We`re Going on a Power Trip. Join Us!

Wild Rice Electric’s
November 2015 • Volume 75 • Issue 11
News from Wild Rice Electric Co-op, Inc.
PO Box 438, Mahnomen, MN 56557
www.wildriceelectric.com
We’re Going on a Power Trip. Join Us!
Minnesota cooperatives will send
approximately 40 students to Washington, D.C. for the 52nd Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. Wild Rice Electric has
partnered with the Rural Electric Youth
Tour to Washington, D.C. June 11th-16th,
2016. High school students from across
Minnesota will travel to Washington,
D.C. to join more than 1,600 other
students from around the nation for the
2016 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour.
Students will visit with their congressional representatives, tour some of the
most famous museums in the world, and
make memories and friends that will last
a lifetime!
Wild Rice Electric will be sponsoring
one candidate to represent our service
area! The selected candidate will be
responsible for transportation to and
from the MSP airport. Contact Wild Rice
Electric Cooperative or your high school
counselor to apply. The Minnesota Rural
Electric Association (MREA) coordinates
the youth tour. They will leave Saturday,
June 11th and return Thursday, June 16th.
Make 2016 the year you experience
the monuments dedicated to our
country’s leaders and heroes. Let
your voice be heard and get your
questions answered.
Qualifications:
• Complete the Wild Rice Electric Cooperative Youth Tour
Application.
• Applicants must have a parent/
legal guardian who is a member
of Wild Rice Electric Cooperative
with an active account for their
primary residence.
• Applicant must be a junior or senior (16-18 years old) and must attend one of the following schools
in Wild Rice Electric’s service area:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Detroit Lakes High School
Fertile Beltrami High School
Fosston High School
Hawley High School
Lake Park Audubon High
School
Mahnomen High School
Norman County East High
School
Ulen-Hitterdal High School
Waubun High School
Win-E-Mac High School
• Submit a 500-word essay summarizing “What a Cooperative Means
to Me”.
• Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0
Applications must
be submitted by
January 8th, 2016.
Send applications to:
Wild Rice Electric Cooperative
PO Box 438 / 502 N. Main St.
Mahnomen, MN 56557
Attn: Electric Cooperative Youth Tour
Weatherize Your Home:
Caulking and Weatherstripping
Warmed or air-conditioned air mixes
with outside air through gaps in your
home’s thermal envelope—exterior
walls, windows, doors, the roof, and
floors. Such air leaks can waste large
amounts of energy.
Most experts agree that caulking and
weatherstripping any gaps will pay for
itself within one year in energy savings.
Caulking and weatherstripping will also
alleviate drafts and help your home feel
warmer when it’s cold outside. However,
these two weatherization techniques
can’t replace the need for proper insulation throughout your home.
(continued on page 4)
Over
the Comments
Manager’s Desk
Staff
Duane
Gunderson
Steve Haaven
Director
CEO of Finance & Administration
Tom Ryan Retires
Member Service Manager Tom Ryan has
announced his retirement. His last day at
the office will be November 20th, 2015
following a career spanning 38 years.
Many of you have had the opportunity
to visit with Tom about heating options,
energy efficiency programs, or new service applications. I would like to thank
Tom for his dedication, hard work, and
friendship since November 16th, 1977
and wish he and his wife Yvonne the
very best in the retirement years ahead.
Northern Safety & Security
Seventeen years ago Wild Rice Electric
joined neighboring rural electric co-ops
to form Northern Safety & Security. The
business was created as a means for
those of us living in northwestern Minnesota to be notified of intrusion, fire and
water damage, and for loss of electricity
in homes or businesses. Later on a very
important service for medical monitoring
was added. Northern Safety & Security
has become a source of comfort to many
that should someone break into your
home, a fire start, loss of power occur, or
an elderly family member need medical assistance help was just a call away.
However, in today’s world the entire
security industry has changed dramatically. It would have required a major
investment in equipment and people to
move the business forward to meet the
changing environment. As a result, after
careful thought and consideration, a
decision was made to transfer services to
Per Mar Security Services effective October 1st, 2015. Finding the right company
to tend to our customers was paramount.
Per Mar is a Midwest-based security firm,
operating since 1953, who understands
the personalized service provided and
will strive to replicate that experience.
Those served by Northern Safety & Security with monitoring services will have
the terms and conditions of your alarm
agreement remain in effect and no action
will be necessary. You should have received a welcome letter from Per Mar Security Services with contact information.
Your system should continue to work the
same way it always has and you should not
experience any interruption of service. Also,
your local contact information and staff will
remain in operation at the Bemidji office.
Please call with any questions.
