The cooperative is in the midst of celebrating the International Year of Cooperatives, a time to recognize the contributions of not just electric cooperatives but all forms of cooperatives and the good they have done worldwide. The theme for the celebration is “Cooperative Enterprises Build a Better World.”

“We’re surrounded by a diverse mix of cooperatives,” said Ken Johnson, Co-Mo’s chief executive officer and general manager. “No matter what kind of co-op you belong to, two things are clear: We put people first, and we are innovators. By getting neighbors and communities to work together, co-op members build a better world.”

Co-Mo will celebrate this International Year of Cooperatives at its Annual Meeting,which begins at 4:30 p.m. May 24 with a meal at the Tipton Knights of Columbus Hall. There will also be informational booths at the high school, a kids entertainment area, breakout sessions on safety and energy efficiency and music by the bluegrass band “The Martins,” beginning at 5:30 p.m.

There will also be a health fair in the high school library for members to get free screenings on vision, blood pressure, body composition and glaucoma. Diabetes tests and take-home colorectal cancer screening kits will be available for a small fee. 

The business meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. Co-Mo members can vote in the election of three directors for the cooperative’s board. They will also hear updates on the state of the cooperative.  

What are Co-ops?

Cooperatives are a global network of independent, local businesses owned by those they serve.

“We share a common set of business principles and values like self-help and democracy,” Johnson said. “Each co-op exists to meet the needs of its members.”

According to the Washington, D.C.-based National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA), more than 29,200 cooperatives nationally employ 2 million Americans. One in every four Americans is a co-op member, but the scope of the cooperative network doesn’t stop at the border.

“Co-ops are a major economic force in industrialized countries and provide a powerful business model for developing nations,” said Paul Hazen, NCBA president and chief executive officer.

More than 1 billion co-op members exist worldwide, and co-ops generate 100 million jobs globally. Cooperatives strive for sustainable development of communities through member-driven policies, with co-op leaders elected by members.

“As a member, you have a voice in how your co-op operates. That keeps the co-op’s focus on you and how best to meet your needs,” Johnson said.

The innovative practices of co-ops provide consumer-focused solutions that can adapt quickly to change. Unlike competitive, profit-driven businesses, co-ops cooperate with each other to fashion programs that improve service. For example, food co-ops introduced food nutrition labels long before they were federally required in 1994. Credit unions fought the predatory practices of payday lenders by introducing salary advance loans that double as saving saccounts.

Electric cooperatives such as Co-Mo are leading the way nationally in deploying technologies that enhance service reliability.

“You can find co-ops for all walks of life,” Johnson said. “When people unite with a common goal, the co-op business model comes into play.”

Lighting the World

Electric cooperatives such as Co-Mo are leaders, delivering power and light to 42 million consumers in 47 states covering more than 75 percent of the nation’s landmass. Co-Mo, founded by members of our community in 1939, serves more than 25,000 members in all or portions of nine counties.

But the benefits of cooperatives again don’t stop at our national borders. Working together, more than 300 U.S. electric cooperatives have delivered the benefits of safe and reliable electric service to more than 100 million people in 40-plus countries sinceNovember 1962.

“Building a better world takes experience, and no group has more experience in bringing low-cost power to remote areas than electric co-ops,” Johnson said.

In the United States, co-ops helped electricity evolve from a luxury to an essential part of daily life. Yet more than 2 billion people around the globe still live without power — 64 million in Latin America, 500 million in Africa and more than 1 billion in Asia.

Learn more about how you can help electric co-ops build a better world at www.NRECAFoundation.coop.  For more information about co-ops, visit www.go.coop.

ABOUT CO-MO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE - Co-Mo's service area comprises approximately 2,300 square miles inCentral Missouri. Co-Mo exists to fulfill its members’ needs for superior electric and related services at fair and reasonable prices and support its communities through economic, civic and educational opportunities.

Absentee voting began Tuesday, May 1. Members also will cast ballots during the business meeting at the event, held at Tipton High School.

The three incumbents —Linda Fry, Gary Harris and Rodney Schad — are seeking re-election. In keeping with the cooperative’s bylaws, each incumbent faces a challenger.

“One of the principles of all cooperatives is Democratic Member Control. We feel that our members can’t have a true democracy unless they have a choice among candidates, so ou rnominating committee makes sure there are at least two people competing for every seat,” said Ken Johnson, the cooperative’s chief executive officer and general manager.

