Three elected to Arrowhead Electric board of directors

The Arrowhead Electric Operation Round Up program benefits many local nonprofits. Accepting checks for their organizations at the Saturday, June 9 annual meeting were (L-R, front) Virginia Danfelt for the Cook County Local Energy Project; Trace McQuatters, Jr. Olympic Volleyball team; Larry McNeally, Lutsen Trailbreakers Snowmobile Club. (L-R, back) Gwen Danfelt-Martin, Cooperation Station; Sue Hennessy, Grand Marais Playhouse; Gary Siesennop, Cook County ATV Club; Pam Taylor, Cook County Athletics Department; Nancy Belding, Tofte-Schroeder Sanitary Sewer District; Cindy Crawford, Cook County Booster Club; Jenny Lamb, Lutsen Junior Alpine Club; and Customer Service Representative Jenny Kartes.

Arrowhead Electric Cooperative Inc. (AECI) held its 59th annual meeting on Saturday, June 9 at Cook County High School and nearly 300 members turned out to enjoy a pancake breakfast, to get an update on the AECI broadband project, to get some energy-saving tips, to trade an item for the local food shelf for an energy-saving light bulb and to vote for representatives on the electric co-op board of directors.

From 8:30 a.m. until the annual business meeting began at 10 a.m., members visited over the breakfast prepared by the Cook County Vikings Softball team and talked to cooperative employees about their energy and Internet needs. Many customers took a spin on the “Energy Bike,” which demonstrated the varying degrees of energy required for traditional, CFL or LED light bulbs.

Members gathered in the Arrowhead Center for the Arts auditorium for the business portion of the event, which started with the National Anthem and a welcome from AECI Board Chair Lou Terrizzi, who then excused the teller committee—Lavonne Anderson, Marland Hansen and Eleanor Waha—to count ballots.

Arrowhead Electric Cooperative Inc. General Manager Jeanne Muntean presented outgoing Director Wayne Anderson with a lovely clock in recognition of his service on the cooperative board.

There were a lot of ballots to count—there were candidates in each of the director districts, and in District 5, three members came forward to run for an AECI board seat. Two members ran against incumbent Howard Abrahamson. Abrahamson retained his board position with 180 votes. Challenger Bob LaMettry received 102 votes and Stanley Tull received 85.

In District 2, incumbent Lou Terrizzi also ran for re-election. He was challenged by Jerry Hiniker. Terrizzi retained his seat with 263 votes to 97 for Hiniker.

The only AECI district that did not have at least a twoway race was District 4. Wayne Anderson had met his term limit and did not run again. Mike Littfin ran for the seat and received 310 votes.

Before beginning her speech to the members, General Manager Jeanne Muntean called the AECI employees at the annual meeting forward and thanked them. She said, “There are 14 of us working at Arrowhead Electric. These guys work really hard all year long— they answer phones; they help customers; they work outside. I’d like to recognize all of them.”

Muntean then noted that “59 years ago, nearly to the day,” Arrowhead Electric had been formed, first as Lutsen Light & Power and then Superior Power. She recalled that the early pioneers of Cook County—Russell Blankenburg, Horace Stickney, and Justine Kerfoot to name a few—took advantage of the “New Deal.” That government offering was the beginning of the Rural Electric Association, or REA, which helped bring electricity to Cook County.

Muntean said the cooperative continues to work with the federal government, complying with its stringent guidelines for operation of a rural electric cooperative. However, she said government regulations regarding what has become a “dirty word”—coal—brings challenges to utility providers today. She said coal is “on its way out” because of all the new environmental regulations, but she cautioned, “We need to be careful what we wish for.”

She said Great River Energy (GRE), AECI’s power provider, has invested a great deal of money in alternate renewable energy. However, she said the costs are high. Wind energy is wonderful, said Muntean. But it costs approximately $30 – $40 per megawatt hour to purchase wind power. GRE is required by state law to purchase wind energy to produce electricity—but the market rate to sell electricity is $15 – $20—so GRE loses money when it sells electricity. Someone has to pay for that, said Muntean.

Muntean urged co-op members to visit www.ourenergyourfuture.com to learn more and to comment on issues that could impact the cooperative.

Muntean then took questions from the audience, answering questions about environmental issues, about broadband, about electric rates and more.

It was then time for the AECI Operation Round Up Trust distribution of funds. Customer Service Representative Jenny Kartes made the presentation, stating, “I’ve been honored to be part of Operation Round Up. It’s amazing to see the benefits to our community.” The program is funded by members “rounding up” to the dollar on their electrical bills. Just a few cents a month adds up to a lot, said Kartes, explaining that since it began in 2003, Operation Round Up has given $195,000 back to the community. Participation in Operation Round Up is currently 86 percent of AECI’s membership. Kartes said anyone who is not taking part who wants to signup can do so by contacting the co-op.

The selection of this spring’s recipients was especially difficult, said Kartes, noting that the co-op had received 22 applications for a total of $44,000. The trust had $10,000 to distribute. She then called up representatives from each of the twelve nonprofits receiving funding to accept a check. The entities that received funding are listed below.

Some very nice door prizes, including three certificates for $50 off an electric bill, were distributed. And co-op members filtered out into the lobby and outside, still visiting with fellow members. Some asking more questions of General Manager Muntean, AECI staff members and the board of directors—Lou Terrizzi, Howard Abrahamson, Forrest Parson, C. “Keck” Melby, Tom Spence and new board member Mike Littfin. Board member Scott Harrison was not present. Anyone with questions for any of the cooperative staff or board members is encouraged to call (218) 663-7239 or visit www.aecimn.com.

Operation Round Up Recipients