Annual Meeting: Showcasing the Cooperative

Annual Meeting: Showcasing the Cooperative
Welcome
A variety of
displays
President/CEO
Stan Feuerberg
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By Sarah Smarrelli
As Board Chairman Manley Garber
commented, NOVEC’s Annual
Meeting is all about the customers
who own the Cooperative. The 1,200
attending the annual meeting on
September 26, 2007, at Battlefield
High School in Haymarket had lots to
keep them busy. They visited an array
of informational booths, participated
in the board of director elections, and
listened to President/CEO Stan
Feuerberg’s State of the Cooperative
presentation.
Representatives facilitated sign-ups
for Operation Round Up, Halt the
Hike signature cards, and elections for
two members of the board of
directors.
Variety of Displays
Customers crowded around the
various displays, learning about
everything from right-of-way
maintenance to Miss Utility. NOVEC
employees, contractors and board of
director members were on hand to
answer questions and explain
NOVEC programs and services at the
following booths:
Careers – provided information about
employment opportunities at
NOVEC.
Construction – showed customers how
woodpeckers cause damage to utility
poles and explained the electrical
equipment on display.
Customer Service – presented
information about payment options
and promoted levelized billing.
Engineering – provided an up-close
look at NOVEC’s service territory
and discussed plans for serving future
growth.
Metering – showcased a collection of
historical electric meters from the
early 1900s through today’s state-of-
the-art ERT meters.
Miss Utility – reminded customers to have all
underground utilities marked before digging on their
property in order to prevent damage or injury.
NOVEC Energy Solutions – provided information about
natural gas service.
NOVEC Solutions – promoted the sale of water heaters,
generators, and whole-house surge protectors.
Operation Round Up – volunteer members of the ORU
board of directors encouraged customers to enroll in this
community-assistance program.
Public Relations – promoted NOVEC’s Power Kids Web
site, which offers all kinds of useful electricity-related
information, educational activities, games and more for the
upcoming school year.
Right of Way – explained NOVEC’s maintenance
program, including details about cyclical tree-trimming
and the free wood chips program.
Substations & Telecommunications – provided information
about NOVEC’s fiber-optic network and the role
substations play in the delivery of electricity.
Business Meeting
After singing a rousing rendition of God Bless America,
the crowd settled in for the business meeting. As required
by Cooperative bylaws, Dexter Odin, NOVEC’s counsel
to the board, declared a quorum with 548 members
present in person and 9,279 present by proxy.
Board Chairman Manley Garber continued his 50-year
tradition of addressing the customers. “You are the owners
of one of the best and most financially sound cooperatives
in the nation,” Garber remarked. “However, the greatest
challenge for the NOVEC board and staff now and in the
years to come is wholesale power and I assure you we’re
doing everything we can to control those costs,” he added.
Garber concluded his remarks by recognizing NOVEC
employees, who received a thunderous round of applause
for their hard work and dedication in keeping the lights on
and managing an efficient cooperative. Don Middleton,
who retired after 30 years of serving District 2 on the
NOVEC Board of Directors, was also recognized for his
service.
CEO Report: State of the Cooperative
Feuerberg highlighted the fact that again this year
NOVEC remained the most reliable electric utility in the
Washington, D.C., metropolitan area as it has for the past
nine years. The Cooperative has achieved this without
Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative
raising delivery rates since 1991, and without borrowing
being negotiated.
money for the past 10 years. “We’re very proud that the
“We have the most integrated and perhaps the best load
company has been able, in recent years, to operate
management program of any electric utility in our area,”
profitably and return a great deal of money to customers
Feuerberg commented. By remotely cycling off and on
in the form of CashBack,” Feuerberg commented. He
customers’ water heaters and air conditioners during peak
continued with a complete report on the State of the
load times, this program helps flatten out the peaks of
Cooperative.
electricity used during the hottest and coldest days. In
2006, load management reduced NOVEC’s wholesale
CEO Presentation Highlights
power bill by $4 million, or 2 percent. There are currently
• The NOVEC system continues to grow, although at a
more than 44,000 load management switches on the
slower pace than in recent years. NOVEC is on track to
system.
add approximately 3,500 meters in 2007, which is the
Although load management is an effective program, it
smallest number in seven years. The total number of
can’t reduce the electricity required by customers’
meters on the system is about 136,000.
appliances and electronic equipment. Nor can it eliminate
• NOVEC has one of the best reliability records in the
the need for more electric generating and transmission
nation, as evidenced by the results of the most recent
capacity to serve the growth in NOVEC’s service territory.
customer-satisfaction survey conducted by the leading
“NOVEC’s demand has risen 40 percent since 2000,”
customer-satisfaction research group. NOVEC was rated
Feuerberg noted, “and we must have the infrastructure in
second-best in the nation, best in the South Region, and
place to meet this demand for power.
best among the regional peer group.
