November 2008
For Our Members
The View
from the
Corner Office
by Jim Lauzon, CEO
A Sweet Scent
“These candles burn 12-15 hours
and they’re made from a special
proprietary formula of vegetables
and other natural materials.”
PAGE 4
Mary Kay Schauer, Peosta
Ten months ago we took on a
formidable task, to change out every
meter on our system and convert to a new
technology that would not only read the
meter, but would provide a two way
communication path from our office to your home. I challenged our
staff to complete this task in one year, a feat that everyone said was not
possible. The project started with a one month delay in getting equipment
from the manufacturer, so we were not off to a good start. Now, nine
months after changing out our first meter, the end is in sight. To date,
we have over 90% of the meters changed out. We have replaced our
communication path between our office and 37 substations with a radio
system capable of automatically redirecting itself to an alternate path if
equipment fails. We have installed signal injection equipment at 15 of
our 37 substations that allows us to speak with the meters, and we have
replaced equipment that interfered with the metering system’s operation.
We did all of this with our own staff, while continuing to keep the lights
on and the system growing. We did forego some system maintenance and
contracted out more tree trimming than usual, but our members did not
see any degradation of service in the process. Now as we near the end of
the project we are again faced with equipment shortages that delay our
completion. We may well not meet our twelve month target, but it is not
because of lack of effort. I thank our employees for their hard work and
dedication to helping our members.
So what have we gained? The new system, while not yet fully operational
has already allowed us to identify service outages and get them restored
before the members knew they were out of service. In one case it was
a livestock well that lost service when a tree took out the transformer
fuse. We dispatched a crew to repair it while we waited for the member
to call, and they never did. We fixed the problem, presumably without
the member knowing. In another case, a tree took out a line fuse feeding
three accounts. Again, no one ever called and we were able to get service
restored before anyone came home. As we incorporate the system into
our daily operating procedures, we expect to be able to respond quicker
and get power restored faster when an outage occurs.
Continued on page 2
The average refrigerator
is responsible for nearly
10% of the average
home’s total energy use.
Watts Inside:
MVEC Promotes Safety, Wins Award
Page 2
Saving Money? Think Again!
Page 3
A Sweet Scent
Page 4
So Watts It Cost?
Page 5
Cranberries Are More Than Just A
Thanksgiving Food
Page 6
Should Your Meter Be Disconnected?
Page 7
Member Complaint Procedure
Page 7
MVEC Promotes Safety, Wins Award
Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative (MVEC) was
recently awarded a Safety Accreditation Certificate
through the National Rural Electric Safety Accreditation
Program. This is a three year accreditation that supports
National cooperative safety standards to create a safe
environment for employees and to compliment the
mission of reliable electric service to all members.
MVEC has been awarded this certification every three
years since 1981. Program standards include safety
training for all employees, public safety messages,
regular building and facility safety inspections and much
more. According to CEO, Jim Lauzon, “Keeping our
employees and our membership safe is a high priority
that is taken very seriously and is monitored at all
times. Although accidents can happen, it is our intent to
minimize the risk in every single job we do.”
Additionally, the Cooperative employees are ‘eyes’ in
the neighborhood as they watch for suspicious activity
during the course of their work day. Any unusual
activities are reported to the proper law enforcement
agency.
This fall the Cooperative will be reminding everyone
working in the agriculture industry to “Look up and
Live.” Always be aware of the location of overhead
electric lines as large farm equipment is moved across
fields, roads and farm yards. If equipment should come
in contact with an electric line, stay on the equipment
until help arrives or jump ‘free and clear’ making sure
you do not touch the equipment and the ground at the
same time. The Cooperative does not just promote “Our
Energy Working for You!”, they live it, safely.
Safety training at the cooperative includes pole top and
basket rescue. This training prepares the lineman to
act in case an emergency should occur. All employees
are trained annually in CPR and First Aid and First
Aid kits are available in every cooperative vehicle and
throughout the office. The office also has a defibrillator
available. Cooperative employees are encouraged to
respond to the scene of an accident or other medical
emergency should they come upon such a situation in
their daily jobs.
