PAGE C6-7: Annual Meeting informationPAGES C5: Stay safe on the highways

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May 2016

Co-Mo Country

A feature section of Rural Missouri magazine

One of the most attractive features of cooperatives

is that we answer the popular question, “What’s in it for

me?” with “What’s in it for we!” Cooperatives are formed

when the market fails to offer a good or service, with de-

cent quality, at an affordable price. Co-Mo Electric was

formed in 1939 because, when investor-owned utilities

realized there was not enough profit to be made in our

community, they refused to offer electricity.

The founding members of your cooperative went

door to door to collect $5 in order to raise a portion of

the original investment the co-op needed. Those “go-

getters” realized the only way to get electricity for me

was to get it for we, the whole community.

Cooperative ownership is in the hands of the people

who use the co-op’s goods and the services (not in-

vestors), so not only do co-ops start out answering the

question of “What’s in it for we?” – they continue to an-

swer that question for as long as they exist.

These days, we often hear about companies that

abandon their local communities and move overseas

in search of cheaper labor. This negatively impacts the

community through job loss, decline in housing values

and school closures. Because local residents own a ma-

jority of cooperatives, they are less likely to leave their

community. In fact, it would be impossible for Co-Mo

to leave central Missouri. The co-op is a critical part of

what makes the community a community.

The way co-ops continue to answer the question,

“What’s in it for we?” is critical to their survival. It is im-

perative that we keep you – our members – as the pri-

mary focus. Keeping rates as low as possible is one ma-

jor part of that focus, but ensuring that we provide real

value as your trusted energy advisor is also extremely

important.

By maintaining that focus with your help and sup-

port, we will continue to be able to serve the “me” and

the “we” in our community long into the future.

Ken JohnsonGeneral Manager

You should come to this year’s Annual Meeting

It’s that time of year again – annual meeting time! On behalf of Co-Mo Electric, we’d like to personally invite you to join us starting at 4 p.m. May 26 at our Operations Center in Tipton. We look forward to gathering with you – members of the co-op community – to catch up, hear what you have to say and enjoy some good food and fellowship.

This event is not only a chance to visit with members of our co-op community, it’s also a great opportunity to learn about Co-Mo and get to know your co-op staff.

This is an occasion to discuss and learn more about the issues affect-ing our local communities. It’s also an opportunity for you to exercise one of the greatest benefits of being a member of an electric co-op, by voting for the upcoming year’s board of directors.

Co-Mo is not owned by far away investors, and it is not run by an appointed board of directors. We are run by a democratically elected board of directors – a board who is given the privilege to serve because of your vote.

Our directors are mem-bers of your community. They are concerned with the issues you face every day because they face them too. And don’t forget – all members of Co-Mo in good standing are eligible to run for the board. That includes you!

A democratic and open election is one of the many elements that make our electric cooperative stand out from other utilities. Having a voice in who makes the major decisions that directly affect your life and your family is a right we all share as Americans. We all vote for our state and federal Congressional representatives, but not every American has the right to vote for those who will represent community interests within their electric utility. You have that right, so why not exercise it?

If you have never come to a Co-Mo Annual Meeting, let me encourage you to make this your first. What can you expect? In one sentence, over-the-top member service and A LOT of information. We have employees meet you in the parking lot with golf carts to ferry you right to registration. That registration process is quick and easy and gives you all you need to cast your ballot for directors. Just for registering, each membership receives a $10 electric-bill credit. We have information booths to help you learn more about what Co-Mo and the cooperative world offers. We have great food, catered by Lutz’s BBQ. We’ll have some relaxing music and fun for the kids!

We have a health fair, expanded this year to include information for kids and adults alike. And we have door prizes you can win simply for being in attendance.

Rest assured, no matter what happens, we remain dedicated to providing you with safe, reliable and affordable electric service, but we encourage you to take part in helping us improve how we deliver that service. So make it a point to join us on May 26 at our Annual Meeting. We promise we will make it worth your while!

About the cover

Join us at this year’s Annual Meeting on Thursday, May 26. Read more about the event on pages C6-7.

c o - m o . c o o p • P a g e C 2

Doug’s Chem-Dry Carpet Care810 Rabbit Run Rd., Jefferson City(573)635-106510% off carpet cleaning services. Minimum charges may apply.

H & R Block736 N. State Hwy. 5, Camdenton(573)346-7878$15 off any federal tax return.

Jim Lewis Tire & Wheel Inc.1300 MO Blvd., Jefferson City(573)636-9223$5 discount off of each new tire purchased.

Main Street Music Hall5845 Hwy. 54/Mailing:1048 Main St., Osage Beach(573)348-9500$2 off the regular priced adult ticket for a regular season show (April 24-Oct. 31).

