GUNNISON COUNTY ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop 7NOVEMBER 2014

IIn the years prior to 2014, Gun-nison County Electric Associa-tion shared a regulatory compli-ance officer with two other co-ops. In July of 2013, GCEA decided to assemble an in-house regulatory compliance team to help lower expenses and to take some pressure off of rates to our members. In 2014, GCEA started out somewhat on its own. GCEA still has the support of the experts at Colorado Rural Electric Association and leans on them to answer questions and provide guidance on several issues, as well as to help with rule interpretation.

Our in-house compli-ance team consists of five people representing sev-eral areas of compliance within the co-op. This team focuses mostly on Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules as well as the GCEA safety manual and all of the tracking and documenta-tion that goes along with field operations. The inside compliance is a large part of the co-op and is mostly taken care of in-house as well as by the accounting and billing departments. Some examples of what the compliance team works on are written procedures which include “lockout/tagout” procedures, hazard communications, spill prevention control and countermeasures (SPCC), hazard communication and many others. This procedures book needs constant updat-ing and an annual review. Any changes in rules or changes in how GCEA operates the system will require an update to the

book and will need to be shared with the employees to ensure we are all on the same page with proper procedures.

The GCEA compliance team was one of the first to rewrite its safety manual in 2013 and GCEA is proud of this. How-ever, in 2014 OSHA revised and

adopted several new rules that relate to the electric industry. GCEA has tried to incorporate these changes into the new safety manual but there are too many changes to squeeze in, so we are looking at another complete rewrite in early 2015. One of the good things about in-house

compliance is that we are getting the entire company involved.

We are sending employees to train-ing where they can get certified to teach topics. This led to a team approach where everyone plays a role and we have a better in-house understanding of the rules as well as ownership of the program. This is currently a work in progress and we have a long way to go, but I feel we are on the right track. There is a comfort having CREA help with guidance and we still utilize their job training and safety per-son four times a year. We also want them to perform a compliance audit a couple times a year to ensure we are staying cur-rent.

[what’s inside]n Employee Anniversaryn New Partnership with Western State Colo. University (WSCU)n Favorite Employee Holiday Dishesn LED Light Rebaten Heating Costs Leaving You Cold?

MAILING ADDRESSP.O. Box 180Gunnison, CO 81230-0180

STREET ADDRESS37250 West Highway 50Gunnison, CO 81230

970-641-3520 [Gunnison]970-349-5385 [Crested Butte]

gcea@gcea.coop [email]www.gcea.coop [web]

BOARD OF DIRECTORSJohn Vader, presidentDistrict 6 [Gunnison East/Sargents]

Greg Wiggins, vice presidentDistrict 1 [Crested Butte]

Paul Hudgeons, secretary/treasurerDistrict 5 [Lake City]

Bart Laemmel, assistant secretary/treasurerDistrict 3 [Ohio Creek/Almont]

Chuck Cliggett, directorDistrict 7 [at large]

Chris Morgan, directorDistrict 2 [Mt. Crested Butte]

Steve Schechter, directorDistrict 4 [Gunnison West/Powderhorn]

NEWSLETTER EDITORLogann Peterson

SMALL CO-OP, BIG REGULATIONSBY ROGER GROGG || CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Roger Grogg

[continued on page 8]

SAFETY

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop4 NOVEMBER 20148

G

Small Co-op, Big Regulations[continued from page 7] My Co-op Calendar

Daylight-Saving Time Ends(Set clocks back one hour) ...................................November 2

Election Day ................................................................November 4

Winter Office Hours Begin(8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) .....................................................November 10

Veterans Day.............................................................. November 11

Thanksgiving — Office Closed................November 27

Office Closed ...............................................November 28

Night of Lights onMain Street, Gunnison ........................................... December 5

[employee anniversary]

Congratulations! We value our employees!

