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Taking co-op message to D.C. lawmakers

Sixty-five Tennesseans joined 2,100 co-op leaders from across the country in Washington, D.C. for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Legislative Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 25 and 26. Co-op directors, managers and senior staff visited with Tennessee’s congressional delegation to discuss energy supply, rural infrastructure, broadband, tax policy and other issues important to co-ops.

During an address at the conference, Energy Secretary Rick Perry hailed electric cooperatives for delivering affordable, reliable electricity to rural America and encouraged them to advocate on their challenges, especially grid security. “We have the greatest electric grid in the world,” Perry said, “and we need to keep it that way.”

“From energy and economic development to broadband and rural commerce, co-ops have a significant impact on Tennessee’s rural communities,” says David Callis, executive vice president of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “The decisions made in D.C. matter, and it is important for co-ops to be engaged. I appreciate the co-op leaders from across the state who joined us on Capitol Hill to tell the co-op story.”

Co-op leaders met with U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker as well as Reps. Black, Blackburn, Duncan, Desjarlais, Fleischmann, Kustoff and Roe.

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Broadband Accessibility Act Passes General Assembly

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee House of Representatives tonight passed the Broadband Accessibility Act on a 93 to 4 vote. The legislation now moves to Gov. Bill Haslam for his signature.

“Access to high-speed internet has the potential to shape the future of rural Tennessee,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Gov. Haslam, Sen. Mark Norris and Rep. David Hawk have been tireless advocates for this legislation. We appreciate them and everyone who showed their support for the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act and the people of rural Tennessee.”

The Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act removes restrictions that currently prevent electric cooperatives from providing retail internet access. More than 800,000 Tennesseans, many of whom live in areas served by electric co-ops, do not have access to high-speed internet.

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides leadership, advocacy and support for Tennessee’s 23 electric cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical. Visit tnelectric.org or tnmagazine.org to learn more.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Trent Scott | Vice President of Strategy | 615.515.5534 | [email protected]

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Co-ops bring young leaders to Nashville

More than 45 high school juniors from across the state attended the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association’s annual Youth Leadership Summit March 13–15 in Nashville.

Sen. Jim Tracy on Tuesday, March 14, greeted delegates attending the three-day leadership and government workshop. Tracy welcomed the young leaders to the Senate Chamber of the Tennessee State Capitol where Alan Whittington, assistant chief clerk of the Senate, explained the process required to pass legislation. Students had the opportunity to debate and vote on a mock bill.

Reps. Mike Bell and John Ray Clemmons joined Sen. Tracy for a town hall meeting with attendees. The three discussed the legislative process and answered questions posed by summit attendees. Delegates then had the opportunity to listen in on debate in House and Senate committee meetings in Legislative Plaza.

In addition to a hands-on look at state government, delegates to the event learned team-building and problem-solving skills and developed a better understanding of their local electric cooperatives.

“I have learned a lot about the Senate and House of Representatives and how laws are passed,” says  Sarah Shoate, a junior from Adamsville High School attending the Youth Leadership Summit. “I’m really grateful for the opportunity to come here and improve my leadership skills. I’m grateful for Pickwick Electric Cooperative. My co-op really does a lot to make sure leaders of tomorrow get the opportunities they deserve.”

Delegates to the Youth Leadership Summit are encouraged to be leaders and use their talents to improve rural Tennessee. “Local electric co-ops, school officials and guidance counselors chose these deserving students to attend the summit based on their interests in government and strong leadership abilities,” says Todd Blocker, vice president of member relations for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and director of the Youth Leadership Summit. “They will be the next generation of leaders in rural Tennessee, and we want to prepare them for the challenges and opportunities they will face.”

“We want these students to share our passion for rural Tennessee and help them appreciate the things that make our rural communities special,” says David Callis, CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Each year we are encouraged by the caliber of young people who call rural Tennessee ‘home.’”

 

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Co-ops Respond to Governor’s Broadband Plan

NASHVILLE – Today Governor Bill Haslam announced the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act, a part of the NextTennessee legislative agenda. The plan outlines efforts to expand broadband access in Tennessee, including lifting restrictions that currently prevent electric co-ops from providing retail broadband service.