Niangua River Oasis Inc.171 NRO Rd., Lebanon(417)532-633310% off canoes, rafts, & kayaks.

ACE Automative955 Hwy 42, Osage Beach573-302-1441

10% off

Candlewood Suites3514 Amazonas, Jefferson City(573)634-882210% off our best flexible or standard rate.

Downtown Café116 W. Moniteau St., Tipton(660)433-240010% off.

JJ’s at the Copper Pot630 N. Main St. , Laurie(573) 374-8077Purchase two entrees, get a free after-dinner table side pot of coffee vaculator

Sun and Fun Resort Wear213 N. Main/P.O. Box 1128, Laurie(573)374-622610% off.

Westlake Aquatic Center134 N. Fairgrounds Rd., Laurie(573)374-737010% off one year membership for individual or family.

Cold Stone Creamery4540 Hwy. 54 #A-2, Osage Beach

(573)348-6262$1 off Love It size creation or larger, $3 off Signature ice cream cake.

Big Surf Water Park954 State Rd. Y, Linn Creek(573)346-6111Purchase discounted tickets online at www.bigsurfwaterpark.com. Click on Big Surf Hang Ten Club link and enter code:Touchstone.

Casa Bonita Home Furnishings100 E. 4th St., Stover(573)377-280515% discount off all accessories including wall art, decorative accessories, plants and garden accessories.

Eichler Furniture & Carpet30876 W. Dam Access Rd., Warsaw(660)438-102210% discount on $500 purchase or more. In stock only.

Henley Jewelers, Inc.202 S. Maple, Eldon(573)392-451110% off all merchandise, diamonds, gem-stones, ear rings, bracelets, chains. 20% off all watches.

DEALSMONTH

of the

For more details and a full list of deals, see www.co-mo.coop

The CooperativeDIFFERENCE

For the members of Co-Mo Electric

Cooperative membership:

What’s in it for you?

A democratic and open election is one of the many elements that make our electric coop-erative stand out from other utilities. Having a voice in who makes the major decisions that directly affect your life and your fam-ily is a right we share as Americans.

Name: Corey ten Bensel

Job Title: Director of Member Care

Years with Co-op: Almost 10 years.

Favorite Part of Your Job: Working for argu-ably one of the best Electric Cooperatives in the country. We have a supportive member-ship and an organization full of extremely talented and dedicated individuals. I can’t imagine getting to work with a better group of people.

Favorite restaurant: Baxter’s Lakeside Grill

RepoRt an outage Call (800) 781-0157, Press

“1” for Outage24 hours a day

Before calling:• Check breakers and fuses• Check with your neighbors

to see if they have power• When calling please give

the following information:• Your name• Your seven-digit Co-Mo

account number

opeRation Round up

Fund DisbursementsOrganization/Agency $637,432.96Individual/Family $491,296.74Scholarship $493,588.32

Co-Mo’s Mission Co-Mo Electric Cooperative exists to fulfill our Members’ needs for superior

electric and related services at fair and reasonable prices and support our communities through economic, civic and educational opportunities.

c o - m o . c o o p • P a g e C 3

Do you know where in Co-Mo Country this is?

This is a Co-Mo Country scene. If you know where it is, send your answer by May 1 with your name, address, phone number and e-mail address. All correct answers will be put in a draw-ing for a $25 credit on your electric bill. By e-mail: rcornelius@co-mo.coop; By mail: Where in Co-Mo Country? P.O. Box 220 Tipton, MO 65081.

The winner of the April contest who correctly guessed the pho-to at right was from our Lake District office was Donna Chap-man of Versailles.

co-Mo history

The Rural Electrification Administration was started in 1939 by order of President Franklin Roosevelt. It was abol-ished in a massive reorganization if the Department of Agriculture in 1994 and its responsibilities were transferred to a new agency, the Rural Utility Service.

Meet the Co-Mo CRew

Members beware! — Scam artists want to steal your mon-ey. Across the state, electric cooperatives are reporting that members have been called by would-be scam artists preying on our good name to steal from the unwary.

The scam goes like this: A member gets a phone call de-manding payment, or their electric service will be immediately disconnected. Those who provide credit card information to pay the alleged bill find themselves bilked out of whatever money the scammers demand. Some are told to go to conve-nience stores and purchase cash cards to pay the bills. The scammers take the numbers and the money is gone.

Electric cooperatives do not do business like this. Some do provide automated courtesy phone calls to let members know they may be facing disconnection for an overdue bill.

But in this case, the member is urged to call the coopera-tive to make arrangements or to drop off the payment at the office. If you get a phone call from someone demanding pay-ment, hang up and call the cooperative — using only phone numbers that are published in phone directories or on the cooperative’s website, not one provided by the caller.

