WHITE COUNTY
REMC
302 N. Sixth St., P.O. Box 599
Monticello, IN 47960
Phone: (574) 583-7161
Toll Free: (800) 844-7161
Fax Line: (574) 583-4156
www.whitecountyremc.com
OFFICE HOURS
Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.,
EST. Outside construction hours: Monday
through Friday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m., EST.
Closed weekends.
SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS
Local call: (574) 583-7161
Long distance only: (800) 844-7161, day or night.
Routine questions answered during regular
business hours. Only emergency calls will be
accepted after regular working hours.
DIRECTORS
Gerald E. Kruger, chairman, District 1
10036 W 700 S, Francesville
(219) 567-9605
Dean D. Lowry, vice chairman, District 2
8931 W 550 S, Francesville
(219) 567-9669
Gary E. Gerlach, District 3
9833 S Base Road, Star City
(574) 595-7820
Margaret E. Foutch, sec./treas., District 4
7535 W 500 S, Chalmers
(219) 279-2677
Melvin R. Coonrod, District 5
8666 N 800 E, Monticello
(574) 278-7215
Richard A. Ploss, District 6
10154 N 1300 E, Star City
(574) 278-7270
Dale W. Dahlenburg, District 7
1453 E U.S. Highway 24, Reynolds
(219) 984-5872
William R. Begley, District 8
P.O. Box 365
1054 E. Creekside Court, Brookston
(765) 563-3282
MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to provide our members and
customers with high quality, competitively
priced electricity and other services. We
strive to exceed their expectations, winning
their loyalty while enhancing lifestyles in the
communities we serve.
Information from your electric cooperative
Benjamin Franklin’s brilliant idea … co-ops
The history of White County
n 1730, Philadelphia was hit with
REMC is the history of rural America.
the most disastrous fire in the history
Most electric cooperatives were
of this great American city. The devformed in the 1930s and 1940s to
astating fire burned all the stores on
provide electricity to rural areas. With
Fishbourn’s Wharf, a Delaware River
few customers per mile of line, rural
landmark, and it destroyed three
areas were considered by for-profit
homes adjacent to the riverfront.
utilities to be insufficiently profitBenjamin Franklin reported in the
able to justify investment.
Philadelphia Gazette that damage
Today, 37 million people in 47
from the fire ran into “several thoustates are served by America’s elecsand pounds.”
Jack Landrum tric cooperatives that provide at-cost
“If the people had been provided
electricity to the consumers they
President and CEO
with good engines and firefighting
serve. Electric co-ops own and maininstruments, the fire would likely have
tain some 2.4 million miles of elecbeen contained,” reported Franklin.
tricity distribution lines which is 43 percent of
The Philadelphia Common Council ordered
the nation’s lines covering three-quarters of
fire equipment imported from England. Leather
America’s land mass.
buckets, fire hooks, ladders and engines were
Cooperatives thrive because that concept is
distributed at strategic points around town. A
so fundamental and universally appealing —
local inventor built his own fire engine which he
people or businesses banding together to form
boasted “threw the water much higher” than the
an independent business entity to serve the
London models.
needs of the collective membership, customer
History reports the efforts of Benjamin
base, employees or other user groups. But as old
Franklin saved Philadelphia from further major
as the form of business may be, cooperatives
disasters such as the fire that hit Charleston in
have never been more modern in the way they
1740 and the famous Chicago fire in 1871. In his
operate. Like other businesses that must reinnewspaper, the Gazette, Franklin wrote, “In the
vent themselves every day in response to everfirst place, as an ounce of prevention is worth a
changing markets, cooperatives are continually
pound of cure, I would advise ’em to take care
evolving to meet their members’ needs, and new
how they suffer living coals in a full shovel, to be
cooperatives are created all the time.
carried out of one room into another, or up or
Each October, we reflect on the history of
down stairs, unless in a Warmingpan shut; for
cooperatives and their impact on American
scraps of fire many fall into chinks and make no
culture. This year’s cooperative theme is “Coopappearance until midnight when your stairs
eratives: Owned by Our Members, Committed
being in flames, you may be forced as I once was
to Our Communities.” Member-owned coopto leap out of your windows and hazard your
eratives generate jobs and give charitable contrinecks to avoid being oven-roasted.’’
