REGULAR BOARD MEETING
March 30, 2020
The Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of Newberry Electric Cooperative, Inc. was held in the Newberry Electric Cooperative, Inc. Training Room located in Newberry County, State of South Carolina on Monday, March 30, 2020 at 6:30 pm. Chairman Johnnie L. Dickert presided.
After the call to order, invocation, and establishing all members were present, Chairman Dickert made a motion to adjourn into Executive Session. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition. President and CEO Keith Avery and Executive Secretary Deirdre Murphy were asked to leave the room. After several minutes, President Avery and Ms. Murphy were asked to return to the meeting. Trustee Doug Hipp made a motion to reconvene the meeting into Regular Session. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. There were no actions and no votes taken during the Executive Session.
Trustee John Nichols made a motion to approve the Special Board Meeting minutes from March 10, 2020 as emailed. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Trustee Craig Kesler made a motion to approve the Regular Board Meeting minutes from February 24, 2020 as emailed. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Finance Committee Chairman John Nichols reported that the Finance Committee met on Monday, March 23, 2020. All members were present, and they are submitting the finance report as information. The consensus of the Board was to accept the report. Attorney Thomas Pope requested that the meeting adjourn into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing legal and personnel matters. Trustee Hipp made a motion to adjourn into Executive Session. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition. Chairman Dickert adjourned into Executive Session.
After updates from Attorney Pope, Trustee Hipp made a motion to reconvene into Regular Session. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition. Chairman Dickert reconvened the meeting into Regular Session. There were no actions and no voting acted upon during the Executive Session.
President and CEO Avery reviewed his activity and meetings for the month. He also informed the Board on how employees are working from home and in the office due to COVID-19. The Board meeting in April will be conducted by Webex because of the social distancing that is needed.
President Avery reviewed in detail the financial and operational data for March 2020. The amount of write offs for March is $1,273.45. Trustee Hipp made a motion to accept this amount. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
President and CEO Avery reviewed the Engineering and Operations, Operational Support, and IT reports for the month. The total of Carolina Connect drops in place are 1884.
Because of the COVID-19, the Trustee Association Meeting and the Washington Rally in April have been cancelled. The April Finance and Regular Board Meetings had been moved to accommodate these meetings. Trustee Kesler made a motion to move the Finance Meeting back to April 20 and the Regular Board Meeting back to April 27, 2020. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.
President Avery referenced a memo from Mike Couick, President and CEO of ECSC, requesting personal donations to the “Team Graham” fundraising breakfast to be held on May 18, 2020 in Clemson, SC for Senator Lindsey Graham. This was accepted as information.
The Trustees accepted as information the Central Electric Power Cooperative March Annual Meeting and Board Meeting Summary.
The Trustees also accepted as information the Board Notes Newsletter from Jim Matheson, President and CEO of NRECA.
A memo from Lou Green, Executive Vice President of ECSC, was accepted as information concerning a statement approved by the Board of Trustees of Central Electric Power Cooperative explaining the settlement agreement in the Cook, et al. v. South Carolina Public Service Authority, et. al.
President and CEO Avery reminded the Trustees to save the date of the ECSC Summer Conference to be held June 1-3, 2020, if COVID-19 will permit. This was accepted as information.
President Avery reminded the Trustees that it is time to review the Federated Rural Electric Insurance Renewal Proposal. After some discussion, Trustee Hipp made a motion to accept the proposal. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.
A Thank You letter was accepted as information from the Newberry YMCA for the Vision 20/20 Campaign contribution from Newberry Electric.
Chairman Dickert presented Trustee Blake Brigman with his Board Leadership Certificate from NRECA.
There being no further business and without objections, Chairman Johnnie L. Dickert adjourned the March Regular Board Meeting at 7:50 pm.
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SECRETARY APPROVED
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CHAIRMAN