81st Annual Business Meeting Staged
by
MAURI MONTGOMERY
Officers, Representatives Re-Elected in October Board Meeting
At the regular monthly meeting of United Cooperative Services’ Board of Directors, Patsy Dumas in October was re-elected president of the board. Other board officers elected during the meeting included Vice President Larry Bays (District 7), and Secretary/Treasurer Tommy Cantrell (District 3).
Overall, Bays and director Ed Cardin were also elected by the membership to three-year terms. Cardin will represent District 6. Click the box for More on the Board of Directors
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There was a point when United annual meeting organizers feared they might have to break out the Vienna sausages, saltine crackers and mustard.
Meeting planners had ordered catering for 1,600 barbeque lunches to cover the 2019 Annual Membership Meeting held Oct. 19 at the Glen Rose High School Auditorium. They came within 18 plates of not having enough to feed attendees who took advantage of a sterling fall day to receive health fair wellness checkups and flu shots, hear some music and a review of their cooperative’s past and future objectives—and of course, vie for one of the many door prizes, bill credits and cash drawings that annually sweeten the pot at this membership gathering.
An estimated 1,700 people rallied for the event, where it was announced that Vice President Larry Bays (District 7) and Edward Cardin (District 6) were re-elected to the United Cooperative Services Board of Directors, following an independent accounting firm’s tally of voting at the meeting and by mail-in ballot.
“It’s always so important for our members to exercise their right to vote in our co-op’s democratic process,” said United CEO Cameron Smallwood. “By doing so, our business decisions are guided through the people our members select to represent their interests at United. Our board has been instrumental in United’s success in providing safe, reliable and affordable electric distribution service to our membership as well as the recent broadband vote, which will positively change the future of the communities we serve. I look forward to continuing to work with United’s entire board of directors in meeting our mission of providing our members with exceptional service and value.
“United is well known for being a progressive electric cooperative, not just here in Texas, but across the nation, which is a reflection of our board’s commitment to serving members with safe, innovative, reliable and affordable electric service,” he said.
During the meeting, Board President Patsy Dumas discussed not only the economic impact that the recent broadband ballot initiative will have in United’s service territory, but also the importance that initiative had in guiding the board to vote unanimously in favor to provide United members with high-speed broadband internet service.
“That the ballot initiative was given first to the members to decide serves as a perfect example of democracy in action at a cooperative,” she said. “During the last year, the cooperative management has worked with telecommunications and broadband industry experts, studying the feasibility of deploying a high-speed broadband internet service to you and your fellow members. Thousands of man hours have gone into this analysis. Through this effort, we have learned that bringing you broadband is something that we can do. And, as a result of the vote outcome, the board of directors voted at its September board meeting that United Cooperative Services shall do exactly what the members have asked the cooperative to do. In fact, more than 90 percent of the votes were in favor of United bringing you into the digital age with true broadband internet service. We heard you loud and clear!”
United’s new mandate to begin construction on a broadband network was one of the key topics Smallwood covered in his presentation about the state of the cooperative.
He explained that the immense undertaking was a very viable project, but that its overall success would be measured in the membership’s support of the service once it was deployed.
“Okay, you asked for it, and we’re going to provide it, but it can’t succeed unless you agree to take the service after the network is built out,” he said. “For many members, that day can’t come too soon, but we’re going to work aggressively to deliver that service as quickly as feasibly possible.”
The first phase of project construction is expected to begin before year’s end in Burleson and Stephenville, where two separate internet connections (hubs) will be tied into a network backbone that will eventually support fiber-to the home (FTTH) and high-speed fixed wireless service as concentric network rings begin to be built out from those areas.
Smallwood included a project overview that reflected an overall estimated project cost of slightly more than $200 million, and the 4,263 miles of fiber-optic line and 213 fixed wireless tower sites that are planned in the network’s construction.
Additionally, Smallwood showed comparisons of the cooperative’s operational efficiency with that of other electric distribution cooperatives, the cooperative’s continuing leadership in member satisfaction, as well as discussed ongoing operational investments the cooperative is making in advanced metering technology and the cooperative’s Integrated Vegetation Management program (rights-of-way clearance) and in future distribution energy resources, such as additional solar power capacity.