Recently, one Missouri electric cooperative saw a new twist on the old scam. Several members of Three Rivers Electric Cooperative contacted the cooperative, saying they had been given a callback number in order to pay their overdue bill.

When an employee called the number, he discovered that the cooperative’s phone auto attendent message had been recorded and used to make the callback appear authentic.

Anyone calling the scammers’ phone number heard the real recording that says, “Thank you for calling your elec-tric cooperative. Please choose from the following options.” Pressing 7 — which is not a legitimate option on the real ser-vice — brought the caller to a foreign-sounding voice. The lat-est twist is to scam businesses, probably because their bills tend to be much larger than a residential bill so the payback potentially is greater. The calls are made after hours so the business owner feels a sense of desperation because they need to keep the business operating.

Here in Co-Mo Country, we’ve had a variety of different types of scams. The latest included capital credits. Someone has been calling our members to inform them that they have unclaimed monies available. This person is charging a find-

ers fee. While it’s your decision to pay him or not, you don’t have to. We want you to know that it’s your money and you don’t need to pay anyone a finders fee.

It is sad to see that some people will prey on our good name in order to steal from those unwary enough to fall for their scams. Don’t let this happen to you! If in doubt, call us or stop by the office. We are always happy to discuss your

bill with you.If you are contacted and suspect it is a scam, please hang

up and contact your electric cooperative. You should also call the Missouri Attorney General’s ID Theft Hotline at 800-392-8222. Another option is to use the online form at www.ago.mo.gov.

c o - m o . c o o p • P a g e C 4

Recently, scammers have been hitting electric cooperatives. We will never contact you and ask you for your information over the phone. If you get a suspicious phone call, hang up and dial 800-781-0157 and one of our friendly representa-tives, like Chelsea Rimel (above) will answer your questions.

The changing world of electric utilitiesThe electric industry is undergoing a major transformation.

Utilities, including electric cooperatives, are dramatically al-tering both the mix of fuels used to generate electricity and how electricity gets to co-op members – that’s you!

Changes in technology and the market have contributed to making renewable energy more cost-effective. Co-ops are now purchasing and generating more renewable resources, bringing wind, solar and geothermal energy into the electric power system, meaning electricity is becoming “greener.”

Nationwide, co-ops are responsible for 515 megawatts of wind energy. Missouri electric cooperatives have 700 mega-watts of contracted wind energy. Solar capacity is also rapidly increasing. In Georgia, three electric co-ops are developing a 101 megawatt solar array with Georgia Power – this is one of the largest single-site projects east of the Mississippi River.

There will continue to be pressure at the federal and state levels to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Increas-ing the use of renewable energy can help meet these goals.

In addition to these resources, many co-ops rely on hydro-electric power (another renewable option) and nuclear power, neither of which produces greenhouse gases.

When co-op members participate in energy efficiency ef-forts, they are helping to reduce emissions and improve the system. While each member’s reduction might be small,

together they can lead to significant savings of money and emissions. After all, they say the cleanest power is the power never used.

Electric co-ops across the country are exploring mutually beneficial ways to combine both renewable energy and load

control programs, so that when the sun shines and the wind blows, we can fill up our water heaters or charge our electric vehicles. Known as “community storage,” this new concept holds great promise.

Electric co-ops believe this trend in the electric industry will continue, and even accelerate in the future.

What do these changes mean for co-op members? For one thing, the environmental impact of any electric appliance you buy today will actually get smaller over the lifetime of that appliance. In other words, the electric range you buy today could in one year – or five years or 10 years – be using elec-tricity fueled by wind or solar – or a combination.

In California, which has ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab has asserted that “widespread electrification of passenger vehicles, building heating and industry heating [will be] criti-cal to California meeting its GHG goals.”

According to the laboratory’s experts, “moving away from oil [diesel, propane] and natural gas and towards electricity is a key decarbonization strategy.”

Even as electric co-ops continue finding ways to improve the reliability of your electric service, we are looking ahead. And to an electric co-op, the future has the potential to be sunny indeed.

CO-OP NATIONPOWERING COMMUNITIES,EMPOWERING MEMBERS

Protect yourselves from scammers

If you live in a manufactured home, chances are you may have a disproportionately higher energy bill than a family living in a modu-lar or traditional wood-frame home. The good news is there are many ways you can improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Manufactured home or mobile home?First, a clarification. Some use the term manufactured home

and mobile home interchangeably. A mobile home is a factory built home constructed before 1976 when the U.S. Department of Hous-ing and Urban Development (HUD) set national standards that nearly every manufactured home must meet. Thereafter, factory-built homes were called manufactured homes and are engineered and constructed in accordance with the 1976 federal code admin-istered by HUD.

