Barton County Electric Cooperative News

91 West Hwy 160 Lamar, MO 64759 | Office: 417.682.5636 or 800.286.5636 | www.bartonelectric.com | facebook.com/BartonCountyElectric

Manager’s MessageCEO/General Manager

Jeff Hull

Your Bill, Youth Tour, Rates and Annual Meeting

Attention High School Juniors!

Deadline to enter is fast approaching.

BCEC is proud to sponsor two area high school juniors on 2018 NRECA Youth Tour trip to our Nation’s Capitol! You will travel with over 100

students from Missouri and nearly 1600 students from across America on a week-long all-expense

paid trip to Washington DC!

This year’s trip is scheduled for June 8th - 14th, 2018. Deadline to enter is Friday, March 9th, 2018. For more information call Sharla at 417.682.5636 or

get information at www.bartonelectric.com

Annual Meeting 2018

This year’s Annual Meeting will be Thursday, May 3 at Moore Pavilion. Registration will begin at 5:00 p.m. with a Chicken Mary’s meal and entertainment. The business meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Below you will find how to become a candidate for the board of directors, information on mail-in ballots and dates to remember regarding this year’s Annual Meeting.

Petition for Board Candidacy • All Board of Director candidates (incumbents

and new) shall run by petition. • Candidates are required to gather signatures

from fifteen (15) current Barton County Electric members.

• Official petition forms and qualification information will be available at the BCEC office or www.bartonelectric.com

• Completed petition forms will be accepted at BCEC headquarters from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. March 5, 2018 through April 6, 2018.

Mail-in Ballots • BCEC members will have the option to vote by

mail or in person at the Annual Meeting. • Members may request a mail-in ballot by

completing a request form. The request form is available at our office or by calling 417-682-5636 or 800-286-5636.

• Once you have received your ballot, carefully review the procedures to complete and return. If you have any questions please call the office.

• Please note mail-in ballots must be mailed. • Mail-in ballots must be received by the close of

business Wednesday May 2, 2018. • Ballots cast by business and church

organizations must be done by an officer of the organization or provide written authorization for action.

Weather and Your BillThis winter has proven to be one of extremes, one day, beautiful 60-degree weather and the next day 30 to 40 degrees colder. As a result, many of you have experienced larger than normal electric bills this winter. It has been a few years since we have seen usage like this. Your larger bills affected BCEC and KAMO in the same way. In January, we set some new peaks for demand, which explains why BCEC’s Power Bill was higher as well. The past few years, we have experienced mild temperatures with just a few extreme hot/cold days which have resulted in lower overall bills for our members. Don’t forget, we have ways to help you save on your electric bills, please call or stop in for more information.

Youth Tour It’s that time of year again where two area students will embark on a “Trip of a Lifetime” to Washington D.C. in June. School visits have been made and the deadline is soon approaching to enter. Our two representatives will join over 100 other Missouri students on an intense tour of our nation’s capital. If you are a junior in the area and interested, please contact Sharla for more information as soon as possible.

Continuing the Rate Conversation If you were at our Annual Meeting in May 2017 you heard me say, “we do not plan to raise rates until we absolutely need to”. I have also mentioned this a few times in my Rural Missouri news. The BCEC staff and I have been working daily since then to be certain we keep that promise. We have been looking at the past as well as the future to determine when the need for additional revenue will be necessary. What I do know, we will need to increase revenue in the near future. When we know more details on this information we will let our members know. I also want to remind members that our last rate increase of 6% was in April of 2014. We have absorbed increased power costs since then, as well as the increased cost to do business.

Annual Meeting is Around the Corner Thursday, May 3 is the date for the 2018 Annual Meeting. Preparation has begun as we look forward to seeing members and informing you what has happened this past year and what the future looks like. We look forward to an evening of fellowship with our members as we enjoy a meal from Chicken Mary’s along with music entertainment.

“The table is a meeting place, a gathering ground, the source of sustenance and nourishment, festivity, safety, and satisfaction.” ~Laurie Colwin

DATES TO

REMEMBERMarch 5 to April 6, 2018

Petitions accepted to run for BCEC Board of Directors

April 9 to May 2, 2018Mail-In Ballots will be accepted

Thursday, May 3, 20183:00 pm BCEC office will close to prepare for Annual Meeting

5:00 pm Annual Meeting registration meal/entertainment

6:30 pm BCEC Annual Meeting called to order

Good FridayOur office will be closedFriday, March 30, 2018

If you experience an emergency or outagecall 417-682-5636 or 800-286-5636

Shade your house March and April are excellent months to plant new trees, keeping in mind you’ll need to water them weekly when you don’t get at least an inch of rain.

