News > We Work for You – E&O: Purchasing, Maintenance and Right-of-Way

We Work for You – E&O: Purchasing, Maintenance and Right-of-Way

November 2025

At Stearns Electric Association, our mission is member focused. In everything we do, a team of dedicated employees works behind the scenes on behalf of our member-consumers. 

Cooperative departments like purchasing, maintenance and vegetation management play essential roles in keeping our system strong and our crews ready. From sourcing the right materials to maintaining the vehicles and equipment our field teams rely on, to clearing trees that could cause outages, these teams help ensure safe and dependable service for our members every single day. 

PURCHASING & INVENTORY
Behind every new pole in the ground or truck stocked for a job, our purchasing team is hard at work. They source, track and order everything the Cooperative needs – from overhead wire, poles and transformers to office supplies like pens and paper. If you see something at Stearns Electric, chances are the purchasing department helped it get there. 

In recent years, supply chains and material costs have changed dramatically. Our purchasing team now forecasts months, even years, in advance to ensure we source the best quality materials and the fairest possible prices. Inflation and long lead times add uncertainty to project costs and capital budgets, but careful long-term forecasting helps us keep rates affordable and electric service reliable for our members. 

“Long lead times and higher prices push us to look at new sources of materials and can also lead us to new and innovative construction practices.” 

MAINTENANCE
Some of our employees work from our offices, while others work from their vehicles. Either way, reliable vehicles and buildings help all of our employees serve you safely and efficiently. 

Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance
Between the bucket and digger trucks, pick-up trucks, skid loaders, bobcats, lawnmowers and more, our fleet includes 72 vehicles. These vehicles carry our crews and the tools they need to restore power and complete construction projects throughout our service territory. 

Our on-site mechanic keeps the fleet running smoothly. If a vehicle breaks down, our mechanic often has it back on the road the same day, minimizing downtime and keeping our crews moving. 

Building Maintenance
About two-thirds of our employees work in the office at our operations center and headquarters in Melrose or our branch office in St. Joseph. Our facilities team keeps each location stocked with needed supplies and in good working order to provide Co-op staff the ability to complete their tasks efficiently. 

Because our facilities are member-owned, we take great pride in maintaining them. Doing so supports efficient operations today and ensures long-term value for our members. 

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT
Trees are beautiful, but they are also one of the leading causes of power outages. That’s why we clear a 15-foot Right-of-Way (ROW) on either side of the powerlines to keep electricity flowing safely and reliably to your homes, farms and businesses. 

Our certified arborist leads this effort with care. She balances reliability with environmental health and works closely with members to explain why trees near power lines may need to be trimmed or removed. 

“Meeting with the members is my favorite part of my job. I also love being outside in nature every day – even on the very cold and very hot days.”