GUNNISON COUNTY ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop 7MARCH 2016

OOnce a month, we have a meeting of the department heads at the main headquar-ters. Nothing huge, just progress updates and lots of brainstorming. After our last meeting, Line Superintendent John Stoe-ber and I reflected how, in the 1940s, the single purpose of the Gunnison County Electric Association was to get power to its members and make it reliable; how Gunnison residents pulled together and helped create that straightforward mecha-nism to get power to the valley. That simple purpose evolved into the power and communication network on GCEA’s infrastructure.

When Mountain States Telephone Company wanted to extended into the Gunnison Valley in the late 1940s, the infrastructure it needed was already in place. It simply attached lines to GCEA’s power poles. A joint use agree-ment was signed to bring telephone and telegraph communication to members. That marked the beginning of a sym-

biotic relationship to provide power and communication to the valley. Now, decades later, on the broad shoulders of the power and communication industry sits the technology industry. Maybe this should all be considered one endeavor in this day and age.

Over decades, GCEA’s power poles, which were not designed to hold cable other than power lines, were re-engi-neered and replaced at the cost of the joint users to accommodate communication and technology transmissions. The reduc-tion of cable weight on the power poles by the introduction of fiber optics into the valley and over-the-air data transmission cleaned up the “spaghetti.” Also, requests by members for cables to go underground led to the cooperative installation of miles of underground conduit that preserves the beauty of the valley. Overall, this evo-lution of GCEA’s infrastructure became a benefit to more than just members on so many levels.

Looking toward the future, I asked several people what they thought the power industry would look like in the fu-ture. To make it interesting, I interjected the acceleration of technology and the symbiotic relationship with the power industry with the introduction of energy efficiency, green power and renewable resources. Will the power industry as we now know it be radically different?

So, I give you a similar assignment. When you are pecking away at your human/technology/interface “thingy” (powered by electricity), do a web search on the list of potential power sources listed below and how the future might look for you:Inertial confinement fusion; space-based solar power; third-generation biofuels; photovoltaic transparent glass; micro Stirling engines; tidal turbines; thorium reactor; ocean thermal energy conver-sion; and (for fellow Trekkies) antimatter reactors.

If You Build It, They Will ComeCHRIS SCHODORF || INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR

CO-OP CALENDARMARCH 13 Daylight-Saving Time Begins

MARCH 17 St. Patrick’s Day

APRIL 4 Summer Office Hours Begin Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

WE WILL BE CLOSED Every Other Friday Beginning Friday, April 8, 2016

EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIESErica Soerensen GIS Technician, 21 years

Carol Townsend Line Locator & GIS Technician, 14 years

Sherry Booth Executive Assistant, 10 years

Alantha Garrison Energy Use Specialist, 9 years

Tracy Wheeler Member Support Specialist, 6 years

Congratulations to Crested Butte Member Support Specialist Marnie Joslyn on being nominated as one of the best customer service individuals in the “Best of the Butte” newspaper edition in Crested Butte. Thank you for all your hard work throughout the years.

CONGRATS TO MARNIE JOSLYN

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop4 MARCH 20168

CEO Mike McBride is especially pleased to announce three GCEA directors were recently hon-ored by the National Rural Electric Co-operative Asso-ciation for receiving certification at the highest level for director education. Paul Hudgeons, Chris Morgan and John Vader are applauded for their efforts and earning Director Gold Program certificates. Per NRECA, “This credential recognizes directors who have earned their CCD and BLC credentials and are committed to continuing their education throughout their service on the board.”

NRECA promotes education and train-ing for multiple roles in the electric coop-erative industry. In this capacity, NRECA assists in the education of cooperatives’

elected directors. In honoring the dedi-cation of the GCEA directors, McBride acknowledges appreciation for the board’s requirement for all directors to earn Cre-dentialed Cooperative Director certifica-tion within the first 12 months of a direc-tor’s service. He notes the advantage for staff and members to have an educated and informed board. An additional NRECA education program, the Board Leadership Certificate, was completed by Hudgeons, Morgan, Steven Schechter and Vader.

GCEA is excited to sponsor the at-tendance of two young adults from the service territory at the Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp in July. As a part of GCEA’s commitment to the community it serves, it sends students to Leadership Camp near Steamboat Springs at the Glen Eden Resort.

Dane Johnson of Gunnison and Ryan Myers of Crested Butte were selected to represent GCEA at the 2016 Leadership Camp this summer. They will join nearly 100 students from electric cooperatives in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Wyo-ming for a week filled with learning about cooperatives while developing leadership skills that will help them in their future endeavors.

Dane Johnson, Gunnison

High School

Ryan Myers, Crested Butte

Community School

On January 5, Gunnison County Electric Association and Colorado Country Life donated books to the Ann Zugelder Library in Gunnison. Most of the books, pictured above with GCEA Marketing and Communications Assistant Logann Peterson (right) and library employ-ees, are recent publications that will be of interest to library patrons. The books are a mix of fiction and nonfiction, including books by Colorado authors. Happy reading.

