white laughter - mountrail-williams electric cooperative 2014/m… · your local electric...

Mountrail-Williams Electric CooperativeDECE

MBE

R 20

14 WILLISTON577-3765

STANLEY628-2242

NEW TOWN627-3550

Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative







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Laughteris the best medicine

www.mwec.com MOUNTRAIL-WILLIAMS ELECTRIC NEWS , DECEMBER 2014 C1

Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative

Laughteris the best medicineBY JESSICA MARTIN

In 2002, Michael Felix, who is now a lineworker at Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative,

was attending an event in Phoenix, Ariz., when he saw a group of clowns interacting with children. Seeing the children happy and smiling sparked his interest, so he approached one of the entertainers and asked about what they do and why. Michael was

astounded that these entertainers take the time to learn the art of clowning so they can give back to their communities.

So Michael decided he wanted to get involved. He attended the Barnum & Bailey Clown College for two weeks in Phoenix. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College has been around since 1968. Irvin Feld

wanted to preserve the art of clowning and created Clown College. More than 1,300 people have received diplomas and performed in fi lms, on stage and in many other areas. A couple notable graduates are Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller and Leslie Nielsen.

The Clown College Michael attended was a shortened version, teaching the basics of face painting, how to approach children, balloon art, how to do your own makeup and which products to use.

After his completion of the Clown College, Michael went on to perform at Phoenix Suns games, the Fiesta Bowl and the Phoenix Children’s Hospital. He would entertain children at these events while they also enjoyed the bounce houses that were provided.

We all have moments when we realize we are doing what is meant for us. Michael had that moment while visiting a burn unit in Phoenix. He saw a young boy who had been in the hospital for about two to three weeks while having multiple skin grafts.

“I just stood in the hall outside the door and tried talking to the boy. I saw no reaction from him so I began popping my head in and out of the room. That’s when I saw that tiny smile,” Michael said. After seeing the boy’s smile, Michael entered the room. Once he approached this young boy, he learned the boy only spoke Spanish and that was the reason Michael was not getting a reaction.

“I then began speaking to him in Spanish and his face just lit up,”

wanted to preserve the art of clowning

in many other areas. A couple notable graduates are Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller and Leslie Nielsen.

teaching the basics of face painting, how to approach children, balloon

which products to use.

College, Michael went on to perform

Bowl and the Phoenix Children’s Hospital. He would entertain children at these events while they

were provided.

realize we are doing what is meant for us. Michael had that moment while visiting a burn unit in Phoenix. He

hospital for about two to three weeks while having multiple skin grafts.

door and tried talking to the boy. I

C2 DECEMBER 2014 , MOUNTRAIL-WILLIAMS ELECTRIC NEWS www.mwec.com


Michael said. “That’s when I knew my decision to give back to the community through clowning was the right decision.”

Michael continues to volunteer his skills in the Williston area through the local Moose Lodge and The Gifted Children of Williston. He also goes into schools under the stage name, Cowboy Billy Bob, where he teaches about anything from brushing your teeth to respecting each other. When Michael attends local schools, he uses that time to educate the children.

Even though clown supplies are a bit expensive, Michael continues not to charge for his entertaining services. He only asks for donations for his supplies or to donate to a charity. We at Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative are honored to have such an amazing lineworker in the fi eld and in the public. n

and The Gifted Children of Williston.

Michael Felix with the young burn victim that showed him why he does clowning.



Oversized loads require cooperationBY JESSICA MARTIN

When you see a semi-truck driving down the road with an oversized load do you ever wonder, “How do they not hit overhead lines?” This

may seem trivial to you, but for power companies like Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative this is a big deal.

Recently Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative’s lineworkers held overhead power lines out of the way for a tank move. Not only do our lineworkers repair outages,

create new services or upgrade old services, they also make sure that oversized loads are transported correctly without interrupting your service.

