November 2008 - Florida Keys Electric Cooperative

FKEC NEWS
NOVEMBER.2008
Member Owned Since 1940
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David C. Ritz
District 1, Key Largo • President
Gretchen Holland
District 1, Key Largo • Vice President
Michael H. Puto
District 4, Marathon • Secretary
Frank N. Hawkins, Jr.
District 2, Tavernier • Treasurer
James J. Boilini
District 1, Key Largo
Craig Belcher
District 2, Tavernier
Almost
Finished!
The storm-hardened Tavernier
Operations Center is rapidly nearing
completion as 2008 draws to a close.
As of press time for this issue, all
of the impact-resistant windows
were installed and the interior dry
wall in the administrative office areas
was essentially finished.
Of particular note is the 30,000
gallon cistern, which has been full of
captured rain water since before
Tropical Storm Fay. The roof design
efficiently channels all of the rain
water falling on the roof into pipes
throughout the building that deliver
Photo by Jill R. Hayes
FLORIDA KEYS
ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
ASSOCIATION, INC.
W W W. F K E C . C O M
SCOTT NEWBERRY
Chief Executive Officer
the water to the cistern. The water
will be used for irrigation and by the
fleet maintenance department.
For more information on the
storm-hardened operations center,
visit www.FKEC.com.
H.B. Barrett
District 3, Islamorada
George D. Hertel
District 3, Islamorada
Karl M. Wagner
District 4, Marathon
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HOT LINE NUMBERS
852-2431 (Tavernier)
743-5344 (Marathon)
U.S. 1
Have you updated
your phone number
with FKEC? You
can now list multiple
numbers on your
account to help
report outages.
This photo above was taken by Aerial Photography, Inc. on September 22 for Overholt
Construction. The front of the building along U.S. 1 is pictured below on October 6.
Photo by John Stuart
NEW! Video Construction Tour #2 at www.FKEC.com
Unless otherwise noted,“FKEC NEWS”
writing, design & photography by:
Nikki Dunn and
Rebecca Callahan
[email protected]
4
florida monthly november 2008
Florida Monthly magazine is delivered to you courtesy of the
Florida Keys Electric Cooperative and is just one benefit of
belonging to your member-owned cooperative utility.
Tornadoes Cause Outages During Hurricane Ike
Florida Keys Electric Cooperative
crews worked throughout Hurricane
Ike’s two-day brush by the Upper and
Middle Keys to keep the lights on in
local homes and businesses.
While wind and rain caused
scattered outages from North Key
Largo to Marathon, the only significant
power system damage resulted from
two tornadoes.
TORNADO IN KEY LARGO
The first tornado affected about
100 consumer accounts in Sexton
Cove on the bayside at mile marker
106 on Tuesday morning, September
9. The tornado knocked down one
span of primary wire that was quickly
repaired by FKEC crews.
caused the main transmission system consumers and power was restored
to relay out in Tavernier. As a result, by FKEC crews an hour later.
all power went out from Snake Creek
On Tuesday morning, September
at mile marker 86 down to Key West. 9, a broken insulator caused an outage
Once FKEC crews found the palm on Key Colony Beach affecting 543
fronds and cleared them from the consumers. FKEC crews quickly
main transmission lines, the entire found and replaced the equipment.
system was reenergized at 5:47 a.m.
As a result of the tornado, FKEC
also had numerous spans of primary,
secondary and neutral lines
down in both the Safety
Harbor and Sunset Drive
neighborhoods at mile
FKEC crews make
repairs after a
marker 74.
tornado touched
Crews repaired all
down in Sexton
downed lines and
Cove, Key Largo.
reenergized
Safety
Harbor by 8:20 a.m.
TORNADO IN ISLAMORADA
The second tornado occurred
at 3:45 a.m. on September 10. A
waterspout came ashore on the
oceanside right at mile marker 74,
crossed U.S. Highway 1 and entered
the Safety Harbor neighborhood.
As it came ashore, the tornado
shredded trees and threw palm fronds
into the transmission lines. This
OTHER OUTAGES
Hurricane
Ike
also caused scattered
outages from Monday
night, September 8,
through early Wednesday
morning. One local outage at
11:22 p.m. Monday was caused
by a palm tree by Lazy Days
restaurant. This outage affected 165
Thank You FKEC...