The View from the Corner Office
Continued from page 1
We have also been able to use the new system to provide
members with more information about their energy
use patterns. Members have called to ask for help in
identifying why their bills are so high. We have been
able to show them when they use larger amounts of
energy, which helps them identify what they are doing
that uses more energy than they had thought. In one case
a gentleman called and we were able to ask him, “What
did you do yesterday afternoon that was unusual?”
When he responded, “I was dehydrating food,” we were
able to tell him how much energy that used and to show
him two days during his billing cycle that pattern was
present.
number of days included were less than normal. We
have encouraged members to look at the number of
days in the billing cycle before assuming the meter was
wrong. We did have a few meters that failed, less than
the 0.6% failure rate published by the manufacturer.
Electronic meters tend to either work well, or not at
all. In all of our tests, we have not found a single meter
running a little fast or a little slow. They either stopped
or are running 300-400% fast, which makes it obvious
they are not working well (note of the 14,000 meters we
installed, only 4 ran fast). We take every inquiry about
metering very seriously and responded by checking
out each inquiry. We are very pleased with the overall
performance and accuracy of the new metering system.
The installation has not been problem free. Several of
our members called to report bills higher than normal
and assumed the new meter was running fast. We
worked with our members and found in most cases it
was because the new reading date was different than
when they had read the meter, and more days were
included in that billing cycle. That was a one-time event
and for every higher bill, there were lower bills as the
At the last annual meeting several members asked if they
would need to read their meter this winter. I told them
I hoped not. Most of you will be on the new system
before the snow gets deep, and hopefully everyone
will. If not, it is not because we didn’t try. Please keep
reading your meter until you get a post card telling you
to stop. Look for your postcard, it is coming soon.
Saving Money? Think Again!
Gary Weber, MVEC Member Advocate
this will increase with each heater that is running
in lieu of a lower thermostat setting. Will you save
the equivalent amount of money on your gas bill?
Are you just as comfortable with one or two space
heaters as you are with heating your whole house?
There appears to be no end in sight for high gas
prices that will continue to make heating our
homes this winter a real challenge. As an electric
cooperative, we are always looking out for you,
our members. Even though our job is to provide
you with safe, reliable and affordable electricity,
we only want to sell you the electricity you need.
To do that, we have this constant drive to help you
make the most efficient choices when using electric
energy. Although we can’t control gas prices, we
can offer suggestions to help you stay warm this
winter.
There are lots of space heaters on the market
today. Some as low as $50 and others as high as
$500. They are available locally as well as through
unknown sources including the Internet or door
to door sales. The buyer should always beware.
Know what you are buying, know who you are
buying it from, how you are going to use it and
what your payback will be.
Even though the cost of electricity here in the
Midwest is more reasonable than residents in other
parts of our nation experience, we will continue to
answer the question, “Why is my electric bill so
high?” During the winter months, our answer to
your question often starts with our own question,
“How do you heat your home?”
Allow your electric cooperative to work for you.
Ask for a home energy audit. Implement some of
the suggested improvements. Spending $50 on
caulk may go further towards saving money than
a new $50 heater. Spending $500 to replace two
ancient windows or improve your attic insulation
may have greater payback than a $500 space heater
with additional monthly costs.
In an effort to save on gas costs, many of us are
more than willing to turn our thermostats down a
little, wear an extra sweater, or use another blanket.
But there is also an urge to plug in an electric
heater. Electric heaters are 100% efficient and can
be a means of saving on your gas costs as long as
you understand how to best use it and how it might
affect your energy bill.
Your cooperative is here to help you. This is your
chance to utilize the benefits of being an owner
of that cooperative. Call on us and replace bandaid savings with long-term savings so you can be
comfortable in every room of your home.
