pioneer meeker cooperative - constant...

Official publication of

www.meeker.coopLight and Power Association

Meeker Cooperative

March 2017

Pioneer

Smart Hub replacing E bill in April.........................2

New UFC fertilizer plant ready for spring work ...4

In this issue...

Meeker Co-op is an Equal Opportunity Provider

and Employer

District 1 Director

Candidate Profiles

- 3 -

You’re invited to attend the Annual Meeting April 3 This year’s theme: “Keeping it Local”

Do you enjoy good food and great fellowship with fellow members and employees of

your local Cooperative? Do you look forward to winning prizes playing Bingo? How about learning a thing or two about your Cooperative’s financial status and operations? If your answer is yes, then you owe it to yourself to attend the 82nd Annual Meeting of your Cooperative on Monday, April 3.

This year’s theme, “Keeping it Local” celebrates some of what is so valuable about the cooperative business model: Local Democracy; Local Decisions; Local Control and Local Value.

Rural electric cooperatives have always operated with local governance through a Board made up of Co-op members that understand our rural culture and needs. These elected officials govern in the best interest of the member — being members themselves — and not in the interest of investors, government entities or other interest groups. We are proud of our commitment to member satisfaction.

We are also proud of our commitment to local business, community volunteerism and our principle of “concern for community.” All of these priorities allow Meeker Cooperative to add positive value to the areas we serve.

Something for everyoneEach year, the Co-op staff work hard to prepare an event that is enjoyable and educational for all ages. This year’s event is no exception.

First, enjoy a delicious grilled pork chop dinner with cheesy potatoes and ice cream for dessert. Meeker Co-op is very proud of our livestock farmers, including our pork producers. After dinner, you may head over to the west end of the warehouse and join your

fellow members in a game of Bingo for valuable prizes purchased from our member businesses all over our Co-op service territory.

If you choose not to play Bingo, you can take a short walk to the Training and Community Room for a presentation by students from Litchfield, Eden Valley-Watkins and Kimball who will show off their robotics program “robots.” Robotics is an emerging field among students, particularly those interested in engineering and science.

Children can take part in a linemen’s safety activity and earn themselves a coupon for a FREE cookie at any participating Subway sandwich shop. Subway partners with co-ops to promote safety and conservation. There also will be face painting by Margi Gilbertson who always does an amazing job.

The meeting portion of the Annual Meeting event will begin at 7:30 p.m.

and will feature reports given by the Qualifications and Election Committee, a representative from Co-op 101 and the Electric Trust, the Co-op Finance Manager and an interesting talk by CEO/General Manager Tim Mergen.

In 2017, we have four candidates vying for one seat on the Board of Directors from District 1. Although the votes are received via mail from members residing in District 1, they are counted at the Annual Meeting and the winner announced. You can see the candidate bios on Pages 2-3 in this Pioneer.

Please note: The Annual Meeting is for members only and the meal is for attendees only. No take-out meals will be allowed for members not in attendance.

Local Democracy, Local Decisions, Local Control and Local Value celebrated at the Annual Meeting. Please join us and make your voice heard.

Annual Meeting Schedule — Monday, April 3

4:30 - 7:30 p.m. Registration in Lobby

5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Pork Chop Dinner in Warehouse

5:30 - 7:15 p.m. Bingo in WarehouseKid’s Safety Activity with LinemenFace Painting

6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Robotics Presentation by area students in the Training/Community Room

7:30 p.m. Business Meeting in Warehouse

• Meeker Pioneer • www.meeker.coop

USPS 018-308 ISSN 1525-1055Periodicals Postage Paid at Litchfield, MN.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

Meeker Pioneer, 1725 US Hwy. 12, Suite 100Litchfield, MN 55355.

The Meeker Pioneer is published monthly for $5 per year for members and $10 per year for non-members by

Meeker Cooperative, 1725 U.S. Hwy. 12, Suite 100 Litchfield, MN 55355

CEO/General Manager: Tim MergenEditor: Becky Sorenson

The Meeker Pioneer is the official member publication of Meeker Cooperative and focuses on our members, programs and events. All member story ideas and comments are welcome. Send to Becky Sorenson at the address above.

Office Hours:Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

For 24-hour service call 320-693-3231

Fax: 320-693-2980 Web site: www.meeker.coop

Use the “Contact Us” form on the home page

Meeker Cooperative Mission Statement

“To enhance the quality of life of the Cooperative’s Members and Customers by providing safe, reliable, competitively

priced energy and other value-added services, while practicing environmental stewardship.”

