GUNNISON COUNTY ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop 7OCTOBER 2014

In September of 2013, Gunnison County Electric Association rolled out a new online bill payment platform called SmartHub. SmartHub turns your smartphone, tablet or computer screen into “account central” and is the center of member engagement.

The app is free and you can download it from iTunes or the Android app store on to your compatible mobile phone or tablet device. The web version is Internet accessible from any web-enabled device. Both the app and the web version give you secure access to

maintain your account information.Some of the initial features include:g View and pay your billg View your billing and payment historyg Set up recurring paymentsg Receive notifications via text message or email when your bill is due, when a payment is made, if your account becomes delinquent and when personal information is changedWith SmartHub you can also monitor

your daily electric usage. The My Usage feature in SmartHub of-

fers a quick snapshot of how much energy you used, and allows you to compare that usage over time and against weather data.

Why should you care? Tracking usage will help you determine if you are using more energy than usual, so you can make adjustments before you get an unexpect-edly large bill. In addition, having access

to this information can help you make wise energy decisions. SmartHub provides you with graphics and us-age markers. Now you can check how much electricity you used on any given day from your phone, tablet or computer, wherever you may be. Having access to monitor your daily usage will give you more ability to control your costs. Our goal is to make it convenient and quick for members to get information such as when your next bill is due and also how much electricity you used yesterday.g View your daily and monthly electric

usageg Look at bill comparisonsg Compare usage to weather

informationIs my phone or tablet supported?The SmartHub app is supported on the following platforms:g iOS 3.1 and above (iPhone and/or iPad)g Android 2.1 and above (smartphones or tablets)Having trouble viewing usage informa-

tion? It could be because GCEA needs to change your meter to a TWACS meter. This type of meter gives you, the member, the ability to monitor daily usage through SmartHub. Please contact one of our member service specialists if you are expe-riencing any issues.

[what’s inside]n Youth Tour and Youth Camp Sign-Up Remindern Member Appreciation Dayn National Cooperative Monthn Winterizing Homes

MAILING ADDRESSP.O. Box 180Gunnison, CO 81230-0180

STREET ADDRESS37250 West Highway 50Gunnison, CO 81230

970-641-3520 [Gunnison]970-349-5385 [Crested Butte]

gcea@gcea.coop [email]www.gcea.coop [web]

BOARD OF DIRECTORSChris Morgan, presidentDistrict 2 [Mt. Crested Butte]

John Vader, vice presidentDistrict 6 [Gunnison East/Sargents]

Paul Hudgeons, secretary/treasurerDistrict 5 [Lake City]

Bart Laemmel, assistant secretary/treasurerDistrict 3 [Ohio Creek/Almont]

Chuck Cliggett, directorDistrict 7 [at large]

Steve Schechter, directorDistrict 4 [Gunnison West/Powderhorn]

Greg Wiggins, directorDistrict 1 [Crested Butte]

Check Out SmartHub … it’s more than just a payment platform!

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop4 OCTOBER 20148

My Co-op CalendarColumbus Day............................................ Monday, October 13

Member Appreciation Day ............. Friday, October 24 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.Halloween ......................................................... Friday, October 31

New Co-op EmployeesWelcome, Josh Doran

GCEA would like to introduce Josh Doran, the newest lineman to join the team. Josh will report to the Crested Butte outpost. He has two years of experience as a lineman and is a graduate of Mitchell Technical In-stitute. Out of a class of 84, he was selected as one of the top nine students to represent the school in a linemen’s rodeo. GCEA is excited to have Josh on board.

GGCEA is proud to offer leader-ship opportunities to high school juniors to help them prepare for the future. The Washington, D.C., Youth Tour introduces students to our nation’s capital with tours of museums and historic monu-ments, meetings with Colorado’s congressional delegations and fun-filled activities. Previous students who attended really enjoyed this trip. The Youth Tour application is due Monday, December 15, 2014.

Another great way for students to prepare for their future is through Leadership Camp. Every July, the camp is held at the Glen Eden Resort near Steamboat Springs. For nearly 40 years the electric cooperatives of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Wyoming have provided this outstanding educational camp for students

who are interested in leader-ship and electric cooperatives. Although students learn a lot in just one week, it’s not all hard work. Each year, there is float trip down the Colorado River, a trip to Steamboat Falls and plenty of free time to swim, play volleyball and meet new friends. The Leadership Camp application deadline is Monday, December 15, 2014.

It’s never too early to start planning for these great op-portunities. Call GCEA with any questions, or keep your eye on the co-op website for updated information. Go to gcea.coop/education/scholarships.cfm for details.

Youth Tour and Youth Camp Sign-Up Reminder

[employee anniversary]

Congratulations! We value our employees!Holly Palmer Billing Assistant — 16 years

Friday, October 24, 2014 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

October is National Cooperative Month

Come join us as we celebrate you!

