TIPS From T.I.P.Published By The T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative

OWNED BY THOSE WE SERVEBrooklyn, Iowa

T.I.P. Rural Electric Regular Hours 8 to 4:30 Weekdays ..........641-522-9221 or Toll Free ................................................. 800-934-7976 After Hours (Outages & Emergencies Only) ..641-522-9223 or Toll Free ................................................ 800-934-7976 website: www.tiprec.com

November 2016

TIPS from T.I.P. is published monthly for members of T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative, 612 W. Des Moines St., Brooklyn, Iowa 52211.

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month Heating your living space uses more energy than any other system in your home - typically making up about 42 percent of your utility bill. By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with recommended insulation, air sealing and thermostat settings, you can save about 30 percent on your energy bill.

Non-Discrimination Statement “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”

Reconnect Fee Charges In 2015, T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative installed a new metering system and with that system came the capability to remotely disconnect and reconnect any service with a conventional style meter loop. Even though we do not have to make a trip to reconnect a service, we still have costs involved in handling the remote reconnect. Starting December 1, 2016, T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative will implement an adjusted reconnect fee for the meters we remotely reconnect in the amount of $40.00 during regular working hours and $80.00 during any other time. These charges will affect those accounts that are disconnected as a result of non-payment of an electric bill or for a member-consumer requesting a service to be temporarily or seasonally disconnected.

NOTICE: Your REC office will be closed Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th to observe the Thanksgiving holiday.

Electrical Safety for Our Homes They say home is where the heart is. It is certainly where families spend a great deal of their time - from eating, to watching television, to sleeping. It is worth taking a short break from enjoying the comforts of home to make sure it remains a safe one for your family. T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative encourages you to take the time to ensure your family is safe from electrical dangers. Here is a checklist of basic safety essentials that will help keep your home safe from electrical fire and shock hazards:• Check outlets for loose-fitting plugs. Replace missing

or broken wall plates so wiring and components are not exposed. If you have young children at home, install temper resistant outlets or cover unused outlets with plastic safety caps.

• Never force plugs into outlets. Do not remove the grounding pin (third prong) to make a three-prong plug fit a two-prong outlet. Avoid overloading outlets with adapters and too many appliance plugs.

• Make sure cords are not frayed or cracked, placed under carpets or rugs, or located in high traffic areas. Do not nail or staple them to walls, floors, or other objects.

• Use extension cords only on a temporary basis - not as permanent household wiring. Make sure they have safety closures to protect children from shock and mouth burns.

• Make sure outlets in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, basement, garage, outdoors, or any area with water are equipped with Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters.

• If an appliance repeatedly blows a fuse, trips a circuit breaker, or has given you an electrical shock, immediately unplug it and have it repaired or replaced.

Linemen Practice Pole Top Rescue

Every year, as just one part of your Cooperatives comprehensive safety program, all T.I.P. linemen review the procedures to rescue a fellow lineman who may have had electrical contact, heat exhaustion, an allergic reaction to a bee sting or heart complications while working on the lines. The following are the procedures our linemen review during this training: The assisting lineman first makes a May Day call to our office to get help coming (an ambulance and in the case of an electrical contact Air Care helicopter) and then proceeds to rescue the victim on the pole by climbing the pole or using a aerial device. He attempts to have the victim on the ground and start doing CPR and first aid within approximately four minutes and continues until Emergency Medical Services arrive. T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative management and employees feel that safety is a top priority and will continue to review numerous safety procedures unique

IOWABEBRIGHT.COM

NOT ALL LEDS ARE CREATED EQUAL.

Look for the ENERGY STAR® label.

A Veterans Day History Lesson While many realize that Veterans Day, which always falls on November 11, is a day to honor our Veterans, some may not realize the historical significance behind the day. Veterans Day originated as Armistice Day and marked the end of hostilities of World War I that occurred at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month. Therefore, the day is always recognized on November 11th, regardless of the day of the week the 11th falls on. The day was originally set aside to honor Veterans of World War I and in 1938, it was made a legal federal holiday for all. However, after World War II and the Korean War, Congress recognized a need to expand the meaning of the day to recognize all of our Veterans and not just those of World War I. In 1954, the word “Armistice” was replaced with “Veterans” as a way to formally include all Veterans of all American wars in the day of rememberance. Veterans Day is a day not only to remember those who died in service to our country, but also to recognize those who continue to serve today.