Tank moves, such as the one pictured, take planning. Any company or person expecting to move an oversized load that is above the average height limit must notify the local electric company. Moves need to be coordinated by both parties to benefi t all. n

Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative will be closed on the following dates:

Dec. 25 in observance of ChristmasJan. 1 in observance of

New Year’s Day


Christmas is right around the corner! As you light your holiday with shining stars and shimmering snowmen, staying safe around electricity will keep the holidays bright. For a happy, and safe, holiday, your local electric cooperative shares these 12 safety tips of Christmas:

Okay, here we go! (Imagine the sound of 12 drummers performing a drum roll.)

Inspect electrical decorations for damage before use. Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fi re.

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions that accompany electrical decorations.

Do not overload electrical outlets. Overloaded electrical out-lets and faulty wires are a common cause of holiday fi res. Avoid overloading outlets and plug only one high-wattage appliance into each outlet at a time.

• When using extension cords, match the power needs (am-perage) of the products with the amperage rating of the extension cord.

Never connect more than three strings of incandescent lights. More than three strands may not only blow a fuse, but can also cause a fi re.

• Always unplug electrical decorations when replacing bulbs or fuses.

Keep the live tree fresh by watering daily. Dry trees are a seri-ous fi re hazard.

• Cut one to two inches from the base of the tree before plac-ing it into the stand. Refi ll the water daily.

• When purchasing an artifi cial tree, look for a “fi re resistant” label.

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C6 NOVEMBER 2014 , MOUNTRAIL-WILLIAMS ELECTRIC NEWS www.mwec.com

• Do not use electrical ornaments or light strings on artifi cial trees with metallic leaves or branch coverings.

• Place the tree at least three feet away from all heat sources, such as fi replaces, radiators or space heaters.

Use battery-operated candles. Candles start almost half of home decoration fi res.Keep combustibles at least three feet from heat sources.Test your smoke alarms, have an adequate number of smoke alarms in your home and develop a fi re escape plan with your family.Protect cords from damage. To avoid shock or fi re hazards, cords should never be pinched by furniture, forced into small spaces such as doors or windows, placed under rugs, located near heat sources, or attached by nails or staples.Check decorations for certifi cation label. Decorations not bear-ing a label from an independent testing laboratory, such as Un-derwriters Laboratories (UL), have not been tested for safety and could be hazardous.Stay in the kitchen when something is cooking. Unattended cooking equipment is the leading cause of home cooking fi res.

• Watch children closely in the kitchen and keep children away from cooking appliances.

• Turn pot handles inward on the stove.Turn off , unplug and extinguish all decorations when going to sleep or leaving the house. Half of home fi re deaths occur be-tween the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.Make sure all extension cords, lights and electrical decorations used for outdoor decorating are marked for outdoor use.

• When putting up outdoor decorations, stay at least 10 feet away from power lines.

• Keep all extension cords and light strings clear of snow and standing water.

• Outdoor lights and decorations should be plugged into cir-cuits protected by ground-fault circuit interrupters.

• When contemplating electronic toys for children, be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions and warning la-bels.

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MOUNTRAIL-WILLIAMS BOARD MINUTES

MOUNTRAIL-WILLIAMSELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

P.O. Box 1346Williston, N.D. 58802-1346

P.O. Box 129Stanley, N.D. 58784-0129

DIRECTORSRoger Sorenson ............................PresidentRobert Grant ........................ Vice PresidentBlaine Jorgenson ..........................TreasurerCheryl Hartsoch .............................. DirectorNick Haugen.................................... DirectorLarry Johnson .................................. DirectorWarren Bratvold.............................. DirectorAaron Lynne .................................... DirectorGarrett Lalim ................................... DirectorNeff, Eiken& Neff, PC ...........................Project AttorneyDale Haugen ...................General ManagerOFFICE PHONE NUMBERS:Williston .............................(701) 577-3765Stanley ...............................(701) 628-2242New Town ..........................(701) 627-3550WATS ..................................(800) 279-2667

Regular board meeting of Sept. 24, 2014

Directors present: Sorenson, Grant, Hartsoch, Lynne, Jorgenson, Haugen, Lalim, Bratvold and Johnson.

