2019 Noble REMC Annual Report

By
Posted on Jun 07 2020 in Noble REMC

This year has brought unprecedented challenges for our communities, as schools, businesses and workplaces closed for the safety of all as the COVID-19 pandemic spread.

With safety as our first priority, Noble REMC also made the tough decision to cancel our in-person Annual Meeting and Picnic, and transition the business meeting online.

Members can watch the meeting live on Facebook at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, when we will also announce the winners of the board of directors’ election.

You do not need a Facebook account to watch. When you arrive at our page, facebook.com/nobleremc, simply scroll down to the post containing our video. If at any time you are prompted to sign into or create an account, click “Not Now” at the bottom of the prompt, and you should be able to continue viewing the video.

To read over the meeting’s minutes from last year before this year’s meeting, visit nobleremc.com/annual-meeting. The financial report from 2019 is included on the next page, as well as online.

Since we aren’t able to celebrate in person, let’s look back at our past year together here:

LOOKING BACK AT 2019

Safety

  • The cooperative conducted 23 electrical safety presentations, reaching nearly 1,150 students, as well as a high voltage safety demonstration for our local emergency personnel, including law enforcement, emergency management, fire departments and highway departments.
  • Noble REMC inspected and tested 1,654 residential meters, as well as 2,813 utility poles. We also processed 2,749 mobile underground locate tickets, and finished right-of-way spraying in the center one-third of the service territory.
  • The cooperative installed additional layers of cyber protection for our members’ data, including upgrades to our computers and phone systems.

People

  • Member Services Representative Amber Kunkel and Systems Administrator Marla Ober completed the two-year Rural Electric Leaders in Training Exchange Program.
  • Director Bob Lortie retired from the Noble REMC Board of Directors with 42 years of service.
  • Directors Larry Ott and George Bennett completed the Credentialed Cooperative Director program.

Giving back

  • For the 25th year in a row, the cooperative returned patronage capital – cash back – to our members. We returned more than $1 million in 2019, issuing 11,229 checks. That amount brought our total to nearly $10 million back to our members since the mid-’90s.
  • Operation Round Up reached a milestone of more than $800,000 in giving since its inception in 2002. More than $45,000 was given back to 37 grantees in 2019, with more than 80% of our members participating in the program.
  • Employees and board members participated in Indiana Electric Cooperatives’ Community Day, volunteering our labor to paint and renovate Albion’s new Augusta Hills Learning, Recreation and Community Center.

Programs

  • A dedication was conducted for the LaOtto Solar Generating Station. The 1-megawatt solar array on our lines will produce solar energy for co-ops throughout the region as part of Wabash Valley Power Alliance’s Co-op Solar program.
  • Energy Advisor Brian Hawk completed 39 residential energy audits.
  • Through our Power Moves® program, we awarded more than $70,000 to our members, including commercial, industrial, agriculture and residential members. The co-op also received $2,135 in rebates for our own upgrades to LED area lights. All of these energy efficient upgrades will save more than 475,000 kilowatt-hours.