72nd Annual Meeting Was A Success

MCLEAN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.
ANNUAL MEETING
June 20, 2017
The 72nd Annual Meeting of the members of McLean Electric Cooperative, Inc., was held at
the Garrison City Auditorium in Garrison, North Dakota, on the 20th day of June, 2017. The meeting
was called by order by President Larry Gessele at 6:30 o’clock p.m.
Dinner was prepared by Kyle’s Katering of Garrison, North Dakota, and served by the
Garrison Legion Baseball Team, the “Titans”.
President Gessele led the attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance and introduced Reverend
Janis Slokum of Camp of the Cross, of rural Garrison, North Dakota, who gave the opening
invocation. The National Anthem was presented to the audience followed by recognition of present
and past military service personnel.
President Gessele introduced representatives from each of North Dakota’s Congressional
Offices, Sally Johnson, representing Senator Hoven; Norm McLeod representing Senator Heitkamp,
and Rick Collin, representing Congressman Cramer, who each read a letter written by the Senators
and Congressman to the attendees.
President Gessele introduced other dignitaries and guests who were in attendance.
Secretary, Rod Stockdill, informed President Gessele that a quorum was present and
President Gessele informed the attendees that the Cooperative was open for business.
President Gessele reported that the Notice of the 72nd Annual Meeting was ready to be read
for approval. It was moved that a reading of the Notice be waived and it be approved as presented.
The motion was seconded and carried.
President Gessele reported that the minutes of the 71st Annual Meeting were ready to be read
for approval by the membership. It was moved that the reading of the minutes be waived and that
they be approved as presented. The motion was seconded and carried.
President Gessele introduced the Cooperative’s Board of Directors and the Cooperative’s
employees to the audience, and provided his report to the attendees:
• He mentioned that the electric industry is in a rising rate environment, at least for the short
term, but the Board is doing its best to lessen the burden on its members.
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• He mentioned that the Board had been asked about a possibility of the merger with another
Cooperative and he stated that after a long and serious discussion that due to the Cooperative
being strong financially and growing and having a very strong work force, it was not a good
time for a merger plus no offer has been received.
• He reported that the Cooperative is expanding its headquarters in which repairs were badly
needed and that it was a good time since interest rates were still low. He mentioned that the
cost of the addition would be about $.39 per month per meter.
President Gessele then introduced the Member Advisory Board to the audience and thanked
the members for their input and service to the Cooperative. He introduced Manager Martin D. Dahl
who discussed the following in his report:
• The Cooperative did its best to keep the rates low and to delay any raise in rates
during the past year. The Cooperative had a good year financially which will keep the
Cooperative’s equity at a reasonable level for the future which is due to the strong
work force that the Cooperative has.
• He thanked the employees for their hard work and dedication to the Cooperative.
• He discussed the following National Legislative Issues:
• Rollback of the Clean Power Plan along with his meeting with the current
EPA administrator who sees the CPP as over-reaching.
• The rethinking of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule. The
current budget will leave RUS funding intact but the REDLG could be
eliminated. WAPA or APMA could be sold which could drastically raise
rates to Cooperative’s in the region.
• He spoke about the Acre Program and invited any attendants to join if they
have not already done so.
Manager Dahl introduced Business Manager, Brett Holtz, who gave the Financial Report for
the Cooperative.
1. Total revenue received was $12,716,347.00 with a total kwh sold in 2016 of
$124,622,346.00 with a net margin of $1,766,359.00. He reported that the financial
ratios of the Cooperative are healthy and are higher than required by the
Cooperative’s lenders.
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Manager Dahl gave a generation and transmission report. He mentioned that the Max to
Benedict and Washburn to Blue Flint Ethanol transmission lines are being planned and with
construction to occur shortly. These lines will provide a better rate to the Cooperative. He mentioned
a possible new irrigation system South of Mercer and reported that Basin Electric is looking strong
presently.
President Gessele presented the following scholarships:
1. McLean Electric/Basin Electric scholarship of $500.00 each to Kimberly Kolden,
daughter of Travis and Dawn Kolden of Ryder, and Cassidy Schafer, daughter of
Shawn and Lani Schafer of Turtle Lake.
2. McLean Electric scholarships of $500.00 to Cassidy Huesers, daughter of Marlo and
Paula Huesers of Max.
3. The 2017 Youth Tour winner is Ryeleigh Laib, daughter of Sheldon and Anita Laib,
of Mercer.
Manager Dahl presented the following Service Awards:
1. Rick Gienger - Lineman - 40 years
2. Nathan Ruud - Lineman - 15 years
3. Robert Schafer - Meter Reader - 10 years
Manager Dahl announced the terms of Directors for District 2 and District 7 were up for
election. Since President Gessele is a candidate for District 7, he turned the meeting over to Vice-
President Darcy Klain who announced that the following candidates had presented petitions for
nomination:
• District 2 - Clarence Behles
• District 7 - Larry Gessele
As each candidate was unopposed, Vice-President Klain asked for a motion to cast a
unanimous ballot for candidates Behles and Gessele. The motions were seconded and carried. Vice-
President Klain turned the meeting back over to President Gessele.
Manager Dahl presented a Operation Round-Up Report. He introduced the Operation Round-
Up Directors to the attendees and reported that the program provided $11,000.00 over the past year.
President Gessele asked for any old business. There was none.
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President Gessele asked for any new business. During new business, past Cooperative
President Alvin Myers made a motion to allow current directors and Cooperative employees who
are members of the Cooperative to be included in the grand prize drawing for attendees. The motion
was seconded and carried by the membership. There was no other new business.
President Gessele announced that the 72nd Annual Meeting grand prize was in the amount
of $1,000.00 which would be given to a meeting attendee, who is present. The 2017 winner was
Donald Iglehart. Other door prizes were presented as well.
President Gessele thanked the attendees for attending the 72nd Annual Meeting. The meeting
upon a motion made, seconded and carried, was adjourned.
_____________________________________
Secretary
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February 11, 2016

