REGULAR BOARD MEETING

December 27, 2023

 

         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 Wednesday, December 27, 2023.

         Chairman Johnnie L. Dickert called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. followed by the invocation with the determination of a quorum present. 

         The secretary reported that the following Board Members were present:

                        Barbara C. 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, and Executive Secretary Deirdre Murphy.  Attorney Thomas Pope, III was absent.

            Chairman Dickert asked if anyone needed an Executive Session.  Trustee Kesler made a motion for an Executive Session.  The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.  President Avery and Ms. Murphy left the room.  When they returned, they were informed that the meeting was back in Regular Session, and no voting or actions took place during the session.

The Board dispensed with the reading of the minutes of the Special Board Meeting held on Thursday, December 14, 2023.  A motion was made by Trustee Hipp to accept the minutes as emailed. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.

The Board dispensed with the reading of the minutes of the November 2023 Regular Board Meeting.  Trustee Hipp directed attention to an error in the minutes.  The ECSC Save the date is February 8, not March 8.  He then made a motion to accept the minutes as emailed with the correction.  The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.

            Committee Chairman John W. Nichols reported that the Finance Committee held its regular meeting on Monday, December 18 at 6:30 p.m.  The committee members are Trustees Johnnie L. Dickert, J. Craig Kesler, William Lominick, Sr., and John W. Nichols. All were present including President and CEO Avery.

            Chairman Nichols reported that the Finance Committee reviewed the cash disbursements for the month of November.  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.

Since Attorney Thomas H. Pope, III was absent, there was no Attorney Report.

            President Avery reviewed the functions and activities he attended or participated in during the month of December.  He and several trustees attended the ECSC Winter Conference, and he, along with Mr. Dickert, attended the Central Electric Strategic Planning Session.  The topics of discussion were reliability and generation of power.

President and CEO Avery reviewed in detail the operational data for November.  The amount of write offs for November 2023 is $1032.03.  A motion was made by Trustee Hipp to accept this amount.  The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. 

 President and CEO G. Keith Avery reviewed the Engineering and Operations and the Operational Support reports for the month.  He stated that Newberry Electric, along with Newberry County, is working on acquiring land for a new Mid Carolina Commerce Park substation.  Line Construction jobs are behind about one week.  Lee Construction completed the Island Ford/Belfast Rd. upgrade job.  Several rotten poles were replaced. Lee also completed several Copper to ACSR conversion jobs.

Newberry Electric is working with Reeves Asphalt about installing a new asphalt plant at I-26 and Hwy. 121 and the new Versa-lift to replace a truck was delivered. 

Reid Derrick completed Apprentice I School conducted by ECSC.  Chandler Williams completed the Line Apprenticeship Program through Northwest Lineman College.

            President and CEO Avery reminded the trustees of the 2024 Legislative luncheon to be held on Thursday, February 8.  Seven trustees are planning on attending.

President Avery stated that the Policy Review Committee needs to meet to review an article of the Bylaws.  The committee, consisting of Mr. Dickert, Mr. Brigman, Mr. Hipp, Mrs. Bishop, and Mr. Nichols, agreed to meet on January 4, 2024.

President Avery referenced information about the NRECA PowerXchange to be held in March 2024. Six trustees expressed an interest in attending.

President and CEO Avery reviewed the results of the ORS compensation and benefits compliance examination.  ORS states that Newberry Electric Cooperative is in compliance with the S.C. Code 33-49-615 and 33-49-630(A).

The ECSC Board Meeting Highlights from December 5, 2023were accepted as information.

President Avery reminded the trustees of the 2024 Washington Your Tour and Cooperative Youth Summit to be held this summer.  The students are to be a 10th grader for the Cooperative Youth Summit and an 11th grader for the Washington Youth Tour.  All applications need to be returned to the Statewide office by Friday, February 2, 2024.

The Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. December 6, 2023 Executive Committee Meeting and the Central Electric Power Cooperative December 6, 2023 Special Called Board Meeting summaries were both accepted as information.

               President and CEO Avery informed the trustees that the 2024 Newberry Electric Cooperative’s Annual Meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 from 12 noon to 7:00 pm with the Business Meeting starting at 7:00 pm.  As of now, there is not a contested race. If there is a contested race, voting will take place on Tuesday, April 2, from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm at Mid Carolina High School in Prosperity, SC.  Because it is a conflict of interest, Trustees Lominick, Nichols, and Fulmer recused themselves from voting on appointing members to the Nominating Committee, since they are running for re-election.  A Nominating Committee needs to be appointed to make nominations for the election of trustees. The consensus of the Board was to use the same committee members from 2023.  The members of that committee are Mr. Paul Brown, Mr. Rick Farmer, Mrs. Ann Lominick, Mrs. Jennifer Moore, Mr. Randy Nobles, Mr. Wayne Satterwhite, and Mr. Lee Shaw.  Executive Secretary Deirdre Murphy will check with the members of the committee to see if they are able to serve.

            President and CEO Avery also reminded the trustees that a Credentials and Election Committee needs to be appointed.  Again, Trustees Lominick, Nichols, and Fulmer recused themselves from voting on appointing members to the Credentials and Election Committee, because they are running for re-election. The consensus of the Board was to use the same committee members from 2023.  The members are Mr. Robert Bannister, Mrs. Annette Bledsoe, Ms. Penny Hamm, Mr. Don Kunkle, Mr. Anthony Matthews, Mr. George Piersol, and Mr. Carold Wicker.  Executive Secretary Deirdre Murphy will check with the members of this committee to see if they are able to serve.

            The Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. December 18, 2023 Special Called Power Committee Meeting, and the Central Electric Power Cooperative Special Called December 18, 2023 Board Meeting summaries were accepted as information. 

            There being no further business and without objections, Chairman Johnnie L. Dickert adjourned the December 27, 2023 Regular Board Meeting at 8:00 pm.

___________________________________                                      ___________________

SECRETARY                                                                                     APPROVED

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CHAIRMAN