November TIPS from T.I.P. November TIPS from T.I.P.Help us Locate the Owners of these Unclaimed Patronage Refund Checks The following is a partial list of members whom we are unable to find since we made patronage payments for the year 1999 and 25% of 2000 on August 12, 2016. Please notify the office if you know the correct address for anyone listed. If one of the former members listed is deceased, we need to know the name of an heir to contact. Also, if you or someone you know was a member of T.I.P. in 1999 or 2000 and have not received a check, please let us know. There are also some checks which were mailed out that were never cashed or have not been returned to the office. If you are holding a check, please cash it. If you are unable to cash a check for any reason, please let us know.

Patronage Checks Returnedafter Payment in 2016

Adams, Cary or Theresa, BlairstownAgnew, John, CorningAller, Brian J., Belle PlaineAltenhofen, Isaac, Iowa CityAmerican Outdoor Recreation, % Pam Bundy, Broken Arrow, OKAndeway, Kelly, OllieArmenta, Oracio or Angie, Indianapolis, INAscencio, Paula, TamaAtkinson, Dawn, MarengoBecker, Jason A., MarengoLona Bell for the account of Clark Hinrichs, Cocoa Beach, FLBellinghausen, Jim, Tyler, TXBircher, Todd or Dena, Des MoinesGeorge F. Musel for the account of Wesley Blazek, ChelseaBrownfield, Ronnie G., HedrickBruening, John J. or Jessica L., OgdenBruns, Norman, KeswickCampbell, Dayle W., Iowa CityCampbell John O., Cedar RapidsCarter, Stanley A., Midwest City, OKChapman, Curtis or Sally, MonticelloClemons, Andrew W., MontourClubb, Sheila I., % Gerald Spicer, SigourneyConger, Harold, RichlandContreras, Rhonda, ClintonCook, Russell J., WilliamsburgCriswell, Jim, MontezumaDavis, Raymond, or Tammy Kelly, MontezumaDrane, Stephen R., Amana

Durnin, Perry A., TamaDye, Kevin J., WilliamsburgEagle, Shirlene K., TamaEdwards Brothers, % Donald Edwards, KeokukEisentrager, Charlotte or Larry, ToledoEmerson, Marie, % Marie Harman, Amonate, VAEngle, Michael or Madeline, NewtonEnnis Farm, % Hertz Farm Mgt, Mt. VernonFeisel, Clifford H., TamaElaine Ferneau for the account of Gerald Ferneau, TamaFisher, Carroll, MarshalltownFisher, Mark or Joni, SigourneyFluke, David D., ChelseaFolkmann, Rod, WilliamsburgFord, Diane, MarengoFrahm, Mrs. John H., TamaFreshour, Chester, Cedar RapidsNancy Lou Barnhart for the account of A L Garringer, SigourneyGehring, Rob, MarengoGiannetto, Carl J., MarshalltownGorsh, Carroll V., % Patricia Healey, WilliamsburgGorsh, Jody, WilliamsburgGregor, William C. or Christine M., OxfordGroff, Lindsey, WellmanDeloris Halverson for the account of Duane Halverson, TamaHammes, Virginia, SigourneyHansen, Jesse or Christina, HedrickHanson, Elizabeth F., Barnes CityHarris, Ryan P., South EnglishHeritage Lace Gallery, Anderson, MOHilton, Shannon, MarengoHolder, Michael, WilliamsburgHorras, Robert D., ExiraHouser, Tim or Laura M., Deforest, WIHudepohl, Jarad, BlairstownHuhn, Mrs. Harvey, ToledoHofmeister, Melissa A., MarionHummer, John, OxfordIowa County Civil Defense, % Adam Rabe, MarengoIowa Realty, Attn: Stephanie, Iowa CityIowa Telecom, NewtonJam’n Fitnesscorp, Altus, OKJones, Artie, GrinnellJordt, Elmer G., % Jenny Jordt Roberts, SigourneyJovanovic, Tom, Rock Island, ILKeahna, Shannon, TamaKelley, Joseph M., BrooklynKeraghan, Robert C. or Georgia L., Cheyenne, WYKirchhoff, Kraig or Lisa, Rochester, MN(Remainder of list will be in the December newsletter)