“Right now about 80 cents of every dollar NOVEC
• On the same survey, NOVEC ranked first in overall
spends goes to pay wholesale power costs,” Feuerberg
customer satisfaction in the South Region, competing
explained, “with the other 20 cents going to support
against utilities such as Florida Power & Light, Dominion
NOVEC’s infrastructure.”
Power, and Duke Energy.
However, despite the
Among all the electric
“NOVEC’s primary obligation is to deliver power
rising cost of wholesale
utilities surveyed, NOVEC
to our customers reliably, safely, at a competitive
power, NOVEC’s
ranked fourth in overall
price, and with concern for the environment.”
delivery rate has
customer service.
Feuerberg also
- Stan Feuerberg remained the same since
1991. That means there
highlighted the
have been no rate increases for NOVEC customers in
Cooperative’s environmental activities, which include:
16 years. “Our goal is to continue the trend of no rate
• Responsible vegetation management in rights of way.
increases,” Feuerberg commented.
• Lobbying for realistic, cost-effective climate change
NOVEC keeps operational costs low through
solutions.
productivity improvements and investments in technology
• Geothermal systems installed in Manassas and
that ensure the most efficient operation of the electric
Gainesville office buildings.
delivery system. NOVEC also continually reduces interest
• Recycling of wood wire reels, scrap wire and cable.
• Energy-efficient lighting installed at all NOVEC facilities. expense by paying down debt and restructuring loans. In
addition, NOVEC’s profitable affiliate businesses add to
NOVEC’s power mix includes some “Green Power,”
the bottom line.
with a portion of power coming from hydro-electric
NOVEC Energy Solutions (NES) now provides natural
facilities and the North Anna Nuclear Power Station, plus
the Clover Generating Station, widely considered to be the gas to approximately 17,500 customers in Northern Virginia,
cleanest coal-fired plant east of the Mississippi River. Wind Washington, D.C., and the Baltimore metro area. NES is
the principal gas supplier to Bloom and Bottom Dollar
and solar power are not available under NOVEC’s power
Stores, and Papa John’s Pizza. NOVEC’s other affiliate,
contract, but the entire power-supply situation is currently
Customers register for the meeting
November-December 2007
Stephen Rector shows some of
NOVEC’s construction equipment
Members enjoy the spaghetti dinner
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NOVEC Solutions, continues to sell electric and natural
gas water heaters, generators, and surge-protection
systems.
NOVEC now has 135 miles of fiber-optic cable. This
network provides substation communications, reduces
outage duration and increases equipment reliability. In
addition, the fiber network produces revenue for NOVEC
through lease programs with commercial customers.
“You’d have to look long and hard to find a company
that devotes more time and energy to charitable
community causes than NOVEC,” Feuerberg commented.
The Cooperative supports a diverse list of arts, education,
health, youth and other community organizations.
NOVEC has one of the strongest corporate balance
sheets among cooperatives, Feuerberg said, as he reviewed
some of the most significant accomplishments in 2006:
invested $40 million in capital improvements on the
system, returned $42.4 million in CashBack to customers,
and reduced the debt-per-meter ratio to $942.
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative Report
Board of Directors Vice Chairman Wade C. House
presented an overview of NOVEC’s current power-supply
contract with ODEC. He reviewed the power-supply mix
and stressed the fact that even with ODEC’s various
investments in power plants, the majority of NOVEC’s
electricity is purchased from the wholesale market. House
noted that although NOVEC contributes 29 percent of
ODEC’s financial needs, the Cooperative has only about
8 percent of the vote. “Reducing the wholesale power cost
is the primary focus of your board and staff,” House
concluded.
Customer Questions
Q- Why is NOVEC opposed to the proposal that is behind
the “Halt the Hike” campaign?
A- NOVEC does not oppose the transaction itself. Rather,
NOVEC opposes the proposal as written because it will
force NOVEC customers to subsidize millions of dollars of
Eastern Shore power costs. Additionally, all other ODEC
members will also realize an increase in their power costs,
with no benefit to them.
Q- How is NOVEC prepared to handle a major disaster
such as a flood, hurricane or tornado?
A- NOVEC has mutual-aid agreements with other
cooperatives to assist with power restoration. In addition,
NOVEC works with local emergency-management
agencies to facilitate the quickest and safest power
Customers learn about Operation
Round Up from an ORU board member
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restoration possible during major calamities.
