Electric cooperative’s board names new CEO

The Board of Directors of Taylor County RECC is pleased to announce that after a nationwide search, Jeff Williams has been unanimously elected CEO of the electric cooperative.
Williams will succeed the longtime CEO of Taylor County RECC, Barry Myers, who is retiring after the co-op’s annual meeting on July 15. Myers has served as the co-op’s chief executive since 1985.
A native of Owensboro, Williams brings more than twenty years of co-op experience to Taylor County RECC which serves nearly 26,000 consumer-members in the Central Kentucky counties of Adair, Casey, Cumberland, Green, Hart, Marion, Metcalfe, Russell and Taylor.
“After a very careful and conscientious review of the cooperative’s needs, our board enthusiastically agreed that Jeff’s expertise and cooperative experience are an excellent fit for Taylor County RECC,” said Board President Donald Dean Shuffett. “We are excited to introduce Jeff to our dedicated employees and valued consumer-members.”
Williams joins Taylor County RECC after serving four years as Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative’s Chief Financial Officer and VP of Finance and Accounting. Immediately prior to that, Williams was Manager of Budgets for nine years with Big Rivers Electric Corporation, and for ten years worked with Western Kentucky Energy, a subsidiary of Louisville Gas & Electric.
“I’m honored that the Board has placed their trust in me to lead a great group of employees,” Williams said. “I look forward to helping the members of Taylor County RECC and the communities we serve to prosper. At Taylor County, the members, the employees and our Board of Directors are all in this together. That is the essence of what a cooperative is.”
Williams and Shuffett expressed gratitude to Barry Myers as he begins a very well-deserved retirement. Myers’ 37 years as Taylor County RECC CEO makes him by one year the longest-serving manager in the co-op’s history. Earl Tomes, the first CEO of the cooperative, led Taylor County RECC for 36 years, from 1938 to 1974.
“I also want to thank the Board, employees and members of Jackson Purchase Energy,” Williams added. “I have been privileged and blessed to know and work with a great group of people.”
Williams and his wife of 29 years, Trinna, have four grown children: Joshua, Cassie, Caleb and Emily.
“My wife and I enjoy camping and the outdoors,” Williams said, “The Taylor County RECC service area is in a central location and is such a wonderful destination. We are humbled and happy to be so graciously welcomed to our new home.”

Secretary of State partners with Kentucky’s electric cooperatives in non-partisan campaign 

Hoping to build on the increase of civic engagement in the areas they serve, Kentucky’s electric cooperatives launched their 2022 Co-ops Vote campaign at the Kentucky State Capitol on Wednesday. Secretary of State Michael Adams and about 100 high school students representing electric cooperatives across Kentucky kicked off this year’s non-partisan initiative.
 
Co-ops Vote began in 2016 with the goal of reversing a downward trend in rural voting. In both the 2016 and 2020 elections, voting in Kentucky’s rural counties increased. Following a bipartisan effort between Adams and Gov. Andy Beshear to help accommodate Kentucky’s election process to pandemic concerns, the General Assembly also worked across party lines to enact significant election reform endorsed by Adams and signed into law by Beshear. The reforms aim to make Kentucky’s elections more accessible and more secure.
 
“Kentucky’s electric cooperatives appreciate any effort that encourages voter participation in the communities we serve, and we are grateful to Sec. Adams for his partnership on Co-ops Vote,” said Chris Perry, president and CEO of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “Co-ops Vote is non-partisan and does not endorse any candidate. The consumer-members of rural electric cooperatives democratically elect their co-op boards, and it’s important their voices are also heard at the ballot box.”
 
In the 2020 election, Kentucky’s rural counties recorded a 61.9% voter turnout compared to a 60.8% voter turnout in metropolitan counties. The last time Kentucky voter turnout topped 50% in a mid-term election was in 1990, when 52.5% of registered voters cast a ballot.
 
Kentuckians can connect with elected leaders and stay informed on issues facing rural Kentucky on RuralPowerKY.com, a grassroots portal that links to Co-ops Vote resources. The deadline for Kentuckians to register for the May 17 primary election is April 18, 2022. The last day for Kentuckians to register for the November 8 General Election is October 11, 2022.
 
“I appreciate the continued efforts of Co-ops Vote to increase voter turnout in our rural communities,” said Sec. Adams. “Following the significant improvements in our election process over the past two years, it has never been easier to vote in Kentucky than it is today.”
 
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the first Kentucky Rural Electric Youth Tour. Since 1972, the statewide association of Kentucky’s electric cooperatives has coordinated the youth tour to both Frankfort and Washington, D.C. Co-ops select rising young leaders in their service territories to gain a personal understanding of American history, civic affairs, and their role as citizens and members of electric cooperatives. Students will embark on the Washington Youth Tour in June.
 
