A newsletter for and about Electric Cooperatives

VOL. LXV, NO. 6 JUNE 26, 2015

INSIDE RuralKansas youth tour studentsPower visit legislators at U.S. Capitol 2 | Calendar Teaching 37 high school 3 |KEC sponsors FFA, students about 4-H statewide events electric coopera- tives, introducing 4 |New law creates them to govern- database to fi ght ment offi cials, and metal thefts helping to develop Please send any their leadership skills, were impor- story ideas to tant objectives of [email protected]. the 55th annual Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., June 11-18. Th e t r i p , sponsored by Senator and Senator pose with the Kansas youth tour delegates inside Kansas’ electric the U.S. Capitol building on June 16. cooperatives, began in Topeka with several guest speakers at Once in Washington, D.C., the group the kick-off banquet. KEC’s BRUCE GRAHAM led visited with SENATORS JERRY MORAN and PAT the event and introduced BRANT LAUE, Chief ROBERTS, and CONGRESSMEN Counsel for Gov. , who attended and , and CONGRESSWOMAN youth tour in 1978; STEVEN JOHNSON, Kansas , allowing the students to learn House of Representatives District 108, who about the nation’s government. attended in 1983; and KYLE HOFFMAN, Kansas For many students, the meetings were House of Representatives District 116, who inspiring and motivated them to set leadership attended in 1989. goals. Before leaving Kansas, the students visited “Taking to our Kansas congressional Repre- Kaw Valley where they learned how electric sentatives and Senators inspired me to want to cooperatives work and rode in a bucket truck. have an impact our nation. Having the oppor- Th ey also experienced a tour of the Kansas State tunity to meet with them made me realize that Capitol led by Rep. Johnson. I want to be a part of our government and help improve change,” said EMMA DEMA- RANVILLE, a youth delegate sponsored by LJEC. “When our Senators and Represen- tatives talked to us to answer our ques- tions and just take the time to meet with us, it showed me that they really care about us,” said FAITH TUTTLE, sponsored by Western. “It helped me realize that politicians are actual PO Box 4267 p e op l e .” Topeka, KS 66604-0267 “Senator Moran has told us how www.kec.org (From left): Gov. Brownback’s Chief Counsel Brant Laue, KEC’s Bruce impressed he is with the Youth Tour Graham, Rep. Steve Johnson, and Rep. Kyle Hoff man spoke at the Join Kansas Electric Cooperatives youth tour banquet. continued on p. 4 Facebook page JUNE 26, 2015 RURAL POWER 1 Patrice Klein named as Kansas General Field Representative co-opcalendar Patrice Klein has joined the Rural Utili- JUNE 25 MDM Meeting, KEPCo Headquarters, Topeka ties Service in the Office of Loan Origination and Approval, as the General Field Represen- JULY tative for Kansas on April 6, 2015. 3 Independence Day Observed – KEC Office Closed Klein previously served as a board 11-17 Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp, Steamboat Springs, CO member of the Kansas Development Finance 15-16 KEPCo Board of Trustees Meeting, KEPCo Headquarters, Topeka Authority and the Kansas Housing Resources 17 Sunflower Board of Directors Meeting, Sunflower Headquarters, Hays Corporation. She also served the state's 21 Lane-Scott Annual Meeting, dinner at 6:30 p.m., meeting at 7:30 p.m., Fairgrounds, 745 N. 7th, Dighton utility rate commission for more than eight 23 MDM Meeting, KEPCo Headquarters, Topeka years. She brings a diverse blend of finance, legal, and energy experience. AUGUST Klein is a graduate of the 2013 Leader- 1-3 KEC Summer Board Meeting, Marriott Hotel, Overland Park, Kansas 6-7 Material Manager’s Meeting, Marriott Hotel, Overland Park ship Kansas Class and holds a J.D. from Wash- 19-20 KEPCo Board of Trustees Meeting, KEPCo Headquarters, Topeka burn University, an MBA from Arizona State, 21 Sunflower Board of Directors Meeting, Sunflower Headquarters, Hays and a Bachelors of Business Administration in 24-28 Supervisory Fast Track, Courtyard Marriott Old Town, Wichita Finance from Wisconsin. 