May 2014 | Volume 76 | Issue 5
Facebook offers co-op member benefits
It’s really interesting that almost every company has a Facebook page. Check out the web sites or online articles for any of your favorite people, products or services, and we’ll bet that you find the friendly blue F somewhere, waiting for you to click on it. To “like” the page or article.
Facebook calls it “like baiting,” when a site or a post asks readers to like or share a post to get additional coverage.
For Platte-Clay, we think it’s being a good neighbor and that it’s good business.
We think that using Facebook is an excellent way to provide another channel for customer service and to give members another way to communicate with the co-op.
If there’s a large outage, your co-op will post information and what we know about restoration time. Many times crews will need to drive our rural back roads, following the lines looking for the problem. It’s fairly easy to see if there’s a tree in the line, but it may not be a quick fix.
By contrast, replacing a fuse is a relatively quick fix, but not as easy to find, especially in the dark and rain or in the winter, snow, and crews will need to find out what made the fuse blow. It may have been a branch weighing down on the line and when the wind finally stopped blowing, the limb stopped slapping the lines together.
It’s one of the reasons we truly can’t answer the question about 99.8 percent of members ask, “when will my lights be back on?”
Currently we’re hovering around the 1,000 mark of members who “like” the co-op on Facebook. We actually think that most of our members like the co-op, but not everyone has a Facebook page, and we’d like to be able to communicate with more of them.
For those who do, though, we encourage you to “like” Platte-Clay. We’ve made it really easy. Just go to the co-op’s web site, pcec.coop and scroll to the bottom of the page.
On the way there, notice the outage map—it will tell you the status of any outages. It’s a great resource and tied in with the co-op’s outage management plan.
When you get to the social media section at the bottom of the page, on the right hand side, click on the Facebook icon, and click “Like” in the upper right hand side of the page.
It’s also possible to type in Platte- Clay Electric Cooperative in the box at the top left side of your FB page to find the co-op, as well as other friends or businesses that have a page.
Feel free to scroll down on the co-op page and see what your friends and neighbors have been posting.
Do join the conversation and share your comments and insights, but we have a caution: the co-op Facebook page isn’t the place to report an outage. Always call 628-3121, 24 x 7 x 365. We have live, local dispatchers on duty and an automated telephone system to help answer the phones and to automatically log calls and locations.
For our part, we only post occasionally, usually about either good news or the possibility of outages and safety tips.
If you can’t find a teenager to help set up a Facebook page, stop by on any Friday and we’ll be glad to help you.
Continuous improvement plan
From the CEO
Each month the co-op managers review the significant events that affect how the co-op has been operating and any plans for the future.
And while we’re truly only concerned about how well we perform for co-op members, it’s always interesting to see how well your co-op is operating as compared to other rural electric co-ops and the other electric utilities in the area.
I’m pleased to report that in general, your co-op leads or is at or near the top of all categories.
That of course, is somewhat dependent on the weather, but fast response time, a commitment to continuously improving the poles, lines and even data, down to the year and type of electronics, helps get your lights back on quicker.
The main cause of Platte-Clay’s outages is trees–trees in the lines, trees falling, limbs falling, wind blowing branches into lines causing intermittent outages, or blinks. While it’s easy enough to see a tree that’s fallen into a line, finding the one tree and that one branch that keeps blowing up against the lines is a bit like looking for the needle in the haystack. But like the Canadian Mounties, eventually your co-op gets the tree or branch.
Another tool in your co-op’s tool box for customer service is the outage map, found on the web site, pcec.coop
The outage map gives the general area of an outage and when known, the estimated time that service will be restored. We hope you’ll take advantage of the technology that’s working for you.
And while we can’t control the weather, we will keep working and doing our part to make sure that members’ lights stay on and service is restored as soon as possible.
Thanks to everyone who attended the annual meeting. We’ll be talking about it in the next Northland Connection.
As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Platte-Clay continues to work to reduce “blinks” by trimming trees and monitoring.