Dear FKEC,
I just wanted to thank FKEC crews for the fantastic job they did [during Tropical Storm Fay]
when our pole caught fire because of the wires touching.They were "Johnny on the Spot" and came
out twice to solve the issue when our power went out. We weren't without power for more than 30
minutes at a time and with the help of the fire rescue department, [FKEC] really did a great job.
Being up on a pole in a wind and rain storm can't be that safe. We appreciate your bravery.
We are very lucky to have such a dedicated team serving our community.
Thank you, Suzanne Mason, Key Largo
florida monthly november 2008
5
COOPERATIVE
COMMUNITY
$1,185,000 RETURNED TO COMMUNITY
FKEC Delivers More Capital Credit Refunds
Florida Keys Electric Cooperative’s Board
of Directors retired a total of $1,185,000 in
Capital Credits this year and proudly delivered
many of these checks to FKEC members.
What are Capital Credits?
As a not-for-profit cooperative utility, FKEC
allocates its margins – the revenues earned in
excess of the cost of doing business – to its
consumer-members. Margins are retained by
FKEC for a number of years to improve the
electric system. These margins are then returned
to members as “Capital Credits.” This year
FKEC refunded margins from 1990.
Why do the Amounts Vary?
This year’s refunds are based on the amount
of electricity each member purchased in 1990, so
refund amounts vary in proportion to the
amount of electricity each member used in 1990.
Florida Bay Club co-owner Dottie Teegardin (right center)
accepts a capital credit refund of $1,393 from FKEC Directors
(from left) David Ritz, Dr. Jim Boilini and Gretchen Holland.
Janelle Smith (right center), Assistant Grocery Manager of
Publix, receives a refund of $8,610 from FKEC Directors
(from left) Dr. Jim Boilini, Gretchen Holland and David Ritz.
Owner of Payfair Supermarket Ernie Hack (center)
accepts a capital credit refund check for $960 from
directors Craig Belcher (left) and Frank Hawkins.
florida monthly november 2008
FKEC Director George Hertel (right) presents a capital
credit check for $1,000 to Boy Scouts of America
General Manager Paul Beal.
TIB Bank Assistant Branch Manager (right
center) Holly Noyes receives a capital
credit check for $1,521 from FKEC
Directors (from left) Gretchen Holland,
David Ritz and Dr. Jim Boilini.
Pictured from left:
Plantation Key Convalescent
Center Administrator Edward
McLendon receives a check for
$2,245 from FKEC Directors
Craig Belcher and Frank Hawkins.
Pictured from left:
FKEC Directors Craig
Belcher and Frank
Hawkins present a
capital credits check to
Mariner’s Hospital
Acting Vice President
Candy Fincke,
Maintenance Supervisor
Randy Crenshaw and
Plant Manager
Dan Beaver for $3,344.
florida monthly november 2008
7
YOUR
COOPERATIVE
Guidelines For Planting Near Power Equipment
As much as we love the beauty of
our trees and the shade they provide,
trees growing under or near power
lines are the most common cause of
power outages.
FKEC is committed to a comprehensive vegetation management
program to minimize power outages
and ensure public safety.
Home and business owners can
help keep our community’s lines clear
in the future by following the planting
tips included below.
BEFORE
PLANTING
CONSIDER:
• Rate of
growth: Slow
growing plants
are easier to groom and maintain.
• Mature size: Small, immature trees
planted today can grow into
problem trees in the future so please
consider the ultimate mature size of
a tree before planting.
• Canopy size: Large canopy trees
grow up and out. Plant these trees
away from power equipment.
• Root system: When planting near
underground power equipment,
use only vegetation with a shallow
root system.
• Air Flow: Power equipment needs
ventilation to operate properly. Do
not plant trees or other vegetation
that will obstruct natural airflow
around overhead and underground
power equipment.
PLANTING GUIDELINES
• Shrubs & Small Trees (20’ mature
height or less): Plant these under or
adjacent to overhead power lines.
8
• Medium Trees (20’-30’ mature
height): Plant at least 20 horizontal
feet from overhead power lines.
• Large Trees (30’ mature height or
taller): Plant at least 30 horizontal
feet from overhead power lines.
• Palm Trees: Plant one mature frond
length (coconut palms have 15’ long
mature fronds) plus ten horizontal
feet from overhead power lines.