Solar
The October issue of Rural DeLight highlighted a Community Solar Interest Survey. The
survey is intended to help determine interest
members might have in the cooperative making available the ability to purchase electricity produced from solar. The member would
purchase a share of electricity produced by
solar for a period of up to 20 years from a
community system installed, owned, and
operated by the co-op. The estimated cost
to purchase the output, based upon similar
projects, will be in the range of $1,200 to
$1,600 per panel. I encourage you to look
at last month’s issue of the Rural DeLight for
more details.
During your consideration and analysis,
please keep in mind that any payback calculations should include an increase in electric
rates for the kilowatt credit to be received
over the 20-year period. For example, if the
initial purchase of the panel output is $1,200
and electricity were to increase at an annual
average of three percent the payback period
for return of principal invested would be approximately 19 years. Obviously we do not
know what future electric rates will be but
there is no doubt increases will occur in future years. If you are interested, please fill out
and return the survey, or complete it online,
since the response will help determine future
involvement. It should be pointed out that
the price charged to purchase electric output
from the community solar project is intended
to cover the project’s cost and to assure it is
not subsidized by other members not choosing to participate.
October: National Cooperative Month
Wild Rice joined all co-ops across the United
States in celebrating the benefits and values
that cooperatives bring to their members and
communities. The co-op business model,
where electric co-ops are owned by those
they serve, is unique and rooted in local
communities. Members maintain democratic
control of their co-ops, which means they
Around The Co-op
elect fellow members to represent them
on the board of directors. As a bonus, members receive special benefits
through co-op programs and share in
margins in the form of capital credits.
Cooperatives help us build a more
participatory, sustainable, and resilient
economy. The American electric cooperative network includes 840 distribution and 65 generation and transmission cooperatives, a total of 905 electric
co-op members. Those organizations
serve an estimated 42 million people
in 47 states, 18.5 million businesses, homes, schools, churches, farms,
irrigation systems, and other establishments in 2,500 of 3,141 counties in
the U.S. Cooperatives comprise more
than 12 percent of the nation’s electric
meters. Wild Rice was pleased to make
available coffee and cookies for those
members able to join us during the first
week in October as a way to celebrate
National Cooperative Month. It’s always
a good way to get the opportunity to
visit with members and say thanks for
your business.
Safety First
Fall weather reminds us that winter is
just around the corner. I encourage you
to take precautionary steps to assure
yours is a safe and reliable heating season in the months ahead. Change filters
on back-up heating systems, make sure
your tanks are full (especially when
prices are now lower) and turn on floor
heat systems to make sure they heat
up prior to control conditions. Should
you be looking at making changes to
your heating systems please contact
our Member Services Department for
details on off-peak heating and rebate
programs.
Holiday Season
The festivity of the holiday season
ahead reminds us we have much to be
thankful for. Please keep safety in mind
when celebrating, cooking, and decorating. Check drop cords for cracks,
don’t overload circuits, and replace
ornaments in bad condition. Have a
nice holiday season.
UND to Study Carbon Storage
The University of North Dakota has received more than $3 million in federal
funding to research new carbon dioxide
(CO2) storage technologies.
UND will use this funding to build on
its ongoing work on Carbon Capture
and Storage (CCS) and other carbon
emission reductions at EERC.
UND was one of nine institutions
nationwide that will receive funding
through the Department of Energy’s
Carbon Storage Program that is focused
on advancing safe and cost-effective
technologies that enable permanent
geological storage of CO2.
The program also supports the development of best practices for commercial
implementation of carbon capture and
storage technologies. The technologies being developed and conducted
through the program will benefit the
existing and future fleet of fossil fuel
power-generating facilities and other
industrial CO2 sources.
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp has worked with
the EERC on ways to promote clean
coal technologies, and EERC has been
an advocate for Heitkamp’s legislation
to provide a viable path forward for
coal as an energy source.
“North Dakota has a diverse and
growing energy industry that can lead
our nation toward North American
energy security and independence,”
said Heitkamp. “A critical component
of our energy mix is coal, which is
why I have been fighting to make sure
we make needed investments in clean
coal technologies that enable us to
harness this important energy source.
The Department of Energy’s investment
in Carbon Capture and Storage technologies, especially at UND’s EERC, is
a welcome sign that the administration
understands what I have long been
telling them: a national energy strategy
must include coal. These funds will also
help the talented folks at UND continue their great and cutting-edge research
about our energy resources.”
Buy energy efficient Christmas lights and
decorations with LED Rebate Coupon!
1) Purchase LED Christmas plug-in (not battery operated) lights and decorations in 2015.