Directors absent: none.Others present: General Manager

Haugen, in-house counsel Ellis and staff members.

The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. at the Williston office. The agenda for the meeting was approved as amended and the minutes of the Sept. 24, 2014, meeting were approved as presented.

Attorney’s report: Leah Ellis discussed the recent decision by the Public Service Commission in a dispute for electrical service between Montana-Dakota Utilities (MDU) and Capital Electric, related to a new load in Burleigh County. The PSC ruled in favor of MDU. This decision is being appealed by Capital Electric and there will be no final resolution of this matter until several months from now.

Dwight Eiken went over a number of files for real estate purchases for substations. He also presented the proposed deed for the reconveyance of a 3.9-acre radio tower site which is no longer being used.

President’s report: Roger Sorenson discussed Measure 5 and any opposition which may have been provided by the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC). NDAREC opposed this measure and supported increased legislative funding for conservation efforts.

Meeting reports: Director Grant presented a report on meetings of NDAREC.

Representatives from RESCO spoke to the board related to their operation in this area, including sales from the warehouse in Williston.

President Sorenson reported on meetings of Upper Missouri Power Cooperative.

Director Grant reported on meetings of the Rural Development Finance Corporation.

Financial report: Jay Lux presented the financial and operating reports for the year to date through Sept. 30. Operating revenues are $129,847,039, the cost of electric service is $105,921,887, operating margins are $23,925,152, and the total margins are $27,397,982. TIER is 3.72

and the equity level is 21.09 percent.Capital credit retirements: The board

approved the retirement of the following capital credit accounts:

Myrtle Holter estateAllen Whillock estateAlgin Dye estateGary Bell estateKathy Gilmore estateCooperative Finance Corporation

(CFC) allocation: Manager Haugen presented a letter from CFC showing that the cooperative had been allocated the 2014 patronage capital allocation.

Work order closeouts: The board approved the following work order and special equipment closeouts:Work order closeout 532, $704,916.35Work order closeout 533, $43,646.63Work order closeout 534, $0Work order closeout 536, $761,482.68TOTAL: $1,521,568.38

Unretired capital credits: Jay Lux presented the summary of unretired capital credits going back to 1998. This includes those credits earned directly by patronage and those allocated by G&T cooperatives.

Manager’s report: Manager Haugen gave a report from the Safety & Loss Control Committee. There were two recordable vehicle accidents.

Jerry Rehak gave the reliability and outage report. He reported there has been a 63.38 percent increase in the number of members since 2011.

Manager Haugen reviewed a member’s solar panel project with the board.

He presented a proposal on temporary office space to the board for the temporary relocation of the Williston office during construction. The board approved a motion to authorize management to negotiate lease space.

Customer Service Representative Molly Burmeister provided the board with a comparison of oil well, residential, commercial and heavy-up service requests.

Operations Manager Josh Heredia gave an update on fleet maintenance and employee hiring. He noted that fleet maintenance had improved since the new shop was completed.

Manager Haugen provided the board with an overview of transformer maintenance and substations. After a review of current substation projects, the board approved the purchase of 16 acres

of property in Mountrail County.Manager Haugen also discussed

his presentation to the New Town City Council.

Old business: Director Hartsoch brought up a member’s concern regarding notifications for planned outages. Staff was directed to follow up on this issue.

New business: Director Grant discussed his participation in the Farmers Union Cooperative presentation on cooperatives.

Due to holiday scheduling, the November board meeting will be moved to Dec. 1, 2014. The board also moved the February meeting to Feb. 18.

The directors who will attend the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association meeting in Orlando, Fla., will be: Roger Sorenson, Aaron Lynne and Larry Johnson. Larry Johnson will serve as the delegate and Aaron Lynne as alternate. Aaron will serve as delegate for CFC, Roger Sorenson will be the alternate. Roger Sorenson will serve as a delegate for Federated and Larry Johnson will serve as alternate.

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 4:40 pm n


white laughter - mountrail-williams electric cooperative 2014/m… · your local electric...

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