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Empowered is a monthly newsletter for members of

FIRST FIBER ZONES OPENED

Centranet, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Rural Electric Cooperative, recently opened the first fiber zones, allowing Central members to sign up for fiber internet service. “This is an exciting time for Central members,” said Mark Prather, President of Fiber. “Some of the members we are serving have never been able to receive high-speed internet at their homes. Providing Centranet to under-served members is core to our mission.” The fiber project will cover Central's entire service area and is expected to take 5-7 years to fully complete. The first zones have opened service to approximately 10% of the membership, and zones are expected to continue opening as construction concludes in more areas. Central members can check availability in their areas and sign up for email updates at CentranetFiber.com. Zone openings will be posted to Centranet's social media. Search Centranet Fiber on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Check availability in your area! Visit CentranetFiber.com and click CHECK AVAILABILITY

ENTER YOUR ADDRESS

To see if you are in an open zone! Centranet is available to approximately 10% of members at this time.

If your zone is open, you may sign up for service. Otherwise you will be added to our email list to receive updates.

UPDATE FROM THE CEO

BYLAW AMENDMENTS TO BE ON OCT. 7 BALLOTS SEPTEMBER 2021 Central Board of Trustees: Carol Dvorak, President (District 3) Stu Preston, Vice President (District 2) Bill Davis, Secretary/Treasurer (District 7) Gary McCune (District 1) Len Tontz (District 4) Mark Pittman (District 5) James Wells (District 6) Hunter Robinson - Chief Executive Officer Empowered Editors: Larry Mattox - Director of Communications Kory Frazier - Marketing and Communications Specialist Ivy Hill - Marketing and Communications Specialist

www.MyCentral.coop facebook.com/MyCentralCoop twitter.com/MyCentralCoop instagram.com/MyCentralCoop

Notice: Central’s office will be closed Monday, September 6 in observance of Labor Day. Central Rural Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

bylaws visit MyCentral.coop/bylaws. Printed copies are also available at our office.

The Central board of trustees is bringing three bylaw amendments to the membership to be voted on at this year’s Annual Meeting on October 7. Members will find specific information about each amendment on Central’s website, MyCentral.coop/ AnnualMeeting and in the official notice that members will begin receiving later in September.

This year’s proposed bylaw amendments will help position the cooperative better for the future:

 The first proposed amendment removes the requirement for a written membership application, The bylaws are important allowing for a simpler, more Hunter Robinson, convenient experience for to the cooperative as they Central CEO serve as an “owner’s manual” new members signing up for for cooperative business. service. Unlike the articles of incorporation, the bylaws aren’t filed with the state.  The second amendment will Rather the membership and board help increase member engagement agree to abide by the guidelines of the opportunities for the democratic bylaws for operating their business. process by providing more flexibility Because of this, changes to the bylaws in meeting attendance and voting through amendments requirements by must be approved by allowing the registration a majority vote of the of a member to count membership at the toward quorum annual meeting. requirements.

DEMOCRATIC MEMBER CONTROL

Since bylaws require a majority vote to be amended, generally only extensive issues of long-term significance to the membership are covered in the bylaws. Central’s bylaws cover items such as the requirements for membership, the rights and liabilities of members, member meetings, responsibilities of the board of trustees, the cooperative’s nonprofit operation, financial transactions and more. To read the cooperative’s

 The third proposed amendment states that the co-op will not retire capital credits to members who are in long-term debt to the cooperative. We hope to see you on Oct. 7 where you will have the opportunity to vote on this year’s proposed bylaw amendments. If you have any questions regarding the amendments, please call our office or visit with the trustee in your district.

RELIABLE & AFFORDABLE

The focus of Central's power provider From the White House, a proposed plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and create a carbonfree power sector by 2035 means power generators like Central's power provider, Associated Electric Cooperative, must intensify efforts to maintain reliability and affordability with responsibly-generated electricity. Associated is owned by and provides wholesale power to six regional transmission cooperatives who provide that power to 51 local electric distribution cooperative systems in Missouri, southeast Iowa and northeast Oklahoma that serve 2.1 million member-consumers. “Our mission mirrors the priorities of the member-owners served by our system, who want reliable, low-cost electricity,” said David Tudor, Associated’s CEO. “We have navigated changes in presidential administrations, policies and regulations over many years and will continue to do the right things, for the right reasons, at the right times.”

