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1998 Annual Membership Meeting
Meeting Recap
The 1998 Annual Membership Meeting was held May 12
at Salem Electric's office. After introducing the board to those in attendance,
President Jim Dyer reviewed some of our accomplishments for 1997, including our
community involvement and several large construction projects. General Manager
Bob Speckman introduced special guests attending and discussed reliability,
financial integrity and deregulation. Speckman informed the attendees that
Oregon has some of the lowest rates in the nation which may be in jeopardy.
Deregulation seems to focus on large industrial customers, at the expense of
small commercial and residential customers.
Director Curt Culver, running unopposed, was
re-elected to the board. The board will appoint a member to fill board Position
#4, which was vacated due to the resignation of Dennis Koho.
Employee Presentations
Always popular with the audience, three employees
discussed different aspects of working at Salem Electric. Debbie Addison,
Member Services Coordinator, reviewed her duties at Salem Electric and some of
the conservation programs offered to members. Accountant, Chris Krieck,
provided an overview of the accounting system. A discussion on the Foote Creek
Rim Wind Power Project was given by Engineering and Operations Manager, Roger
Kuhlman.
Officers Elected
Following the annual meeting, the board held an
organizational meeting, electing the following officers:
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President, Jim Dyer
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Vice-President, Nancy Towslee
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Secretary/Treasurer, Bill Wolf
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Why an Election?
Several members have asked why we have an election
for an uncontested director position. Most importantly because it's in our
bylaws. Candidates are required to obtain signatures from 1% of the SE
membership to be eligible as a candidate. In addition, candidates must:
OR
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Be a designated firm representative of a general service
(commercial) member of Salem Electric.
-You must be a full-time employee or
owner of the company.
-The company must have been a Salem
Electric member for at least two years.
The board has discussed this topic at length, and
discussions will continue. Several members expressed concern with the cost of
holding an election for an uncontested director position. Any change in the
current procedure would require a bylaw amendment.
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60 Years of Incorporation
 The
year was 1938, 46-year-old Harry Read (right) , the owner of Salem Radio
Station KSLM and KORE in Eugene, was angry that he couldn't get a discount from
his electric utility considering the amount of electricity he was using.
Harry decided to investigate a direct purchase of
power from BPA. During this time, as a result of passage of the Rural
Electrification Act of 1935, cooperative electric utilities were being formed
throughout rural America. Harry figured a cooperative would work in an urban
area, just as well as it did in rural locales.
After discussing his plan with other West Salem
business owners and residents, the decision was made to incorporate. Articles
of Incorporation were executed July 19, 1938 and filed July 23, 1938,
establishing the Salem Electric Cooperative Corporation.
A franchise was eventually obtained from the City of
West Salem, for the distribution of electricity within its boundaries. The next
order of business was to arrange for the delivery of power.
After over two years of negotiations, Salem Electric
entered into a contract with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to
purchase power from BPA's West Salem substation. It's now March 17, 1941, and
Salem Electric, consisting of 17 residential and 5 commercial customers, is
ready to accept delivery of power.
Celebrating 60 years of incorporation, we constantly
remind ourselves that Salem Electric was created because our competition told
one determined customer "no" in response to a reasonable request. Our role has
always been to find a way to say "yes" to our owner/members. We can't always do
that, but we can always try.
Check out our abbreviated history on our website - www.salemelectric.com
- (look under "Members Guide to Salem Electric") or contact our Member Services
Department (362-3601) and we can send you a free book about Salem Electric
entitled "Against the Odds."
Salem Electric's original home at 633 Front Street.
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A
New Home
After a call from the Bonneville Power
Administration telling us that a pair of osprey had nested in a very dangerous
spot, our high voltage power lines - Don Henderson and his crew went to work.
An area was cleared of underbrush, a new 65' pole
was set with a platform built on top, then the hard part... moving the nest. At
last report, the osprey had moved into their newly relocated home and were
adapting quite well.
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 Remember
to Look for the Energy Star Label
If you are considering purchasing a new home
appliance, a piece of office equipment, heating and cooling systems or even a
window, remember to look for the Energy Star label, the symbol for energy
efficiency.
The Energy Star label was created by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency in partnership with the U.S. Department of
Energy. Together they set energy-efficiency criteria that products must meet in
order to qualify for the label. In voluntary partnership with the government,
manufacturers and retailers agree to put the Energy Star label on qualifying
equipment.
By using Energy Star products, you will not only
save money, you help the environment by using less energy. For example, Energy
Star appliances typically exceed federal efficiency standards by 13 to 20
percent - as much as 100 percent for some appliances.
If you have any questions on how to reduce your
electric bill, contact our Member Services Department at 362-3601 or visit our
website: www.salemelectric.com.
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Board Vacancy
Your Board of Directors is soliciting
interested members to fill a vacancy on the seven-member board. To be eligible
for consideration, candidates must meet the following bylaw requirements:
OR
Members interested in being considered for
appointment to this vacant board position must contact Salem Electric to obtain
an application and information packet. The deadline for returning your
applications is 5 p.m. on Friday, July 3, 1998. The week of July 6th, a
committee will meet to select finalists with interviews being scheduled July
14, 1998.
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Some Helping Hands
On April 23, SE employees joined with the rest of America in
bringing their children to work. We had several visitors ``helping" Mom or Dad
on the job..
Kevin Michaels (left) and Brittney Charnetzki assisted
their dads Larry and Jon on the line crew
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