CENTRAL’S 80TH ANNUAL MEETING IS MAY 23 Doors open at 5 p.m. with entertainment by the Cowboy Jones band
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t’s that time of year again – time for the Central Electric Cooperative 80th Annual Meeting. Central is a memberowned cooperative, and the Annual Meeting provides the opportunity for members to participate in the business of their electric cooperative. Members will be able to visit with their Central board of trustees and employees and hear reports regarding Central’s activities during the past year. “Empowering Our Communities” is the theme of this year’s meeting. Central will highlight how the cooperative is working to become increasingly more involved in the communities that make up our service area. Annual Meeting will take place on May 23, 2019 at the Payne County Expo Center in Stillwater. Doors will open at 5 p.m. with entertainment by the Cowboy Jones band. The band performs vintage vibe country and original Red Dirt music. Comprised of the core duo Bob Wiles and Anthony Pierce, the band also hosts a cast of Oklahoma’s finest pickers. Entertainment will conclude and registration will close at 6:30 p.m. with the business meeting beginning at 6:45 p.m. Registered Central members in attendance will receive a $20 restaurant gift card at the conclusion of the meeting and a $10 credit on their July electric bill. Watch your mail for the official meeting notice, and please bring your official notice to the meeting. We look forward to seeing you on May 23!
For attending, members will receive: $10 bill credit on July bills
$20 meal card at end of meeting
NIGHT LIGHT ATTENDANCE GIFT
Meeting festivities include: Entertainment by the cowboy jones band
booth displays by area chambers of commerce
Members in attendance will be entered into drawings for: Apple Watch • Google Home • Nest Thermostat • Roomba vacuum • Amazon Echo
SPRING 2019
Central Board of Trustees: Bill Davis, President (District 7) Raymond Nettles, Vice President (District 6) Carol Dvorak, Secretary/Treasurer (District 3) Gary McCune (District 1) Stu Preston (District 2) Len Tontz (District 4) Mark Pittman (District 5) Clyde Habben (District 8) Hunter Robinson - Interim GM Empowered Editors: Larry Mattox - Director of Communications Bailey Lefthand - Digital Marketing Specialist Cordelle Elsener - Marketing & Communications Specialist
www.MyCentral.coop facebook.com/MyCentralCoop twitter.com/MyCentralCoop instagram.com/MyCentralCoop
Upcoming: Central Electric Cooperative 80th Annual Meeting May 23, 2019 - Payne County Expo Center Central’s offices will be closed Monday, May 27, 2019 in observance of Memorial Day. Contact Us: editor@MyCentral.coop 405-372-2884 | 800-375-2884 3305 S. Boomer Rd. | P.O. Box 1809 Stillwater, OK 74076
Central Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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THE COMMITMENT OF LINEMEN
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ational studies consistently rank power line installers and repairers among the most dangerous jobs in the country, and for good reason. Laboring high in the air wearing heavy equipment and working directly with high voltage creates the perfect storm of a dangerous and unforgiving profession. But linemen are up to the task. These brave men and women are committed to safety, as well as the challenges of the job. Central’s linemen Hunter Robinson are responsible Interim GM for keeping power flowing day and night, regardless of national holidays, vacations, birthdays, weddings or other important family milestones. Beyond the years of specialized training and apprenticeships, it takes internal fortitude and a mission-oriented outlook to be a good lineman. In fact, this service-oriented mentality is a hallmark characteristic of linemen. The job requires linemen to set aside their personal priorities to better serve their local community. To perform their jobs successfully, linemen depend on their years of training, experience and each other to get the job done safely. Equally important is their reliance on a strong support system at home.
A linemen’s family understands and supports their loved one’s commitment to the greater community during severe storms and power outages. This means in times of prolonged outages, the family and their lineman may have minimal communication and not see each other for several days. Without strong family support and understanding, this challenging job would be all the more difficult.
In Oklahoma and across the country, electric co-op linemens’ missionfocused mentality of helping others often extends beyond their commitment to their work at the co-op. Linemen are often familiar figures in the community. They can be found coaching youth sports teams, volunteering for local charities and serving on local advisory boards. The 113th Congress designated April 18 as National Lineman Appreciation Day. Given the dedication of Central’s lineworkers, both on and off the job, I encourage you to take a moment and acknowledge the many contributions they make to our local community. And if you see their family members in the grocery store or out and about in the town, please offer them a thank you as well.