2) Complete this coupon and submit it to Wild Rice Electric Cooperative by Dec. 18th,
2015, with your original sales receipt and the LED packaging showing the ENERGY
STAR® logo and number of lights per string.
3) Strings must be 100 or fewer lights.
How to Apply
4) $3/string of lights, maximum of 5 strings per customer. Rebate cannot exceed price of
LED string per package.
LED REBATE COUPON
Clay County Social Services
715 11th Street No., Suite 502
Moorhead, MN 56560
(218) 299-5200
E. Polk County:
Inter County Community Council
PO Box 187
Oklee, MN 56742
(218) 796-5144 or (888) 778-4008
Polk County Social Services
612 No. Broadway, RM 302
Crookston, MN 56716
(218) 281-3127
Clearwater County:
Clearwater Social Services
PO Box X
Bagley, MN 56621
(218) 694-6164
White Earth Tribal Members:
White Earth Nation Financial Services
PO Box 100
Naytahwaush, MN 56566
(844) 282-6580 or (218) 935-2359
Norman County Social Services
152nd Ave E
Ada, MN 56510
(218) 784-5400
Becker/Mahnomen Counties:
Mahube Community Council
PO Box 747
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 847-1385
PO Box 76
Mahnomen, MN 56557
(218) 935-5022
Energy Assistance Program
3303 US Hwy 59
Waubun, MN 56589
(218) 473-2711
Becker County Social Services
712 MN Ave
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 847-5628
Phone:
Number of Strings
Clay County:
West Central MN Communities Action Inc.
411 Industrial Park Blvd • PO Box 596
Elbow Lake, MN 56531
(800) 492-4805 or (218) 685-4486
W. Polk/Norman Counties:
Tri-Valley Opportunity Council
1407 Erskine Ave • PO Box 607
Crookston, MN 56716
(866) 264-3729 or (218) 281-9080
Celebrate with Savings
Name:
Account #:
Address:
ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS
Rebate per String
Total Rebate
Mail to: Wild Rice Electric Cooperative • P.O. Box 438 • Mahnomen, MN 56557-0438
Mahnomen County Social Services
311 North Main
Mahnomen, MN 56557
(218) 935-2568
Weatherize Your Home: Caulking and Weatherstripping
Detecting Air Leaks
You may already know where some air
leakage occurs in your home, such as an
under-the-door draft that makes you want
to put on socks. But you’ll probably need
to search to find the less obvious gaps.
Look at areas where different materials
meet, like between brick and wood siding, between foundation and walls, and
between the chimney and siding. Also inspect around the following for any cracks
and gaps that could cause air leaks:
ØØDoor and window frames
ØØMail chutes
ØØElectrical and gas service entrances
ØØCable TV and phone lines
ØØOutdoor water faucets
ØØWhere dryer vents pass through walls
ØØBricks, siding, stucco, and foundation
ØØAir conditioners
ØØVents and fans
For a more thorough and accurate measurement of air leakage, you can hire a
technician to conduct a blower door test
in your home. Blower doors are variable-speed fans with a frame and shroud
that allows them to fit inside a variety of
door frames. Pressure gauges determine
airflow through the fan, as well as fan-induced pressure. The leakier a house, the
more airflow required to induce a pressure
difference. When used as a diagnostic
tool, a blower door can also reveal the
location of many leaks.
Caulking
You can use a caulking compound to seal
leaks in a variety of places throughout
your home, including around windows
and door frames. In addition to plugging
air leaks, caulking can also prevent water
damage inside and outside of the home
(continued from page 1)
when applied around faucets, ceiling
fixtures, water pipes, drains, bathtubs,
and other plumbing fixtures.
Caulk forms a flexible seal for cracks,
gaps, or joints less than 1 quarter-inch
wide. Most caulking compounds
come in disposable cartridges that fit
in half-barrel caulking guns (if possible, purchase one with an automatic
release). Some pressurized cartridges
do not require caulking guns. When deciding how much caulking to purchase,
consider that you’ll probably need a
half-cartridge per window or door and
four cartridges for the foundation sill.
weatherstripping that will withstand the
friction, weather, temperature changes,
and wear and tear associated with its
location. For example, when applied to a
door bottom or threshold, weatherstripAlthough not a high-tech operation,
ping could drag on carpet or erode as a
caulking can be tricky. Read and follow result of foot traffic. Weatherstripping in
the instructions on the compound
a window sash must accommodate the
cartridge. Save yourself some trouble by sliding of panes—up and down, sideways
remembering a few important tips:
or out. The weatherstripping you choose
should seal well when the door or winØØClean all areas to be caulked for
dow is closed while allowing it to open
good adhesion. Remove any old
freely.
caulk and paint using a putty knife
or a large screwdriver. Make sure
Choose a product for each specific lothe area is dry so you won’t seal in cation. Felt and open-cell foams tend to
moisture.
be inexpensive, susceptible to weather,
ØØHold the gun at a consistent angle. visible, and inefficient at blocking airflow.
