A Calm Day
We prayed for good weather for SEMO Electric Cooperative’s 2021 Annual Meeting and the good Lord delivered. Thank you to the members and guests who participated in the drive-thru event on May 13 at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Grounds. My word to explain the day was “calm” as we were onsite for about 15 hours (the event was open to members for 10 hours) and the weather was beautiful and smiles and laughter were everywhere.
Prior to 2020, we averaged around 225 registered members at annual meetings. This year we had 566 registered members, which was nearly the exact amount as 2020. Both events were held outdoors due to Covid-19. With the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, we had to think differently. We had to plan for various scenarios. Why? Because the planning for the Cooperative’s next annual meeting begins as soon as the current one ends. SEMO Electric’s bylaws, the rules that govern the Cooperative, state-specific timelines for member notification, elections, etc. It’s a process. And if done correctly, it looks seamless to you – our member-owners. Therefore, we have already discussed what went well and what could have been done better and we are working on 2022’s timeline. As we look ahead to May 2022, we expect to host another great event. We are unsure of the details, but over the next six months, we will develop a robust plan.
I am proud of Team SEMO, the employees who represent SEMO Electric and GoSEMO Fiber, for stepping up last year and this year to host both events despite a pandemic. Hosting an annual meeting, responding to storms, and keeping the lights on and the fiber flowing 24/7/365 requires teamwork. It can be challenging due to the nature of our business because we don’t control Mother Nature. However, we do control how we respond and we will keep pushing forward.
For the first time in SEMO Electric’s history, we have sustained more than 16,000 active electric services for one year and we have more than 9,000 active GoSEMO Fiber broadband services. That’s a total of 25,000 active essential services in the Cooperative’s six-county area – Bollinger County, Cape Girardeau County, Mississippi County, New Madrid County, Scott County, and Stoddard County – in southeast Missouri.
We are humbled by your support and we look forward to more growth. Making your life better is our mission. Let’s keep pushing forward – together. Thank you.
Book of the Month: “Moments like these don’t happen without a team of people, trying to put out the best broadcast. If there’s nobody there to shoot it, the interview doesn’t happen. If the audio guy doesn’t have the microphone right, the interview doesn’t happen. If the satellite transmission folks decided to go off the air, the interview doesn’t happen. Viewers didn’t see everything that happened behind the scenes.” Talking to GOATs by Jim Gray Book
Keep pushing forward! Be smart. Act safe.