Kelley Willis ............................................................................ Accountant — 5 years

On November 10, GCEA’s office hours will change to

8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.Monday-Friday

GCEA WINTER HOURS BEGIN NOVEMBER 10

You may think these regulations are voluntary, but they are requirements. The new fall protection rule costs the co-op $12,000 in fall protection devices. It keeps linemen safer and, as a rule, this helps reduce injuries. Anything that is consid-ered safety equipment is paid for by the employer, and as you can imagine the electrical industry is heavily invested in safety. Regulatory compliance is a good thing for the industry and helps protect the workers and the environment, but it is expensive. Regulatory compliance affects your electric rates from genera-tion to distribution of electricity.

At GCEA we take great pride in our compliance program while trying to control costs to our members. Although we are a small co-op, we have the same requirements as the big boys.

P

GCEA WEBSITEGCEA’s new and improved website is up and running. Go check it out at www.gcea.coop

GCEA’s New Partnership With Western State Colorado UniversityGCEA is pleased to announce a new partnership with Western State Colorado University for GCEA’s income-based weatherization program. The master in environmental management (MEM) program at WSCU prepares students for careers in environmental nonprofit development, green business consulting, sustainability coordinating for municipalities and universities, public lands management and water and land conversation. You can find out more about Western’s master program at western.edu/mem. MEM student Sam Kozel was selected for a fellowship provided by GCEA and will be working on outreach for the weatherization program. We are excited to work with Sam and WSCU.

GCEA’s weatherization program is designed to help income-quali-fied members receive weatherization services for free. This program is available due to partnerships with Tri-State Generation and Transmis-sion, the Colorado Energy Office, Housing Resources of Colorado and Western State Colorado University. For more information about the program, contact GCEA at 970-641-3520.

ENERGY TIPTo save energy this month, try lowering your water heating costs. Water heating can account for 14 to 25 percent of the energy you consume in your home. Turn the water heater’s temperature to 120 degrees, which can be done by changing the temperature setting from hot to warm on some water heaters. This will save energy and help you save on your monthly bill.

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop 9NOVEMBER 2014

GGive thanks for family and friends by making these GCEA favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Plan the ultimate holiday feast with recipes for appetizers, side dishes, sweet dishes and more Thanksgiving dinner ideas.

SAUSAGE BALLS1 pound sausage1 (8-ounces) package cream cheese2 (8-ounces) packages of crescent roll dough (seamless dough sheets work best)Cook sausage and let cool a bit. Stir in cream cheese. (Cooling the sausage and cream cheese filling will make it easier to wrap and seal the dough.) Take a rectangular dough sheet or make one by pressing the edges of two crescent triangles together. Cut the rectangle into 6 or 8 squares. Place a small amount of filling into the center of each dough square. Pull the corners up to enclose the filling and press edges together. Bake according to instructions on crescent roll package.

— Mike McBride, CEO

CRANBERRY SAUCE8 ounces fresh cranberries½ cup water½ to 1 cup sugarZest and juice of one orangePut all ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil until berries pop, about 5 minutes. Stir as they cook. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes. Mash and let cool.

— Alantha Garrison, energy use specialist

GREAT PUMPKIN DESSERT1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk3 eggs1 cup sugar4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice1 package (18¼ ounces) yellow cake mix¾ cup butter or margarine, melted1½ cups chopped walnuts Vanilla ice cream or whipped creamIn a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Transfer to a greased 13-inch by 9-inch by 2-inches baking pan. Sprinkle with dry cake mix and drizzle with butter. Top with walnuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

— Holly Palmer, billing assistant

SWEET POTATO PIE3 to 4 medium peeled sweet potatoes, boiled until tender½ stick (4 tablespoons) butter1 teaspoon vanilla extract¾ cup brown sugarMarshmallows Drain boiled sweet potatoes and mash. Add butter, vanilla and brown sugar and mix well. Pour into casserole dish (8-inch by 8-inch works well) and cover with marshmallows. Bake at 350 degrees until marshmallows are golden, about 5 to 10 minutes. If you are preparing the dish ahead of time, refrigerate until just before serving, and don’t add the marshmallows. When ready to cook, cover the dish with foil and pop the sweet potatoes in the oven for about 10 minutes to heat the potatoes, then remove from oven, remove foil, spread marshmallows on top and place back in oven for about 5 to 10 minutes to melt the marshmallows.