BE SAFE THIS SPRING n FLYING TOYS AND POWER LINES DON’T MIX
Carney Public School receives grant Peggy Wolfe, Central Community Foundation board member (middle), presents a $2,115 grant to Carney Public Schools to purchase AEDs, trauma kits and first aid kits for each building on campus. Pictured left to right are Mana Avers, Stillwater Medical Center nurse; Melissa Newport, Carney Public Schools superintendent; Cade Sellers, student; Ty McCorkle, student; Paige McSpadden, student; Peggy Wolfe, Central Community Foundation board member; Sarah McFadden, student; Haleigh Otti, student; Kylie Simon, student; Rachel Moehle, Carney Elementary School Principal.
FOUNDATION BOARD APPROVES GRANTS
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he Central Community Foundation, established in 2006, is a charitable organization that distributes funds to individuals and organizations throughout the communities within Central’s service area. Funding is available in one of the following categories: Health Care, Disaster Relief, Education and Personal Needs. Funds will not be used to pay electric bills, nor will they be used for political purposes. Each month, Central members have the option to round up their electric bill to the nearest dollar and that money is put into the Operation Round Up fund. On average, $6,500 each month goes into the Operation Round Up fund. To date, Operation Round Up has given more
than $564,000 dollars to individuals and organizations throughout Central’s service area. The Central Community Foundation board meets bimonthly to review grant applications. Organizations can receive a maximum of $10,000 in one year. Individuals can receive a maximum of $2,500 in one year and $500 under the category of personal needs. The following grants have been made this quarter: $1,600 to Stillwater Girls, Inc. for improvements at Camp Stapley $2,115 to Carney Public Schools to purchase Automatic External Defibrillators
Kites, drones and other flying toys are made for wide-open spaces ... far away from electric lines. Kids need to know the danger of coming into contact with power lines. Teach them to stay safe. Never allow children to fly toys in areas where power lines are nearby. Help children understand safe play by showing them where it is and isn’t safe to fly. Then watch to make sure they follow the rules.
n TIPS FOR PLANTING TREES – Look up before you plant – Call OKIE before you dig (800) 522-6543 or 811 – Don’t plant trees or shrubs in power line right-of-ways – Know the mature height and spread (diameter) – Determine safe distance planting by doing the following: • Take 1/2 the mature spread (in feet) • Add 15 feet to that number • The total is the minimum safe planting distance from the pole of the right-of-way – If the tree you’ve selected has a 50 foot mature spread. Half of that is 25 feet. Add 15 feet and the total is 40 feet. This is the minimum safe planting distance from the center of the power line right-ofway. – Call Central when you’re unsure of the minimum safe planting distance at (800) 375-2884.
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| www.MyCentral.coop From left: Lauren Selman of Stillwater, Eli Calderon of Cushing, Omar Abouzahr of Stillwater, Jake Grim of Perry, Paeton Watkins of Stillwater, and Tanner Thomas of Stillwater.
STUDENTS VIE FOR YOUTH TOUR D.C. TRIP AND SCHOLARSHIPS
Stillwater’s Tanner Thomas and Paeton Watkins will represent Central in D.C.
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competition. The finalists presented their ideas to a panel of judges and a room of parents, teachers, principals, Central Electric Cooperative board members and employees on March 26.
are Jake Grim of Perry High School, Eli Calderon of Cushing High School, Omar Abouzahr of Stillwater High School and Lauren Selman of Stillwater High School.
The Central Youth Tour is a two-part competition open to all service area high school juniors. Students submitted essays or videos on the topic: Imagine life 10 years from now. What does energy use look like? What technologies do you see impacting energy use?
“It was great to hear what student leaders in our service area think energy needs will be in 10 years and how the role of electric cooperatives might be affected. In just a few years, they may be working with us in the industry or participating as member-consumers, so it’s important that we hear their ideas,” said Daniel Thrasher, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Marketing.