A space heater is a space heater, generally putting
out 1500 watts. An Infrared Heater is a space heater
with a different design. Advertising will show
differences in safety or construction quality, but two
completely different 1500 watt space heaters will
cost the same to operate if used for the same periods
of time. Space heaters are designed for temporary
use, not long-term. If your space heater runs 24/7
for an entire month, your gas bill may be somewhat
lower. However you should then expect your
electric bill to raise, maybe as much as $108. For
example, at an electric rate of $0.10 per kilowatthour, a 1500 watt heater will cost $0.15 to run for
one continuous hour. If the heater runs for 24 hours
it will add $3.60 to your bill. If it runs for 24 hours
for 30 days, it will add $108! You can imagine how
A Sweet Scent
Grace Zimmerman, Anamosa, Iowa
Talk about being overwhelmed! That was the result
as I sat down at the kitchen table to learn about the
business venture of Tracy Goedken and Mary Kay
Schauer at 11916 Swiss Valley Road, Peosta. Tracy
is Mary Kay’s daughter. First, Mary Kay placed
several boxes containing 16 ounce glass jars with
tight fitting lids on the table and said, “Mia Bella
candles have a double wick and have an attractive
crystal-like topping, which melts clear as it burns.”
What a wide array of gourmet scents! As I looked
in the brochure, approximately 100 scents were
listed, such as Fig Wisteria, Juicy Ripe Watermelon,
Créme Brulee, Mulled Cider, and would you
believe, Sex on the Beach! This is one of the
chief reasons for you to request a copy of the sales
brochure.
Then she showed me the Bella Bars (gourmet
cleansing bars) and stated, “These are available in
six scents, such as Japanese Pear, Sweet Orange
& Chili Pepper and Mystic Melon. They contain
soy protein that help protect the skin.” I couldn’t
help but notice the attractive and bright colored
packaging for each bar. There is also Bella Balm,
which is an excellent hand and foot cream.
The high point for me was the Electric Simmer Pot,
which I first spotted at their display at the Jones
County Fair in Monticello. This is something
which caught my attention because I wouldn’t have
to worry about forgetting to blow it out, it is safer
and there is no flame. Little round holes in the
warmer pot let the light shine through. You put a
Mia Melt (10 in a package) in the pot that is placed
on top of the warmer, which contains a 40 watt bulb
(the heating element). The result is a fragrance
which envelopes the room. What makes it a perfect
gift is the safety factor so that it can be used where
candles aren’t feasible! I just love it.
Then appearing in front of me were items labeled
Mia Bella’s Bakery. I couldn’t believe the artistic
sight! The little pies, each in their own pie tin, were
decorated in such a manner that I knew instantly the
flavor of each of the six different varieties of each
of the three wick candles, such as Apple, Pumpkin,
Lime, Strawberry Pie and even a very realistic
frosted cinnamon bun. My reaction was that the
candles were too beautiful to burn as the aroma of
each pie brought out a scent as real as a real pie!
As Tracy arrives home from work, it naturally leads
me to the obvious question of how this motherdaughter team got started. Tracy says, “We were
looking for a home-based scenario that we could
do together. I wanted more time to be home with
my three kids. My 7 year old, Kylie, helps us a lot
using our motto ‘smell and sell’ with customers.
She’s very knowledgeable and has really embraced
it. My other daughter, Aubrey, is 3 and my son,
Peyton, is 8 months old. We looked at multiple
options, trying to find something consumable and
a quality product. We Googled home-based soy
candles and Mia Bella really stood out as it used a
proprietary blend with 100% cotton wicks.” Tracy’s
husband Marty is instrumental in getting ready for
vendor shows and fairs.
Next, were boxes
containing 6 of the 2.5
ounce clean-burning
votives, available in a
variety of Mia Bella
scents. Mary Kay
informed me, “These
candles burn 12-15
hours and they’re
made from a special
proprietary formula of
vegetables and other
natural materials.”
Mary Kay displays the
Mia Bella’s Bakery candles.
