NAECI - The Messenger - May 2025

THE MESSENGER

A Publication for North Arkansas Electric Cooperative Members

Ballots being mailed in May

North Arkansas Electric Cooperative (NAEC) will conduct the election for one board of director position in Izard County.

The position is at-large voting, so all NAEC members regardless of location are eligible to vote.

Members will receive an envelope with the NAEC logo from Survey & Ballot Systems around the third week of May. The Minnesota company is handling the election and tabulation of votes on behalf of NAEC. Along with the ballot, the envelope will include the 2024 Annual Report, candidate biographies and a prepaid postage return envelope to mail the ballot to Survey & Ballot Systems.

Ballots cannot be given to NAEC. They must be mailed to Survey & Ballot Systems and received by June 17 to be considered valid.

Members on the nominating committee (Joe Dillard, system-at-large; James Elbert, Izard County; Richard Hanson, Baxter County; Stuart Smart, Sharp County; and Jeremy Stone, Fulton County) met April 3. After consideration, they nominated Sonya Wiles.

In addition, Michelle Graetz was nominated by petition.

Results of the election will be published at naeci.com and in The Messenger.

The 2025 Annual Meeting will entail only a business session at 10 a.m. June 19. The location is expected to be at the co-op’s Salem headquarters as long as work has finished following flood damage. Please call NAEC at (870) 895-3221 or check the Annual Report to verify meeting location.

Members can watch Annual Meeting live at naeci.com; a recording also will be posted following the meeting to naeci.com.

Please call (870) 895-3221 or email info@naeci.com with any questions about the election process.

In appreciation

Enroll in free bank draft option

Automatic bank draft is NAEC’s most convenient payment option. Enrolling in this free service ensures your electric bill is paid on time each month and eliminates the cost of a stamp, a lobby visit or a trip through the drive-thru lane.

Automatic bank draft is an electronic transfer from a member’s checking or savings account to NAEC’s each month. You will continue to receive an itemized statement of the bill unless you also request E-Bill notifications only. On the due date of the 14th each month (or the next business day if the 14th falls on a weekend), the amount of the bill will be deducted from your bank account.

To enroll in automatic bank draft, please call NAEC at (870) 895-3221 during regular business hours; visit our office in Ash Flat, Mountain Home or Salem; or sign up through the Member Account Portal at naeci.com or the NAEC app.

Tornadoes cut path through territory

A crew from NAEC’s Mountain Home district clears debris from the right-of-way so that new poles and lines can be set off LaCrosse Road on March 16. At its peak the evening of March 14, more than 12,000 members were without power, and more than 350 poles were broken. NAEC personnel, contractors and line personnel from fellow cooperatives worked a week to get the lights back on. We thank our members for their patience and thank the individuals, businesses and organizations that helped with the restoration efforts.

REMEMBER & HONOR — NAEC offices will be closed May 26 in observance of Memorial Day. A dispatcher will be on duty, and personnel will be on call in the event of an outage. Please report an outage using the NAEC app or by calling (870) 895-3221.

Line technician Clint Ray works March 16 to restore service to members following tornadoes that tore through the area March 14 and destroyed the home he shared with wife Hannah and their two children. Read about his story in the May issue of Arkansas Living and at naeci.com.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIP OF THE MONTH

Lint and dirt should be cleaned from refrigerator coils every six months to a year — more often if you have pets. When coils are dirty, a fridge works harder, which can prevent the appliance from cooling properly and efficiently.

—energy.gov

Average Daily High: 66.98° compared to 65.02° in 2024

Average Daily Low: 46.1° compared to 41.28° in 2024

Total Rainfall Amount: 2.5” compared to 5.3” in 2024

Warmest Day: March 11, 83.6°

Coolest Day: March 6, 31°