REGULAR BOARD MEETING
April 26, 2021
The Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of Newberry Electric Cooperative, Inc. was held in the Newberry Electric Cooperative, Inc. Board Room located in Newberry County, State of South Carolina, on Monday, April 26, 2021 at 6:30 pm. Chairman Johnnie L. Dickert presided.
After the call to order, invocation, and establishing members present, Mr. Russ Rountree of McNair, McLemore, Middlebrooks & Co., LLC presented the results of the audit for 2020. Mr. Roundtree reviewed in detail an independent auditor’s report related to the broadband grant Newberry Electric received, the co-op’s financial statement, 990 forms, and the CFC Key Ratios. Mr. Rountree stated that Newberry Electric has an unmodified (clean) opinion, which means that its financial statements are fairly presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that the audit was performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards and Uniform Guidance. Mr. Rountree thanked the trustees for the opportunity to conduct the audit.
Staff member Debra Shaw gave an update on Newberry Electric’s Annual Meeting held outdoors at Mid-Carolina High School on Wednesday, April 7th, 2021. 2510 members registered for the meeting.
Chairman Dickert asked Attorney Thomas H. Pope, III to conduct the election of officers. The following trustees were elected to the Executive Committee by unanimous vote:
Chairman Johnnie L. Dickert
Vice Chair William B. Lominick, Sr.
Secretary/Treasurer John Wayne Nichols
Trustee Kesler made a motion to approve the Regular Board Meeting minutes from March 2021 as emailed. The motion was second and passed unanimously.
Finance Committee Chairman John Wayne Nichols reported that the Finance Committee met on April 20, 2021. The finance report was submitted as information. The consensus of the Board was to accept the report.
Attorney Thomas H. Pope, III stated that he did have an Attorney Report. A motion was made by Trustee Hipp to go into Executive Session. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition. After Attorney Thomas H. Pope, III updated the Board, Trustee Hipp made a motion to reconvene into Regular Session. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition. Chairman Dickert reconvened the meeting to Regular Session.
President and CEO G. Keith Avery reviewed his activity and meetings for the month. He discussed the NRECA/SC Virtual Legislative Conference he attended on April 19th and 20th where targeting increased federal funding for rural broadband expansion in SC was the main topic of conversation.
President and CEO G. Keith Avery reviewed in detail the financial and operational data for March 2021. The amount of write-offs for March is $992.32. Trustee Hipp made a motion to accept this amount. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
President and CEO G. Keith Avery reviewed the Engineering and Operations, Operational Support, and IT reports for the month. Engineering is continuing to work on Prosperity Substation upgrades. He also gave a report on the pole and joint use inspections that have begun on our Newberry substation.
President and CEO G. Keith Avery reviewed information for the ECSC Summer Conference. It will be held in SC on June 7-9, 2021.
President and CEO G. Keith Avery reminded Trustees that the Regular May Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 27th, at 6:30 pm due to the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 31st.
President and CEO G. Keith Avery referenced a memo from ECSC requesting personal donations to the “Team Graham” fundraiser and it was accepted as information.
President and CEO G. Keith Avery referenced the ‘Save the Date’ memo for Summer School East to be held in S.C. on June 4-8, 2021.
The Board reviewed Central Electric Power Cooperative’s 10-Year Evolution Plan Committee memorandum and it was accepted as information.
President Avery referenced the Employee Policy No. 300-317, Workplace Violence. The Policy Advisory Committee asked for Attorney Thomas H. Pope, III to review and make recommendations to amend Section III, exhibit C. Trustee Kesler made a motion to accept the amended policy. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Chairman Dickert asked that each Trustee turn in their CEO evaluations for President and CEO G. Keith Avery by May 7th, 2021 and to be prepared to go into Executive Session to discuss said reviews at the next Regular Board Meeting.
There being no further business and without objections, Chairman Johnnie L. Dickert
adjourned the April 2021 Regular Board Meeting at 8:28 pm.
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SECRETARY APPROVED
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CHAIRMAN