October is a pretty special month for Southeastern Indiana REMC because it is National Co-op Month. Being a member of a co-op is special because you are also an owner. You own a stake in our business, and just like any stakeholder, there are many benefits to your membership.  

One of the most important benefits of being a co-op member is that you have an opportunity to make your voice heard every year at our annual meeting by electing the co-op’s board of directors. Thanks to all who participated in the SEIREMC 2020 director election during our virtual annual meeting on Oct. 1. We are pleased with the level of engagement we experienced, but we certainly missed the opportunity to visit with our members in person this year.  

The mission of your co-op is “to safely provide reliable electricity and diversified services to the members and communities we serve.” Sure, we have to think about expenses, overhead and other aspects of daily business, but when we have a little left over, we send it back to you in the form of capital credits. Returning capital credits to you is a major part of why being a co-op member matters.  

As we begin the fourth quarter of the year, we are evaluating the progress we have made over the past nine months and implementing the final phase of our workplan and strategic initiatives for 2020. We continue to keep the safety of our employees and members at the forefront of our minds, and we are always identifying ways to improve our communication and member engagement and use of technology to better serve our members.  

As your local electric co-op, we get to be a part of this community. When we think about membership, we think about all of the ways we can give back to you, our members — and that’s what matters most to us.