PROBLEM TREES:
The following nonnative trees can cause
conflicts when planted near
both overhead and underground power equipment:
• Ficus
• Schefflera
• Tree bamboo
• Australian pine
• Brazilian pepper
• Melaleuca
• Chinese tallow
• Camphor
A detailed planting guidelines
pamphlet is available at the FKEC
business office or can be downloaded
from FKEC’s website by visiting
www.FKEC.com.
Always contact FKEC before
planting around electric lines or
equipment and call “Florida One
Call” at 800-432-4770 to locate all
underground facilities before you dig.
Utility workers must have proper clearances
(10 feet in front and 3 feet on either side) to use
a “hot stick” to work on padmount transformers
in areas served by underground power.
Always follow FKEC’s “green print” for safe planting near overhead power
equipment and consult FKEC before landscaping near lines or equipment.
florida monthly november 2008
FKEC Continues Inspection of Wooden Poles
As part of its annual maintenance program, FKEC
hires a contract company each summer to excavate
around the bottoms of wooden poles and examine them
for any sign of rot, insect damage, water damage, or
other weakness. If a pole is found to be damaged in any
way, it is either repaired on site or replaced depending
on the cause and extent of the damage.
After the below-ground portion of the pole is
inspected, it is wrapped in a protective membrane
before the dirt is replaced.
The contractor examines all of the wooden poles in
FKEC's system on a rotating schedule so all poles are
examined every few years. This year, the contractors
started at mile marker 54 near Coco Plum Beach and
worked up to mile marker 86 near Venetian Shores.
FKEC is constantly preforming routine maintenance
to prevent equipment failure and maintain system
reliability. FKEC is a not-for-profit cooperative utility
serving 31,000 member-consumers in the Upper and
Middle Keys.
Upon inspection, this
pole was found to
have the beginning
signs of rot so it was
treated and repaired
on site. Routine
maintenance is an
important aspect
of FKEC’s stormhardening program.
Crews from Osmose Utilities Services inspected wooden poles
throughout FKEC’s Upper Keys service area this summer.
florida monthly november 2008
Top Left:
A contract worker records the pole number and condition
of a wooden pole in an Islamorada neighborhood.
Also note the Schefflera tree planted too close to the power
pole (see article on facing page on planting guidelines).
After poles are inspected, the below-ground portion is
wrapped in a protective membrane and the dirt is replaced
with little disturbance to surrounding landscaping.
9
COOPERATIVE
PEOPLE
Robert Blank Named
Substation Supervisor
FKEC congratulates Robert Blank
on being named Substation Supervisor.
Blank joined the Co-op in 2006 and
worked as a System Engineer in the
Engineering department prior to his
promotion to Substation Supervisor.
Before coming to FKEC Blank
worked for Florida Power & Light.
Blank resides in Key Largo with his
wife and daughter.
Marathon Office Make Over
Does FKEC Owe
You Money?
Florida Keys Electric Cooperative
Association, Inc. hereby notifies the following
members or former members that unclaimed
membership deposits and other amounts
due members or former members in January
2008 have been undeliverable for a period of
ten (10) months after payment has been
attempted by check mailed to the last
address provided by the member to the
Cooperative. Such member or former
member must claim these payments within
thirty days of the date of this publication.
Failure to make such claim will result in an
irrevocable assignment or gift by such
member or former member of membership
deposit or other amount to the Cooperative
pursuant to Article I, Section 8 of the bylaws
of the Cooperative. For further information,
the member or former member listed should
contact the Refund Department, Florida Keys
Electric Cooperative Association, Inc., P.O.
Box 377, Tavernier, FL 33070.
$
$
E.O. & Kathryn E Mcgilvary
19 Jenny Ln
Key Largo Fl 33037-4510-19
Mundo Inc
C/O Freewheeler Vacation
Po Box 1634
Islamorada Fl 33036-1634
Thomas M Sears
Pamela S Sears
32 Gumbo Limbo Ave
Key Largo Fl 33037-2004-32
Terry West
90575 Overeseas Hwy
Tavernier Fl 33070
FKEC’s Marathon
Operations Center
recently received a
make over. The gray
exterior was repainted
with a color similar to
the new Tavernier
Operations Center.
10
Jay M Spacke
Rebecca S Spacke
1614 Gardenia Ln
Big Pine Key Fl 33043-6086
$
Matthew Carr
22 Buttonwood Dr
Key Largo Fl 33037
Julio Matus
90290 Overseas Hwy #210
Tavernier Fl 33070-2218-60
florida monthly november 2008