K. Bruce Krueger, President — District 7Collinwood, Cedar Mills in Meeker; Stockholm in Wright; Acoma, Hutchinson in McLeod

Juanita Olson, Vice President — District 1 Roseville, Irving in Kandiyohi; Paynesville in Stearns; Union Grove in Meeker

Karen Becker, Secretary— District 2Eden Lake in Stearns; Harvey, Manannah in Meeker

Kevin Issendorf, Treasurer — District 4Litchfield, Greenleaf in Meeker

Brad Donnay — District 3Luxemburg, Maine Prairie, South Maine Prairie in Stearns; Forest Prairie in Meeker

Matt Woetzel — District 5Fairhaven in Stearns; Cokato, Southside, French Lake in Wright; Dassel in Meeker

Mark Larson— District 6Harrison, Kandiyohi, Gennessee, Fahlun, Lake Elizabeth, E. Lake Lillian in Kandiyohi; Cosmos, Acton, Danielson, Swede Grove in Meeker; Brookfield, Boon Lake in Renville

Karl Lundin — District 9North Kingston, Kingston, Forest City in Meeker

Kim Keithahn — Attorney

Board of Directors Meeker Pioneer

SmartHub to replace E-Bill in AprilUpgrade will be seamless for E-Bill users, easy to sign up for new users

Rural electric cooperatives everywhere are upgrading their online bill pay and account management tools to SmartHub. That’s because it provides more of the convenience our members have been asking for. Like E-Bill, members can access their account information, pay their bill and keep on top of their account. SmartHub just makes it easier to do all of these things and more, from anywhere using your computer, tablet or mobile phone with the SmartHub mobile app.

A change is coming to make your account management easier, more flexible and mobile! Ten Reasons you’ll love SmartHub:

Sign up starting April 1 at www.meeker.coop and click on the SmartHub button and follow the prompts.

Light and Power Association

1. Provides 24/7 secure access to your account from a computer, tablet or mobile phone;

2. Notifies you when a new electric bill has been generated and includes a link to your account for quick payment of your bill or to review your account information.

3. Allows you to pay electronically using your Visa or MasterCard or an electronic check transaction.

4. You can set up recurring automatic payments using your checking or savings accounts.

5. Displays posting of payments in real time, so you know your payment has been applied.

6. Provides current and historical billing information and payment history.

7. Shows daily, weekly and monthly electric usage in easy to understand graphics so you can match electric use to your bill.

8. Gives you the option to go paperless, if you choose.

9. Allows you to set up payment alerts.

10. Includes a FREE app for your smartphone or tablet. Simply search for “SmartHub” on either the Apple Store or Android Market. Once the app is open, type in “Meeker Cooperative” as the power provider. Your login information is the same as what has been set up in E-Bill.


Meeker Cooperative’s 82nd Annual MeetingGet to Know the District 1 Director Candidates

District 1Roseville and Irving in Kandiyohi County; Paynesville in Stearns County; Union Grove in Meeker County

Juanita Olson, Incumbent18130 175th St. NEPaynesville, MN 56362

Juanita Olson has been a cooperative member for 53 years and is now retired from self-employment as a dairy farmer. She has been a Meeker Co-op Director for 18 years.

Juanita believes that a strong commitment to the cooperative way of business, her experience and ability to work well with others are strengths that she brings to the Board. She sees that her willingness to listen to others’ points of view before making decisions is also an important trait that allows her to be a valuable member of the Board.

Juanita believes the top goal of Meeker Cooperative is to provide reliable electricity and other services to member-owners at reasonable rates that are competitive, a goal that she believes is made tougher by mandates that require the use of more renewable energy sources.

Juanita values the use of energy efficiency to control the use of energy and encourages research into efficiencies that can be taken advantage of. As far as renewable energy is concerned, Juanita supports these energy sources as part of the total energy mix, but wind, solar and other renewable resources are not things that should be subsidized, but should stand on their own and not put undue burden on members and existing infrastructure.

Juanita is concerned about the over-reaching authority of the EPA and would like to see change in that area for the good of the membership. While it is necessary to be good stewards of the environment, she is concerned with the added cost to members.

To sum up, Juanita believes that the biggest concern for the Co-op’s Board of Directors is maintaining infrastructure in an effort to keep costs down and power reliable, while meeting mandates and regulations.

Darrol Mason52959 CSAH 20 Paynesville, MN 56362

Darrol Mason has been a Co-op member for six years and is retired from a company whereby he sold equipment to the Co-op industry for 35 years.

Darrol believes that his knowledge of the cooperative business in general is a strength that he would bring to the Board of Directors.

A short-term goal that he would like to see as a priority is the continued education of members on the tools available to help them reduce their energy usage. One idea is to have a team of energy auditors available for individuals and businesses to use in an effort to determine their best energy practices.

