2016
2016
ANNUAL
ANNUAL
MEETING
MEETING
OF
OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERS
We’re
We’re
onceonce
againagain
inviting
inviting
and and
reminding
reminding
you you
to plan
to plan
on on
doing
doing
business
business
is good
is good
for our
for consumers,
our consumers,
thenthen
it’s good
it’s good
for the
for the
attending
attending
youryour
Annual
Annual
Meeting.
Meeting.
That’s
That’s
right,right,
youryour
Co-op
Co-op
too. too.
Contrast
Contrast
this this
philosophy
philosophy
withwith
that that
of the
ofbig
the power
big power
meeting.
a member/owner
a piece
of the
meeting.
As aAs
member/owner
you you
havehave
a piece
of the
companies.
Making
a profit
is first
and and
foremost
withwith
them.
companies.
Making
a profit
is first
foremost
them.
action
because
that’s
Cooperatives
get things
done.
action
because
that’s
howhow
Cooperatives
get things
done.
That’s
all well
unless
is a clash
between
profits
That’s
all well
and and
goodgood
unless
therethere
is a clash
between
profits
for company
the company
serving
consumers
communities.
for the
and and
serving
consumers
and and
theirtheir
communities.
all important
action
includes
ThatThat
all important
action
includes
youryour
voicevoice
and and
When
that that
happens
guess
whowho
wins?
When
happens
guess
wins?
involvement
in co-op
activities,
presence
involvement
in co-op
activities,
youryour
presence
and and
Whenever
a community
a need—a
challenge
to make
Whenever
a community
facesfaces
a need—a
challenge
to make
life life
participation
at annual
meetings
valued
participation
at annual
meetings
and and
youryour
veryvery
valued
better—the
cooperative
business
model
comes
better—the
cooperative
business
model
comes
into into
play.play.
for your
Board
of Trustees.
votevote
for your
Board
of Trustees.
ThatThat
choice
is simple,
because
the Co-op
philosophy
is simply:
choice
is simple,
because
the Co-op
philosophy
is simply:
Members
are the
so ifso
it’sif good
for them,
thenthen
it hasit to
Members
are Co-op,
the Co-op,
it’s good
for them,
has to
be good
for the
itself.
be good
forCo-op
the Co-op
itself.
So mark
the calendar
and and
planplan
on attending
youryour
annual
So mark
the calendar
on attending
annual
meeting
on April
16th 16
meeting
on April
atththe
at Animas
the Animas
School
School
Auditorium.
Auditorium.
Spanish
translation
service
will will
be available,
please
signsign
up soup so
Spanish
translation
service
be available,
please
we can
accommodations.
we make
can make
accommodations.
Servicios
Servicios
de traducción
de traducción
a a
2015
2015
Annual
Annual
Meeting
Meeting
At the
At Cooperative
the Cooperative
we focus
we focus
on what
on what
matters
matters
…the
…the
Español
estarán
disponibles
en la
Anual.
PorPor
Español
estarán
disponibles
enReunión
la Reunión
Anual.
favor
regístrese
parapara
queque
podamos
haces
los los
favor
regístrese
podamos
haces
arreglos.
arreglos.
consumer.
ThatThat
is theis driving
forceforce
behind
howhow
youryour
consumer.
the driving
behind
Deming
Deming
and and
Columbus
Columbus
members
members
interested
interested
in riding
in riding
the bus,
the bus,
electric
cooperative
works.
It doesn’t
of fancy
electric
cooperative
works.
It doesn’t
taketake
a lotaoflotfancy
please
the office
to reserve
a seat.
please
call call
the office
to reserve
a seat.
words
to understand
the difference
between
electric
words
to understand
the difference
between
youryour
electric
utility
companies.
utility
companies.
Simply
put, put,
if somethinga policy,
a service,
a way
of of
Simply
if somethinga policy,
a service,
a way
At your
Co-op
the consumer
comes
– and
means
At your
Co-op
the consumer
comes
first first
– and
that that
means
you.you.
Don’t
forget
the now
twenty
five five
dollar
jokejoke
contest…see
you you
Don’t
forget
the now
twenty
dollar
contest…see
there.
there.
March
March
2016
2016www.columbusco-op.org
www.columbusco-op.orgVol.Vol.
28, 28,
No.No.
5 5
ThisThis
institution
institution
is an
is equal
an equal
opportunity
opportunity
provider
provider
andand
employer.
employer.