Manufactured homes come in all shapes and sizes. They may be single- or multi-sectioned and are available in various sizes and floor plan configurations. There are many differences between manufactured homes built before the U.S. HUD Code took effect in 1976 and those built afterward. One of the major differences is

energy efficiency. Those built before federal standards were put in place were generally not as energy efficient as later models, even though thermal standards were changed in 1994. And while your manufactured home may have been built to the energy standards of the time, significant progress has been made over the past de-cades with high-efficiency mechanical equipment, windows, insula-tion, siding and roofing materials.

In short, whether your home is less than five years old or more than 50, most homes can benefit from energy efficiency mea-sures simply due to wear and tear. Sunlight, seasonal temperature changes and wind can increase air leakage. Doors and windows may not close tightly and duct work can spring leaks, wasting cool-ing and heating energy.

If your home was built before 1976, the Dept. of Energy recom-mends the following steps to retrofit your manufactured home and improve energy efficiency:

1. Install energy-efficient windows and doors2. Replace insulation in the belly3. Make general repairs (seal bottom board, caulk windows,

doors, ducts, etc.)4. Add insulation to your walls5. Install or seal belly wrap6. Add insulation to your roof or install a roof cap.

Additional energy saving tipsIn addition to the measures listed above, consider caulking and

weatherstripping windows and doors, particularly if you are not able to replace them with more energy-efficient ones. Properly seal any openings around ducts and plumbing fixtures. Replace any incan-descent light bulbs with LEDs – both indoors and outside. Reduce “phantom” loads by unplugging electronic devices such as com-puters, printers and gaming systems when not in use. If you are planning to move to a new manufactured home, look for the Energy Star rated model.

For more information about energy efficiency improvements for manufactured homes, contact the energy experts at Co-Mo.

Citizens of Co-Mo Country, let your co-operative work for you!

I grew up on a farm—well, a vegetable farm and apple orchard to be exact. I didn’t have much to do with the operating of it, but I climbed trees, watched grandpa make ci-der and played in the barn. I was in the Lin-denwood 4-H club, church youth group, small-school sports, all the wonderful things that rural kids get to enjoy. When I got off the bus from school I put the dinner my mom had made in the oven and if I didn’t have any homework, went out to play. If it wasn’t so nice out, I got an hour or so of uninterrupted coveted cartoons. Even though I grew up minutes away from the largest city in Wisconsin, I considered my-self a country kid.

But I wasn’t nearly as in touch with the country life as you folks are around here. I never heard of FFA until I moved here. I didn’t know about electric cooperatives. How much do you know about your coop-erative? There’s so much going on these days and as a member and owner of Co-Mo Electric, you should check it out! There

are several easy ways to get information: There’s our website www.co-mo.coop, Facebook pages (Co-Mo Electric and Co-Mo Connect), Twitter feeds and Youtube videos. Not tech savvy? Thumb through the Rural Missouri and Co-Mo Country and watch for inserts and notes on your bills.

Did you know we have bylaws? Find them on our website. Do you want to step up your involvement? Go to the annual meeting. It’s coming up on May 26th at our Operations Center in Tipton on Richard Boulevard.

This will be my 11th annual meeting. It seems to me I see the same faces every year--and we very much appreciate your attendance. Some of you may remember a time when there weren’t enough folks at-

tending to make the percentage of voters needed to conduct business. How come we don’t see more new faces? Our member-ship grows daily. I challenge you to come to the next meeting and see for yourself how your fellow members are involved with your cooperative. It’s at the annual meeting

that the directors are elected. Di-rectors who are YOUR voice. It’s there that minutes are approved; discussion takes place; presenta-tions are made and questions are answered. See familiar faces of your employees and meet some of the new ones. We will be easy to find- electric employees will be in red shirts and Co-Mo Connect will be in black shirts. It’s your turn

to be a part of your cooperative and let it work for you.

I hope to see you at the 77th Annual Meeting of the Membership. The meal starts at 4 pm with the business meeting at 6:30 pm. There will be plenty going on for members of all ages. More information is in this issue of Co-Mo Country and the notice with your next bill.

Time to go, the phone is ringing!

c o - m o . c o o p • P a g e C 5

The Safety Corner

Would you drive on a highway blindfolded? Of course not. However, if you text while driving 55 miles per hour on a highway, you are essentially doing just that.

Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that’s like driving the length of a football field while blindfolded. Talking on a cell phone also carries significant risks. According to the National Safety Council, drivers can miss seeing up to half of what’s around them – traffic lights, stop signs, pedestrians – when talking on a cell phone.