Blinks/Year
Co-op youth programs teach high school students about leadership, our nation’s history
Each year many of the rural electric cooperatives in the United States participate in Youth Tour.
Some 1,500 bright, talented high school students will travel to Washington, D.C., in June. The students, including about 80 from Missouri, will tour historical sites, visit museums and gain an appreciation for our nation.
It is one of the ways rural electric cooperatives give back to their communities and introduce the concept of a rural electric cooperative to the next generation of co-op members.
In July, in Jeff City, your co-op will host another local student as part of CYCLE, a leadership conference, another group of bright and talented Missouri students.
Platte-Clay will send out information on the 2015 program in the fall and there will be information in the newsletter and on the web site, pcec.coop
Your co-op helps keep money in your pocket
There’s a real sense of adventure when shopping with a serious coupon clipper. It’s almost like bird watching, but in a store.
“There it is!” he or she will exclaim. “And it’s 20 cents off with my coupon.”
Those savings do add up, and with manufacturer rebates, many people talk about how they came home from shopping with a full car and significant savings.
We like that and want to support members’ habits of saving money.
So to help out, on everything from dental care and eye glasses to stretching your vacation dollars on hotels and rental cars, your cooperative offers the Co-op Connections Card.
For those with Internet service or who have a smart phone, visit www.connections.coop to download the mobile app, to sign up for program updates and to learn about healthy savings on dental, chiropractic, prescriptions, vision and lab work and imaging.
For local businesses that would like to add to their visibility, simply contact Platte- Clay to participate.
Members also can recommend the program to their favorite local businesses.
Take your Co-op Connections card with you when traveling and enjoy national lodging and restaurant chain savings.
To get a card, visit www.connections.coop or e-mail memberservice@pcec.coop or stop by either Platte-Clay office.
Platte-Clay Fuels offers savings, convenience to members
Get your immediate capital credit of 3 cents a gallon every time you fill up at the Platte-Clay Fuels stations in Platte City and in Kearney. Enjoy the convenience of fuel cards for all drivers—commercial or family—and one bill each month.
Although not a credit card, the fuels card allows families and businesses to pay for fuel in one convenient payment each month.
So look to Platte-Clay for savings to help make those budgets become a reality.
PCEC Security now offers cellular security system
Although we feel like we’re pretty safe in the Northland, there are those who will take advantage of when we are away from home.
To keep up with the trend of families having only cell phones, PCEC Security now offers wireless systems. Installation is $249 plus a $24.99 activation fee. The monthly fee is $38.50 with a three-year contract.
Members who pay annually get a month free.
Having a security system is a small price to protect the thousands of dollars of electronics and valuables most of us have in homes.
For more information or to set up an installation, call 628-3121.
Capital credit checks mailed to co-op member-owners
This is what $1.3 million in capital credit checks looks like.
This is a great time to update all names and telephone numbers for the Platte-Clay account. Just call 628-3121 anytime, 24 x 7 x 365 and we can add or change your telephone number.
There are two important reasons: one, the co-op account is an asset and depending on the amount of energy consumed, it’s possible the account owner will get a capital credit check; and two, for outage information.
First, the telephone number(s).
Having the current telephone number is important because Platte-Clay calls to alert members about scheduled outages in the affected area to make it easier for members to make plans for daily activities.
Plus, when calling in, the telephone system recognizes the telephone number(s) associated with the account.
That saves time, and allows members to use the telephone to report outages or problems automatically without waiting in a queue. The telephone system identifies the account and location and logs the outage location. It’s fast and easy.
Who’s account is it?
The member who owns the account may add the names of other parties to the account — important because the co-op can not give out information to anyone whose name is not on it.
And the co-op can not give out a member’s capital credit check to anyone whose name is not on the account. It’s a matter of both privacy and a matter of ownership.
So this time of the year, when capital credit checks are being sent out, is a good time to see who should be on the account and who should be taken off of it.
