coloradocountrylife.coop 7JULY 2015

MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

I74th Annual Meeting of Members Held in MonumentBY JIM HERRON || CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER || HERRONJC@MVEA.ORG

I would like to thank the over 350 guests, members and spouses who attended the 74th Annual Meeting Thursday, June 4, in Monument at Palmer Ridge High School.

The evening began with din-ner prepared by Lewis-Palmer School District 38 nutrition services team led by Bonnie Irish and served in part by both Key Clubs at Lewis-Palmer and Palmer Ridge high schools. Entertainment was provided by guitar-ist Wayne Hammerstadt and the Palmer Ridge High School Chamber Singers, that entertained the guests during dinner and the national anthem. Prior to the meeting, our special guest “Power” made a special appearance, the live character who pro-motes the value of power and the work it does to make all our lives better. This educational initiative is driven by MVEA’s

power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. The meeting pro-ceeded with the uncontested re-election of board directors in District 1, Joseph Martin, District 4, Milton Mathis, and District 6, Barry Springer.

Audience participation was encouraged through the interactive polling session. Attendees were provided a “clicker” or remote polling device to answer 20 multiple choice questions at the meeting. This gave instant feedback from members in attendance opinions on certain pertinent issues that may affect MVEA. Following this article are the ques-tions and results.

I would like to take this opportunity once again to thank everyone who at-tended and helped make this meeting a success. There is a tremendous amount of

planning required for the Annual Meet-ing. I want to recognize the employees of the member services group for their dedication for coordinating the meeting. I would also like to recognize all the MVEA employees who helped with the meeting and those who remained in the offices that kept business running “as usual.”

I encourage you to attend your next annual meeting. It’s particularly special. Join MVEA for the celebration of 75 years of service at the Annual Meeting of Members scheduled to be held next year, June 2 in Falcon. It is an excellent oppor-tunity to have direct contact with your board of directors and me, as well as to ask any questions you may have concern-ing your cooperative. Of course, we are always available to all the members, but sometimes it is nice to actually speak with a person face to face. Thanks again for supporting your co-op.

Jim Herron

1. How long have you been a member of MVEA? 0 to 5 years ................................11%6 to 10 years ...............................11%11 to 20 years ............................29%21 to 35 years ........................... 35%36 to 50 years ........................... 6%Over 50 years ............................8%Totals ........................................100%

2. How many MVEA Annual Meetings have you attended in the past five years?1 .....................................................26%2 ....................................................20%3 ....................................................20%4 .....................................................16%5 .....................................................18%Totals ........................................100%

3. What is your main source of information regarding MVEA?Colorado Country Life ...... 84%Newspaper ................................. 2%Radio .............................................0%Television ....................................0%Internet........................................ 4%Bill stuffers ................................. 5%Word of mouth........................ 5%Totals ........................................100%

4. Have you visited MVEA’s website (www.mvea.coop)? Yes ................................................51%No ................................................49%Totals ........................................100%

5. Which of the following features of electric service is most important to you? Impact on environment ....... 2%Cost of electricity .................64%Future availability .................. 12%Renewable energy .................. 4%Future reliability ......................9%Energy efficiency ....................9%Totals ........................................100%

6. Do you believe global warming is occuring? Yes ...............................................34%No ................................................57%Undecided ..................................9%Totals ........................................100%

7. In your opinion, what is the most likely cause of global warming? I don’t believe in global warming .......................34%I don’t know .............................. 3%

Natural occurences ..............24%Human impact ......................... 15%Both human and natural ....24%Totals ........................................100%

8. National legislation and regulation to restrict and reduce carbon dioxide emissions is being considered that, if enacted, would increase your electric bill. Should MVEA:Support the legislative measures, regardless of cost .......................................... 5%Oppose the legislative measures, regardless of cost ........................................54%Make cost the determining factor to support or oppose these legislative measures ...................................24%Make the environment the determining factor to support

or oppose these legislative measures .................................... 15%Do nothing ................................. 2%Totals ........................................100%

9. How much additional are you willing to pay to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants?Nothing .....................................62%Less than $25 ...........................34%$26 - $50 ...................................... 4%$51 - $100 .....................................0%$101 or more per month ..................................0%Totals ........................................100%

10. In your opinion, how much influence does the government — at any level — impact the price you pay for electricity? A great deal ..............................85%Some ............................................ 15%

MVEA 2015 Annual Meeting Polling Results

General Manager Jim Herron conducts the questions for the polling segment of the meeting.

MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

coloradocountrylife.coop4 JULY 20158

Not much ...................................0%None at all ..................................0%Totals ........................................100%

11. Would you like to par-ticipate in MVEA grassroots effort with email alerts regarding pertinent issues that give you the opportu-nity to communicate with your legislators? Yes ...............................................59%No ................................................23%Undecided ..................................8%Totals ........................................100%

12. Would you be willing to participate in a Political Action Committee (PAC) that is supportive of electric cooperative issues with a $25 annual membership?

Yes ...............................................28%No .............................................. 60%Undecided ................................. 12%Totals ........................................100%

13. Do you follow MVEA on Facebook? Yes ................................................. 6%No ................................................94%Totals ........................................100%

14. What is your view of the local wind farms?Favorable because they provide renewable energy ..................41%Favorable because they provide income for rural communities ............................14%Unfavorable because they are a negative impact on the local environment .............................21%Unfavorable because of

government mandates ........17%Undecided .................................. 7%Totals ........................................100%

15. Are you considering investing in rooftop solar panels (photovoltaic)?Yes ................................................19%No ................................................64%Undecided .................................17%Totals ........................................100%

16. If MVEA were to offer to sell shares in a community solar garden, would you participate? Yes ...............................................36%No ................................................38%Undecided ................................26%Totals ........................................100%

17. How would you view the introduction of advanced meter technology to improve your service and help you save money? Favorably ................................... 74%Unfavorably .............................. 13%Undecided ................................. 13%Totals ........................................100%

18. As a member of MVEA, how would you rate the reliability of electricity delivered to you? Very satisfied ..........................77%Satisfied .....................................22%Neutral .......................................... 1%Dissatisfied .................................0%Very dissatisfied ......................0%Totals ........................................100%

19. What is your overall opinion of MVEA?Very satisfied ...........................71%Satisfied ....................................... 7%Neutral .......................................... 1%Dissatisfied .................................. 1%Very dissatisfied ......................0%Totals ........................................100%

20. Do you feel this interactive polling was a useful part of the annual meeting? Yes ................................................81%No .................................................. 4%Somewhat ................................. 12%No opinion ................................. 3%Totals ........................................100%

MVEA 2015 Annual Meeting Polling Results

Thank you for participating in our polling questions.

MVEA’S 74TH ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS

More than 350 people were in attendance at Mountain View Electric Association’s 74th Annual Meeting of Members, June 4 at Palmer Ridge High School in Monument. The location of the annual event changes each year, rotating throughout the MVEA service territory, and is selected by the board of direc-tors. The purpose of the meeting is to elect directors, approve reports covering the previous fiscal year and conduct other business that may come before the meeting.

This year there were three districts where directors’ three- year terms were up for election: District 1, Joseph Martin; District 4, Milton Mathis; and District 6, Barry Springer. Each district was uncontested and each incumbent director was re-elected for a new term. MVEA crews offer bucket rides to members.

MVEA members visit with vendors and check out the displays about the electric industry.

MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

coloradocountrylife.coop 9JULY 2015

To start the meeting, members were greet-ed by MVEA linemen who were offering members to take a “ride” in the bucket of one of MVEA’s trucks. The bucket when fully extended is 60 feet in the air, offering a tremendous view of the Front Range. Once registered, members then had an opportunity to ask questions and learn about new technol-ogy and energy efficiency with products, services, and demonstrations by Tri-State Generation and Transmission, the Colorado Rural Electric Association, Novinium and MVEA.

Dinner and refresh-ments were served by Lewis-Palmer School District 38 Nutrition Services and supported by members from both the Lewis-Palmer and Palmer Ridge High School Key Clubs. Pre-meeting entertainment was pro-vided by guitarist Wayne Hammerstadt and members of the Palmer Ridge High School Chamber Singers.

After board president Joe Martin opened the meeting and welcomed mem-bers, Palmer Ridge High School chamber singers performed the national anthem. Invocation was presented by retired board director Allen Gresham.

Education chairman Errol Hertneky gave special recognition to the scholarship winners. Board president Joseph Martin and chief executive officer Jim Herron gave their reports on the state of the cooperative and legislative issues. Slides from the meeting are available at mvea.coop; click on Community then Annual Meeting.

Throughout the meeting, door prizes were awarded including $1,900 in cash and door prizes from MVEA; a 39-inch LED HD television provided by power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission; a 50-inch LED SMART television provided by Foothills Energy, a MVEA construction contractor; and $200 in Cabela’s gift cards from electrical sup-ply cooperative Western United Supply.

A list of our winners follows. Congratulations.

