Annual Egyptian Electric meeting held
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[On the night of Tuesday, July 28, Egyptian Electric Cooperative held their 71st annual membership meeting at the American Legion meeting hall in Steeleville.
President of EECA, Gilbert Kroening, called the meeting to order at around 7:30 p.m. followed by the playing of the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. Rev. Paul Hicks led the group in prayer.
Gary Misselhorn, chairperson of the credentials committee, reported that there were 329 members present at the meeting, constituting a quorum. This meant that the meeting was able to proceed.
Ray Mulholland, secretary-treasurer, presented the official notice of the meeting, the certificate of mailing, and moved that these be approved. He also moved that he dispense with the reading of last year's minutes and that they be approved. All three of the motions were carried. He also presented the treasurer's report, which was approved as well.
Stuart Langrehr, chair of the nominating committee, presented the report of that committee meeting, held May 18, 2009, at which time Randall Campbell, Chester, Paul Hicks, Carbondale, and Paul Pyatt, Pinckneyville, were officially nominated for the office of director for the ensuing three years. Attorney Bill Broom conducted the nominations and balloting. There were no nominations by petition and there were no nominations from the floor. The motion carried to cast a unanimous ballot to elect Randall Campbell, Paul Hicks and Paul Pyatt, as directors for a three-year term, and the motion carried.
Following the election, President Kroening discussed how Egyptian Electric is always watching for things that will help them. He touched on how they are working to keep power affordable and hopes to stabilize prices. He said that coal, natural gas and diesel fuel cost has all gone down slightly from last year. President Kroening also touched on the wind storms that occurred on May 8 that brought out the best in their employees.
"I could not be more proud of our employees," said President Kroening.
He said that Mark Stallions accepted a job at a bigger co-op in Kentucky and that they are fortunate to have hired Jim Riddle as Executive Vice President and General Manager effective as of April 1st this past year.
President Kroening also presented John Steele with a plaque for his dedication for 36 years to the company. Steele retired in April and held many different positions with Egyptian Electric.
The floor was then handed over to new General Manager Riddle. Riddle spent his talk focusing on four main points. These were power cost/power cost adjustment, climate change, Prairie St. energy campus, and the windstorm on May 8.
Riddle touched on how price cost adjustment works to only change what is necessary and to not guess at what they should change. It allows costs to be more right.
Riddle said that if the carbon legislation is passed, it could be the biggest potential tax the nation has ever seen, but it is disguised as climate legislation. Riddle wanted to make sure that people knew that he is not apposed to legislation, but he is apposed to legislation that does something that we do not have the technology to do. Riddle said that we do not have the technology to clean up the carbon like legislation wants to.
Riddle also talked about the Prairie St. energy campus. He said that it is about eight percent complete and that once completed, it will have a great impact on us for the next 40 to 50 years. He said that it will greatly help lower and, if anything, stabilize rates. One of the reasons being that it is located directly across the road from the coal mine, so their should not be any trucking cost.
Riddle also talked about the damage that the wind storms did on May 8. He said that it is reported that it will cost them about 4.5-5 million dollars for damages and that FEMA should cover up to 75% of that cost. He said that he honestly was not sure whether he made the right choice to join Egyptian Electric until this storm. After he saw how all the employees reacted to what happened on May 8 he knew that he made the right decision.
"The employees reacted exceptional," said Riddle.
Riddle said that Egyptian Water, which started several years ago, is getting ready to start its third phase, which will take part in the southern part of the area. He reminded members to read their Country Living Magazine and check out their website at www.eeca.coop for more information. He reminded members to contact their local national representatives that voted for the carbon legislation.
No more business took place after this and the meeting was adjourned around 8:30 p.m. Attendance prizes were then given away. Before the meeting, food was served and the "Dave Caputo Band" provided live entertainment. Every member who registered at the meeting received a $10 credit on their next electric bill.