URECC Annual Meeting

A reminder that the Annual Meeting of the members is set for Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 1:30 P.M.

An official notice of the meeting will be sent to all members.  There will be singing entertainment and registration beginning at 12:00 noon.

The business session will begin at 1:30 P.M.  At the end of the business session, there will be a drawing for door prizes.  The prizes will include

electric bill credit vouchers (3 - $100 and 4 - $50) and 35 small electrical appliances.  The mail in ballot door prize is a $100 electric bill credit voucher.

FAST (AND FREE) WINTER WARMUPS

We all know that cutting back unnecessary energy use is an easy way to keep your hard-earned money in your pocket, but that

doesn’t mean it has to leave you shivering.  Here are a few things you can do at home today to stay warm this winter, at almost no cost to you.

1.     LET THE SUNSHINE IN:  Open up your drapes and let the sun heat your home for free (and close them at dusk so they help insulate).

2.    REARRANGE YOUR ROOMS:  Move your furniture around so you are sitting near interior walls.  Exterior walls and older windows are likely to be drafty.

3.    KEEP IT SHUT:  Traditional fireplaces are an energy loser – it’s best not to use them because they pull heated air out of the house and up the chimney. If you’re not using it, make sure the damper is closed.

4.    TURN IT DOWN:  Fight the urge to crank up the heat in your house.  Put on a sweater, and turn your thermostat down a few degrees instead.

5.    COOK MORE:  Ditch the expense of take-out food and fire up your stove or oven.  Not only will you get a home cooked meal, but also the residual heat from a working kitchen can help keep you toasty.

6.    SHUT THE DOOR:  If your office or spare room is just serving as storage, let the boxes, file cabinets and other furniture get frostbite. Shut the vents, shut the door, and keep the heat where you need it most.

7.    FIND A BUDDY:  Grab your husband, wife or furry, four-legged friend.  Anything warm-blooded to cuddle with is an almost instant way to stop the shivers.

And, it might be the most fun way, too!

URECC OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS

In 2012 URECC will again award scholarships to graduating seniors living at the residence of their parents or legal guardians who are active member-consumers of URECC.

URECC has always provided quality service and community leadership to its members.  One example is our dedication and commitment to education and

our URECC College Scholarship Program that was established in 1999 when HB 3203 was passed by the Texas Legislature.

This bill allowed nonprofit electric cooperatives to put unclaimed capital credit funds, previously collected by the Comptroller Office for the State General Fund, to be used for student scholarships. 

The URECC Scholarship Program, for 2012 graduating seniors will provide:

•    Two (2) $4000 scholarships, payable $1000 per year for four (4) years, paid at the rate of $500 per semester (Fall and Spring). 

•    Two (2) $2000 scholarships for technical school, payable $1000 per year for two years, paid at the rate of $500 per semester. (Fall and Spring)

•    Thirty (30) $800 scholarships paid at the rate of $400 per semester (Fall and Spring).

URECC Scholarship Applications are available from:
•    Your school counselor’s office
•    URECC business office in Gilmer during the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
•    URECC’s Web site at www.urecc.com and download the scholarship application.

The scholarships may be used for tuition, books and expenses at any accredited university, college, junior college and technical or trade school.

Completed applications must be received at URECC's business office by April 15, 2012.  Any scholarship application not completed in its entirety, with all required attachments, will be disqualified.

The URECC Board of Directors Scholarship Committee selects the scholarship winners.  The selection of scholarship recipients will be made in April and notification will be in early May.

2012 URECC Scholarship Program PDF

2012 ANNUAL MEETING

The URECC Board of Directors has set the Annual Meeting of the Members for Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 1:30 P.M.  An official notice of the meeting will be mailed to each member of the Cooperative as required by the Bylaws.  Along with other business to be transacted at the Annual Meeting of the Members, three Directors shall be elected representing Districts No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6m.  The Bylaws of the Cooperative specify as to how the Directors shall be nominated.  Following is a quote from the Bylaws:

Article IV – Section 3

(a)    Qualifications
No person shall be eligible to become or remain a director of the Cooperative who:

1.    is not a Member in the area served or to be served by the Cooperative and of the district they are to represent;

2.    is in any way employed by or has significat financial interest in a competing enterprise or a business selling electric energy,

or supplies to the Cooperative, or a business primarily engaged in selling electric or plumbing appliances, fixtures or supplies, to the Members of the Cooperative;

3.    has been elected to or holding public office in connection for which a salary is paid;

4.    is not a resident of the district they represent.  A resident of a district is an individual who resides and is registered to vote with an address

located in the district;

5.    is an employee or has been a former employee of the Cooperative within the seven (7) years prior to the election at which such member

is to be placed on the ballot;

6.    is receiving compensation for serving the Cooperative in any capacity;

7.    who is a close relative of an employee of the Cooperative;

8.    is a close relative of an existing Director;

9.    has not been a Member of the Cooperative for a period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months preceding the election;

10.    has been convicted of a felony or a crime of moral turpitude in this state or any other state;

11.    does not have the capacity to enter legally binding contracts.