QuarterlyCommentsfrom Your

General Manager

Larry Boesenberg

As member-owned electric cooperatives, voting is how we maintain an electric utility responsive to the consumers it serves. But voting also plays a crucial part in our representative democracy. Federal, state, and local elections offer an

opportunity to select the best leaders for our communities. However, in the 2012 national elections, voter turnout dropped overall, but the decline in rural counties was 18 percent - twice that of the nation as a whole. When voters miss the chance to vote, they also lose the opportunity to communicate their concerns to our leaders. When we go to the polls with the cooperative principle of “Concern for Community” in mind, we instantly improve our political system. It’s a system designed to produce a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Become a co-op voter. Visit the “Co-ops Vote” website, www.vote.coop, and take the pledge to support your community and electric cooperative when casting your vote in 2016. The website will give you information on your elected officials and candidates, the voter registration process, election dates and locations, and background on a number of key co-op issues we want our elected leaders to understand: rural broadband access, low-income energy assistance, cyber security, water regulation, affordable and reliable energy, and renewable energy to name a few. Co-op Vote is a non-partisan program developed by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), the national service organization that represents the nation’s more than 900 private, not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives. With 42 million members across the nation, electric co-ops are a powerful voice on national issues that have a local

impact. Our 78th Annual Meeting is now in the history books and was a huge success. I would like to thank all of our employees for the hard work and dedication they put into making your Annual Meeting the success that it is. Also, I would like to thank all of the members who attended this year’s Annual Meeting and hope that you found it both informative and entertaining. Congratulations to incumbents James Hines, representing Tama County; Gene Von Ahsen, representing Iowa County; and Nick Hammes, representing Keokuk County, for being re-elected to three year terms. Have a happy and safe holiday season and I will visit with you again in the February “TIP’S from T.I.P.”

Insulating Water Heaters is Important for Energy-Efficiency Hot water is important to any household, and it also amounts to approximately 18 percent of electricity usage in the home. Your Cooperative encourages everyone to undertake energy-efficiency measures to reduce water heating costs. To see if your water heater needs additional insulation, place the back of your hand against the water heater tank near the top or on the top. If it feels warm, it is losing heat, and adding an insulation wrap kit would be effective and save money. With a tall 80-gallon tank, the insulation wrap may not reach all the way down to the floor. This is okay because the majority of the heat loss is from the upper part of the tank. If you have some old fiberglass wall insulation, just wrap that around the tank with the vapor barrier facing to the outside. Putting a layer of reflective radiant barrier over the insulation also helps. You can certainly install your own insulation, but a kit from a home improvement store is roughly $20, easy to install and includes instructions. If you do-it-yourself, it is more important to tape and seal the joints in the insulation (where the insulation on the top meets the sides) to create an air-tight barrier. Fiberglass insulation is only effective if you prevent air from passing through it.

Want to Pay Your Bill by Check, Debit or Credit Card? Log on to www.tiprec.com and Click on Rapid Pay or log into SmartHub or Call 888-999-0275.

November TIPS from T.I.P. November TIPS from T.I.P.Help us Locate the Owners of these Unclaimed Patronage Refund Checks The following is a partial list of members whom we are unable to find since we made patronage payments for the year 1999 and 25% of 2000 on August 12, 2016. Please notify the office if you know the correct address for anyone listed. If one of the former members listed is deceased, we need to know the name of an heir to contact. Also, if you or someone you know was a member of T.I.P. in 1999 or 2000 and have not received a check, please let us know. There are also some checks which were mailed out that were never cashed or have not been returned to the office. If you are holding a check, please cash it. If you are unable to cash a check for any reason, please let us know.

Patronage Checks Returnedafter Payment in 2016

Adams, Cary or Theresa, BlairstownAgnew, John, CorningAller, Brian J., Belle PlaineAltenhofen, Isaac, Iowa CityAmerican Outdoor Recreation, % Pam Bundy, Broken Arrow, OKAndeway, Kelly, OllieArmenta, Oracio or Angie, Indianapolis, INAscencio, Paula, TamaAtkinson, Dawn, MarengoBecker, Jason A., MarengoLona Bell for the account of Clark Hinrichs, Cocoa Beach, FLBellinghausen, Jim, Tyler, TXBircher, Todd or Dena, Des MoinesGeorge F. Musel for the account of Wesley Blazek, ChelseaBrownfield, Ronnie G., HedrickBruening, John J. or Jessica L., OgdenBruns, Norman, KeswickCampbell, Dayle W., Iowa CityCampbell John O., Cedar RapidsCarter, Stanley A., Midwest City, OKChapman, Curtis or Sally, MonticelloClemons, Andrew W., MontourClubb, Sheila I., % Gerald Spicer, SigourneyConger, Harold, RichlandContreras, Rhonda, ClintonCook, Russell J., WilliamsburgCriswell, Jim, MontezumaDavis, Raymond, or Tammy Kelly, MontezumaDrane, Stephen R., Amana

