Harrison CountyRural Electric Cooperative

SEPTEMBER 2015

4 News Flashes

Published monthly by

Harrison County Rural Electric Cooperative105 Enterprise Drive, PO Box 2

Woodbine, Iowa 51579

Phone: 712-647-2727 or 800-822-5591 OFFICE HOURSFax: 712-647-2906 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.E-mail: harrisoninfo@hcrec.coop Monday through Friday

DirectorsTim Sproul, president Jake HeimJim Sharp, vice president John BurbridgeDave Dickinson, secretary Becky BerensRuss Kurth, treasurer William HutchesonRodney Plath

Joe Farley, Manager/EVP Jackie Androy, Editor

Harrison County Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Harrison County Rural Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative. Your cooperative exists to provide electric service at cost. It is the members (anyone who receives electricity from HCREC), not outside investors, that own and control the co-op. Cooperatives are governed by a member-elected Board of Directors included in the membership.

News Flashes

Inside this issue:

Patronage Checks Issued 2

For Sale by Sealed Bid 2

LIHEAP Program 3

Energy Efficiency Tip 4

Back to School Safety Tips 4

2015 Basin Bus Tours

Back to School – Safety Tips for Motorists

August was Back to School safety month and the time has come so please proceed with caution for the kids’ sake. Remember to slow down in school zones; take extra time to look for kids at intersections; enter and exit driveways with caution; reduce any distractions inside your car; and concentrate on the road. 376700910

Take extra precautions in school zones and neighborhood areas where children and teenagers might be riding.

Sharing the road safely with school buses.• Be Alert – Children are unpredictable. Children walking to or from

their bus are usually very comfortable with their surroundings.

Sharing the road safely with child pedestrians.• Childrenaretheleastpredictablepedestriansandthemostdifficultto

see. Take extra care to look out for children not only in school zones, but also in residential areas, playgrounds, and parks.

Sharing the road safely with child bicyclists.• Watch out for bikes coming out of driveways or from behind parked

cars or other obstructions.

Pg. 4 w/photo of school bus and kids

Tour participants L to R: Matt & Linnea Handbury and Tara (employee) & Brian Ganzhorn; Mandi Lapel and Tim Plumb (employee), Randy & Colleen Stolz, and Finnegan Hinze & Bill Hutcheson (director)

This summer marked the 28th annual Energy Trail Tour season offered by Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO) and its member cooperatives. It is a three-day bus tour from Iowa to the Dakotas. The goal? Learning more about electric generation and meet some of those responsible for providing electric power delivered to homes, farms, and business in western and central Iowa. If you would like to be a part of this experience next year, watch this newsletter for the opportunity to sign up.

In addition to the educational portion of the tour, members enjoyed good food, fellowship, and surprise stops along the journey. Memories and friends were made while gaining a deeper appreciation for “the story behind the light switch”.

At the Oahe Power House near Pierre, SD, United States Army Corps of Engineers personnel provided tours of the facility and educated travelers on the process of electric generation from hydropower. They also shared many economic benefitsthedamandpowerhousehaveprovidedsinceitscompletioninApril,1962.

Day two of the two brought tour participants to North Dakota’s Energy Trail, on which two Basin Electric Power Cooperative facilities are located, along with the coal mine that supplies them. DakotaGasificationCompany’sGreatPlainsSynfuelsPlant–Participantslearnedabouttheinnovationbehindtheprocessofcoalgasification.Pipeline-qualitynaturalgasisproducedfromlignitecoalandmanyotheruseful,in-demand products such as fertilizers and gasoline additives.

FreedomMine–Memberswitnessedsomeofthelargestearth-movingequipmentinoperationintheU.S.andsawresults of land reclamation after surface mining is complete. Mined land is carefully returned to its original contour and reseeded to its original use as natural prairie or cropland. Often members see deer, foul, and antelope grazing on the reclaimed acres. Members also learned of the abundance of America’s coal reserves – approximately 800 years at today’s usage rate.

AntelopeValleyStation–Astopatthis900-megawattcoal-firedelectricgenerationfacilityprovidedanopportunitytounderstandhowelectricityisgeneratedfromcoal.Membersgotachancetopeekinsideacoal-firedburner.

Wilton I, Wilton II, and Baldwin wind farms – A drive-through tour of these wind farms showed the infrastructure supporting304megawattsof renewableenergyoutput from these130wind turbines.This isenough renewableelectricenergytopowerover65,000homesannually.

These tours provide members the experience of seeing the facilities, and also a brief look at electric cooperative history to gain a better understanding and pride in their ownership of their Cooperative. This is part of our commitment to provide education for directors, employees, and member-owners.

Member Questions regarding Solar?

For those mem-bers looking into solar, Tim Plumb,Director of Member Services at Harrison County Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) advises you to contact your cooperative in the beginning phases of the project. There arequestionsyou shouldbeasking your installer or salesman. We have those questions andalso, we can steer you in the right directionforyourquestions.Thesequestions and answers can assistyou in making the right decision for your needs. A good resource is the Iowa Energy Center, www.iowaenergycenter.org.

There is an interconnection agreement with Harrison County REC that needs filled out priorto installation and you should be aware there may be some additional cost with switch makes cents, so call Tim Plumb, 800-822-5591 or647-2727todayforguidance.