Q- Has NOVEC considered offering fiber-optic service to
residential customers?
A- NOVEC has investigated this possibility, but the
Cooperative can’t offer this service at a competitive price.
The fiber-optic network is designed to provide bulk data
transmission for large carriers such as the phone
companies.
Q- Can geothermal systems be installed in homes?
A- Yes, it’s a very energy-efficient system for homes.
Q- Can a customer have a load management switch
removed?
A- Yes. There is no penalty for dropping out of the load
management program at any time. NOVEC will remove
the switch at no cost.
Q- Why is NOVEC still advertising when Customer
Choice has ended?
A- NOVEC’s advertising program is part of an overall
effort to build brand awareness, to maintain goodwill in
the communities we serve, and expand our cause-based
marketing efforts. If Customer Choice really ends for
good, then our general advertising direction likely will
change somewhat.
Q- Has NOVEC considered offering customer financing
for the purchase of generators?
A- NOVEC has investigated this, but the decision was
made to stay out of the banking business. SunTrust Bank
does offer NOVEC customers a preferred rate for
financing purchases from our affiliates.
Q- Does NOVEC offer net metering?
A- Net metering is available for customers who have the
capability to supply all or a portion of their own electricity
needs. Typically, these customers rely on solar systems to
produce their electricity. The excess energy produced by
the customer is put onto the grid and consumed by other
customers. NOVEC subtracts the amount of energy
supply produced by the net-metering customer from their
total monthly energy requirements before billing the
customer. At present, NOVEC has four net-metering
customers.
Director Elections
In accordance with the NOVEC bylaws, elections for
two board of director positions were held. Harry Harris, of
Purcellville, was elected to the District 2 position and
William Zilliott of South Riding was elected to the AtLarge director position.
Dexter Odin facilitates the legal
aspects of the meeting
Clare Bargerstock discusses metering
with a customer
Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative
Joe Bernard’s
Silver Star
By Priscilla Knight
t choir, I asked our new, tall,
octogenarian bass singer,
Joe Bernard, how he was.
“Super,” he said with a huge smile
and sparkle in his brown eyes. I soon learned that behind
Bernard’s mild manner stood a true super man, a World
War II hero who earned the Silver Star “for gallantry in
action against an enemy of the United States while
engaged in military operations involving conflict with an
opposing foreign force.” Like Superman, Bernard did it
flying.
Bernard joined the Army Air Corps in 1943. The 20year-old soon sailed with the 15th Air Force, 20th Bomb
Squadron, and 2nd Bombardment Group to Foggia, Italy,
to fight in history’s bloodiest war.
Allied forces invaded France on June 6, 1944, to make
Germany release its deadly grip on Europe’s continent.
“Our mission was to deny Hitler fuel for his war
machine,” Bernard told me. Therefore, the 15th Air Force
and Britain’s Royal Air Force went after heavily fortified
fuel depots in B-17 Flying Fortresses.
I asked Bernard if he was frightened. “No, I wanted to
stop Hitler!”
Ploesti, Romania, was the 15th’s most vital target,
because it produced 30 percent of Germany’s oil and gas.
In 5,287 sorties, Allied forces dropped 12,870 tons of
bombs on the refinery. On July 9, 1944, Bernard’s crew
flew to Ploesti on Fifty Packing Mama, their B-17. Bernard
fondly described her as, “the queen of the European skies
with her 75mm custom tail stinger, 11 machine guns and a
beautiful buxom blonde painted on her nose.”
With the target approaching, Bernard crawled into the
bomb bay to arm the bombs. Despite flying at 27,000 feet
altitude and 53 degrees below zero, the aircraft was
neither pressurized nor heated. “We encountered heavy
anti-aircraft artillery,” Bernard recounted. “We lost one
engine and suffered damage to the other three. We
bombed our target and started to make our getaway when
six German ME109s came after us.” Bernard took his
waist-gunner position and fired. “We were in a real
dogfight. It was the most intense and longest battle we’d
encountered,” Bernard said.
Suddenly, a 20mm shell exploded on Bernard’s right
leg. Another shell lacerated his left foot. “I felt a flash of
heat, and when I looked down, I saw my boot hanging
from my heated suit,” Bernard recounted. “At the end of
the stump was a large ball of frozen blood. I cut open my
suit and applied two tourniquets.”
Enemy aircraft turned and came back for the kill.
Bernard said, “I fired my gun, completely oblivious of my
being on only one leg, and saw my tracers bounce off his
November-December 2007
belly. He went down smoking.” Three American P-38
fighters came to their aid; the Germans fled. “Watson (the
waist-gunner) lay next to me unconscious,” Bernard said.