Since its inception, co-ops have sponsored more than 1,600 Kentucky high school students in the youth tour program. Notable alumni include Sen. Paul Hornback and Rep. Samara Heavrin who addressed the youth tour delegates on Wednesday.

Initiative encourages Kentuckians to spruce up local communities with beautification projects

Gov. Andy Beshear and Kentucky Electric Cooperatives are encouraging Kentuckians to “Beautify the Bluegrass” for the fifth straight year by improving public spaces across the commonwealth.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen Kentuckians come together again and again to protect their communities. As we head into a beautiful, hopeful spring and summer, we’re asking Kentuckians to come together in a new way, by identifying a project to help revamp, improve or beautify their community,” said Gov. Beshear. “From landscaping to painting, dozens of Kentucky communities have been enhanced in recent years through this initiative, and I am excited to see how our people will ‘Beautify the Bluegrass’ again in 2021.”

Kentuckians are encouraged to submit “before and after” photos and a description of their projects to Kentucky Living magazine by Aug. 20, 2021. Submissions can include existing projects performed since August 2020.
Kentuckians will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite project on KentuckyLiving.com Sept. 6-17, 2021, and Gov. Beshear will announce the results this fall. Kentucky Living, the flagship publication of Kentucky’s electric cooperatives, also will recognize the winning project.

Kentucky Electric Cooperatives, the statewide association of Kentucky’s 26 locally owned and operated electric cooperatives, joined the “Beautify the Bluegrass” effort in 2018, in partnership with the Governor’s Office, because the initiative’s goals align with the cooperatives’ mission to improve quality of life in the communities they serve.

“Cooperatives are led by, belong to and were built by the communities we serve,” says Chris Perry, president and CEO of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “Our member co-ops are excited to partner with Gov. Beshear to recognize Kentuckians who roll up their sleeves and complete beautification projects because they care about their community.”

“We can think of no better way to celebrate the energy of Kentucky than by supporting efforts to take pride in our local communities,” says Anita Travis Richter, Kentucky Living editor.

Previous “Beautify the Bluegrass” winners include the Leslie County Community Canoe Cleanup, Carroll County Friends of Camp KYSOC and the improvements to a downtown park in Mt. Sterling.

To protect co-op consumer-members, Kentucky’s electric cooperatives are urging lawmakers to vote down any attempts to tack broadband costs onto the electric bills of local ratepayers.

Some for-profit telecommunications companies are behind an effort to pass along the “pole attachment” costs of broadband expansion to electric cooperatives. This cost shift would trigger rate increases by the not-for-profit cooperatives. Despite co-ops explaining this net effect of pole attachment charges, telecom companies are pushing forward with this plan anyway.

“Legislators need to hear from you and other local electric ratepayers that these multi-billion dollar for-profit companies who are already receiving hundreds of millions of tax dollars to expand broadband service, should not pad the pockets of their shareholders by adding these extra costs to your power bill,” said Chris Perry, president and CEO of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives.

• FACT: If broadband providers succeed in passing along these unrelated broadband costs to electric bills, all ratepayers will see higher electric bills, not just the ones who might gain broadband service.
• FACT: For years, Kentucky’s electric cooperatives have worked to accommodate the needs of telecommunications providers, allowing access to the cooperative pole network and relieving telecoms from the burden of having to build their own systems.
• FACT: Kentucky’s electric cooperatives have engaged in good-faith discussions with broadband providers and the Public Service Commission to review and modernize pole attachment regulations with the shared goal of speeding up broadband expansion while preserving the safety and reliability of both the public and line workers.
• FACT: If an electric utility pole is sufficient to provide electric service, but enhancements to the pole are necessary to accommodate an additional attachment (such as broadband), those “make ready” costs are the obligation of the broadband company, not a local cooperative.

“Broadband companies must not be allowed to hide the cost of doing business in the electric bills of rural Kentuckians,” Perry said. “Co-ops are owned by the people we serve, we are working to protect your interests, and we need your help, so lawmakers understand this issue is important to you.”

Click here to tell your legislator “STOP Hidden Fees by Voting NO on Pole Attachments in Kentucky.”

Kentucky Electric Cooperatives President & CEO Chris Perry teamed up with Kentucky Farm Bureau President Mark Haney on the following op-ed that appeared in newspapers and websites across the commonwealth:

In communities across the country, children are taught from a young age about the importance of getting out on Election Day and voting. The right to vote is the cornerstone of any democracy and an important tool for making our voices heard in the political process.

These days, with partisanship reaching record highs, it’s easy to want to tune out the political talk and focus on our families and life at home. But we must stay engaged and take the time to ensure we are informed. From expansion of broadband across rural Kentucky to the crafting of future Farm Bills to determining tax rates in local towns — those elected on Nov. 3 will make decisions that have everyday impacts on rural Kentuckians.

