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Limon Office Falcon Office Office Hours: |
September 2007
Manager's Message
Cooperatives are businesses you deal with everyday and may not even know it. Of course, your electricity is provided by an electric cooperative. You may bank at a local credit union, which is a financial cooperative. And, you quite possibly belong to an insurance cooperative, such as USAA. Lots of us use Ocean Spray cranberry products and drink Florida Natural Orange Juice, which are both farmer cooperatives. Cooperatives serve 120 million members, or four in 10 Americans. They fall into four categories: consumer, producer, worker and purchasing/shared services. As member-controlled enterprises, cooperatives are run largely by the people who live and work in the communities they serve. That gives them a different perspective from businesses owned by distant investors. They are owned and democratically controlled by the people who use their services or buy their goods. They are motivated by service to their members, not by profit. These characteristics give cooperatives an uncommon loyalty and commitment to the communities in which they are located. As an electric cooperative, MVEA demonstrates every day their service motivation and the benefits of local ownership and accountability. At the top of the list is providing reliable electric power at the lowest possible cost. It also means helping consumers manage their electric bills through energy efficiency programs, being good stewards of the environment and looking for workable solutions to address climate change. Through Operation Round-Up and local sponsorships of community organizations, MVEA demonstrates their involvement in the community. We are approaching the $1 million mark for the amount of grants we have given through Operation Round-Up. MVEA employees are members of the local Chambers of Commerce, economic development committees, and local service organizations, not to mention their own community organizations. At a time of increasing concern about the national economy, cooperatives are creating jobs, income and opportunity in their communities every day. It's true that investor-owned businesses generate jobs and make charitable contributions. However, for cooperatives it's more personal. It's a critical part of where we work, what we do and why we do it. As we have been for almost 68 years, MVEA is not-for-profit, just for service and owned by you. New Employee
Co-ops Sponsor State Fair Jr. Livestock Sale
This year's livestock sale raised a record $412,000 for 120 young people in 4-H and Future Farmers of America whose animals qualified for the sale. The Grand Champion Steer brought in $50,000 for Lisa Reid whose family are members of United Power in Brighton . This was the highest price in decades. Fourteen year-old Trey Morris of Meeker sold his Grand Champion Hampshire for $30,000. His family belongs to White River REA.
MVEA Scholarhip Time! Don't miss out on the cash! Don't miss out on the 15-college scholarships available through MVEA. 10 - $1,000 MVEA Scholarships 1 - $1,000 MVEA Vocational/Technical Scholarship 2 - $500 Tri-State Generation & Transmission Scholarships 1 - $1,000 Basin Electric Scholarship 1 - $1,000 E.A. “Mick” Geesen Memorial Scholarship To qualify for these scholarships
To download scholarship applications click here or they can be picked up at either MVEA office, from your high school counselor, or by calling Deborah Skillicorn at (719) 775-2861 or (719) 495-2283. Don't miss out on the cash! One More Employee Retires!
Larry has been in the lineman business since 1965. He started out as a groundman working for the City of Fountain, earned his way up to lineman and moved on to Burwick Electric in Colorado Springs after 7 years with Fountain. He stayed put for 7 more years before moving up to Steamboat Springs and starting his own line construction company which he operated for 14 years. He then headed back to the Springs and worked for Hamlin Electric for 5 years before he joined us at MVEA. He has been at MVEA for 7 years. Larry's wife, Margie, also works for MVEA in the engineering department as a mapping technician. Larry has two children – daughter Tisha lives in Gillette , Wyoming and son Sean is in Pueblo. He also has five grandchildren that he will now have plenty of time to visit and spoil. Larry is just waiting around for Margie to finish her last few weeks with MVEA and then the two plan on being homeless. The couple have sold their house, most of their possessions and are moving into their new 37 foot 5 th wheel camper to travel around the country. They plan on leaving their boat at Lake Powell so it's handy when they feel like doing a little fishing. Spending time with Larry's 3 brothers in Canon City and one in Denver is also on the agenda. Larry says, “I won't miss the job so much, but I will miss the folks I work with.” We all wish the very best to Larry. He is one of the nicest people you will ever meet and has been a superb employee at Mountain View . Congratulations and have fun! Co-ops Generate Billions in Income From Main Street storefronts to Fortune 500 companies, cooperative businesses create jobs and economic growth. They generate over $273 billion in revenues annually and employ more than half a million Americans. Co-ops have payrolls that top $15.5 billion a year. October is National Cooperative Month and has been celebrated in one form or another since 1930. It is a time of the year for companies like MVEA to celebrate being owned by their members and giving back to their communities. Because co-ops are owned by their members, what is spent here stays here benefiting our communities again and again. Cooperatives are businesses you deal with everyday and may not