REGULAR BOARD MEETING
October 26, 2020
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, October 26, 2020 at 6:30 pm. Chairman Johnnie L. Dickert presided.
Trustee C.J. Bishop was absent. Trustee Craig Kesler attended through Webex. Also attending the meeting were Hampton Oxendine, Leann Hutto, and Arthur Guy. After the call to order, invocation, and establishing members present, Hampton Oxendine, Regional Vice President of National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, discussed in detail the Key Ratio Trend Analysis for 2019. He stated that Newberry Electric is in good standing.
Leann Hutto, Vice President of Human Resources, presented a change to the policy for employees who have 30 years of service. After some discussion, a motion was made by Trustee Doug Hipp to put a cap on the 30-year service award. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition. The change will go into effect January 1, 2021.
Trustee Doug Hipp made a motion to approve the Regular Board Meeting minutes from
September 28, 2020 as emailed. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Finance Committee Chairman John Wayne Nichols reported that the Finance Committee met on October 19, 2020. They are submitting the finance report as information. The consensus of the Board was to accept the report.
Attorney Thomas Pope stated that he did not have an Attorney Report at this time.
President and CEO G. Keith Avery reviewed his activity and meetings for the month.
He attended the NRECA Annual Meeting online. He reviewed a new software for the office. He also met with ORS. He attended the monthly CarolinaConnect Board Meeting.
President Avery reviewed in detail the financial and operational data for September 2020. The amount of write offs for September is $1,515.09. Trustee Doug 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. Engineering is working on blinking lights in various areas. Crews are checking the roadway lights in Mid Carolina Commerce Park.
President Avery reviewed the fiber projections for the upcoming months and the use of the $341,782.34 fiber grant. NEC through CarolinaConnect has 2764 accounts for billing in November.
The Trustees reviewed the information for the ECSC Virtual Winter Conference to be held December 7-11, 2020.
President Avery referenced a memo from ECSC on a fundraiser for Tim Scott for Senate. All personal checks are due by December 1, 2020. This was accepted as information.
President Avery reviewed the NRECA Board of Directors Fall 2020 Meeting Report. This was accepted as information.
President Avery informed the trustees that he has been appointed Secretary and Mary B. Sheridan of Black River Cooperative has been appointed as a Trustee for the Palmetto Economic Development Corporation. This was accepted as information.
The Trustees also accepted as information a memo from Willis Sanders, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the ESCS.
President Avery referenced a memo from Arthur Guy, CFO, on the amounts for Capital Credit payments to be mailed in November 2020. After some discussion, a motion was made by Trustee Hipp to pay for the year of 2000 at $223,799.05. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.
President Avery informed the trustees that bids were returned from Davey Tree, Asplundh, and Ellason Tree for the 2021 Right of Way contracts. Out of the three, Ellason Tree offered the better bid. Trustee Nichols made a motion to award Ellason Tree the contact. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition.
There being no further business and without objections, Chairman Johnnie L. Dickert
adjourned the October Regular Board Meeting at 8:42 pm.
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SECRETARY APPROVED
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CHAIRMAN