It’ll take a while before trees you plant this spring produce shade, but they are worth the investment. Shade can reduce solar gain by as much as 9 degrees. And because cool air settles near the ground, air temperatures directly under trees can be as much as 25 degrees cooler than air temperatures above a nearby blacktop. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, strategically placed trees and shrubs can save up to 25 percent of home energy consumption year round and up to 50 percent on air conditioning costs. Even shading your room unit condenser with an awning, cover or shade from plants/trees can increase its efficiency as much as 10 percent. Plant trees on the south and southwest corner of your house to provide welcome shade in a few years. In fact, a 6-to 8-foot deciduous tree planted near your home will begin shading windows the first year. Depending on the species and the home, the tree will shade the roof within 10 years. Trees native to your area will have a better chance of surviving and thriving. Be sure you call Missouri One Call at 1-800-DIG-RITE or 811 before digging to ensure you don’t dig into buried utilities. Trees, shrubs and ground cover plants also can shade the ground and pavement around your home. This reduces heat radiation and cools the air before it reaches your house. Use a large bush or row of shrubs to shade a patio or driveway. Plant a hedge to shade a sidewalk. Build a trellis for climbing vines to shade a patio area. Plant vines to shade walls. Plant shrubs near the foundation to shade walls and windows. However, avoid allowing dense foliage to grow immediately next to the house where wetness and continual humidity could cause problems.

TO REPORT AN OUTAGECall 417.682.5636 or 800.286.5636

24 hours a dayBefore you call:

• Check breaker(s) in your home and below your meter• Check with your neighbors to verify they have power• To better serve you when you do call please have the

following information ready:• Name on the account you are reporting • Your six-digit BCEC location number

Bill Payment Options1. The Office

You are always welcome to stop by the office located

1 mile west of Lamar at 91 West 160 Highway

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.2. Drive-up Drop Box

located at our office available 24 hours a day

3. On-Line Bill Pay available 24 hours a day at www.bartonelectric.com

4. By Mailing ToBarton County Electric Cooperative

91 West Highway 160Lamar, MO 64759

5. Auto Payfrom your checking or savings account

or with your debit/credit card6. By Phone

Using your debit or credit cardMonday thru Friday 8am to 5pm 417-682-5636 / 800-286-5636

7. Prepay Call or stop by to learn more about how you can prepay

for your electricity

Your DirectorsKenny Owen, President

Kevin Taffner, Vice-PresidentTom Williams, Secretary/Treasurer

Barbara Barley Karl Morey Karen Nims

Matt Schlichting David StumpCharles Webb

Your CEO/GMJeff Hull

Barton County Electric Cooperative News March 2018

Electrical Safety in the NeighborhoodWhen thinking about your home or neighborhood, chances are you don’t picture power lines. They’re easy to overlook, stringing high above your roof, along property lines and roadways, or near trees. But the old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind,” may be dangerous—power lines pose serious electrical hazards if forgotten. Trees can be a power line’s worst enemy. Strong winds, storms, and heavy ice can topple trees or shatter branches that pull down power lines and cause outages. Sometimes, even if heavily damaged, lines remain energized with the potential to electrify trees and nearby objects.

Arcing and flashovers between power lines and trees are also dangerous. In winter, extra weight from snow and ice can bend or break tree branches, bringing them close to power lines.

During warm weather or when power lines are carrying heavy electrical loads, they can heat up and sag as much as 15 feet or 20 feet, dropping them toward nearby vegetation. Electric current caused by arcing or flashovers between power lines and trees in either situation can easily injure or even kill an individual nearby.

Follow these safety tips and be sure to pay attention to power lines: • Make sure to always look for nearby power lines

before you cut down any tree or trim branches. If a tree falls into a power line, contact BCEC.

• Treat all power lines as energized. Never climb or attempt to handle a tree that has a limb caught in a power line. You may not see any visible evidence that the tree is “electrified” or dangerous.

• Make sure to maintain required clearances between equipment and power lines.

• If a fire starts from a fallen power line, notify the fire department and your local electric co-op. Stay away from the site of the electrical hazard. Make sure others stay clear of the line and treat it as energized.

• Do not use water on or near a fallen power line.

Along with taking necessary steps to respond to an electrical emergency, you can help stop potential power line problems before they start by practicing these safety measures:• If you notice anything such as trees or branches that

might interfere with power lines or pose a serious threat, notify BCEC.

• If you are planning to plant trees on your property, make sure not to plant them directly under or within at least 25 feet of power lines for short trees, and at least 40 feet away for medium-sized trees.

• Shrubs, hedges, and other plants should be kept clear of electric towers and poles.

Recipe for

Pear Ginger Chutney

WEATHERPROVERBS

For recipes, gardening tips and weather forecasts, visit:

www.almanac.com

When the wind veers against the sun, trust it not, for back ’twill run.

When sheep collect and huddle, tomorrow will become a puddle.

If the wind is northeast at the vernal equinox, it will be a good season for wheat and a poor one for corn.

Dust in March brings grass and foliage.

The moon, her face if red be, of water speaks she.

Rheumatic pains indicate bad weath-er.

In March much snow, to plants and trees much woe.

