If you were able to attend the Jay County REMC Annual Meeting at the Jay County Fairgrounds on July 14, there is a chance you noticed the American flag we proudly displayed between two of our bucket trucks at the entrance. This was just one of the many details that made our annual meeting special this year. We brought some of the “old school” in with the “new school” to make this one of our most successful meetings ever.

Our members are busy people with fast-paced lives, so this year we set out to determine the best option to fit that pace. Many of our members spend a great deal of time during Jay County Fair week living at the fairgrounds for various projects, animal shows, attending concerts, and overall enjoying this weeklong social event. It just made sense that by hosting our meeting at the fairgrounds, we could bring the annual meeting straight to you, our membership.

Before the annual meeting even took place, the REMC offered convenient early voting dates and times in our lobby based on feedback received from last year. The voting week, starting July 9, even offered evening hours to accommodate members who were able to come vote after work. We were thrilled with the response. And, based on the number of voters that turned out, you were, too.

Then came the day of the annual meeting. Voting tables, exhibition tables, and demonstrations in the round building were set up early in the morning on the 14th with the hope that our new format would be well received. The answer to our prayers came in the form of a steady all-day stream of REMC members and fairgoers who were interested in the information we had to offer, along with the live line demonstrations our linemen performed. Even our 5 p.m. business meeting was well attended, with every seat filled and several attendees standing as they waited for the election results.

This year, districts 3, 6, and 7 were up for election, and each district was contested. Congratulations to Kent Homan, Dru Hall, and Rick Dues for winning those districts, respectively. These were hard-fought races this year and everyone did a great job!

We are already looking forward to and planning for our annual meeting next year. As smoothly as our meeting went, and as much positive word of mouth we received, we want to know how the experience was for you. Members will receive a survey in their bills this month that can be filled out and mailed back in with your payment or dropped off in our office during our business hours. If you prefer an online option, fill out the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3V2P7SL.  

If you return a survey or complete one online with your name, account number, and phone number, you will automatically be entered to win one of 13 possible bill credits.

We can’t think of a better way to wrap up the 2022 annual meeting than getting your feedback and offering our members a few more rewards. The deadline to return your survey is Sept. 30, so be sure to mail those in or complete them online before that date to be entered for the bill credit drawings. 

Thanks again for voting, attending, and making the Jay County REMC Annual Meeting an event that we will be talking about for years to come!