Thank you to all who helped to make this meeting

a success! We look forward to seeing you again next year as we celebrate the 75th anniversary on June 2, 2016, in Falcon.

2015 Annual Meeting Prize Winners✩ $500 sundowner prize — David Camp-

bell, Colorado Springs ✩ $300 sundowner prize — Richard

Gropp, Peyton✩ $200 sundowner prize — Leo Rizuto,

Peyton✩ 50-inch television from Foothills Energy

— Edwards Miller, Monument✩ 39-inch television from Tri-State

Generation and Transmission — Edward Santucci, Monument

✩ $200 Cabela’s gift cards — Gina Griesinger, Monument

✩ Table arrangement flowers — Judy Bates, Peyton

✩ Table arrangement flowers — Allen

Gresham, Elbert✩ Podium flowers — Michael Deneff,

Colorado Springs$30 winners:✩ Kermit Benner, Colorado Springs✩ Bob Benton, Monument✩ Jerald Charles, Peyton✩ Roger Condie, Peyton✩ Karen Dale, Colorado Springs✩ John Davis, Colorado Springs✩ Floyd Devitt, Peyton✩ Dennis Dieck, Colorado Springs✩ Jane Ann Eyerly, Franktown✩ Connie Fleming, Monument✩ Mary Eileen Fritz, Colorado Springs✩ Diana Gantz, Calhan✩ Kenneth Geoffroy, Limon✩ William Griesinger, Colorado Springs✩ Ruthann Hacker, Colorado Springs✩ Jack Hilaire, Peyton✩ Malcolm Jackson, Monument✩ Roy Johnson, Genoa✩ Robert Koneval, Colorado Springs✩ Laurie Leggett, Colorado Springs✩ Joseph Luksic, Monument✩ Patrick McNeill, Colorado Springs✩ Molly Odell, Colorado Springs✩ Arlo Peterson, Limon✩ Alexander Pettigrew, Colorado Springs✩ Floyd Rehkopf, Calhan✩ Kenneth Sedler, Monument✩ Daniel Spiegelberg, Monument✩ Richard Stewart, Monument✩ Ronald Vanderwege, Peyton

MVEA’S 74TH ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS

Wayne Hammerstadt

Palmer Ridge High School Chamber Singer and Power

Sundowner winners with President Martin

MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

coloradocountrylife.coop4 JULY 201510

Limon Heritage Museum Opens for its 24th Season!

CCar accidents, lightning and severe weather — all of these can cause havoc with

MVEA’s job of getting power to you. Calling about an outage can be frustrating if the

phone lines are busy. MVEA’s automated outage system is designed to help reduce

lost calls and busy signals.

To reach our automated outage system, please

call us at 800-388-9881, 719-495-2283 (Falcon) or

719-775-2861 (Limon). During business hours, tell

the operator you have an outage, and you will

be connected to the system. After hours, please

follow the prompts. The system will automati-

cally recognize your phone number if it matches

the number listed on your account and link it to

your address; it then automatically updates our

outage and mapping system with your informa-

tion.

When a major storm hits, our 24/7 dispatcher

tracks your calls, gets your information quickly,

assesses the damage and directs work crews.

The automated outage system helps us get your

power back on.

AUTOMATEDOUTAGE SYSTEMMaking Life Simpler

It is important

we have your

current telephone

number on file

to expedite the

location of your

outage when

you call.

PAY-BY-PHONEANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT

BY CALLING 719- 494-2681

The system is automated and all of your personal information, such as account or card information and payment amount, will be entered by you. Have your account handy.

BENEFITS INCLUDE:• Secure, direct connection• Pay using credit/debit card• Make inquiries about your bill• Update your phone number in our records

PAY-BY-PHONE

INTRODUCING

Scorching temperatures, fragrant barbecue aromas, and the sounds of children playing outside can only mean one thing — summer is in full swing and the Limon Heritage Museum & Railroad Park is open for its 24th season.

We cordially invite you to visit the complex and to see for yourself what everyone is talking about. Stop by to see some visitor favorites, including the Houtz Native American exhibit, the Gates Mercantile and the one-room pioneer schoolhouse, as well as some of its newest exhibits, including the Dust Bowl that showcases the trials and triumphs of residents living on the eastern plains in the early 1930s and Changes in Communication that features the changing technology of phones, computers, gaming consoles and more.

The Limon Heritage Museum is open Monday-Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free but dona-tions are greatly appreciated. For up-to-the minute updates, pictures, giveaways, and This Day in History, be sure to like the museum on Facebook at Limon Heritage Museum & Railroad Park and visit its website at limonmuseum.com.

719-494-2681