Durnin, Perry A., TamaDye, Kevin J., WilliamsburgEagle, Shirlene K., TamaEdwards Brothers, % Donald Edwards, KeokukEisentrager, Charlotte or Larry, ToledoEmerson, Marie, % Marie Harman, Amonate, VAEngle, Michael or Madeline, NewtonEnnis Farm, % Hertz Farm Mgt, Mt. VernonFeisel, Clifford H., TamaElaine Ferneau for the account of Gerald Ferneau, TamaFisher, Carroll, MarshalltownFisher, Mark or Joni, SigourneyFluke, David D., ChelseaFolkmann, Rod, WilliamsburgFord, Diane, MarengoFrahm, Mrs. John H., TamaFreshour, Chester, Cedar RapidsNancy Lou Barnhart for the account of A L Garringer, SigourneyGehring, Rob, MarengoGiannetto, Carl J., MarshalltownGorsh, Carroll V., % Patricia Healey, WilliamsburgGorsh, Jody, WilliamsburgGregor, William C. or Christine M., OxfordGroff, Lindsey, WellmanDeloris Halverson for the account of Duane Halverson, TamaHammes, Virginia, SigourneyHansen, Jesse or Christina, HedrickHanson, Elizabeth F., Barnes CityHarris, Ryan P., South EnglishHeritage Lace Gallery, Anderson, MOHilton, Shannon, MarengoHolder, Michael, WilliamsburgHorras, Robert D., ExiraHouser, Tim or Laura M., Deforest, WIHudepohl, Jarad, BlairstownHuhn, Mrs. Harvey, ToledoHofmeister, Melissa A., MarionHummer, John, OxfordIowa County Civil Defense, % Adam Rabe, MarengoIowa Realty, Attn: Stephanie, Iowa CityIowa Telecom, NewtonJam’n Fitnesscorp, Altus, OKJones, Artie, GrinnellJordt, Elmer G., % Jenny Jordt Roberts, SigourneyJovanovic, Tom, Rock Island, ILKeahna, Shannon, TamaKelley, Joseph M., BrooklynKeraghan, Robert C. or Georgia L., Cheyenne, WYKirchhoff, Kraig or Lisa, Rochester, MN(Remainder of list will be in the December newsletter)

QuarterlyCommentsfrom Your

General Manager

Larry Boesenberg

As member-owned electric cooperatives, voting is how we maintain an electric utility responsive to the consumers it serves. But voting also plays a crucial part in our representative democracy. Federal, state, and local elections offer an

opportunity to select the best leaders for our communities. However, in the 2012 national elections, voter turnout dropped overall, but the decline in rural counties was 18 percent - twice that of the nation as a whole. When voters miss the chance to vote, they also lose the opportunity to communicate their concerns to our leaders. When we go to the polls with the cooperative principle of “Concern for Community” in mind, we instantly improve our political system. It’s a system designed to produce a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Become a co-op voter. Visit the “Co-ops Vote” website, www.vote.coop, and take the pledge to support your community and electric cooperative when casting your vote in 2016. The website will give you information on your elected officials and candidates, the voter registration process, election dates and locations, and background on a number of key co-op issues we want our elected leaders to understand: rural broadband access, low-income energy assistance, cyber security, water regulation, affordable and reliable energy, and renewable energy to name a few. Co-op Vote is a non-partisan program developed by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), the national service organization that represents the nation’s more than 900 private, not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives. With 42 million members across the nation, electric co-ops are a powerful voice on national issues that have a local

impact. Our 78th Annual Meeting is now in the history books and was a huge success. I would like to thank all of our employees for the hard work and dedication they put into making your Annual Meeting the success that it is. Also, I would like to thank all of the members who attended this year’s Annual Meeting and hope that you found it both informative and entertaining. Congratulations to incumbents James Hines, representing Tama County; Gene Von Ahsen, representing Iowa County; and Nick Hammes, representing Keokuk County, for being re-elected to three year terms. Have a happy and safe holiday season and I will visit with you again in the February “TIP’S from T.I.P.”

Insulating Water Heaters is Important for Energy-Efficiency Hot water is important to any household, and it also amounts to approximately 18 percent of electricity usage in the home. Your Cooperative encourages everyone to undertake energy-efficiency measures to reduce water heating costs. To see if your water heater needs additional insulation, place the back of your hand against the water heater tank near the top or on the top. If it feels warm, it is losing heat, and adding an insulation wrap kit would be effective and save money. With a tall 80-gallon tank, the insulation wrap may not reach all the way down to the floor. This is okay because the majority of the heat loss is from the upper part of the tank. If you have some old fiberglass wall insulation, just wrap that around the tank with the vapor barrier facing to the outside. Putting a layer of reflective radiant barrier over the insulation also helps. You can certainly install your own insulation, but a kit from a home improvement store is roughly $20, easy to install and includes instructions. If you do-it-yourself, it is more important to tape and seal the joints in the insulation (where the insulation on the top meets the sides) to create an air-tight barrier. Fiberglass insulation is only effective if you prevent air from passing through it.

