Annual Meeting held on April 8
MiEnergy Cooperative’s Annual Meeting for members was a one-hour business meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at the Mabel Community Center, 201 South Main Street, in Mabel, Minn.
The meeting marked the director elections for members living in District 1. District 1 had two seats up for re-election. Incumbent Kim Nelson, of Spring Valley, prevailed over challenger Jordan Fontenello, Preston. Incumbent Dennis Ptacek, of Elma, ran unopposed.
District 1 board directors represent the following townships: Beaver, Bennington, Bloomfield, Carimona, Carrolton, Chatfield, Elmira, Fillmore, Forestville, Fountain, Frankford, Fremont, Jordan, Le Roy, Pilot Mound, Racine, Saratoga, Spring Valley, Sumner and York in Minnesota; and Afton, Chester, Douglas, East Lincoln, Howard, Jamestown, Jenkins, Oakdale, Saratoga and Wayne in Iowa.
All directors serve three-year terms.
The bylaw amendments were also approved by the membership.
The election results were certified by an independent election vendor, Survey and Ballot Systems, and Dennis Puckett from Sullivan & Ward.
Board Treasurer Petersen reported that the cooperative remained in good financial condition and met all its lenders’ financial requirements. Eide Bailly audited the financials, which gave the cooperative a favorable report.
The meeting’s theme was “Trust That Spans Generations” as the cooperative is celebrating 90 years of service to northeastern Iowa and southeastern Minnesota.
President/CEO Brian Krambeer’s President/CEO Report described the historical significance of the signing of the Rural Electrification Act in 1936.
“It’s hard to imagine. During the mid-1930s less than 10% of U.S. farms had electricity. Low density and the high costs to provide service made it undesirable for the investor-owned utilities to deliver that service,” Krambeer explained. “Our success has involved adapting to change to change and pursuing opportunities to grow to make the cooperative better.”
The report provided updates on the fuel mix of MiEnergy’s power supplier, solar generation and local economic development efforts.
Krambeer closed out the 2026 budget highlights by announcing, “all these numbers mean no rate change for 2026.”
Other topics covered included the role of the Midwest Independent System Operation (MISO) in the Maribell transmission line project, the planning for large energy loads, energy politics and broadband initiatives.
View the recorded livestream here