Former Tiger Matt Flynn touts importance of proper hydration Along these Interim Manager’s Report LINES By Ryan Vandersypen August 2018 Along These Lines is an official publication DEMCO Interim CEO and General Manager of Dixie Electric Membership Corp. It is written for and distributed to members of the cooperative nine times each year. Dixie Electric Membership Corp. is a non-profit rural electric cooperative providing Take control of your power use service to 100,000 consumer-owners in seven Louisiana parishes. The Cooperative headquarters is located at 16262 Wax Road, Greenwell Springs, by knowing how to read your bill LA. All comments, suggestions and requests for Avid LSU football fans remember is part of the training that all of our information concerning this publication should be addressed to Along These Lines, Dixie Electric Matt Flynn as the gritty quarterback who linemen receive. Our employees are Membership Corp., P.O. Box 15659, Baton Rouge, led the Tigers to the 2007 national title. taught how to take precautionary mea- LA 70895, (225) 261-1221. NFL fans remember Flynn as the sures to head off any potential health Green Bay Packers signal-caller who set problems that may arise on the job, to Demco a single-game franchise record in 2012 assess risks, to recognize the signs of Board of Directors by throwing for 480 yards and six touch- heat stress and heat exhaustion, and to off the lights when you leave a room, Ascension downs in a 45-41 win over Detroit. respond in emergency situations. or make sure the dishwasher is filled to Clarence Brock What you may not know is that you And just as Flynn’s hunch suggested, capacity when you turn it on. East Baton Rouge and Flynn have more in common than they also know that adequate hydration is A July bill, for instance, may indicate Steve Irving, Vice President you think: like you, he is also a member critical when the sun bears down and the that in comparing the last two 31-day Randy Lorio of DEMCO. temperatures begin to rise. service periods, you used more kilo- Jill McGraw So when the former Tiger standout Meanwhile, as our linemen do their watt hours. Of course, that means your East Feliciana placed a call to our headquarters office best to assist Flynn with his project, this bill would be higher than the previous Glenn DeLee several months ago, we thought maybe is a perfect time to remind all of our month. The form also shows members’ Faye Morris Livingston he was contacting us because his power members that the searing summer heat average kilowatt hours per day and aver- Danny Berthelot was out or maybe he had a question will inevitably result in more power be- age cost per day. A chart also indicates Leslie Falks about his bill. ing used, resulting in higher bills once in graphic form the highest months of Dennis Lott, Sec.-Treasurer Well, it turned out that electricity the meters are read and the payment electricity use through the previous year. St. Helena wasn’t on his mind. Our linemen were. notice is sent out next month. In keeping with our legacy, our struc- Frank Johnson Flynn was calling to gauge our inter- We always encourage all of our ture and our mission here at DEMCO, Richard Sitman, President est in participating in a field evaluation members to take a moment to pay close our goal is not to turn a profit by selling Tangipahoa of his new sports drink called MyHy. attention to their bills. We have done our electricity. Our goal is to provide power Eugene Traylor He knew how hard our linemen very best to make sure that your payment to your home or business at the lowest West Feliciana work in the summer heat every day and notice arrives in your mailbox with the cost possible on a non-profit basis and Freddy Metz figured our service personnel would be information you need to manage your also help you find ways to lower your the perfect group to provide meaning- power consumption responsibly and consumption and lower your bill – not Interim CEO ful feedback on his line of re-hydration wisely. (Acct. No. 9126066-001) to encourage you to use more electricity & General Manager