Forty-five degrees is best for getting However, the ease of applying these matedeep into the crack. You know
rials may make them valuable in low-trafyou’ve got the right angle when the fic areas. Vinyl, slightly more expensive,
caulk is immediately forced into
holds up well and resists moisture. Metals
the crack as it comes out of the
(bronze, copper, stainless steel, and alutube.
minum) last for years and are affordable.
They can also provide a nice touch to
ØØCaulk in one straight continuous
stream, if possible. Avoid stops and older homes where vinyl might seem out
of place. You can use more than one type
starts.
of weatherstripping to seal an irregularly
ØØSend caulk to the bottom of an
shaped space. Take durability into account
opening to avoid bubbles.
when comparing costs.
ØØMake sure the caulk sticks to both
sides of a crack or seam.
ØØRelease the trigger before pulling
the gun away to avoid applying
too much caulking compound. A
caulking gun with an automatic
release makes this so much easier.
ØØIf caulk oozes out of a crack, use a
putty knife to push it back in.
ØØDon’t skimp. If the caulk shrinks,
reapply it to form a smooth bead
that will seal the crack completely.
Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping can seal leaks around
movable joints, such as windows or
doors. You need to choose a type of
Weatherstripping supplies and techniques range from simple to the technical.
Consult the instructions on the weatherstripping package. Here are a few basic
guidelines:
ØØWeatherstripping should be applied
to clean, dry surfaces in temperatures
above 20° F (-7° C).
ØØMeasure the area to be weatherstripped twice before you cut anything.
ØØApply weatherstripping snugly against
both surfaces. The material should
compress when the window or door
is shut.
Ads
FOR SALE
Trailer 4’-6”x12’ steel frame, tandem
axles, removable side walls, loading
ramp, tires like new. First $350 takes it.
218-532-3215 or 218-491-5660.
1974 16’ Starcraft boat, trailer, 1988
80hp Mercury motor. Motor excellent
board needs work $600, 218-687-2356.
Bread maker, George Forman grill,
quesadilla maker, meat tumbler,
chicken baker holder, Rapala thermos,
Mickey Mouse cookie jar, salt and
pepper, thimble, music ball and more
218-850-9543.
Rock picker, manure spreader, wire
winder, bottom plow and Ritchie waterer. 218-574-2576.
1 cord box elder, $100. 3 1/2 cord
oak, $425. 2 1/2 cord poplar, $250.
218-935-5576 lv mess.
John Deere lawn mower 38 in deck w/
bagger, good condition. 218-847-4286.
Knappco circular fuel tank 3.5‘(w) X
5’(l); no stand; one-half full; $300 OBO.
701-297-9379.
2006 Chevy Impala LT 3.5, 4 door,
white. 73,000 miles. Clean. $7000.
218-473-2602.
3 toppers and two pontoons. 701-2340588 or 701-200-1337.
XP8000E Generac Generator purchased
new 12/2012. Never used, run once a
year. 218-843-2061.
Round oat straw bales 4x5 ft.
218-935-2178.
3 Bottom Oliver plow trip beam – 4 section steel drag. 218-435-2960.
4 Wheeler Snow Blade: 5’ Cycle
Country Blade Lever Handle. $100.
701-620-9272.
Rider mower, oak wood approx. 2
cords,1998 Chevy Lumina, needs
engine- good body, walk behind
snow blower needs some work.
218-584-4603.
1998 Polaris Super Sport 488 snowmobile: Great shape/reverse/heated
handles/stored indoors/2,915 miles
$1,000. 218-847-2295 evenings or
cell 218-850-4027.
10 yellow canaries, $50 ea. 10 black
shoulder peacocks, $40 ea. 2 pr. Silver fox. $400 pr. 218-847-8059.
1994 Ford F150 xlt 4x4, Leer Crown
topper, bed liner, 128,000 miles
some rust. $2750. 218-532-2771 or
218-532-3651.
Strad. Copy violin (made in West
Germany) w/ bow, hard case, nice
shape. $250 or trade for guns.
701-293-1295.
“Buck Castle” tree stand. Propane
heater seat. 701-238-6717.
Nice NF-1948 C- Allis Chalmers.
410-259-9755.
