As a member of FreeState Electric Cooperative, you will be sent this e-newsletter each month that provides important information, announcements, and news that may impact your account or service.

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January 2022

Notice

When mailing payments to the McLouth office please make sure to address them using the PO Box.

Changes in USPS mail handling may delay delivery if not addressed properly.

Remit to:

PO Box 70

McLouth, KS 66054

NOTICE: In February members will see a $1 adjustment to their electric service charge. This is part of the October 2020 vote by the board of trustees to adjust service charges over three years. Find out more at www.freestate.coop/adjustment.

Our pets are part of the family!

But pets are unaware of the dangers posed by plugs, wires and other electrical devices in our homes. Here are three ways to keep pets safe from electrical hazards.

New in 2022: FreeState CEO

Welcome to 2022! It has been quite an interesting two years since the beginning of the pandemic. Still, here at FreeState, we’re gearing up for a year of transition of leadership and setting our goals internally to make sure we exceed our members’ expectations in providing quality member service and reliable power that is safe and affordable. It’s what we do and what we will continue to do.

I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and assure you that the transition to new leadership is one that we have been working on for months, and things have been going well. For members, it will be business as usual for each of you. For staff, we are working towards making a positive impact within the communities we serve.

Leading FreeState is an opportunity I am humble and grateful to have. I am thankful for the past nine years of mentorship from retiring CEO Steve Foss. I want to thank the board of trustees for putting their trust in my abilities, the management, and staff for continuing to reach for, set, and obtain their goals for providing each member with the service they come to expect and deserve. And last but not least, my family. I’d like to thank my wife and two boys for their support as we make this transition to new responsibilities.

I want members to know that FreeState is not just a power provider but a trusted energy partner. We’re here to answer questions, provide information, and power not only your homes and businesses but your communities as well. This would include opportunities for our members looking into renewable options to electric vehicles. I look forward to seeing where 2022 and beyond take this cooperative and how we can continue to rise to meet the challenges of our ever-changing industry. I sincerely look forward to serving you.

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When The Lights Go Out, So Do We

Despite FreeState’s best efforts, sometimes the lights go out, and it is often out of our control. One of the questions we get asked most often is what happens during an outage. We want to answer some of those questions this month.

FreeState Preps for Upcoming Trustee Election

Our trustees are an integral part of our cooperative as they have a fiduciary duty to shareholders and set policies. Each year the members elect new trustees and it is time to again begin the election process.

FreeState trustees work diligently with the best interests of all members in mind. The board recognizes the importance of a fair, balanced and transparent election process. The focus is to ensure adequate representation for all.

FreeState members who may be interested in serving on the board of trustees can submit their names to be nominated for the election to the board.

Trustee positions are up for election this year and will be elected to a three-year term. The following trustees are up for re-election at the annual meeting on April 26, 2022.

West District – Mark Wulfkuhle
East District – OPEN POSITION
East District – Ralph Phillips

The nominating committee, made of members appointed by each of the trustees, will meet in early February. This committee will review the names submitted for consideration and then prepare a slate of nominees to be presented to the membership at the FreeState annual meeting. You’ll see more information about this process as we move toward the annual meeting in April. Trustees are responsible for attending one monthly meeting, occurring on the fourth Wednesday of each month, typically held in Lawrence.

What Makes a Good FreeState Trustee?

We seek those who have a sincere interest in preserving the strength of FreeState’s operations and maintaining a productive relationship with our members. We look for our trustees to maintain open lines of communication with the districts and members they serve. Trustees work together to ensure equitable treatment to all members across the system and strive to be knowledgeable about trends and circumstances that may affect the members and communities in FreeState’s service territory.

If you are interested in seeking a position on the board, please contact 800-794-1989 or visit www.freestate.coop/annualmeeting to download an application. Applications are due on Friday, Feb. 4, at 4 p.m.

A Trustee or Trustee candidate must comply with this Bylaw.

General Trustee Qualifications

To become and remain a Trustee, a Person must comply with the following general qualifications (“General Trustee Qualifications”):

be an individual;
have the capacity to enter legally binding contracts;
not have been previously removed or disqualified as a Trustee;
while a Trustee, not be convicted of, or plead guilty to, a felony;
except as otherwise provided by the Board for good cause, receive a Credentialed Cooperative Trustee designation, Trustee’s Certificate, or similar designation or certification from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association within three years of becoming a Trustee;
comply with any other reasonable qualifications determined by the Board.

Apply Now!

Current high school juniors are invited to apply for leadership opportunities with scholarships.

FreeState's strong tradition of promoting youth leadership will continue with two in-person leadership programs this summer. If selected, FreeState will send two high school juniors on an all-expenses-paid trip to either the Kansas Electric Youth (KEY) Leadership Conference or the Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp. The two selected students will also receive a $1,000 scholarship.

The KEY Leadership Conference will be held in Topeka in early June and will provide leadership learning opportunities, engaging speakers, and team-building activities. Student leaders from across the state will tour the Kansas State Capitol and other local attractions. Those selected for this experience also can apply for the Kansas seat on a national youth leadership council.

The Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp will be held July 15-21, 2022, and will be held near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. High school students from electric cooperative communities in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming participate in this leadership camp. Together, they will create a candy cooperative, hear from dynamic speakers, and raft down the Colorado River.

If you know of a student with strong leadership potential who is ready for new experiences, would like to network with other student leaders, and is willing to learn more about themselves and their communities, encourage them to apply for these incredible leadership opportunities.

All application materials and instructions are available online. The deadline to apply is Friday, February 11, 2022.

Apply Now!

FreeState Electric Cooperative

800-794-1989

www.freestate.coop

FreeState Electric Cooperative, Inc., is not subject to the jurisdiction, regulation, supervision and control of the Kansas Corporation Commission, except as specified in K.S.A. 66-104d(f).

Statement of Non-Discrimination

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

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FreeState is a consumer-owned and consumer-controlled electric cooperative. FreeState operates on a not-for-profit basis for the benefit of its member-consumers. Accordingly, the Board has adopted this Policy on Privacy of Member-Consumer Information to establish fair information principles for FreeState in carrying out its responsibility to respect the privacy of personally identifiable information about member-consumers.

Notice: FreeState publicly discloses its policies and practices for the collection, maintenance, use, and disclosure of personally identifiable information about member-consumers.

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