Manager’s Message — March 2019
Hello! Here’s What’s on the Horizon
Dear Co-op Community Members:
I would like to introduce myself and let you know how pleased I am to be serving you as acting general manager of Lane Electric Cooperative. While I have only been in this role for one month, I have been part of the Lane Electric team for 20 years, with 10 years in management. I am well-acquainted with our systems, have industry knowledge, and am familiar with many of our members and the issues that are important to you.
Many of you may be wondering who will be Matt Michel’s permanent successor. That decision lies in the hands of our board of directors. They are following the general manager search & selection policy, and there will be updates as the process progresses.
In the meantime, I am laser-focused on keeping the organization running smoothly. I am grateful for a committed team of employees who are working alongside me to make sure you have safe and reliable power delivered to your homes and businesses. And when outages do occur, I assure you that we are committed to restoring power as quickly and safely as possible.
Here are a few things on the horizon for all of us:
- District Meetings. Stay tuned for exact dates and locations for the meeting in your area this May. See page 8 inside this issue for details on the directors whose terms expire and how to file to run for a seat on the board.
- Broadband Feasibility and Education. We have contracted with National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative to do a broadband feasibility study for our service area. Our board and employees will also receive education from NRTC about broadband—an entirely different industry than the electric utility that comes with its own terminology and systems. By pursuing this research, we are not guaranteeing we will be able to deploy broadband. We are doing our due diligence in response to member inquiries about the possibility, and we will keep you updated.
- Communications Preference Survey. As times and technology have evolved, we want to know from you how you would prefer to hear important news from us, such as outage notifications and updates. Expect a survey on this topic in the coming months.
On behalf of all the employees, from our linemen out in the field to our member service representatives in the office, we are moving forward in the cooperative way with an unending commitment to community and to you—our members.
If I haven’t met you already, I look forward to doing so very soon. Thank you for your membership with Lane Electric Cooperative.
Sincerely,
Debi Wilson
Acting General Manager