“Our employees are efficient, and the statistics show that. They operate safely and watch out for each other while outperforming other electric utility workers across the state and nation,” Smallwood said. “If you look at the RateWatch comparison chart we publish monthly in Texas Co-op Power magazine, then you should quickly realize United is one of the lowest cost providers in the region—regularly. Folks, I hope you realize how remarkable that is. We’re not nearly as big as many utilities are. As far as distribution costs go (when comparing delivery costs), we’re competing with investor-owned utilities and other electric cooperatives and utilities that have much higher meter densities than we do.”
Beyond underscoring the cooperative’s productivity and efficiency, Smallwood reported that available subscriptions to United’s relatively new 9.9 MW (AC) community solar plant were nearly gone, and that members should hurry to sign-up if they’re interested in taking advantage of the cost-saving potential the facility’s renewable energy capacity is providing today.
But before he relinquished the floor to the annual member door prize drawing fray, Smallwood touted observance of another benefit that separates the cooperative model apart from many other businesses. He reminded members that for the 36th consecutive year United’s board of directors had authorized the retirement of member dividends (capital credits), and the cooperative had in 2019 returned $5.8 million in member dividends, along with another $3.7 million retired by Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, to former and current members in October as a portion of equity, or patronage capital, they had earned as cooperative member-owners.
“We are here to serve you,” he said. “We have no reason to be here other than that, and we never forget that point. Please let us know how we can serve you better, because at the end of the day we hope you feel there is no other utility that has ever provided you with more service and value.”
2019 Door Prize Winners
1. 50-QUART IGLOO COOLER AND $25 LOWE’S GIFT CARD, Jones Power Products & Rodgers Construction, RODRIGUEZ, DAVID
2. 50-QUART IGLOO COOLER AND $25 LOWE’S GIFT CARD, Jones Power Products & Rodgers Construction, JAMES, JANE
3. 50-QUART IGLOO COOLER AND $25 LOWE’S GIFT CARD, Jones Power Products & Rodgers Construction, HALTOM, DEANNA LEE
4. 50-QUART IGLOO COOLER AND $25 LOWE’S GIFT CARD, Jones Power Products & Rodgers Construction, HOFFMAN, LEON W
5. MUG, $25 ACADEMY GIFT CARD AND $15 STARBUCKS GIFT CARD, Great Southwest Construction & Horton Tree Service, CHRANE, MARY
6. PANASONIC CORDLESS TELEPHONE W/ ANSWERING MACHINE, Turn Key Construction, JACOB, MIKE
7. IN-HOME SPEAKER SYSTEM, Turn Key Construction, BLACK, JIM
8. $50 LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE GIFT CARD, Horton Tree Service, GLOTFELTY, EARL M
9. $50 OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE GIFT CARD, Horton Tree Service, BRAZOS POINT CHURCH
10. $50 RED LOBSTER GIFT CARD, Horton Tree Service, RIDLEHUBER, NADINE
11. $50 WALMART GIFT CARD, Altec, CROSS, LARRY W
12. $50 WALMART GIFT CARD, Altec, WIMBERLY, JUNE
