Co-op News
VICTORIA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Why We Celebrate You in October
MESSAGE FROM GENERAL MANAGER BLAINE B. WARZECHA
20
Texas Co-op Power VICTORIA EC October 2012
We Need Your
Memories!
PH OTO © T H E NEXT GR EAT EST T HI NG PU BLI SHED BY NAT ION AL RU RAL ELEC TR IC COOP ERAT IVE ASSOCIAT ION
This year, National Cooperative Month has taken on a special meaning to folks at Victoria Electric Cooperative with
the United Nations-sanctioned International Year of Cooperatives. But what are we really celebrating? What makes Victoria Electric
different, and why should that matter to you?
Our economy still has critical hurdles to overcome, so you may not feel like celebrating at all. But when our faith in big institutions has been shaken, it’s the perfect time to
remember what we’ve already accomplished locally—all with a little cooperation.
We’ve faced tough times before: 75 years ago, our area didn’t have electricity.
Younger folks were leaving to find a brighter future in urban areas, and rural America
was left in the dark. Instead of waiting for someone else to fix our problem, we
turned to each other. We built our own utility, and we powered our future.
By our very nature, not-for-profit, local, member-owned and -governed cooperatives like Victoria EC empower members to improve their lives. And while bringing
electricity to rural Texas was a big first step, you, as our members, certainly didn’t stop
there. Just think about what we’ve accomplished in our area in the past year!
You annually send a local student on the Government-in-Action Youth Tour.
These bright young leaders will keep our community’s future strong.
Supporting a strong community on your behalf, our co-op is a member of the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and donates to Community Action. Our employees
serve on civic organizations, foundations and Little League boards (and coach
teams). They are members of church councils and Relay for Life teams. VEC participates in local parades and sponsors families at Christmas. By working with your
cooperative, you can make a big impact on the communities we serve. Ready to get
involved? Attend our annual membership meeting October 20 to let us know what
issues are important to you. Visit our website at victoriaelectric.coop to find out what
national and state regulations and legislation might affect your electric bill, and help
us stand up for our community’s right to affordable, safe and reliable electricity. I
invite you to give us a call at (361) 573-2428 with ideas on how to improve our communication with you and ways we can work together to support our community.
As we celebrate National Cooperative Month, thank you for your efforts to
strengthen our community. The cooperative business model is a powerful tool that
can be used to improve our quality of life. We want you to continue to stay involved
as we build a better future together.
Victoria Electric Cooperative will be
marking its 75th anniversary in December 2013. VEC is commemorating this
milestone with the compilation of a historical, pictorial book.
Because you have been a vital part of
the cooperative in the past, I am requesting that you share any pictures or stories
of “how things used to be” or that have
other historical value.
Please gather pictures—and don’t forget to identify the folks in the pictures,
as well as other information about where
you were at the time and what you were
doing. Write down any stories that you
would like to be considered for the book.
Although typed stories are preferred, we
will be glad to accept handwritten ones.
Please feel free to notify your neighbors, former members, co-workers or
families of deceased employees. Mail
materials or bring them by our offices;
we will also be accepting photos and stories at our annual meeting on October 20.
Jot down your name on the back of all
pictures; we intend to return them. The
project is in progress, so don’t wait.
Call Brittany Marsh or Laurie Pustka
with any questions at (361) 573-2428.
We are looking forward to seeing all the
great memorabilia come together in a
way that shows off the uniqueness of
rural electrification and Victoria Electric
Cooperative since December 8, 1938!
Thank you for your assistance with this
project.
victoriaelectric.coop
(361) 573-2428 | VICTORIAELECTRIC.COOP
Victoria Electric
Cooperative
V I C T O R I A E L E C T R I C C O O P E R AT I V E
Official Notice of
102 S. Ben Jordan St.
P.O. Box 2178, Victoria, TX 77902
ANNUAL MEETING
Operating in Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad,
Jackson, Refugio and Victoria counties
A N N UA L
MEETING
ooperative
Victoria Electric C
August 21, 2012
Dear Member:
Pursuant to Article II, Section 3, of the
ER
SATU R DAY, O CTO B
bylaws of Victoria Electric Cooperative, Inc.,
you are hereby notified of the annual meeting of
Victoria, Texas
the members of the cooperative to be held on Saturday, October 20, 2012, at 2 p.m. in the auditorium at
the Victoria Electric Cooperative, Inc., 102 S. Ben Jordan,
Victoria, Texas.