products (see story on page 4). If you look closely, you will find so that the company can reap a higher Ryan Vandersypen I’d say he came to the right place. much more than just a bottom-line profit and deliver dividends to faraway Vice President of finance It would be fortunate for our line- payment figure. For instance, when the corporate investors. Mike Johnson men if the weather cooperated each time bill arrives, you may first look at the I encourage all members to take con- Vice President of they made a service call or performed a “amount due” figure – next you can look trol of your consumption and visit both human resources maintenance or construction task. But to see how the kilowatt-hours consumed www.demco.org and www.togetherwe- Esther Tapia much like Flynn during his playing days, the previous month compares to the same save.org where you will find many ways they know they have to be prepared to time frame for the previous year. to save on your bill. Along These Lines (USPS 004-089) is respond to the best of their ability when- This can tell you how you are doing Meanwhile, as we all struggle with published monthly except bi-monthly Jan/ ever, wherever and however duty calls. on your power use and may remind you the summer heat, take comfort in the fact Feb, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec, by the Assn. of Actually, preparing for the rigors of to try to be more conscious of, say, mak- that cooler weather – and football season Louisiana Electric Cooperatives Inc. (ALEC), 10725 Airline Highway, B.R., LA 70816-4299 outdoor work and inhospitable elements ing sure to check your thermostat, or turn – are just around the corner! Manager of Member and Public relations David Latona Associate Editor Billy Gibson Advertising is accepted and published in Along THese Lines on the premise that the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and sold to customers at the advertised price. DEMCO and ALEC do not endorse any products or ser- vices advertised herein. Address inquiries to: ALEC, 10725 Airline Hwy., Baton Rouge, LA 70816. Phone (225) 293-3450, 1-800-355-3450. Annual subscription $1.70 Members; $5 Non-Members Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to: 10725 Airline High- way, Baton Rouge, LA 70816-4299. Periodicals Post- age paid at Baton Rouge, LA.
On the Cover - Former LSU Tiger quarterback and national champion Matt Flynn is on a mission to stress the importance of proper hydration. DEMCO is field testing his product, MyHy, with its Central District crews. For more on this story, see page 4.
Page 2 • Along These lines • August 2018 DEMCO makes commitment to zero contacts DEMCO has pledged its long-term commit- ment to zero contacts. Employees at DEMCO’s Zachary Office, shown at right, recently participated in pole top rescue training and later held a cookout and gathering where they made a personal commit- ment to safety. According to DEMCO Safety Coordinator Jacob Overhultz, “This is a campaign we will adopt for years to come. Each summer at each of our district offices, we will have a training pro- gram, break bread together, and then re-commit ourselves by personally pledging to make safety our top priority so that we can all go home to our families at the end of the day.” At the recent annual meeting of the Associa- tion of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives (ALEC) in Baton Rouge, DEMCO received recognition for participating in the National Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP) and for its outstanding safety regimen. Shown display- ing the RESAP flag are Overhultz, ALEC Safety Training Coordinator Aarron Graham, ALEC Loss Control Director Mike Bergeaux and DEMCO Safety Coordinator Rickey Cummings. Also pic- tured at far right are (front row) DEMCO Interim CEO and General Manager Ryan Vandersypen, Bergeaux, DEMCO Director Jill McGraw, DEMCO Vice President of Human Resources Esther Tapia and DEMCO Director Danny Berthelot; back row, DEMCO Director Dickie Sitman, Overhultz, Graham, DEMCO Director Leslie Falks, DEMCO Director Randy Lorio and Cummings.