“The Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act acknowledges the unique role electric co-ops can play in expanding access to broadband,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We are honored that the governor recognizes the deep roots co-ops have in rural and suburban Tennessee, and we look forward to working with the members of the 110th General Assembly to expand connectivity and opportunity.”

Electric cooperatives are consumer-owned, not-for-profit energy companies. There are 23 electric co-ops in Tennessee that provide energy to 2.5 million Tennesseans across 71 percent of that state’s landmass. Co-ops serve areas with the greatest need for expanded broadband access, but legal restrictions currently prevent co-ops from providing retail broadband service.

Co-op members are encouraged to visit takeactionTN.com to sign up for updates about broadband expansion in Tennessee.

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides legislative and communication support for Tennessee’s 23 electric cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical. Visit tnelectric.org or tnmagazine.org to learn more.

 

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Contact:
Trent Scott | Vice President of Corporate Strategy | [email protected] | 731.608.1519

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110th Tennessee General Assembly app now available

Legislative directory app connects Tennesseans with elected officials

NASHVILLE – Tennesseans interested in government and politics have a powerful, pocket-sized tool for connecting with their elected representatives.

The 110th Tennessee General Assembly app features a continually updated, searchable database of contact, staff and committee information as well as photos, leadership roles and social media profiles for members of the Tennessee House and Senate.  The app also contains information on the governor and his cabinet and the Tennessee Congressional delegation.

Developed by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and Bass, Berry & Sims PLC, the 99-cent app is available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices and can be found by searching for “Tennessee General Assembly” in the Apple App Store or Google PLAY Marketplace.

newphone“We have produced print directories of the General Assembly for more decades, and this is our fifth year to release an app,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “It is important for Tennesseans to be active and involved with their elected officials, and the app is a tool that makes it easy to speak up on issues that are important.”

“The app is ideal for anyone who wants to monitor the activities at the state Capitol and is designed to be the best reference possible for those who are interested in or work with Tennessee legislators,” says Dick Lodge, partner with Bass Berry & Sims PLC.

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides legislative and communication support for Tennessee’s 23 electric cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical. Visit tnelectric.org or tnmagazine.org to learn more.

 

App Store
Google Play

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Contact:
Trent Scott | Vice President of Corporate Strategy | [email protected] | 731.608.1519

Images:
Download high resolution graphics of the app icon and the app.

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Broadband Communications Plan

You do not have access to this content. Please contact Trent Scott at [email protected] for more information on the broadband communications plan.
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Legislature expected to bring big changes

When the 110th General Assembly gavels into session on January 10th, a number of issues of importance to electric co-ops stand to become major points of focus for lawmakers.  After the first week’s formalities and announcements of committee assignments, there will be a two-week recess to move offices and re-organize. Then, the session will kick into high gear as Governor Haslam will deliver his State of the State address on the first day that Members return to Nashville.

Currently, the State has a budget surplus of over $1 billion. The State of the State typically focuses on the Governor’s budget priorities, and this year’s address should provide no shortage of ideas on how to budget those surplus funds. The following day, January 31, will be TECA’s annual Day on the Hill and Legislative Reception. Attendees will witness first-hand the collective reaction of lawmakers to the new spending priorities.

In addition to passage of a budget, the Governor has publicly indicated on several occasions that he intends to focus on three large issues: transportation funding, broadband and the internet sales tax. Broadband has been a hotly debated topic at the Capitol for nearly a decade; however, most of the controversy has surrounded the role(s) of municipal electric utilities and existing private sector broadband providers. No significant legislation has passed, and pressure on lawmakers continues to increase to find solutions to the lack of adequate access to broadband in rural areas.

Meanwhile, both the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations have conducted studies to gauge the extent of the problem. ECD’s study found that 34 percent of rural Tennesseans lack access to basic broadband services, and both studies concluded that electric cooperatives are well positioned to help solve the problem but face legal restrictions from doing so.