“His leg was gone.” Bernard treated him. “Winston, in the
ball turret (suspended under the plane’s belly), was
screaming. I crawled over, cranked it open, pulled him
out, and treated his wounds,” Bernard told me.
Mama had taken more than 5,000 bullets. With nine of
the 10 crew members seriously injured and a damaged
aircraft, Pilot Hancock headed for Foggia. Bernard
wrapped three parachutes around crew members who
huddled together to stay warm as the B-17 escaped ground
artillery fire.
Hancock fought to keep Mama on the runway, but she
skidded off the tarmac. Ambulances rushed the crew to
the hospital. Bernard teetered near death. “A priest gave
me last rites and I drifted off to sleep,” Bernard recalled.
“I remember realistic visions of God — a man in biblical
habit sitting next to me having a man-to-man talk. He said
my life wasn’t over — I had a lot of living to do.”
Bernard woke up three days later and he received a
Silver Star medal at the foot of his hospital bed. He was
later awarded the Air Medal for meritorious achievement
in aerial flight in sustained operational activities against the
enemy, the Purple Heart, the European-Africa-Middle
Eastern Medal with one Campaign Star, the Victory
Medal, and the American Campaign Medal.
Bernard had 16 operations in the next 14 months. After
rehabilitation, he took a job with the Army Corps of
Engineers’ Map Service in Washington, D.C. There, he
met Madeline Clinton and they married in 1947.
Ultimately, Bernard graduated from George Washington
University and became head of the U.S. Geodetic Satellite
Program. The Bernards had three children and now have
three grandchildren. They are retired, live in Heritage
Hunt in Gainesville, Va., and are NOVEC customerowners.
Bernard said, “You know, that celestial being who talked
to me while I slept in the hospital was right — I had a lot
of living to do. All said, I’ve had a wonderful life.”
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SAVING ENERGY
By Priscilla Knight
Using energy wisely and reducing greenhouse
gases were themes at the September 21-23, 2007,
Remodeling & Home Décor Show at the Dulles Expo
Center in Chantilly, Va. Displays of energy-saving
appliances, light bulbs, windows, sunrooms, solarpowered attic fans, and other building materials filled
both Expo Center buildings. Even energy-saving insulated
garage doors were displayed.
Shar Olivier from PlanIt Greener, an exhibitor, urged
participants to save energy by living “eco-smarter.” Her
suggestions included: replacing incandescent light bulbs
with compact fluorescent bulbs; installing programmable
thermostats; and reducing water-heater energy use by
installing low-flow devices in shower heads.
Olivier recommended that people who are planning to
remodel look for “green” contractors on the National
Association of Home Builders’ Web site, www.nahb.org, or
call 202-266-8200, or 800-368-5242.
Exhibitors showed the latest energy-saving furnaces, airconditioning units, and water heaters. According to the
U.S. Department of Energy, older units consume about
58 percent of a typical home’s energy, and waste
approximately 50 percent of that energy. Manufacturers
say many new units operate with 80 percent to 90 percent
efficiency and pay for themselves in energy savings within
three to 10 years.
Other show exhibitors displayed the latest kitchen
appliances, such as refrigerators, and convection and
microwave ovens, that have earned the Energy Star rating.
Appliances with the Energy Star label use much less
energy than appliances made even 15 years ago, because
some of them use steam and less hot water, employ sensor
devices and have better insulation.
Windows on display showed low-emissivity (low-E)
glass, which deflects hot solar rays in summer but allows
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Photo by Priscilla Knight
Home Show Displays
Energy-smart
Products and Ideas
Triple-pane, low-E windows save energy and block harmful
UV sun rays.
solar heat through in winter when the sun is at a different
angle. Low-E glass can block up to 98 percent of
ultraviolet radiation, which fades furniture and carpets.
Many manufacturers sandwich argon gas between glass
panes to reduce energy loss and noise. As an added
benefit, the windows tilt out for easy cleaning.
For more information about using energy wisely, visit
NOVEC’s Web site, www.novec.com/page.cfm?id=95,
or contact NOVEC’s Energy Services Department locally
at 703-392-1503 or toll-free at 1-888-335-0500, extension
1503, or via e-mail at energyservices@novec.com. Also, go
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy
Star Web site, www.energystar.gov.
Consumers can earn a one-time combined tax credit
of up to $500 on certain energy-saving measures and
products — provided they meet guidelines — if the work is
finished by December 31, 2007. See www.energystar.gov
for more details.
Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative
Bring Holiday Cheer to Needy Families
By Priscilla Knight
orthern Virginia will soon sparkle with twinkling lights,
festooned greens and glittering holiday decorations.