Nothing contained in this Section, however; shall affect in any manner whatsoever the validity of any action taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors.

(b)  Nomination of Directors
It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to appoint, not less than forty (40) days nor more than seventy (70) days  before the date of a meeting of the Members at which Directors are to be elected, a nomination committee consisting of not less than three (3) Members.  At least one (1) Member of the committee shall be elected from each district from which a Director is to be elected.  Nomination Committee Members may not be an existing or close relative of an existing Director; known Director Candidate; or Cooperative employee. 

The Nomination Committee shall prepare and post at the principal office of the Cooperative at least thirty-five (35) days before the meeting, a list of nominations for Directors.  At least one (1) candidate shall be nominated by the committee from each district from which a Director is to be elected.  Any 25 or more Members acting together may make other nominations by petition not less than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting and the Secretary shall post such nominations at the place where the list of nominations made by the committee are posted. 

The Secretary shall mail with the notice of the meeting or separately but at least ten (10) days nor more than thirty (30) days before the date of the meeting a statement of the number of Directors to be elected and the names and addresses of the candidates.  The names of the candidates shall be arranged by districts, from which a Director is to be elected.  Such statement shall also designate the candidate nominated by the committee and those nominated by petition. 

The Bylaws contain additional information pertaining to the Annual Meeting of Members, along with the powers, qualifications, election, et cetera, of Directors.  Copies of the Bylaws are available to all members at the Cooperative office.

TOP 10 ENERGY-SAVING TIPS

1. TURN OUT THE LIGHTS! Like your parents always said, turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms. Replace your incandescent bulbs with
   equivalent compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs). CFLs last longer and use 75 percent less energy. LED-based lights are even more efficient.
2. USE A POWER STRIP WITH A TIMER. Plug appliances and electronics into a power strip on a timer so you can turn them all off at once.
   And, make sure those electronics and appliances are Energy Star rated.
3. UPGRADE YOUR OLD REFRIGERATOR. A refrigerator purchased in 1975 uses four times more power than a new Energy Star-rated model.
4. SCHEDULE AN ENERGY AUDIT. Perform an online energy audit or have an energy auditor survey your home. Simple, inexpensive im prove-
   ments often provide big savings.
5. BUY A SWEATER. Wear it and keep your thermostat set to a lower temperature. Every degree of temperature reduction can save 5 per-
   cent on heating costs. Consider purchasing a programmable thermostat to lower temperatures automatically while you are away from home
   REGULARLY CLEAN OR REPLACE THE HEATING/COOLING SYSTEM FILTER. Dirty filters reduce required air flow and make the equipment work
   harder. A clean filter can help save 5 percent in heating costs. The same is true for the lint trap on your clothes dryer.
6. TAKE A SHOWER. A quick shower using a low-flow showerhead will use only half the water required for a typical bath.
7. WRAP THAT WATER HEATER. You can save up to 10 percent of the energy required to operate an electric water heater by installing a
   tank insulating blanket (available at home improvement stores). Insulate the water pipes exiting your water heater to further reduce energy loss.
8. WASH CLOTHES IN COLD WATER. Up to 80 percent of the energy used by a washing machine is from heating the water it uses. Washing in
   cold or warm water saves energy. Consider the purchase of a front- loading model that uses half the water of a conventional top-loading
   washer. For drying, use a clothesline instead of a dryer.
9. WASH CLOTHES IN COLD WATER. Up to 80 percent of the energy used by a washing machine is from heating the water it uses. Washing in
   cold or warm water saves energy. Consider the purchase of a frontloading model that uses half the water of a conventional top-loading
   washer. For drying, use a clothesline instead of a dryer.
10. SCALE BACK APPLIANCES. Using small appliances such as toaster ovens uses less energy than their larger counterparts. Only run
    dishwashers when there is a full load, and select the energy-saving cycle.

New Law for Ag Tax Exemptions

Effective January 1, 2012, Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (URECC) customers who are claiming an exemption
on their electric bill for agriculture or timber operations must obtain a registration number from the state comptroller.

In addition, you must sign a new Tax Exemption Form (Form #01-924) for agriculturalor (Form #01-925) for timber.

