MiEnergy announces election results; director appointment

MiEnergy Cooperative celebrated its ninth annual meeting on April 23. Approximately 108 members attended the event at the Mabel Community Center. The event was also live-streamed through YouTube.

The meeting marked the director elections for members living in districts 4 and 5. A total of 1,483 ballots were cast (1,263 by mail, 216 electronically and 4 onsite). 

District 4 had two seats up for re-election. Incumbent Kyle Holthaus, of Waukon, prevailed over challengers Steve Demuth, of Decorah, and Larry Leliefeld, of Decorah. Incumbent Carl Reicks, of New Hampton, won over challenger Lois Buchheit, of Lawler. 

District 4 board directors represent the following townships: Auburn, Bloomfield, Bluffton, Calmar, Canoe, Chickasaw, Dayton, Decorah, Deerfield, Eden, Frankville, Glenwood, Hanover, Jackson, Jacksonville, Lincoln, Ludlow, Madison, Military, New Hampton, New Oregon, Paris, Pleasant, Springfield, Stapleton, Sumner, Union Prairie, Utica and Washington in Iowa.

In District 5, incumbents Jenny Scharmer, of Winona, and Beth Olson, of Lewiston, ran unopposed. 
District 5 board directors represent the following townships: Dover, Elba, Hart, Hillsdale, Homer, Mount Vernon, Norton, Pleasant Hill, Quincy, Richmond, Rollingstone, St. Charles, Utica, Warren, Whitewater, Wilson, Winona and Wiscoy in Minnesota.               

All directors serve three-year terms. The election results were certified by an independent election vendor, Survey and Ballot Systems, and Dennis Puckett from Sullivan & Ward.

Puckett also announced that the board had decided to appoint Kim Nelson, of Spring Valley, to serve the remainder of the term for District 1 board director which was open by the passing of Jeff Redalen.

Redalen, of Fountain, who passed away in November was recognized at the meeting for his 22 years of service as a board director for MiEnergy and its predecessor Tri-County Electric Cooperative, along with his representation on the boards of Dairyland Power Cooperative and Minnesota Rural Electric Association. 

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.  

President/CEO Brian Krambeer’s CEO Report described how MiEnergy is “unmatched” and “different by design” as part of the evening’s theme. 

Krambeer highlighted what he called a key ratio trend analysis, from Cooperative Finance Corporation which was a series of graphs comparing MiEnergy to all electric distribution cooperatives, to those within the state of Minnesota and Iowa and to those who are a similar size as MiEnergy.

The graphs showed how the cooperative is larger than the average distribution cooperative. The cooperative also has many more miles of line at 5,500 miles, compared to the average in Minnesota which is 3,200 and Iowa which is 2,000. MiEnergy is also much more rural than even other rural electric cooperatives who average 7 members per mile of line compared to MiEnergy’s 4 members.

“We have a few more employees than other electric cooperatives our size but remember we have more than double the miles of electric line than the average cooperative,” Krambeer explained.

MiEnergy has also consistently retired high levels of capital credits for decades.

“Our cumulative capital credits are much higher (at 46%) than the national average (at 28%). We are well above even the top quartile (at 38%),” Krambeer stated.

Other highlights included MiEnergy’s involvement with solar generation, how it is using technology to improve service, its expansion of broadband service through its partnership in MiBroadband and its investment in future leaders through its community service scholarship program that is giving out 80 $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors that is funded through unclaimed capital credits. 

Krambeer also explained some of the challenges facing the cooperative. Membership growth is stagnated, not just at MiEnergy, but across the country. The cooperative is pursuing growth opportunities like data center type businesses that can help local communities too. “Data centers use a lot of energy, add property tax value and provide technical jobs,” Krambeer explained.