As a long-term goal of the Co-op, Darrol would like to continue to work with energy suppliers to offer the best rates to members, and to evaluate costs of alternative power sources. He believes it’s vital to work with MREA and legislators to help keep all costs of power in line.

Darrol sees the renewable mandate of producing 25% of energy from renewables by 2025 as optimistic and not cost-effective. He sees those sources of energy as nice, but expensive to install and maintain. At the same time, he believes it’s important to keep the environment in mind and reduce the carbon footprint as much as possible.

Darrol believes that EPA oversight is necessary, but often over-reaching in their authority.

The biggest concern is keeping the cost of production and distribution of electricity in line while meeting government mandates.

Daniel Topp38873 560th Ave.Eden Valley, MN 55329

Daniel Topp has been a Co-op member for 21 years and is self-employed in farming.

Daniel believes his strong sense of community in a rural area, a commitment to serve and being a strong supporter of Meeker Co-op and the cooperative business model are strengths that he would bring to the Board of Directors.

Daniel sees rate affordability as the number one short-term goal of Meeker Cooperative. This goes along with his long-term goal of exploring cost-effective ways of supplying energy to keep rates down.

Daniel believes that the mandate of producing 25% of all energy from renewable sources by 2025 should be brought into perspective with regard to the rural cooperative and whether this is cost-effective. This also applies to any conservation mandates.

Additionally, renewable sources of energy should also meet the test of cost-effectiveness for the Co-op.

Daniel believes that alternative means of energy can be good for people to invest in, but should be done through Meeker Cooperative, not “off the grid.”

Daniel has concerns with the Clean Power Plan and other EPA regulation due to the potential cost of implementation of any plan to the members.

Daniel sees the importance of keeping distribution infrastructure well maintained for reliable electricity and to meet the increasing demand being placed on it.

Overall, keeping electric rates affordable for the membership is the top priority for Daniel. He sees that low electric rates are a big concern to members.

Paul Bugbee29659 Queen Bee LanePaynesville, MN 56362

Paul Bugbee has been a member of Meeker Cooperative for more than 30 years. He is the owner/operator of Bug-Bee Hive Resort, Inc. located on Lake Koronis.

Strengths that Paul believes he would bring to the Board include a long history of civic involvement, service on boards and proactive pursuits in the area of political and legislative involvement, advocacy and lobbying. He sees his experience as a small business owner to be of value, and his strong writing and communication skills as additional benefits to the Board.

Short-term goals that Paul sees as important include the maintenance of an excellent cost/value ratio, excellent customer relations and service, and excellent communications and transparency.

Long-term goals Paul thinks are important include the steady movement toward renewable energy while honoring contractual commitments, ensuring cost-efficiency and uninterrupted energy supplies that keep pace with increasing energy demands.

Regarding the renewable energy mandate, Paul believes this is understandable and admirable, but that it’s necessary to assess the practicality of meeting this mandate within the framework of supply/demand and cost considerations. He would like to see limited EPA regulation through education and understanding.

Paul believes that climate change is an issue and that we need to maintain a balance between environmental concerns, increased demands and keeping costs low in a rapidly changing world.

A new $20 million state-of-the-art fertilizer plant owned by United Farmers Cooperative (UFC) will open this month,

just in time to supply dry and liquid fertilizer to area farmers, other co-ops, and ag businesses throughout the region.

“This plant will bring farmers accessibility to product when they need it,” said Jay Walterman, Vice-President of Special Products for UFC.

All the farmers in this region need fertilizer during a two-week window of time. Making sure there is an adequate supply of liquid and dry fertilizer when everyone needs them is a challenge. If the rivers coming into Minnesota were still frozen they couldn’t get fertilizer in by barge and with previously limited storage capacity it was difficult to stockpile enough fertilizer product to meet demand during spring field work. This new facility allows UFC to get fertilizer delivered by rail and unloaded off the rails at a high capacity of 1,200 ton per hour.

“We can unload 110 cars of potash in about ten hours,” explained Aaron Schwab, Crop Nutrition Operations Manager.

Each rail car carries the equivalent of four semi truck loads. That means one trainload gives UFC the equivalent of 440 semi loads of product in ten hours. The new facility has a 48-foot unloading pit that holds 60 ton of product at one time, so all three hoppers of a train car get unloaded at one time. It takes 5-6 minutes to unload one rail car at the new facility.

The new UFC plant can store 52,800 ton of dry product. That is significantly more than the 38,000 ton capacity at their Winthrop plant.

“This is one of the largest inland fertilizer plants in the nation,” said Walterman. “There are some bigger on the east or west coast,” he added.

