October 2014 | Volume 76 | Issue 10
October is Co-op Month
No tricks, all treats on Fridays in October at your co-op. Stop by the Platte City office, 15055 Bethel Road, or the Kearney office, 1000 W. Hwy. 92, between 8 and 5 for light refreshments.
Co-op Month
Mike Torres
From the CEO
Each year in October we celebrate National Co-op Month in part to remind members that it was only 76 years ago when we started building electric lines to serve the Northland members.
As the days fly by while we are busy earning a living and taking care of our family, we rarely reflect on our electric co-op. And that’s the way it should be—always there to serve you.
Today’s challenges and worries are all around us. Everything from health, paying the bills, planning for kids’ education and trying to squeeze in a little time for the special people in your life.
Outside our home, and many times with our families as well, we have found that by working together we could accomplish much more.
Many times the benefit of working together comes from the support and strength we receive by involving others in our project, whatever it may be. This is paramount!
Looking at history, little if any development or progress has been made by anyone working totally “solo.” A few have had brilliant ideas, but it took many working together to make it happen and to benchmark it in history.
And so it is with Platte-Clay.
Your co-op is sending out a survey beginning in October to determine interest in a Platte- Clay community solar project. There have been enough meetings and requests for a co-op solar project that we are strongly considering moving forward with a pilot program.
In addition, your co-op will form a solar committee to assist the staff on renewable energy, and more specifically, solar. We want the committee to be a truly representative sample of your cooperative’s demographics—homemakers, home owners, retirees, blue collar workers, white collar workers and small business owners.
We’ll be developing the framework for the committee and later actively seeking volunteers to serve on it.
So in no small way, we are making history together as a co-op. Each of you as members is making history and is bringing life and quality to the Northland.
Today cooperatives actively support one another locally, at the state and the national level because working together is working for co-op members, and the rest is history.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
More hacking
Now Home Depot says it’s been hacked and customer data sold to a Russian credit card theft ring. To be on the safe side, we suggest routinely changing passwords for all accounts. And this is one time we won’t suggest recycling: experts say we should use always use new passwords.
Budget billing helps busy families
The kids are in school, most supplies bought, schedules are settling down but, sigh, winter is just around the corner.
And with winter comes additional expenses, including Thanksgiving, the holidays and the increased cost of lighting and heating.
Your co-op sees the highest bills during the hottest and coldest months of the year–and the coldest months are in front of us.
Budget billing allows members to pay the same amount each month, based on the previous year’s energy use. A member must be in good standing and have lived in the same location for a year.
Putting budget billing on auto pay helps even more–the account is paid in a timely manner–members select the day of the month, and it’s one less thing to worry about.
For those taking care of a family member, it’s a great way to help them manage their expenses.
Members who use a credit card that offers refunds on purchases find that paying with that credit card has other budget benefits.
The co-op account is trued up each year and the amount paid adjusted to reflect increased or decreased usage. The co-op member is responsible for all charges when the account is trued up if service is discontinued.
To set up budget billing, e-mail memberservice@pcec.coop or call the office, 628-3121.
How to post – log in to share your Member Viewpoint
This month Platte-Clay starts a new feature written by members: Member Viewpoint. The first member to write in is Mike Torres, CEO.
Members are encouraged to post in the Member Viewpoint section on the co-op’s web site, pcec.coop found both in the News tab and on the lower left side of the home page.
Because this is a venue for co-op members to share their thoughts, concerns and hopes, there is a login process.
For those who pay their electric bill online, it’s the same process, with the addition of a menu item called Member Viewpoint.
For those who don’t pay the Platte- Clay bill online, it’s pretty straightforward, and we’re going to walk you through the process here so you can put the newsletter beside your computer, phone or tablet.
First, go to the Platte-Clay web site, pcec.coop
Then select one of two links: Pay Bill Online in the center of the screen or at the top, Member Viewpoint.
Either will take you to the co-op member log-in screen.
Log in with your user name and password if you’ve already registered to pay your bill online.
If you’re new to the site, then click on the link that says “Don’t have an account? Register here!”
The next screen is a simple form, similar to the information required for other secure sites and business applications.
Select a User Name. This will be the co-op member’s login name; some sites call the user name the user ID. A member will choose his/her own username and password. An initial and last name is always good, such as for Jane L. Smith, JLSmith.
Member number. This number is on the front page of the co-op electric bill and is unique to each co-op member.
Location number. This number is at the top of the second page of the bill.
New password. Decide on a password that will be easy for you to remember and store or save in a secure place.
Confirm the new password.
Provide us with a question that we can ask the event you forget your password. For example, “what’s my pet’s name?” Have a one word answer to your question. If your pet’s name is Fluffy, then Fluffy goes in this blank. Your co-op will not have your password. Then –
- Email address
- Verify e-mail address
- Telephone number
It’s a one-time process to get your information in the secure system so you can make a payment or post in Member Viewpoint.
Once the form is complete and member information authenticated, the next screen is the menu of activities.
Here you’ll be able to:
- View and print your bill or save a copy to your computer
- Make a payment
- Register your payment method— checking account, debit or credit card
- Set up an automatic monthly payment plan
- Edit your account information
- Update your e-mail address
- Change to paperless billing
In a change from the traditional reason for visiting this area, we are adding the Member Viewpoint login area and for the next couple of months, the renewable survey.
The two new choices are
- Member Viewpoint
- Member Survey
Because we anticipate using the system from time to time for secure member communication activities, we encourage members to take a few minutes to complete the information and take advantage of the flexibility of Platte-Clay’s secure system.