— Alantha Garrison, energy use specialist

ULTIMATE MASHED POTATOES5 pounds potatoes3 tablespoons butter plus 5 teaspoons butter, divided8 ounces cream cheese, cubed1 cup sour cream2 teaspoons onion powder¼ teaspoon garlic salt¼ teaspoon pepperPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil potatoes, drain and mash with 3 tablespoons butter. Add remaining ingredients, except remaining butter and mix. Spoon into greased baking dish. Melt remaining butter and drizzle on top. Bake uncovered 30-35 minutes.

— Sherry Booth, executive assistant

Favorite Employee Holiday DishesMake your Thanksgiving meal great with these shared favorites

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop4 NOVEMBER 201410

TThe Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) is a feder-ally-funded program designed to assist low-income households with some of their winter home heating costs. This program has funds that are available for eligible households from November through April each year. LEAP is intended to pay a portion of your bill and is not designed to pay the entire cost of your winter home heating bills.

Members interested in receiving LEAP benefits must fill out a LEAP application. In addition to the application form, ap-plicants must submit a copy of their most recent heating bill or rent receipt that shows a specific amount paid every month for heating costs (if heat is included in the rent), proof of income for all members of the household who work, a signed affidavit and a copy of a valid Colorado picture ID.

Our goal is to keep our residents safe and warm. For more information about LEAP and to see if you qualify for LEAP benefits, call the Department of Health and Human Services at 970-641-3244.

LED Light Rebate

GGCEA and Tri-State Generation and Transmis-sion offer rebates for LED lightbulbs and fixtures with LED lighting built-in for residential and small-commercial use within our service area.

GCEA members are eligible for rebates of 50 percent of the LED cost, capped at $10 per bulb or fixture.

The following restrictions apply: A maximum of 50 bulbs or fixtures per account each year for installation within GCEA’s service area, and LED bulbs must be 300 lumens or greater to qualify.

Visit www.gcea.coop and click on Energy Efficiency or call 970-641-3520 for information.

The holidays are right around the corner and house guests mean extra showers, dishwasher loads and laundry. And it seems like it’s always during the holidays when something decides to break.

So before disaster strikes during the most joyous time of the year, consider investing in a Rheem Marathon water heater. The Marathon water heater’s tank is a lifetime solu-tion, and because it is “warranted not to leak, for as long as you own your home,” it could be the last water heater you need to buy. With its superior dependability and efficien-cy, Marathon truly can provide hot water for life.

Purchase your Marathon from GCEA and receive a rebate of up to $95.

For more information, contact GCEA at 970-641-3520 or visit www.gcea.coop.

Is Your Water Heater Acting Up?

High Heating Costs Leaving You in the Cold?

Household Size Max. Monthly Income 1 $1,670 2 $2,246 3 $2,823 4 $3,400 5 $3,976 6 $4,553 7 $5,129 8 $5,706

INCOME MAXIMUMS

For each additional

person add $577

Warming WiselyAlways remember to turn off space heaters and electric blankets when not in use. Never leave one of these devices turned on unattended and turn off space heaters before going to bed.

WNew Co-op EmployeeGCEA hires Logann Peterson to fill marketing role

We welcome Logann Peterson to our team as our marketing and communications as-sistant. She first joined GCEA as a market-ing intern with the cooperative communica-tions program in May and worked her way up to her current position through hard work and dedication. Logann graduated from Western State Colorado University in 2013 with a communications degree and worked in the academic affairs office while in college. She grew up in Mulvane, Kansas, and enjoys spending time outdoors. Logann looks forward to her role in expanding and innovating marketing strategies for GCEA. If you have any comments or suggestions for our pub-lications, please let her know. We are excited to have Logann as part of our team.