In our digital world, people feel pressure to re-main in constant contact, even when behind the wheel. As mobile technology use increases, dis-tracted driving – talking, texting, sending emails – is a growing threat to community safety. We have all seen distracted drivers, and most likely, we ourselves have used a phone while driving. Drivers don’t realize the dangers posed when they take their eyes of the road and their hands off the wheel and focus on activities other than driving.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, each day in the U.S., more than nine people are killed and more than 1,153 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. The National Highway Administration notes that 3,154 people were killed and an es-timated 424,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver in 2013.

Texting and cell phone use behind the wheel takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel and your focus off driving – putting the driver and others in danger, including passen-gers, pedestrians, other drivers and bystand-ers. On the tragic end of the spectrum, victims’ families, friends, co-workers and community are impacted.

At Co-Mo, safety is a core value. At this time of year in particular, when more people are on the roads and kids are out of school, our goal is to raise awareness and spur conversation about the dangers of distracted driving. Talking on a cell phone quadruples your risk of an ac-cident, about the same as if you were driving drunk. Risk doubles again if you are texting while driving. We are committed to eliminating this un-necessary risk and believe that no conversation or text is worth the potential danger.

Help promote a culture of safety. We encour-age everyone in Co-Mo Country to join us and help keep our families, friends and neighbors safer by putting their phones down and focusing on the road when they drive. Together, we can put the brakes on distracted driving.

Energy Efficiency

Tips of the Monthwith Tom HulseEnergy Services

Advisor

TM

O Jimmy JesterSafety Coordinator

Join us at this year’s Annual Meeting

MemberMember2with Cathy SinclairCustomer Service Representative

This will be my 11th annual meeting. It seems to me I see the same faces every year--and we very much appreciate your attendance. Some of you may remember a time when there weren’t enough folks attending to make the percentage of voters needed to conduct business.

Stay safe on the highways

c o - m o . c o o p • P a g e C 6

Co-Mo Electric Cooperative’s MissionCo-Mo Electric Cooperative exists to fulfill our Members’ needs for superior electric and related services at fair and

reasonable prices and support our communities through economic, civic and educational opportunities.

May 26, 2016Co-Mo Operations Center, 448 Richard Blvd. 4 to 6:30 p.m. Member Registration Evening Meal Served Health Fair Kids Entertainment Information booths 4:30 to 5:15 Musical Entertainment 5:15 to 5:45 Co-Mo Connect Information 5:45 to 6:15 More music6:30 to 8:30 Business meeting of the membership

stAteMent of operAtions 2014 2015Income operatIng revenues $47,696,514 $50,137,562 expensespurchased power $25,099,948 $25,362,293 operatIng, maInt., other expenses 12,695,042 12,720,661 deprecIatIon of plant 3,984,808 4,546,662 Interest 4,372,205 5,735,121 totAl expenses $46,152,003 $48,364,737 operatIng margIn $1,544,511 $1,772,825 non-operatIng revenues (Interest) 599,742 1,146,903 capItal credIts assIgned to co-mo $1,658,464 $1,844,491 net margIn $3,802,718 $4,764,219 co-mo operatIng statIstIcs 2014 2015number of meters 31,194 31,242mIles of lIne (dec. 31) 4,100 4,093consumers served per mIle 7.61 7.63Investments per consumer $5,718 $6,492kwh sold durIng Year 445,726,981 418,977,839cost per kwh purchased (cents) 5.33 5.72

2014 2015 Average Monthly Bill $113.13 $112.10 Average kWh Usage 1,073 998 Charge Per kWh Sold (Cents) 10.54 11.24

bAlAnce sheet (As of Dec. 31, 2015)

2014 2015

assets (what we own)Plant in Service $178,355,012 $202,813,816 Less Accumulated Deprecation (33,066,933) (31,285,937) Other Investments 20,738,055 21,649,670Cash & Temporary Assets 128,659 385,888 Accounts Receivable 24,359,456 31,299,676 Materials on Hand 454,919 256,934 Prepayments 155,564 267,243 Deferred Charges 115,205 117,599 Total Assets $191,299,486 $225,504,889 lIabIlItIes (what we owe)to rural utIlItY servIce $0 $0 other long-term debt 119,055,790 131,070,436notes paYable 863,037 19,923,550 consumer deposIts 614,250 611,780accounts paYable 8,575,674 7,762,334 other current lIabIlItIes 2,013,638 2,500,397 totAl liAbilities $131,122,389 $161,868,497 equItY (our net worth)patronage capItal + other equItIes $60,177,097 $63,636,392 totAl equity $60,177,097 $63,636,392 totAl liAbilities AnD equity $191,299,486 $225,504,889

Co-Mo Electric Cooperative Inc. has an audit as of Dec. 31 each year. Audit reports may be viewed by any member at our Tipton Headquarters during regular business hours.

