Minnesota. Iowa. My electricity. My cooperative

MiNews J a n u a r y 2 0 1 7 Vo l . 1 I s s u e 1 A m o n t h l y p u b l i c at i o n fo r m e m b e r s o f M i E n e rg y C o o p e r at i ve . Fi...
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MiNews J a n u a r y 2 0 1 7 Vo l . 1 I s s u e 1 A m o n t h l y p u b l i c at i o n fo r m e m b e r s o f M i E n e rg y C o o p e r at i ve .

First newsletter issu

e!

Minnesota. Iowa. My electricity. My cooperative. TM

Important information for former Hawkeye REC and Tri-County Electric Cooperative members

Welcome to MiEnergy Cooperative Your new electric co-op is here to serve you On January 1, 2017, Hawkeye REC and Tri-County Electric Cooperative officially became MiEnergy Cooperative. While you’ve seen the new MiEnergy Cooperative name on our office signs, vehicles and employee uniforms, I would ask you to also keep a lookout for the new name and your first MiEnergy Cooperative electric bill in the mail. We recognize it will take a little time for our members to become accustomed to the new name. For the past 80 years, electric cooperative members in southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa recognized the Hawkeye REC and Tri-County names and logos. I am pleased to introduce the MiEnergy Cooperative Board of Directors. While yes, they are the same combined directors elected by the membership from our two individual electric cooperatives, there are new officers for the new cooperative. On December 9, 2016, the 14 directors from the combined cooperatives met with legal counsel to finalize official state filings and undertake the organizational meeting of the board of directors. Dean Nierling, of rural Decorah/Burr Oak, Iowa, was elected as MiEnergy’s board chair. Ron Stevens, of rural Harmony/Preston, Minn., was elected as vice chair. Dennis Ptacek, of Elma, Iowa, was elected as secretary and Don

Director districts

Winona County

5

Olmsted County

Rushford Mower County

Fillmore County

2

1 Mitchell County

Houston County

3

Cresco Howard County

Chickasaw County

Winneshiek County

4 Fayette County

Allamakee County

Petersen, of Hokah, Minn., was elected as treasurer. Director Jenny Scharmer, of rural Winona, Minn., was elected to represent MiEnergy on Dairyland Power Cooperative’s Board of Directors and Charles Frana, of Calmar, Iowa, as the alternate. The new director districts have also become official the first of the year and are listed below. Members can see the director representation for their district. Upon the final software conversions this spring, the member district will also be printed on your monthly electric bill. The technology to integrate the two offices in Rushford and Cresco has been completed and employees are getting more familiar with enhanced operating procedures. Video conferencing between offices and an integrated communications system are a vital part of the combined office communications. We’ve also implemented an abbreviated version of contact tracking to identify the type of calls and requests of the membership. This information will be valuable to enhance and direct this requested information in our newsletters and communications materials. I would also encourage members to check out our new website at MiEnergy.coop. We have new social media pages and we would ask you to add us to your list of followers. All employees are using new MiEnergy email addresses, however, the old Hawkeye and Tri-County addresses remain active and will be forwarded to the new address. This same forwarding process is being used for our office telephone numbers. As the January 1 date arrived, I looked back at 2016, and it seems like a blur. Your employees and board of directors have undertaken and achieved a tremendous accomplishment to bring our two electric cooperatives together. It has been a tremendous learning experience and implementation of best practices when determining the future operation. Yet, despite our diligence and preparations, I can guarantee that we will find a few hiccups as we begin our new legacy. Please share any of those experiences with me or your employees so we can make the necessary changes to fulfill our goals and objectives to be the very best electric cooperative for our membership. Happy New Year and thank you all for your cooperative support and commitment. I always welcome your calls, emails and personal visits.

DISTRICT 1 Roger Hegland, Dennis Ptacek, secretary, Darla Rance and Jeff Redalen. DISTRICT 2 Dean Nierling, chair and Ron Stevens, vice chair. DISTRICT 3 Don Peterson, treasurer, Dennis Young and Skip Wieser. DISTRICT 4 Dean Fisher, Charles Frana, and Carl Reicks. DISTRICT 5 Beth Olson and Jenny Scharmer.

2 MiNews | January 2017

©Ross Himlie Photography

CEO MESSAGE

Brian Krambeer, president/CEO | 800.432.2285 | [email protected]

IMPO

Changes to billing N RTANT O TICE statements coming What you need to know about making your payment

FORMER TRI-COUNTY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE MEMBERS: Electric bills for December’s electric use will mail on January 6. The billing statements will still be reflected as Tri-County Electric Cooperative. The new statements from MiEnergy Cooperative will be mailed to members on February 8 for electricity used during the month of January.