13. $50 WALMART GIFT CARD, Altec, LAWRENCE, KARA S
14. $50 WALMART GIFT CARD, Altec , REYNOLDS, JAMES/SELINA
15. $50 HOME DEPOT GIFT CARD, Rodgers Construction, LORE, ELAINE
16. $50 LOWE’S GIFT CARD, Rodgers Construction, MYERS, TESSIE MAE
17. $50 LOWE’S GIFT CARD, Rodgers Construction, PORTER, DAVID
18. $50 LOWE’S GIFT CARD, Rodgers Construction, CROMEANS, EARL
19. $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD, Scott Pole Line, KING, DEBORAH
20. $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD, Scott Pole Line, ABNEY, DAVID C
21. $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD, Scott Pole Line, HANKINS, ALLIE
22. $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD, Scott Pole Line, CLUBB, JAY A
23. $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD, Scott Pole Line, BECKER, JEFF/VICKI
24. $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD, Scott Pole Line, HOOPER, RICHARD K
25. $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD, Scott Pole Line, BURLESON, JACK D
26. $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD, Scott Pole Line, HERRON, LANELLE
27. $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD, Scott Pole Line, HOWELL, KAYE L
28. $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD, Scott Pole Line, OLIVER, KENNETH OR LINDA
29. BLACK & DECKER JUMP STARTER, UCS, KILLOUGH, SUSAN L
30. 60-QUART IGLOO COOLER W/ WHEELS AND $25 HOME DEPOT GIFT CARD, Jones Power Products & Rodgers Construction, BRADEN, TIM E/LORENNE
31. 60-QUART IGLOO COOLER W/ WHEELS AND $25 HOME DEPOT GIFT CARD, Jones Power Products & Rodgers Construction, WILSON, PATRICIA A
32. 60-QUART IGLOO COOLER W/ WHEELS AND $25 HOME DEPOT GIFT CARD, Jones Power Products & Rodgers Construction, SMAJSTRLA, RICHARD
33. 60-QUART IGLOO COOLER W/ WHEELS AND $25 HOME DEPOT GIFT CARD, Jones Power Product s & Rodgers Construction, ROBERTS, J M
34. 60-QUART IGLOO COOLER W/ WHEELS AND $25 HOME DEPOT GIFT CARD, Jones Power Products & Rodgers Construction, BRYAN, GREGORY
35. 60-QUART IGLOO COOLER W/ WHEELS AND $25 HOME DEPOT GIFT CARD, Jones Power Products & Rodgers Construction, MOORE, REBECCA
36. KEURIG K COMPACT, UCS, MURRAY, ROBERT
37. KEURIG K COMPACT, UCS, FRITZ, RONALD J
38. ALL TERRAIN WAGON, UCS, JONES, CINDY M
39. TEXAS CO-OP POWER CHOP BLOCK AND $25 HOME DEPOT GIFT CARD, TEC & Rodgers Construction, HUTYRA, EDWARD F
40. MUG, $25 ACADEMY GIFT CARD AND $30 STARBUCKS GIFT CARD, Great Southwest Construction & Horton Tree Service, PATRICK, DALE
41. MUG AND $50 ACADEMY GIFT CARD, Great Southwest Construction, COLE, DAVID
42. MUG AND $50 ACADEMY GIFT CARD, Great Southwest Construction, LILLY, RICHARD
43. MUG AND $50 ACADEMY GIFT CARD, Great Southwest Construction, SELDON BAPTIST CHURCH
44. MUG AND $50 ACADEMY GIFT CARD, Great Southwest Construction, HAMILTON, SUE
45. LASKO X-TRA AIR FAN, UCS, SNYDER, TONJA
46. INSTANT POT DUO, UCS, ROBINSON, MYRA
47. 134-PIECE MECHANIC TOOL SET, UCS, BOOZER, JOHN
48. MAGELLAN ICE CHEST, Great Southwest Construction, DUCKWORTH, KAY
49. 10-PIECE PIONEER WOMAN COOKWARE, UCS, STEWART, JACKIE
50. RYOBI 18V CORDLESS BLOWER, UCS, DANNING, CHRISTEL