Yes, you heard that right: the people we elect on Nov. 3 will make decisions that impact our daily lives. Voting really is that important!

And to be clear, exercising the right to vote doesn’t begin at the ballot box. In the weeks leading up to an election, it’s our responsibility to be informed about the issues at hand and the candidates’ position on those issues.

As organizations that operate throughout the commonwealth, Kentucky Electric Cooperatives and Kentucky Farm Bureau understand the issues rural Kentuckians face and are committed to making life better for the individuals and communities we serve. Voting has always been and continues to be a critical part of the equation.

Each election cycle, Kentucky Farm Bureau hosts candidate forums on every level — from U.S. Senate to local races — to ensure our members know exactly where candidates stand on rural issues. KFB is a grassroots organization, and we know that informed voters making their voice heard via elections is of utmost importance.

Since 2016, Kentucky Electric Cooperatives has operated “Co-ops Vote,” a partnership with the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office that encourages rural voices to make sure their voices are heard in the commonwealth’s primary and general elections. We also regularly ask candidates their position on issues that impact our members and publish their responses in our flagship publication, Kentucky Living.

Whether you are involved with our organizations or not, you owe it to yourself, your family, and your neighbors to take some time to learn about your candidates and weigh in on what’s important to rural Kentucky.

With new protocols in place to minimize the spread of COVID-19, voting in 2020 is sure to look and feel a bit different than in years past. Instead of heading to your polling place on Election Day, you may be mailing in your ballot or opting to vote early. The good news is, with so many options, voting has never been easier or more accessible.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from this unpredictable and difficult year, it’s that we should never take anything for granted. That includes our shared responsibility to vote, even if your choice is different than your neighbor’s.

Please join us and your fellow Kentuckians in casting your ballot this election season — rural Kentucky is depending on you!

Crews from at least ten Kentucky co-ops gearing up to restore power

In response to a request from an electric cooperative in Louisiana, at least 70 electric co-op employees from Kentucky are joining power restoration efforts after Hurricane Delta brought even more damage to the same area devastated by Hurricane Laura in August.

Delta made landfall late Friday night as a strong Category 2 hurricane and swept through southwest Louisiana. At the peak of the storm, more than 90,000 electric co-op consumer-members across Louisiana were without electricity due to fallen wires, damaged poles, and severe flooding.

“Hurricane Delta came ashore in the already storm-torn southwest Louisiana and moved northeastward through the state, causing damage to all our ALEC member electric cooperatives’ systems,” said Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives (ALEC) CEO Jeff Arnold. “The Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives (ALEC) has once again initialized our mutual-aid network to recruit help from line workers from other states to assist in the recovery.”

The storm caused substantial damage to the infrastructure at Beauregard Electric Cooperative, where Kentucky co-op mutual aid crews are now heading. All of the co-op’s 42,648 consumer-members lost power—an event seen for only the third time in its 80-year history, including Hurricane Rita in 2005, Hurricane Laura just six weeks ago, and now Hurricane Delta.

Some of the same Kentucky co-ops that deployed crews to Hurricane Sally last month are gearing up for more hurricane relief. In September, 87 crews from twelve Kentucky electric co-ops helped restore power to a co-op in southwest Alabama.

“Our members were so supportive through Hurricane Laura, and I have confidence that we will have that support through this restoration effort as well,” said Kay Fox, vice president of marketing and member services for Beauregard Electric Cooperative. “Our crews will join forces again with other states to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.”

The top priority of each local Kentucky co-op is service to its own consumer-members.  Before committing resources to mutual aid requests, each co-op ensures it has ample crews available for all local needs, including routine maintenance and emergencies.

The list of Kentucky electric cooperatives set to deploy lineworkers includes Cumberland Valley Electric, Fleming Mason Energy, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative, Kenergy, Nolin RECC, Owen Electric, Shelby Energy, South Kentucky RECC, Warren Rural Electric and West Kentucky RECC.

Through a careful coordination of mutual aid from co-ops across the Midwest and Southeast, co-op crews are assigned to specific co-ops in need of assistance. On daily conference calls, safety teams from each state assess optimal deployments.

“Even before Delta made landfall, co-op crew members in Kentucky were already communicating that they wanted to help,” said Chris Perry, President and CEO of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “By responding to natural disasters in other states, Kentucky co-op crews gain invaluable experience to help them respond to outages here at home. We are praying for the safety of co-op crews and the people they are helping.”

In addition, United Utility Supply Cooperative is responding to Hurricane Delta needs. The Kentucky-based co-op has implemented its storm emergency plan, providing round-the-clock support to meet the material needs of co-ops.

Because the national network of transmission and distribution infrastructure owned by electric cooperatives is built to federal standards, line crews from any co-op in America can arrive on the scene ready to provide emergency support, secure in their knowledge of the system’s engineering.