Once a member clicks on the Member Viewpoint link, another form will come and you’ll be free to start sharing your thoughts.
Each post will be reviewed for content—it’s a family site—and if there are no issues or questions, the Member Viewpoint will be posted to the web site within a couple of days if posted over a holiday or the weekend.
For those who don’t use computers in daily activities and who prefer to write or type information, simply type or write clearly on regular paper and mail in your comments to Member Viewpoint, PCEC, PO Box 100, Kearney, MO 64060
We also encourage members to complete the Renewable Energy survey via the site.
By clicking on the survey link, members will be connected to a form. Then simply breeze through the questions, which will take 10-15 minutes. At the end, click on “submit” and your answers will become part of the results.
For those who want to use the postage-paid paper survey, simply fill it out and mail it back to Platte-Clay.
By putting technology to work, your co-op is working to make it easy and convenient for members to share information and insights with not only the co-op, but also other members.
We hope to see you in Platte-Clay’s territory of the world wide web.
If you have questions or difficulties, please e-mail mail@pcec.coop We ask for e-mail so we can send it on, if necessary, to the technical types who will sort out any problems.
– by Mike Torres, CEO
Welcome to the first Member Viewpoint column to appear in your Northland Connection.
As CEO, it is my privilege to invite you to contribute to the pages of the Northland, a new activity for your co-op.
This column, Member Viewpoint, is the result of a member making a motion at the annual meeting; it received a second and overwhelmingly passed.
One of the hallmarks of a co-op is its democratic process and governance. We are all represented by co-op members on the Board of Directors in three districts—some of the folks that buy energy from the co-op provide governance.
This column is a way for members to share ideas and what our concerns are.
October is Co-op Month and as we share in the co-op’s financial success and high reliability; beginning this month we also share our friends and neighbors’ point of view.
We hope you’ll take time to post on the blog and read other co-op member’s comments here and on the web.
* Please see the article, “How to Post” for details and how to send in material for those who do not have Internet access. Follow along with the screen shots, below, to post to Member Viewpoint. Going forward, column material will be drawn from the Member Viewpoint section on the co-op’s web site in the News section.
Renewable Energy survey online, in bills
Archaeologists have found evidence of ancient peoples using solar to heat their homes back to the 3rd century B.C.
So when someone says there’s nothing new under the sun, perhaps that’s true.
But what is truly new is a pilot solar project for Platte-Clay, one of the first co-ops in Missouri to explore the concept based on member inquiries.
To determine member support, your co-op will be sending out a renewable energy survey to those who receive their bills with the October 15 and 22 and November 3 and 7 billing cycles, due in November.
To help with quick and inexpensive processing, the survey also will be online at pcec.coop
From the web site, click on Online Billing, a secure portal for co-op members. For those who pay bills online, the screen will be familiar and simply click on Member Survey, a new choice on that page.
For those who are new to your co-op’s web site or online billing, it will be necessary to register and then continue on to the survey.
Because we are facing changing times and changing points of view, your co-op wanted to survey all members and give everyone a chance to share their point of view, rather than only a representative sample.
Platte-Clay members have been a part of two fairly recent surveys, a Touchstone Energy survey conducted in 2013 and a survey that co-op members attending the 2014 annual meeting filled out.
The results were different: the 2013 members surveyed weren’t enthusiastic about renewable energy but the annual meeting attendees were. And your co-op has been fielding at least a dozen calls a month about solar, evidence of changing attitudes and strong interest.
Other rural electric co-ops throughout the U.S. also are reporting increased interest in renewables, and especially solar.
In fact, on a small practical level, many Platte-Clay homes with acreage have solar-powered gates and appreciate the convenience of not having to run wires to remote locations.
So we encourage you to complete the survey, online if at all possible, and if not to complete the paper copy and mail it back in.
We look forward to learning how co-op members feel about renewable energy.
The 7 Cooperative Principles
1. Voluntary and Open Membership
Cooperatives are voluntary organizations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.
2. Democratic Member Control
Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. The electric representatives are accountable to the membership. In primary cooperatives, members have equal voting rights or are otherwise organized in a democratic manner.
3. Members’ Economic Participation
Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the cooperative. Members usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership.
4. Autonomy and Independence
Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.
5. Education, Training and Information
Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, manager and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperative. They inform the general public, particularly young people and opinion leaders, about the nature and benefits of cooperation.
6. Cooperation among Cooperatives
Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.
7. Concern for Community
While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members.
Go for it – $1,000 scholarships
Youth Tour essay / video contest
The theme for the 2015 Youth Tour Essay / Video contest is “What do you think the greatest energy issue is facing your generation and how can youth be a part of the solution.”
It’s a bit lengthy, but it gives students a chance to think about how they could resolve one of the world’s greatest challenges, and certainly a challenge for this generation.
We want to hear from you. The deadline is Jan. 9.
The essay / video contest can be a class project or an individual effort.
Start writing, start developing a script and start showcasing the great student talent we have in the Northland. Essays may be 600 – 750 words max, and videos should be 2-3 minutes long and may be .mov, .wmv, .mp4 or .mpeg, limited to 1 GB.
Of the six finalists, sophomores and juniors, two will be sent to Washington, D.C., June 12-18 and four can attend an award-winning leadership conference in Jefferson City, July 15-17.
Students will be notified of the results in February.
Scholarships
Scholarship applications are available on the co-op web site, pcec.coop
Look in the Educational section for the forms. The deadline for scholarship applications is Feb. 16.
So, parents and teachers, rev up your students, because these are great opportunities.
Always call before you dig
1-800-344-7483
It’s the law. And it could save your life.
Planting trees? Plant away from the electric lines.
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.