ISSUE NO. 4 YOUR CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE NEWS CONNECTION APRIL 2013

Inside: Learn How To ...

Apply for a PREA Scholarship

Safely Drive in Reverse

Submit Your Recipes to be Featured in Our Newsletter Photo by member Piper Schofield of Sandycreek Studio

“Watts” Inside A Capital Idea by Matthew Boshaw, CEO & General Manager A Capital Idea 1–2

Tips for Driving in Reverse 3 In several articles that I have big deal. It means that we collect, written, I have referred to the through our rates, only what is Action Committee for Rural “cooperative difference.” On a needed to run the organization and Electrification Update 4 daily basis you probably aren’t maintain the system. Everything Cool Energy Costs With a thinking about the things that else is returned to you, our New Refrigerator 5 make your cooperative different members, in the form of capital Budget Billing 5 from other distribution utility credits. Investor-owned utilities’ companies, but we are. The rates include a return on investment Strawberry Dessert Recipe 6 difference is something that is used to pay dividends to different to everyone. It might be stock holders. And anyone can own the cooperative principles: one those stocks, which are publicly Board of Directors member, one vote, and the like. traded. As a private, member owned Maybe you think of our organization, only our members Margery S. Terwilliger member-elected board of get a say. Members vote for, and President directors offering local oversight serve on the board of directors, Jody P. Weaver and control. One of the more and members receive capital credits Vice President noticeable differences is the based on their electrical usage. Althea M. Smith service and member focus of our The whole patronage capital Secretary/Treasurer employees. I get great feedback concept can be a little complicated, from many of you about that. but I will give the short version. At Kenneth Durrett William J. Eichner Perhaps the biggest difference the end of the year, Central Electric Bette D. Walters is the fact that we are a private, Cooperative (CEC) has a Richard L. Weaver not-for-profit organization. That remaining margin. This is the not-for-profit piece is a pretty amount of money remaining after A Capital Idea/Page 2

www.central.coop Customer Service 1-800-521-0570 Emergency Outage Number 1-800-282-8610 Power Lines A Capital Idea/From Page 1

we have paid all the bills. Our staff and board of directors’ meeting, the independent auditors review the board approved the capital credit numbers and ensure their accuracy retirement to our membership in for the board’s approval. That margin the amount of $838,463.97. Given is then allocated to the membership the fact that February ended three based on each person’s electrical days after the approval, we were usage. Those allocations are kept track unable to process the credit in of for each member individually, and time for the March billing cycles, in a subsequent year, are returned to so you will see the credit on Tips for Driving the member in the form of a capital your April billing. That happens in Reverse credit retirement. There are many to be the bill included with this finance and accounting newsletter — what a coincidence! requirements that we have to It is our goal to provide you 1. Try to always follow that are driven by the law and with that cooperative difference, position your vehicle the direction from the board, but no matter how you define it. We so you are driving into that would be a level of detail that I strive to maintain and improve our traffic and not backing couldn’t describe here. level of service, both electric and CEC’s board has long embraced personal. We make every effort out into traffic. the cooperative difference of to control costs and keep rates patronage capital and is committed reasonable, and will continue to 2. Limit the distance to returning that capital to members retire capital credits illustrating you have to drive in whenever our financial position your participation in that allows. To that end, at the Feb. 25th cooperative difference. reverse to a few feet.

Attention High School Seniors: PREA Scholarship More tips on p. 3. A minimum of five $1,000 Applications and required PREA scholarships in memory of information must be received William F. Matson are available for no later than May 10, 2013. the 2013–2014 college year. Finalists will be sent a follow– up questionnaire that must Who is eligible? be returned by June 7, 2013. The PREA Scholarship Scholarship awards will be Trust Fund offers scholarships announced at the PREA Summer to children of members and Meeting in July. To download a employees of electric cooperatives PDF version of the application in Pennsylvania and New Jersey visit: www.prea.com who belong to the Pennsylvania or mail your request to: Rural Electric Association (PREA). PREA Scholarship Trust Fund, Applicants must be high school P.O. Box 1266, seniors. Harrisburg, PA 17108–1266.