FORMER HAWKEYE REC MEMBERS: Electric bills for December’s electric use will mail on January 11. The billing statements will still be reflected as Hawkeye REC. The new statements from MiEnergy Cooperative will be mailed to members on February 11 for electricity used during the month of January. NEW BILLING ENVELOPES will come in February. Look for the new logo and a message on the envelope that says:

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**IMPORTANT** Electric Bill Enclosed. Tri-County Electric & Hawkeye REC are now MiEnergy Cooperative.

Bill payment options for members: Online account access.

Manage your account right from your computer, laptop, smart phone and/or tablet with SmartHub at www.MiEnergy.coop.

Payment by phone.

To make payments by phone, please call our toll-free numbers: • 1-888-480-9735 for former Hawkeye REC members • 1-877-853-6517 for former Tri-County members As we transition to one billing system, we will continue to use both payment lines until the project is complete. Watch your billing statement for future changes to our payment by phone procedure.

In-person.

Stop by either one of our offices to drop off your payment in-person or in the secure drop box.

Mail.

Send payment through the U.S. Postal Service to: Iowa Office: PO Box 90, Cresco, IA 52136 Minnesota Office: PO Box 626, Rushford, MN 55971

Automatic payment options | Sign up once and your payment is made every month Sign up for automatic payments and each month you’ll receive a statement indicating the amount that will be withdrawn from your bank account or charged to your VISA, MasterCard or Discover credit/debit card. TWO WAYS TO ENROLL 1. Login through SmartHub at www.MiEnergy.coop and complete the information in the Auto Pay Program found under Billing & Payments. 2. Call the payment phone line listed in Payment by Phone above and follow the prompts to set up automatic payments.

H AV E Q U E ST I O N S?

We look forward to serving our members with the same local presence as we transition to MiEnergy Cooperative. As always, please call our office at 1-800-432-2285 if you have any questions. We are here to serve you.

My electricity. My cooperative. TM

January 2017 | MiNews 3

Employees servi

TIM A.

RANDALL

BRIAN B.

RHONDA

LORRAINE

BRETT

KAYE

PAT

JAMIE

STEVE B.

TAMMY

ROGER

JOSH C.

CHAD

CINDY

LORI

CRAIG

BILL

JIM

STEVE C.

TRAVIS C.

BRAD D.

MIKE E.

TYLER

ERIC F.

MATT

MIKE G.

SHELLY

WAYNE

RICK

TOM H.

JEFF

GEORGE

GORDY

KRAIG

ANDY K.

COLE

TED

BRIAN K.

HEATHER

DENNIS

JOSH L.

TRAVIS L.

ADRIENNE

JULIE

TIM M.

MARC

MEAGAN

CHARLIE

MARLYN

STEVE O.

BRAD P.

CORY

ANDY P.

KEVIN

RUTH

MARY

TONY

TROY

DAN S.

AUDRA

KARI

ZACH

RON

DEAN

JANELLE

JUSTIN

BRENDA

DAVIN

ERIC V.

JUNE

VASSIL

MIKE W.

DAVE

TOM W.

It’s official

DAN K.