August 2018 • Along These lines • Page 3 DEMCO employees field test new hydration product Former Tiger Matt Flynn sees comparison between athletes and line workers Matt Flynn isn’t starving for atten- tion. He’s had his fair share of fanfare after leading the LSU football team to a national title in 2007. And he’s still in the public eye as co-host of a local radio show with former teammate Jacob Hester. He’s not financially destitute, after earning his college degree and spending eight seasons as an NFL quarterback. He has a fantastic wife, two healthy children, a lovely home and lives a serene existence in the rolling Feliciana bluffs. So it’s easy to believe him when he asserts that his primary motivation for creating an electrolyte-replacement beverage called MyHy was not to make a mint but to help reduce the risk of ac- cidents among industrial workers such as plant employees and electric linemen. Clockwise from left: Former Tiger and NFL After many years of working out with quarterback Matt Flynn displays his MyHy coaches, strength trainers, doctors and sports drink; Josh Prestridge knocks back nutritionists – and after consuming many a cup of MyHy before heading out on a job; of the sports drinks on the market – Flynn, Mark Phillips and Jacob Overhultz Flynn realized that most of those irides- worked together to perform a field test of cent concoctions don’t have the optimum Flynn’s product; and Luke Butler and Ronnie blend of water, sodium and sugar. Douglas load up a carton of MyHy. And after talking to his friends in the industrial sector, he realized that while so-called “sports drinks” are often mar- keted to athletes and weekend warriors, the men and women who work outdoors in the elements are in much greater need of proper hydration than any football or basketball star. College and professional athletes may spend a few hours playing and practicing in the heat, he points out, but laborers such as road paving crews, construction workers and linemen spend many suc- cessive hours each day subjected to the physical rigors of Mother Nature. For the past two years – since he wrapped up his playing career with a brief stint in New Orleans – Flynn has been on a mission to produce a beverage aimed at the men and women who earn effectiveness of the product. his teammates underwent “sweat tests” of artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors. their living toiling out in the elements. “We’ve had record heat this summer to determine the amount of minerals and A typical sports drink can contain 60-70 That’s where DEMCO enters the and our men have been feeling it,” Over- nutrients they were losing per pound of grams of sugar per liter, whereas MyHy picture. (Acct. No. 80140925-003) hultz said. “Our priority is the safety of perspiration during intense training. has 25 grams. Central District Line Supervisor our employees and if there’s something He found that the proper replacement Flynn said he wants to make sure Mark Phillips, a fitness trainer, Crossfit that will help prevent an unsafe situation, of electrolytes – in the right proportions workers understand proper hydration for enthusiast and self-professed peruser of we’ll take a look at it. Our job is to do – allowed him to recover more quickly the purpose of preventing accidents that nutrition labels, heard about MyHy back what we can to prevent accidents before after workouts, sleep better and process can stem from mental fatigue. when the beverage was in its early stages they happen, and making sure our men information with greater speed and preci- “People think they’re not dehydrated and could be purchased online. He would are adequately hydrated is an important sion on the field. until they start feeling thirsty, or tired, or strut around the gym with a bottle of step toward success.” Once his playing days were over, he they’re cramping,” he said. “But the fact MyHy in his grasp and jokingly declare Flynn said studies have shown the began the task of developing a beverage is that you can be dehydrated without it his “secret weapon.” He swore by the negative effects of dehydration are much that would benefit outdoor workers who necessarily feeling these symptoms and difference he felt in energy level and like the symptoms of football-related in- have been found to lose three times as before you know it, you’re not thinking shorter recovery time between exercises. juries, such as concussions. While condi- many electrolytes as they replace while clearly and you place yourself in a poten- Back in the spring, as the DEMCO tions such as dizziness, physical fatigue, on the job. The initial version was called tially dangerous situation.” safety department was preparing crews poor hand-eye coordination and lack of Hydrology, a flavorless electrolyte re- While the testing phase will conclude to contend with the summer heat, mental concentration can be counter- placement concentrate. later this month, Flynn is confident the Phillips called a meeting with Safety productive on the football field, they can Today, MyHy comes in orange and DEMCO linemen will approve. Coordinator Jacob Overhultz to discuss have deadly consequences for those who lemon, with sugar-free versions for those “Just like I did in Green Bay, I believe providing MyHy to their men working work in close proximity to power lines who are less active. The thing that sets they will feel a boost with their energy out of the Central office. and heavy equipment. MyHy apart from other sports drinks, level and their overall health,” he said. They contacted Flynn and set up a During his second tenure with the Flynn explains, is the proportion of wa- For more information, visit www. three-month trial period to field test the Green Bay Packers in 2014, Flynn and ter, sugar and electrolytes - plus the lack drinkmyhy.com. Page 4 • Along These lines • August 2018 Handy safety tips for tackling outdoor summer chores No matter the season, it seems • Install ground-fault circuit interrupt- notified to mark the approximate loca- • Never leave