Last month, I shared our progress over the past few years, guided by our 2022 strategic plan. This month, I’m excited to give you a preview of our new strategic direction — and highlight some of the steps already underway.

Our updated plan builds on our strong foundation, with a renewed focus on growth and excellence. We’re expanding our community presence to include deeper partnerships with local businesses and increasing education on the benefits and services available to all members. With our advanced metering upgrades already underway, we will explore how automation and artificial intelligence can help improve reliability and value while keeping costs low. And our ongoing commitment to safety remains at the heart of everything we do.

One of the most visible priorities moving forward is increasing our operational resources. When our headquarters opened in 1988, we served about 10,000 homes with 48 employees and 14 utility trucks.

Today, we serve over 28,000 homes with 56 employees and a fleet of 35 utility vehicles. The average electric co-op in the U.S. has one employee for every 300 members. We have one for every 526. Imagine trying to run a business that’s nearly tripled in size with the same space and roughly the same-sized staff you had 30 years ago! We simply need more staff and space to meet the growing demand.

Please know that we are approaching these changes with caution and care. Every dollar we spend belongs to you, the members-owners of this cooperative, so we will give all diligence and mindfulness to these decisions. We value honesty and transparency, so I’ll keep you updated at each major step. Your support makes progress possible. Let’s build a bright future together.