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October 2007

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

Member Newsletter

Middle Georgia

The Official Newsletter of Middle Georgia Electric Membership Corporation

P.O. Box 190, Vienna, GA 31092

October 2007

MANAGER'S

Comments

By Hugh Richardson

October is National Cooperative Month

he electric membership corporations (EMCs) of

Georgia are all more than 60 years old. Under

President Roosevelt's Rural Electrification Act of
1936, the cooperative's original purpose was "to
provide electric service in the rural areas where no
other electric utility would go." That purpose is still
the same, despite some EMCs having grown tremen-
dously and providing some service in and around
metro areas.

Middle Georgia EMC is 67 years old,

and has had a small but steady
growth of members and sales.
Our largest challenge in the
beginning and now has been a
low density of meters. Today,
we serve 4.5 meters per mile
compared to 4.1 meters 20 years
ago--much less than the EMC
state average of 10 meters per
mile. However, we added more
than 2,000 meters during that 20-
year period. A higher density would
certainly help with our efficiency, but
we are still happy being primarily a
rural cooperative.

EMCs are regulated by the local Board of

Directors, who are elected each year by the mem-
bers they serve at the Annual Meeting of Members.
Annual meetings are held by the EMCs of Georgia
starting in April and ending in November, with 44
percent occurring in October, nationally known as
Cooperative Month.

Although some groups of people or legislators

have pushed for more regulation under the Public

Service Commission, it is
not necessary. We still
make decisions, approve
policies and design rates
based on what's best for our members. For example,
in 1995, we decided it would be best for our members
to reduce our rates. During a five-year period, residen-
tial rates came down a total of 14 percent, and that
rate remained into 2005. Last year, we decided it

would be best to give a rebate on margins

to our members.

All members received a

rebate on their statement in

December 2006.

We also prepared a

Deferred Revenue Plan

and put aside $500,000 to

help offset future possible

rate increases. These decisions

were made and implemented in a

short period of time by our Board

of Directors. I doubt we could

have accomplished what we did

in that timeframe if we were under

regulation. And if we were a regulated

business, the Deferred Revenue Plan may never have
been put into effect.

Keeping the rates low, issuing rebates and the

Deferred Revenue Plan couldn't have been possible
by being an investor-owned business. Since we are a
cooperative, all of our decisions are made with you in
mind. Help us in celebrating National Cooperative
Month, and be proud that you are not only a member,
but a part-owner of Middle Georgia EMC too.

GEORGIA MAGAZINE

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

Annual meeting highlights

iddle Georgia EMC's 67th Annual Meeting of

Members was a big success again this year. It

was held Thursday, July 12, at the Dooly County
Campground. Serviceman Daniel Bloodworth was
honored as Middle Georgia EMC's 2006 Employee of
the Year. Other employees recognized for their dedi-
cation and service were Mike McGee, Manager of
Operations & Engineering with 20 years; Gary Fowler,
AMR Operator with 20 years; and Doug Powell,
Purchasing Agent with 15 years. Congratulations to
you all on such an inspiring accomplishment!

This year's entertainment was provided by the

gospel group Five For One. The barbecue served

during lunch was prepared by
Chipper Jones and family.

During our annual meeting, the

following Directors from our Board
were re-elected to serve another
term from the following
counties: Ronnie
Youngblood, Dooly County,
District 1; David Dunaway,
Pulaski County, District 2;
and Jerry Rhodes, Wilcox
County, District 3.

Thanks for participation in voting

and making your annual meeting so
successful! We hope to see you again at
next year's meeting.

Always a welcome treat, snow cones helped members cool off
during the July annual meeting.

AMR Operator Gary Fowler, right, was honored for 20 years
of dedicated service.

Members lined up to get their health screened at the Health
Fair Center.

Serviceman Daniel Bloodworth, right, was honored as
Middle Georgia EMC's 2006 Employee of the Year.

Annual meeting highlights

October 2007

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

Heating and cooling

49%

Lighting, cooking and
other appliances 33%

Water heating 13%

Refrigeration 5%

Where do your home
energy dollars go?

lmost half of your home energy dollars go toward heating and

cooling your home. To conserve energy and save money, simply

adjust your thermostat to a comfortable temperature. When it's

warm, set the thermostat to 78 degrees and use fans to help stay

cool. When the weather turns cold, set the thermostat to

68 degrees. These simple actions could save up to 10 percent

yearly on your electric bill.

