Harrison REMC celebrates 75 years

Information from your electric cooperative
News
of
Note
Harrison REMC celebrates 75 years
1165 OLD FOREST ROAD
P.O. BOX 517
CORYDON, IN 47112
www.harrisonremc.com
Phone Numbers & Hours
Local.........................................812-738-4115
Local.........................................812-951-2323
Fax............................................812-738-2378
Email contact:........www.harrisonremc.com
and go to “Ask a Question” on the home page.
Website...................www.harrisonremc.com
Hours.....7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday
To report service interruptions, call:
812-738-4115 or 812-951-2323 day or night.
Board
of
Directors
Pat Book, Palmyra, President
Brian Koetter, Borden, Vice President
James Smith, Corydon, Secretary/Treasurer
David Walther, Lanesville
Darin Duncan, Elizabeth
C. Todd Uhl, Corydon
Larry Breeden, Mauckport
Roy Zimmerman, Laconia
David Poe, Floyds Knobs
Services We Offer
• Long distance phone service
• Security lights
• Rebate program
• Surge protection
• New home energy seminars
• Discount theme park tickets
Tip
of the
Month
Sleek new flat-panel TVs
can consume almost as
much electricity as a
refrigerator. In general,
the bigger the screen,
the more power it
draws, and HD pulls
more, too. Plasma screens
use the most energy, while LCD
TVs use much less. And remember
to change your new TV’s default
settings to a power saver mode, and
turn down the LCD backlight to save energy
without sacrificing picture quality.
— Cooperative Research Network
H
the Rural Electrification Administration
(REA). One of the key pieces of Roosappy New Year! For Harrison REMC,
evelt’s New Deal initiatives, the REA pro2013 truly is a special year. We have been
vided loans and other assistance so that
serving you, our members, for 75 years!
rural cooperatives — basically groups of
Life has changed over the years. Think
farmers — could build and run their own
about the impact electricity made in our
electrical distribution systems.
rural areas 75 years ago. Farm production
Back in Indiana, Harrison County
jumped, and people no longer had to work
established its own funding so work could
from dawn to dusk completing chores.
Below is an article reprinted from
Running water, lights and stored food were
David C. Lett begin.
The Corydon Republican, Thursday, July
possible. It’s hard to imagine life before
CEO
20, 1939:
electricity, but I am sure many of you do
Harrison REMC
Proof that the Harrison County Rural
and the stories would be endless.
Electrification project is well underway was
For Harrison REMC the realization
tendered by Tom E. Cooper,
of this dream came on
Laconia, superintendent,
Sept. 19, 1938, when five
“The efforts by Harrison REMC’s Wednesday when he revealed
rural residents appeared
that 30 miles of pole and
before the Indiana Public
initial members and board
line already had been
Service Commission with
will never be forgotten. Their
constructed from Corydon
the request for a frantoward Dam 43. Work first
chise for the service of
perseverance was key in the
started on June 30, and acmembers in a five-county
formation of Harrison REMC.”
cording to contract specificaarea. The franchise was
tions, must be completed to
granted that day and anthe extent of 300 miles by
other request was made
Sept. 30. “There are more than 500 miles of line in the
for an allotment of funds from the REA (Rural
entire project,” Mr. Cooper said.
Electrification Administration). On Dec. 30, 1938,
Next step in construction of the line will be the “saga telegram was received from the REA that Harging” of the lines between Corydon, the starting point,
rison County REMC had been given an allocation
and Dam 43 on the “A” line. That portion of the work
of $387,000 to bring electricity to this area of rural
will get underway in a few days.
Indiana. This was truly a grassroots effort and this
Mr. Cooper Wednesday issued an urgent appeal to
is how it all began:
persons in the project living between Corydon and Dam
In the 1930s, 90 percent of rural areas were in
43 on the “A” line to wire their homes for electricity imthe dark, forced to rely on ice boxes to cool food,
mediately in the event that they have not already done so.
kerosene lamps for light and wood stoves for cookMaps of the project have been sent to Washington offiing. The reason was the big investor-owned utilities
cials of the REMC in preparation for the second Federal
decided there was no profit to be made extending
allotment.
power lines into the countryside to electrify farms
And so it began. the electric iron and a radio
and small towns. In 1933, Indiana farmer and Farm
were among the first items to be bought for the
Bureau Manager I. Harvey Hull and others took
home. Radio was more than entertainment for
a trip to London for an international cooperative
rural families; it brought them farm, weather and
conference. During that trip, the group traveled to
market news and it ended their isolation from the
Norway and Sweden, where they discovered that 65
world. Many families cherished the opportunity to
percent of the rural areas were electrified through
listen to FDR’s “Fireside Chats.”
