Manager’s Message — January 2021
New Director
At Wasco Electric Cooperative’s November special meeting for electing directors, Sylvia McCorkle was elected to District 3 for a three-year term. Sylvia owns and operates the McCorkle Ranch on Juniper Flat outside of Maupin. The ranch has been in the McCorkle name for the past 98 years.
Sylvia serves on the Juniper Flat District Improvement Board of Directors and is a past board member of the Juniper Flat Rural Fire Protection District.
We look forward to Sylvia’s service on the cooperative’s board and bringing her up to speed on the complex and changing issues in our industry.
Outgoing Director
I would like to recognize and thank DeOra Patton for her 15 years of dedicated service on the cooperative’s board of directors.
DeOra was appointed to the board in 2005 to fill a vacancy. She served the cooperative members well during her 15 years.
In addition to serving on various committees during her tenure, DeOra served as the board secretary from 2006 through 2012.
Thank you, DeOra. We wish you well.
Rate Change
In 2017, the board of directors made a strategic decision to restructure the rates charged to consumers with the intent of an eight-year phase-in. This restructuring eliminates some classifications from subsidizing others and decouples the cooperative’s fixed costs (delivery charge) from the variable energy costs (kilowatt-hours). The result of this decision to phase-in the rate change over time means small incremental adjustments to the rates each fall.
Last fall, given the financial circumstances around the COVID-19 pandemic, the board of directors decided to defer the scheduled rate adjustment until April 2021.
This deferral also gives the cooperative time to see how the Bonneville Power Administration’s wholesale rate increase in October 2021 will affect the cooperative’s revenue requirements.
It is anticipated the rate adjustment will take effect April 1, 2021. As we get closer to that date, we will share what those new rates look like.
Jeff Davis
General Manager