URECC must have the new exemption form by January 1, 2012, or we will be forced to add tax.

To continue claiming the exemption, there are two steps you must take:
Obtain a registration number from the Texas state comptroller by completing the Application for Texas Agricultural and

Timber Exemption Registration Number either online at www.getreadytexas.org or by completing the application form found at
www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxpubs/ag_timber_exemption.html and mailing it to the comptroller.
Completing this form online will give you your registration number almost immediately.

If you mail your form, it will take approximately three to four weeks to obtain your registration number.
After receiving your registration number, complete the appropriate exemptioncertificate found at

www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/agriculture and return it to URECC.
Existing exemption forms for agriculture and timber operations will not be honored beginning January 1, 2012.

In order to maintain your tax-exempt electric account, the state requires that you send us an exemption certificate using the new form.
If you have any questions, contact URECC at (903)843-2536 or 1-800-259-2536

The Directors and Employees of Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative wish you a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year.

Our offices will be closed Monday, January 2nd.

RETIREMENT OF CAPITAL CREDITS THIS MONTH

The Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation Board of Directors is pleased to announce the retirement of $3,000,000.00 in

capital credits to the members and a refund check will be mailed in December. 

After all operating costs have been paid for the fiscal year by URECC, any money left over is returned to the members

in the form of capital credits.  In other business organizations, the left over money would be called profit.

Because URECC is a not-for-profit business, the proper term is “margins”.  Capital credits are each member’s share

of URECC’s margins in proportion to the amount paid for electricity.  In other words, they represent your share of equity or ownership

in the cooperative. But capital credits are not cash in the bank.  Your balance of capital credits is used to meet

URECC’s capital improvement and expansion needs before seeking additional loan funds and paying interest on these borrowed funds.

They are invested in the poles, wires, transformers, plant and equipment that provide you with electric service.

Your capital credits are used wisely to keep the cost of electricity as low as possible and the quality of your service as high as possible.

Once these goals are met, the decision to retire capital credits is made by the URECC Board of Directors. 

In the past 24 years, $26.8 million has been returned to the member/owners of URECC.

URECC, incorporated in 1937, is an electric distribution cooperative that serves portions of ten counties:

Camp, Cass, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Morris, Rusk, Smith, Upshur and Wood.

URECC has 1,934 square miles of service area with 48,000 meters.  This makes URECC the 10th largest of 66 electric cooperatives located in Texas.

Consumer Charge to Increase

Effective January 1, 2012, the Consumer Charge for the Residential Service and the Small Commercial and General Service will go to $14.00 per month.

In comparing the cost of materials and supplies, we are still experiencing increases in aluminum wire, service wire, wooden poles, pole line hardware, transformers, liability insurance, supplies, property taxes and operating costs.

In order for URECC to meet debt requirements, make our bankers happy and perform necessary maintenance, we found this increase to be necessary.

Attaching Signs to Poles is Illegal

Utility poles are designed and maintained to support electric power conductors and communications cables that provide vital services to consumers. They aren’t designed or intended for anything else. Signs, posters and handbills don’t belong on utility poles. In fact, it’s against the law to post a sign on utility poles. Signs not only interfere with a service lineman’s access, making it difficult or even dangerous to climb the pole, but the nails and staples used to post these items can damage pole grounding devices or the lineman’s protective rubber gloves. Linemen also wear special boots and climbing hooks. If a spike or hook hits metal, like a nail, they can be deflected and cause a fall that could cause serious injury to the worker. Often, linemen have to work at night or in foul weather, making it impossible to spot such hazards. Basketball backboards, birdhouses and private lighting or any other devices for personal use should never be installed on a utility pole. During hunting season, some hunters even hang deer stands on utility poles, which can be especially deadly should the barrel of a rifle or anything else come into contact with the uninsulated overhead power lines. Each year, hunting season brings an increase in vandalism when insulators, poles, transformers, power lines, meters and all sorts of utility hardware become targets for sportsmen. A damaged insulator can cause a power line to fall or sag, posing a risk of electrocution. This criminal damage is not only an unnecessary expense that causes outages that have to be repaired, but it can also be extremely dangerous for those who cause the damage and personnel who have to deal with the damaged facilities.

ATTENTION!

Protection of three-phase motors against single-phasing shall be the responsibility of the co-op consumer-member. Also, the member shall be responsible for providing over-and under-current protection of all motors. The cooperative has installed equipment on its system to prevent major catastrophes, but isolated problems such as lightning and other factors will occasionally occur. It is the responsibility of the consumer to protect motors and equipment from these isolated over-and under-current situations with electrical protection devices available on the market.