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Matt Alderson Manager of Safety and Operations Support Tips for Driving in Reverse Avoid Backing Up: Ask yourself “Is it necessary to back up at this time?” “Can I into the driveway so that you can then drive position my vehicle in a way so whenever forward out of the driveway. Remember I stop I can continue in a forward motion when backing up into a driveway or parking when I’m ready to leave?” An example is spot there is minimal risk. Backing out into when you park along a curb behind a traffic has a great deal of risk; other vehicle. If you park too close to the traffic coming in the opposite direction, vehicle ahead of you, you now have to traffic changing lanes in your vicinity, back up before leaving the curb. pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders, Backing up has risk, avoid that joggers, etc. risk. Limit the Distance You Have to Back Up: Backing Out Into Traffic Position your vehicle so the reverse vs. Driving Into Traffic: direction is only a few feet. When entering a driveway, back

CEC’s Annual Pole Inspection Always Call 8-1-1 Before You Dig! As part of CEC’s ongoing effort to improve Spring has finally arrived! It’s time to plant system reliability, contracted pole inspection crews a garden, install a deck or build an addition to will begin inspecting 900 poles in early April on your existing home. But wait! Before digging, circuits originating from Clearfield substation in check to see if there are any underground Butler County. The job was contracted to Osmose facilities. It’s easy. Just call the Pennsylvania Utilities Services, Inc. (Osmose). One Call System, Inc. at 8-1-1 or visit Inspections typically include a visual www.paonecall.org for answers to all your inspection, sounding of the pole with a hammer and questions. Make sure you call at least three excavation up to 18” around the poles. Poles working days before you plan to dig. identified as having issues will either be addressed Whether you are a contractor, home builder in the field by Osmose or by CEC personnel at a or landowner the Pennsylvania One Call later time. All Osmose representatives and CEC System can assist you in employees carry company-issued identification. digging safely. If you The project will last several months. CEC will have any further give additional notice when the project is complete. questions feel free to If you have any questions, please contact CEC’s contact CEC at Matt Alderson, manager of safety and operations 1-800-521-0570. support, at 1–800–521–0570 x2206. We appreciate your patience and cooperation.

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Action Committee for Rural Electrification (ACRE) Update ACRE is your political action committee that Pennsylvania House of Representatives: keeps in constant contact with our lawmakers to Dick Stevenson, R-8th District: Committee on ensure that the interests of rural electric consumers Committees, Caucus Administrator are fairly represented. Our legislative affairs people Jaret Gibbons, D-10th District: Commerce, in Harrisburg report that we are lucky to have so Committee on Ethics, Environmental Resources many representatives with a favorable view of the and Energy, Professional Liscensure, Tourism rural electric program. Once a person is elected to and Recreational Development congress or the state house their tenure, and the committees they serve on, can expand their Brian Ellis, R-11th District: Appropriations, influence. Here are the latest committee Committee on Ethics, Consumer Affairs, assignments for our area legislators: Judiciary, Liquor Control, Rules U.S. House of Representatives: , R-12th District: State Mike Kelly, R-3rd District: Ways and Means Government Glenn Thompson, R-5th District: Agriculture, Frank Dermody, D-33rd District: Minority Natural Resources, Education and the Workforce Leader, Rules Pennsylvania Senate: Jeff Pyle, R-60th District: Appropriations, Scott Hutchinson, R-21st District: Committee on Committees, Environmental Intergovernmental Affairs, Finance, Resources and Energy, Transportation Environmental Resources and Energy, Local , R-63rd District: Government, Public Health and Welfare, Appropriations, Children and Youth, Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Environmental Resources and Energy, Local Randy Vulakovich, R-40th District: Government Communication and Technology, Aging and R. , R-64th District: Finance, Youth, Appropriations, Community, Economic Human Services, Local Government, Veterans and Recreational Development, Judiciary, Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Transportation , R-65th District: Education, Don White, R-41st District: Banking and Environmental Resources and Energy, Finance, Insurance, Transportation, Community, Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Economic and Recreational Development, Environmental Resources and Energy, Law and No bill gets voted on unless it clears committee Justice, State Government first. As you can see we have a number of our representatives on energy and appropriations Robert Robbins, R-50th District: Veterans committees — very important positions. Please Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, consider joining with thousands of cooperative Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Game and employees, directors and members to make sure Fisheries, Local Government, Rules and rural electric consumers are treated fairly by joining Executive Nominations, Urban Affairs and ACRE. Please contact Chris Panian at Housing 1-800-521-0570 x2171 for details.