BOOK DONATION

Youth Camp

In Gunnison County, install insulation to achieve a minimum level of R-49 in the attic. In crawl spaces, insulate either the wall or the ceiling, depending on where pipes or ducts are located. Install insulation to a minimum level of R-13 on crawl space walls or R-30 on crawl space ceilings.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY CORNER

BOARD MEMBERS EARN GOLD STATUS

GC

Paul Hudgeons John VaderChris Morgan

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop 9MARCH 2016

Gunnison County Electric Association and its members, particularly those in the Lake City territory, say thank you and farewell to Tom Carl, known as T.C. or Tommy, after more than 37 years of hard work and dedication to the cooperative.

T.C. was one of the hardest working members of the GCEA line crew at GCEA. He started his career as an apprentice lineman on April 3, 1978. Many of the longtime residents of the Lake City area consider T.C. to be Mr. GCEA. After all, he is the go-to guy when the lights go out. Much of the time, T.C. will get the outage call before dispatch is contacted.

T.C. was born in Durango but lived in Lake City ever since grade school. “This job has given me the opportunity to give something back to my community,” he said. He has two sons: Ron, who lives in Rifle, and Duane, who lives in Glenwood Springs with his son, Coulter.

Line Superintendent John Stoeber said T.C. is a self-motivated individual and takes getting the job done seriously. “T.C. has always been ‘outgoing’ on after-hour calls,” Stoeber said. “He has been there for us and our members the majority of the time for problems that arise on our system in Lake City.”

The industry and the electrical linework-er trade changed quite a bit since he started 37 years ago. Stoeber recalls the line crew once did the job the hard way due to the lack of modern equipment and practices that were not available at the time. As time moved along, T.C. was able to change and grow with the times to become the master of his craft that GCEA is so proud he became.

Over the years T.C. played a big part in teaching the trade to new GCEA linemen. Lake City Journeyman Logan Rhodes said T.C. pushed him to learn the trade to be a better lineman. “I have learned a lot from him in the last two years, which will ben-efit me for the rest of my life,” Rhodes said.

T.C. not only works for the GCEA membership, he also helped with teaching at Mesa Hotline School. It is a two-week program for typically younger persons wishing to pursue the electrical lineworker

profession. T.C. enjoyed teaching “hot sticking” and good safety practices when working with energized high-voltage lines.

When asked what he enjoyed most about his time out in the field as a lineworker, T.C. said it was having the privilege to work in the part of the country that he truly loves. A few of his favorite places are Hostetler’s Hideaway, Gunnison ranches, Keser Basin, the Almont Triangle and Star Mountain. One of T.C.’s fondest memories is working on the tie line between Blue Mesa Reservoir and Arrowhead. “I got to spend most of the summer doing a job I love while in the backcountry,” T.C. said.

T.C. and his work ethic are going to

be missed tremendously here at GCEA. “When the times are tough and we get called out at ungodly hours of the night, he is always there to work with you until the job is done,” Rhodes said. “He can truly be depended upon.” He will be missed greatly in his retirement.  

T.C. doesn’t have big plans for retirement other than staying in Lake City to enjoy the high country summers and winters. He did say he will do some traveling during his time off.

Thank you, T.C., for all your hard work and dedication.

T.C. Retires After 37 Years of Service

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Tom Carl has enjoyed his 37 years at Gunnison County Electric, whether he was working on the side of a mountain, in the Lake City warehouse or from a bucket truck.

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop4 MARCH 201610

GCEA partners with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association to offer the following energy efficiency rebates to members. Members may receive rebates for any of the energy efficiency measures listed in the table below.

SYSTEM OR APPLIANCE REBATE AMOUNT

LED Lightbulbs and Fixtures with LED Lighting Built In

50% of the cost of the bulb or fixture up to a maximum of $10/bulb or fixtureBulbs must be 500 lumens or greaterMaximum of 50 bulbs per member account per year

*Refrigerators or Freezers over 7.75 cubic feet

$110 for new EnergyStar rated appliance With mandatory recycling of old appliance

Clothes Washers$60 for new EnergyStar rated front load$50 for new EnergyStar rated top load

Clothes Dryer$30 for new EnergyStar appliance$90 for new hybrid heat pump appliance

Dishwashers $35 for new EnergyStar rated appliance

Electric Water Heater (min. 30- to 55-gal. capacity)

$50/unitAdditional $20/unit for lifetime tank warranty (e.g., Marathon)

Heat Pump Water Heater (min. 30-gal. capacity, EnergyStar rated)

$370/unit for primary heating by direct exchange with semi-conditioned room airAdditional $20/unit for lifetime tank warranty (e.g., Marathon)

Electric Thermal Storage (permanently installed units only)

$22/kW for ETS controlled by timer or master control system

Electric Ground Source Heat Pump$200/ton for central ground sourcePlus $150/unit Additional $100/unit for minimum 1 ton to less than 3 tons

All rebates above must be requested within 180 days of installation.*Exceptions to this rule include refrigerator installation in new building construction or when a home or business is purchased

and a refrigerator was not previously present in the home or business. In this event, the incentive amount is $50.

GCEA Energy Efficiency Rebate Program

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month

Consider purchasing rechargeable batteries — and an EnergyStar charger for them — which are more cost effective than disposable batteries. In the United States alone, more energy-efficient battery chargers could save families more than $170 million annually.

Source: Energy.gov

Carbon Monoxide SafetyAny carbon monoxide alarm batteries should be replaced in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, at least once a year. If an alarm “chirps” or “beeps” to indicate low batteries, they should be replaced immediately.

Source: ESFI.org