It’s been said that change is the only constant in life, and there seems to be no shortage of change here at the co-op. I will do my best to update you on some of the changes at Jasper County REMC.

The demands weighing on our board of directors have significantly changed. Directors have always had to learn a lot about the electric industry. However, with ever-evolving technology, the emergence of renewable energy, and government regulations surrounding the industry, learning and keeping up to date with it has become quite challenging. Additionally, directors must be just as educated in the broadband industry, which is also constantly evolving. These changes have made finding candidates willing to accept the challenge increasingly difficult.

That said, you will notice that our slate for the director election looks a little different this year. With a change in the bylaws, the nominating committee can nominate just one candidate for each director seat that is up for election. The nominating committee process stayed the same, and they could choose not to bring forth the incumbent for re-election. If the incumbent was not nominated, then he or she could go through the petition process to get on the ballot. You, the member, will still vote as you have in the past, as it is no different from the uncontested positions you might see on your state and federal ballots.

Deciding to build a broadband network was a big change with positive impacts. While working towards offering the fiber service to our members, we’ve hired a few new fiber installers, creating new jobs in Jasper County. Jasper County REMC has always had an eye on economic development, and we are proud that the broadband project will help attract businesses to our area. Providing electric and internet service means your cooperative has two essential services to offer.

Our cost-of-service study is underway and that will help us evaluate the service requirement of our cooperative and the associated costs. We use a third party to conduct the study, and then the management staff and directors will review the results to determine if more change is on the horizon.

Through all of this, the one thing that has remained the same is our commitment to providing the best service to our members!