Setting the temperature extra low or high won't cool or heat

your home any faster. But it will make your air conditioner or fur-
nace work harder and use more electricity.

Energy conservation doesn't take a lot of time, money or effort.

And it can help reduce your energy bills when you make it part of
your daily routine.

o-ops' commitment to their communities stems from their

organization as member-owned and member-controlled

businesses. Being owned largely by people who live and
work in the communities they serve gives cooperatives a dif-
ferent perspective from businesses owned by distant
investors. Co-ops are motivated to serve their member-con-
sumers, not outside investors. That means they must also
serve the communities in which their members live and work.

Of course, investor-owned businesses also generate jobs

and make charitable contributions in their communities. But
for co-ops, it's a critical part of what they do and why they
do it.

October is Co-op Month

Farvello and Tomato
Basil Pasta

From Mrs. Kim Gay, Pinehurst

Ingredients

1 box spaghetti

Salt

1 red onion, chopped

1 (7.5-ounce) can mushrooms

1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Garlic (chopped), to taste

Olive oil

2 tablespoons basil, chopped

1 bag spring salad mix

Citrus Dressing

Vinegar, to taste

Olive oil, to taste

Garlic (minced), to taste

Freshly grated lemon peel

Freshly grated orange peel

Salt and pepper, to taste

Bring water to a boil, add salt

and pasta. Let boil for 15 min-
utes. In a large skillet, heat the
olive oil and sauté red onion,
mushrooms, tomatoes and garlic.
When pasta is cooked, drain and
add to the sautéed vegetable and
toss to combine. Top with
chopped basil. Serve alongside
spring green salad mix tossed
with Citrus Dressing. For the
dressing, add all ingredients into
a bowl and whisk to combine.

Lisa's recipe corner

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

GEORGIA MAGAZINE

Board of Directors

Don Wood

President

Johnny Noble

Vice President

Kay West

Secretary

Ronnie Youngblood

Treasurer

John David McCall

Director

Jerry F. Rhodes

Director

Royce Conner

Director

Ronnie Fleeman

Director

David Dunaway

Director

Davis and Forehand

Attorneys

Staff

Hugh Richardson

General Manager

Lisa Laney

Executive Secretary,

Newsletter Editor

Randy Kent

Office Manager

Mike McGee

Manager of Operations

and Engineering

Vienna Area (229) 268-2671

Rochelle

(Day) (229) 365-2263
(Night) 1-800-342-0144

Hawkinsville

(Day) (478) 892-3436
(Night) 1-800-342-0144

Office Hours

Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

(Branch offices closed from

12-1 p.m. daily)

Closed Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

There is a dispatcher on call 24 hours

a day for your convenience.

Rowell joins

Middle Georgia EMC

hosts, goblins and ghouls, oh my! But the real dangers on Halloween

come from falls, fires and street injuries. Follow these tips to keep chil-

dren safe while trick-or-treating this Halloween:

Decorate costumes, bags and sacks with reflective tape or stickers to
help kids stay visible.

Make sure costumes fit properly, avoiding those that drag on the
ground.

Purchase flame-resistant costumes and be careful of long, flowing skirts,
belts or loose ends that could catch fire.

Buy a costume in a light or bright color to ensure better visibility at
night, and decrease the risk of falling by providing trick-or-treaters with
flashlights.

Avoid masks as they can impair a child's vision. Makeup or nontoxic
face paint is a better alternative.

Reduce the risk of injury in case your child should trip or fall by pur-
chasing accessories such as knives, swords and other props made of
flexible material.

Teach children to walk, not run, while they're trick-or-
treating.

Instruct your children to travel
only in familiar areas and
on a pre-established
route. They should
never enter someone's
home. Also, they should
be wary of cutting across
lawns or yards; yard
ornaments and
unfamiliar terrain
can become
falling hazards.

Checklist for

Halloween safety

Welcome!

iddle Georgia EMC would like to welcome Matt

Rowell to our EMC family. Matt is our new part-time,

fill-in cashier for all three of our offices. Matt and his wife,

Amber, recently relocated to Vienna from Ocilla. Matt came

highly recommended to us from Irwin EMC. Matt is the pas-

tor at the Church of God in Vienna.