Renewable leadership A cornerstone of any plan to reduce carbon includes increasing renewable power sources like wind, which are variable, not reliable — only available when the wind is blowing or, in the case of solar power, when the sun is shining. Today, no battery technology exists that duplicates the reliability of traditional generation like nuclear, coal or natural gas plants. Associated has been a renewable power leader, bringing utility-scale wind farms to Missouri in 2007 and contracting to buy all the power produced by the wind farms. Since then, Associated has increased its total to eight wind farms. The two most recent wind farms were added in 2020. Hydropower is another Associated renewable resource, purchased through a long-term contract with the federal government. Reliability concerns “Associated’s renewable resources have been carefully located n SEE “FOCUS,” PAGE 4

Associated and the six transmission cooperatives built and maintain one of the largest co-op grids in the nation, ensuring reliability.

RENTAL SAFETY Are you planning to rent a scissor or boom lift? A backhoe? When you rent, borrow or use equipment that will either elevate you or break ground, be sure to use it safely. Whether you are a novice do-ityourselfer eager to embark on a lofty project or you have used the type of equipment before, keep these safety tips in mind: Z Before using equipment, obtain proper training. Prior to each use, follow the manufacturer’s checklist to verify it is in good working order. Z Always evaluate and assess your location before using anything that elevates you. Look up and look out for power line locations, and do not use equipment underneath or near a power line or utility pole. Keep in mind your equipment’s reach (height and width) when fully extended, and make sure it will not get too close to a power line. Follow the 10foot rule: Keep 10 feet between yourself or an object you are holding and a power line or pole. Z If you rent a backhoe, a post hole digger or other digging equipment, be sure to call 8-1-1 three days prior to starting your project. The locating service is free and marks all public underground lines. You are responsible for having all private underground lines and pipes marked, such as those that service an outbuilding, sprinkler system, invisible fence or water system. If you or a previous homeowner had the lines installed, they are likely private.

n FOCUS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

for sale 1979 GMC Feed Truck 1 Ton, $2,000 or $3,000 with the feed equipment. Call 405-206-8951, Meridian Three male Great Danes for sale, eight weeks old, second set of shots July 10. At six weeks weighed 13lbs. Call 405-315-8771, please leave a message

SERVICES Dr. Myers Chiropractic, Luther Real “Handson” physical adjustment $35 total office visit. Truck Driver DOT health card $75. Truck Driver DOT drug test $45. Truck Driver DOT alcohol test $45. Truck Owner FMCSA (DOT) Compliant. Call 405-277-3325 Alterations by Jody. Alterations and mending. No job too small. Quick turnaround. Work guaranteed. Call 405-743-9654, Stillwater

SUBMIT YOUR AD Submit your ad by email to editor@mycentral.coop by the 5th of each month! Ads will be edited and run as space allows.

DRIVE-THRU

and integrated into our owner’s transmission systems so they can be supported with reliable coal and natural gas plant resources,” Tudor said. “You can find no greater example of the value of those 24/7 power sources — coal and natural gas — than the February winter storm, where our cooperatives avoided rolling blackouts as utilities all around our system put customers in the dark.” Affordability is key Rural America needs affordable power for their homes, farms and businesses. That is clear from triennial survey results where members say it’s a top priority and concern. Associated ranks among the lower-cost wholesale power suppliers in the country and that is by design, not accident. “When we make decisions, the cost is near the top of the list: does this

A realistic plan will take time Associated is working hard to preserve member benefits in a changing industry with increasing challenges. The cooperative has been educating state and federal legislators about the realities of an overly aggressive White House plan and the choices power generation companies face. “Technology that doesn’t exist today must be developed to store renewable energy effectively and affordably, while high-voltage transmission networks need upgrades to handle the changing generation mix reliably,” Tudor said. “These key elements will take lots of time and money. We are working to make sure legislators understand this.” For more information, visit aeci.org.

Make plans to attend Annual Meeting! DRIVE-THRU ANNUAL MEETING OCT. 7, 2021 - 3-7 P.M.

Choose your location!

Lincoln Co. Fairgrounds • Chandler Logan Co. Fairgrounds • Guthrie Noble Co. Fairgrounds • Perry Payne Co. Fairgrounds • Stillwater

Watch your mail for the official notice! 4

make good economic sense for our members?” Tudor explained.

perry 77

64 412 177

stillwater 33

guthrie

18 105

CHANDLER 44