Rural Missouri - October 2020 - 5

Missouri
RURAL

Volume 73 | OCTOBER 2020 | Number 10
EDITORIAL STAFF:
Jim McCarty, editor
jmccarty@ruralmissouri.coop
Paul Newton, managing editor
pnewton@ruralmissouri.coop
Heather Berry, associate editor
hberry@ruralmissouri.coop
Megan Backes, creative director
mbackes@ruralmissouri.coop
Zach Smith, field editor
zsmith@ruralmissouri.coop
Angie Jones-Wheeler, co-op page designer
ADVERTISING:
Mary Davis, production manager
mdavis@ruralmissouri.coop
Editorial:
Rural Missouri
P.O. Box 1645, Jefferson City, MO 65102
573-659-3423
info@ruralmissouri.coop
www.ruralmissouri.coop
Advertising:
mdavis@ruralmissouri.coop
573-659-3400
National Advertising Representative:
American MainStreet Publications;
611 S. Congress St., Suite 504; Austin, TX 78704
573-659-3400
Postmasters: Send address changes to Rural Missouri, P.O. Box 1645, Jefferson City, MO 65102.
Subscribers: Report change of address to your local cooperative. Do not send change of address to
Rural Missouri.
Advertising standards: Advertising published in
Rural Missouri is accepted on the premise that
the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and sold to customers at the advertised price. Rural Missouri and Missouri's electric cooperatives do not endorse any products or
services advertised herein. Advertising that does
not conform to these standards or that is deceptive or misleading is never knowingly accepted by
this publication.
Rural Missouri (ISSN 0164-8578) (USPS 473000) is published monthly by the Association
of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, 2722 E.
McCarty Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101, Caleb
Jones, CEO/executive vice president. Individual
subscription rate: $10 per year or $22 for three
years, taxes and postage included. Group rate for
members of participating RECs $2.22, plus taxes
and postage, paid from equity accruing to the
member. Delivery as specified by subscriber. If not
specified, delivery will be by periodical class mail
at subscriber's expense. Periodical Class postage
paid at Jefferson City, MO, and additional mailing
offices. Copyright 2020, Association of Missouri
Electric Cooperatives. Call for reprint rights.

Circulation of this issue: 569,364

asasasasasasasasasasasa

RM | PERSPECTIVES

A member of the co-op
by Caleb Jones
cjones@amec.coop

ell, it was just a matter of
time. I think if you asked
my wife, she would have
said there wasn't much of
a chance. If you asked my kids, they
wouldn't know either way. I think
most everyone else just figured it had
already happened.
The Jones Family is now officially a
Boone Electric Cooperative member.
Lindsey and I both grew up in
homes served by electric co-ops. For
her it was Platte-Clay Electric. For me
it was Co-Mo Electric.
As a kid, I doubt if I noticed we
were part of a co-op until they helped
me with a scholarship. I was more
focused on finding a covey of quail,
my FFA project or our next football
opponent. It took some time living at
Mizzou while in the Ag School, then in
Washington, D.C. working for a congressman for me to realize that being
a member of an electric co-op is more
than just paying a utility bill.
When I stopped by the office to fill
out my membership application, the
cooperative's member service representatives took the time to explain to
me some of the advantages that come
with being a member.
For example, I now get invited to attend the cooperative's annual meeting
in July. As a co-op member, I get an
opportunity to vote for the directors
who will represent me on the board of
this member-owned business.
I'll still get a bill, but I know that
the rates are set by actual users of the
cooperative's electricity. I can rest assured that if they see the need to raise
rates, it will be for a good reason since
the new rates will apply to them too.
Those rates, by the way, are set to
cover the overhead, along with just
enough to keep the bankers happy.
Should the co-op have a good year,
the extra income will come back to me
in the form of a capital credit. Nice!
I also have access to a team of
energy experts at the co-op who can
help me make the most of my energy
dollars. Only at a cooperative would

Lindsey and I became proud electric co-op
members when we bought this home.
the business go to such great lengths
to help me use less of its product.
We are going to be remodeling
and adding on to an old farmhouse,
which likely was one of the first to
get electricity when Missouri's first
electric cooperative was incorporated.
I was happy to learn that my electric
co-op (and yours too) offers rebates on
energy--efficient appliances.
As an electric co-op member, I can
choose to round up my bill to the
nearest dollar, with the spare change
going to a community trust which
will help our community. I left Boone
Electric's office knowing that not only
was my family getting great electric
service, we are now part of a group of
member-owners who are helping their
neighbors in rural Missouri.
Cooperatives are indeed unique
businesses, so much so that there is
an entire month to honor their work.
Please join me during National Co-op
Month in thanking our electric cooperatives for going above and beyond
merely providing electricity. Lindsey
and I are proud to be co-op members
again, and I hope you are too.

Jones is the executive vice president
and CEO of the Association of Missouri
Electric Cooperatives and a member of
Boone Electric Co-op.
OCTOBER 2020 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP

http://www.ruralmissouri.coop http://www.facebook.com/RuralMissouri, http://www.youtube.com/RuralMOmag. http://www.pinterest.com/ruralmissouri http://www.RURALMISSOURI.COOP

Rural Missouri - October 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - October 2020