Dear Members,

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court decided to temporarily block the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan. This means EPA can’t enforce the rule until the federal courts decide if the rule is legal.

Over the past two years, dedicated advocates, like you, have helped America’s Electric Cooperatives send a strong message to decision makers in Washington, D.C. about our concerns with this flawed plan. Today we welcome this remarkable decision from the Supreme Court!  

Read more about the Supreme Court’s decision here.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) Interim CEO, Jeffrey Connor said, “Charging ahead with implementation of the Clean Power Plan would have caused immediate and irreparable harm to America’s electric co-ops. Had the stay not been granted, co-ops would have been forced to take costly and irreversible steps to comply with the rule, which is a huge overreach of EPA’s legal authority. The Clean Power Plan is a direct threat to co-ops’ ability to provide affordable and reliable electricity to their member consumers and should be erased from the books.”

We want to thank you for your continued interest on this important issue. As a valued advocate we will keep you updated as this process unfolds. 

To learn more visit https://www.action.coop/

REDLG PROGRAM

McLean Electric Cooperative is very happy to announce the matching funds required to secure a Rural Development Loan and Grant was met by Cooperatives cooperating with Cooperatives. Reservation Telephone, Great River Energy, Garrison Memorial Hospital, Basin Electric, Cenex Harvest States Elevator and McLean Electric Cooperative pooled together $60,000 to get Federal Grant Funds in the amount of $300,000 for the Garrison Memorial Hospital Emergency Room project. This money along with another $55,000 from McLean Electric Cooperatives revolving loan fund total $415,000 that will be used to fund a good share of the project. The $415,000 will be a zero percent loan for 10 years. As the loan is paid back the money will be available for other community development or economic development projects in the area. McLean Electric General Manager Martin Dahl said” This could not have been done without the help of our friends, the other cooperatives serving the area. Thank you all for your monetary and personal support.” The project is just beginning and is scheduled to be completed by mid-September of this year.

Tod Graeber, Garrison Memorial Hospital; Delene Wilcox,CHS; Royce Aslakson, RTC; Erin Huntimer, Basin Electric; Al Christenson, GRE; Martin Dahl MEC

Secure and Convenient Bill Payment Options

Q: How much will carbon-capture technology cost YOU? 
A: > 70 percent!

How does that make you feel? Voice it at Action.coop.

Please help us keep your electric bills affordable.  Leaders in Washington are beginning to discuss how they can use the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon dioxide emmissions from power plants. The problem that exisits is that the EPA wants a one size fits all approach. Unfortunatley, that technology is extreamly expensive and has not been proven to lower the emmissions from our power plants.  Many American communities depend on coal-based generation for affordable electric power. Using the Clean Air Act to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants could disproportionately burden these communities.  for more information please go to www.Action.coop and see how you can help keep your electicty affordable.