Mary Kay says, “I work at Finley and have been
married to Bob for 36 years. Bob has grown to be
quite the candle salesman himself. He has adapted
great for us. We’re very pleased with our
involvement with Mia Bella’s. There’s lots of
opportunities such as ‘Candle of the Month’
program. We invite people to visit our website that
Tracy created at www.asweetscent.com to find out
more about our products and to place orders. Our
email address is [email protected]. You
can also order a brochure that explains more and
you can use the order blank that is included. We
would love to help you and your organization with
a fundraiser, or perhaps host a home party for you,
and would welcome new team members.” They’ve
been very happy because of the repeat customers
and word of mouth as the scent gets out. Their
business address is 11916 Swiss Valley Road,
Peosta, IA 52068. An appointment can be arranged
by calling Tracy at 563-557-5894 or Mary Kay at
563-557-9717. It’s easy to find their home nestled
in the hills just off of Highway 151. Exit on to Old
Military Road and then turn left on Swiss Valley
Road. If you are looking for unique Christmas gifts,
“Sweet Scents” is the answer for any household.
You won’t be surprised to learn that I took
advantage of this opportunity and have purchased
my Christmas gifts and even a birthday gift.
Tracy and Mary Kay have been selling
Mia Bella’s products through their
business, A Sweet Scent.
well to the smell and sell technique. I have four
children, Tracy is my oldest, Shannon is in medical
school at the University of Iowa, Robin works part
time for the State of Iowa and they both reside in
Iowa City with their families. My son, Bobby,
is employed at UPS and is also a huge help by
picking up and delivering our products from UPS.
Shannon, Robin and my daughter-in-law Callie,
assist us with vendor shows, home parties and
fundraisers. We began our business in May 2007
with a ‘Open House’ here at home and participated
in lots of shows and fairs. The Monticello fair was
So Watts It Cost?
Do you know how much it REALLY costs to operate
your dehumidifier every day? Or what about your
hot tub or water heater? It’s easy to do the math and
calculate the impact an item might have on your electric
bill.
1) Find the plate or labeling on the unit that tells the
amps (see photo)
2) Multiply the amps by the voltage
a. 5.8 amps x 115 volts = 667 watts
3) Multiply the watts by the number of hours you
expect the unit to run in a 24 hour period. (A
dehumidifier can run as much as 8 hours per day).
a. 667 watts x 8 hours = 5,336 watts
4) Determine the kilowatt hour use by dividing the
watts by 1000.
a. 5,336/1000 = 5.34/kilowatt hours per day
5) Calculate the number of days the appliance will most
likely run in one month
a. 5.34 kilowatt hours x 30 days = 160.2
kilowatt hours for the month
6) Now determine the cost for 160 kilowatt hours in one
month
a. 160.2 kilowatt hours x $0.10 per kilowatt
hour = $16.02
You can find the current electric rate on your monthly
energy bill. For MVEC members, $0.10 is a good
number to start with.
We want to help you save energy! Understanding how
you use an appliance, and how it affects your monthly
electric bill is the first step in managing your energy
costs. For more information, contact us at 800-927-6068
or [email protected] to request “Use Energy
Wisely” or visit www.mvec.coop.
Cranberries Are More Than Just
A Thanksgiving Food
Susan Uthoff, ISU Extension Nutrition & Health Specialist
Today, cranberries are a popular food item. It used
to be that they were only seen at holiday time.
Today you see advertisements for cranberry juice
year round. Cranberries are grown under special
conditions in what is called a bog. The bog consists
of layers of clay, gravel, peat and sand. On the
contrary to many people’s beliefs and some of the
ads we see on television, cranberries do not grow
in water. The growing season starts in the winter
when water is poured over the bogs to let the ice
isolate the vines from frost. As the snow and ice
melts in the spring, water is poured out of the bog
and the vine starts to flower. In the middle of July,
green nodes develop and after weeks of sun the
nodes turn into red cranberries. The cranberries are
then harvested in September and October and can
be stored for up to one year.