power tools unat- there’s an endless list of chores, but ers, or GFCIs, in outlets where water tions of any underground lines on your tended where children can access them. outdoor chores present specific safety may be present. property. • Store power tools indoors. concerns. • Use only extension cords rated • Invest in safety goggles, hearing • Unplug power tools when not in For example, contacting power for outdoor use; match the power needs protection, dust masks, gloves and use. lines with ladders causes 9 percent of of an electric tool or appliance to the other personal protection equipment as • Do not carry power tools by their electrocution-related deaths. Landscap- cord’s label information. Never attempt recommended for each tool. cords. ing, gardening and farming equipment to extend the length of an extension • Always keep yourself and equip- • Use only a fiberglass or wooden cause another 7 percent. cord by connecting it to another exten- ment at least 10 feet away from power ladder if you must work near overhead To avoid electrical hazards, make sion cord. lines. wires. Always assess the area carefully sure you and your family follow these • Dial 811, the national Call Before • Inspect power tools and appli- to make sure any power lines are at simple tips: You Dig phone number, at least 72 ances for frayed cords, broken plugs, least 10 feet away. • Teach children to stay away from hours before engaging in any type of and cracked or broken housings, and • Don’t touch a person or object electric transformers and substations, excavation work. Local utilities will be repair or replace damaged items. that has made contact with power lines. and explain what warning signs mean. • Avoid using electricity in damp conditions. Keep all electrical devices and cords away from water. • Place waterproof covers on all outdoor outlets.
WE ARE ALL UP TO THE CHALLENGE. Using technology to better serve every member helps your electric co-op achieve energy efficiency. And when we work together to use energy wisely, we all save money together. Learn more about the power of your electric co-op membership at TogetherWeSave.com.
August 2018 • Along These lines • Page 5 WorkingTogether_Laptop_Mag_FullPg Are you prepared for this year’s Hurricane Season? The best way to get through any hurricane season, – Check and refresh your stash of life’s necessities, to evacuate (or at least make a list of what you plan to which runs through Nov. 30, is to be prepared. such as food, water and medications. Keep enough on pack). Pack one bundle per person, and remember you During a hurricane, you need some supplies just to hand to last through a storm and its aftermath. (It’s OK have to carry or transport what you’re taking, so try to survive. But many of those supplies are hard to find if to fill clean containers with tap water to serve as your keep it as light as possible. Don’t forget clean clothing, you wait until a storm is approaching. So it’s better to emergency drinking-water supply. Just change it out important paperwork, spare car keys, cash/credit cards, make sure you’ve got some of the essentials now, ac- every six months.) toiletries, identification and other items you’ll need cording to experts with the LSU AgCenter. while away from home. When a storm hits, you may be able to stay – Locate your window protection panels. at home—or you may have to evacuate and If you don’t have these already, consider get- could find yourself spending a night or several ting them now or think about having storm nights in a car or somewhere else. It’s important shutters installed as this year’s home improve- to make your plans accordingly. ment project. If you decide on shutters, all you It’s also important to consider that those have to do is close them when a storm is com- who stay at home could be housebound for sev- ing, not find and hang them. eral days without power and that water could be – Keep your car’s gas tank full, if possi- off or contaminated. It’s also likely that stores ble, but make sure it’s full anytime a storm is will be closed at least for a little while after a approaching. Also keep a tire repair kit, small storm passes. shovel and maps in the car. That’s why it’s important now to gather – Start bringing unsecured items indoors what you’ll need to survive such an event. Be or lashing them down outdoors. If it doesn’t sure you store your supplies above the level of need to be in the yard, store it now. The more potential flooding, and don’t forget about the needs of – Check and refresh your gear for primitive living. things like lawn chairs you put away now, the less your pets, as well as your family. Make sure you have such items as flashlights, fresh you’ll have to do if a storm is coming. LSU AgCenter experts offer these suggestions for batteries, lanterns and lantern fuel, insect repellent, – If you’re in an area where it may flood, find things you can do long before the threat of a storm, so matches, battery-powered radio, first-aid kit, ice chest, concrete blocks to be used for raising furniture and ap- you’ll be ready when one approaches : disposable plates and utensils, hand wipes or liquid pliances in your home. Water may wick up the blocks, – Update phone numbers, addresses, meeting loca- hand sanitizer and a manual can opener. so plan to put plastic between the blocks and articles tions and priorities in your family disaster plan and If you’ve got a generator and plan to depend on it placed on top. make sure everyone is aware of the plan – particularly if the power goes out, make sure you also have fuel to – Consider buying a portable generator to meet how you’ll make contact if you’re forced to evacuate. operate it. Extra oil and load-rated extension cords are your emergency requirements for electricity if your — Bring or secure copies to vital documents and also wise investments. utility service is disrupted. This is particularly impor- important papers. – Collect any items you want to bring if you have tant if you must operate medical equipment.
