News > Manager’s Message: We Value Connecting With our Co-op Members

Manager’s Message: We Value Connecting With our Co-op Members

As a member of Stearns Electric Association, you are also an owner of the Cooperative and you have a voice in the operation of this organization. Most commonly this ownership is reflected in your member elected Board of Directors and the return of margins in the form of Capital Credits. But it also means that Stearns Electric values and appreciates all of the opportunities (whether you attend a Co-op event, stop by the office or see our employees at the grocery store) we have to connect and hear from you.
 
One way that the Cooperative connects with our members is through our Member Resource Committee. Four times a year this committee meets to learn about the Cooperative, our services and the energy industry. It is an opportunity for the Co-op to share what we are working on, talk about new technologies, and share industry advances to a group of about 40 members from various backgrounds and areas in our service territory. The Member Resource Committee also serves as a resource or sounding board if you will, for ideas and proposals for new programs and evaluations of existing services.
 
Over the years, the Member Resource Committee has spent significant time learning about a variety of topics including the Cooperative difference; renewable energy; distributed generation; electric safety; energy legislation and more. We try to make sure we provide presentations of variety, depth and interest.
 
At our most recent Member Resource Committee meeting on February 8, I was able to present a detailed look at the 2018 Stearns Electric Budget. My presentation highlighted how our team plans for the year with consideration to member priorities, significant projects and the Cooperative’s projected revenue to put together a cohesive and accurate budget. We also talked about where the Cooperative’s revenue comes from and where it gets spent to maintain our distribution system and deliver reliable power to your homes and businesses. Following that, we spent some time looking at the numbers themselves – big numbers for the big projects of course but a variety of the small items too. The Cooperative’s budget includes expense items as small as a few hundred dollars. By understanding the process behind the budget and then getting a transparent look at the numbers themselves, our hope is that our members appreciate how we strive to use our members’ money wisely and responsibly to run the business. Finally, we spent some time talking about the cost of wholesale power and what we project electric rates to look like in the near future. We end each meeting answering questions from our members.
 
Both our team and I value the transparent and meaningful conversations we get to have with our members through this committee. It is amazing what we learn through listening and observation. If you have questions about the Cooperative or are interested in the Member Resource Committee, I encourage you to give us a call.

On another note, I wanted to remind you that winter weather has been in full effect since the start of the New Year. It is important to know, when it comes to your electric bill, weather matters! It only takes a few cold days to make a significant impact on your bill.
 
As freezing temperatures blanketed our nation mid-December through mid-January, area residents faced 22 days at or below freezing temperatures during our last billing cycle (January 1 – 31.) Frigid temperatures can cause heating systems to work overtime, and since heating can make up nearly half of your electric bill, many of our members, unfortunately, may have experienced a bit of sticker shock this month when you opened your bills.
 
There is value in comfort and Stearns Electric wants our members’ comfort to be as affordable as possible, and remains at the forefront of our mission to provide competitively priced and reliable electric service. If you are struggling to make your payment because of a higher than expected bill, give our billing department a call during regular business hours to make an acceptable payment arrangement. We are here to help you.