July 2021 | Volume 83 | Issue 7
Training and Preparation Result in Quick Storm Repair
When severe thunderstorms shook the Northland with high winds and rain on June 11, over 8,000 PCEC consumer-members experienced power outages caused by downed limbs, broken poles and a number of other challenges.
Platte-Clay crews deployed immediately to begin working on repairing the grid and getting services restored. Within 24 hours, nearly all members were back online.
The effort was no small task and included long shifts with all crews on hand. The cooperative also relied on contractors and crews from neighboring United Electric Cooperative to complete the repairs.
Training and preparation are key to a quick, safe and efficient response when it comes to severe storms. PCEC crews train year-round on topics relating to safety and crisis management so they know exactly how to respond when a storm hits hard.
All departments at the cooperative played a role in this successful restoration effort and are thankful for the patience of members who experienced service disruptions.
Progress Being Made on Strategic Goals Set by Co-op Leadership
Dave Deihl, General Manager
From the General Manager
In the fall of 2017, Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative stakeholders came together to evaluate our strengths and weaknesses as an organization. The goal of this process was to walk away with an action-oriented plan to keep the co-op’s development on track as it grows into the future.
A number of strategic goals were established at that time that we’ve been focused on reaching. Significant progress has been made since that time and I’m happy to be able to report some of the “wins” we’ve seen over the past five years.
FOCUS ON AND ENHANCE THE CULTURE OF SAFETY WITHIN PCEC
Focusing on the safety culture at Platte-Clay is important for protecting our employees and members alike. Several years ago we created the Zero Harm program to promote the idea of employees working safely so they can return safely to their friends and family at the end of each day. We’ve also been granted the highest insurance rating possible for a safe work environment and recently surpassed 2,500 days without a single lost time accident at the cooperative.
DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN A LONG-TERM, QUALITY WORKFORCE
The ability to find and keep good employees has a big impact on whether any business succeeds or fails. PCEC is fortunate to have a well-trained and highly skilled workforce and the importance of keeping it that way is hard to overstate. We’ve utilized professional compensation studies and employee surveys to track our progress and continue to move in the right direction.
REVIEW THE CO-OP’S LONG-TERM FINANCIAL PLAN
Keeping a close eye on the cooperative’s long-term financial health has allowed us to return record amounts of capital credits to members in recent years. This year, for example, we returned $3.4 million to our consumer-members – the most ever returned in a single year in the history of the co-op. We also continue to monitor equity, investment in the grid and a large number of other statistics.
DEVELOP A PLAN TO IMPROVE SERVICE RELIABILITY
Our service reliability was already strong when we began the strategic planning process and has remained a priority since. Renewed investments in the grid infrastructure and increased tree trimming efforts through our Reliability Improvement Plan have contributed to the success of working toward this goal.
INCREASE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative is community led and community focused. Greater involvement in our local Chambers of Commerce and nonprofit organizations over the past five years has enabled us to build new connections with the communities we serve and give back in bigger ways than ever before.
CONDUCT REVIEWS OF AFFILIATED BUSINESSES
Since setting this goal in 2017 we have successfully developed and implemented an exit strategy for PCEC Security and streamlined the operations of Platte-Clay Fuels. The goal with reviewing these affiliate businesses was and remains to protect our members’ assets in these entities.
Soon we will reexamine the standing of the cooperative and develop an updated strategic plan full of new goals to achieve. This process ensures we can keep pace with a quickly evolving industry and maintain a high level of service to our members.
PCEC Announces Election Results, Changes to Board of Directors Leadership
Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative (PCEC) today announced the results of its 2021 co-op election and changes to its Board of Directors leadership.
PCEC is a democratically controlled, not-for-profit electric cooperative governed by nine directors elected by members of their respective districts to serve a three-year term. One seat per district is up for election each year.
This year, members had the option to vote electronically or by mail-in ballot due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. Co-op election participation increased by 20% from the previous year, with a total of 1,041 consumer-members participating in the election process.
An independent third party was responsible for administering the election and certifying the results.
WEST DISTRICT RESULTS
Dennis Fulk was reelected in the West District, receiving 919 votes. He was unopposed in the election.
NORTH DISTRICT RESULTS
Theresa Wren was reelected in the North District, receiving 892 votes. She was unopposed in the election.
SOUTH DISTRICT RESULTS
Kendall Davis was reelected in the South District, receiving 626 votes. Jim Stoufer received 326 votes.
BY-LAW AMENDMENT
The by-law amendment proposal on this year’s ballot passed with 95% of the vote. The proposal amends the cooperative’s by-laws to make it easier for members to vote in future elections by permanently allowing mail-in and online voting. It also allows for all votes to be counted toward the co-op’s annual meeting quorum.
BOARD LEADERSHIP CHANGES
Board President Debi Koechner announced today that she would be stepping down from her position as she moves out of state to be closer to family. Directors voted to elect Kendall Davis as the next Board President and Larry Leachman as Vice President.
“I’m honored to serve in the role as President for Platte-Clay’s Board of Directors,” said incoming PCEC Board President Kendall Davis. “I look forward to working with my fellow directors to continue building on the progress that has been made in recent years toward ensuring PCEC’s members have access to safe, reliable and affordable energy far into the future.”
A Community of Communities
Debi Koechner
Former Board President
As my future now turns to a new direction outside of Missouri, our June Board of Directors meeting was my last serving on the Board of Directors and as Board President. Family obligations have called my husband and I to move to out of state. Although I’ll miss serving Platte-Clay’s members, this was ultimately the right decision for us to make.
Platte-Clay remains in good hands, with Kendall Davis stepping up to serve as the next Board President. Kendall has the skills and experience it takes to lead the cooperative forward and continue the progress we’ve made over the past several years.
Having served on the Board of Directors for 11 years, I’ve had the honor of witnessing many accomplishments achieved by the cooperative during that time. Skilled employees who take their work seriously and stay focused on how every action impacts the consumer-member at the end of the line have kept Platte-Clay moving in the right direction over the years.
I was happy to be part of the group that approved the construction of the first co-op community solar array in the state of Missouri, implemented demand-based billing to give members more control over their power bill, embraced electric vehicles and doubled down on their commitment to reliability improvements.
This industry is one where best practices change often – sometimes annually. What has kept the Board of Directors and co-op employees rowing together through the years has been a mutual commitment to continued education.
At a successful co-op, education takes the form of hours of training, learning and sharing insights. This applies not only to front-line employees, but also to the Board of Directors itself. Directors spend a vast amount of time every year making sure they have the latest information available about successes and failures among businesses in the power industry.
Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative is more than a utility, it’s a community of communities. From farmlands to main streets, every corner of the Northland is unique and special in its own way. It’s been a pleasure to be part of a group with a strong tradition of shaping what the future of those communities looks like.
Thank you for entrusting me to play a role in leading your cooperative over the past decade.
Board Seeking Applications to Fill North District Seat
Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors is seeking applicants to fill a vacant North District position created by a resignation. The district includes Clinton, Caldwell and DeKalb counties. Applicants must be current PCEC consumer-members. Interested applicants should email HR Director Angie Kinard at AngieK@pcec.coop or call 816-628-3121 for additional details about how to apply. Deadline: August 13.
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.