Governor Haslam convened an inter-agency task force to discuss the topic and heard presentations from many interested parties, including electric cooperatives. While the final language is not yet available, it is expected that the Governor will propose comprehensive legislation to the General Assembly for consideration this year. We expect this legislation will include repealing laws that currently prohibit electric cooperatives from offering broadband internet service.

This would be the most significant and far-reaching legislation involving electric cooperatives in decades. Other broadband bills, in addition to the one brought by the Administration, could be introduced by other members of the Legislature.

While the legislative process is always difficult to predict, there should be a number of other bills that are of interest to co-ops. Legislation concerning net metering and third-party solar financing are anticipated to return in 2017. Representative John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge), should re-file his bill to create a Tennessee Energy Policy Council. The Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association is expected to again pursue changes that would require a public referendum in any instance of the sale of a municipal electric plant. We will be watching for any potential state-level reaction to Nashville’s passage of a “One-Touch Make Ready” ordinance (also called “Climb Once”) regarding the process for making new pole attachments.  Increased interest in small-cell technology by the wireless phone industry could result in pole-attachment related legislation.

TECA’s Government Affairs team is prepared and looking forward to working with co-ops across the state through what could be a history-making legislative session.

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Call for Nominations: TCC Young Leaders Conference

Once again it’s time to choose your cooperative’s couples (or individuals) to attend the 2017 Tennessee Young Leaders Conference on Friday and Saturday, February 24 and 25, at the Drury Plaza Hotel in Franklin, Tennessee.  Please pass this information along as soon as possible to the person in your organization who is responsible for couple selection.

This highly regarded conference is a combined effort of the Tennessee Council of Cooperatives (TCC) and the Tennessee Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers organization.  Your TCC dues cover the conference registration fee, hotel room cost and cost of conference meals.  All information is available at tennesseecouncilofcoops.org. I would encourage you to review the exciting agenda which has been included with this announcement.  Once again, the 2017 YLC is lining up to be one of the most diversified events ever assembled by the TCC and we hope that you will send an outstanding couple or individual who will benefit and appreciate this unique educational opportunity.  And as an added bonus the host hotel is located at the Drury Plaza in Cool Springs / Franklin TN, an area that has something to offer everyone!

TCC’s annual conference provides cooperatives across the state a unique opportunity to educate its young leaders regarding the benefits of cooperatives.  Your council has worked hard to build a foundation of appreciation and support for existing cooperatives among conference participants.  Those attending the 2017 conference will be exposed to ideas and information that will enable them to add value to their own businesses, form new niche cooperatives with others in their communities, and meet the challenges of the future with cooperative marketing innovations.

More than ever, to be selected for this conference should be considered a true honor and opportunity for your participants.  We encourage you to carefully select attendees.  Sending outstanding people to this conference may be your single most important outreach activity to ensure that the cooperative way of doing business remains strong in the future.

Couple(s) or person(s) chosen should be:

  • under 50 years of age
  • interested member(s) of your cooperative
  • persons who will benefit from this educational experience

For attendees with young children, childcare will be provided during the meeting sessions.

Please select your representatives, complete a copy of the attached registration form in full and mail, e-mail, or fax it to the TCC’s Administrative Secretary-Treasurer Roberta Smith no later than Wednesday February 1, 2017.  We will need one registration form per couple or per single participant.  When we receive the completed registration forms, Roberta will make hotel registrations for the couple or person you have chosen.

If you have additional questions, do not hesitate to contact Roberta Smith at [email protected] or at the information listed on the registration form.

 

[pdf-embedder url=”http://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/TCC-2017-YLC-Registration-Form.pdf” title=”tcc-2017-ylc-registration-form”]

[pdf-embedder url=”http://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2017-YLC-AGENDA.pdf” title=”2017-ylc-agenda”]

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TECA celebrates 75th anniversary at annual meeting in Nashville

Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association celebrates 75th anniversary at annual meeting in Nashville

NASHVILLE – “Unified” was the theme of the 75th annual meeting of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, held Sunday, Nov. 20, through Tuesday, Nov. 22, in Nashville. More than 350 electric cooperative leaders from across the state attended the event, and were reminded that they best serve consumer-owners when co-ops work together for a common purpose.