even know it. Of course, your electricity is provided by an electric cooperative. You may bank at a local credit union, which is a financial cooperative. And, you quite possibly belong to an insurance cooperative, such as USAA. Lots of us use Ocean Spray cranberry products and drink Florida Natural Orange Juice, which are both farmer cooperatives. Cooperatives serve 120 million members, or four in 10 Americans. They fall into four categories: consumer, producer, worker and purchasing/shared services. As member-controlled enterprises, co-ops are run largely by the people who live and work in the communities they serve. That gives them a different perspective from businesses owned by distant investors. They are owned and democratically controlled by the people who use their services or buy their goods. They are motivated by service to their members, not by profit. These characteristics give co-ops an uncommon loyalty and commitment to the communities in which they are located. At a time of increasing concern about the national economy, co-ops are creating jobs, income and opportunity in their communities every day. It's true that investor-owned businesses generate jobs and make charitable contributions. However, for co-ops it's more personal. It's a critical part of where we work, what we do and why we do it. As we have been for almost 68 years, MVEA is not-for-profit, just for service and owned by you. Effeciency Today At MVEA! First, let us explain how your co-op pays for the power we provide to our members. The largest portion of our monthly power cost is a component called a Demand Charge. MVEA is billed this charge based on our highest consumption period, or peak, of the month. By reducing these peaks and spreading out our usage, we could reduce our wholesale power cost and our need for unnecessary generation to accommodate our peak period. Here is how you can help. We will identify our peak hours based on MVEA's past history. We will publish the forecasted peak periods in the local newspapers and in Colorado Country Life Magazine so you can target these time periods to reduce your usage on a month-to-month basis. Your co-op has approximately 38,000 members spread out over 5000 square miles and residential usage is what drives our monthly peak. If you could picture our usage curve on a daily basis, it starts out low and rises dramatically when everyone gets up for work and school. Then around 9:30 a.m., it drops back down until the evening peak. The evening peak varies throughout the year based on when the sun sets. People generally go into the house after the sun sets and turn on lights, prepare dinner, take showers and start laundry. These types of activities help drive our peak. In the wintertime, this peak usually occurs between 5 and 6:30 p.m. and in the summer, between 8 and 9:30 p.m. With a little concentrated effort and awareness of these time periods, we could take a few giant steps toward reducing this peak demand. The smallest of adjustments from each of us could make a big difference. With a force of 38,000 cooperative members and neighbors, we can definitely make an impact. For those of you that have the flexibility to shift the majority of your power usage to off peak periods, MVEA offers a time of day rate. This rate's peak times are between 5:30a.m-12:00p.m and 4:30p.m-10:30 p.m. While this rate will benefit you with lower energy charges during off peak times, you will pay a premium for energy used during the peak times as well as a small increase in the monthly facility charge. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions regarding our time of day rate. So, let's ban together and get the ball rolling. Watch for our peak period notification and remember every little kilowatt counts! Attention High School Juniors!How about a week long all expense paid trip to Washington , D.C or, a trip to the Steamboat Springs area? Either of these trips could be yours just by writing a short essay on “Is nuclear power the answer to global warming?” During your trip to Washington , D.C. in June 2008, you'll have the opportunity to hook up with approximately 1500 other high school juniors from around the U.S. They'll be tours of the nation's capital, dancing the night away while cruising down the Potomac, meeting and talking with your state's representatives, and the opportunity to make some great new friends. It is an experience of a lifetime. You might also win a trip to Clark, Colorado, located just outside of Steamboat Springs in July. High school juniors from Colorado , Kansas , Oklahoma and Wyoming will gather at a beautiful resort located on the Elk River and spend the week at an outstanding leadership camp. You'll participate in activities to improve personal goals and get an inside view of the state and national legislatures. There is plenty of time for swim parties, barbeques, dances, and banquets during the week. Many of the attendees call this camp a “life changing experience.” All you have to do to enter is write a 500-word essay on the above topic – Is nuclear power the answer to global warming? – and, meet the qualifications listed below. Nuclear power is something your generation will have to consider in the future, so this topic will be some research and your own personal opinion. So have at it! Attach the entry form to your essay and send it to: MVEA, Attn: Deborah Skillicorn, P.O. Box 1600, Limon, CO 80828. Your parents or guardians must receive electric service from MVEA and you must be at least 16 years old by January 1, 2008. Entries must be received or postmarked by November 16, 2007. Enter Our Holiday Drawing ContestEach year MVEA sends out season's greetings to our associates. This year we would love to send a card with a drawing from one of the children in our