pril 2016 PowerTalk - Great Lakes Energy

April 2016
Volume 8, Issue 4
Published for Members of
Great Lakes Energy
A supplement to
Michigan Country Lines
Introducing GLE’s New CEO
ATTEND A FREE
ENERGY SEMINAR
A
free energy seminar for Great Lakes
Energy members will be held this
spring.
Learn about rebates and incentives to help
you save energy and money in your home.
Door prizes will be awarded. Winners will
receive energy saving gifts.
WHEN: Friday, June 10
from 10 a.m. to noon.
WHERE: Mason County District Library
West Shore Bank room
217 East Ludington Ave (US-10)
Ludington
Bill Scott served as GLE’s chief financial officer and chief operating officer prior to becoming president and
CEO on March 29, 2016. He has 25 years in leadership positions (13 with GLE) including working with two
large electric utilities in Florida.
A
s a “financial guy” I’ve always been
interested in numbers and how
they look at the end of the month.
Controlling costs was an important
part of my job as your cooperative’s chief
financial officer. It will continue to be
important to me as your new president and
CEO.
There are other numbers about your
co-op I find interesting and would like to
share.
DID YOU KNOW?
›› The cooperative serves 123,000
members in 26 counties.
›› We are led by 9 board members with 3
directors elected each year.
›› Capital credit refunds totaling over
$46.1 million have been returned to
members since 2003.
With my financial background, I
understand the big impact numbers have
on our members. Financial decisions
made by your board of directors with
management input reflect that.
Just like life, fiscal responsibility
involves being prepared to handle
unexpected situations. Our financial
strength allows us to be able to weather
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major storms, like the August and
December 2015 storms that cost over $3.5
million, because we are a well-run business.
We strive to keep our annual average
increase in costs below that of other electric
co-ops in the country. As business expenses
continue to rise each year and with
expensive major weather events however,
this annual goal is becoming increasingly
more difficult to reach. It is something we
continue to monitor very closely.
Many of our normal expenses are
similar to yours, such as insurance, fuel,
utilities, interest and transportation. Electric
co-ops pay taxes, too. In 2015, our total
property tax expense was nearly $4.7
million. They are some of the fixed costs
covered by the monthly charge on your bill.
These facts and figures are just a few of the
numbers that make GLE a well-run business.
Other numbers, like our financial strength, our
low average outage minutes and the amount of
money we invest in keeping our electric system
healthy all contribute to our most important
number – you.
Our members are number one.
Providing you with reliable service and
affordable rates has always been our
focus and will continue to be under my
leadership.
REGISTER NOW
Space is limited, so please register by calling
1-888-485-2537, ext. 8958, or email:
[email protected].
FREE ELECTRICAL
SAFETY
DEMONSTRATIONS
Our
presenters
use a live
power line
mounted to
a trailer to
demonstrate
the power of
electricity at
7,200 volts.
Contact
Great Lakes
Energy to
find out
more about
our safety shows for area schools. Visit gtlakes.
com, click on “Your Community” and again
on “Electrical Safety Demonstrations.” School
presentations are for fourth to seventh grades
and begin in April. Our show dates calendar
fills fast, so please reserve a time soon.
3/16/16 1:47 PM
Three openings
on GLE board
N
ominating petitions are available
in three districts for Great Lakes
Energy (GLE) members who wish
to seek election to the cooperative’s board of
directors.
New directors are expected to be elected
in two districts (8 and 9) that currently have
no representatives on the board.
In 2014 GLE members voted to establish
voting districts by geographic region for
director elections.
Three board positions, each for three
years, will need to be filled. Qualifying GLE
members who reside in districts 6, 8 or 9
can seek election to the board.
COUNTIES BY DISTRICT ARE:
District 6 – Mason, Lake
District 8 – Osceola, Clare, Newaygo,
Mecosta
District 9 – Ottawa, Kent, Montcalm,
Allegan, Barry
Robert Kran
District 6
District 8
*No director currently
represents the district.
The term of director Robert Kran of Free
Soil in District 6 expires this year. Districts 6
and 7 each have two directors on the board.
Both districts will each lose one director
this year due to the retirement of directors
Richard Walsworth in District 7 and Robert
Thurow in District 6.