5 cups pears, peeled, cored and chopped1/3 cup ginger root, chopped1 lemon, seeded and chopped2 garlic cloves, minced1 cup brown sugar

1 cup currants1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper2 tablespoons curry powder2 red peppers, seeded and chopped2 cups cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until sauce thickens, about 2 hours, stirring frequently. Sterilize jars according to manufacturer’s directions. Put hot

chutney into dry, sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch headroom; wipe the rims clean and seal the jars. Process jars in a boiling-water bath for 15 minutes. Remove jars and let cool. Makes 3 pints.

Weather lore says of March, “In like a lion and out like a lamb.” This month’s winds usher in warmer spring weather to come. In 1805, Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort devised a wind velocity scale, which

described a wind between 39 and 46 mph as a “fresh gale.” According to the scale (used by the National Weather Service in a modifi ed form), wind speeds of 73 mph and higher are classifi ed as a hurricane. In between the fresh gale (or gale) and the hurricane are the strong gale (47 to 54 mph), the whole gale (or storm, 55 to 63 mph), and the violent storm (up to 72 mph).

Town Meeting Day

This year, March 3 marks Town Meeting Day in Vermont, among other places. In rural communities across New England, Town Meeting Day is a chance to get out and about in the name of democracy and shed

a bit of winter cabin fever. Local scuttlebutt is considered, sides are taken and the not-so-silent majority has an opportunity to sound off. Mud season seems a suitable time for this foray into the community, although snow jobs are still possible and there’s a danger of icy glares.

Windy Wisdom

THE OLD

FARMER’S ALMANACFOUNDED IN 1792

Still have questions about energy effi ciency? Contact your local electric cooperative to ask how we can help.

Dear Pat: We’re wanting to make renovations to our home that will improve aesthetics and overall energy effi ciency. How can we make sure we hire a contractor who will do a good job and stay within our budget? — Bridget and Neil

Dear Bridget and Neil: Great question! Renovations can be the perfect time to improve your home’s energy effi ciency. To make sure you get those energy sav-ings it’s important to do some planning right from the beginning. The fi rst step is to educate yourself so you can be in control of your project. Helpful, easy-to-understand energy effi ciency information is available for vir-tually any area of your home and any renovation project. Just be sure to use reputable sources, like energy.gov, energystar.gov or your local electric co-op. You’ll need that knowledge so you can judge the solutions each potential contractor proposes. Some products or methods that are sold as effective ener-gy effi ciency solutions may not work as well as they claim, or may be too expen-sive relative to the energy savings they provide. If you live within a city’s limits, it’s important to talk to your local building department to fi nd out if your project requires a permit and inspections. Some contractors may suggest doing the work without a permit, but unpermitted work can cause problems if you need to fi le an insurance claim down the road or plan to sell the home. You also can use your newfound knowledge to ask the right questions of potential contractors. Ask about the product to be installed, the energy savings it should yield and whether it will improve comfort. Because energy effi ciency installations and construction are specialized, most measures are unlikely to be installed correctly unless the installer has experience and hopefully some appropriate training or certifi cation. Finding a contractor can be a challenge, especially in rural areas. To fi nd them, use your online search engine to “fi nd a contractor in your area.” If you’re in a sparsely-populated area, the right contractor may be located an hour or two away. Your electric co-op may be able to provide a list of approved contractors in your area. You can also check with a local energy auditor for contractor names. You may decide you’d like to hire a small specialty contractor or a larger general contractor. Either way, it’s crucial to hire someone with a contractor’s license, a local business license and three types of insurance: liability, personal injury and workers’ compensation. Check references to verify the contractor has a solid history of cost-control, timeliness, good communication and excel-lent results, including signifi cant energy savings. You might learn that your lowest bidder has a tendency to increase the price after the job has begun. As you choose between contractors, quality should be an even more impor-tant consideration than price. Poor-quality energy effi ciency work will not deliv-er maximum savings. Once you have settled on a contractor be sure to get a written contract. It should include “as built” details and specifi cations that include energy perfor-mance ratings you have researched ahead of time, such as:

• the name of the individual doing the installation • the specifi c R value, if you’re insulating • the make, model, annual fuel use effi ciency and COP (coeffi cient of per- formance) ratings if you’re replacing a furnace (and ask that an effi ciency test be conducted before and after the work is completed) • the make, model and energy effi cient ratio rating if you are replacing the air conditioner. Some contractors are able to check for duct leakage in the supply and return ductwork with a duct blaster if you’re doing furnace or AC work • whether the contractor must pay for the necessary building permits

Finally, be cautious about prepaying contractors. Keep the upfront payment as low as possible, set benchmarks the contractor must meet to receive the next payment, and make sure a reasonable amount of the payment is not due until the project is completed, passes building inspections and you are com-pletely satisfi ed. If you don’t feel qualifi ed to approve the project, you could even require testing or inspection by an independent energy auditor.

This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of Collabora-tive Effi ciency. For more information on hiring the right contractor, please visit wwww.collaborativeeffi ciency.com/energytips.

Who’s the

BOSS?

R M | H O M E C O M F O RT

When starting home renovations, make sure you and the contractor are on the same page right from the start

An energy auditor can help you determine the work you will hire a contractor to do, and may be able to suggest contractors that do quality work.

photo courtesy of United Cooperative Services