Payment Arrangements AnytimePayment Arrangements Anytime
Through DEMCO’s upgraded Through DEMCO’s upgraded automated phone system, automated phone system, members can conveniently make payment arrangements 24/7*. That’s just one more way DEMCO is making its members’ lives a little easier. 225-261-1177 1-800-262-1170
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Page 6 • Along These lines • August 2018 Volunteer to help your community through VITA If you have a heart to serve cost of tax prep fees really puts a people and are willing to give a dent in their budget. This service few hours of your time each week, is offered through the Capital please consider this volunteer op- Area United Way and the Internal portunity. Revenue Service. Becoming a volunteer through All volunteers must take a class- the Volunteer Income Tax Assis- room tax law course and certify in tance (VITA) program as greeter or tax law. tax return preparer can be a very re- Classes will be from November warding experience and sometimes through January. There are also a bit challenging, but when you online courses through www.irs.gov. see the spark in someone’s eyes as For more information please Pointe Coupee Electric will be closed Monday, September 4 in observance of Labor you tell them of the refund they are contact Diane Denton, Senior Tax DEMCO’s offices will be closed on Sept. 3 in Day. A dispatcher will be on duty in case of an emergency or power outage getting, then it makes it all worth it. Consultant the with IRS, at 225- observance of Labor Day. A dispatcher will be on Many people live from pay 241-5161 or Lynda.D.Denton@irs. check to pay check and the high gov. (Acct. No. 2443101-001) duty in case 225-638 of-3751 an or emergency 800-738-7232 or power outage. www.pcemc.org Have a safe and Have a happySafe and Happy Labor Day! Day! Pointe Coupee Electric is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month
Look for LED products and fixtures for outdoor use, such as pathway, step and porch lights. Many include features like automatic daylight shut-off and motion sensors. You can also find solar- powered lighting for outdoor spaces. Source: energy.gov
August 2018 • Along These lines • Page 7 Dead season for sports fans filled with college bowling and cornhole On any road trip you take, it seems Bleary-eyed and only half awake, I those last 40 miles drag on forever. soldiered through to the end, pausing at It doesn’t matter where you’re going moments to ask myself, “Who watches or who’s in the car with you, those final the Tour de France, I mean besides 40 miles feel like you’ve entered a time Co-opLife people who live in France?” warp, like the vehicle’s not even touch- by Billy Gibson Up the mountain they climbed, ing the pavement. Two tons of heavy Director of Communications huffing and puffing, and then down the Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives metal, hard plastic and fuzzy dice just mountain they went, spinning through a hovering above the ground in suspended narrow gauntlet of screaming support- animation like an automotive mobile then when he released, “I Can’t Drive getting ready for action, you need to re- ers standing way too close to the riders hanging from a thread. 55.” The video showed him in some acquaint yourself with your naugahyde whizzing past at 40 mph. The tires are spinning and the gas zany outfit inspired by Ronald McDon- Barcalounger, adjust to the unfortunate I felt happy for the guy who came in gauge is steadily falling to E, but you’re ald and going bonkers over having to changes in your backside that have first. He was so elated, like rapturously not really going anywhere. Even the creep along at a snail’s pace. happened since last January and get elated. He cried and hugged his coach trees and billboards seem to be standing As I’m writing this, I can feel that yourself primed for several months of and his family and raised his hands in still, stuck stubbornly motionless in your familiar 40-mile limbo sensation and chip-snacking