Critical
Critical
Critical
Connections
Connections
Connections
behind
behind
behind
the
the
the
Power
Power
Power
Critical Connections behind the Power
April
April
April
11, 11,
2016,
11,
2016,
2016,
is National
is National
is National
Lineman
Lineman
Lineman
Appreciation
Appreciation
Appreciation
DayDay
soDay
itsoisso
itappropriate
isit appropriate
is appropriate
thatthat
we
that
we
take
we
take
atake
moment
a moment
a moment
to recognize
to recognize
to recognize
thethe
people
the
people
people
thatthat
often
that
often
often
work
work
work
in brutal
in brutal
in brutal
weather
weather
weather
conditions
conditions
conditions
to ensure
to ensure
to ensure
we we
allwe
have
all all
have
safe
have
safe
and
safe
and
reliable
and
reliable
reliable
power.
power.
power.
In fact,
In In
fact,
linemen
fact,
linemen
linemen
areare
often
are
often
first
often
first
responders
first
responders
responders
during
during
during
April 11, 2016, is National Lineman Appreciation Day so it is appropriate that we take a moment to recognize the people that often
storms
storms
storms
andand
other
and
other
other
catastrophic
catastrophic
catastrophic
events,
events,
events,
working
working
working
to make
to make
to make
thethe
scene
the
scene
scene
safesafe
for
safe
for
other
for
other
other
public
public
public
safety
safety
safety
officers.
officers.
officers.
However,
However,
However,
while
while
while
linemen
linemen
linemen
work
work
work
in in in
work in brutal weather conditions to ensure we all have safe and reliable power. In fact, linemen are often first responders during
highly
highly
highly
visible
visible
visible
settings,
settings,
settings,
there
there
there
areare
many
are
many
many
behind
behind
behind
thethe
scenes
the
scenes
scenes
that
that
also
that
also
labor
also
labor
labor
tirelessly
tirelessly
topublic
help
to help
tokeep
help
keep
the
keep
the
lights
the
lights
lights
on.
on.
However,
on.
However,
However,
they
they
do
they
so
do with
do
so
so
with
with
storms
and
other
catastrophic
events,
working
to
make
the
scene
safe
fortirelessly
other
safety
officers.
However,
while
linemen
work
in
little
little
or
little
no
or or
public
no no
public
public
recognition
recognition
recognition
or acknowledgement.
or or
acknowledgement.
acknowledgement.
While
While
While
lineman
lineman
lineman
cancan
docan
their
do do
their
job
their
job
out
job
out
inout
the
in the
in
open–
the
open–
open–
whether
whether
whether
it isitrestoring
isit restoring
is restoring
power
power
power
after
after
after
highly visible settings, there are many behind the scenes that also labor tirelessly to help keep the lights on. However, they do so with
natural
a no
natural
a natural
disaster,
disaster,
disaster,
maintaining
maintaining
maintaining
thethe
lines
the
lines
or
lines
building
or or
building
building
new
new
service
new
service
service
– there
–dothere
–their
there
is aislot
aislot
more
aout
lot
more
work
work
work
taking
taking
taking
place
place
place
behind
thethe
scenes.
the
scenes.
scenes.after
littlea or
public
recognition
or acknowledgement.
While
lineman
can
job
inmore
the
open–
whether
itbehind
isbehind
restoring
power
a natural disaster, maintaining the lines or building new service – there is a lot more work taking place behind the scenes.
TheThe
Operations
The
Operations
Operations
department
department
department
includes
includes
includes
GIS,
GIS,
Vehicle
GIS,
Vehicle
Vehicle
Maintenance,
Maintenance,
Maintenance,
Service
Service
Service
Techs
Techs
Techs
andand
Linemen.
and
Linemen.
Linemen.
They
They
ensure
They
ensure
ensure
thatthat
the
that
the
overall
the
overall
overall
system
system
system
is is is
well
well
maintained.
well
maintained.
maintained.
The
The
lineman
The
lineman
lineman
out
out
inout
the
inGIS,
the
in
field
the
field
works
field
works
works
with
with
thousands
with
thousands
thousands
of volts
of volts
ofTechs
of
volts
electricity
of and
electricity
of electricity
high
high
atop
high
atop
power
atop
power
power
lines
lines
24
lines
hours
24
hours
hours
a day,
a day,
a365
day,
365365
The
Operations
department
includes
Vehicle
Maintenance,
Service
Linemen.
