CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Steve AmRhein called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. All directors were present, except Suzanne Parmer. Also in attendance were CEO Brett Abplanalp and Matt Raver.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Dale Wernke moved to approve the agenda as presented. Brian Scheidler seconded the motion, and the motion carried unanimously.
SAFETY AND COOL MOMENT
A safety moment was delivered by Abplanalp, who noted that April 20-24 marked National Work Zone Awareness Week.
For the cool moment, Abplanalp highlighted a collaborative live-line safety demonstration conducted with the Decatur County Highway Department. He also recognized the recipients of the 2026 Operation Round Up grant awards for the first funding cycle.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Open and closed action items, AX charges, check register, and safety reports were reviewed.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
Wernke moved to approve the minutes of the March 25, 2026, board meeting. Steve Nobbe seconded the motion, and the motion carried unanimously.
OPERATIONAL AND STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT
Abplanalp delivered an update on operations and reviewed key performance indicators, including board-approved monthly metrics. He also introduced the need to acquire a fiber bucket truck; however, the board chose to postpone approval until the state finalizes the BEAD grant contract.
Abplanalp then presented “Balancing the Mission: Reliability and Affordability in an Inflationary Environment” He outlined the inflationary pressures affecting the industry and detailed the steps Decatur County REMC has taken to manage rising costs. His presentation included a review of reliability and affordability metrics, highlighting improvements in system outages and noting that billing has remained aligned with CPI inflation. He emphasized that no base rate increase has occurred since 2019. Abplanalp concluded by commending both the team and the board for their commitment to continued grid investment while maintaining stable rates.
FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT
Raver presented the March 2026 financial report to the board, including financial statements for Decatur County REMC, the electric plant, and PowerStream Fiber.
GOVERNING DOCUMENT APPROVAL
The board reviewed Policy 1 7: Director Education. After discussion of proposed redlines, the board agreed to table the policy for further consideration at the next meeting.
The board also reviewed the 2025-2045 Power Requirements Study (PRS). The study indicates that the system is operating in a stable growth environment, with sound planning assumptions and a strategic focus that appropriately balances reliability and affordability. A motion to approve the PRS was made by Scheidler, seconded by Wernke, and approved unanimously.
GOVERNANCE
The board discussed and reached consensus to move the May board meeting from May 27 to May 26. Jason Barnhorst provided a report from the NRECA Annual Meeting he attended.
AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS/BOARD COMMITTEES
AmRhein provided IEC updates, and Barnhorst gave Hoosier Energy updates.
ADJOURNMENT
Carl Riedeman moved to adjourn the meeting. Nobbe seconded the motion, and the motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m., after which the board entered executive session.
