Message from the Board Chair 

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 Director Representative.

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Over the CEO's Desk  

Planning for the future of our cooperative is my primary responsibility as your Chief Executive Officer. To do a good job of planning I need input from as many sources as possible, and this is especially true when it comes to the Membership. Throughout the year I receive letters, e-mails and comments from Members regarding our policies and practices. Many of these are the result of something that has occurred such as a “loss of discount” applied to a bill, a tree being cut or an outage lasting too long. I also get cards and letters commending our employees for a job well done or a deed over and above the call of duty. Some comments are constructive while others are critical, but no matter what the Member has to say, I do my best to listen and remember. I actually keep a folder on top of my desk at all times filled with some of the most critical comments just to remind myself that we can always do better for our customers.

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Office Generations  

After what seemed to be an early winter last October, this spring seemed to come early with all the snow leaving within a matter of a few days in March when the rain came. Temps rose and one’s mind wandered to planting gardens, mowing lawns, etc. But, no rain. No rain for weeks brought fire danger higher than could ever be remembered. Now, as I sit and write this article it is raining outside and we have had a couple inches in a few days. Things are greening up and it looks like summer is around the corner.

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Staff Assistant Report 

Greetings! Another Annual Meeting is just around the corner. Each spring the office is bustling with activity. First it’s preparing for the annual audit, then Mother’s Day Open House and nominating committee meeting, then the Annual Meeting.

2010 marks North Itasca Electric Co-op., Inc.’s 70th year in business ... that’s a lot of Annual Meetings! I get the opportunity, on occasion, to research information back in the co-op’s archives. Wow, what a lot of history; it is easy to lose track of time looking back through the old documents. It’s very interesting learning how the co-op was formed and how things were done over the years, both inside the office and out in the field.

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Roxanne's Sales Talk 

I wanted to take a minute and thank everyone who attended our Mother’s Day Open House. It was once again a very nice day; the weather wasn’t great but inside the Co-op it didn’t seem to matter. Everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves. I especially like these events because for some of you it is the only time I see you. So thanks for coming in and thanks to everyone who shopped locally. It was a great sale!

I hope all of you are planning on attending the Annual Meeting on June 12th here at the Co-op.

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What's happening in Member Service/Load Management? 

It’s that time of year again when each of us here at North Itasca Electric summarizes our activities throughout the year. It has been a busy 12 months for me as I worked with Great River Energy (GRE) promoting new products and rebate programs for our members, along with energy management responsibilities. If you’re a devoted reader of the WATTS NEWS, you have seen many promotions designed to save you money through rebates and energy reduction. These rebates ranged from appliances to commercial lighting. Even with being a small cooperative, North Itasca Electric members had the third highest LED holiday light purchases of the 28 Cooperatives supplied by GRE.

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Update from the Line Department 

When a power line is scheduled for replacement a contractor normally does the rebuild. North Itasca Electric line department has taken on the task of rebuilding line with our own linemen.

This past year crews replaced six miles of overhead line to three miles of three phase underground and three miles of single phase underground in the Smith Lake area. The existing overhead line crisscrossed over lakes with poles on islands and in remote areas with limited access. The new line adds reliability and the three phases allows the load to be more balanced. This line supplies power for 175 customers and is now a reliable back feed for the scenic area to the east.

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June 2010 Calendar of Events 

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