UFC’s elevator and fertilizer plant share a 37-acre campus and a 8,100 foot circuit rail tracks that can accommodate 110-car trains. The elevator ships out grain and the fertilizer plant has product shipped in by rail including potash from Canada, urea (nitrogen) from the ports and US production plants and phosphorus from mines and production plants in the southern US. The farmers need a mix of these.

UFC’s location provides access to both east and west coast ports via Twin Cities & Western railroad (TC&W) connecting them with major rail carriers. TC&W brings in a train and UFC employees are certified to operate engines on UFC tracks. It takes 4-6 employees to unload a train, so when a train comes in UFC employees shift over from other areas to help unload it quickly.

Unique to this plant is the capacity to load out at 500 ton per hour.

It also has a high intensity mixer (HIM) blender used to mix batches of fertilizer. “It is the latest technology in precision blending, said Schwab, “as it mixes more thoroughly and faster by using a dual-shaft paddle mixer with offset paddles instead of a vertical mixer.” Schwab explained that they can mix pre-emergence herbicide liquid into a batch of fertilizer in 30 seconds. The HIM blender can also add nitrogen stabilizer to products in the fall to prevent nitrogen loss. The UFC facility also has 2.5 million gallons of liquid fertilizer storage, 100,000 gallons of chemical storage, three load out lanes, and a 24-hour liquid fertilizer load out for the late-night farmers.

The merger of Brownton Co-op Ag Center and UFC made the liquid fertilizer plant possible. They utilize the rail spur and Brownton Co-op Ag Center facilities for mixing of the liquid fertilizer, liquid storage, and the office.

“This UFC facility is 100% owned by the members of UFC,” explained Walterman. “Our primary focus is to sell to our customers, however, some of the space will be leased to other co-ops and agribusinesses like CHS and Mosaic.” It is similar to a farmer storing grain at an elevator. UFC controls use of its facility and gets paid storage and handling by any entity leasing bin space.

“We are helping all the local farmers even if they don’t get product directly from UFC,” said Schwab.

This new fertilizer plant will be able to serve the US Highway 212 corridor from the west to the eastern areas of Waconia-Hamburg and northern territory. UFC’s fertilizer plant in Winthrop will service the MN Highway 19 corridor and southern territory.

The plant is completely automated. Crop Nutrient Operations Manager Aaron Schwab can automatically select a bin for a train car’s contents to download into. The touch screen allows the office to view the same information as the receiving area.

The train car pit can hold 60 ton of product at one time. All three train car hoppers unload at once and it takes only 5-6 minutes to unload an entire rail car.

The load-out bay is beneath the mixer tower. Trucks pull into the bay to be loaded with dry fertilizer. The new automated system allows trucks to punch in their order number on a keypad while waiting in line to enter, so their order is ready to go when they get into the bay.

This potash bin was currently empty and awaiting product. The numbered walls and columns allow employees to calculate remaining inventory.

New UFC fertilizer plant ready for spring field work

Minnesota Soybean Processors to pursue ND soybean processing plant at Spiritwood

G ov. Doug Burgum and leaders of Minnesota Soybean Processors (MnSP) and its subsidiary North Dakota Soybean Processors (NDSP) announced today that

MnSP is taking steps toward construction of a $240 million soybean processing plant – the first of its kind in North Dakota – at Spiritwood, N.D.

The plant would be an integrated soybean crush facility and refinery, crushing 125,000 bushels of soybeans per day. It would produce soybean meal, refined, bleached and deodorized soybean oil and biodiesel.

MnSP, a membership cooperative that owns and operates a soybean crush facility and biodiesel operation in Brewster, Minn., has selected a site on 150 acres near Spiritwood. The co-op would move forward with construction following further due diligence, necessary approvals and a successful engineering study.

The plant would utilize steam from the nearby Spiritwood Station, a coal-fired power plant operated by Great River Energy.

~Jamestown Sun

Rollout of Chevy Bolt may mark turning point for the electric car market

T he Chevrolet Bolt EV, which is now hitting the market, could be the first of a new wave of game-changing electric vehicles. Its longer range and lower price could

attract new buyers to the electric car market, but there’s uncertainty over whether federal tax incentives will continue and whether California will be allowed to keep tougher emissions rules under President Trump.

GM is marketing the Bolt as a small crossover. It has the footprint of a sub-compact and the interior space of a standard car. More important is its range of 238 miles and price tag of $30,000, after the $7,500 federal tax credit offered on electric vehicles.

Currently, the only other all-electric cars for sale with that kind of range are Teslas, which cost upwards of $70,000.

“In all our research, we’ve talked to consumers, and really that 200-mile EV range at the affordable price was kind of the tipping point for them to really consider this a mainstream vehicle, so we went after that,” said Darin Gesse, Product Manager for Chevrolet Electric Vehicles.

