Florida Keys Electric Cooperative FEBRUARY 2013 COVER STORY: Welcome Back, Seasonal Members Florida Keys Electric Cooperative welcomes its seasonal co-op members back to the Keys, and offers tips on how they can save both energy and money now and when they return north. See the back cover for details. PHOTO BY NIKKI DUNN FKEC Annual Meeting Set for April 20 PAGE 4 More Capital Credits Returned PAGE 8
FKEC NEWS F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 W W W. F K E C. C O M FLORIDA KEYS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION, INC. Member Owned Since 1940 SCOTT NEWBERRY Chief Executive Officer BOARD OF DIRECTORS David C. Ritz District 1, Key Largo President Gretchen Holland District 1, Key Largo Vice President Michael H. Puto District 4, Marathon Secretary Frank N. Hawkins, Jr. District 2, Tavernier Treasurer James J. Boilini District 1, Key Largo Craig Belcher District 2, Tavernier H.B. Barrett District 3, Islamorada George D. Hertel District 3, Islamorada Karl M. Wagner District 4, Marathon CONTACT US: (305) 852-2431 (800) 858-8845 toll free www.fkec.com Mailing Address P.O. Box 377, Tavernier, FL 33070 Members Should Know... to look for current news under Watt s Happening on our homepage at www.fkec.com. Unless otherwise noted, FKEC NEWS writing, design & photography by: Nikki Dunn news@fkec.com Edited by: Rebecca Callahan Newman MARK YOUR CALENDARS! FKEC Supports Local Community Events As a resident of the Upper or Middle Keys, you already know that this time of year is packed with our community s most popular events, including FKEC s Annual Meeting on Saturday, April 20. FKEC encourages both new and longstanding residents to attend these events because most of them support our community by raising critical funds for worthy local causes. One example is the Gigantic Nautical Flea Market sponsored by the Upper Keys Rotary Club. The two-day event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for youth scholarships that benefit our community s graduates. This is just one example of the many annual events that local volunteers organize to help raise needed funds. To make sure you don t miss out, please visit your area s chamber of commerce website to view your local community events calendar. You can also find information online at the Key Largo, Upper Keys, and Middle Keys Rotary Club websites. It s a great time of year to get out and enjoy some fun in the sun, mingle with your neighbors, and help raise money for our communities. FKEC 72nd Annual Meeting and Picnic One event I hope you will all attend this season is our 72nd Annual Meeting and Picnic. This event is a chance for us to show our appreciation for you, our members, and share valuable information. The meetings have grown and evolved into much more than free lunch and speeches. We now feature great booths from almost every department. Our employees offer first-hand information on green initiatives, smart planting, energy conservation, new technology, and much more. Most of our booths also have interactive elements and promise fun for kids as well as adults. We will also continue our annual tradition by offering free registration gifts for members, a free lunch prepared by FKEC staff, and of course our ever popular free raffle of great prizes immediately following the meeting. So mark your calendars and don t miss our annual meeting or any of the great upcoming community events. 4 FEBRUARY 2013
F L O R I D A K E Y S E L E C T R I C C O - O P Annual Meeting & Picnic FREE Lunch FREE Gifts FREE Raffle FREE Entertainment CORAL SHORES HIGH SCHOOL 11 AM Registration Opens TBA Entertainment 11 AM - 1 PM Free Lunch 1 PM Meeting Called to Order Raffle to immediately follow FREE Exhibits Gigantic Nautical FLEA MARKET Founder s Park MM 87 Bayside Saturday, Feb. 23 8 AM - 5 PM Sunday, Feb. 24 9 AM - 3 PM New & Used Boats Boat Parts Marine & Fishing Equipment Electronics Nautical Art & Crafts Food www.giganticnauticalfleamarket.org $5 Admission/Donation Encouraged Proceeds benefit the Rotary Scholarship Foundation for local youth Upper Keys Rotary Club
FKEC Delivers More Capital Credit Refunds to Members Florida Keys Electric Cooperative s Board of Directors retired a total of $2,640,000 in Capital Credits this past December and proudly delivered many of these checks to FKEC members. Capital Credits are the margins or revenues earned in excess of the cost of doing business. As a not-for-profit cooperative utility, FKEC allocates its margins to its consumer-members. Margins are retained by FKEC for a number of years to improve the electric system. These margins are then returned to members as Capital Credits. This year s refunds are based on the amount of power each member purchased in 1993 and 1994 and refund amounts vary in proportion to the amount of electricity a member used. FKEC Directors present Buttonwood Bay Condo Association with a refund check for $2,530. Pictured from left: Director Craig Belcher, Association Manager Lissette Lopez, Association President Mario O. Baldatti, and Director Frank Hawkins. FKEC Directors present the Stoky Business a refund check for $2,356. Pictured from left: Directors David Ritz and Dr. Jim Boilini, Owner Robert Stoky, and Director Gretchen Holland. FKEC Directors deliver a check for $16,012 to Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority. Pictured from left are director David Ritz, FKAA Chairman J. Robert Dean, FKAA Secretary/Treasurer Brian Barroso, FKEC Director Gretchen Holland, FKAA Director Melva Wagner, and FKAA Vice Chairwoman Antoinette Appell. 6 FEBRUARY 2013