“Anniversaries present the unique opportunity to examine our past,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “The leaders who formed our co-ops and this association were visionaries, and their accomplishments merit our gratitude and celebration. TECA is using this occasion as an opportunity to refine our focus and prepare the association to meet the challenges of the next 75 years through the leadership, advocacy and support we provide.”

The first Dr. K. T. Hutchinson award was presented to Sen. Ken Yager in honor of his courageous support of electric cooperatives and rural Tennessee. Dr. Hutchinson was instrumental in the formation of electric co-ops in Tennessee in the 1940s and served as the first president of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association.

“Tennessee’s electric cooperatives have no better friend than Sen. Yager,” says Mike Knotts, vice president of government affairs for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “He is an enthusiastic supporter of rural Tennessee.”

During the meeting, elections were held for positions on the association’s board of trustees. Michael Watson, general manager of Duck River Electric Membership Corporation in Shelbyville; Larry Storie, a director for Volunteer Energy Cooperative in Decatur; and Steve Sanders, a director for Gibson Electric Membership Corporation in Trenton, were elected to four-year terms.

“Congratulations to those honored with leadership positions,” says Callis. “Their talents and ideas will be valuable as we continue our mission to serve Tennessee’s electric cooperatives and their members.”

The second annual TECA Top Tenn Communications Awards were presented during the event. Duck River Electric Membership Corporation received an award for Best External Newsletter or Magazine Section; Appalachian Electric Cooperative, Best Internal Newsletter; Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, Best Website; and Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, Best Use of Social Media. Gibson Electric Membership Corporation and Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation each received Awards of Excellence in the Wild Card category, with Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative and Appalachian Electric Cooperative earning Wild Card Awards of Merit.

“It is important for electric cooperative consumer-owners to be educated and informed,” says Robin Conover, TECA’s vice president of communications and editor of The Tennessee Magazine. “We honor these winners for telling the electric cooperative story in a professional way across multiple platforms.”

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides legislative and communication support for Tennessee’s 23 electric cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical. Visit tnelectric.org or tnmagazine.org to learn more.

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Tennessee crews to assist with Matthew restoration

Volunteer lineworkers from eight electric cooperatives to participate in restoration effort following massive hurricane

NASHVILLE – More than 80 electric cooperative lineworkers from Tennessee are heading to South Carolina and Florida to restore power to those affected by Hurricane Matthew.

“Eight electric cooperatives in Tennessee are sending personnel and equipment to Florida and South Carolina to assist electric cooperatives impacted by this massive storm,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We are proud of these volunteers who are leaving their families to help others in need. This will be hard, dangerous work in difficult conditions.”

Electric cooperative organizations across the Southeast began developing response plans earlier this week, and details have been adjusted as the exact path of the storm and the extent of the damage became more certain. This cooperation is enabled through mutual-aid agreements among electric cooperatives.

Crews will be assisting Berkley Electric Cooperative near Charleston, South Carolina, and Clay Electric Cooperative in Keystone Heights, Florida.

“One day, we will need help,” says Callis, “and when that tornado or ice storm arrives, we know that this assistance will be repaid. Cooperation is one of the founding principles of electric cooperatives. It is what makes us different from other utilities.”

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides legislative and communication support for Tennessee’s 23 electric cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical. Visit tnelectric.org or tnmagazine.org to learn more.

 

Assisting Clay Electric Cooperative in Keystone Heights, Florida:

  • 11 lineworkers from Appalachian Electric Cooperative, New Market
  • 12 lineworkers from Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, Clarksville
  • eight lineworkers from Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Shelbyville
  • eight lineworkers from Fayetteville Public Utilities, Fayetteville
  • 12 lineworkers from Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation, Murfreesboro
  • 15 lineworkers from Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, Carthage

 

Assisting Berkley Electric Cooperative near Charleston, South Carolina:

  • 10 lineworkers from Plateau Electric Cooperative, Onieda
  • 11 lineworkers from Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, South Pittsburg

 

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Tennessee’s electric cooperatives celebrate National Co-op Month

Being part of a cooperative means being part of something special. Tennessee’s electric cooperatives are celebrating National Cooperative Month in October, along with 40,000 other cooperative businesses serving more than 120 million people nationwide.

