HENDERSON, KY — Susie Givens of Corydon has been selected to fill the Kenergy board seat left vacant by the death of long-time Director Randy Powell.

Powell served District 4 in Henderson County for 40 years before his death on Sept. 12, 2015.

Givens, who is Powell’s daughter, will take her seat on the board at the Feb. 22 board meeting.

“We are pleased Susie Givens has agreed to serve Kenergy and its member-owners,” said Bob White, board chairman. “Susie is an experienced business leader who believes in the cooperative business model. We look forward to working with her.”

Givens is a native of Henderson County. She has worked 44 years in the drilling industry.

Givens is the CEO of Givens International Drilling Supplies, a company she founded in Little Dixie 21 years ago. Givens International provides drilling equipment to heavy construction operations in more than 60 countries.

Givens International’s customers range from local geothermal businesses to the U.S. Navy and Army Corps of Engineers.

Aside from drilling, Givens has been an active member of the National Ground Water Association Board for more than 10 years. She presently serves on its Department of Transportation Committee.

Givens has been a member of the Kentucky Groundwater Association Board for 12 years. And in 2003, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce appointed her to serve on the Kentucky District Export Council Board, on which Givens still serves.

She is a member of the Methodist Hospital Board of Directors.

In accordance with Kenergy’s policy, the board chairman appointed a search committee to recommend a new director after Powell’s death. The committee included three directors and three member-owners from District 4.

Three candidates expressed interest and scheduled interviews with the search committee. However, one later withdrew his candidacy, so two were interviewed.

In addition, Kenergy’s Board of Directors interviewed the candidates before making a final decision.

Givens’ term will expire in 2017.

The Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC), in accordance with revisions made to KRS 278.460 in 2012, has calculated the annual interest rate to be paid on member deposits for the upcoming year.

The statute requires the PSC to calculate the interest rate to be paid on an annual basis by averaging the one-year constant maturity treasury rate from September, October and November of each year.

Using data from September, October and November, the PSC has calculated an interest rate of 0.37 percent to be paid on member deposits in 2016.

Frequently asked questions and the revised statute may be found on the PSC’s website.

Glenn Cox, one of Kenergy’s 11 directors, was honored recently for 20 years of service to the electric cooperative industry.

The Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives (KAEC) recognized Cox at its annual meeting in Louisville on Nov. 17.

“The electric utility industry is incredibly complex, and we need skilled leadership to make the right decisions for today and tomorrow,” said Chris Perry, KAEC president and CEO. “The members of Kentucky’s electric co-ops are the beneficiaries of the education and experience that (these) honorees have accrued through their years of service to their co-ops.”

Cox was elected to the Henderson-Union RECC board on Aug. 28, 1995, which was prior to the 1999 merger with Green River Electric Cooperative that formed Kenergy.  He represents member-owners who live in the Lyon, Caldwell and Hopkins counties area.

Cox is a Fredonia resident.

 

Last year, cooperative members across the nation helped the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association tell the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about our concerns concerning the EPA’s proposed “Clean Power Plan.”

In all, more than 1 million Americans sent messages through Action.coop and TellEPA.com because EPA’s actions jeopardize rural America’s supply of safe, affordable and reliable electricity.

The EPA addressed a few concerns in its final rule. But the rule still has serious flaws.

It is outside of the EPA’s authority. It will force electric co-ops to close power plants that consumers should be able to rely on for decades to come. Most importantly, without these plants, many co-op members will face higher energy bills.

Even though the rule is final, electric cooperatives aren’t giving up.

Instead, we are filing suit, asking a federal court to turn back this harmful rule.

For more information about our fight and how to stay involved visit www.action.coop.

About 130 members in the south Hancock County area will be affected by a brief outage on Thursday, Nov. 5, between 9 and 9:30 a.m.

This outage is needed to upgrade the area’s power system.

Affected areas will be Hwy 69, Lyonia-Easton Road, Fred Morris Road, Smith Bridge Road, Pellville Road, Water Tower Loop, Stinnett Lane, Luke Mercer Road and West Phillips Lane.

Kenergy apologizes for this inconvenience.

Prior to Kenergy’s Annual Membership meeting to be held on June 14, 2016, individuals will be elected to represent Districts 1, 3 and 5.

A ballot listing the qualified candidates in a contested district election will be mailed in May to each Kenergy member residing within the district. Members will also have the option to vote online.

District 1, which currently is represented by Glenn Cox, includes all of Lyon and Caldwell counties and that portion of Hopkins County west of Highway 109 and the area south of Highway 70 in Crittenden County.

District 3, which currently is represented by Chris Mitchell, includes all of Webster County and that portion of Hopkins County east of Highway 109.

District 5, which currently is represented by Bill Denton, includes the area of Henderson County east of the Pennyrile Parkway and east of that portion of Highway 41 which runs to the north of the Pennyrile Parkway.

Any 15 or more members may make nominations of eligible persons for district director. Such nominations shall be by signed written petition and shall be submitted to Kenergy not less than 110 days prior to the Annual Meeting. Only members eligible to vote in a district are authorized to sign a petition nominating a member from that district. Directors shall be elected only from nominations by petition.

It is not a requirement to use a petition form prepared by Kenergy; however, anyone wishing to do so may request one by contacting Debbie Hayden at 270-689-6101 or email at dhayden@kenergycorp.com.

The petition must be submitted to the cooperative by 4 p.m., Feb. 25, 2016. Thereafter, if the petition is valid, the name of the nominee will be posted.

 

HENDERSON, Ky. — On Friday, Oct. 30, Kenergy plans to file a request with the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) for a 2.46 percent rate increase.

This is the first rate increase the electric distribution cooperative has sought since 2011. At that time, the PSC approved a 2.87 percent increase.

If the PSC approves Kenergy’s proposal, the cooperative expects its new rate to take effect by May 1, 2016.

If approved, the proposed rate would increase the average residential bill by $3.90 a month. Kenergy’s average residential use is 1,352 kilowatt hours.

Did you know it is illegal to post garage-sale signs on utility poles?

Some linemen find signs, deer stands, basketball hoops and satellite dishes — to name a few items — attached to utility poles.  Attaching items to poles deteriorates them faster and creates a work hazard for linemen, who can be killed or injured if a staple or nail pokes a hole in their gloves.

Linemen must remove items attached to power poles before they can climb a pole, so it slows the restoration process during outages.

Also, the public should never climb a power pole to attach items or for any other reason.  Energized power lines can be deadly.

Learn about this and other electrical safety tips by watching this video.