GM is rolling out the Bolt in phases: It’s currently available in California, Oregon, Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts, and will be in all 50 states by the fall.

~NPR

Industry News

Spring Projects will soon be

starting

Planning for this plant had been in the works for 7-8 years. UFC spent years researching the region to determine how many acres could be served out of the plant and determining where it should be built. Actual construction has been going on for just over a year at the site west of Brownton on Hwy. 15.

Before construction could begin the Co-op had to bury a new circuit of conductor to the elevator and remove the existing cable from the area where the loading pit for the dry plant needed to be located. Rail access to the area was shut down for one month while the contractors removed a section of the railroad track loop shared with the elevator, built the new unloading pit and put the section of track back in place. It was too wet to bring in a crane for placement of the 40-ton steel piece used in the train dump pit, so the project excavation contractor lowered it into place using their excavator. Site excavation included a pond to dewater the areas where buildings needed to be constructed.

More than 10,500 yards of concrete and 3.4 million pounds of rerod steel in the concrete was used to construct the dry fertilizer building. The Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture monitored every move of construction at the entire site to make sure it met Minnesota Pollution Control Agency requirements for things like water stops, double-piping, and dike containment. The staff at UFC said that they went farther than required to meet future specs and regulations, guaranteeing a very safe facility now and in the future. Regular training is also done with Brownton and other area fire departments at the plant.

All of the lighting in the building utilizes high- efficiency LED fixtures. An energy grant from the Co-op was able to offset a small part of the lighting cost. Energy grants for high efficiency lighting and other projects are available to area farms and businesses. Call the Co-op for specific details on the grants and to find out if you qualify.

The new fertilizer plant was scheduled to start loading out product March 1, in plenty of time for farmers to get fields ready for spring planting.

The entire facility utilizes LED high efficiency lighting. Sealed, waterproof 240 watt high bay overhead fixtures were used in this bin corridor. The LED fixtures qualified for an energy grant from the Cooperative.

After a train car is unloaded, this conveyor transports up to 1200 tons of product per hour from 23 feet below ground up to the proper swing bin for storage. Old conveyors could only carry 50 tons per hour.

Call 811


Nut Goodie Bars

Carolyn Welter of Paynesville submitted this month’s winner for Favorite Cookie/Bar Recipe: Nut Goodie Bars. She will receive a $10 credit on her electric bill.

For April, submit your favorite Recipe using Rice by March 30 to:

Meeker Cooperative ATTN: Becky Sorenson,

1725 US Hwy 12, Suite 100Litchfield, MN 55355

12 oz. Chocolate chips12 oz. Butterscotch chips2 cups Creamy peanut butter2 cups Peanuts

Filling1 cup Butter1/2 cup Evaporated milk1/4 cup Vanilla cooked pudding mix2 lbs. Powdered sugar

Melt the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter together in a double boiler. Spread 1/2 onto a jelly roll pan and put in freezer while making the filling.

For the filling, cook the butter, milk and pudding mix for one minute (butter comes to the top when done). In a large mixing bowl, put in 2 lbs. powdered sugar. Pour filling into the bowl and mix well. Spread filling over cold chocolate in pan.

Reheat the reserved chocolate/peanut butter mixture. Add peanuts and spread on top of filling. Chill. Location #03-31-201

Please update your contact information

We use your contact information to notify you of work being done in your area, of planned outages and courtesy calls and for quicker outage restoration. Please complete and send this in or give us a call to update your phone, cell phone and/or email. Thank you!

Name: ____________________________________________________

Acct. #: ___________________________________________________

Phone: ___________________________________________________

Cell Phone:______________________Name: _____________________

Cell Phone #2:____________________Name: ____________________

Email: _____________________________________________________

Return to Meeker Co-op, Attn: MSR, 1725 US Hwy. 12 E., Suite 100, Litchfield, MN 55355 Do NOT include with your bill!

Want to be part of the next Co-op 101 Member group? Here’s how!

As a member of Meeker Cooperative, you are an owner of the business. But how much

do you really know about:

• Where your electricity comes from? • How the Co-op obtains financing? • How politics impacts the Co-op? • What tools a lineman uses? or • What happens in a substation?

The Meeker Cooperative Member 101 Group covers all of these topics and so much more. It is a member education group and open to three members (husband and wife count as one member) from each district on a two-year rotation.

The Cooperative 101 Group meets quarterly, the third Tuesday of the month (May, August, November and February) from 7-9 p.m. We ask that anyone interested be willing to make the two-year commitment. Please be aware that some walking is required as the group participates in various activities. Participants receive a $50 stipend plus IRS-approved rate for mileage for each meeting attended.