28 KCRE Golf Tournament, Salina Contact Klein at 785-221-5440, or email [email protected]. SEPTEMBER 9-11 KEC Hotline School, Pratt Vo-Tech, Pratt 10 Tri-County Annual Meeting, dinner at 5:30 p.m., meeting at 6 p.m., Texas County Activity Ctr., 5th & Sunset, upcomingtraining Guyman, OK Supervisory Fast Track KEC is offering the NRECA KEC prepares for Summer Meeting in Overland Park Supervisory Training courses on Aug. Final preparations are being made Two breakout sessions will be 24-28 at the Courtyard Marriott in for the 2015 KEC Summer Meeting, offered concurrently. The first option Wichita. which will be held Aug. 3 at the Over- will be iPad tips and tricks (spouses This “fast track” offers all nine land Park Marriott. are welcome to attend), and the second interactive, half-day courses in one Speakers for this year’s meeting option will be a Trustee roundtable. week. Participants can register for include WALLACE BARRON, President of Also on Monday, the KEC Aux- some or all of the modules they need Barron & Associates Corporate Solu- iliary Program will feature a story of to fulfill their Supervisory Training tions, who will discuss member self- love, acceptance and hope by BRANDI certificate. Bryan Singletary will facili- generation and the paradigm shift; WINANS; a presentation by “The Marble tate the supervisory courses. JOE HARRIS, former Interim General Lady” CATHY RUNYAN-SVACINA; and a Manager of Choctaw Electric Coopera- display of the traveling button museum CFC Financial Workshop tive who will tell the Choctaw Electric by LISE MCINTYRE. The KEC Auxiliary for Directors Story; and DR. KENNETH ROSE, JR., will also host the 3rd Annual Silent Join CFC for the Kansas State- Independent Consultant and Senior Auction. Co-ops and individuals are wide Financial Workshop at the Fellow with the Institute of Public Utili- encouraged to consider donating items Wichita Marriott, Oct. 14-15. ties, who will give a presentation on for the auction. Designed specifically for Kansas co-op retail wheeling. Prior to the meeting, three trustee directors, this workshop provides a CARL MONROE, Executive Vice courses will be offered. On Sat., Aug. variety of finance-focused topics. CFC President & COO Southwest Power 1, a new Board Leadership course and will also host a reception and dinner Pool (SPP), will join MARCUS HARRIS, a Certified Co-op Director course will on Oct. 14, plus a box lunch will be KEPCo’s Executive Vice President and be offered from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. BRYAN provided as you depart for home on CEO, and STUART LOWRY, Sunflower’s SINGLETARY will facilitate the new BLC Oct. 15. President and CEO, in providing an on power supply called 964.1 Commu- Sessions will be led by CFC staff update on the evolution of the SPP. nicating the New Energy Landscape. and will address topics such as an There will be a Kansas NRECA WALLACE BARRON will facilitate the economic update, financial statement Membership Meeting to elect the CCD course 2630 Strategic Planning. analysis, capital credits and electric Kansas representative to the NRECA On Sun., Aug. 2, there will be a rates. Registration information has Board. And the KEC Board will meet half-day workshop from 1-4 p.m. LYNN been emailed to all member coopera- to review the Federated Rural Electric MOORE, Moore Innovative Solutions, tives. For more information, contact Insurance Director election process and will facilitate Why Satisfaction Matters Shana Read at [email protected]. conduct other business as needed. - The Impact of Building Influence.