Hydra-mac 12C skid steer w/ bucket, new tires, $4500. Cement mixer,
$200. Mortar tub, $25. 8-6’ scaffolding units w/ planks, $250. Brick tongs
adjustable, $25. 701-541-2812.
Trailer 4’-6” x 12’ steel frame, tandem axles, removable side walls and
loading ramp, tires like new. $350.
218-532-3215 or 218-491-5660.
Dining room table w/ 4 chairs, 2
leaves, extends to 80 inches. Wall
mirror copper-tone metal frame, electric fireplace stone look, portable closet w/ zipper. 218-435-1517.
32- 900 lb. oat straw bales, $30 each.
218-356-8503.
Used galvanized sheet of steel 26” x
8’ (old strong barn type) very good
shape, $18 per sheet. 218-325-4209.
Several hydraulic cylinders, different
sizes, $50 for choice. 218-431-0442.
Ford 4x16” tri beam mounted 3 pt
plow, $750. Shop cabinets, $100.
8x16 grip tires mounted on wheels,
$100. 218-563-4376.
1991 small V8 pickup, runs good and
good tires, $1,000. Pressure pump
less than a year old. 218-637-3227.
A female Miniature Pinscher mixed
with Chihuahua about 9 months old,
mostly black, $75. 218-668-2739.
2000 Plymouth (Chrysler) Grand Voyager van, 4 new tires w/ less than 3
months wear – good running order.
Also homemade quilts difference sizes, makes great gifts. 218-983-3538.
Revo 3-wheel scooter, like new, very
portable. 218-532-5162, lv message.
WANTED
Pontiac Aztek for parts. Combination LP gas/wood kitchen stove with
good fire box. McCulloch Titan chain
saw. 218-784-8440 lv mess.
500 gallon propane tank in good
condition. 701-238-2595.
C141 Wheel House Lawn Tractor
clutch for deck belt on the motor.
218-847-7945.
Used scaffolding. Call after 5p.m.
218-375-3183.
6 young laying hens and rooster,
tractor tire 13-6-83. 218-584-4603.
Rear bagging system for Craftsman
riding lawn mower and Husqvarna chainsaw model 142 for parts.
218-849-6013.
Bubble
balance
218-435-6820.
for
tires.
Our Ad Policy
• All ads must be 30 words or
less.
• Ads will be abbreviated at the
co-op’s discretion.
• No real estate or commercial
ads will be accepted.
• Ads are published for members
at no charge as space permits
on a first-come, first-served
basis. Unpublished ads will not
be carried over.
• Ads are due by the 5th of the
month prior to publication.
• Members may submit only one
ad per issue.
• Ads must be resubmitted to run
an additional month.
• Ads must be typed or in clear,
readable print. Editor reserves
the right to edit or reject any
ad.
• You can submit your ad by mail,
email or fax. Phone ads will not
be accepted.
• Fax ads to:
(218) 935-2519
• Email ads to:
info@wildriceelectric.com
• Mail ads to:
Wild Rice Electric
P.O. Box 438
Mahnomen, MN 56557
Heating Sales Tax
I, Name
EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE
Account Number
hereby verify that I use 50 percent or more electricity for residential
heating purposes and request that Wild Rice Electric Cooperative, Inc.
deduct the 6.875 percent sales tax for those months that are exempt.
Consumer’s Signature
Date
PERIODICAL
502 North Main, P.O. Box 438
Mahnomen, MN 56557
Rural DeLight (ISSN 0194 505X)
Published monthly by Wild Rice Electric Cooperative,
Inc., P.O. Box 438, Mahnomen, MN 56557, in the
interests of its members and others. Periodical postage
paid at Mahnomen and additional mailing offices. USPS
468-810. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes,
Form 3579 to: Wild Rice Electric Cooperative, Inc., P.O.
Box 438, Mahnomen, MN 56557-0438.
Subscription rates: Members, $1/year; Non-members, $2/year. Phone: (218) 935-2517
In this Issue:
““ We’re Going on a Power Trip. Join Us!
““ Weatherize Your Home: Caulking and Weatherstripping
““ Over the Manager’s Desk with Steve Haaven
““ UND to Study Carbon Storage
““ LED Rebate: Celebrate with Savings
““ Energy Assistance Providers
““ Want Ads
News from Wild Rice
Electric Co-op, Inc.
Virginia Anderson from Waubun, MN
was our lucky winner of the Electric
Table Top Grill. Thanks to everyone
who stopped in to help us celebrate
Cooperative Month!
Phone:
Serving you 24 hours a day
(218) 935-2517
(800) 244-5709
Office Hours:
8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Monday–Friday
Website:
www.wildriceelectric.com