Want to Pay Your Bill by Check, Debit or Credit Card? Log on to www.tiprec.com and Click on Rapid Pay or log into SmartHub or Call 888-999-0275.

TIPS From T.I.P.Published By The T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative

OWNED BY THOSE WE SERVEBrooklyn, Iowa

T.I.P. Rural Electric Regular Hours 8 to 4:30 Weekdays ..........641-522-9221 or Toll Free ................................................. 800-934-7976 After Hours (Outages & Emergencies Only) ..641-522-9223 or Toll Free ................................................ 800-934-7976 website: www.tiprec.com

November 2016

TIPS from T.I.P. is published monthly for members of T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative, 612 W. Des Moines St., Brooklyn, Iowa 52211.

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month Heating your living space uses more energy than any other system in your home - typically making up about 42 percent of your utility bill. By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with recommended insulation, air sealing and thermostat settings, you can save about 30 percent on your energy bill.

Non-Discrimination Statement “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”

Reconnect Fee Charges In 2015, T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative installed a new metering system and with that system came the capability to remotely disconnect and reconnect any service with a conventional style meter loop. Even though we do not have to make a trip to reconnect a service, we still have costs involved in handling the remote reconnect. Starting December 1, 2016, T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative will implement an adjusted reconnect fee for the meters we remotely reconnect in the amount of $40.00 during regular working hours and $80.00 during any other time. These charges will affect those accounts that are disconnected as a result of non-payment of an electric bill or for a member-consumer requesting a service to be temporarily or seasonally disconnected.

NOTICE: Your REC office will be closed Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th to observe the Thanksgiving holiday.

Electrical Safety for Our Homes They say home is where the heart is. It is certainly where families spend a great deal of their time - from eating, to watching television, to sleeping. It is worth taking a short break from enjoying the comforts of home to make sure it remains a safe one for your family. T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative encourages you to take the time to ensure your family is safe from electrical dangers. Here is a checklist of basic safety essentials that will help keep your home safe from electrical fire and shock hazards:• Check outlets for loose-fitting plugs. Replace missing

or broken wall plates so wiring and components are not exposed. If you have young children at home, install temper resistant outlets or cover unused outlets with plastic safety caps.

• Never force plugs into outlets. Do not remove the grounding pin (third prong) to make a three-prong plug fit a two-prong outlet. Avoid overloading outlets with adapters and too many appliance plugs.

• Make sure cords are not frayed or cracked, placed under carpets or rugs, or located in high traffic areas. Do not nail or staple them to walls, floors, or other objects.

• Use extension cords only on a temporary basis - not as permanent household wiring. Make sure they have safety closures to protect children from shock and mouth burns.

• Make sure outlets in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, basement, garage, outdoors, or any area with water are equipped with Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters.

• If an appliance repeatedly blows a fuse, trips a circuit breaker, or has given you an electrical shock, immediately unplug it and have it repaired or replaced.

Linemen Practice Pole Top Rescue

Every year, as just one part of your Cooperatives comprehensive safety program, all T.I.P. linemen review the procedures to rescue a fellow lineman who may have had electrical contact, heat exhaustion, an allergic reaction to a bee sting or heart complications while working on the lines. The following are the procedures our linemen review during this training: The assisting lineman first makes a May Day call to our office to get help coming (an ambulance and in the case of an electrical contact Air Care helicopter) and then proceeds to rescue the victim on the pole by climbing the pole or using a aerial device. He attempts to have the victim on the ground and start doing CPR and first aid within approximately four minutes and continues until Emergency Medical Services arrive. T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative management and employees feel that safety is a top priority and will continue to review numerous safety procedures unique

IOWABEBRIGHT.COM

NOT ALL LEDS ARE CREATED EQUAL.

Look for the ENERGY STAR® label.

A Veterans Day History Lesson While many realize that Veterans Day, which always falls on November 11, is a day to honor our Veterans, some may not realize the historical significance behind the day. Veterans Day originated as Armistice Day and marked the end of hostilities of World War I that occurred at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month. Therefore, the day is always recognized on November 11th, regardless of the day of the week the 11th falls on. The day was originally set aside to honor Veterans of World War I and in 1938, it was made a legal federal holiday for all. However, after World War II and the Korean War, Congress recognized a need to expand the meaning of the day to recognize all of our Veterans and not just those of World War I. In 1954, the word “Armistice” was replaced with “Veterans” as a way to formally include all Veterans of all American wars in the day of rememberance. Veterans Day is a day not only to remember those who died in service to our country, but also to recognize those who continue to serve today.