“Cooperatives Build” is the theme of this year’s National Cooperative Month. “There are so many ways that cooperatives help to build a stronger rural America,” says Trent Scott, vice president of corporate strategy for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Tennessee’s electric co-ops have a significant impact on the communities we serve in ways that go far beyond the delivery of energy.”

Consider these ways that co-ops build:

Cooperatives Build Trust

Most co-ops strive to adhere to seven key cooperative principles, which combine to help build trust between the co-op, its members and the community. For example, the first principle is Voluntary and Open Membership, which means that we are a voluntary organization open to all people to use our services and willing to accept the responsibility of membership. The second principle, Democratic Member Control, gives members a voice in the cooperative’s policies and decisions. Through the fifth principle, Education, Training and Information, co-ops enable members to contribute to the development of our cooperative.

Cooperatives Build Community

The seventh cooperative principle is Concern for Community. Cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through employee involvement in local organizations, through charitable contributions to community efforts and through support for schools.

Cooperatives Build Jobs

Cooperatives generate jobs in their communities, keep profits local and pay local taxes to help support community services. Cooperatives often take part in community improvement programs, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to benefit from the cooperative experience. Tennessee co-ops employee more than 2,600 employees across the state, creating many technical and professional career opportunities otherwise unavailable in rural communities.

For more information, visit www.coopmonth.coop.

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Software to improve mutual aid coordination

For decades, TECA has organized cooperative mutual aid across Tennessee, and a new software application will help co-ops better coordinate efforts during events that require assistance.

The system developed by the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi allows co-ops in need to request aid and responding co-ops to assign crews and equipment – all in real-time using a web-based portal. The software also tracks time and expenses for consistent and efficient FEMA reporting. Tennessee joins statewides in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Virginia, Maryland, Deleware, Kentucky, Indiana, New Hampshire and South Dakota already using the software, enabling utilities from across state lines to respond to significant events.

“Coordinating mutual aid for co-ops is one of the most important things we do at TECA,” says Todd Blocker, TECA’s vice president of member relations and statewide liason for Tennessee co-ops. “Time matters when members are in the dark. This system allows us to respond to calls for assistance in a more organized, efficient and effective manner and get the lights back on for our members.”

TECA will conduct training on the Cooperative Mutual Aid Assistance program on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the TECA Conference Center in Nashville. All systems are encouraged to have a representative in attendance. Registration is open here.

 

 

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Co-ops light state fair midway

Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation lineman James Crowder flipped a ceremonial switch to light the midway at the 2016 Tennessee State Fair on Friday, Sept. 9.

CEMC lineman Jame Crowder lights the midway during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Tennessee State Fair.

CEMC lineman Jame Crowder lights the midway during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Tennessee State Fair.

Attendees of the opening ceremony heard from legislators and elected officials, including Nashville Mayor Megan Berry and Robin Conover, editor of The Tennessee Magazine.

“Like the fair, electric cooperatives have a tradition service and innovation,” said Conover. “Our local cooperatives are leaders in their communities and are constantly working to find new and creative ways to better serve their members. Tennessee’s electric co-ops make a significant impact on the state’s rural counties and small towns. We serve more than 2.5 million Tennesseans, and our service areas cover 71 percent of the state. We provide jobs for 2,600 employees and pay more than $63 million in taxes. We also keep the lights on 99.96 percent of the time and invest about $10 million each month in infrastructure. Clearly, we believe each small town and community plays its own vital role in the fabric of Tennessee.”

Co-op linemen from across the state presented “Everyday Safe” demonstrations during the fair, educating students, farmers, first responders and others on the importance of electric safety.

“For more than 150 years, the fair has been a celebration of rural Tennessee life,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “It is where World War I hero Sgt. Alvin York showed his prize Hereford and generations have marked the beginning of autumn. It is an honor for Tennessee’s electric co-ops to be a part of this great event.”

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Callis addresses TVA board, discusses energy efficiency

During the regular TVA board of directors meeting on Thursday, August 25, David Callis, executive vice president and general manager for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, expressed appreciation to the TVA board for viewing energy efficiency as a generated resource. Callis also thanked TVA staff for their support of an energy efficiency program being developed by Tennessee’s electric cooperatives that will help low-income homeowners make needed improvements to their homes.