SARA

JOHANNA

ROW 1: TIM ANDERSON, METERING LOAD MANAGEMENT TECHNICIAN, 22 | RANDALL ASHBACHER, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 27 | BRIAN BAUER, JOURNEYMAN FOREMAN, 21 | RHONDA BAUER, PLANT ACCOUNTANT, 14 LORRAINE BENSON, MEMBER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE, 53 | BRETT BERGAN, SYSTEM OPERATIONS DISPATCH, 15 KAYE BERNARD, COO, 30 | PAT BOYLE, MARKETING & MEMBER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE, 16 ROW 2: JAMIE BREESER, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 15 | STEVE BRONNER, JOURNEYMAN FOREMAN, 18 | TAMMY BROWN, MEMBER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE, 2 | ROGER CARMAN, MECHANIC, 14 | JOSH CAROLAN, APPRENTICE LINEWORKER, 1 CHAD CHAFFEE, VP SYSTEM OPERATIONS MINNESOTA, 13 | CINDY CHRISTENSEN, STAFF ASSISTANT, 20 | LORI CLOBES, DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING, 27 ROW 3: CRAIG CORNELL, JOURNEYMAN FOREMAN, 32 | BILL COX, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 1 | JIM CULHANE, SERVICE CENTER COORDINATOR, 31 | STEVE CULHANE, UTILITY WORKER, 35 TRAVIS CUMMINGS, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 9 | BRAD DULL, LINE STAKING TECHNICIAN, 27 | MIKE EBNER, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, 33 | TYLER EIDE, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 9 ROW 4: ERIC FRIEDRICH, TECHNICIAN SUPPORT SPECIALIST, 1 | MATT GINTHER, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 18 | MIKE GIROLAMO, LEAD LINE TECHNICIAN, 29 SHELLY GIROLAMO, CFO, 15 | WAYNE HAGEMAN, LEAD LINEMAN, 28 | RICK HAGEN, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, 37 | TOM HART, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 17 JEFF HENDERSON, LEAD LINEMAN, 28 ROW 5: ANNIE HOILAND, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST, 9 | GEORGE INGRAM, DISTRIBUTION TECHNICIAN JOURNEYMAN, 36 GORDY JOHNSON, METERING LOAD MANAGEMENT FOREMAN, 37 | KRAIG JOHNSON, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 9 | ANDY KAPPERS, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 1 COLE KINGSLEY, APPRENTICE LINEWORKER, 0 | TED KJOS, VP MARKETING & EXTERNAL RELATIONS, 16 | DAN KLOBERDANZ, MEMBER SERVICES TECHNICIAN, 27 ROW 6: SARA KRAGE, SYSTEM DESIGN COORDINATOR, 20 | BRIAN KRAMBEER, PRESIDENT/CEO, 19 | HEATHER LARSON, EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, 6 DENNIS LeFEBVRE, JOURNEYMAN FOREMAN, 29 | JOSH LENZ, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 10 | TRAVIS LINK, DESIGN TECHNICIAN, 1 | ADRIENNE LOFGREN, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, 9 | JULIE MADSEN, MEMBER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE, 21 ROW 7: TIM McCONNELL, CUSTODIAN/GENERAL LABORER, 10 | MARC MIKKELSON, MEMBER SERVICES TECHNICIAN, 18 | MEAGAN MOELLERS, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST, 14 | CHARLIE MUELLER, DESIGN TECHNICIAN, 9 | MARLYN OHLOFF, OPERATOR/ TECHNICIAN, 21 | STEVE OIAN, DIRECTOR OF SYSTEM DESIGN, 22 | BRAD PECINOVSKY, COMPLIANCE AND TRAINING COORDINATOR, 15 | CORY PEDERSON, METERING LOAD MANAGEMENT TECHNICIAN, 23 ROW 8: ANDY PRINSEN, JOURNEYMAN FOREMAN, 20 | KEVIN REICKS, OPERATOR/TECHNICIAN, 16 | RUTH RIHA, OPERATIONS ASSISTANT, 16 MARY RISLOVE, MEMBER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE, 43 | TONY RISLOVE, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 4 |TROY SCHILTZ, DISTRIBUTION TECHNICIAN FOREMAN, 28 DAN SCHMITT, STOREKEEPER/PURCHASING, 18 | AUDRA SKALET, SYSTEM OPERATIONS COORDINATOR, 17 ROW 9: JOHANNA STAYSKAL, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, 4 KARI STEELE, MEMBER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE, 2 | ZACH STEINMETZ, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 13 |RON STIKA, LEAD LINEMAN CONSTRUCTION, 26 | DEAN STOA, JOURNEYMAN FOREMAN, 25 | JANELLE SUNNES, MEMBER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE, 10 | JUSTIN SVOBODA, JOURNEYMAN LINEWORKER, 1 | BRENDA TESCH, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, 11 ROW 10: DAVIN THOMPSON, DESIGN TECHNICIAN, 13 | ERIC VITSE, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, 23 | JUNE VITSE, DIRECTOR OF PAYROLL/HUMAN RESOURCES, 15 | VASSIL VUTOV, VP INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, 1 ROW 11: MIKE WALTON, VP SYSTEM OPERATIONS IOWA, 25 | DAVE WILKES, STAKING/TECHNOLOGY SUPERINTENDENT, 17 | TOM WITTRY, JOURNEYMAN FOREMAN, 33 | AL ZIEBELL, BUILDING & GROUNDS MAINTENANCE WORKER, 22