The Annual Meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. with a meal at the Tipton Knights of Columbus Hall. There will also be informational booths at the high school, a kids entertainment area, breakout sessions on safety and energy efficiency and music by the bluegrass band “The Martins,” beginning at 5:30 p.m.

There also is a health fair in the high school library for members to get free screenings on vision, blood pressure, body composition and glaucoma. Diabetes tests and take-home colorectal cancer screening kits will be available for a small fee. 

The business meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. Only members who register fort he meeting outside the gymnasium will be able to vote that evening. Members may vote for one candidate in each of Co-Mo’s three service district, regardless of where they live.

About the candidates

DISTRICT 1

Linda Fry

Linda Fry of  Otterville has been on the Co-Mo Board of Directors for 13 years and is the current board secretary. A retired educator, Fry was an elementary and high school principal for 23 years. She also has served on the Otterville Board of Education and attends the Baptist Church in Otterville. She has a bachelors of science and masters degree in elementary education and a masters degree in secondary administration. She has completed the NRECA credential director courses and NRECA leadership courses. She said she is running for reelection “to continue to develop policies which would enable Co-Mo to continue to provide reliable and affordable electric power to our members.”

Dawn Self

Dawn Self wants to join the Board of Directors “because electricity directly and intimately effects my life, my budget and my family. I want to be involved in the decision-making for the paths Co-Mo will be taking in the future.” The Cole Camp resident is a teller at Citizens-Farmers Bank. She said being a wife and mom gives her great experience in communicating, setting and reaching goals, managing time, striving for excellence and adhering to sound principles.

DISTRICT 2

Gary Harris

Gary Harris of Boonville has been on the Co-Mo Board of Directors for 12 years. He is currently a field auditor for MFA Oil and is a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Boonslick Landlords Association. He has a bachelors of science degree in agri-business. He said he is running for re-election because “I love rural Missouri and care about the people who live here. I think Co-Mo has provided excellent service over the years, and I want to help make sure it continues to do so.” He said he wants to help assure Co-Mo will continue to provide excellent service at reasonable prices. “I am particularly vigilant in making sure that Co-Mo continues to follow sound financial practices.”

Daniel Larm

Daniel Larm of Boonville seeks to join the Board of Directors “to help serve members and supply input for services.” He has owned his fence-construction business, Larm Enterprises, for 20 years. He said he has "very good common sense” and “good judgment on ideas.” He said he is willing to listen and give opinions of weight, and he said living in Cooper County his entire life gives him a good feel for its people.

DISTRICT 3

Bradley Friedmeyer

Bradley Friedmeyer of California is interested in joining the cooperative’s Board of Directors “to further the quality service of Co-Mo to the members it serves.” He is a lumber salesman and a member of the California Fire Department. He is also a board member of Moniteau County 911 and a trustee board member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Rodney Schad

Rodney Schad of Versailles has been on the Co-Mo Board of Directors for three years. He is a farmer and state representative. He is involved with his church and Show Me Christian Youth Home. He has been the director on Quality Industries’ board for more than 20 years. “The board is responsible for providing philosophical direction to Co-Mo staff. I would like to continue to be a part of that direction to provide for safe, reliable and affordable electricity to our members.”

ABOUT CO-MO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE - Co-Mo's service area comprises approximately 2,300 square miles in Central Missouri. Co-Mo exists to fulfill its members’ needs for superior electric and related services at fair and reasonable prices and support its communities through economic, civic and educational opportunities.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 28, at the California High School. The event previously has been held on a Thursday. In each of its first two years, the fair offered free health screenings and school supplies to nearly 300 Moniteau County children.

“Everything is evolving as this fair moves forward, and one of the things we want to see is if a Saturday event allows more people to come,” said Tawnya Clause, co-facilitator for the event. “The mission of the event is to send Moniteau County kids back to school without any undiagnosed health issues and with the tools necessary to learn, so if a Saturday works best, that’s what we’ll do.”

The event will feature health screenings coordinated by the Moniteau County Health Center. They include vision, hearing, dental and blood pressure checks, as well as scoliosis screenings for kids in fifth grade and above. After kids have had their health screenings, they can pick up their backpacks filled with school supplies that as closely as possible match their class’ list. There will also be informational and fun booths for the parents and children.