51. BRAZOS LAMP AND $25 HOME DEPOT GIFT CARD, Brazos Electric Cooperative & Rodgers Construction, WILLIAMS, AMANDA
52. IGLOO XMX 24, Great Southwest Construction, LUZADER, KENNETH
53. DEWALT 1/4" IMPACT DRIVER KIT, JH Davidson, SPANN, SUSAN
54. DEWALT 1/4" IMPACT DRIVER KIT, JH Davidson, RAY, ALBERT
55. $100 BILL CREDIT, ANDERSON, HAROLD
56. $100 BILL CREDIT, WORLOW, JOYCE D
57. $100 BILL CREDIT, HOLTZ, RICHARD
58. $100 BILL CREDIT, GORDON, JOE K
59. $100 BILL CREDIT, RUSSO, RICHARD
60. NINJA PROFESSIONAL BLENDER AND CUP, UCS, PURPURA, JOHN C
61. RING SMART LIGHTING, UCS, CAMACHO, MICAELA
62. GOOGLE HOME ACTIVATED SPEAKER, UCS, FOSTER, JOHN D
63. INSTANT AIR FRYER, UCS, BENDA, DONALD
64. $100 HEB GIFT CARD, Golden Rule Sales, WALKER, GERALD
65. $100 HEB GIFT CARD, Golden Rule Sales, BALLARD, DEBRA J
66. $100 CASH, C&R Powerline, RIDDLE, JIM
67. $100 CASH, C&R Powerline, GOLD, HENRY A
68. $100 CASH, C&R Powerline, PRINT ONE
69. $100 CASH, C&R Powerline, KERBY, ROBERT T
70. $100 CASH, C&R Powerline, ROBERTSON, JOHN W
71. $100 CASH, UCS, BUSH, JOHN
72. $100 CASH, UCS, VALLE, MICHAEL S
73. $100 CASH, UCS, TAYLOR, JOHN CALVIN
74. BUCKEYE GRAVITY FEEDER, UCS, STE. MARIE, JOSEPH AND PATRICIA
75. RYOBI 1600 PSI ELECTRIC POWER WASHER, UCS, SCOTT, WALTER
76. $100 GIFT CARD AND INSULATED MUG, Techline, MORRISON, DARRELL
77. $100 GIFT CARD AND INSULATED MUG, Techline, NEYSTEL,OLE
78. $100 GIFT CARD AND INSULATED MUG, Techline, MCINTIRE, C
79. $100 GIFT CARD AND INSULATED MUG, Techline, LONG, DWIGHT
80. SAMSUNG BLU-RAY PLAYER, TEC, TUCKER, RANDALL C
81. SAMSUNG BLU-RAY PLAYER, TEC, BACHHOFER, DEBRA A
82. COLEMAN ROADTRIP LXE GRILL, Horton Tree Service, MAUGHON, KENNETH
83. MAGELLAN COOLER, Hawrylak and Associates, SOLOMON, WILBUR D
84. HISENSE 7.0CU FREEZER, Turn Key Construction, BRITTON, JULIE R
85. RYOBI 6 PIECE ULTIMATE COMBO, UCS, JERNIGAN, TRAVIS EUGENE
86. $200 BILL CREDIT, PRUDEN, PATRICIA
87. VIZIO D-SERIES 40" SMART TV, Great Southwest Construction, BRIDIER, C W
88. TCL 43" ROKU 4K SMART TV, McFarland Cascade, JOHNSTON, LANNY
89. $200 CASH, UCS, REYNOLDS, ROSE M
90. LOREX SECURITY SYSTEM, Turn Key Construction, GATEWOOD, LONNIE
91. HP CHROMEBOOK 14", Turn Key Construction, RODGERS, L R
92. $300 BILL CREDIT, EVANS, STUART & ELSA
93. SAMSUNG GALAXY TABLET 128GB, Turn Key Construction, SMITH, JANIT N
94. APPLE I-PAD 128 GB 6TH GENERATION, Turn Key Construction, SPEARS, MARK A
95. VIZIO V-SERIES 50" SMART TV, Turn Key Construction, WOOD, CAMILLIA D
96. VIZIO V-SERIES 50" SMART TV, Turn Key Construction, HIGGINS, RAY W
97. VIZIO V-SERIES 50" SMART TV, Horton Tree Service, DANIELL, PRESTON
98. SAMSUNG 50" UHDTV SERIES 7, TEC, EMINGER, BEN
99. SAMSUNG 50" UHDTV SERIES 7, TEC, SELDEN TRIANGLE CLUB
100. HISENSE 55" 4K ANDROID TV, TEC, CASTLEBERRY, MARK
101. PHILLIPS 55" 4K ULTRA SMART TV, Irby Co., MEANS, GERALDINE AND LAVON
102. SAMSUNG 55" UHD SERIES 6 TV, Turn Key Construction, NEAGLE, C E
103. SAMSUNG 55" UHD SERIES 6 TV, Turn Key Construction, SHERIDAN, MICHAEL
104. $500 CASH, UCS, PERKINS, FLOYD
Early Bird Mail-In
Ballot Winners:
$1,000 Cash—George Soliz, Alvarado
$500 Cash—Loma Hooten, Granbury
$250 Cash—Raine Young, Graford