Florida Keys Electric Co-op District 2 Directors present Mariners Hospital a refund check for $6,578. Pictured from left: Director Frank Hawkins, Mariners Vice President Candy Fincke, Mariners Facility Manager Janet Catani, and Director Craig Belcher. FKEC Directors present a capital credit refund check to Coral Harbour Club for $1,253. Pictured from left: Director Craig Belcher, Association President William McDonough, Association Manager Carolyn Padfield, and Director Frank Hawkins. FKEC Directors present Monroe County Sheriff Department officials a refund check for $2,458. Pictured from left: Captian Don Fanelli, Director David Ritz, County Sheriff Rick Ramsey, and FKEC Directors Gretchen Holland and Dr. Jim Boilini. FEBRUARY 2013 7
Maintaining Line Clearance FKEC Protects Tree Snails on 905 FKEC is currently clearing its electric line right-of-way along Card Sound Road. FKEC hired contract crews to work under permit to clear lines in this area, and those crews are accompanied by the Cooperative s Regulatory & Environmental Affairs Coordinator Sara Hamilton (pictured above). Hamilton is working alongside the crews to recover Florida Tree Snails from cut branches. To ensure their well-being, Hamilton relocates thousands of snails out of the right-of-way each year and protects any endangered species found during the tree trimming from January to March along State Road 905. While maintaining clearances under and around the power lines, FKEC uses arborist cuts to train branches to grow away from the lines. The Cooperative is not responsible for the trees bordering the road being cut by tractor-mounted trimmers. As a not-for-profit cooperative utility, FKEC's mission is to serve you, our member-consumers, efficiently and effectively in an environmentally responsible manner. Using arborist standards and protecting the snails along 905 is just one of the many ways FKEC cares for our local environment and protects our fragile Florida Keys ecosystem. Where is FKEC Trimming Now? Co-op tree crews will be trimming trees and clearing vegetation away from power lines in the following areas: January-February: North Key Largo State Road 905 (Card Sound Rd.) Please give the tree trimming crews and their equipment plenty of space to work safely and to keep yourself out of harm s way. FKEC sorts and mulches tree trimmings. For info about free mulch available in areas being trimmed visit www.fkec.com/formservice/vegetation -management.cfm. 8 FEBRUARY 2013
FL-152 Energy-Saving Tips for Seasonal Residents We warm-heartedly welcome back our seasonal residents our snowbirds who add to our winter membership. We hope you receive this magazine throughout the year at your homes afar, but for the first time we would like to share some tips geared specifically to helping you save on your electric bill. These tips can help you save both while you are here and after you head north for the summer. If you are a year-round resident, remember that these tips can be applied to home energy savings when you are away on summer vacation too. While you are here: Check the energy efficiency of your home and schedule a free FKEC home energy audit. Book online at www.fkec.com/forms/energy-auditrequest.cfm or call (305) 852-2431. Make sure your A/C is free of vegetation that can block proper air flow and cause inefficient operation. Make sure your electric meter is free of vegetation and accessible to FKEC s service personnel. Put outdoor lights on timers and be sure to account for the time change in March. Consider upgrading old energy-guzzling appliances like refrigerators, inefficient A/Cs, and water heaters. Replace inefficient lights with CFLs or LEDs. When doing yard work follow the FKEC Proper Planting Guide (available online at www.fkec.com/formservice or in offices) and always call 811 before you dig. When you leave: Reduce Energy Cost While Your Home is Vacant Turn your refrigerator to its warmest setting or turn it off. If you turn off your refrigerator, be sure to clean it and leave the doors propped open. Turn off pool heaters at the circuit breaker. Set pool filter pump timer to run only six hours in the summer (4 hours in the winter). If you leave lights on for security reasons use timers or daylight sensors. Consider replacing inefficient lights with high efficiency CFLs or LED lights. Solar lighting is another great option. Control Your A/C to Prevent Mold and Energy Waste For the best protection against mildew, program your thermostat to run your A/C for two hours every day at its lowest (coldest) setting. Optimal operating hours are 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. If you DO NOT have a programmable thermostat, set your regular thermostat to 83 degrees. This is less efficient so it is recommended only for short or infrequent summer trips. Leave interior doors open (including closets) to promote airflow and prevent moisture buildup. Control humidity by repairing leaky A/C ducts and windows or door seals that may let moisture in. Find more energy-saving tips online at www.fkec.com Manage Your FKEC Account and Billing Decide how you are going to pay your FKEC electric bill while you are gone. Consider signing up for automatic bill payment. Learn more about your payment options online at www.fkec.com/accessact/payment-options.cfm or call (305) 852-2431. Make sure FKEC has all your current phone numbers. If you choose to disconnect power while gone, please notify FKEC a minimum of 24 hours prior to returning to arrange reconnection. The main breaker must be in the OFF position to reconnect. Source: www.fpl.com/residential/energy_saving/seasonal/leave.shtml