Watch for riders on two wheels
It’s more difficult to see a motorcycle or a bicycle because they’re much smaller than a car; their lights are smaller than a car or truck and many only have one light in front and back. Plus, since there are many, many more four-wheel vehicles on a road, we’re not looking for them.
We are blending the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and bicycle safety tips from Safe Kids Worldwide, an organization developed to protect kids from unintentional injuries, along with some cautions for those of us who rely on four wheels.
1. Most of the time, the motorist, not the motorcyclist or bicyclist is at fault. Some drivers, especially older drivers with dimming vision, don’t easily recognize the shape and lights on a motorcycle or bicycle.
2. Because of its relatively small size, a motorcycle or bicycle can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots— the door or roof pillars–or blend in with the background or landscaping. It’s important for drivers to look carefully for motorcycles and bicycles and always use turn signals. That at least gives the riders on two wheels a little warning.
3. Two-wheeled vehicles look farther away because of their smaller size. Always give them the benefit of the doubt and don’t pull out or turn in front of them.
4. Drivers can’t simply look for brake lights and turn signals. Motorcyclists often slow down by downshifting or easing off the throttle, bicyclists by coasting. Give them extra space—you may or may not get a brake light or turn or hand signals. Younger and beginning riders may have all they can do to keep upright. It’s up to drivers safely wrapped in 3,000 lbs. of steel to be extra careful of all of those on two wheels.
5. Bicyclists should ride on the right side of the road with traffic. It’s best for bicyclists to ride single file when there’s traffic, allowing cars to pass easily; with no traffic, side by side is fine.
6. Everyone has to follow the traffic rules. Stop at stop signs, signal turns and stops. It’s good practice, since we no longer have driver’s education in most Missouri schools.
Bicycle resources
The nearest full-service bicycle shop, and that includes organizing group rides, is Biscari Bros. in Liberty, near Sutherland’s on Hwy. 291.
Smithville Lake has great trails for those who want to go off of the paved roads.
Platte-Clay’s Kearney electric vehicle (EV) charging station appears on national map
There are more and more electric vehicles being produced and with these choices, we anticipate we’ll have more cars and motorcycles charging up at the Kearney fuel station.
Some of many choices are the Chevrolet Spark EV, Volt; Fiat 500E; Ford C-Max, Focus EV, Fusion; Honda Fit, Accord Plug-In; Mitsubishi i; Nissan Leaf, Porsche Panamera; Smart Fortwo Electric; Tesla, and Toyota Prius, Rav4 EV. Some of these are all electric, some electric and plug-in models.
Mercedes-Benz just announced a B-Class Electric and BMW now offers the i3, called an electric city car.
So far this year Ford, Toyota and Chevrolet are dominating the U.S. electric vehicle sales.
Leaves of three, Let it be…
Image of poison ivy
Finally we can get outside and enjoy our yards, walking on trails, biking, camping, getting our canoes out and enjoying the beauty our state has to offer.
What’s not to like?
Well, giant hogweed, for one thing, followed closely by poison ivy, and in some places, poison oak and poison sumac. All waiting for us, camouflaged in pleasant greenery, also celebrating spring, sometimes even in our own backyards.
Most of us wouldn’t know that we could have itchy blisters, scars and with hogweed, even blindness if we came in contact with it.
The plants look almost friendly, pretty. It’s the urushiol (sounds like uru shi ol ), the oily resin in poison ivy’s stem and leaves.
Poison ivy has small yellow-green blooms in the spring. Both poison ivy and poison oak can be a shrub or a vine. One good way to remember to stay away from them is the saying, “leaves of three, let it be.”
Poison sumac, whose name suggests avoiding it, grows in swampy or boggy areas as a small tree or shrub and has 13 leaves, an appropriate number for the plant. Fortunately, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation, we don’t have any nearby, but birds are great at transporting seeds.
Hogweed, which isn’t an especially pretty name, has attractive blooms, is also called giant cow parsnip, hogsbane, giant cow parsley, and in New Zealand, in case you’re going there, wild parsnip or wild rhubarb. So no matter what it’s called, it’s good to give a wide berth.