This year’s nominating committee is, Front row (L-R): Patricia Ing-lish, Elsie Drury, Joe Stoecklein, Ellen Bozich and Mary MartinBack row (L-R): Mel Gerber, Will Wright, Jack Ehlers, Howard Draffen, Harold Haldiman and Kirt Wilson

the noMinAting coMMittee

The bylaws allow voting for directors by mail-in ballot. If you will not be attending this year’s Annual Meeting on May 26 but would like to participate in the election of directors and ballot issue, you may do so. Here’s how: • Call: (800) 781-0157 • Write: P.O. Box 220, Tipton, MO 65081 • E-mail: moehrke@co-mo.coop • Visit: Either our Tipton or Laurie officeYou must present your registration card OR provide your name, address and account number for identification purposes. Ballots will be available May 2. ALL BALLOTS MUST BE RETURNED TO THE LAW OFFICES OF DOUG ABELE (ADDRESS IS ON BALLOT INFORMATION) BY NOON ON THE DAY OF THE ANNUAL MEETING! BALLOTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

AT CO-MO’S OFFICES!

MAil-in bAlloting proceDures

you’re inviteD! pleAse Join us

77th Annual Meeting

c o - m o . c o o p • P a g e C 7

What we valuePlace the interest of our Members above all others’

Keep our members, the public and ourselves safe

Demonstrate integrity and honesty beyond reproach

Maintain a high level of financial stewardship

Treat everyone with courtesy and respect

Adhere to the 7 Cooperative Principles

Stay informed co-mo.cooptwitter.com/comoelectricfacebook.com/comoelectric

Meet your candidates for the Board of DirectorsInformation taken from candidates’ information sheets filled out when they applied to be nominated for the Board.

I am self-employed. My husband, Jim, and I own Lake Buy Realty in Laurie. I have been a REALTOR for 25 years and business owner for 20. I’m seeking this position because the only Board member from the lake area is retiring and I want the lake to continue to have a voice at the Board. I am currently the Chair of the Board of Equalization for Camden County, serve on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity, serve on the Board of Directors for Lake of the Ozarks Board of REALTORS, and serve on the Missouri REALTORS Board of Directors and am immediate Past President of Laurie-Sunrise

Beach Rotary Club.

BIll Betteridge is seeking a spot on the Co-Mo board to develop policies that will continue to provide members with affordable broadband and electric service. Bill is a retired school administrator, and is currently operating a farming operation south of Pilot Grove. Bill is a member of the Mt. Nebo Baptist Church. Bill has served on the board of the Missouri Shorthorn association, and currently serves as the treasurer for the Cooper County Ambulance District

Dist

rict 1

vs.

I, John Schuster of Tipton, am seeking re-election to the Co-Mo board because I would like to continue to serve on behalf of the membership. I believe with the education I have received while on this board, my ability to work well with others, and my experiences and leadership with other community and civic organizations will help me serve the members better. With your vote and support, I will continue to work hard to provide you with the most reliable and affordable electricity possible, along with the advantages provided by Co-Mo Connect to allow you the opportunities you deserve.

Clifford Oswald, Blackwater, is seeking a position on the Co-Mo Board to learn more about the electric power industry and to work with the other board members to represent the Co-Mo members. Cliff has over 30 years experience working for various manufacturing companies in engineering, product management, sales and marketing, and financial planning and analysis. He has served on the Transportation Committee for the Electric Power Research Institute as well as the Statistics Committee for the Industrial Truck Association. He is cur-rently semi-retired and working part time as a cost reduction

consultant. Cliff has served on the Finance Committee at Sts Peter and Paul Church in Boonville and is the Treasurer for the Boonville Knights of Columbus.

Dist

rict 2

vs.

After graduating college with a degree in Business Adminis-tration, I went to work for Cargill where I was the Purchasing Manager at several locations. I have now been employed at Midwest Block and Brick for over seventeen years. (1998). When my daughter was in High School, she entered a video in the Co-Mo scholarship contest. Helping her with that project, showed me the benefits of the rural electrification of our State and how it changed the family farm. I would like to continue this process by serving on the Board of Directors representing my fellow neighbors. I attend Annunciation Catholic Church in California where I have served on the Parish Council and am

currently teaching the 6-8 graders religion classes on Wednesday nights. I also am a member of the Boy Scout Troop 120 where we teach our young boys to become young men. I am a lifelong resident of Moniteau County and a US Army Veteran. I have been married to Evelyn (Linhardt) Jobe for 23 years. I have a son Addison, who is a graduating senior at Southern Illinois University in Civil Engineering and a daughter Madelyn who is a sophomore at Truman State studying Accounting.

