In an effort to keep you informed of your cooperative’s operations and activities, the following are highlights of the Oct. 31 board meeting.

1. All directors were present along with CEO Steve Seibert and administrative assistant Lisa Hinton. Also present were system engineer Todd Hammond, line superintendent Steve Fortwendel, office/IT manager Karen Mangum, Gary Moody of Aclara and Michelle Griffin of Anixter.

2. The Sept. 19 board meeting and Sept. 27 special board meeting minutes were reviewed and approved.

3. The membership certificates and vouchers were reviewed and approved.

4. The directors’ report was reviewed and approved.

5. Moody and Griffin provided an overview for a 2019-2022 upgrade to the cooperative’s AMI system.

6. Seibert provided a capital credit process update and reviewed the capital credit retirement plan.

7. Seibert reviewed 2018-2019 strategic plan critical issues and action plans.

8. The first item of new business was the CEO report with Seibert reporting the following items:

a. Seibert provided a Cooperatives One update.

b. Seibert presented a Federated Insurance update.

c. Seibert reported the cooperative was issued a $1,700 capital credit allocation and a $341 capital credit retirement check from United Utility Supply.

d. Seibert reported Southern Indiana Power employees participated in IEC’s Community Day by completing three projects in Perry and Spencer counties.

e. Seibert informed the board right-of-way clearing has begun for the MISO Duff-Coleman project.

f. Seibert reported on 2018 member information meeting results.

g. Seibert informed directors of the following dates: Indiana Electric Cooperatives legislative dinner Nov. 19; Indiana Electric Cooperatives annual meeting Dec. 3-4, and NRECA annual meeting March 11-13.

9. Seibert discussed the distributed generation rate for consumers with small power generation systems up to 50 kW. The 2019 avoided cost rate for members who produce energy and sell it back on the electric grid will remain the same as the 2018 rate of $0.0326/kWh.

10. Directors reviewed section five, director nominations, of the NRECA good governance task force report.

11. Jon Elkins, vice president of safety training and compliance with Indiana Electric Cooperatives, conducted all inspections of equipment on Oct. 24. Seibert advised there were no lost time accidents and one public liability claim to report.

12. A policy and bylaw committee meeting has been scheduled for Nov. 21.

13. Director Gary Waninger reported on an Operation Round Up trustees meeting held on Oct. 24. Six grant applications totaling $13,000 were approved for funding.

14. Waninger reported on a Hoosier Energy board meeting held Oct. 8.

15. Director Randy Kleaving reported on an Indiana Electric Cooperatives board meeting held Oct. 17.

16. The cooperative received thank you notes from the St. Meinrad Volunteer Fire Department, St. Meinrad American Legion, Indiana National Farmers Organization and Junior Achievement – Perry District.

17. The next regularly scheduled board of directors meeting will be held Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 6 pm.