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. Also in attendance were Brett Abplanalp, CEO, and Matt Raver.
Approval of agenda
Suzanne Parmer moved to approve the agenda. Brian Scheidler seconded the motion, and the motion carried unanimously.
Safety moment and cool moment
Abplanalp presented the Safety Minute focused on water and electrical safety, reminding everyone to keep electrical devices away from pools, docks, and shorelines, remain alert to overhead power lines, and immediately exit the water and call 911 if an electrical hazard is suspected. He also highlighted the success of the cooperative’s 88th Annual Meeting, which brought together approximately 950 members for food, entertainment, educational demonstrations, scholarships, and community engagement, reinforcing the cooperative’s commitment to Power with Purpose and strengthening community connections.
For your information
Open and Closed Action Items, AX Charges, Check Register, and Safety Reports were reviewed for May.
Approval of previous meeting minutes
Carl Riedeman moved to approve the minutes of the May 26, 2026, board meeting. Dale Wernke seconded the motion, and the motion carried unanimously.
Operational and strategic oversight
Abplanalp reviewed the May 2026 company metrics with the board and provided updates on PowerStream Fiber and progress on the Construction Work Plan. He reported that the fiber truck, trailer, and necessary tools have been ordered. He noted that Decatur County REMC is expected to be among the first broadband providers approved by the Indiana Broadband Office (IBO) to participate in the BEAD program.
Abplanalp also reviewed Construction Work Plan performance, noting that certain metrics are behind plan due to three significant wind events in March and April, which resulted in higher-than-planned lost consumer hours. He explained that fuse coordination work was temporarily deferred to support higher-priority work, but will be completed by year-end. All other Construction Work Plan projects continue to perform ahead of schedule. Additionally, Abplanalp presented a new Large Equipment Disposal Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Board review.
Wernke moved to approve a $150,000 increase to the 2026 Electric Operations budget for contract services to support continued line inspection work. Nobbe seconded the motion, and the motion carried unanimously.
Financial oversight
Raver presented the May 2026 financial report to the board, including financial statements for Decatur County REMC, the electric plant only, and PowerStream Fiber.
Governance
Board elections
The board conducted its annual election of officers, and the following individuals were nominated and elected:
Chairman: AmRhein nominated Wernke, with a second by Parmer. Sheidler moved to close nominations, and Jason Barnhorst seconded the motion. Upon the close of nominations, Wernke was elected Chairman.
Vice-Chairman: Parmer nominated AmRhein, with a second by Wernke, who moved to close nominations, and Sheidler seconded the motion. Upon the close of nominations, AmRhein was elected Vice-Chairman.
Secretary-Treasurer: Barnhorst moved to combine the offices of Secretary and Treasurer into a single Secretary-Treasurer position for the election. Sheidler seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. Elections then proceeded for the newly combined office. Barnhorst nominated Nobbe, with a second by Sheidler, who moved to close nominations, and AmRhein seconded the motion.
Upon the close of nominations, Nobbe was elected Secretary-Treasurer.
Assistant Secretary-Treasurer: AmRhein nominated Scheidler, with a second by Wernke, who moved to close nominations, and Parmer seconded the motion. Upon the close of nominations, Scheidler was elected Assistant Secretary-Treasurer.
Director training/conferences
Barnhorst gave an update on the ACES conference he attended.
Governing document approval
The board reviewed previously redlined revisions to Policy 10-5: Employee Vacations. In addition, the board conducted its annual review of Policy 1-14: Conflict of Interest Policy, Policy 1-10: Director Code of Ethics and Oath of Office, Policy 1-16: Director Conduct Policy, and Policy 1-5: Qualifications for Directorship, with no material changes recommended.
Parmer moved to approve the policies as reviewed. Barnhorst seconded the motion, and the motion carried unanimously.
The board also reviewed proposed bylaw redlines. Following the discussion, consideration of the bylaw revisions was tabled until the July Board meeting.
Lastly, the board reviewed statewide director compensation survey data and the current director compensation structure as outlined in Policy 1-8: Director Fees and Expenses. Following review and discussion, no changes to director compensation were recommended or approved.
Affiliated organizations/board committees
Barnhorst briefed the board on activities and updates from Hoosier Energy’s Audit and Finance Committee.
AmRhein, Wernke, and Parmer provided the board with a report on the recent IEC Regional Meeting.
Adjournment
Scheidler moved to adjourn the meeting. Nobbe seconded the motion, and the motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:58 p.m., after which the board entered executive session.