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Cool Energy Costs With a New Refrigerator If your refrigerator dates from the 1980s, replacing it with a new model could cut your electric bill by $100 per year, according to When shopping for a new refrigerator, look ENERGY STAR. To estimate how much for one with a top-mounted freezer. It typically energy your refrigerator consumes, visit uses 10 to 25 percent less energy than www.energystar.gov and search for the bottom-mount or side-by-side models, Refrigerator Retirement Calculator. Type your according to ENERGY STAR. Also, choosing a refrigerator’s model number into the calculator larger refrigerator will require more energy, so and you’ll receive an estimate of how much purchase the size you actually need to fit your energy it uses and how much money a new one lifestyle. may save. Always keep the back of the refrigerator 3 More than a quarter of U.S. households own a to 4 inches from the wall for proper air flow. second refrigerator. Many are Cooling coils on the back or underneath the unit older and less efficient act like dust collectors. So make sure to vacuum models, manufactured prior to them once or twice a year, for better 1993. They can use two to three operating efficiency. Keep the inside times more energy than today’s compartment temperature between 34 to 37 ENERGY STAR-qualified models. degrees. Freezer compartments should be Although convenient, a second between zero to 5 above. refrigerator can mean $420 to Remember that no matter if you are at home $750 in additional energy costs or away, your refrigerator is always working for over the lifetime of the appliance. you. Cool your energy costs by using a more If you can’t live without the second fridge, reduce efficient model and some good old fashioned energy use by plugging it in just to keep drinks cleaning. and food cold during parties.

Budget Billing — It’s Nice To Know Surprises are nice, unless they are bills. The budget year runs from April to April of Budget billing can eliminate the unknown by the following year. April is what CEC considers creating a specific payment amount each month budget catch up month. If you have paid for more for electric service. Both members who heat with electric than you have used a credit would be electric in the winter or use air conditioning in the applied to the next budget season or refunded at summer are excellent candidates. your request. If you have used more electric than In order to get the most benefit from budget you have paid for you would be responsible for billing, April is the perfect month to join. the difference, which would be included on your Accounts must be paid in full and you must have April bill. had service for at least 12 months. The payment If you are interested in budget billing, amount is based on your average usage over the contact a member services representative at previous 12 months. 1-800-521-0570.

www.central.coop Page 5 Power Lines Read Power Lines and Recipe of the Month Strawberry Dessert Last Issue’s Winner: Additional ingredients: Ann & Tom Hargenrader of Marble 1 quart of strawberries Works great with Last Issue’s E-Winner: Bottom layer ingredients peaches too! 1/2 cup sugar Erick Byers of Tionesta 1 egg yolk 1-1/2 cups flour Read your issue of CEC’s Power Lines and win! 1-1/4 sticks of butter It’s simple — you can win a $25 credit on your Bottom layer directions monthly electric bill by reading Power Lines and Mix above and press into a greased 9x13 pan. completing the quiz below. CEC holds an additional Layer strawberries on top of this mixture. drawing for a $50 bill credit for quizzes submitted Topping ingredients 1 tablespoon butter online at www.central.coop/quiz. 1/2 cup of sugar Complete, clip and enclose the quiz and personal 2 tablespoons flour information below and return it with your monthly 1/2 cup nuts payment. For quiz rules visit www.central.coop/quiz. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Topping directions Mix above and crumble onto strawberries. 1.True or False: Refrigerators with a bottom- Bake until brown, approximately 1 hour at 350 degrees. mounted freezer use the least amount of energy. Thank you to Janet Guthrie for submitting this recipe! Answer:

My recipe supply is running low! 2. True or False: Backing out into traffic has Please send in your recipes, to be minimal risk. shared in our newsletter, today! Answer: Send Recipes to: 3. True or False: We collect, through our rates, Renee Spence at [email protected] or mail to CEC, 716 Route 368, PO Box 329, Parker, PA 16049 only what is needed to run the organization and maintain the system. Answer: CEC Staff How are we doing? (no wrong answer) Matthew P. Boshaw Lisa A. Hoover CEO, General Manager Director of Member Services

Dennis W. Beggs Christina J. O’Donnell Name: CFO, Director of Finance and Director of Member and Accounting Community Relations Address: Stephanie Deal Fred E. Terwilliger Director of Human Resources Director of Engineering and Operations Telephone No: Account No:

716 Route 368 • PO Box 329 • Parker, PA 16049–0329 • www.central.coop Customer Service 1-800-521-0570 • Emergency Outage Number 1-800-282-8610 www.central.coop Page 6