They
ensure
that
the24
overall
system
is
days
days
adays
year,
a year,
a to
year,
keep
to keep
to electricity
keep
electricity
electricity
flowing
flowing
flowing
andand
maintaining
and
maintaining
maintaining
thethe
energy
the
energy
energy
infrastructure.
infrastructure.
infrastructure.
Working
Working
Working
with
with
electricity
with
electricity
electricity
is an
is inherently
an
is an
inherently
inherently
dangerous
dangerous
dangerous
well maintained. The lineman out in the field works with thousands of volts of electricity high atop power lines 24 hours a day, 365
task,
task,
and
task,
and
helping
and
helping
helping
to foster
to foster
to foster
a culture
a culture
a culture
of safety
of safety
of safety
for for
allfor
workers
all all
workers
workers
is aismajor
aismajor
a major
priority.
priority.
priority.
days a year, to keep electricity flowing and maintaining the energy infrastructure. Working with electricity is an inherently dangerous
task, and helping to foster a culture of safety for all workers is a major priority.
TheThe
Office
The
Office
Office
Department
Department
Department
includes
includes
includes
Accounting,
Accounting,
Accounting,
Finance,
Finance,
Finance,
Purchasing,
Purchasing,
Purchasing,
Meter
Meter
Meter
Reading
Reading
Reading
andand
Customer
and
Customer
Customer
Service.
Service.
Service.
These
These
These
functions
functions
functions
playplay
an
play
an an
integral
integral
integral
rolerole
inrole
supporting
in supporting
in supporting
thethe
financial
the
financial
financial
well-being
well-being
well-being
of the
of the
of
Cooperative.
the
Cooperative.
Cooperative.
Included
Included
Included
in this
in this
indepartment
this
department
department
areare
the
are
the
people
the
people
people
whowho
answer
who
answer
answer
calls
calls
calls
The Office Department includes Accounting, Finance, Purchasing, Meter Reading and Customer Service. These functions play an
andand
questions.
and
questions.
questions.
They’re
They’re
They’re
responsible
responsible
responsible
forwell-being
for
ensuring
for
ensuring
ensuring
that
you
that
you
are
you
are
treated
are
treated
treated
appropriately.
appropriately.
appropriately.
It department
all
It starts
all
It all
starts
starts
at the
at the
at
time
the
time
you
time
you
sign
you
sign
up
sign
up
forup
forfor
integral
role
in supporting
the
financial
of that
the
Cooperative.
Included
in this
are
the
people
who
answer
calls
membership.
membership.
membership.
and questions. They’re responsible for ensuring that you are treated appropriately. It all starts at the time you sign up for
membership.
It takes
It takes
It takes
many
many
many
different
different
different
people
people
people
andand
departments
and
departments
departments
working
working
working
closely
closely
closely
together
together
together
to serve
to serve
to serve
you.you.
Because
you.
Because
Because
you,you,
the
you,
the
member,
the
member,
member,
areare
atare
the
at the
at
heart
the
heart
heart
of of of
everything
everything
everything
we we
do.we
do.do.
It takes many different people and departments working closely together to serve you. Because you, the member, are at the heart of
everything we do.
Tip
Tip
Tip
ofof
the
ofthe
the
Month
Month
Month
Tip
of
the
Month
Earth
Earth
Earth
Day
Day
isDay
April
is April
is April
22.22.
Give
22.
Give
Give
back
back
back
to the
to to
the
environment
the
environment
environment
by by
planting
by
planting
planting
a deciduous
a deciduous
a deciduous
treetree
near
tree
near
near
your
your
home.
your
home.
home.
Deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous
trees
trees
trees
loselose
their
lose
their
leaves
their
leaves
leaves
during
during
during
thethe
fall,
the
fall,
allowing
fall,
allowing
allowing
sunlight
sunlight
sunlight
to to to
Earth Day is April 22. Give back to the environment by planting a deciduous tree near
warm
warm
warm
your
your
home.
your
home.
home.
TheThe
extra
The
extra
extra
shade
shade
shade
during
during
during
summer
summer
summer
months
months
months
willwill
keep
will
keep
keep
your
your
home
your
home
home
cooler
cooler
cooler
your home. Deciduous trees lose their leaves during the fall, allowing sunlight to
andand
give
and
give
your
give
your
AC
your
AC
aAC
much
a much
a much
needed
needed
needed
break.
break.
break.
warm your home. The extra shade during summer months will keep your home cooler
and
give
your
AC a much needed break.
ource:
ource:
ource:
energy.gov
energy.gov
energy.gov
ource: energy.gov