Stores will overflow with shoppers buying gifts, toys
and holiday food to the sounds of Bing Crosby singing
White Christmas. Imagine a child or senior citizen seeing all
these wonders and not sharing in them, because he or she
is too poor.
’Tis the giving season and NOVEC asks customermembers to share their blessings by participating in the
Un-Trim-A-Tree Holiday Program, sponsored by the
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of the Voluntary
Action Center of the Greater Prince William Area.
Un-Trim-A-Tree provides gifts for thousands of
disadvantaged children up to age 15 and seniors 55 years
and older. The program also provides baskets of holiday
food for needy families. This year, donors are asked to
contribute personal-care items for babies, children and
adults.
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program works
closely with the Prince William County Department of
Social Services, Manassas City Social Services, Manassas
Park Department of Social Services, Action for
Community Through Service (ACTS), and Securing
Emergency Resources through Volunteer Efforts (SERVE).
These organizations help determine recipients.
Donors choose the number of families they would like to
“adopt” and agree to provide two gifts for each child.
N
Donors are asked to
follow these guidelines:
• Gifts should have a
value of $10 to $20
to ensure that all
children are treated
equally. They
should be
unwrapped.
• Please give movie
passes and grocery store
gift cards instead of video games.
• Take perishable and non-perishable
food to SERVE or ACTS — not the
distribution center at Hylton Memorial
Chapel. The SERVE and ACTS food
pantries are low and need food.
Gifts and personal-care items may be dropped off on
Monday, December 17, and Tuesday, December 18, from
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hylton Memorial Chapel, 14640
Potomac Mills Road, Woodbridge, VA 22192.
To donate, contact the Voluntary Action Center
at 703-369-5292, ext. 207, or e-mail
dsundholm@volunteerprincewilliam.org; fax to
703-369-5671 (attention: Diane); or write to Un-Trim-ATree/Voluntary Action Center, 9248 Center Street,
Manassas, VA 20110.
NOVEC Stays In Touch
Remember all of the great ways to stay up to date with
what’s going on at your Cooperative. Each month,
NOVEC sends out the What’s Current insert with
customers’ bills, the Cooperative Living magazine, and keeps
information updated on the Web at www.novec.com. Be
sure to look for advertisements in local newspapers and
magazines as well as our billboard on I-66 near
Gainesville. Chat with employees at NOVEC-sponsored
community events and the annual meeting. “These are all
ways in which NOVEC partners with customers to be the
Powerful Choice,” says Inia Burginger, communications
manager.
November-December 2007
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INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY
Rappahannock RoughRide
Raises More than $23,000
for Fauquier Free Clinic
A record number of bicyclists, 272, squeezed into bike
shorts and rode through some of Virginia’s most gorgeous
countryside in Washington, Va., on September 22 to raise
more than $23,000 for the Fauquier Free Clinic. NOVEC
co-sponsored the event.
NOVEC employees (from right) Bob James, Priscilla
Knight and Barbara Trelease rode in the RoughRide.
Display Space Donated to Project Mend-A-House
Project Mend-A-House volunteers Lorene Guernsey and
Walt Koscinski reached out to the community at the
Nissan Pavilion during a recent concert. The pair talked to
concert attendees about the organization’s many efforts,
thanks in part to the space donated by NOVEC. “It was a
fun venue and it raised some of the concert-goers’
awareness of our organization,” said Andrea Saccoccia,
Project Mend-A-House executive director.
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sponsored by
Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative
NOVEC’s offices and Customer Service Centers will
be closed in observance of the following holidays:
Veterans Day
November 12
Chairman:
J. Manley Garber
District 7
Woodbridge/Dale City/Montclair
Thanksgiving
November 22-23
Vice Chairman:
Wade C. House
District 5
Nokesville/Haymarket/Bull Run
Christmas
December 24-25
Secretary:
Michael Ragan
District 6
Lake Jackson/Buckhall/
Manassas Park/Bristow
New Year’s Day
January 1
Treasurer:
Walter Grove
District 8
Fauquier/Stafford
Service outage calls can be made to
703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500
William Zilliott
At Large
James Chesley
District 3
Fairfax County, South of Rt. 66
Cynthia Gilbride
District 9
Fairfax County, North of Rt. 66
Loudoun County, South Riding
Harry Harris
District 2
Loudoun County, South of Rt. 7
Ann Wheeler
District 4
Manassas/Gainesville
Stan C. Feuerberg
President and CEO
Corporate Office
10323 Lomond Drive
Mailing Address • P.O. Box 2710
Manassas, Virginia 20108-0875
703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500
www.novec.com
November-December 2007
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