February 2019 | Volume 81 | Issue 2
The Ray Family: A Legacy of Leadership
In 1938, a group of community leaders began meeting to organize support for a co-op that would finally bring electricity to rural areas north of Kansas City. Among them was J.B. Ray, of Dearborn, Missouri. Ray was part of the group of early founders who signed Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative’s original articles of incorporation and requested funds from the Rural Electrification Administration to begin building the system.
John Robert Ray (left) and Robert Ray (right) both served on the Platte-Clay Board of Directors.
What J.B. Ray couldn’t have known at that time was that his work for the electrical cooperative would spark a legacy of community service and leadership that would span generations, and decades, for his family. His son, John Robert, would eventually replace him on Platte-Clay’s Board of Directors – a position he held for 43 years until stepping down in 1991. His grandson, Robert, was elected to the position of West District Director in 2017 and served in that role until his passing in December.
Robert Ray, like his father and grandfather, brought extensive business experience with him into the board room and contributed greatly to budget, operations and management decisions for Platte-Clay. He was an advocate for the members he represented and was committed to being an informed and reliable board member.
The Ray family served the electric cooperative community for many years and witnessed many changes to its needs and priorities during that time. From the construction of the first power lines to the industry-leading innovation PCEC is now known for, they were instrumental to the development of the cooperative over the course of 80 years.
Through difficult decisions and big changes, the Rays provided steady leadership in the board room, now named for John Robert Ray, and guided the co-op’s leaders and support staff toward success in a wide variety of ventures and projects. The family’s three-generation commitment to the growth of Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative has helped define their legacy of community-building and rural development in the Northland.
The democratic control and governance of electric cooperatives by their membership is essential to their foundation and lasting success. The Ray family is a unique and exceptional example of how participation in that process can have a tremendous impact on a co-op, a family and a community.
Delivering the Best Possible Service for our Member-Owners
Dave Deihl, General Manager
From the General Manager
To us, you are not just a customer; you are a member-owner of our co-op and without you we simply would not exist.
Our cooperative was founded in 1938 to fulfill a vital need for electricity in the Northland that would not have otherwise been met. Local community leaders came together to build this co-op from the ground up and bring power to areas where there was previously none.
Since those early days, the primary mission of PCEC has been to deliver safe and reliable power to our members. We have constantly evolved our operations over time to achieve that goal despite challenges from various directions, and that process continues to this day.
One of our cooperative’s main strategic goals is to improve reliability. With that goal in mind, our team recently decided to tackle a few long-term challenges that will ultimately keep hazards from ever becoming outages. This plan will include ramping up tree-trimming operations and underground inspections.
We certainly understand that this may cause minor inconveniences for Platte-Clay members as they let crews onto their property to make sure powerlines and transformers are properly maintained, but these steps are a necessary part of conducting upkeep on our electrical system.
The goal of this plan is to deliver the best service to our members we possibly can and do everything we can to keep your lights on in the rain, snow and everything in between.
While the times may have changed, our outlook on member service has not. Our member-owners are our number one priority, and we remain focused on providing safe and reliable electric service to their homes and businesses. We are taking proactive steps now to make sure we can continue to keep that focus far into the future.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns you can reach me via email at GeneralManager@PCEC.coop.
Reliability a Top Focus for PCEC Operations in 2019 and Beyond
On average, 75% of Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative members experience less than one hour of outage time per year. This high mark for reliable service reflects decades of planning and investment related to PCEC’s electrical system, which has been delivering power to the Northland since 1938.
Reliability is one the co-op’s strategic goals and will remain a top focus of staff this year and beyond. Although outages have been kept to a minimum over the years through investment and maintenance, PCEC’s engineering and operations teams are always looking for ways to make power even more reliable for members.
Platte-Clay recently evaluated what can be done to reduce the number of blinks and outages in its service area and came up with several solutions that will start being implemented this year. These efforts are part of a long-term, multiyear plan that will result in improved service for PCEC members.
One way the cooperative is working to achieve greater reliability is by stepping up tree-trimming efforts. Recent winter weather has shown that overgrown limbs continue to pose a threat to power lines when weighed down by heavy snow and ice. Beginning this year, Platte-Clay members are likely to see increased tree trimming activity in their area to help combat this issue.
Clearing brush near power lines will prevent hazards from turning into outages. This renewed tree-trimming effort will be carried out by contractors who are from the community, know the territory well and have worked with PCEC in the past.
Another aspect of the reliability improvement plan is increasing the number of underground inspections and how often they are done. This process entails Platte- Clay crews checking for damage to transformers, verifying that safety signs are visible and making sure all underground-related equipment is properly maintained.
Underground inspections and tree-trimming operations are two important parts of the plan to keep power safe and reliable in the Northland. The work being done in 2019 and beyond will benefit Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative members for years to come by reducing the number of outages and helping to keep the lights on, even in bad weather.
Platte-Clay Moments
Platte-Clay crews work on power lines in the right of way near Interstate 29 to maintain and repair electrical equipment.
(Left) A PCEC lineman works to get power restored during a winter weather-related outage in January. (Right) Two PCEC linemen were deployed to West Central Electric on Sunday, January 13 to assist with restoring outages.
March 4 Deadline for PCEC Scholarship Application
The deadline for PCEC scholarship applications is March 4, 2019. Three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded. Learn more at www.PCEC.coop/scholarship.
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.