Well, June is quickly approaching and it is time again for your Co-op’s Annual Meeting. I eagerly look forward to this day as it gives me a chance to visit with not only folks in my District 4, but with the many friends I’ve made over the years as a member/consumer and as a Board of Directors representative.

I encourage you to attend this 66th Annual Meeting and take a few moments to visit with your Cooperative Directors, Staff and Employees. The concerns you share with us helps formulate our business plan. We need your input and comments to meet your power needs and your Co-op’s future growth.

Remember to cast your ballots if your District’s Directors term is up for election (Districts 1, 2 & 3).

The Marcell Family Center has once again graciously agreed to allow us to use their newly remodeled building to host this year’s 66nd Annual Membership Meeting of North Itasca Electric Co-op. If you have not seen this fine facility yet but perhaps have driven by and were curious this will give you a chance to see what a community can do with vision and lots of helping hands. The Community Center is located right on Highway 38 in the center of downtown. We’ll have some overflow parking areas at the Community Church parking lot.

Pete and Pat Bourman will be catering a great pancake, egg and sausage breakfast beginning at 8:30 a.m. and after breakfast you can enjoy the performance of the Blandin Male Chorus until the meeting begins at 10:00 a.m.

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As in most businesses being small has its advantages and disadvantages. North Itasca Electric Co-op., Inc. is no exception. In a larger Co-op you may not know all the employees that work there, in a small coop like ours, most of you know all of us and we know most all of you. This is a big advantage, you get the personal attention that as a member of the co-op you deserve.

Staff and employees here at the Cooperative have to wear many hats sometimes to get the job done. Teamwork is a key word here at the Coop. Many times we will have two or more of us working on a project to get it completed here in the office and most certainly with the linemen out in the field. It takes all of us to work together to provide you, the consumer/owners, the best power quality, service and products you expect from your Co-op. I would like to express my thanks to all the employees of North Itasca Electric Co-op., Inc. for making the effort to work together as a team.

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To many people, I’m still a new face in the community. Being new to the northland from Chisago City MN, and working downtown Minneapolis, it has been quite the change. One thing that just amazes me is that I see more deer then I do cars on the way to work in the morning. No bumper to bumper traffic, horns honking, buses cutting in front of me as I’m trying to get off onto the correct exit downtown.

Starting my new position was exciting and challenging. Many new and different experiences have kept me on my toes and still do. Every day there are new challenges and things to learn. Even though there have been bumps in the road, it has been a good transition for me. I also believe that my past experiences and knowledge have aided in my transition, bringing along a variety of skills from working in various engineering firms.

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I’d like to thank everyone who took time out of his or her busy schedule to come to our Mother’s Day Open House. The weather was not so NICE but it was nice to see so many of you attend, thanks for making it a wonderful day.

North Itasca Cooperative Enterprises (N.I.C.E.) is a wonderful long distance telephone opportunity; if you haven’t tried it yet please give us a try, our rates make it possible for you to save money.

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It is said, the only thing that can be counted on today is change!

The 2006 annual meeting is once again just around the corner. This time of year, with summer finally here, our seasonal customers returning from their winter homes, and new service requests coming in almost daily, your employees here at the Co-op are all very busy. But, the annual meeting gives all of us a chance to see and visit with many of you that attend.