August 2006

Customer-Owners Hear About Value, Innovations at Annual Meeting

Over 2,500 Walton Electric Membership Corporation customer-owners and guests learned their electric company kept rates stable and implemented several service innovations over the past year.

Members of American Legion Post 233 honored our nation with the presentation of colors at the 70th Walton EMC Annual Members' Meeting.

CEO Ronnie Lee commented on energy prices. “We weathered the Perfect Energy Storm of 2005 with minimal damage. When it hit, our objective was clear: Continue to offer the lowest possible price for your electricity needs.”

“If you figure the bill of a typical consumer using 1,300 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month, they paid $123.90 in 1993,” continued Lee. “Take the same consumer today. The bill will be $125.60. That amounts to only a $1.70 difference.”

“The bottom line is your Walton EMC bill has stayed the same for the last 13 years. This is because you receive your electricity from a company that has your interests as its top priority,” said Lee.

Board Chairman Johnny Allgood talked about state-of-the-art technology that improves electric system reliability and customer service.“We installed a new outage reporting system that is more caller-friendly in getting information to us,” said Allgood. “At the same time, we put in 40 more phone lines. All this means you spend less time reporting your outage and we spend less time getting your information.

”Allgood also highlighted a new computer map system that replaces old paper maps in some of the co-op’s field vehicles. “Since Walton EMC has grown so much, it costs more to print a set of paper map books than it costs to buy a laptop computer. The electronic maps are now updated by a wireless connection. Our linemen don’t even take the computer out of their truck.

”Also during the business session, those voting elected two fellow customer-owners for three-year terms to represent them on the co-op’s board of directors.

Incumbent Sam Simonton of the Bold Springs district was re-elected without opposition. In the Eastville district, incumbent Jim Whitley defeated challenger Mark Thomas.

WEMC's Andy Brown presents a prize to one of the 1,169 registered customer-owners at the annual meeting.

Customer-owners enjoyed entertainment, refreshments and exhibits. Several won door prizes, including H. E. Shellnutt of Bishop, who won the main prize-a refurbished pickup truck.

<back>