REGULAR BOARD MEETING
August 29, 2022
The Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of Newberry Electric Cooperative, Inc. was held at the Newberry Electric Cooperative, Inc. located in Newberry County, State of South Carolina on Monday, August 29, 2022.
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Johnnie L. Dickert at 6:30 p.m. followed by the invocation with the determination of a quorum present.
The secretary reported that the following Board Members were present:
Charles J. Bishop Leon Fulmer, Jr. J. Craig Kesler
M. Blake Brigman Melanie B. Hawkins William Lominick, Sr.
Johnnie L. Dickert Douglas E. Hipp John W. Nichols
Also present were President and CEO G. Keith Avery, Attorney Thomas Pope, III, Regional Vice President of National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation Hampton Oxendine, Chief Financial Officer Arthur Guy, and Executive Secretary Deirdre Murphy.
Mr. Oxendine reviewed the 2021 Key Ratio Trend Analysis (KRTA). He stated that Newberry Electric has done really well financially with the ratios.
The Board dispensed with the reading of the minutes of the July 25, 2022 Regular Board Meeting. A motion was made by Trustee Hipp to accept the minutes as emailed. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.
Committee Chairman John W. Nichols reported that the Finance Committee held its regular meeting on Monday, August 22, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. The committee members are Trustees Charles J. Bishop, Johnnie L. Dickert, William Lominick, Sr., and John W. Nichols. All were present along with President and CEO Avery.
Chairman Nichols reported that the Finance Committee reviewed the cash disbursements for July 2022. All expenditures were found to be in order, and the committee is presenting this report as general information. The consensus of the board was to accept the report.
Attorney Thomas H. Pope, III stated that he has an Attorney Report and requested an Executive Session. Trustee Hipp made a motion for the meeting to go into Executive Session. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition. Chairman Dickert convened the meeting into Executive Session. After some discussion, a motion was made by Trustee Hipp to return to Regular Session. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition, and Chairman Dickert reconvened the Regular Session. No actions or voting took place during the Executive Session.
A vote was needed for a topic discussed in the Executive Session. A memo from Mr. Guy requesting an approval to switch from the Apposity App to the Meridian App, and with that, Google and Apple require a privacy policy to download the app. Trustee Hipp made a motion to approve the change. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.
President Avery reviewed the functions and activities he attended or participated in during the month of August. He met with representatives of the data mining group twice within the month. He also attended Industry Visits throughout the county. He and Chairman Dickert also attended the monthly CarolinaConnect meeting.
President and CEO Avery reviewed in detail the operational data for July 2022. The amount of write offs for July is $4,824.61. A motion was made by Trustee Brigman to accept this amount. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Overhead work is still in progress on Long Lane Circuit 3 upgrades. The men are working on replacing the aging primary underground cable system wide as the budget allows, and they are strategically installing new Air Break Switches to allow for line sectionalizing. Nick Adams from ECSC conducted a spill safety meeting, and Phillip Padgett is working on a safety incentive program for employees.
President and CEO Avery stated that the SC Rural Broadband Grant is ongoing, and NEC is currently working on ARPA Fiber Grants to include priority areas for non-members.
Construction is ongoing for Key Island Road, Vinge Road, and Bedford Way. These areas are scheduled for release to subscribers in August. There are 4912 active CarolinaConnect accounts.
President Avery reminded the trustees of the 2022 Regional Meeting to be held in October. Six trustees expressed they are still wanting to attend.
The Central Electric Power Cooperative July 2022 Power Committee Meeting Summary was accepted as information.
President Avery reviewed the reminder of the Shred Day to be held at the Cooperative, and the 2022 Operation Round Up Golf Tournament to be held at The Country Club of Newberry.
President and CEO Avery reminded the trustees that it is time to start preparing for the 2023 Annual Meeting. A meeting of the Membership and Public Relations Committee needs to take place in September. The Committee members, Trustees Bishop, Brigman, Dickert, and Hawkins agreed to meet on Monday, September 19, 2022.
President Avery reviewed a letter from President and CEO of the ECSC Mike Couick requesting a contribution to the “Joe Wilson for Congress” campaign. All monies are to be personal checks. No corporate checks can be accepted. This was accepted as information.
President Avery reviewed a proposal from the Celebrate Freedom Foundation requesting funds to help the STEM Educational Outreach Program return to Newberry County. In the 2019-2020 school year, the Newberry and Laurens Counties Middle Schools met at Piedmont Tech in Newberry to see a helicopter and educational displays, and the students were introduced to an aviation curriculum. The event was well received by the community. A motion was made by Trustee Brigman to donate to the Foundation for the STEM program. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.
The Central Electric Power Cooperative August Executive Committee Meeting, the Central Electric Power Cooperative August 16, 2022 Rates Task Force Meeting, and the Central Electric Power Cooperative August 16, 2022 G-20 Meeting Summaries were all accepted as information.
President Avery reviewed information on a new trustee course, The Road to Resiliency: A Trustee’s Responsibilities, to be offered in December at the start of the Winter Conference along with another course. Three trustees expressed an interest in taking the course.
President and CEO Avery referenced a memo from the Executive Vice President of ECSC, Lou Green, on the South Carolina Living magazine subscriptions for 2023. A motion was made by Trustee Nichols to continue the Platinum Membership, which provides all eleven issues of the magazine to the cooperative’s members. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
The Central Electric Power Cooperative August 19, 2022 Bylaw Review Committee: Simply vs. Supermajority Requirements Meeting Summary was accepted as information.
President Avery referenced a memo from the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation regarding the District 2 Regional Meeting to be held October 11, 2022. Trustee Hipp made a motion to nominate President Avery as the delegate for the District Meeting and Trustee Nichols as the alternate delegate for the meeting. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.
Trustee Kesler made a motion to accept the District 2 Proposed 2023 Nominating Committee, which includes Mike Couick of the ESCS as the Chair. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.
There being no further business and without objections, Chairman Johnnie L. Dickert adjourned the August 2022 Regular Board Meeting at 8:33 p.m.
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SECRETARY APPROVED
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CHAIRMAN