Board Spotlight: Board Sets 2021 Annual Meeting for May, Kern Joins Team SEMO as Network Engineer

A regular meeting of the Board of Directors of SEMO Electric Cooperative, Inc., (hereinafter referred to as “Cooperative”) was held on Monday, August 17, 2020, at the office of the Cooperative in Sikeston, Missouri. The following Directors were present: Richard Faulkner, Butch Dirnberger, Carl Eftink, Dennis Fowler, Myron Hawes, James Deneke, Carla Moore, Keith Haynes, Dicky Hanor, Tim Coppage, John Bledsoe, and Hamil Corse. Directors absent: none. Also present were Sean Vanslyke, CEO/General Manager; Megan Ray, General Counsel; and staff members Angie Byford, Brad Kern, Amanda Burnett, Loyd Rice, Chris Freed, Marty Vineyard, Dannett Cooper, Ron Montgomery and Brad Milam. The meeting was called to order at 12:28 p.m. by President Faulkner.

A prayer of invocation was offered by Freed. The chair asked for approval of the agenda. On motion made, seconded and passed, the agenda was approved. The Board considered its consent agenda consisting of: the minutes of the regular meeting of July 20, 2020; new membership applications; membership cancellations; initial review of Policy 224, Employee Compensation for Disaster Situations; and initial review of Policy 225, Employee Paid Time Off. Montgomery presented the monthly safety report. He shared information on the monthly safety focus about school bus safety. Following his report, Montgomery left the meeting. Milam introduced new employee Kern, a network engineer. Burnett reviewed the financial summary for the month of July 2020 with revenue and expense analysis, budget comparisons, and a review of the arrears report. Compared to budget, year-to-date expenses are down 4.37%, revenue is down 1.26% and power costs are down 1.98%.

Eftink reported his attendance to the meeting of M&A. Items of interest included: safety; reliability; construction; and finances. Haynes reported his attendance to the AMEC Board meeting. Items of interest included: legislative report; committee reports; approval of 2021 budget; and an AECI update.

Under old business the Board: reviewed its schedule of meetings; Policy 222, Use of Cooperative’s Vehicles, was affirmed as presented; and Policy 223, Employee Travel, was affirmed and presented. Under new business the Board: discussed dates and facilities for the 2021 Annual Meeting for the members; reviewed the current electric rates; and considered construction plans for adding a drive-thru to the Sikeston building. For planning purposes, the board set 2021's annual meeting for May.

Rice presented updates on a new employee, an update of the BMU project, the state broadband grant and work being done to assist local schools with online learning. Milam discussed improvements to the television service. Vanslyke reported on SEMO 360 activities. The board reviewed written staff reports. Department leaders were present to supplement their reports and to answer questions. The remaining staff members were excused from the meeting. Therefore, the Board entered into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters. There being no further business to come before the Board, on motion made, seconded and passed, the meeting was adjourned at 4:40 p.m.