AL

Two co-ops are now MiEnergy Cooperative

Employee photos ©Ross Himlie Photography

ANNIE

n g yo u

MiEnergy Cooperative employees, titles & years of service (1/31/2017)

Hawkeye REC and Tri-County Electric TM Cooperative merged January 1, 2017, to form MiEnergy Cooperative. The new name and its spelling reference the joining of a Minnesota (M) cooperative and an Iowa (i) cooperative. The name, pronounced with a long I, also demonstrates the ownership by individual members – MiEnergy is “my energy cooperative”. “Our commitment to our members has never been stronger,” said Brian Krambeer, president/CEO of MiEnergy. “The purpose of this merger is to make two strong electric cooperatives even stronger and better prepared for the future.” Directors, staff and employees have been working since April to ensure a smooth transition. “You will still be able to stop by the local office to ask a question. We will continue to have employees answering and routing your calls during normal business hours, not an automated attendant,” said Krambeer. “There is a new name, but the employees who members have gotten to know and trust over the years will remain.” Members with questions regarding their accounts, programs and/or service can call: 800-432-2285 (toll free), 563-5473801 (local Cresco) or 507-864-7783 (local Rushford). Outages can be reported 24/7 by calling 800-432-2285. Additional information about the co-op can be found online at www.MiEnergy.coop.

WEATHERING WINTER STORMS When ice and heavy snow bring down limbs and power lines, safety is a consideration indoors and out. Make sure you know how to weather the storm.

When outside, stay away from downed power lines:

• A power line does not need to be sparking or arcing to be energized. Equipment near power lines can also be energized and dangerous. • Lines that appear to be “dead” can become energized as crews work to restore power, or sometimes from improper use of emergency generators. Assume all low and downed lines are energized and dangerous. If you see a downed or sagging line, contact MiEnergy Cooperative immediately by calling 1-800-4322285. • Motorists should never drive over a downed line as snagging a line could pull down a pole or other equipment and cause other hazards. • Be careful approaching intersections where traffic or crossing lights may be out. • If you plan to use a generator, know how to operate it safely.

Before a winter storm, you should have supplies on hand, and know how to stay warm:

• Always keep a battery-powered radio or TV, flashlights, and a supply of fresh batteries. You should also have water, blankets and nonperishable food. • When power goes out, it often comes back in spikes. This can damage electronics. Keep your electronics safe by unplugging them when the power goes out. Leave one lamp or switch on as a signal for when your power returns. • To prevent water pipes from freezing, keep faucets turned on slightly so that water drips from the tap. Know how to shut off water valves in case a pipe bursts. • Never use a charcoal grill to cook or heat with inside the home. Burning charcoal gives off deadly carbon monoxide gas. Charcoal grills should only be used outdoors.

—Safe Electricity.com

CALL 800.432.2285 24/7 TO REPORT POWER OUTAGES

January 2017 | MiNews 5

Hawkeye REC | December 21, 2016

Board room highlights

• Reviewed, discussed and approved monthly expenditures. • Approved new members, write-offs, safety reports and distributed generation agreements. • Received the staff and Dairyland director reports. • Approved Board Resolution 2016-12 Allocation of Reserve Account to Members. • Approved Rural Utilities Service fund transfer of $3.3 million. • Addressed the cooperative line extension policy. • Received a year-to-date financial report.

Tri-County | December 22, 2016

• Approved scholarship allocations in the amount of $20,600. • Received an update from management on the transition to MiEnergy Cooperative. • Previewed the proposed Dairyland Power Cooperative 2017 budget. • Received a year-to-date financial report.

Energy savings for every season While saving money through greater energy efficiency may be a year-round objective for many members, the way to achieve this goal will vary by season. There are a number of factors that impact energy efficiency, including weather, the age and condition of the home, and desired comfort levels. During fall and winter months, when the outdoor temperature is chilly, consumers desire a warm home and seek to keep the cold air out. Conversely, in the spring and summer, the focus is on keeping the hot air from infiltrating cool abodes.