“Most businesses don’t want you to use less of what they are selling,” said Callis. “But that is what we have been trying to do – you at TVA and us as local power companies – and that is where energy efficiency comes into play.”

“Over the past year and a half, Tennessee’s electric cooperatives have been working closely with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation on a program that has the potential to improve the energy efficiency of hundreds, even thousands, of homes across the valley,” said Callis. “The best part of this program is that it targets families that don’t have the financial resources to make those improvements on their own and are unlikely to qualify for (other) loans.”

“TVA staff has been fantastic,” Callis concluded. “It has been a collaborative process from the beginning.”

 

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Tennessee co-ops make contribution to Louisiana co-op employee fund

More than 40 electric co-op employees in Louisiana have lost their homes following devastating floods. Today, Tennessee’s electric cooperatives made a $10,000 donation to a fund established by the Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives to assist co-op employees.

“On multiple occasions, Louisiana co-ops have enthusiastically answered our call for help following storms and other events, and our thoughts and prayers are with them this week,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We encourage co-ops across the nation to join us in supporting Louisiana co-ops. Co-op Nation is strongest when we support one another.”

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides legislative and communications support for Tennessee’s 23 electric cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical. Visit tnelectric.org or tnmagazine.org to learn more.

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The Windshield or the Rear View Mirror?

When you’re driving down the road, do you spend more time looking out your windshield or your rear view mirror? Well, if you’re doing it right –the windshield receives far more attention than the mirror. It’s good to glance at where you’ve been, but far more important to see what lies ahead.

It’s important for any company to plan for the future, but it is extremely important for a utility that provides an essential service for a community. The decisions you make have lasting impact to the communities we serve. If we spend too much time resting on the laurels of past victories, we fail too see the needs of the future.

President Lyndon Baines Johnson reminded us of this responsibility on July 14, 1965:

“America and Americans, if they are going to continue to provide the leadership for the free world, must constantly look to the future.

So in our society today we serve no really useful purpose by keeping alive differences and divisions of yesteryear. We don’t need to cling to the issues of the past. We do need to take hold of the issues of the future.

Now what does this mean to the rural electrification program, of which you are a part and which has filled a very vital role in the strengthening of this Nation and in the development of this Nation?

Well, you just cannot rest on the past. You must not just content yourselves with remembering old battles, or castigating old enemies, or parroting old slogans. None of us can do that and survive, whether we are business people, or laborers, or farmers, or politicians–but, least of all, men and women who are part of something that is as dynamic as the rural electric cooperatives.”

“So what do you need to do? You need to look far into the future–beyond 1965 or 1966 or 1970. And you really can’t look far into the future, and you really cannot provide the leadership that you ought to provide, and you really cannot be a doer if you just ask yourself constantly, “What will I get out of this?” and “How does it serve me?” You have got to be selfless.

You have got to have a desire and an ambition to help people who can’t help themselves if you are to provide the leadership that we need in the 20th century. You need to look to the America of 1980, and what it is going to be like, not just let it slip up on us–and 1990. You must look to the year 2000, when the clock turns and a new century begins. You must take the lead, therefore, in planning today for what is going to happen 35 years from now. You must take the lead in planning for a fuller utilization of rural America–providing the power and the services to meet your share of the future’s demands.”

Those words are as true today as they were in 1965. Electrifying a nation is an impressive accomplishment. No one recognized that, or was more involved with it, than President Johnson. Yet he saw the need for turning the focus to the future. Challenges remain for our rural communities and we have to be the leaders that meet those challenges.

Flickr image Rearview Sunrise by BrianKhoury

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Tennessee Magazine gets the Willies

The Tennessee Magazine staff took home awards of merit for best photo and best editorial at the Willie Award Ceremony held Monday evening, Aug. 11, at the The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The National Rural Electric Statewide Editors Association Willie Awards is a peer-reviewed program that recognizes excellence in electric cooperative statewide consumer publications.