2 RURAL POWER JUNE 26, 2015 KANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, INC. • PO BOX 4267, TOPEKA, KS, 66604-0267 KEC sponsors State Degree at Kansas FFA Convention KEC honored as sponsor at Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc., participate in eight different leadership 4-H Emerald Circle Banquet presented the State Degrees to 218 activities. The student needs to earn a members at the 87th Kansas FFA Con- letter grade of a “C” average or above in Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc., vention. The convention was located at high school while showing a record of was recognized as a Patron Sponsor at in Manhattan outstanding leadership and community the Kansas 4-H Foundation’s annual on May 29. involvement. Emerald Circle Banquet on May 28 in Sponsored by KEC annually, the During the award ceremony, KEC’s Manhattan. Kansas State FFA Degree is the highest Communications Specialist Carrie Kim- As a sponsor, KEC helps provide honor an FFA member can receive. To berlin presented each of the students funding to present medallions to the achieve this award, the member must with a gold charm. state project awards, and support trip meet seven crucial require- scholarships for state project winners ments. The member must to attend the National 4-H Congress. have received their chapter KEC’s Vicki Estes attended the banquet. FFA Degree and been an FFA At the banquet, 4-H members from member and agricultural edu- around the state were recognized as cation student for a minimum state project winners in areas including of two years. They must have beef, clothing and textiles, communica- earned at least $2,000 or tions, and leadership. For the third year, worked 600 hours in their KEC sponsored the Leadership Project. Supervised Agricultural Expe- This year’s winner was AMBER KELLY, a rience program. The recipi- 17-year-old from Atchison County. ent must give a six-minute Kelly received the 4-H Leader- FFA President and KEC youth tour alumni, Taylor Green (left) ship Project medallion for developing speech about agriculture or and KEC’s Carrie Kimberlin (center) present a State Degree FFA-related topic and must charm to an FFA member during the FFA State Convention. and directing a state-wide project that brought together many clubs and orga- nizations across Kansas. Rolling Hills Board approves new headquarters design As a result of her project, 451 After years of careful consideration, the The co-op purchased land near the dresses were sent Rolling Hills Electric Cooperative Board voted intersection of state highways 9 and 24 for the to Africa, through the Little Dresses centralized facility in Beloit last fall. to accept Cooperative Building Solutions’ final for Africa cam- design and approved the construction of a The Board selected a “design-build” paign. These centrally located main office facility in Beloit. process– a state-of-the-art, best practices dresses not only During the process and study, the co-op’s method of project execution. Based on the clothe the young strategic plan titled “Building for the Future” Board’s consideration, the design-build team girls, but give them was based on the co-op’s strengths, capital- of Cooperative Building Solutions, M+H Archi- hope of an educa- ized on opportunities and addressed weak- tects, and Paric Corporation were selected. tion and better life. Amber Kelly received nesses. Throughout the summer of 2013, the This is the same team that built the new facili- Kelly was the 4-H Leadership also the Sewing Project medallion, ties for both DS&O and Twin Valley in 2014. co-op held informational meetings in several and Buymanship which was sponsored locations throughout its service territory, The Board approved contracts for the by KEC, at the Emer- project leader, ald Circle Banquet. members voted via mail ballot to centralize construction of the new facility totaling Atchison County its office location to obtain long-term cost approximately $6.4 million. Rolling Hills will 4-H Council Secretary, Club Parliamen- savings and operational efficiencies, and the schedule a groundbreaking within the next tarian, Camp Corral Counselor, and co-op’s centerspread included articles explain- couple of weeks. The new headquarters is pro- 4-H Ambassador. She applied her 4-H ing the issues and the strategic plan. jected to be completed in May 2016. leadership skills in making improve- ments in her local school and raising money to travel to Europe. In 2014, Kelly received the Citizen- ship Project award, also sponsored by KEC, for her participation in the Little Dresses for Africa campaign, where she used her passion for sewing to organize clubs to complete 148 dresses. Additionally, she has mended clothes for seniors, sewed backpacks for campers, and taught crafts at the Above is the artist rendering of the proposed Rolling Hills headquarters in Beloit. country Christmas celebration.

KANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, INC. • PO BOX 4267, TOPEKA, KS, 66604-0267 JUNE 26, 2015 RURAL POWER 3 Co-ops help get database to Victory Electric creates Vittles for Vets food drive fight metal thefts Recently, volunteers of the Kansas to the store and being able to walk up An improved law to fight copper theft is State Soldiers Home noticed a need here and grab what’s needed has been a coming to Kansas, thanks in part to electric among the 200 veterans who live at Fort blessing.” cooperatives. The state attorney general will Dodge, and started a small food pantry Sorden served in the Army and establish and maintain a statewide database for the residents. In support of this ini- now resides at Fort Dodge with her dog of scrap metal sales, accessible to law enforce- tiative, Victory Electric has launched the Laffy Taffy. Sorden and other veter- ment, under a new law taking effect July 1. All “Vittles for Vets” food drive to help keep ans like her–representing each military Kansas scrap metal dealers must register and the food pantry well-stocked. branch and each war from World War The co-op has posted a list of II, Korean, Vietnam, and Desert Storm– pay a fee, that will fund the database services. needed items on its website. Members live on the property and may retrieve The dealers must keep a detailed register are entered to win a $100 bill credit for anything they need from household of their purchases in the database, which will donating items. A total of six bill credits goods to clothing to small food items. be available statewide to law enforcement. will be awarded between July and Dec. “The food pantry is a way for the Information they’ll need to gather includes Army veteran ESTHER SORDEN said, veterans to keep their independence,” sellers’ names, addresses, drivers and vehicle “The pantry helps me out with grocer- said Fort Dodge Administrator ANDREA license numbers, as well as a description of ies a lot. There are times I can’t make it FOLEY. “We’re in the business to help.” the metal. Photos will be taken of both the seller and the goods, and the seller must sign Youth Tour, continued program and the potential he a statement indicating where he/she got the sees in the youth that par- metal and that it “is not stolen.” ticipate. This time he told The new law also singles out “property the whole country stories of owned and marked by a telephone, cable, the impact of our leadership electric, water or other utility provider” as program and I hope everyone being unlawful for a dealer to purchase unless will view his remarks,” said certain conditions are met. Those condi- Bruce Graham, KEC Chief tions include obtaining proof that the seller Executive Officer. The link to his full speech can be found is authorized to actually sell the items. The on KEC’s Facebook page and definition of “damages” will include costs to on KEC’s website. repair equipment, loss of production and sales “Electric Cooperatives and damages suffered after the theft. are more than just poles and “We have been working to make the wires. They’re about people scrap metal law tougher for seven years. and communities,” Sen. These changes, including stiffer penalties Moran stated in his speech. and assistance through the database, should “Recognizing that youth are the future of those communi- enable law enforcement to pursue those who ties is what the rural electric commit these thefts on a consistent basis,” cooperative program is all said Dave Holthaus, KEC’s Vice President of a b out .” Government Relations. The youth toured the U.S. The legislation resulted from the work Capitol, Holocaust Memo- of an appointed interim study group of the rial Museum, the Smithson- Legislature’s Judicial Council where Holthaus ian museums, Mt. Vernon, represented not only cooperatives but all Arlington National Cemetery, several memorials, along with The youth tour delegates met with members of the Kansas Kansas electric and gas utilities. seeing the Broadway musical Congressional delegation. Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins The bill, signed June 12 by Gov. Sam Newsies at the National (top), Congressman Mike Pompeo (middle) and Congressman Brownback, was also welcomed by Sedgwick Tim Huelskamp (bottom) pose with students from within Theatre and attending a their respective districts. County District Attorney Marc Bennett. He professional ballgame at the told The Wichita Eagle that he hopes the Nationals Stadium. The delegates also attended the NRECA Youth Day that brought database will give authorities the ability to together 1,700 youth from 43 states. “track some of these people who are habitu- EMMA DEMARANVILLE was selected by her peers to be the 2015 Youth Lead- ally selling scrap metal across different yards ership Council representative for Kansas, and will participate in NRECA’s 2016 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. around one jurisdiction to the next.” This year’s trip was chaperoned by Butler’s Travis Griffin and his wife, Amanda, ECT, MICHAEL KAHN and KEC’s Shana Read, and her husband, Randy.

4 RURAL POWER JUNE 26, 2015 KANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, INC. • PO BOX 4267, TOPEKA, KS, 66604-0267