20
The purpose of the meeting is to elect four directors and attend to any business that
may come before the meeting.
The three directors seeking re-election during the meeting are:
DISTRICT 3
DISTRICT 4
DISTRICT 6
Allen Jank
Raymond Brandl
Jerry Rozsypal
The following seat is open for election:
G E N E R A L M A N AG E R
Blaine B. Warzecha
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Donald K. Wehmeyer, President, District 8
Michael D. Maraggia, Vice President, District 5
Dr. Marcus Caughron, Secretary-Treasurer,
District 9
Ron E. Smith, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer,
District 2
John W. Beck, District 7
Allan R. Berger, District 10
Raymond E. Brandl Jr., District 4
Allen L. Jank, District 3
Jerry P. Rozsypal, District 6
S.F. (Trey) Ruschhaupt III, District 1
Payment Options
• Online with a credit card
• Automatic credit/debit card draft
• Automatic bank draft
• Drop boxes in Victoria, Port Lavaca and
Port O’Connor
• In person at VEC and Speedy Check
locations
• Discover, Visa and MasterCard accepted
DISTRICT 10
Open
Any members of 25 or more acting together may make other nominations by petition
not less than 20 days prior to the annual meeting, and the secretary will post such
names.
CONTACT US
We urge you to attend. Spanish-speaking staff will be available. Sign-language interpreters for the hearing impaired will be available if the request is submitted to the
cooperative during the week before the meeting.
Door prizes will be awarded.
For information during office hours
and outages after hours
CALL US
(361) 573-2428
MARCUS G. CAUGHRON
Secretary/Treasurer
Victoria Electric
Cooperative
victoriaelectric.coop
OUTAGE HOTLINE
Updated when multiple members
are without service
(361) 582-5555
FIND US ON THE WEB
victoriaelectric.coop
October 2012 VICTORIA EC
Texas Co-op Power
21
VICTORIA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Victoria Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20 • 2 P.M.
Director elections for Districts 3, 4, 6 and 10 are being held this year. Below is a brief bio of each of the candidates.
DISTRICT 3
Allen Jank
Allen L. Jank is a graduate of Goliad High School. He attended Victoria College and the University of
Georgia. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees at Texas A&I University
and served two years in the U.S. Army. Jank is retired from Goliad Independent School District,
where he was a teacher, counselor and an administrator. He is currently a rancher in Goliad County.
Jank serves on several boards, including St. Peters Lutheran Church Council; Southwestern Texas
Lutheran Church Synod; Goliad Rotary; Private Industry Council (PIC); District III Retired Teachers
Board; and Victoria Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. Jank and his wife, Ruby, have three children, Jaclyn, Jill and Jamie, and seven grandchildren. Their grandchildren keep them singing many
alma maters: One granddaughter and one grandson are attending Southwestern State University, and
two grandsons are attending Texas A&M University. Two granddaughters have graduated from The
University of Texas at San Antonio; one is a doctor and the other a teacher and coach. One grandson
graduated from Texas A&M University and constructs prostheses. In his spare time, Jank enjoys
reading, fishing, hunting, traveling and spending time with his family.
DISTRICT 4
Raymond Brandl
Raymond Brandl Jr. is a graduate of Bloomington High School. He is a farmer and rancher. He has
been farming in the Placedo/Da Costa area for more than 40 years and ranching since 1996. Brandl
has served his community by serving on several committees and boards. He is a past member of the
Victoria Farm Service Agency Committee, the Financial Secretary of the Knights of Columbus Council 10751 of Bloomington and a member of Victoria County Crops Committee. Brandl currently
serves on the Victoria Electric Cooperative Board of Directors and is a Credentialed Cooperative
Director. He has resided in the Da Costa area with his wife, Paulette, for 40 years. In his spare time,
Brandl collects antique John Deere tractors and takes Paulette fishing.