Tim Plumb,Director of Member Services

Spot Your Main Account NumberRead News Flashes watching for your main account number in any of the articles or ads. If you find it, call Jackie Androy at HCREC by the 20th of the month to receive a $20.00 electric bill credit.Our account numbers published in the August issue belonged to Douglas S. Bailey, Brett L. Carlson, Larry A. Cohen, William E. Cunard, II. Watch the account numbers in this issue to see if you are a lucky number.

Looking for an easy efficiency upgrade? Additional insulation can make a difference! The Department of Energy estimates you can reduce heating and cooling needs up to 30 percent by properly insulating and weatherizing your home.

Source: energystar.gov

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month

A Touchstone Energy CooperativeHarrison County Rural Electric Cooperative News Flashes2 3September 2015

Delays in US Postal Services may Cause Payments to be lateTo ensure timely receipt of payment, there are several ways to pay your REC bill:1. Mailyourpaymentat3-4businessdaysbeforeitisdue(27thofeachmonth)2. Sign up for Bank Draft where you provide a cancelled check and authorization form for the REC to

automatically draft the payment from your account each month. (The form is located on our website.)3. Pay online at www.hcrec.coop and select the “E-Bill Payment Center” option. You can then pay by credit

or debit card, or electronic check.4. Convenient“Drive-Up”DropBoxlocatedontheEastsideoftheparkinglot,oppositethefrontofficedoor.We offer many methods of payment to help ensure that your payment is received in a timely manner and prevent

latepaymentpenalties. Pleasecallourofficeforhelpingettingsetupforbankdraft,ortowalkyouthruthe“E-Bill Payment Center” payment process. Both are simple to do, and we are happy to assist you! 214800910

October is National Cooperative Month -Touchstone Energy Cooperatives

What makes our co-ops different?Touchstone Energy co-ops are owned by the members they serve and

are committed to providing reliable and safe electricity at the lowest price possible. In short, co-ops “look out” for the members they serve. 5001910

Touchstone Energy co-ops provide high standards of service according to their four core values: integrity, accountability, innovation, and commitment to community.

Harrison County Rural Electric Cooperative is very proud to be a part of the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives brand, standing as a nationwide allianceof749local,member-ownedelectriccooperativesin46states.Touchstone Energy Cooperatives serve millions of members providing powertoruralAmericathrough2.5millionmilesofpowerlines.

2015-2016 IOWA HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMATTENTION: RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS

NEED HELP WITH YOUR HEATING BILL?The2015-2016Low-IncomeHomeEnergyAssistanceProgram(LIHEAP) has been established to help qualifying low-incomeIowa homeowners and renters pay a portion of their primary heating costs for the winter heating season.

The assistance is based on household income, household size, type of fuel, and type of housing.

If you are not sure where to apply, please write to: LIHEAP Iowa Department of Human Rights Capitol Complex Des Moines, IA 50319

or, call your local community action agency.

2015-2016 IOWA HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMWHEN TO APPLY: WAGE EARNERS: • Elderly (60 & over) and/or disabled: Please bring copies of your check stubs for the three-month period October1,2015toApril30,2016 precedingthedateofapplication,oracopyofyourfederalincome • All other households: tax return. November 1, 2015 to April 30, 2016 FIXED INCOME:WHAT TO TAKE: This income may include: Social Security Benefits, • Proof of Income (for all household members age Supplemental Security Income, Family Investment Program, 19,andover) Veteran’sAssistance,UnemploymentInsurance,&pensions. Most recent three months’ check stubs, award Please bring copies of your most recent three months’ check stubs. letter from Social Security or 2014 tax return. SELF-EMPLOYED/FARMERS: • Social Security numbers for all household Please bring a copy of your most recent federal income tax members (documentation required) return. • Recent heat bill FIP RECIPIENTS: • Recent electric bill Please bring your current DHS Notice of Decision or contact your localofficeforacceptabledocumentinformation.

If you receive alimony or child support, it will also need to be verified.

INCOME MAXIMUMS Household Three-Month Annual Size Gross Income Gross Income 1 $ 5,139 $ 20,598 2 $ 6,969 $ 27,878 3 $ 8,789 $ 35,158 4 $ 10,609 $ 42,438 5 $ 12,429 $ 49,718 6 $ 14,249 $ 56,998

For households with more than six members, add $1,820 per three months, or $7,280 annually for each additional member.

Patronage Checks IssuedBy Lori Barry, Director of Administration/Finance

At its regularmeeting on June 29, 2015, theBoard ofDirectors ofHarrisonCountyRuralElectricCooperativeauthorizedtheretirementof$415,471.59inpreviouslyallocatedpatronage dividends. This distribution represents the remaining allocations for 1995($150,313.61),1996($186,024.74),and1997($79,133.24).Checkshavebeenmailed,datedJuly27,2015.Pleasecashyourcheckrightaway, to

avoidthestaledate60daysafterissue.Checks will no longer be valid after September 27, 2015. Uncashed checks will show as a credit on your electric bill the month following the stale date. Patronage represents your share of ownership in the cooperative’s margins for

the years listed above. 716300011“The mission of Harrison County Rural Electric Cooperative is to meet our members’ expectations of

affordable, reliable electric and related services.”

FOR SALE by Sealed Bid

1988 International4800 4x4 Chassis

466DT Diesel engine;134,000 miles

Telelect digger derrick- Commander 4700 -boom/winch/basket

47’ sheave height with16” auger

Front-end winch

Sealed bids must be returned to Harrison County Rural Electric Cooperative in a sealed envelope by 4:00 p.m. Thursday October 1, 2015. Questions should be referred to Tom Ellison or Dave Stevens at 712-647-2727 or 800-822-5591.