December 2019 | Volume 81 | Issue 12
Preparing For Severe Winter Weather
When winter temperatures drop and storms hit, it can be challenging to stay safe and warm. PCEC cares about your safety, and we want you to be prepared.
During a power outage, our crews will continue to work as quickly and safely as possible to restore power, but there are a few things you can do to prepare yourself.
Stay Warm: Plan to use a safe alternate heating source, such as a fi replace or wood-burning stove during a power outage. These are great options to keep you and your loved ones warm, but exercise caution when using, and never leave the heating source unattended. If you are using gasoline-, propane- or natural gas-burning devices to stay warm, never use them indoors.
Stay Fed: The CDC recommends having several days’ supply of food that does not need to be cooked handy. Crackers, cereal, canned goods and bread are good options. Five gallons of water per person should also be available in the event of an extended power outage.
Stay Safe: When an outage occurs, it usually means power lines are down. It is best not to travel during winter storms, but if you must, bring a survival kit along, and do not travel alone. If you encounter downed lines, always assume they are live. Stay as far away from the downed lines as possible and report them by calling 816-628-3121.
Winter weather can be unpredictable and dangerous, and planning ahead can often be the difference between life and death. Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative is ready for what Mother Nature has in store, and we want you to be ready too.
Working Together to Lift Up Our Community
Dave Deihl, General Manager
From the General Manager
It is truly amazing what can happen when a community comes together for a greater purpose. The idea of putting differences aside and lifting each other up is what brought Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative into existence in the first place and it remains one of our cooperative’s guiding principles to this day.
Every year we host a charitable drive to collect canned goods and gently used coats for those in need in the Northland community, and every year we are blown away by the extraordinary generosity of PCEC consumer-members.
Donations for the “Coats and Cans” drive are collected at PCEC offices throughout the month of December and distributed to charitable organizations across our service territory in early January. Last year we were able to donate goods to the Plattsburg Food Bank, Excelsior Springs Good Samaritan Center, Platte County High School’s Treasure Chest and Kearney Food Pantry.
In addition to our charitable drive, PCEC works throughout the year to give back to the community by hosting employee volunteer events, sponsoring scholarships and youth leadership conferences, investing in teacher development, participating in local chambers of commerce and more. Platte-Clay has renewed its commitment to empowering communities by getting more involved in local organizations in bigger ways than ever before.
In a time when things seem to be getting more and more divisive, Platte-Clay’s members are an example of the positive impact that can be made when we come together for the greater good. The cooperative’s Board of Directors, employees and volunteers come from all corners of our service territory, but what unites them all is their common commitment to making a difference.
PCEC’s concern for community is rooted in the fact that the co-op is led and managed by consumer-members who live right here in the Northland and are constantly looking for ways to improve the lives of their neighbors. There is no better time to be reminded of the importance of this than during the holiday season when the spirit of giving seems to be the strongest.
Communities only thrive when those who are part of them take responsibility for their success. Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative is proud to have been part of the Northland community for over 80 years, and we fully believe in giving back to the consumer-members who have driven our growth from a small group of farmers to one of the fastest growing electric cooperatives in the state of Missouri.
This December, we encourage our members to work together to lift up others across our Northland community who may be down on their luck. Whether through our “Coats and Cans” drive or another effort, small actions can make a world of difference to those in need.
Youth Tour Applications Now Open
2019 Youth Tour winners Hayden Humes and Jakob Scroggins attended the annual leadership conference in Washington, D.C. over the summer.
High School juniors can now submit a 600-750 word essay or produce a video for a chance to win a trip to Washington, D.C. or Jefferson City through Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative’s 2020 Youth Tour contest.
The theme of this year’s contest is: “One of the guiding principles of Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative is Concern for Community. Why do you think it’s important to give back to the community you are part of?”
One of the main cooperative principles is “Concern for Community,” which this topic challenges students to think about in terms of their actions and how they can positively impact those around them.
The deadline for the contest will be Friday, February 14. After the deadline has passed, a committee at the cooperative will evaluate the essays and videos to select the top six contestants. The top six will then be invited to the final competition where they will present their project to a panel of esteemed judges from the Northland community. Final scores are tallied from a combination of the written and presentation portions of the contest.
Two students will win a trip to Washington, D.C. and four others will get to participate in the Youth Cycle Leadership Conference in Jefferson City. Both trips offer students an opportunity to develop as leaders in their communities.
Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative has been sponsoring students to attend Youth Tour since 1964. The national conference gives students the chance to visit historical sights, meet with elected officials and connect with other students from across Missouri and the nation.
The contest is open to juniors who attend high school in PCEC’s service territory. More information is available online at www.PCEC.coop/YT.
Budgeting For The Future
Debi Koechner
Board President
A new record was set for Platte-Clay this year when the Board of Directors approved the return of $2.7 million worth of capital credits back to consumer-members.
Record-setting temperatures in 2018 resulted in a strong financial position for the cooperative, and smart budgeting allowed for members to be prioritized by way of paying out capital credits in higher amounts than ever before in Platte-Clay’s history.
As a community-led cooperative, members have a seat at the table when it comes to the financial standing of the organization. The Board of Directors, which consists of members and is elected by the membership, provides oversight to the budget process put in motion by PCEC employees who look at short and long term concerns for determining how resources are distributed.
The team at Platte-Clay works hard to make sure all factors that could impact the co-op’s financial future are taken into consideration when crafting the budget. Each department analyzes their needs for the coming year and thinks ahead about necessary long term planning. By evaluating every aspect of their department’s role within the co-op, managers identify expenses necessary to ensure a successful year.
The expense data displayed above is taken from the last full budget year (2018).
Every member of the Board of Directors takes their responsibility to review and approve the budget seriously. This months long process is a vital part of the Board’s role in representing the interests of consumer-members – a role that is a unique advantage of the cooperative model.
In November, the Board of Directors voted to approve the 2020 budget, which will guide how the cooperative invests its resources over the course of the next year. As in previous years, the budget focuses on making sure members needs are met and the quality of PCEC’s services remains high. Priorities in next year’s budget include continued investment in technology, service reliability, updating equipment on portions of the cooperative’s electrical grid and more.
In addition to the annual budget process, the board reviews financial statements on a regular monthly basis, and analyzes the latest updates. The co-op is also audited on an annual basis and those results are reviewed extensively by board members, who are able to ask the auditor detailed questions without staff or management present. These accountability measures are in place to make sure the co-op continues moving forward in the right direction.
Every year, Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative implements innovative and forward-thinking solutions in order to better serve consumer-members. These often complex projects are completed in a cost effective way in order to keep expenses manageable, and PCEC members can be proud to belong to a financially responsible cooperative.
When budgeting is done in a careful and measured way it benefits all members through the eventual return of capital credits back to those who have paid for the services Platte-Clay provides. Members of the Board of Directors play an important role in overseeing those processes, and we are proud to represent your interests in the boardroom.
Platte-Clay Moments
Platte-Clay contractors use a series of bucket trucks to stretch power line across I-35 Highway south of Kearney in preparation to serve a new subdivision.
Left: Platte-Clay crews complete work on the Weston substation to ensure the co-op can continue its record of reliable service. Right: Energy Use Specialist Dave Christensen speaks to Pathfinder volunteers about the coop’s electric vehicle program.
Underground Inspections
Inspecting the equipment used to deliver power through underground lines is an important part of PCEC’s strategy to maintain a safe and reliable system for our consumer-members. Part of Platte-Clay’s reliability improvement plan includes increasing the frequency of these inspections to ensure everything remains in working order.
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.