a group of electric cooperatives. Consumers owned
Washing machines, stoves and refrigerators
their electric lines by obtaining government financquickly followed. Appliance stores flourished as
ing for long-term, low-interest loans.
families rushed to join the 20th century. The appliHull returned to Indiana believing that this
ances and equipment made rural life much easier
model would work in America and would bring
and more efficient. Once the house was electrically
much needed electricity to the rural areas. Working
outfitted, power equipment for the farm was next.
alongside attorney Frederick Barrows, Hull began
Rural electrification became one of the most
to draft legislation which allowed for the formation
successful government programs ever enacted.
of the REMCs across the Hoosier state. On March
Within two years, it helped bring electricity to some
9, 1935, Gov. Paul V. McNutt signed the Indiana
1.5 million farms though 350 rural cooperatives in
REMC Act into law. This was the first of its kind in
45 of 48 states. Almost half of all farms were wired
the country.
by 1942 and virtually all by the 1950s.
Nationally, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
The efforts by Harrison REMC’s initial members
saw the solution of this hardship as an opportunity
and board will never be forgotten. Their perseverto create new jobs, stimulate manufacturing, and
ance was key in the formation of Harrison REMC.
begin to pull the nation out of the despair and
Here’s to another 75 years!
hopelessness of the Great Depression. On May 11,
1935, he signed an executive order establishing
ELECTRIC CONSUMER • JANUARY 2013 • 7K
REMC to award local students
scholarships to IU Southeast
Applications are now available for scholarships to
Indiana University Southeast. Harrison REMC has provided these scholarships to encourage our local youth
to continue their education. The eligibility requirements for the REMC IUS
scholarships are as follows:
•The applicant’s parent or guardian must be
currently receiving electric service from Harrison
REMC.
•The applicant must be a high school senior
who has been accepted at IUS for the 2013 fall
semester as a full-time student (12 credit hours) and
have an SAT score on file at IUS.
•Seniors must also provide a one page essay as
to why they are the best candidate for this scholarship
along with the application.
Indiana University Southeast will make the
selection from each participating school. Immediate
family members of an employee or director of the Harrison REMC are ineligible for the scholarship.
The deadline for the application to be returned
to IUS is March 20. Applications for the scholarships have been sent to school guidance counselors.
Interested students should check with their schools.
Applications are also available at the REMC office and
online at www.harrisonremc.com.
A guide to REMC’s IVR system
Harrison REMC recently launched a new technology to
enhance our phone system, the cooperative’s interactive voice response (IVR) system. The IVR, which is
seamlessly integrated with Harrison REMC’s outage
management system (OMS), allows co-op members
to report and check the status of power outages more
quickly and efficiently than ever before. The system
allows us to serve you more efficiently.
One enormous benefit of this system is its ability to help you quickly report a power outage when it
occurs at your home. Members also can pay their bill
using a credit card or by e-check, check their balance
and update phone numbers. The REMC must have
valid contact information on file for the member’s account in order for the system to function effectively.
You can clip and save the instructions below for
quick reference when you need to report an outage,
pay your bill or get account information.
Instructions for using IVR
1.) Dial 812-738-4115 or 812-951-2323.
2.) Listen for the option you need.
3.) Press “1” to report an outage OR
press “2” to make a payment or get account
information. Listen for further options.
4.) If option “2” was selected:
•Press “1” to get account information.
•Press “2” to pay bill by debit card, credit
card or check.
•Press “3” to update phone numbers on
your account.
You also can speak to a CSR by pressing zero (0)
or saying “operator.”
8K • ELECTRIC CONSUMER • JANUARY 2013
Apply for eight-day trip to Gettysburg, D.C.
H
igh school juniors have a chance to join other
Indiana youth on a trip of a lifetime this summer.
Applications are now available for the 2013 Indiana
Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.
The trip begins on June 12 in Indianapolis
and ends on June 20.
The Indiana delegation will include
over 75 students from across the
state, each selected by his/her local
cooperative. Hoosier students will
travel to Washington, D.C., where
they will join nearly 1,600 students
— representing 44 states — for the
Rural Electric Youth Tour Rally,
sponsored by the National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association
(NRECA).
“Harrison REMC is pleased
to be able to provide this opportunity for local students,”
said Cathy Racicot, member
communications coordinator.
“It’s a great trip and a wonderful
chance to see the sights, make
new friends and learn how everyone, even young people, can be
a leader and make a difference
in his/her community — and
the world!”