TECA Executive Vice President and General Manager David Callis received an award of merit for best editorial for Resiliency (Oct. 2015), and Robin Conover, vice president of communications and editor of The Tennessee Magazine, received best photo for this image from The Lions Roar (July 2015).

“Our staff works very hard to create quality content for the readers of The Tennessee Magazine,” says Conover. “Keeping readers engaged with interesting features, editorials and photography is our goal each month. It’s exciting to be recognized by our peers.”

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2015 Youth Tour delegates collect shoes for kids

One thing all Washington Youth Tour winners have in common when they return home is sore feet! During their week-long trip to D.C. this year, students took more than 123,000 steps — walking a whopping 61 miles! So when asked to come up with a group community service project, it was no surprise the 2015 delegates decided to host a shoe drive.

The students engaged their communities, family and friends in their efforts and jointly collected more than 100 pairs of new, youth-sized athletic shoes. This was no ordinary shoe drive, though, as the students chose to donate the shoes to Ashland City Elementary, a local school in rural Cheatham County. Principal Chip Roney was overwhelmed by the generosity and excited about being able to distribute the shoes during the school’s upcoming open house event.

That same excitement was shared by the students who gathered the shoes. “The amount of shoes we were able to collect will bring smiles to the faces of many children who otherwise might not get a new pair of school shoes this year,” says Eli Creasy, a 2015 WYT alumnus.

Youth Tour participants often return to their hometowns as stronger leaders with confidence they can make a difference. The 2015 WYT delegates exemplified this through their dedication to this community service project.

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Touchstone Energy to sponsor 2016 Super Pull of the South

Tennessee’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives will be sponsoring the Chapel Hill Lion’s Club Super Pull of the South on Friday and Saturday, July 22 and 23.

“We are excited about the platform that this event provides us to tell the story of Tennessee’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives,” says Trent Scott, vice president of corporate strategy for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “The partnerships between Touchstone Energy, participating co-ops and TECA allow us to have a presence and reach our members in ways that no single co-op can.” All 10 Touchstone Energy cooperatives in Tennessee are participating in this year’s event.

The Touchstone Energy hot air balloon team will be giving tethered rides and lifting the American flag over the stands each night during the opening ceremony. Co-op members visiting the Touchstone Energy booth will learn about electric safety and quick and effective ways to save energy. “We are pleased to have TVA joining us this year,” says Scott. “We will be telling members about the eScore program and handing out caulk, LED light bulbs and receptacle gaskets.” Members will also have the opportunity to win a riding lawn mower and other prizes.

Co-op members attending the event are encouraged to visit the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives of Tennessee booth just outside the entrance to the stands.

 

Touchstone Energy On Tour visited the event in 2015, and the footage they filmed became a part of their latest national advertising campaign.

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Move Over Tennessee

Five years after the Tennessee’s Move Over Law was expanded to include utility workers, lineman continue to face roadside hazards

[NASHVILLE] – In 2011, following efforts by Tennessee’s electric cooperatives and municipal utilities, the state’s Move Over law was revised to not only include police, firefighters and other first responders, but utility workers as well. Unfortunately, motorists do not always heed the law.

“We have had cars come through at high rates of speed, hitting the cones we have set up and clipping the outriggers that we have down to support the trucks,” says Greg Bryant, a lineforeman with Gibson EMC. “I think people care, they just don’t pay attention like they should.”

The requirements of the law are simple. On a four lane road, if safety and traffic conditions allow, a driver approaching a utility vehicle with flashing lights should move into the far lane. On a two lane road or when changing lanes is not possible, a driver should reduce their speed.

Electric co-op vehicles aren’t the only utility vehicles covered; service vehicles used by municipal electric systems, telephone companies and utility districts are also protected by the law.

“July marks the 5th anniversary of the expansion of the law, but most motorists are still not aware of it,” says David Callis, CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Our lineman perform an important job for our community. Changing lanes or slowing down to give them a little space is a simple courtesy that could save a life.”

More information about the law is available at moveovertennessee.org. Bumper stickers are available to help your co-op spread the word about the law. Co-ops can use discount code “moveoverco-ops” when ordering bumper stickers for their fleet.

 

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