NOVEMBER 2014 22 ARKANSAS VALLEY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

editionarkansas valley electric cooperative

From the Manager’s DeskBILL PETERS, CEO

The new Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative Van Buren district office is on schedule to open in December of this year. The exact day of the opening is unclear at this point. Arkansas Valley Electric CEO, Bill Peters said, “There are still some finishing details that have to be worked out before we can open the doors, but we’re hoping to be in before Christmas.”

The new 22,000-square-foot facility at 5600 N. Arkansas 59 will feature a fully functional operations center with vehicle storage and equipment warehouse, according to Peters. The building also will have a fully staffed payment center with drive-through windows.

“The Van Buren district office has been in planning for over two years,” Peters said. “Crawford County has been the cooperative’s largest and fastest-growing area for over a decade, and we anticipate similar growth for the foreseeable future.”

Peters said the office will ultimately save the cooperative money because of decreased cost associated with transportation and travel time for crews working in and around the county, and through increased gains in efficiencies and productivity.

The cost of the facility will not impact rates. “This project is not an expense that hits our bottom line in a single year,”

Peters said. “It is an investment in our infrastructure paid over time.”

Arkansas Valley Electric believes members in the area will realize several benefits from the new facility such as faster response and restoration times during power outages, Peters said.

Members also will be able to meet with various Arkansas Valley Electric representatives and transact some types of business that previously would have required them travel to the co-op’s headquarters in Ozark.

The new facility will be built to Energy Star guidelines. “AVECC will use innovative technologies like LED lighting and a geothermal heat and air system to substantially reduce energy use and operating costs,” Peters said.

The current office on Pointer Trail location will permanently close when the new facility opens.

Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative to open a new office location

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COOPERATIVE PROPERTY TAXES PAIDCrawford .... $346,677.38

Franklin ...... $310,664.18

Johnson ...... $234,969.80

Logan ......... $249,472.12

Madison ............ $554.93

Newton .......... $7,426.23

Pope ............. $52,725.13

Scott ........... $135,213.09

Sebastian ... $250,559.61

Yell ............... $13,946.61

Everyone who owns property knows that property taxes have to be paid in October of each year and it is no different for Arkansas Valley Electric. The Cooperative pays taxes on its various properties such as office buildings, overhead power lines and substations.

These tax payments are used to support schools, roads, law enforcement and local governments. This year, Arkansas Valley Electric paid a total of $1,602,209.08 to the 10 Arkansas Counties in which we have members. Here’s what your cooperative paid to each county:

23ARKANSAS VALLEY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Clinton Ray Graham A valuable member of the Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative family

passed away Friday, September 26th, at his home in Waldron. Clinton Ray

Graham was 51 years.

He worked at Arkansas Valley for 33 years as an Apparatus Technician

and Master Electrician. He was chosen by his coworkers as Arkansas

Valley’s “Employee of the Year” in 2011. Clinton was committed to

serving the co-op, its members and his community. The entire Arkansas

Valley Electric family extends our deepest sympathy to his wife of 30 years,

Tammy, and the entire family.

NEW EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTThis month’s new employee spotlight features LaDonna Holman.

LaDonna was hired as a Customer Service Representative in May 2014.LaDonna is a graduate of Altus-Denning High School, and she has seven

years of customer service experience. She has been married for 11 years to Darian Holman of Lamar. They have two children; Britlee, age 8, and Jayce, age 5. They have lived in Knoxville for the last nine years where they are members of Arkansas Valley Electric.

LaDonna likes to spend time with her family, and she enjoys the outdoors. She also likes shopping and enjoys reading a good book when she has the time.

Welcome to the Arkansas Valley Electric family, LaDonna Holman.

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Thanksgiving ClosingArkansas Valley Electric Cooperative offices in Ozark, Waldron, Van Buren, and Pocola will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 27 and 28, 2014, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

In case of emergency, Ozark, Van Buren and Pocola service area call 1-800-468-2176.

Waldron service area call 1-800-468-2152.

For automated outage reporting or billing information, call 1-866-862-8322 (1-866-TOAVECC).