& Fall Winter

Fall and winter: keeping heat in

To maintain a warm indoor environment in chillier weather, there are simple steps you can take to increase energy efficiency. Fall is a great time to examine seals on doors and windows to check for air leaks. Caulk and weatherstrip as needed to seal in warm air and energy savings. Similarly, examine outlets for air leaks, and where necessary, install gaskets around the outlet to prevent drafts. During the day, open curtains or drapes on south-facing windows to enable sunlight to heat your home naturally. Close curtains or drapes at night for an added layer of window insulation. As the temperature drops lower with the onset of winter, schedule a service appointment for your heating system to ensure it is operating at an optimal level. Low-cost or no-cost steps for energy savings include taping or affixing heavy, clear plastic to the inside of your window frames to create an additional barrier against cold air. Ensure that the plastic is tightly sealed to the frame to help reduce infiltration. Use a programmable thermostat to set the temperature as low as is comfortable when you are home (ideally around 68 degrees). When you are asleep or away, turn the temperature down 10-15 degrees for eight hours. According to the Department of Energy, this small adjustment can help you save approximately 10 percent a year on heating and cooling costs. 6 MiNews | January 2017

& Spring Summer

Spring and summer: keeping your cool

During warmer months, energy savings and efficiency will require different measures, many of which are inexpensive. If you live in a climate that is cool, open your windows in the evening and turn off your cooling system while sleeping. In the morning, shut the windows and blinds to hold in the cool air. Where practical, plant trees and shrubs that provide shade in warm months and sunlight in winter. In addition to the aesthetic value, well placed trees can take heat gain from the sun and provide needed shade by creating a canopy for the house. In extremely hot weather, your cooling system works harder to close the gap between the high outdoor temperature and the cool indoor thermostat setting. To lessen the difference in temperature between the two, and to lower cooling costs, set the thermostat as high as you can while maintaining your comfort level. Moreover, using a ceiling fan in conjunction with your air conditioning can allow you to increase the thermostat setting to approximately four degrees with no reduction in comfort levels. During the hottest months, it’s all the more critical to replace any remaining incandescent bulbs with LEDs. The waste heat from the old bulbs impacts energy use and creates wasteful and unwanted heat. Employ a programmable thermostat to adjust the settings a few degrees higher when no one is home or your family is sleeping. To learn more about additional energy-saving tips and programs, visit www.MiEnergy.coop.

It’s a teenage trip of a lifetime

TM

Co-op offers free trip to Washington, D.C. June 9-15

Two area high school students will be selected by MiEnergy Cooperative to represent the cooperative as delegates on the Washington, D.C. Youth Tour. They will join hundreds of other students from across the country—all expenses paid—for one incredible week at our nation’s capital. The Youth Tour group will explore D.C., spend a day on Capitol Hill, meet their congressional leaders and see our government in action. The students will learn first-hand about our government and its history, their responsibilities as citizens and how they work together. The tour is a fast-paced leadership opportunity to see what makes America tick! To be considered for this honor, you must complete the online exam at www.MiEnergy.coop by March 15, 2017. The answers can be found on MiEnergy’s website and the National Youth Tour website at www.youthtour. coop.

Youth Tour June 9-15, 2017

To be eligible, the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) must be members of MiEnergy and they must currently be a high school sophomore or junior. The co-op will be selecting two students, one from Minnesota and one from Iowa. Past Youth Tour recipients are not eligible to apply.

Minnesota Members:

• Students with the top five scores will be interviewed by a panel of judges on March 29, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. at the Rushford office. It is mandatory that the student attend this event and parents/guardians are encouraged to attend as well.

Iowa Members:

• Students with the top five scores will be interviewed by a panel of judges on April 5, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. at the Cresco office. It is mandatory that the student attend this event and parents/guardians are encouraged to attend as well. If you have any questions regarding the Youth Tour, please contact the Youth Tour Coordinator Cindy Christensen at 800-432-2285 or [email protected]. Any graduating high school senior, whose parents or guardians are members of the cooperative, are eligible for a MiEnergy Cooperative scholarship. MiEnergy will provide scholarships to 23 area high schools: Caledonia, Chosen Valley, Crestwood, Decorah, Fillmore Central, Houston, Kingsland, La Crescent, Lanesboro, LeRoyOstrander, Lewiston-Altura, Mabel-Canton, New Hampton, Riceville, Rushford-Peterson, South Winneshiek, Spring Grove, Stewartville, St. Charles, Turkey Valley, Hope Lutheran, Winona Cotter, and Winona Senior High School. These high schools serve