butions. Ultimately, they make the quality of life
Franklin’s recommendations ultimately led
richer in the communities they serve.
to the forming of Philadelphia’s first volunteer
At White County REMC, our commitment to
fire brigade, the Union Fire Company. In 1752,
the communities we serve is evident in countless
Benjamin Franklin formed the Philadelphia
ways. From Operation Round Up to employees’
Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses
volunteering in civic clubs, organizations and
from Loss by Fire, the nation’s oldest continuchurches, REMC gives back to community. We
ing member-owned cooperative.
share our talents with those we serve and in the
In its first year of existence, this cooperative
communities where we live. And as Benjamin
wrote 143 policies and that year, not one fire was
Franklin said, “Hide not your talents. They for
reported by the shareholders. “Over time, the
use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade?”
Contributionship’s assets grew and they invested
Good advice and good principles are timeless.
their money in various ways. They wrote mortgages and invested in stocks and bonds. They
donated money to the volunteer fire brigades
and responded to all fires. They had all the more
compelling reasons to fight fires at buildings
bearing The Contributionship’s hand-in-hand
fire mark,” historical accounts read.
1. Democratic member control
The history of all cooperatives is rich as their
2. Open and voluntary membership
roots are formed in the tradition of American
3. Member economic participation
values such as proclaimed by Benjamin Franklin
4. Independence and autonomy
in the 1700s. Seeing the value in member own5. Education, training and Information
ership and community commitment is as much
6. Cooperation among cooperatives
a part of today’s cooperatives as it was since its
7. Concern for community
origin.
I
The seven
cooperative principles
ELECTRIC CONSUMER • OCTOBER 2006 •7EE
Power down computers
to save energy
Computers use more energy than they
should — because we let them run when
we’re not using them.
October is National Computer
Learning Month, a good time to learn how
to manage your computer’s power use.
Some facts and figures:
• A traditional desktop PC uses about
65 watts per hour, and more if you have
a fancy monitor. If your unit has a powersaving “standby” mode, though, the
computer will consume just three to 35
watts when it’s not in use — even
though it’s still turned on.
• Laptops use significantly less energy
— around 15 watts.
• By comparison, a light bulb uses about
75 watts an hour. So average personal
computer use does not contribute a
significant portion to your electric bill.
Still, there’s no sense allowing
your computer to waste energy. Here are
ways that could conserve energy and
prolong the life of the computer.
• Turning a computer on and off during
the day or shutting it down at night will not
put extra stress on the hardware. So turn
it off when you’re finished working on it.
• A screen saver with animation graphics
doesn’t save energy. A screen saver with
moving images uses the same amount of
electricity as a fully operational computer.
Turning off monitors is the best screen
saver. Second best is activating the unit’s
“sleep” mode, which cuts power use by
up to 70 percent.
Leaf blowers make
yard work go quicker
Dead leaves blanketing your lawn are an
early sign that winter is on its way. They’re
also a promise of weekends filled with
yard work. Thanks to electric leaf blowers,
though, that chore goes a bit quicker than
it did a few decades ago.
Leaf blowers, introduced in the
United States in the 1970s, were not
originally used for clearing debris.
Rather, their original purpose was for
spreading pesticides and fertilizers.
But manufacturers and
homeowners have adapted the blowers
to accomplish a variety of tasks, including blowing soft snow and cleaning
gutters. When you power yours up:
• Wear protective gear like earplugs,
earmuffs or another comfortable hearing
protector, along with complete-coverage
goggles. To maintain a firm grip on the
nozzle, wear heavy-duty work gloves.
• Dress in clothing that is not loose and
covers legs and arms. Nonslip shoes
that guard toes and heels are a must for
safe operation.
8EE • ELECTRIC CONSUMER • OCTOBER 2006
Scrub those ghosts out of
your ‘haunted’ refrigerator
L
ooking for something truly scary to creep
out your kids and kin this Halloween?
Just open your refrigerator.
Dubbed by some as Haunted Refrigerator Night, Oct. 30 offers thrill
seekers the opportunity to clean their
iceboxes of drips, spills and expired
food.