To get their names on the ballot,
qualifying member-owners of the electric
cooperative who maintain a primary
residence within its service area must
District 9
*No director currently
represents the district.
file a nominating petition with the co-op
secretary.
More information on the petition
nominating process is available in the April
issue of Michigan Country Lines, on our
website or by calling 888-GT-LAKES,
ext. 1331.
Beware of Other Online Payment Sites
PAYING YOUR GREAT LAKES ENERGY BILL ONLINE IS FAST, EASY AND FREE
WHEN YOU USE OUR WEBSITE – MY.GTLAKES.COM. BEWARE OF HIDDEN FEES
FROM OTHER PAYMENT WEBSITES.
P
ay your GLE bill online at any time
by using this address: my.gtlakes.com.
If you accidentally select another
payment website to make your bill payment,
you risk possible extra charges and payment
processing delays. Make sure our website
with the address above appears before
making a payment.
Some websites allow visitors to pay their
local utility bills with the utility’s name and
company logo appearing on the site. Great
Lakes Energy is not affiliated with any third
Looking Out for You
1323 Boyne Avenue, P.O. Box 70
Boyne City, MI 49712
WEB: www.gtlakes.com
TEL: 888-GT-LAKES
FAX: 231-582-6213
Great Lakes Energy is an equal
opportunity provider and employer.
99067_PowerTalk.indd 2
party website that offers utility payment
service. If you pay your GLE bill on a third
party website, you risk:
•• Extra charges levied by the third party for
each transaction on their website
•• Delays up to two days or more before the
payment is actually posted to your GLE
account
For some GLE members, the delay could
result in the account being disconnected for
nonpayment if payment is not received in
time to avoid shut-off. Even if late payment
does not result in a shut-off, late payment
fees could be charged to the account.
GLE members can avoid the risks by
taking advantage of payment options offered
by their cooperative. Pay Your Way with
one of the following options:
›› AutoPay: Your payment is automatically
deducted each month from either your
checking account, credit card or debit
card.
or credit card. Enroll in e-billing to stop
receiving paper bills.
›› PhonePay: Either speak to a GLE
representative or pay at any time by using
our automated pay-by-phone service. We
accept payment by credit card or check
over the phone.
›› Pay Stations: Visit any of the local
participating businesses that will accept
payments for Great Lakes Energy bills (no
past due amounts).
›› FlexPay: Pay for your electricity in
advance and manage your electricity
use on a daily basis. No late fees, no
reconnect fees and no deposits involved
with this plan.
You can also visit any of our eight GLE
offices and make your payment in person or
use our drop-box.
For more information visit gtlakes.com
or contact us at 888-GTLAKES.
›› ePay: Pay online at my.gtlakes.com.
Make a one-time payment with a check
3/16/16 1:47 PM
SPRING
intoSAVINGS
As the days get longer and warmer, cooling
season draws nearer. Prepare your home for
maximum energy savings today!
Standard programmable thermostat
■ Customizable daily temperature schedule
■ $20 rebate
Wi-Fi enabled or smart thermostat
■ Remotely control your home’s temperature 24/7
■ $100 rebate
Central A/C or heat pump tune-up
■ Increase efficiency and prevent costly breakdowns
■ $50 rebate
ONLINE: michigan-energy.org PHONE: 877.296.4319
Energy Optimization programs and incentives are applicable to Michigan service locations only.
Other restrictions may apply. For a complete list of participating utilities, visit michigan-energy.org.
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3/16/16
3/11/16 1:23
9:34 PM
AM
Let the Mouse Pay
Your Electric Bill
Online bill payment.
No stamps.
No checks.
No mailing delays.
The easiest, most
convenient way to pay.
my.gtlakes.com
99067_insert.indd 2
It’s Easy. Visit https://my.gtlakes.com and follow the easy
instructions. Sign up with us by creating your Username and
Password, and then make your payment directly from your
checking or savings account or credit card.
It’s Convenient. Once you’re signed up, we’ll send you
an e-mail when your next bill is ready. Simply view your current
bill statement and submit your payment – anytime, day or night.
It’s Secure. We provide a secure environment for viewing
your billing information and processing your payment.
• Information sent over the Internet is encrypted for your
privacy.
VERIFIED BY
• Your unique Username
and Password restrict
access to your account.
• You receive confirmation
of all transactions.
Looking Out for You
3/16/16 1:23 PM