Out of 38 submissions, a panel of judges selected the top six students to compete in the final portion of the
Thomas and Watkins were selected for the Youth Tour trip this summer. Recipients of the $250 scholarship
Thomas and Watkins will join 69 other students from across Oklahoma and more than 1,000 students from more than 40 states in Washington, D.C., June 14-20, 2019, in the annual Youth Tour sponsored by rural electric cooperatives. The itinerary for the Oklahoma students includes Smithsonian museums; national monuments, like the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials; the United States Capitol; the Supreme Court; and the Arlington National Cemetery. The students will also meet with Oklahoma’s congressional delegation.
tillwater High School students Tanner Thomas and Paeton Watkins were selected to represent Central Electric Cooperative and the state of Oklahoma on the all-expensepaid trip to Washington, D.C., as part of the electric cooperative Youth Tour. Four $250 post-secondary education scholarships were also presented.
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Check with Central before making appliance purchases
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ore than two billion kilowatthours. That’s a lot of energy! In this case, it’s the electricity members like you are projected to save through their investment to date in efficient appliances, light bulbs and equipment installed and rebated through the Take Control & Save energyefficiency program that is provided by Central Electric Cooperative and our power provide Associated Electric Cooperative. Those savings are enough to power about 120,000 homes like yours for one year in the three states served by member cooperatives. They also exceed generation requirements projected to be saved by 2032 through the program when it was launched in 2008. As a member, you might ask, “Isn’t conserving energy counterintuitive to an electric co-op’s goal?” Not necessarily. Energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective resources that your cooperative system provides. It costs Central’s power provider a lot of money to build new generation, whether that’s coal, gas, wind, solar or hydroelectric, and then operate and maintain it. The 51 cooperatives in the three-tiered system, in fact, consider energy efficiency a generation source. Through conservation, it reduces demand and the need to invest in more infrastructure. “The TC&S program started as a way to educate members how to save and conserve energy. When cooperatives offer money to members to ensure they will use less energy, that shows the commitment we have to them and our communities,” said Scott Blue, member energy services specialist at Associated, who coordinates the TC&S program. “We listen to our members, and study how these rebates can benefit our system as a whole.” For TC&S’s first 10 years, Associated and participating cooperatives invested more than $61 million in the program.
Central has new rebates for 2019 including a $50 rebate for advanced thermostats like the Nest. Visit our website at www.MyCentral.coop then click on Residential and Rebates to download a rebate form.
M REBATES Available appliances rebates include: M ENERGY-STAR-rated heat pump water heaters – up to $500 rebate. M Electric water heaters – $50 rebate M ENERGY STAR-rated room air conditioners – $50 rebate M Ground source heat pumps - up to $750 per ton rebate M Dual-fuel and mini-split heat pumps - up to a $150 per ton rebate M Advanced thermostats for heating and cooling systems *Rebates cannot exceed 50 percent of total cost.
On the residential side alone, here are some of the achievements by year-end 2018: 29,401 ENERGY STAR appliances rebated 25,636 high-efficiency water heaters rebated 15,831 heat pumps rebated 11,692 residential energy audits 6,524 weatherization improvements The benefits extend to schools and businesses too; 1,616 of them have participated in the business lighting program during the past seven years, saving 57,873,298 kWh of electricity every year. For more information visit www.mycentral.coop.
