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties, and class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers more than 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is one of the largest of the state’s 22 technical colleges. For more information, please visit www.westgatech.edu.
Understanding Your Electric Bill
August is typically one of the warmest months of the year, and that means air conditioners across our community are working overtime to keep homes comfortable. During periods of extreme heat, many Members may see an increase in their electric bill and wonder what factors contribute to the cost of electricity.
At Carroll EMC, we believe understanding your electric bill is an important part of being an informed Member. While the total amount due may seem like a single number, it actually reflects several different costs associated with delivering reliable electricity to your home or business.
The largest factor is often the amount of energy you use. Electricity is measured in kilowatt-hours (kwh), and the more energy your household consumes, the higher your bill will be. During the summer, air conditioning is typically the largest driver of increased energy use. When temperatures climb into the 90s or higher, our cooling systems run longer and more frequently, consuming significantly more electricity than they do during milder weather.
Another major factor is the cost of generating or purchasing electricity. The cost of producing electricity fluctuates based on fuel prices, including natural gas, coal and other energy resources used to generate power. Changes in wholesale power costs influence the price of electricity delivered to Members.
Transmission costs also play a role. Before electricity reaches your home, it must travel across a network of high-voltage transmission lines that connect power plants to local distribution systems. Transmission equipment requires ongoing maintenance and upgrades to ensure reliability, especially as electricity demand continues to grow.
Closer to home, Carroll EMC maintains the local electric distribution system—utility poles, power lines, transformers, substations and other essential equipment that safely delivers power to Members. Maintaining this equipment is covered through the monthly service charge. This is a flat monthly fee all Members pay, regardless of how much electricity they use. This fixed fee ensures all Members pay a fair share of the basic, operational costs required to keep the power grid reliable and ready to serve your home or business. Whether a Member uses a little electricity or a lot, we must maintain infrastructure and have crews, equipment and resources available to provide electricity around the clock.
Summer temperatures can also influence costs in less obvious ways. When the demand for electricity is high across a region, wholesale power prices can increase. Utilities and grid operators must ensure enough generation is available to meet peak demand, and those costs can be reflected throughout the electric system.
The good news is that simple steps to lower energy use can make a meaningful difference. Setting your thermostat a few degrees higher when you’re away, replacing dirty HVAC filters, using ceiling fans, sealing air leaks and avoiding the use of major appliances during the hottest parts of the day can help reduce energy consumption, lower your bill and reduce strain on the local grid during peak demand.
Carroll EMC’s mission is to provide safe, reliable and affordable electricity while being transparent about the factors that impact energy costs. We understand every dollar matters, and we are committed to making smart investments that keep the lights on and support the communities we serve.
If you ever have questions about your electric bill or co-op programs designed to help you save, please reach out. We’re here to help you make informed decisions that work for your household.
Thank you for allowing Carroll EMC to serve you.
You Missed Your Chance
Melissa switched to Crossbeam and didn't look back:
My old provider's bill kept creeping up, and the only way to lower it was to buy and manage my own router. No thanks. I switched to Crossbeam— friendly, helpful people, and when I called tech support they fixed my issue right away Then my old provider called with all kinds of deals to win me back. I told them they'd missed their chance.
Melissa, Crossbeam customer
Every year, Carroll EMC returns excess operating revenue back to its Members in the form of capital credits. That’s part of what being a not-for-profit electric cooperative is all about–Carroll EMC is owned by the Members it serves. Once you become a Member of the cooperative and pay the $15 membership fee, you also become part-owner. Capital credits represent each Member-owner’s share of Carroll EMC’s margins, or operating revenue remaining after operating expenses.
Carroll EMC’s Board of Directors announces the retirement of funds from a specific set of years, and the amount a Member receives is calculated based on their use of electricity for those years. Eligible Members will receive their check after the Board of Directors have finalized financial conditions. Members receive their capital credits as a check in the mail, which can be cashed, deposited or applied as a credit to their electric account.
Unclaimed capital credits are simply those checks that have not been claimed by Members. Carroll EMC is currently trying to locate former Members whose 2020 capital credits checks were issued but were returned undeliverable or have otherwise been unclaimed. Be sure to check the lists at carrollemc.com/ capitalcredits to see if you’re eligible to receive a patronage capital allocation. To claim a refund, contact Carroll EMC at (770) 832-3552.
The last possible date to claim these funds is September 10, 2026.
155 N. Hwy 113
Carrollton, GA 30117
member.services@carrollemc.com carrollemc.com (770) 832-3552
PRESIDENT/CEO
Tim Martin
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Alvin Ginn, Chairman
Donnie Brannon, Vice Chairman
Ronnie Jordan, Secretary/Treasurer
Don DeFoor
Eddie Gore
Nan Philpot
Lynn Joyner
Emmett Harrod
Delores Goldin
PRODUCED BY CARROLL EMC'S COMMUNICATIONS
TEAM
OFFICE HOURS
Carrollton
Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Buchanan
Monday and Tuesday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
24-HOUR OUTAGE LINE
To report a power outage, call (770) 832-3552, option 1.
Remember: If you have multiple accounts, you will need to enter your account number for that location.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Bright Ideas Grant Applications Open August 15
Operation Round Up is an elective program where Carroll EMC Members’ electric bills are rounded up to the next highest whole dollar amount each month. This spare change is collected from all Carroll EMC Members who choose to participate, and the funds go to the Carroll EMC Foundation.
Through the foundation, many grants and scholarships are awarded. One set of these is the Bright Ideas grants for local public shool teachers. If a teacher has a "bright idea" for an educational project for their students, they can apply to receive up to $1,000 for a grant to fund this project. Carroll EMC Foundation Trustees review all applications and select winners for each funding cycle. Projects can benefit students in pre-K through 12th grade and should incorporate creative and innovative ideas.
Applications can be found online at carrollemc.com and are open August 15-October 14.
Are You Prepared for Storms?
A little planning now can make a big difference later.
• Build an emergency kit with essentials like:
Water
Nonperishable foods
Batteries
Medications
Flashlights
• Charge phones, backup batteries and essential medical devices before storms move into the area.
• Only operate portable generators outside, away from doors, windows and vents.
September Office Closings:
Carroll EMC offices will close Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day. Carroll EMC offices will close Wednesday, September 16, for Disaster Day training. Please use the PaySite kiosks, mobile app, text-to-pay, website or automated phone payment system to make a payment during this time.
Carroll EMC has personnel on standby 24/7, year-round. Even on holidays, Carroll EMC is prepared for storms and outages.