Annual Meeting Reports

View 2008 Annual Meeting Presentations:

• President's Report  
• Treasurer's Report  
• General Manager's Report  
• Tri-State’s Vice President Report  

Board Treasurer Felix Carrizales gave the financial report. Carrizales noted that the cooperative is financially healthy, but costs to operate and wholesale power costs continue to increase. President Tom Delaney noted such things as: recent completed construction and maintenance projects for 2007; Big Horn is working with our power supplier, Tri-State Generation & Transmission and the Greybull Valley Irrigation District on a possible hydropower project; and over the next four years Big Horn will be investing over $5,700,000 for electrical system infrastructure maintenance and upgrade.

Vice-President Kathy Gilbreath and Wyoming Rural Electric Association’s executive director, Shawn Taylor, both urged members to talk with elected officials about plans to meet the growth in electricity demand. They also encouraged members to ask about available technologies for dealing with carbon issues, affordable generation, and balancing environmental goals with reasonable electric rates.

Manager Jeff Umphlett recognized employees and noted they have worked nearly 90,000 hours without a lost-time accident. He cited many upcoming challenges, including carbon taxes, increased demand for electricity, and fitting renewable energy into the mix of generation. Umphlett further noted that Big Horn REA can’t stay still and that we will continue to adapt and change, but it is nice to know some things haven’t changed. Big Horn is a local company and still has an office in Basin and outposts in Lovell and Ten Sleep supporting members in those areas. Big Horn’s knowledgeable and dedicated employees are still committed to providing quality, friendly customer service.

Mike McInnes, Tri-State’s Vice President reminded members that as Big Horn’s power supplier, Tri-State provides reliable, cost-based electric energy to their member systems consistent with cooperative principles. Those principles include voluntary and open membership, member control, autonomy and independence, education, cooperation among cooperatives, and concern for community. Mike stated that coal is the cheapest, most reliable fuel source in America and the resource needs to be utilized. It is being burned cleaner and more effectively as technology advances. McInnes cautioned members about the words chosen to describe global warming and noted that some of the things people are saying that need to be done are untested and very costly. McInnes concluded by urging members to look back over the years and consider how all costs have changed. "Electricity", he said, "is still the best buy of your household dollars."