Gene Eulinger is a candidate for a second term representing district 3 on the Co-Mo Electric Cooperative board of directors. He is currently serving as president of the board. By taking courses through NRECA he has earned both the Credentialed Cooperative Director and Board Leadership certificates. He states, ”Co-Mo has a great staff with a good reputation lo-cally, in the state and nationally. Being retired, I have the time necessary to serve on this board and to see that we continue to provide excellent service to our customers.” One of the major objectives he and the other board members share is to continue to provide safe, reliable and economical electric service to our member-owners.

Dist

rict 3

vs.

Democracy Actionin

Bill Betteridge Bunceton

Nancy Rogers Gravois Mills

Clifford Oswald Blackwater

John Schuster Tipton

Keith Eugene “Gene” Eulinger Jr.

California

Scott Jobe

California

*Members will select one candidate from each district at this year’s Annual Meeting. Candidacy statement information was provided by

each candidate.

The 76th Annual Meeting of the members of Co-Mo Electric Cooperative, Inc. was held at the Co-Mo Electric Operations Center in Tipton, Missouri at 6:30 P.M., on Thursday, the 21st day of May, 2015, pursuant to notice to all of the members the Cooperative. The meeting was called to order by Rodney Schad, President, who presided, and Board Secretary, Linda Fry, acted as Secretary of the meeting and kept the minutes. Mr. Schad extended a cordial welcome on behalf of the Board of Directors to all members and their guests who were in attendance and the invoca-tion then was given by Board Member, Gene Eulinger, Jr. Following the invocation, the National Anthem was sung by Josie Milner.

The Secretary/Treasurer of the Board of Directors, Linda Fry, was then recognized for the pur-pose of determining a quorum. Upon examining the registration, the Secretary reported that based on the official registration of members, a total number of 746 members were present, which was more than the number of 269 required to constitute a quorum for this meeting under the Coopera-tive’s Bylaws.

The Secretary declared that it would be necessary to call the roll unless a motion was made to accept the registration as evidence of a quorum being present. Thereupon, on motion duly made and seconded, a resolution was unanimously carried dispensing with a roll call of the members and declaring that the official registration be used in the determination that a quorum was present for the transaction of business. The names of those in attendance according to the registration records are hereafter shown on Exhibit “A” attached to these minutes and made a part hereof.

The Secretary next stated it would be necessary to read the minutes of the 2014 Annual Meeting, which had been previously published in the May, 2015, issue of RURAL MISSOURI and mailed to all members of the Cooperative, unless a motion was made to dispense with the reading of those minutes. Thereupon, on motion duly made and seconded, a resolution was unanimously carried dispensing with the reading of the minutes of the 2014 Annual Meeting and approving said minutes. Next the Secretary read the Proof of Mailing indicating that the Notice of the An-nual Meeting had been timely mailed to all members of the Cooperative with their monthly billing statement on the dates of the five billing cycles immediately preceding the Annual Meeting date. The members were advised that the Proof of Mailing would be available for inspection following the meeting. The President then ordered the Proof of Mailing and a copy of the Notice of Annual Meeting annexed to the minutes of the meeting.

Mr. Schad next introduced the Board of Directors and thanked them for their service to the Cooperative.

Douglas Abele, General Counsel for the Cooperative, was next introduced and acted as temporary Chairman for the purpose of presenting a proposed Bylaw Amendment for consideration and conducting the Election of Directors.

Prior to discussing the proposed Bylaw Amendment, the Chairman appointed eleven inspec-tors of election, consisting of the Nominating Committee, to collect and canvass the ballots. The inspectors of election, before entering upon the duties of their office, took the oath required by law before a Notary Public.

The proposed Bylaw Amendment was then explained to the membership and members were given the opportunity to ask questions. The proposed amendment would change Article XI of the Bylaws by adding a new Section 6 to provide for the determination of legal disputes between the Cooperative and any Member or Customer by binding arbitration at the election of any party to the action. The specific proposed amendment was intended to eliminate exorbitant litigation expenses associated with class action lawsuits and the amendment language had been included, verbatim, in the Notice of Annual Meeting, which was mailed to all members prior to the meeting, and was previously posted in the headquarters office of the Cooperative in Tipton, Missouri. The members were advised that ballots for the proposed Bylaw Amendment had been distributed and voting would be by ballot unless an appropriate motion was made to determine the Bylaw Amendment by voice vote. Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried by a substantial majority of those present, the members then proceeded to vote by voice vote. Following the vote, the temporary Chairman ruled the amendment had carried by the required majority and the President declared that the proposed Bylaw Amendment had been duly adopted and would go into effect immediately upon adjournment of the Annual Meeting.

Mr. Abele then proceeded to explain the voting procedure for the office of Director and stated that one Director would be elected from each of the three voting districts. He stated that each Director to be chosen would hold office for three (3) years. The acting Chairman then introduced the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee, Joe Stoecklein, who read the official report of the committee, indicating the following persons had been nominated for the office of Director:

The Acting Chairman then announced there had been no nominations received by petition and that the foregoing nominees were the official candidates for election to the position of Director.

