Alvin Oney of Rutland wasn’t above announcing to his neighbors in Meigs County that their absence at the Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative 2007 Annual Meeting on Aug. 11 meant a better chance for him to win a prize.

Win, he did. Oney and his wife loaded up processed, packaged, and frozen meat from half a show hog BREC purchased from the Jackson County Fair. They said it would be enough pork to last them through winter.

“I was tickled to death when they called my name,” he said.

What became a record crowd began gathering early at the University of Rio Grande on the Saturday morning of the membership meeting. A pancake breakfast, cooked by acrobatic flapjack chefs from Chris Cakes in Columbus, kicked off the event held in the basketball field house at the Lyne Center.

There was plenty to see and do before the business meeting at 10:30. The Holzer Medical Center Health Fair again showed its popularity, as hundreds of BREC members filed through to avail themselves of various medical screenings, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and bone density.

Sparkles the Clown and Benny returned to entertain children with face-painting, animal balloons, paper hats, craft activities, and puppets.

Inside the field house, BREC staffers answered questions about compact fluorescent light bulbs, renewable energy, home energy audits, service policies, and energy conservation. A special table was set up to identify co-op members with over 50 years on the lines.

The business meeting started with recognition of BREC scholarship winners and Youth Tour participants. Board President Dave Lester singled out members of the Board of Trustees and the executive vice president-general manager, Dennis Beard.

Keynoting the meeting was a special guest from Columbus. Buckeye Power, Inc., Chief Executive Officer Tony Ahern spoke about current and future challenges facing electric consumers

BPI is the generation-and-transmission co-op which supplies Ohio’s rural electric cooperatives. It owns a fleet of power plants and generation capacity, including traditional but clean-burning coal stations and natural gas-fired peaking plants, and it has hydro-generated supplies and renewable energy assets.

“I am happy to report,” Ahern said, “that BPI’s wholesale power price is the lowest in Ohio.”

This is in spite of major investment in environmental technology at BPI power plants and the recent acquisition of a new gas turbine generation unit.

“This past year, we bought a used power plant for 45 cents on the dollar. If we sold it today, it would bring a dollar for each 45 cents invested.”

Ahern said Ohio, the nation, and world have a growing appetite for electricity.

“We are making provisions for meeting your electric power needs in the future,” he said, “but we need all types of generation assets: coal burners, nuclear, and renewable. We also need to emphasize energy efficiency.”

Ahern talked about BPI’s investment in environmental technology to reduce power plant emissions.

“This is being done in such as way as to lessen the rate impact,” he explained.

BPI and Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives (OREC) are also busy advocating for rural electric cooperative consumers in various legislative arenas.

“We are out there protecting your interests and educating political leaders,” Ahern said.

Beard, BREC’s executive vice president and general manager, followed Ahern to the podium. He pointed to two milestones achieved since the last Annual Meeting.

“The FEMA project to repair ice storm damage from 2003 was finished last month. We received 75 cents on the dollar in federal reimbursement for $20 million in work. This enabled us to rebuild and improve over 300 miles of the electric distribution system,” said Beard.

He also noted resumption of the capital credit retirement program to the tune of over $700,000 this year.

“Most you received capital credit checks from Buckeye this summer. We hope the retirement program can continue,” he added.

Beard also revealed that 2007 would be his last Annual Meeting. He plans to retire in early 2008.

No seats on the BREC Board of Trustees were up for election, so the business session concluded quickly and the meeting adjourned, making way for the prize drawings.

Each registered BREC member at the Annual Meeting received several gifts, including a six-pack of compact fluorescent light bulbs, extension cords, and tools. Children at the meeting received BREC backpacks filled with back-to-school supplies.

In addition, local businesses, co-op suppliers, and vendors donated cash and prizes.

The grand prizes were two chest freezers and meat from the hog purchased by the co-op.

A portable pressure washer was given away, in addition to TV sets, DVD players, radios, power tools, gift certificates, dinner certificates, electric kitchen appliances, coolers, shop lights, and smaller items. Total attendance at the meeting was estimated in excess of 1,200.

Next year’s Annual Meeting, set for the second Saturday in August, will mark BREC’s 70th anniversary.

ANNUAL MEETING PRIZE DONORS

BREC’s Annual Meeting keeps getting bigger and better, thanks in no small part to the businesses whose contributions support the prize give-away. This year, contributors included:

Total Tree Service, Loyd Electronics, Power & Communications, Davis H. Elliott, Utility Systems, WESCO, Jividens Farm Supply, Peoples Bank of Rutland, Advanced Hearing, Rio Tire, Big River Electric, Dailey Tire, NAPA of Gallipolis, Car Quest, Farmers Bank of Gallipolis, French City Press, Honda of Jackson, Sunny 93 radio station, Cross & Son Tractors, Kawasaki Motor Sports of Gallipolis, Ohio Valley Bank, River Front Honda of Gallipolis, Consolidated Security, John’s Kawasaki of Jackson, Red’s Rollen Wrecker Service, Ratliff Pool Center, Altizer Feed, Bob Evans Sausage, Barnett Ford, Osborn Equipment, John Sang Ford and Lincoln-Mercury, Thomas Do-It Center, Water Depot of Gallipolis, Snap-On Industrial, Cleaning Supply Co. of Portsmouth, Hughes Supply, Gallia Overhead Door, Carter Plumbing, the Lynch Agency, American Safety Utility, Altec Direct, Safety Solutions, Larry Cheesebrew & Associates, Zeman, Snouffers Fire & Safety, Brownstown Electric, Hunt Technologies, RESCO, McFarland-Cascade, North Pacific Group, Solomon Corp., Montgomery Trailer Sales, Rio Hardware, and the Barn.

Click here for a brief slide show of Annual Meeting photos!