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C E N T R A L E L E C T R I C C O O P E R AT I V E
SAVE MONEY WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY REBATES
| www.MyCentral.coop
SEE YOU AT THE ANNUAL MEETING
Annual Meeting is core to Central’s mission of “Empowering Members and Communities”
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ost of us lead very busy lives. We find ourselves multitasking, constantly checking phones and email to keep up with the demands of modern life. Thanks to technology, we can accomplish many tasks electronically and remotely to be more efficient. And with so many pressing obligations, we like to protect our “spare” time. Invitations to attend in-person meetings and gatherings are weighed carefully as we decide whether or not our time and effort to attend is beneficial. The answer to the question, “what’s in it for me?” must be compelling. You may think attending Central’s annual meeting would be easy to lump into the “no benefit to me” category. However, I’d ask you to think again. Central exists to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy to its consumer-members (that’s you!). Equally important is our mission of “Empowering Members and Communities.” This is where you can help. As a member of the
Bill Davis | District 7 Central Board President
community, you have a perspective that is valuable – and we invite you to share it with the co-op. At the annual meeting, we will discuss priorities and challenges affecting cooperatives, the financial health of the organization, and the priorities for the coming years. Central is one of the few local organizations that is uniquely positioned to bring together all members of the community. It is worth noting that the health of the co-op and the well-being of the community are closely intertwined. Perhaps you may feel that you have nothing to add to the discussion, so there is no need to attend the annual meeting. However, every energy bill you pay to the co-op helps ensure better service and reliability for the whole
FOR LEASE
SERVICES
Professional Office For Lease on Main Street in Stillwater. 1800 sf, $1500 month. Text Gail for more info 405-612-9815
Dr. Myers Chiropractic – Luther • Real “Hands-on” 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 Randomized Drug Testing Program (Consortium) Call 405-277-3325
for sale Fish & Ski Boat fully reconditioned 2017, 15 feet, 90hp Mercury w200hrs total time, 2 live wells/ captain seats, fish finder, life jackets, Skis, will pull 2 people, $3500. Raylon Rogers 918-269-8270 Antique 1927 Wall Mount Tank Toilet and Bowl - off white, excellent condition for age. $1,000 less than comparable. $2,000 OBO 405-624-2803 Two miniature mules. Coming 3 year old/5 year old, both studs $100 each 405-714-9343 4 French carved antique chairs, very old and special appraised at $350/ea. Will sell best offer. 405-282-0625
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community. Your dollars are reinvested locally into improvements that impact the reliability and affordability of your energy, and Central wants to hear from you to better inform our decisions as we plan for the future.
Operation Catnip Stillwater - Free spay/neuter/vaccination clinics for stray/feral/barn cats. Humane traps & instructions provided. 7 clinics held each year at the OSU Vet School. Call 405-466-5810 or visit operationcatnipokstate.edu for dates & info. Visit Operation Catnip Stillwater Facebook page. $$ MINERALS $$ Still paying top dollar for O & G Minerals. Let’s talk 405-206-9394 Professional Sheep Shearing;580-336-8766
While Central provides convenient electronic options for bill-paying and communication, there are times when there is no substitute for inperson engagement. When members of our community come together for a common purpose, we improve the quality of life for all in our corner of the world. If you’ve never attended our annual meeting, or if it’s been awhile, please stop by. Our co-op family looks forward to visiting with you! We’ll have entertainment, fun and door prizes, and members will receive a $10 bill credit on their July bills and a $20 restaurant gift card at the conclusion of the meeting. So mark your calendar for the annual meeting on May 23, we look forward to seeing you there.
Each member is limited to ONE free classified ad per month. The length of ad cannot exceed the space provided below. Ads run only one time and must be resubmitted to appear in the next edition. Return the completed form by mail to P.O. Box 1809, Stillwater, OK 74076. Forms may also be dropped off in person or email your ad request to editor@mycentral.coop.
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C E N T R A L E L E C T R I C C O O P E R AT I V E
Empowering Our Communities Central Electric Cooperative had a booth at the Stillwater Home Builder Association’s 30th Anniversary Home and Garden Show April 6th and 7th. The cooperative shared helpful safety tips, provided information on rebates, and provided demonstrations on energy efficiency and the cooperative’s use of drones to inspect power lines.
Overloaded electrical circuits are a major cause of residential fires. Lower your risk of electrical fires by not overloading your home’s electrical system.
Safety starts with you. MAY IS ELECTRICAL SAFETY MONTH
www.MyCentral.coop /MyCentralCOOP
PO BOX 1809 | STILLWATER OK 74076
CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE’S
ANNUAL MEETING THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019 Payne County Expo Center, Stillwater Doors open at 5 p.m. MEETING BEGINS AT 6:45 P.M.
DOOR PRIZES • ENTERTAINMENT • GIVEAWAYS www.MyCentral.coop /MyCentralCOOP
PLEASE BRING YOUR official meeting notice.