OFFICE INFORMATION Open Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. IOWA 24049 Highway 9, PO Box 90, Cresco, IA 52136 MINNESOTA 31110 Cooperative Way, PO Box 626, Rushford, MN 55971 **This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.** PHONE NUMBERS LOCAL 563-547-3801 (Cresco); 507-864-7783 (Rushford) TOLL-FREE & 24/7 OUTAGE REPORTING 800-432-2285 HAWKEYE REC PAYMENT LINE 24/7 888-480-9735 TRI-COUNTY PAYMENT LINE 24/7 877-853-6517 UNDERGROUND CABLE LOCATING 811 ONLINE WEBSITE www.MiEnergy.coop SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram BOARD OF DIRECTORS DISTRICT 1 Roger Hegland, Dennis Ptacek, secretary, Darla Rance and Jeff Redalen DISTRICT 2 Dean Nierling, chair and Ron Stevens, vice chair DISTRICT 3 Don Petersen, treasurer, Skip Wieser and Dennis Young. DISTRICT 4 Dean Fisher, Charles Frana and Carl Reicks DISTRICT 5 Beth Olson and Jenny Scharmer MANAGEMENT STAFF BRIAN KRAMBEER president/chief executive officer KAYE BERNARD chief operating officer CHAD CHAFFEE vice president of operations - Minnesota SHELLY GIROLAMO chief financial officer TED KJOS vice president of marketing and external relations VASSIL VUTOV vice president of information technology MIKE WALTON vice president of operations - Iowa MiNEWS STAFF MEAGAN MOELLERS communications specialist, editor ANNIE HOILAND communications specialist BRENDA TESCH public relations director 2017 OFFICES CLOSED JAN 24 Employee Development Day APRIL 14 Good Friday APRIL 18 Employee Development Day MAY 29 Memorial Day JULY 4 Independence Day JULY 18 Employee Development Day SEPT 4 Labor Day OCT 24 Employee Development Day NOV 23-24 Thanksgiving DEC 22-25 Christmas DEC 29 New Year’s Eve close at 11:30

our cooperative members in Allamakee, Chickasaw, Houston, Howard, Fillmore, Mower, Olmsted, Winneshiek and Winona counties in Minnesota and Iowa. The scholarships are funded through unclaimed capital credits. MiEnergy scholarship recipients are chosen by their high school. Students who are interested should see their guidance counselor in February for more details. For more information, schools should contact Cindy Christensen at 800-432-2285 or cchristensen@ MiEnergy.coop. January 2017 | MiNews 7

APPLICATION DEADLINE FEB. 15 Twice a year the Operation Round Up (ORU) Trust Board meets to review applications and grant funds for local, worthy causes. A list of program guidelines and an application is available online at www.MiEnergy.coop. ORU is a voluntary community support program that helps local organizations and worthy causes via spare change. All members of MiEnergy Cooperative have the opportunity to join the program.

TM

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage

PAID

IOWA PO Box 90, Cresco, IA 52136 MINNESOTA PO Box 626, Rushford, MN 55971

DPC

2017 RESIDENTIAL REBATES

A summary of rebates available from your co-op this year* ENERGY STAR APPLIANCES CLOTHES DRYER (ELECTRIC) $25 CLOTHES DRYER (HEAT PUMP) $50 CLOTHES WASHER $25 DEHUMIDIFIER $25 DISHWASHER $25 REFRIGERATOR $25

RECYCLING

FREEZER $25 REFRIGERATOR $25 ROOM AIR CONDITIONER $25

CONSERVATION

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATION $100 FAUCET FLOW RESTRICTOR $1 SHOWER FLOW RESTRICTOR $5

LIGHTING

CFL $1 LED $2 LED FIXTURE VARIES LED EXIT SIGN $5 OCCUPANCY SENSOR $5

HVAC

CENTRAL A/C & MINI-SPLIT 14 SEER OR EER 11.5 $40/TON 15 SEER OR EER 12.5 $60/TON 16 SEER OR EER 13.5 $80/TON AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP & MINI-SPLIT SEER 14, HSPF 8.2 OR EER 11.5 $150/TON GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMP $300/TON NEW FURNACE WITH ECM MOTOR $35 WI-FI THERMOSTAT $25

WATER HEATERS

HIGH EFFICIENCY WATER HEATERS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT CO-OP HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER SOLAR STORAGE WATER HEATER

AUDITS/ASSESSMENTS

AUDIT RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS

VARIES $300 $300

VARIES

TOUCHSTONE ENERGY HOME PROGRAM

NEW HOME MUST MEET SPECIFIC PROGRAM/CODE REQUIREMENTS $500

*THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL REBATE SUMMARY ONLY. THE CO-OP ALSO OFFERS AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND CUSTOM REBATES.

Visit www.MiEnergy.coop or call the co-op for more information and rebate requirements.