DISTRICT 6
Jerry Rozsypal
Jerry Rozsypal is a 1967 graduate of Industrial High School. He attended Victoria College and The
University of Texas. Rozsypal has been a farmer for 38 years. He has served on several boards, which
include the Industrial ISD School Board (16 years), the Jackson County Farm Bureau Board, the Vanderbilt Farmers Co-op Board (21 years) and Valley Oil Mill Co-op Board (18 years). Rozsypal currently serves on the Victoria Electric Cooperative Board of Directors, which he has been on since
1982. He resides in Vanderbilt with his wife, Colleen. The Rozsypals have three children: Jerome
Rozsypal, Lanette Melnar and Megan Rozsypal.
The Victoria EC Annual Meeting is a unique opportunity and responsibility to participate in the business of your member-owned
electric cooperative. Make plans now to attend at 2 p.m. Saturday, October 20, at the cooperative’s headquarters, 102 S. Ben
Jordan St. in Victoria.
Above are brief bios for the director candidates for Districts 3, 4 and 6. District 10 is also up for election and several candidates are
on the ballot for the open seat. Come to the annual meeting to learn more about their qualifications and to cast your vote.
In addition to voting for directors, hearing informative reports, enjoying refreshments, prize drawings and the opportunity to
socialize, you’ll also be participating in a time-honored tradition that has been observed annually for over six decades. The
strength of your cooperative is in its members and in the system by which members choose their representatives and participate
in other important decisions.
22
Texas Co-op Power VICTORIA EC October 2012
victoriaelectric.coop
(361) 573-2428 | VICTORIAELECTRIC.COOP
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Victoria EC’s AMI rollout procedure
includes an intial postcard mailing
(above) and door hangers to indicate
a successful installation (right) or the
need to reschedule (far right).
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Questions?
uestions?
Call us at 361-573-2428
Or email at [email protected]
Victoria Electric Cooperattive
First AMI Meeting a Success
Our first AMI informational meeting, held at the Victoria Electric Cooperative Auditorium on August 16,
was a great success. AMI Project Coordinator Richard
Tristan gave a very informative presentation and
answered questions from our membership. The new
meter and samples of postcards and door hangers were
shown to members.
The equipment for the AMI project has begun to arrive.
VEC is scheduled to begin the installation in mid-October in
the Nursery area.
There will be additional AMI informational meetings to
come, so please stay tuned for the upcoming dates. If you
would like to view the PowerPoint presentation shown at the
meeting, you can find it on our website at victoriaelectric.coop.
Below is the rollout procedure that will be followed, as well
as samples of the postcard you will receive before your meter
exchange and the door hangers that confirm or indicate the
next exchange attempt.
What to expect
Before we exchange your meter, you will receive a postcard
in the mail as a friendly reminder before VEC/HD Supply
enters your premises.
victoriaelectric.coop
When VEC/HD Supply comes to exchange your meter, here
is what you can expect:
a Vehicles will be clearly marked with VEC and HD Supply logos.
a Employees will have HD Supply uniforms and HD Supply
contractor badges with employee photos.
a Installers will knock on your door between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
before starting any work.
a You will not have to be home during the installation.
a There will be a brief interruption to your electric service.
A door hanger will confirm the exchange and provide contact information if you have any questions.
In the event the meter cannot be exchanged, a red door
hanger communicating the reason will be left. VEC will then
contact you to reschedule the exchange for a later date.
The installation will begin in the Nursery area. A more
detailed list of the order of installation areas will be provided
in future correspondence and maintained on the VEC website.
The bill following your meter exchange will include two
readings: one closing out the old meter and the other recording
usage on the new meter.
If you expect any type of complications with your meter
exchange, please notify VEC today for proper scheduling.
Call (361) 573-2428 or email [email protected].
October 2012 VICTORIA EC
Texas Co-op Power
23