Apple Cranberry
Salad Toss
5 cups of leafy greens (lettuce or spinach)
1 medium red apple, sliced
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
½ cup dried cranberries or “Craisins”
¼ cup green onions, sliced
6 tablespoons fat-free or low-fat raspberry
vinaigrette dressing (or dressing of choice)
Wash leafy greens, apple and onions thoroughly
with running water, then drain. Tear greens into
bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, toss lettuce,
apples, walnuts, cranberries and onions. Add
dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Cranberries are low in calories, contain no fat,
low in sodium and provide over 10% of the
recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
Cranberries also contain phytochemicals, some
which have antioxidant effects, thus can help
prevent cancer and heart disease caused by free
radicals. Cranberries are also believed to serve as
an anti-bacteria agent in the urinary tract. How
many cranberries do I have to eat to alleviate
urinary tract infections? The recommended
amounts to obtain these benefits are 10 fluid ounces
of a 27% cranberry juice product (cranberry cocktail
juice), 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries, 1 ounce
dried, or ½ cup of cranberry sauce.
Cranberry juice, incidentally, is too bitter for most
people to drink straight. What people mean when
they refer to the red fluid is usually cranberry juice
cocktail – a mix of juice, water and sweetener that
contains about 150 calories per cup. Low calorie
cranberry juice cocktail contains about 50 calories
per cup. Another cranberry fact – a twelve ounce
bag of cranberries equals 3 cups.
LED holiday lights are
very energy efficient;
many use up to 90%
less energy than an
incandescent bulb.
Should Your Meter Be Disconnected?
It’s that time of year, harvest, yard work, winterizing our homes and closing
cabins. If you will not be using any electricity at that sight for 3 months or
more, you should consider having the service disconnected. If a problem arose
in your wiring system, such as a short or ground, the kilowatt-hours could build
up excessively before the problem is detected. If the service is temporarily
disconnected you’re NOT required to send in monthly payments or meter
readings. All members that have an active meter that continues to show no
kilowatt hours used, should consider this option.
There is no charge to have a meter disconnected but there is a reconnection fee.
The Basic Service Charge of $19.00 (plus tax) is assessed monthly for all active
single phase meters. If there are no kilowatts being used on this meter for 3
months or more, you will save money by having the service disconnected and
paying the $53.50 reconnect fee when or if you have the service reconnected.
Watts The
Answer?
1. All MVEC employees are
trained annually in _____ and
First Aid.
2. A space heater is a space
heater, generally putting out
______ watts.
Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative strives to provide the best service
possible because meters that show zero usage can signal a problem; our crews
are regularly dispatched to check on these meters. The disconnecting of these
meters saves money for the Cooperative, which again saves you money. As an
owner of the Cooperative, money saved by the Cooperative is money saved by
you as well. If you would like your service temporarily disconnected or have
any questions please call us at 800-927-6068.
3. On the contrary to many
people’s beliefs and some of the
ads we see on television,
cranberries do not grow in
________.
Member Complaint Procedure
Mail your answers in with your
energy bill or email them to
[email protected].
The Iowa Utilities Board issued an order adopting a rule requiring electric
cooperatives to inform members of an address and telephone number where a
cooperative representative, qualified to assist in resolving a complaint, can be
reached. If you have a complaint, you can reach a representative by writing to:
Member Advocate
Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative
109 North Huber Street
PO Box 370
Anamosa, IA 52205-0370
Phone: 800-927-6068
Two winners will each receive
a $10.00 credit on their energy
bills.
Name:
__________________________
Address:
If your complaint is related to Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative service
rather that its rates and Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative does not resolve
your complaint, you may request assistance from the Iowa Utilities Board, 350
Maple Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0069, 515-281-5979.
Water Heater Replacement Program
We are still continuing to offer our members an opportunity to
replace their water heaters. If your water heater is 10 years
old or older, give us a call today at 800-927-6068 and ask
about this program. A limited supply of electric water heaters
are available for only $100. Hurry and place your call to us
today because this pricing won’t last long!
__________________________
__________________________
September winners:
Irene Dirks, Center Junction
Dale Schulz, Dubuque
Happy Thanksgiving!
Our office will be closed
Thursday, November 27
&
Friday, November 28
r
e
d
in
em
R
There will not be a December
issue of Watts Current.
Look for your new 2-year calendar insert!
Billing Questions
Product or Service Questions
Maintenance Issues
Dividend Questions
New Service Questions
Management
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
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[email protected]
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