Hogweed is an invasive plant, regulated as a federal noxious weed by the U.S. government. It’s illegal to import it or to move it between states. New York has gone so far as to develop a database that reports locations so crews can remove it or use a herbicide to kill it.
The plant’s leaves, roots, stems, flowers and seeds cause phytophotodermatitis—a rash—that causes blisters, scars and when it comes in contact with the eyes, blindness.
One of the issues with hogweed is that in addition to how unpleasant it is, some gardeners, apparently who do not understand how terribly dangerous it can be, plant it for the blooms. May we suggest contacting the local extension office and getting in touch with the Master Gardeners who we’re certain will have great alternatives.
As reported on the web site www.poison-ivy.org, and who supplied the photo, Platte-Clay’s crews also have found that the poison ivy rash now tends to require medical treatment, rather than the standard topical cures.
So while we’re out and about, let’s stay away from the mean green plants and enjoy our warmer weather.
Classified Ads
To submit an ad, complete the ad form, use the website, pcec.coop, or send in a brief nine-word description of the item you wish to advertise no later than the 15th of the month, to Platte-Clay Electric Co-op, PO Box 100, Kearney, MO 64060, Attn. Northland Connection.
Ads run on a first come, first served basis.
Ads should be about 10 words or less and include a phone number. Please indicate the category, i.e., for sale, giveaway, wanted, and the topic, such as car or boat.
Please type or print your ad. If your ad does not appear, you may resubmit it for the next available edition. Ads are for Platte-Clay members only. No business or commercial ads. If your ad is time sensitive, we suggest using one of the local ad-supported publications.
Members may pick up an ad form at the PCEC office in Kearney or Platte City or use the website, pcec.coop. Click on Classified Ad or send directly to mail@pcec.coop
The area code is 816 unless otherwise noted.
For Sale
Trolling motor: Minn Kota, Bowguard 360 mount remote plus fishfinder. $300 obo. 532-8575.
Lawnmower: Sabre, no deck, 13 hp cast iron sleeve. $100. 781-7522.
Piano: Old upright with bench. Fair cond. 637-9904.
Freezer: Upright Kenmore. 20 ft., operates. $150. 471-6655.
Household: Graco stroller, new sofa, wrench set, Vera Bradley set. 510-3095.
Sleeping bags: Girls, in carrying cases. Used once, exc. cond. $10 ea. 630-3859.
Stock tank: 100 gal., $30. 582-8516.
Belt buckles: Jesse James, 3 limited edition and numbered. $30 ea. 628-6904.
Dining tables: Two, very good cond., one w/6 chairs, one w/4 chairs, $425 and $100. 539-1415.
Bicycle: Huffy men’s 26” cruiser. Light brown. $85. 903-2854.
Piano: Hobart -Cable spinet with bench. $50.
TV: 42” Philips HD plasma with wall mount. $400. 930-2270.
Tractor: JD 240, 38” deck, 46” blade, 2 bagger. 651-4942.
Freezer: Frigidaire upright, 14 CF, good cond. $75. 858-2780.
Services
I teach Chinese to children and adults in local library, $30-$45 an hour. 686-9638.
Piano tuning & repair. 721-3966.
Carpet cleaning: 3 rooms, $110. 628-4801.
Bounce house: Castle Moonwalk, Rent for parties. 769-2931.
Free
Wood pile some needs to be cut. 740-4679.
Always call before you dig.
1-800-344-7483
It’s the law. And it could save your life.
For an outage, customer or emergency service, call Platte-Clay at 816-628-3121 24/7/365. Visit pcec.coop for info and account service.
The Northland Connection is published monthly by Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc., 1000 W. 92 Highway, Kearney, MO 64060. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Northland Connection, PO Box 100, Kearney, MO 64060 or mail@pcec.coop.
Platte-Clay is an equal opportunity employer.