Of course, refrigerators should
be cleaned more often than once a
year so they’ll stay sanitary and keep
working at peak efficiency. But Halloween is a good day to begin cleaning the crud from the cold depths.
Some guidelines for safe cleaning:
• Unplug the appliances and pull it away
from the wall.
• To keep white appliances from dulling,
wipe with a mixture of water, chlorine bleach,
baking soda and borax.
• White vinegar and water do a fine job of
lifting cold-set grime and mildew from refrigerator shelves.
• Check food labels for expiration dates and
toss anything that’s past its prime.
• Use a vacuum cleaner or soft brush to clean
the coils located on the back of the refrigerator
once a year.
• Slip your vacuum cleaner hose attachment
under the refrigerator to clean the condenser
coils. If it won’t fit, stretch a rubber band around
an old sock and attach it to the end of a yard-
stick. Slide the stick under the refrigerator to
clean the condenser coils.
• And while you’re giving the refrigerator
and once-over, check the gasket (the soft plastic
piece that seals the door to the body of the
refrigerator) for gaps and improper fit. A trick:
Place a dollar bill between the gasket and the
door. Close the door and tug on the dollar. If it
doesn’t drag as you pull it out, the gasket may be
worn. Replace it.
• When you’re finished with the creepy chore,
plug the refrigerator back in. Leave space between the coil and the wall to allow for air flow.
• Keep the refrigerator away from heating
vents, windows and the stove. The extra heat
requires the unit to spend more energy to cool
food.
Get your home ready for winter
T
he temperature has barely begun to cool,
but’ it’s time to prepare your home for winter.
Did you know that the infiltration of air into
your home has a bigger impact on your energy
bill than almost anything else? It’s true. All those
little leaks can add up to the equivalent of
leaving a good-sized window open all winter!
The good news, however, is that stopping those
leaks can be simple and inexpensive.
• Caulking and/or weather-stripping around
all your doors, windows, exhaust vents and
other openings that allow cold air to leak into
your house, can save you a lot in energy costs.
And don’t worry about sealing your home too
tightly; for as many leaks as you can find, there
will always be a few that you can’t find or fix.
• Check your exterior doors. If you can see
light or can feel air coming in around them, you
probably need to replace the thresholds and/or
door sweeps.
• Seal around plumbing entrances under
sinks and vanities, and around bathtubs and
showers.
• Place foam gaskets under the electrical
outlet covers to cut down on air infiltration.
You’ll be surprised at the amount of outside air
that gets in, even through the inside walls of
your home.
And, while you’re surveying your home,
remember these money-saving tips, too.
• Lower heating bills by up to 30 percent by
installing insulation with a high-R value. Begin
upgrading insulation in the attic, and then move
to outside walls, basement crawl spaces, floors
and walls.
• Take advantage of sunlight as a natural
heater. During the day, lift drapes to let warm
sunshine heat rooms. Close them after dark to
keep the heat indoors. Hanging heavier drapes
during the winter can give a room a facelift and
allow the window coverings to conserve more
heat.
• If you use a wood-burning fireplace, have
the chimney and flue cleaned every fall. Turn
the thermostat down when a fire is burning in
the hearth. And consider converting your energy-wasting wood fireplace to a more efficient
one with an electric insert.
Prevent a fire
4-H FAIR BOOTH WINNERS
October is Fire Prevention Month. Here are
some tips to keep the electricity in your home
from starting a fire.
• Avoid overloading outlets with multi-prong
adapters or extension cords. Use extension cords
only temporarily, and make sure they’re not
frayed or worn.
• Cords should not hide under rugs. Never
twist them around nails or hooks or staple them
to a wall or floor.
• Do not plug space heaters into extension
cords.
• Buy outdoor appliances, outlets and cords
that are rated for use outside.
• Equip outdoor outlets — and those in
kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms — with
ground-fault circuit interrupters. Test them regularly.
• Keep dust from building up on appliances.
Give electronics likely to generate heat — TVs,
stereos, toaster ovens and lamps, for instance —
enough room to “breathe.”
• Don’t fold or roll an electric blanket while
it’s plugged in. Turn it off after 30 minutes. Set
an alarm to remind you if you’re likely to fall
asleep.