Mr. Abele then called for those persons who had been nominated from each of the districts to come to the platform to be introduced. He presented the nominees to the membership in alphabetical order from each of the 3 voting districts and the nominees then gave brief statements explaining their candidacies.

The Acting Chairman then discussed the method of voting and the manner in which ballots were to be marked. Printed ballots had been previously distributed to all members at the time of registration.

The vote for Directors was then had by ballot, and the ballots were collected by the election inspectors who then retired to another area of the building and proceeded to canvass and count the same. Prior to the end of the business meeting, the Certificate of Inspectors was presented to the membership, which certified that the following persons had been elected as Directors to hold office for the full term of three (3) years, or until their successors are duly elected and qualified:

DISTRICT NO. l: Linda FryDISTRICT NO. 2: Gary HarrisDISTRICT NO. 3: Rodney Schad

Chairman Schad directed the Secretary to annex the Certificate of Inspectors of Election to the Minutes of the meeting, and thereupon declared Linda Fry, Garry Harris and Rodney Schad elected Directors for a term of three (3) years, or until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.

The Secretary-Treasurer, Linda Fry, next gave her Annual Report, and upon motion duly made and seconded, the same was unanimously accepted and ordered filed in the records of the Cooperative.

The General Manager/CEO of Co-Mo Electric, Ken Johnson, was next introduced and gave his Annual Report to the membership. Mr. Johnson spoke about the importance of safety in the electric distribution industry and announced that during the past month, Co-Mo’s employees had achieved the milestone of working for three years without incurring a lost-time accident. This not only establishes a safe work environment, but also has resulted in substantial savings to the Cooperative by reducing its insurance premiums. Mr. Johnson congratulated the employees and thanked them for their commitment to safety. Mr. Johnson also spoke about the reliability of Coop-erative’s distribution system and discussed the improvements that help insure that electric power will be delivered to Co-Mo’s Members in a reliable manner. Co-Mo, together with its subsidiary corporation, Co-Mo Comm, Inc. (doing business as Co-Mo Connect), have worked hard for the past 3 years to plan and implement a broadband project for delivering fiber to the home in the form of high speed internet, telephone and video services. The project is being completed in phases and is well on its way to completion. Mr. Johnson reported on the great success of the project and encouraged those who lived in areas where the services were not yet available to be patient and assured them that services will be available in the near future. Mr. Johnson also thanked all of the Members who have participated in NRECA’s Grassroots program, which encourages cooperative members to contact their political representatives with respect to specific issues that are important to electric cooperatives.

Next, Mr. Johnson introduced a number of special guests and dignitaries who were present at the meeting. He also recognized Co-Mo’s present and retired employees who have been largely responsible for the continued success of the Cooperative.

The fifth annual O.B. Clark Members First Award was next presented by Mr. Johnson and former Board President and long-time Director, O.B. Clark, to Co-Mo employees, Brian Rasa and Matt Helton. These employees were fishing together on a weekend and saw a person fall of a dock and into the water. This person could not swim and Brian and Matt assisted in reaching her and bringing her back to the shore, thereby saving her from drowning. As the employees of Co-Mo Electric who, during the past year, has best exemplified the spirit and attitude of Co-Mo, Brian and Matt were recognized with the 2015 O. B. Clark Award. Mr. Clark stated he was pleased to pres-ent the award this year to Brian and Matt, and commended them for their actions and for embrac-ing the cooperative spirit in their daily work ethic.

The Chairman next opened the floor for the presentation of any unfinished business or new business to come before the meeting. There was no Unfinished or New Business.

Chairman Schad then announced that to insure that sufficient time could be devoted to any personal concerns which members desired to raise, a question and answer session would be con-ducted by the Board of Directors immediately following the adjournment of the business meeting in the Conference Room if members wished to stay and express individual concerns.

After determining there was no further business to come before the meeting, upon motion duly made and seconded, the meeting adjourned and the Board proceeded to retire to a separate room to hold a question and answer session for interested members, while Co-Mo Staff Members conducted a drawing for door prizes.

DISTRICT NO. 1: Linda Fry 2167 Hwy 135, Otterville, MO 65348

Wayne Kanenbly 2253 Wildlife Dr., Syracuse, MO 65354DISTRICT NO. 2: Penny Campbell 64398 Old 50, California, MO

Gary Harris 13267 Hwy B, Boonville, MO 65233DISTRICT NO. 3: Doug Distler 9940 Meadow Wood Ct., Prairie Home, MO 65018

Rodney Schad 14176 Smith Creek Rd., Versailles, MO 65084

Minutes from the 76th Annual Meeting of Members