Interested in participating? Fill out the form below and return it to Mary Alice Holm by March 20. Directors will appoint participants and you will be contacted if you are selected to be part of the next Co-op 101 Member group.

Co-op 101 Member InformationMembers interested in being part of the next Cooperative 101 Member Education Group should complete this member information form and return it to the Co-op by March 20.

Name________________________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________________

Phone (Home)_______________________ (Cell)______________________

Co-op District ___________ No. Yrs. as Co-op Member________________

Cooperative programs member participates in (mark all that apply): p Cycled Air Conditioning p E-Bill p ACH (Auto Payment Plan) p Storage Heat p Dual Fuel p Operation Round Up p Exede Internet Service p Member Solar Project p Storage Water Heating p Peak Shave Water Heating p Wellspring Wind Energy p Other

Please return by mail to Meeker Cooperative, Attn: Mary Alice Holm, 1725 U.S. Hwy. 12 E., Suite 100, Litchfield, MN 55355. Or simply drop off in the office.

Do NOT mail with bill payment!


New Delinquent Payment Policy Begins April 1

E ffective April 1, 2017, any account that is 30 days past due will be identified as delinquent and included in our

list of services that can be disconnected. Currently, this classification is for accounts that are 60-days past due. It is our hope that this change will help members catch up before their bills become overwhelming.

It is vital to contact the Cooperative immediately if you cannot make a payment. Notifying the Co-op and agreeing to a payment arrangement will protect your service from disconnection as long as payments are being made according to the payment arrangement.

Many members mistakenly believe that the Cold Weather Rule will protect them between October 15 and April 15. However, that protection is only for members who

meet qualifications of the Rule, have entered into a payment arrangement and are diligently making payments per the arrangement. Location #07-15-101

Once a service has been disconnected, it’s expensive to reconnect the service, often costing the member hundreds of dollars on top of their outstanding bill. It is vital for our members’ economic welfare to avoid disconnection.

If you have questions, concerns, or wish to speak with a Member Service Representative about a payment arrangement, please call 320-693-3231. You may also visit our website at www.meeker.coop for payment options to fit your needs. Simply click on “Member Services” and then “Pay Your Bill.” Or look on the back of your bill for instructions.

Have a high electric bill? Check these things before calling the Co-op.

• Even if you have a propane or oil furnace, electricity is still used to run the fan that distributes the heat. Some fans are set to run continuously, and some just run more often during cold weather. This can increase your electric bill.

• Do you use auxiliary heating in your home, a garage, in a little-used unheated space, to keep livestock or pet water sources from freezing or to keep your vehicle block engine warm? These costs can really add up.

• Do you use an electric blanket or heating pad at night? Do you take more hot baths or showers in the winter?

• Do you have an above-ground well pump that needs to be heated to prevent freezing? Or do you use heat tapes on exposed surfaces to keep ice at bay?

• Do you run a humidifier during the dry winter months? Depending on how dry your home is, these units can add a noticeable amount to your bill.

• Do you have baseboard or in-floor hydronic heat? Often, these units are so quiet to operate that it’s difficult to tell how much heated water is used to keep your home warm.

• Shorter winter days mean more lights are used for more hours each day.

• Your sump pump may run even in winter, particularly when we have unseasonably warm weather.

• There may be faulty wiring somewhere. For example, it’s not uncommon for a fault to be found between the well pump and the house. If you are comfortable doing this, an easy way to check for faults is to turn off all the breakers on your electric panel and then look to see if your meter is still registering electric use. If so, you may have a fault. Contact an electrician to investigate. The Co-op is not responsible for wiring to the home.

• Do you or your kids use a hot tub during the winter? This can add a fairly significant amount to your bill, depending on how often it’s used.

• Are you heating previously unheated spaces? Sometimes a family may move into an unheated space temporarily to accommodate a larger family group, or to use as another bedroom or family room. This can add significantly to your bill depending on type of heating, lighting, hot water usage and other factors.

Easy ways to cut costs this winter 1. Turn down your thermostat and dress more warmly. Every degree you turn down your

thermostat into the 60-70 degree range, it saves 5 percent on your heating bill.

2. Change the furnace filter once a month to keep it running at peak efficiency.

3. Keep any fireplace damper closed when not being used.

4. Use the most efficient lighting possible. By using LED lighting in your fixtures, you will save up to 80 percent on electricity used to light your home. Even better, you won’t have to change light bulbs for up to 10 years.