Above: Edwin Stangle, Monticello, won the
CD/stereo radio given away from our fair booth
sign-ups during the White County Fair. Above
left: Norma Beiriger, Reynolds, was the winner
of the oscillating fan given away during the
White County Fair. The fan sure came in handy
during those hot evenings at the fair! Left:
Ronn Mohr was the winner of the $50 gift
certificate for compact fluorescent light bulbs
from White County REMC. Compact fluorescent
light bulbs proved to be a popular item for
discussion during the fair and Mohr was glad
he signed up and won this prize from REMC.
White County REMC begins survey process
During this past summer, White County REMC
held a weight loss contest over a three month
period. Weight was measured each month and
recorded for each of the 23 participating
employees. To make the competition
interesting the employees were broken up into
male and female categories and a gift card
given to the winner of each. After three months
of hard work and dedication the winners were
Apprentice Lineman Jamie Kuhl and Customer
Service Representative Sandy Cotner.
For the first time since 2004, White County
REMC will conduct a market share survey to help plan for the future
power supply needs of its
membership. Beginning in
mid-October and running
through mid-January, co-op
members could be called by
Preston-Osborne Research, a
Lexington, Ky.-based firm that
specializes in market research.
On average, calls should
last between eight and 10 minutes. The results
are confidential, and help the cooperative and
its wholesale power supplier, Wabash Valley
Power, determine the appropriate levels of electricity that will be needed in the coming years.
Participants are selected at random, and completion of previous surveys does not guarantee you
will be excluded from the current survey.
While most co-op members
are willing to give a few minutes of their time to help us
plan for the future, we do
realize your time is valuable.
In fact, we’re occasionally
asked why members are contacted if they’ve subscribed to
the Do-Not-Call program.
Since research projects like
this one are not considered
sales calls, and because as a
member/customer we have an existing business relationship, this project is exempt from
the Do-Not-Call program.
Again, we realize your time is valuable. We
greatly appreciate your willingness to help us
plan for the future, and assure you the confidential information shared in the survey is an important piece of our planning process.
ELECTRIC CONSUMER • OCTOBER 2006 •9EE
CO-OP NOTES
Bills due
Cycle 1 bills due Oct. 5. Unpaid Cycle 1 bills subject
to disconnect Oct. 31. Cycle 2 bills due Oct. 20.
Unpaid Cycle 2 bills subject to disconnect Nov. 14.
Meter reading dates:
Cycle 1: Oct. 30, 31 and Nov. 1, 2.
Cycle 2: Oct. 14, 16, 17, 18
White County REMC meter readers must have
access to your meter during reading dates. Please
keep these dates in mind if you have locked gates
or dogs that might prevent an accurate reading of
your meter.
Programs and services available
•EZ Pay Plan •Long distance service 5.9¢
•EnviroWatts •Power Plus credit card •Surge
suppression equipment •Water heater program
•Free water heater repair service •Operation
Round Up® •Budget billing •Free energy audit
•Security lights •Geothermal heating/cooling
incentives •Convectair heaters •Compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Vacation time doesn’t mean
your meter takes time off too!
Just because you have been away on vacation, electric bills don’t always show a dramatic use decrease. Your electric meter will
still measure use for:
• Electric water heaters
• Refrigerators and freezers
• Clocks, attic fans, air-conditioning, lights and
television sets with “instant-on” features.
Remember — Many vacationers bring
home several days’ or weeks’ worth of dirty
laundry. When laundry loads increase, water
heaters get an extra workout and use increases.
Suggestion — Read your meter before
leaving on vacation and read it again when
returning. Noting these readings will determine the number of kwh used during the
vacation period.
Together, we can determine what your
electric meter is recording while you’re away.
If you have any questions, please contact the
office.
We hope you have a happy vacation and
a safe, comfortable return to home!
White County REMC
to host Geothermal Seminar
Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m.
WaterFurnace International
will be on hand to discuss
one of the most efficient ways
to heat and cool your home.
If you are thinking
of changing your home’s
heating/cooling system
find out how geothermal may be
what you are looking for!
White County REMC
302 N. Sixth St.
Monticello, IN 47960
www.whitecountyremc.com
10EE • ELECTRIC CONSUMER • OCTOBER 2006