OEMC March 2016.indd

March 2016
Spring Is a Good Time
for a House Safety Check
When the last traces of winter fade, many homeowners can’t wait
to begin tinkering around the house. Georgia’s electric cooperatives
urge all ambitious home improvers to heed these guidelines:
• One of the first places to look for trouble is the roof. Watch for loose or missing shingles and
leaks around flashings. Don’t begin repair work unless you’re confident of your do-it-yourself
abilities. Consider calling a professional.
• Be sure to inspect your gutters before April showers begin. If they are clogged, rainwater will
overflow onto the siding of your house and could cause moisture problems. Downspouts should
carry rainwater safely away from the foundation of the house. If water pours out on the ground, it
could seep into the basement.
• If your exterior paint job appears healthy, but it’s just a little dirty, don’t apply a fresh coat. If all
your home needs is a cleaning, wash it.
Inventory the Inside
• Clean off stairways and steps. Check
treads, risers and carpeting and replace
worn coverings.
• Inspect your air-conditioning system
and make repairs now, before summer
begins. Give the fireplace a thorough
cleaning and close the damper. Consider
calling a chimney sweep.
• A special reminder to parents: Never
leave a container of liquid unattended
near a small child. This includes wading
pools, scrub buckets, toilets and
bathtubs. A curious youngster could
lean over to play in the water or drop
something in a bucket and fall in headfirst.
• Be sure patios, porches and driveways
are free from cracks and holes.
• Check for damage as you take down
storm windows and put up screen doors
and windows.
• Trim broken tree limbs and prune
shrubs. Remove dry leaves and debris
from under porches, wooden stairs and
window wells.
March 2016
OEMC March 2016.indd 1
www.oconeeemc.com
26A
1/29/2016 3:28:31 PM
Oconee EMC is upgrading our electric system!
We are investing in new equipment, including new meters, that will help
us operate more efficiently, improve reliability and serve you better.
Working day in and day out to provide our members
with reliable, efficient and affordable electric service
What to expect
That's the cooperative difference.
Increased efficiency
Increased reliability
Operating more efficiently helps us keep costs down
New tools for diagnosing problems and disruptions
for our members.
help us improve reliability for our members.
• With data from the meters coming to our offices,
• With more detailed information about what
we will be able to read your meter remotely.
is happening in the field, we will be able to
Remote meter reading and remote reconnects
respond faster to outages. The new meters tell us
mean co-op employees will spend less time on the
when and where there is an outage or disturbance.
road.
• With more data, we can also improve power
quality by reducing the number of spikes, blinks
• Older systems are less efficient at
distributing power. Now, voltage information
coming from the new meters will allow us to
monitor the system in near real-time and correct
problems and inefficiencies.
and surges.
• More data enables us to provide more accurate
information about outages and restoration times.
New tools to help keep electric bills affordable
• New meters mean more information about how you are using
electricity. We can help you diagnose problems leading to high
energy bills.
These meters will not affect your kilowatt-hour rate. Oconee EMC
will recoup the investment on the meters with efficiency savings.
26B
OEMC March 2016.indd 2
www.oconeeemc.com
GEORGIA MAGAZINE
1/29/2016 3:28:40 PM
Oconee EMC Recognizes Local Students
Trinity Christian School
Oconee EMC’s Student of the Quarter
program recognizes sixth-, seventh- and
eighth-grade students for outstanding
achievements in their school and
community. These students must display at
least one of Oconee EMC’s four core values:
Innovation, Integrity, Accountability and
Commitment to Community.
Students receiving Student of the Quarter awards:
Linda Rose Morris, Michaela Foskey and MiLee Vogel,
with OEMC Member Services Director Jennifer Bryant,
right, and TCS staff Chuck Grooms, left.
Are You Rounding Up?
Oconee EMC Foundation’s purpose is to disburse Operation
Round Up® funds for charitable purposes within the counties
served by Oconee EMC. By allowing Oconee EMC to round up
the dollar amount on your bill each month, you participate in a
program that has helped, and will continue to help, people and
organizations throughout Oconee EMC’s service territory.
The funds are distributed to organizations and agencies that
provide support for charitable, literary, cultural or educational
purposes to help improve our communities.
How are funds raised?
All funds come from contributions made by Oconee EMC members. Members can contribute by allowing
their power bill to be rounded up to the next dollar each month. That extra change, ranging from a penny
to 99 cents, goes directly to Operation Round Up. The average contribution is about 50 cents per month, or
$6 per year.
The majority of our members support the program by allowing their bill to be rounded up each month.
Thanks to that strong participation, Operation Round Up has been able to significantly affect our sevencounty service area. Last year, more than $73,000 was given to organizations or agencies with a charitable,
literary, cultural or educational purpose.
Who is eligible to seek assistance?
Organizations and agencies that benefit the residents of Oconee EMC’s seven-county service territory
may apply for assistance. Applications are available at www.oconeeemc.com or at the Oconee EMC office
in Dudley. To request an application or to receive more information, please contact Alexis Hughes at
478.676.1129.
March 2016
OEMC March 2016.indd 3
www.oconeeemc.com
26C
1/29/2016 3:28:43 PM
Live Wires
Oconee Electric
Membership Corporation
P.O. Box 37
3445 Highway 80 West
Dudley, GA 31022
www.oconeeemc.com
Spring=Energy Audit
Spring is a great time to reassess your home’s
energy ef�iciency. For more information
concerning your home and ways to save, go to:
www.oconeeemc.com/content/home-energy-suite.
You can also call our of�ice at
478.676.3191 for more information.
Jennifer Bryant
Editor
Marty Smith
President/CEO
Board of Directors
Amy Orr
Chairman
Charles “Chuck” Grace
Vice Chairman
Hughlon Davis
Secretary/Treasurer
William “Bill” Shepherd
Johnnie B. Hall
Juanita Austin
David Green
Office Hours
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Monday-Friday
478.676.3191
Proudly serving Baldwin, Bibb, Bleckley, Dodge, Laurens, Twiggs and Wilkinson counties
26D
OEMC March 2016.indd 4
www.oconeeemc.com
GEORGIA MAGAZINE
1/29/2016 3:28:48 PM