5. Set your furnace fan to “Auto” instead of “On.” Then it will only run when the furnace is on.

6. Wrap your water heater and hot water pipes to keep more of the heat where it belongs.

7. Caulk and/or insulate around all spaces where cold and wind can enter your home, such as windows, doors, outlets, can lights, phone and cable entry spots, etc.

8. Replace ancient appliances and furnace or boiler, etc. with new, energy-efficient models. Yes, it’s expensive up-front, it will save on your electric bill for many years even after the initial investment has been paid back.

9. Ask for a Kill-A-Watt Meter from the Co-op to check the energy usage of your current appliances. This can tell you how much your appliance is using and whether it’s time to replace it.

10. Caulk around the line where the house connects to the basement. (sill plate). Sometimes air can leak here, especially in older homes.

If after checking the items mentioned you still feel the bill is higher than it should be, you may call the Co-op at 320-693-3231 for historical heating bill averages from past years. Or log into the Co-op website at www.meeker.coop and click on the Meter Monitor button (or after April 1, the SmartHub button) and check energy use on your own.

Sources: Energy Information Admin., Consumer Energy Center

Before you use a space heater, consider the cost by using this formula:

Watts (found on the unit or appliance) x hours of operation ÷ 1,000 x kWh electric rate.

High bill concerns are not uncommon in the winter months, especially during colder-than-normal months. When a member calls in wondering why their bill is higher, there is no way for us to tell what may be causing

the higher usage, so we usually walk them through the following possibilities in the hope we may come across the culprit. These are great things to consider on your own before calling the Co-op.

Notice to Members with renewable energy systems interconnected with Meeker Co-op’s distribution system:

As of July 1, 2015, Minnesota Statute 216B.164 allows electric cooperatives and municipal utilities to charge a fee to recover the fixed costs to serve

distributed generation (DG) qualifying facilities. The recovery of fixed costs through a fee or other charges to recover the Cooperative’s cost of providing service is part of the rate structure of the Cooperative that may change over time. Location # 10-06-401

Beginning April 1, 2017 for members on the Small Single Phase Rate Schedule 01 with DG systems interconnected after July 1, 2015 and for members installing new interconnected DG systems, the monthly Net Metering Charge to interconnect a DG qualifying facility to Meeker Cooperative’s distribution system will be $3.29 per kW (DC name plate rating). The charge is applied per kW of installed generation that exceeds 3.5 kW. The maximum amount will be $47 per month. The fee will be updated annually and can be changed each year.


Four location numbers have been hidden within this Pioneer. If you find your number and claim it by calling Meeker Cooperative by March 30 you will have $10 credited to your account! If you find your location number and all your information is correct in our system when you call, you will receive a bill credit equal to one month’s output from a Meeker Member Solar Project solar panel. Good Luck!

Pioneer Ads — Free want ad service for members. Please limit your ad to nine words, one word per line. One phone number please. Use the coupon below or pick one up in our office. Ads will be printed for one month only. Please submit a new ad if you want it published more than one month. Include your name and address, which will be used for identification purposes only. Ads must be received by March 30 to be included in the April issue.

Please run this ad in the next PioneerName: ______________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________

Telephone number: ___________________________________

Remember to limit your ad to nine words!

1__________________ 2__________________ 3__________________

4__________________ 5__________________ 6__________________

7__________________ 8__________________ 9__________________

___For Sale, Misc.

___Agricultural

___Automotive

___Wanted

___Giveaway

___Service

___For Rent

Please check ad category

Clip and Send to: Meeker Cooperative, 1725 US Hwy. 12, Suite 100, Litchfield, MN 55355 Attn: Becky Sorenson or email [email protected]

• Clam Kenai 1-man fish house., still in box. $200/obo. 320-764-2106.• Purebred Jack Russell puppies. $450/ea. Call/text 320-699-0033.• Window A/C unit, working. $50. 320-693-3306.• Lake home Minnie Belle. Walk-out basement, lrg. lot. 763-533-6910.• John Deere 300 Series cab, blade, snow blower. 320-275-3963.• Pickup camper opens to A-frame. Exc. cond. $1,200/obo. 320-373-5051.• 2006 Arctic Cat 4-wheeler, used very little. $1,195/obo. 320-295-1017.• Craftsman snowblwr., 24”, 5 hp Tecumseh needs impeller. $50. 320-275-3765.• 2013 Keystone Sprinter 311BHS. Mint. Wintered inside. $18,900. 320-221-4048.• Location #01-07-402• John Deere LT160 mower w/bagger, Bobcat tire chains. 320-243-8033.• Wood dog house, playhouse (reduced price), 2 pair drapes. 320-693-7653.• Weld-wire dog kennel w/top. 5x10x6, lk. new. $395/obo. ($570 new). 320-582-0443.• Split hardwood, $125/cord. Delivery avail. 320-894-7013.