territory. So…we're having a little contest. To enter: • You must be between 5 to 12 years of age • Your parents or legal guardians must be members of MVEA • It must be an original drawing • It must be a holiday picture (whatever holiday your family celebrates in December) • Picture must be in color on a piece of white paper 5.5 inches wide by 8.5 inches tall or 8.5 wide and 5.5 tall (your option). • You must have fun while drawing this picture. All entries must be received or postmarked by November 16, 2007. The winner will receive a stuffed McGruff, the Crime Dog and $50 cash. Send your entries to MVEA, Attn: Deborah Skillicorn, PO Box 1600, Limon, CO 80828. Need Help Paying Your Utility Bill?The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) is designed to help low-income households with winter home heating costs. It is not intended to pay the entire cost of home heating . Following are phone numbers for your county LEAP offices. Applications will be accepted from November 1 through April 30. El Paso – 719-442-0007 Elbert – 719-541-2369 Douglas – 303-688-4825 Lincoln – 719-7432404 Washington – 970-345-2238 Pueblo – 719-583-6356 Crowley – 719-267-3546 Arapahoe – 303-636-1100 or, go to the LEAP website at Other agencies in the area to assist with emergency situations: Health & Human Service Information & Referral – 211, 719-955-0742, 866-488-9742 www.ppunitedway.org Pikes Peak Community Action Agency: Administration office - 719-471-7870 Eastern El Paso County – 719-347-2976 Eastern Colorado Springs – 719-385-7930 Fountain Area – 719-382-8515 Northern Churches Cares - 719-277-7470 Tri-Lakes Cares – 719-481-4864 Salvation Army – 719-636-3891 Red Cross - 719-632-3563 New Hope Shelter - 719-578-9190 (Colorado Springs) Silver Key (60 and over) – 719-632-1521 Army Emergency Relief (military personnel and retirees) – 719-526-4783 The Home Front Cares (active military, reservists and National Guard) – Military Service Center Get in the LOOP with compact florescent light bulbsMVEA urges you to join in conserving power by installing compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in your home and business. The Energy Star© qualified bulbs can last up to 10 times longer than a standard light bulb and use 2/3 to ¾ less energy. The first CFL bulbs were developed in the 1980's and were expensive. Many people complained about dim light output, flickering, noise, funny colors and sizes that were too big to fit in many fixtures. Today's CFLs cost much less while offering great performance. They have instant turn-on, quick warm-up and great light quality. They come in a wide variety of shapes, most of which are no larger than the standard bulbs they replace. MVEA has joined the national Energy Star© campaign to encourage all Americans to install CFLs. A component of this effort is MVEA's CFL Fund Raiser in which non-profit organizations can sell CFLs as a fundraiser for their organization. MVEA will provide these light bulbs to the non-profit groups at less than wholesale cost. Groups can expect to make approximately $1 for every bulb they sell. If you are a member of a non-profit group within MVEA's service territory and would like more information on how your group can participate, contact MVEA member services department at 719-495-2283 or 719-775-2861. Energy Efficiency today at MVEA! DCP Utility Consulting |
2007 News Archive |
From Main Street storefronts to Fortune 500 companies, cooperative businesses create jobs and economic growth. They generate over $273 billion in revenues annually and employ more than half a million Americans. Co-ops have payrolls that top $15.5 billion a year. October is National Cooperative Month and has been celebrated in one form or another since 1930. It is a time of the year for companies like MVEA to celebrate being owned by their members and giving back to their communities. Because cooperatives are owned by their members, what is spent here stays here benefiting our communities again and again. 
MVEA's Falcon Operations Center welcomes new consumer relations representative Kelly Davis. Kelly was formerly employed by Joint Effort Physical Therapy. Her new duties with Mountain View include signing up new members and answering billing questions. 
The title sponsorship of Colorado State Fair's Junior Livestock Sale this year was a joint venture between a group of cooperatives. As a Touchstone Energy partner, Mountain View joined with Highline Electric in Holyoke; Southeast Power in La Junta; White River Electric in Meeker; United Power in Brighten; Sangre De Cristo in Buena Vista; KC Electric in Hugo; San Isabel Electric in Pueblo; Morgan County REA in Ft. Morgan; Colorado Rural Electric Member Services Group; Colorado Rural Electric Association; Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association in Denver and Colorado Country Life Magazine . This sponsorship is tailor-made for the rural electric cooperatives considering these folks are the backbone of the nation's REAs. 
Support of our rural members is very important to all the rural electrics, even though many of us are more urban than rural these days. One should remember their roots, no matter how they change. MVEA congratulates the following young people whose parents are members of MVEA and who earned their way to the State Fair this year: Jesse Kerchal, Calhan; Noel Augustine, Calhan; Clayton Liss, Elbert; Cassidy Woodard, Calhan; Chase Glaser, Colorado Springs and Taylor Buckley of Franktown. 
MVEA employee, Larry Foster, has decided that he needs to be retired, so that's what he will be come September 1. Larry was MVEA's inspector for the last several years and examined all work activities of contractors working for MVEA to ensure standards are being met in the field. 
Fund raising opportunities!