The Indiana delegation will
meet in Indianapolis on June 12 to get acquainted
and learn about electric cooperatives and electrical
safety. Students will also enjoy a kick-off dinner at
the Indiana Statehouse featuring a keynote address
from a prominent political and/or business leader.
The student group makes its first stop on Thursday
afternoon at the 9/11 Flight 93 National Memorial
in Shanksville, Pa., before arriving in Gettysburg,
Pa., later that evening. In recognition of the 150th
anniversary of the Civil War battle, this year students
will spend two days touring battlefield sites, visiting
the wax museum and viewing “Fields of Freedom,”
a short film providing an in-depth look at the war’s
most famous battle. Following dinner Friday night
at the Dobbin House Tavern, built in 1776, students
and chaperones will hear an historic account of what
it was like to live in Gettysburg during what many
consider to be the bloodiest three days in
American history.
The caravan arrives in Washington,
D.C., on Saturday afternoon to begin a
full schedule of sightseeing and visits
to the national memorials — including the new Martin Luther King,
Jr. Memorial — and a collection of
museums, such as the Newseum and
the National Archives, plus a night
cruise on the Potomac River and
a trip back in history at Medieval
Times®. Students will also have
an opportunity to compete for a
$1,000 scholarship and a position
on the Youth Leadership Council.
On Tuesday, students will
visit Capitol Hill and participate
in exclusive meetings with Indiana’s congressional delegation
and legislative staff. During the
meetings, students will have a
chance to ask questions about
current issues and topics which
they feel are important to them,
their families and the communities in which they live.
Indiana’s electric cooperatives have hosted the
Youth Tour since 1960, providing hundreds of young
Hoosiers the opportunity to visit our nation’s capital,
develop their leadership skills, and learn about the
federal government and the cooperative utility industry. For more information about the 2013 Indiana
Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.,
or to receive an application, contact Cathy Racicot at
812-738-4115 or visit our website, www.harrisonremc.
com. Applications must be submitted to the REMC
office by Feb. 13.
Attend an upcoming
HOME SEMINAR
Are you preparing to build a new home?
Do you want to make your current
home more energy efficient? You can
learn about home energy efficiency
by attending one of these seminars,
offered by your local REMCs.
•High Performance Home, Part 1
Jan. 9, 7 p.m. at Harrison REMC
Feb. 6, 7 p.m. at Harrison REMC
•High Performance Home, Part 2
Jan. 10, 7 p.m. at Harrison REMC
Feb. 7, 7 p.m. at Harrison REMC
Electric cars pose new risks for emergency personnel
O
ver 90 volunteer firefighters and EMS staff attended the annual Emergency Personnel Seminar in
December at Harrison REMC.
A meal was followed by a presentation from Brad
Montgomery of John Jones Chevrolet. Montgomery
spoke about electric vehicles and the risks they may
pose to firefighters and first responders in an emergency. For fuel economy and crash safety, many of these
vehicles use lightweight, but high-strength boron steel.
Traditional saws can’t cut through it, so firefighters
have to know where the built-in cut points are located.
They also have to know how to disengage electrical
power systems. The electric car motor in the Chevy
Volt packs a 300 volt charge, so first responders have
to know where they can — and especially where they
cannot — cut on an electric car.
Brad Montgomery of John Jones Chevrolet speaks to firefighters and first
responders about the dangers of rescuing people from electric vehicles, such as
the Chevy Volt, in emergency situations.
These systems are designed to shut down in the
event of an accident, but education and training are
still needed.
The National Fire Protection Association estimates
that by 2015, there will be more than a million advanced electric vehicles on the road. Harrison REMC is
leasing a Chevy Volt with money provided by Hoosier
Energy, our wholesale power supplier.
Local firefighters and first responders gather at Harrison REMC to learn how to
disengage electrical power systems in electric vehicles, which are becoming
increasingly common on the roadways.
Energy management program helps all save the cooperative way
The Energy Management Program offered by Harrison REMC puts technology to work to save energy
during peak times. At the heart of the program is a
switch installed at your home which allows us to remotely manage your electric water heater and/or your
air conditioner/heat pump (in the summer) during
those times when the demand for power is greatest
and when it is most expensive for the REMC.
This is not a program in which members will see
instant results. The Energy Management Program is
designed to help manage peak demand and reduce,
and possibly prevent, future rate increases. By enabling management of the system’s peak demand, the
program will help us avoid purchasing power during
times when it is most expensive.
In addition to serving our members today, we are
constantly planning for the power needs of tomorrow.