and soda-swilling. victory. Dude had just chugged 98 miles peripheral vision. frustration, although I’m not actually in Even though I know I’m in pre-sea- through the French Alps. On second thought, maybe there are a car right now– which is a good thing son couch potato training and prepping I assumed he had won the event and some exceptions to the rule. It might our co-op safety guy will appreciate. for another round of armchair quarter- was ready to go home until the an- actually matter where you’re going. One No, my current consternation comes backing, it’s driving me crazy watching nouncer explained he had only won that last stretch of highway I can imagine from the fact that it just happens to be all these other sports that aren’t football. particular stage of the race. There were would go by pretty quickly is LA 22, 40 days until the official kickoff of the Seriously, the desperation settled 11 stages left, plus, the announcer said the dead end route that terminates at the 2018 football season and I’m pretty sure in to the point where I found myself there was little to no possibility this par- front gates of Angola. the time/space continuum has come to a catatonic on the couch watching obscure ticular rider would win the Tour because And it may matter who’s in the car. complete and total stop. events like collegiate bowling, drone he was too far behind on the clock. Travelling with a colicky baby strapped Most football fans can relate. It has racing, darts, dirt track racing, moto- Cross-country cycling has to be in the back seat can make the entire road been nearly seven months since the cross, BMX, beach volleyball, skate- the only sport where participants are trip - not just the last few miles - seem Super Bowl and some of the pre-season boarding, rugby, javelin throwing, junior prepared to break out the bubbly after like being tossed into an eternal pit of chatter has started to stoke the flames golf, fastpitch softball, tournament bass having won just 1-21st of a race. agony and damnation. though there’s still several weeks before fishing and cornhole. Pathetic, I know. All of this got me thinking, what does Recently, I had to make a run from the new season starts. I even stumbled upon some show a real in-the-flesh football player do dur- my home in Denham Springs to NLU in So, what usually happens with called ESPN: The Body Issue. Turns ing the run-up to the season? Natchitoches, and let me say that final football-starved fans like me is that the out the body issue contains a bunch of I had the occasion to chat with span of concrete before reaching the summer heat and yard-maintenance athletes posing nude. Unfortunately, former LSU quarterback and national Natchitoches exit is one desolate, lonely, fatigue drive us into our air-conditioned that’s a program I cannot un-watch, even champion Matt Flynn in the middle of endless piece of interstate. It reminded living rooms staring at a blank TV. though I tried rubbing industrial strength this dead period and just two days after me of my college days back in the 1980s Fire up the remote, flip to the sports cleaning agents into my eyeballs. tuning in to the Tour de France. I asked when I traveled back and forth from Ba- channels and the only thing to see is a My sad state of desperation has its him how he was handling the anticipa- ton Rouge to Tuscaloosa and the speed slate of all the events you’d normally limits. I couldn’t make myself watch any tion of football season. limit was a torturous 55 mph (insert ignore if the DTs weren’t so intense. of the World Cup, NASCAR, MMA, His response: “I’ve been watching grimace face emoji here). You have no choice but to give in, poker or anything related to the NBA, the Tour de France every night.” Rock star Sammy Hagar voiced the rationalizing that just as the football but I did find myself up way too late one Well, I guess if it’s good enough for frustrations of the traveling public back players have to spend the pre-season night watching the Tour de France. Flynn...