• 2005 Simplicity lawn tractor, 20 hp, 50” mower, snowblwr w/cab. $3,000. 320-248-4270.• Craftsman 20-gal. air compressor, new in box. 320-857-2736.• Pickup load firewood, you haul. $55. 320-275-2958.• Never used kitchen sink faucet w/pull-out sprayer. 320-275-2274.• New boat canvas for 19-ft. Crestliner #1850. Half price. 320-693-7424.• Antique Kochs barber chair (1905). 320-693-7424 or 320-275-9694.• 300-gal. gas tank. $75. Gas pressure washer, lk. new. $100. 507-647-2322.• 2013 Sprinter 30-ft. w/full wall closet/dinette set. $17,900. 320-764-2592.• Meade telescope M.A. 25mm, 1,000mm mirror lens, USA Vivitor V3000. 320-693-9306.• Bowling bag on wheels, like new. 320-693-9306.• Quickie Iris Matrix rotational tilt wheelchair w/Roho cushion. 320-905-5376.• Plantar Fasciitis night splints, sz. small, used twice. 320-905-5376.• Medline hydraulic Hoyer, lifts 400 lbs. Never used. 320-905-5376.

• 2000 S-10. Trans. bad, motor gd. New tires. Best offer. 320-221-3918.

• 2001 Chev. Impala, 137k mi., no rust. $2,900. 320-275-3963.• Four 1964 SS hubcaps, 14”, gd. shape. $100. 320-275-3765.• Four 215/55/R16 Motocraft stealth rims, ½ tread. $50. 320-275-3765.

• 3-pt. hydraulic wood splitter. $375/obo. 320-764-2286.• JD 7200 8row30 Vac Day Fert. $35. 320-398-7061.

• For all your concrete needs, commerc./resid./agri. 320-286-6394.• Interior/exterior painting. One room, $99.95 plus paint. 320-223-4386.• J. Austin Const.: Pole bldgs.., concrete, excav./demo. Lic./Insured. 320-492-6364.• Perfect Paint LLC: Inter./Exter. paint, stain, decks, woodwork. 320-275-9173.

• 15 hp Johnson short shaft. 320-221-3918.• Old barn door/hardware/hinges/hasps/latches. 320-221-0464.• Wooden extension ladders. 320-221-0464.• Portable dog kennel, 29x26x42 long, gd. cond. 320-221-2103.• Baby calves. 507-276-5834.

• 28-ft. steel frame dock on rubber tire wheels. 952-446-1273.• Treadmill. Works but needs some work, also. 320-398-8722.• Two cute cats need good home. House trained. 612-356-3796.• Color T.V.s 507-647-2322.

Find your location number

For Sale - Miscellaneous

For Sale - Agricultural

For Sale - Automotive

Wanted

Services

Give-Away

NOTICE OF NEW POLICY FOR MEMBER BUSINESSES/FARMS ADVERTISINGThe Classified Ad section of the Pioneer has always been for members to buy and sell items they no longer want. However, we have allowed advertising for some items such as storage spaces, bales, meat and other agricultural products, even though they are products sold as part of a business. We want to continue to allow our farmers and member businesses to advertise, and to allow “service” and “for rent” ads again, but we need to keep the bulk of this page for our standard classified ads. Therefore, effective immediately, we are instituting a new system to allow business advertising on a rotating basis. Please advertise your products/services according to the schedule below.

January, February, March: Appliance service/pick-up, home maintenance services such as sewer, foundation, etc.

April, May, June: Auto repair, yard services, salon, dog groom, etc.

July, August, September: Agricultural products (hay, meat, honey, etc.)

October, November, December: Storage, rental, hand-made crafts, gift items, for rent, etc.

Only member businesses need follow this schedule. All other members may submit ads as before. For questions/additions, call Becky at 320-593-4113.

Meeker Cooperative Light and Power Association Notice of Annual MeetingPlease take notice that the Annual Meeting of the members of Meeker Cooperative Light and Power Association will be held at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 3, 2017, at Meeker Cooperative, 1725 U.S. Hwy. 12 E., Suite 100, Litchfield, Minnesota, for the following purposes:

1. Reading of, and acting upon, the unapproved minutes of the 2016 annual meeting;2. Receiving and acting upon reports of officers, directors and committees;3. Electing three directors of the Cooperative to fill offices of those whose terms expire on April 3, 2017; 4. Considering any unfinished business and taking up such new business as shall properly come before the meeting and acting on such

matters as necessary for the best interest of the Association.Karen L. Becker, Secretary

Mark your calendars for the 2017 Annual Meeting April 3!

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