The Energy Management Program is an important
tool in this process. Members who participate in the
program are eligible for the credits shown at right.
We encourage all our members who are eligible
to enroll in the program. Programs such as this are
what being a cooperative is all about — members
working together to keep costs low and value high
for everyone involved.
Harrison REMC would like to thank the 950-plus
members who have already had the switch installed.
December, January and February are peak months for
electric use, so water heater control is possible during
the hours of 7 and 8 a.m. and 6 and 8 p.m. on days
that are frigid and a possible peak may occur.
To have the switch installed, call our office at 812738-4115 or 812-951-2323 or you can log on to our
website at www.harrisonremc.com and go to the
“Energy Efficiency” tab.
Earn bill credits for
program participation
Water heater only •$1.50/month (June-August)
Water heater only •$2.50/month
(December-February)
Cooling unit only
•$4/month (June-August)
Water heater and cooling unit
•$7/month (June-August)
Water heater and cooling unit •$3/month (December-February)
Second cooling unit •$2/month (June-August)
ELECTRIC CONSUMER • JANUARY 2013 • 9K
REMC Rate Schedule
Residential and Farm Service Rate
EXAMPLE FOR 1,000 KWHS
Basic service charge............................ $20.00
First 750 kWhs @ 0.10625/kWh*........79.69
Over 750 kWhs @ 0.09022/kWh*........22.56
SUBTOTAL........................................... $122.24
Indiana sales tax (7%).............................. 8.56
TOTAL BILL..................................$130.80
CFL Recycling Program
Harrison REMC offers CFL recycling. CFLs
can be brought to the REMC office, Home
Depot and the Harrison County Solid Waste
District in the Corydon Industrial Park. Please
remember: bring the bulbs in a zipper seal
plastic bag. (Please, no long tube fluorescent
bulbs.)
Payment Options
•Online bill payment: Access your account
and pay your bill online by going to www.harrisonremc.com. On the home page click on
“myAccount” on the left side. Pay by using a
check or credit card.
•Automatic payment plan: Setting up this
recurring debit is the most convenient way to
pay your electric bill. Save time and postage by
having your electric bill automatically drafted
from your designated bank account without
additional charges.
•Ebill: To enroll, go to www.harrisonremc.
com and click on “ebill.” Once enrolled you
will automatically receive an email each month
telling you the balance due and the due date.
You can also click on a link that will allow you
to view a copy of your bill and pay online with
a credit card or electronic check.
•Budget billing: REMC can help take the ups
and downs out of your billing amount each
month by averaging one month’s bill based on
the previous 12 months of electric use.
•IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system:
Members can pay their bill using a credit card
or by e-check and/or check their balance.
“Like”
us on
Facebook
Information and news about the cooperative
can be accessed at: http://www.facebook.
com/HarrisonREMC or search for “Harrison
REMC.”
We hope you will “like” us and become a
regular visitor. We will use the site to keep our
members informed about industry changes,
information on outages and general information about the REMC.
Electric Consumer still remains a valuable communication tool but the electronic
communication world continues to grow.
10K • ELECTRIC CONSUMER • JANUARY 2013
Local student recognized
for community service project
H
arrison REMC helped recognize eighth grader Makenzie
Smith of Borden for her community service efforts at a reception in Indianapolis last month.
Smith, a student at Borden
Jr.-Sr. High School, was named
a winner in the annual Youth
Power and Hope Awards, sponsored by the Indiana Statewide
Association of Rural Electric
Cooperatives and Electr ic
Consumer.
As a second grader, Smith
started “Makenzie’s Coat Closet,” which has collected and
distributed thousands of coats
to less fortunate families.
Smith and the other four
2012 winners were honored Makenzie Smith is recognized by Harrison REMC CEO David Lett (second
at the annual meeting of the from right) and Josh Bleill of the Indianapolis Colts (far right) for her service
Indiana Statewide Association to the local community. Her father, Kevin (far left), attended the reception
of RECs, during which they at- with her.
tended a private reception with
Josh Bleill, a Purple Heart recipient and community
collecting coats throughout January and February.
spokesperson for the Indianapolis Colts.
Individuals can drop off coats at the REMC lobby to
Harrison REMC, of which Smith’s parents are
donate to her project.
members, is supporting Makenzie’s Coat Closet by
Statement of nondiscrimination
Harrison REMC is the recipient of federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). The USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color,
national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status,
religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an
individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to
all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program
information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-7202600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights,
1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call toll free 866-632-9992 (voice) or
800-877-8339 (TDD) or 866-377-8642 (relay voice users). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and
employer.