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News & Views
from Your Elected
Representatives
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Board Meeting
April 23, 2002
The
meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Vice President Jim
Dyer with all members present (President Alicia Bonesteele was
present via conference call).
Beach/Horn moved to have the
auditor's report moved up on the agenda, the motion passed
unanimously. On a motion by Horn/Anderson the consent
calendar was unanimously approved as written.
Kenneth Kuhns and Scott Muller of
Kenneth Kuhns & Co. presented the auditor's report for the
year ending December 31, 2001. Muller said there were no
adjustments and the cooperative received a clean opinion. He
briefly explained the audit process. Muller stated Salem
Electric is in a very solid financial position. On a motion
from Anderson/Beach the auditor's report was accepted.
The Administrative Services report
included review of a three-year summary of taxes paid to the
cities of Keizer and Salem.
The Engineering and Operations report
included a status report on the power poles scheduled for
removal on Orchard Heights near the new West Salem High
School. On a question from President Bonesteele, Bob Speckman
updated the board on the status of efforts to replace or
salvage the heating system in the Salem Electric office.
The Member Services report included
an update on the SEMAP Program; it is anticipated that
$172,000 will be spent this year.
Angie Thomas said she has a final
project due for Leadership Youth. She will be writing an essay
describing her interaction with, and reactions to, the
Leadership Youth Program. She said she has enjoyed her time
with the Salem Electric board and has learned a lot about the
various jobs and activities of the cooperative. She was very
appreciative of her time spent with the board. Vice President
Dyer presented Thomas with a scholarship and thanked her for
her participation on the board.
General Manager Bob Speck-man
reported that the Northwest Public Power Association
delegation to Washington D.C. had a very successful trip. He
said they were promoting Bonneville's borrowing authority, and
expressing concerns about deregulation, the National Energy
Policy Act and other issues.
Speckman reported that Salem Electric
was visited by a delegation of electric utility executives and
regulators from India. The group had many questions about
distribution, transmission and the operations of a
cooperative.
The Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative
Association's (ORECA) mid-year meeting is scheduled for July
19, 2002. Anderson will remain the primary voting delegate
with Speckman as the alternate.
Horn will represent Salem Electric on
the new ORECA Ways and Means Committee. Bonesteele's name has
been submitted to replace former board member John Elliott on
the Mid-Valley Community Development Partnership Board.
Speckman toured the new West Salem
High School and informed the board of Salem Electric's
participation in the Founders Club. This entails a donation
which will place Salem Electric's name, along with other
donors, on a permanent plaque at the school.
Speckman said everything is on
schedule for the annual meeting on May 14, 2002.
In order to enhance communication
between directors and staff via e-mail, Salem Electric has a
policy of either providing board members with a computer or
contributing toward the purchase or upgrade of a director's
own computer. The board approved staff-recommended changes to
this policy.
There were no appearances of
interested members.
Under new business, Thomas said she
is a volunteer for the American Red Cross and told of an
upcoming blood drive.
The meeting adjourned at 8:19 pm.
Jeff Anderson
Secretary/Treasurer
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 I
recently applied for, and was appointed to, an open position
on the Salem Electric Board of Directors. I am looking forward
to representing you on the board.
I
moved to Oregon in 1971, and I have been a Salem Electric
customer since moving to West Salem in 1972. My wife, Vicki,
and I have been married for 33 years and raised three children
who attended Salem-Keizer public schools. My daughter, Mara,
attended South Salem High School, and my two boys, John and
Richard, attended North Salem High School. My wife is a native
Oregonian, born and raised in Salem. When I completed an
advanced degree at the University of Wyoming, I looked for
employment in Colorado, my native state, and in Oregon my
wife's native state. I found employment at the Oregon
Department of Education, we moved to Salem, and we have been
here ever since.
In
1974, I became Director of Counseling at Chemeketa Community
College. At that time Chemeketa had an enrollment of
approximately 7,000 students. After serving in a number of
other positions (Dean of Students, Dean of College Services,
and Vice President of Academic Services), I became President
of Chemeketa in 1993. After a wonderful 27-year career, I
retired from Chemeketa in the summer of 2001. The year I
retired, Chemeketa had an enrollment of over 58,000 students -
quite a contrast to the 7,000 enrolled in 1974. I was very
fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with a wonderful
group of talented faculty and staff. I also worked with a
dedicated seven-person board whose major focus was on serving
the needs of the community and providing essential services to
students. It was a wonderful career of which I am extremely
proud.
During
my years at Chemeketa, I also learned the importance of giving
back to the community that supported our efforts. I've been
involved with the Marion/Polk County Family YMCA as a board
member and campaign fundraiser for a number of years. I've
served on a number of boards and commissions dealing with K-12
and higher education issues. I also have been a Rotary Club
member for over 20 years. I believe it is imperative, if we
want a strong community, that each person must be involved and
give of oneself.
I
am looking forward to serving you as a director on the Salem
Electric board. Before applying for the director's position I
carefully reviewed Salem Electric as to its staffing and
business practices. I found that the organization had a
dedicated and experienced staff who are committed to its
customers. I strongly support Salem Electric's five key goals:
reliable service, financial integrity, good customer
relations, good employee relations and lowest possible rates.
I also found that customer satisfaction is very high. Learning
this, I decided to apply for the director position.
I
worked with a local institution, Chemeketa Community College,
which is committed to the needs of its students and community.
I am proud to join Salem Electric, which also is committed to
its customers and community. I will work hard representing you
and insuring that the directions taken by Salem Electric are
ones that enhance services and are of benefit to its members.
If you have questions or comments, please don't hesitate to
call me at 503 581-9969 or e-mail me at: mjrberg@ncn.com
Jerry Berger
Director
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