Oktoberfest celebrations will be held at the GCEA offices in Gunnison and Crested Butte. Come pick up a FREE lunch courtesy of GCEA!

Brats-in-a-Blanket • Pretzels • Root Beer • CoffeeFree 75th anniversary tote bags while supplies last.

Thank you for making us a successful cooperative!

Member Appreciation Day Oktoberfest

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop 9OCTOBER 2014

EEvery October, not-for-profit cooperatives across America recog-nize National Cooperative Month as a way to educate the public about how co-ops work and to appreciate their many members. GCEA is one of 22 electric cooperatives in Colorado and more than 900 nationwide providing services to more than 40 million members. Here at GCEA, we work hard to deliver safe and reliable ser-vice to our members every day. One thing that sets co-ops apart is that they are democratically controlled and governed by the people who receive service. Your electric co-op belongs to the members it serves. That means you have a say in how the co-op runs. And with members in charge, you can feel confident that the decisions made are in your best interest and in the best inter-est of your community.

WHAT GCEA MEANS TO THE EMPLOYEES“Working for the co-op means preserving the legacy created in part by the influence of our valley’s early ranching women; it means serving my neighbors and our visitors today to create lifestyles I am grateful for.”

—Sherry Booth, executive assistant

“Another fun-filled-day at the R.E.A!” —Christopher Schodorf, services administrator

“Co-op = Family” —Rocky Ferran, staff engineer

“Being part of the cooperative is like being part of a big family. We look out for and take care of each other; we own each interaction and take pride in our work; and we strive to do the best job we possibly can to benefit the membership.”

—Alantha Garrison, energy use specialist

GCEA’S PURPOSE — We serve our members by provid-ing safe, reliable energy with a strong cooperative tradition and a vision for the future.GCEA’s Values — We believe in:

g Safety firstg Being innovativeg Being honestg Providing choicesg Acting with integrityg Listeningg Being responsive to our membersg Being socially responsibleg Striving for fairnessg Being environmentally responsibleg Treating others with respectg Being financially responsible

GUIDING PRINCIPLESg SAFETY: We will maintain a culture of safety and invest in training, equipment and practices that enable a safe environ-ment for both GCEA employees and the public. We will not take shortcuts that compromise safety.g AFFORDABILITY: We will continually strive to maintain rates no greater than the average of similar Colorado coopera-tives.g RELIABILITY: We will design, operate and maintain our distri-bution and other systems so that members will experience, on average, fewer than 2 hours per year without electric service.g MEMBER OUTREACH: We will seek opportunities to connect with our members, communities and local organizations. We strive to meet our member-owners’ changing needs.g FINANCIAL STRENGTH: We will maintain a level of finan-cial strength that enables us to serve our members and meet their changing needs. g CONSERVATION: We will promote conservation efforts within our service area in order to create goodwill, help mem-bers and be environmentally responsible. Our focus will be on advising, auditing, educating and providing incentives.g PATRONAGE CAPITAL: We will strive to return to members a meaningful amount of their accumulated contribution each year while maintaining affordable rates and preserving the financial strength of the association. g TECHNOLOGY: We will remain open to new ideas, watch for opportunities and bring ideas for implementing new technologies to the board.

National Cooperative MonthUnderstanding the purpose of your electric cooperative

[GCEA News]

coloradocountrylife.coop4 OCTOBER 201410

Winterizing HomesTThe cool air has arrived and that

means households are already turn-ing up the heat. One essential factor to remember for fall and winter is how to save energy. Don’t know how? Don’t worry. We are here to help. Here are some energy-saving projects for the fall and winter seasons that can save you some money.

1. Drain sediment from you water heater. According to the U.S. Bureau of Standards, one-half inch of scale buildup requires 70 percent more fuel to heat your water.

2. Run your ceiling fans clockwise. Ceiling fans that run clockwise during the winter push warm air from the ceiling to the floor, increasing comfort in your home and decreasing bills.

3. Install plastic insulating film over

windows. Window insulating film de-creases heat and air loss from windows by up to 70 percent. Kits cost as little as $5 per window and are relatively easy to install.

4. Make sure weather stripping around windows and doors is in good shape and is creating a tight seal when the window or door is closed. Vinyl weather stripping typically lasts longer than foam weather stripping and can be used where appropriate. Weather stripping should be installed in continuous strips along each side of the window or door.

5. Change your furnace filters monthly. Some filters can be cleaned and reinstalled in your heating system. Keeping the filter clean can signifi-cantly reduce the amount of energy

needed to heat your home and keep your heating system working properly.

6. Install a programmable thermo-stat and turn down the temperature in your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, for every two degrees you lower your thermostat during the winter you can save ap-proximately 5 percent on heating costs for your home. Digital programmable thermostats give you the ability to set back the temperature for a specified period of time, such as while you are at work. You can program the thermostat to turn back up so your home is warm when you get home. Although it takes a little more energy to heat your home back up, you will always save by keep-ing the temperature down for extended periods of time.