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Our Office Will Be Closed
April 3rd for Good Friday
For Emergencies or Outages
Call 417.682.5636 or
800.286.5636
bcec Ground Source
the official newsletter of Barton County Electric Cooperative
April 2015
MANAGER CONNECTION
PRESIDENT CONNECTION
Your Cooperative Needs You
Your Cooperative Your Meeting
Board President, Doug Haile
Interim CEO, Beverly Ramseyer
Every year we encourage you to come to the Annual Meeting. This
The headline for the year 2014 would be Ms. Bobbi Jeffries resignation
year, you will have the special treat of meeting your new Manager. We
as CEO/General Manager. Ms. Jefferies had worked for the COOP for 24
are excited to welcome Russell McCorkle to Barton County Electric and
for years, the last 7 years as CEO/GM. We take this opportunity to thank
hope you will come help us do the same. During his 28 year career, Mr.
her for her dedication to Barton County Electric and wish her well in her
Russell McCorkle has gained a strong knowledge in several areas of
future endeavors.
electric cooperatives in Oklahoma, Nebraska and Louisiana.
It is my pleasure, on behalf of the Board of Directors, to introduce to you
the next CEO/GM of BCEC—Russell McCorkle. Russell comes to us
Your Cooperative Annual Meeting will be held Thursday, May 14, 2015.
from Claiborne Electric Cooperative in Homer, Louisiana. Russell’s hiring
At this meeting you will elect directors which are responsible for setting
is a result of a nationwide search, which gave the board 37 applicants to
policies and directing your CEO to conduct the day-to-day operations of
your cooperative. A few of years ago we made a huge change in the way
directors are included on the ballot as well as voting. It is easier than ever
to become a candidate for director by gathering just (15) signatures from
current members of BCEC. Voting for directors has also become easier by
offering mail-in balloting for those unable to attend the Annual Meeting.
With all that being said I would like to encourage anyone interested in
the business of your Cooperative to gather the (15) signatures and have
a chance to become an active part of BCEC. Our goal is to supply safe,
choose from. We had many qualified applicants and the decision was an
arduous task. I may be prejudiced, but I think the task was performed very
well.
I am very happy to report to you your COOP is in excellent condition.
Our physical plant is in probably the best condition it has been in for
some time. The COOP is in excellent financial condition. Some years
ago our equity was down around 20%, we ended the year at 42.3%. We
started paying back Capital Credits in 2009 and to date have paid back
environmentally clean electricity at the lowest possible cost.
$2,377,994.97. This has happened because you the members have been
As member-owners you share in the profits of Barton County Electric
and the board has empowered them to do their job.
Cooperative I am pleased to share that your cooperative has met the
We, the Board, want to take this opportunity to thank Beverly Ramseyer
financial requirements and received the Board of Director’s approval to
for her dedication to our COOP. She has stepped up and filled the position
reimburse those members who have capital credits from the years of 1987
of CEO/GM and kept things going without a hitch.
and 1988. These capital credits will be paid out in the form of a check
Be sure and make plans to attend our annual meeting May 14, 2015. You
during the last week of April, 2015.
will be treated with a meal, entertainment, short business session and the
Please look on the back page of this issue for important Annual Meeting
Dates. See you next month!
Petition for Board Candidacy
• All Board of Director candidates (incumbents and new)
shall run by petition.
• Qualified member cadidates are required to gather
signatures of (15) or more current BCEC members
• Official Petition forms and qualification information
available at the BCEC office or www.bartonelectric.com
• Completed petition forms will be accepted at BCEC office
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F, March 16 to April 20, 2015.
• Petitions will be publicly posted as received at BCEC
loyal to the COOP, our employees have worked hard and done a good job,
opportunity to meet our new CEO/GM Russell McCorkle. On behalf of
the Board of Directors, thank you for the opportunity to serve.
FIND YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER AND WIN $25!
1. Find your account number hidden in this issue of bcec Ground Source
2. Call the cooperative or stop by our office: 417.682.5636 or 800.286.5636
3. If the account number is yours you will get a $25.00 electric bill credit!
4. You must call to claim your prize during current issue
bcec Ground Source
the official newsletter of Barton County Electric Cooperative
account # 56161410
Mail-in Ballots
TO REPORT AN OUTAGE
If you are unable to attend the Barton County Electric
Cooperative Annual Meeting in May,
you can still vote in the 2015 BCEC Board of Directors
Carefully Follow Procedures for Mail-In
Balloting to Ensure Your Vote Counts:
1. Request a ballot by completing a request
form by:
a. Calling 1-800-286-5636 to request form
b. Picking up the form at our office at 91 West US Highway 160, Lamar, Missouri
April 2015
5. Seal the return envelope, attach postage, and
mail to:
Barton County Electric Cooperative
91 West US Highway 160
Lamar, Missouri 64759.
Call 417.682.5636 or 800.286.5636
24 hours a day
Before you call:
• Check breaker(s) in your home and
below your meter
• Check with your neighbors to verify
they have power
• To better serve you when you
do call please have the following
information ready:
• Name on the account you are
reporting
• Your six-digit BCEC location
number
Bill Payment Options
1.The Office
You are always welcome
2. Complete the ballot by selecting up to a
6. State statute requires that ballots must be
to stop by the office located
total of three (3) candidates. If more than
mailed. No mail-in ballots can be accepted if they
1 mile west of Lamar at
three (3) candidates are selected the ballot
are delivered to the Cooperative in person or put
91 West 160 Highway
will not be valid.
in the drop box at the BCEC office.
Office Hours: Monday-Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
3. Put ONLY the ballot in the yellow ballot
7. Mail-in ballots must be received by the close of
2. Drive-up Drop Box
envelope before sealing it.
business on Wednesday, May 13, 2015.
located at our office
available 24 hrs a day
4. Place the sealed yellow envelope in the
8. Ballots cast by Business and Church
3. On-Line Bill Pay
return envelope along with your signed
organizations must be done by an officer of the available 24 hours a day at
registration card. Do not include the
organization or provide
www.bartonelectric.com
registration card in the yellow envelope.
4. By Mailing To:
Barton County Electric Cooperative
PO Box 459
Lamar, MO 64759
5. Auto Pay
from your checking or savings account
March 16 to April 20
or with your debit/credit card
Petitions accepted to run for Barton County Electric Board of Directors
6. By Phone
Using your debit or dredit card
Monday thru Friday 8am to 5pm
April 21 to May 13
417-682-5636 / 800-286-5636
Mail-in ballots will be accepted
7. Prepay
Call or stop by to learn more
May 14 3:00 p.m.
about how you can prepay
for your electricity
BCEC office will close to prepare for Annual Meeting
2015 Annual Meeting Dates To Remember
May 14 5:00-6:30 p.m.
Annual Meeting Registration / Chicken Mary’s Meal / The Duke Mason Band
May 14 6:30 p.m.
79th BCEC Annual Meeting Called To Order
2015 Annual Meeting
Electric Credit Drawings
5 @ $50.00
3 @ $100.00
2 @ $250.00
1 @ $500.00
Must Be Present to Win
Credits must be used between 5/15/15 to 5/31/16
Credits are non-transferrable
Your Directors
Doug Haile, President
Kenny Owen, Vice President
Kevin Little, Secretary
Barbara Barley
Joel Maneval
Ben Reed
David Stump
Jerry Thieman
Max Walters
Your Interim CEO
Beverly Ramseyer
Don’t Forget to Vote
Tuesday April 7
Check Local Listings
For Ballot Information