News Notes The next meeting of the DEMCO • Put out extra bowls of water with rising temperatures. Here are four 2 percent on your cooling costs. Try Board of Directors is scheduled for indoors and outdoors so your pets can ways to take control: setting your thermostat at 78 degrees Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, at 6 p.m. drink as much as they need. And drop • Cover the windows. Half of all of and turn on a ceiling fan to help circu- Board meetings are held at DEMCO’s a couple of ice cubes into Fido’s water the heat that enters your home during late the air. headquarters facility located at 16262 dish to keep the water nice and cool. the summer comes in through the win- • Use your ceiling fans. Fans don’t Wax Road, Greenwell Springs, La. • Water isn’t just for drinking in the dows. cool the air, but they make the air feel summer. Let your pets stand or play in Invest in a thick shade or window cooler by moving it around the room Protect Your Pooch it to help keep them cool. film to block out the sun. You can save and against your skin. When the fan is Your dog loves riding in the car • If you’re outdoors with your pet, up to 15 percent on your cooling bill by running, you can move your thermostat with you and playing in the grass on stay in the shade. Too much sun can shading west-facing windows. 3–4 degrees higher without noticing a warm, sunny days. cause heatstroke. Short-haired pets can For the hottest parts of your house, difference in your comfort level. But when it gets really hot outdoors, get sunburned. consider installing an awning or plant- keep Fido indoors where the air con- • If you’re leaving the house with- ing trees in front of windows for shade. Lucky Account Number Contest ditioning can keep your four-legged out your pets, keep them indoors and • Change filters. A filter for your air The Lucky Account Number Con- friend cool. leave the air conditioning on. If you’re conditioning system costs only a few test continues this month with four Like people, pets can suffer from all taking them with you, don’t leave them dollars but can save you much more if winners included in this edition of kinds of heat-related problems, such as unattended in a hot car, even with the you change it every month during the Along These Lines. Before you contin- heatstroke, dehydration and respiratory windows cracked. summer. ue looking through this edition for your distress. • Exercise your pets early in the Dirty filters prevent airflow and winning number, look for your account Some hot August days, the safest morning or late in the evening, when make the HVAC system work harder. number printed above your mailing thing for them is a lazy day inside your the weather is not so hot. That means a higher bill. address. Locate this number anywhere home. • Turn the thermostat up. For every in this issue and win the $25 prize. To Here are five ways to keep Fluffy Stay Cool While Saving Energy degree you turn your thermostat up dur- claim your prize, please call 225-262- and Fido safe from heat stress: Your home’s energy use can soar ing air conditioning season, you’ll save 3072.
Page 8 • Along These lines • August 2018 August 2018 • Along These lines • Page 9 From the Board Room DEMCO Board members receive committee reports Meeting of June 28, 2018 bon Square (2nd Filing) tie line Fuel Cost Adjustment and Finan- The board of directors of underground electrical installation cial Summary reports. The board DEMCO held its regular meeting project; Line-Tec Services, LLC approved a resolution reclassifying Thursday, June 28, 2018. for the Hidden Lakes overhead line those accounts disconnected in Feb- Board President Richard Sitman conversion project; V-Tech, Inc. for ruary 2018, as uncollectable. called the meeting to order at 6:00 the Oak Hills Estates Subdivision Danny Berthelot presented the p.m. (7th Filing) underground electri- ALEC report with no action taken. The board then approved the cal installation project; Substation Leslie Falks presented the Dixie minutes of the previous meetings, Engineering & Design Corporation Business Center and the DEMCO new member list, Treasurer’s Report for the Elm Park Substation trans- Foundation reports with no action and Operations Committee report as former addition materials; Valmont taken. (Acct. No. 80181376-002) written. V-Tech, Inc. for the Audubon Poles, Inc. for the Bains to Tunica Ryan Vandersypen presented From the Purchasing Commit- Square (2nd Filing) underground Steel Poles project; and 2018 Blan- the Manager’s report with no action tee report, Randy Lorio, committee electrical installation project; Line- ket PVC price increases from Gres- taken. chairman, presented bids received: Tec Services, LLC for the Audu- co, contingent upon verification of Jim Ellis presented the Attor- costs from vendor. ney’s report. From the Finance Commit- The board then resolved to tee report Steve Irving, committee appoint Ryan Vandersypen as inter- chairman, reviewed the Interest, im CEO and General Manager.
Page 10 • Along These lines • August 2018
August 2018 • Along These lines • Page 11 Get outage updates sent directly to your phone!
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