Pre-registration is required to attend the fair. Registration forms can be picked up at Co-Mo Electric Cooperative’s Tipton office, Central Bank or Hawthorn Bank in California, libraries across Moniteau County and the Moniteau County Health Center. Registration forms also are being dropped off at Moniteau County Schools to be sent home with kids. The deadline to register is July 1.

The fair’s planning committee also is looking for volunteers to assist with organizing and executing the fair. Various duties, from helping with registration to assisting with handing out school supplies, need to be covered by local volunteers. To sign up, email your nameand phone number to jagliata@co-mo.coop or call John Agliata at (800) 781-0157.

“Our volunteers are what make this fair happen,”said Agliata, Co-Mo Electric’s communications manager and a member of the fair’s planning committee. “Even if you can give time for only part of the day, the work you do directly helps the kids.”

Individuals and businesses also can donate to the fundraising effort so more school supplies can be purchased. Donation checks can be made payable to the Moniteau County Back to School Fair and dropped off at Co-Mo Electric’s Tipton office or Central Bank in California.

Follow the Moniteau County Back to School Fairon Facebook at facebook.com/MoniteauBTSFair.

The cooperative will hold two breakout sessions open to all members for no cost at its annual gathering on Thursday, May 24 at Tipton High School. Each breakout session will be given twice, beginning at 5:30 p.m, so members can attend both.

Annual Meeting events begin at 4:30 p.m. with a meal at the Tipton Knights of Columbus Hall.

The classes were the brainchild of Co-Mo’s Energy Services Advisor Tom Hulse.

“The booths we offer provide a lot of really helpful and useful information,” Hulse said. “But we wanted to provide a way for members to go a bit deeper and spend some more time to learn about some really important topics.”

One session is entitled “Electric Safety and Your Family.” Co-Mo Education Specialist Keith Mueller will talk about measures all families should take to keep themselves safe in and around their homes.

“Electricity is probably the greatest invention the world has ever known,” Mueller said. “But it also can be extremely dangerous. The point of this session is to show people those potential danger spots in and around the home so they can be minimized and eliminated.”

The other session is called “Lighting and Energy Efficiency” and is taught by Co-Mo Education Specialist Stan Varner. It features tips and tricks on lighting options to save members money on their electric bills.

“When we’re out and about, one of the most common questions we get is about lighting,” Varner said.“There are so many different options and a lot of confusion when you get into the alphabet soup of CFL and LED. This class will help clear up the confusion and give people some good ideas on how to save money.”

Mueller and Varner are veteran educators who now work for the eight Central Missouri cooperatives known as the Mid-State 8. They spend much of their year traveling to schools throughout Central Missouri to present programs on safety and energy efficiency. They also run programs at 4H camps that allow kids to build their own extension cords or lamps.

“Stan and Keith are amazing in how they are able to hook an audience, no matter what the age group. Kids, adults… they adapt,” Hulse said.  

The breakout sessions will be held in classrooms along the row of booths in Tipton High School. Posters will point out where each class is.

“This is a new thing for us,” Hulse said. “We’re not sure if we’ll have 10 people or 100 people to come to each one, but if they are successful we’ll look to expand these classes to other areas of interest among our membership.”

In addition to the classes, the meeting will feature a kids’ entertainment area. The cooperative is bringing in a bounce house and will host an area where kids can have their pictures taken with a lineman after dressing in linemen gear themselves. There also will be a face-painting table, and the cooperative’s two mascots — BuddyBear and CFL Charlie — will be roaming the grounds shaking hands and handing out gifts to children. All of this is free to members.

The Annual Meeting also features entertainment for an older crowd. At 5:30 p.m., the bluegrass band “The Martins” will begin playing in the high school gymnasium. After a one-year hiatus from the Co-Mo Annual Meeting, the band returns to the gathering to entertain the membership.

There will also be a health fair in the high school library for members to get free screenings on vision, blood pressure, body composition and glaucoma. Diabetes tests and take-home colorectal cancer screening kits are available for a small fee. 

 The business meeting begins at 7 p.m. The members will vote on three positions for the nine-memberCo-Mo Board of Directors. Incumbents Linda Fry, Gary Harris and Rodney Schad are running against Dawn Self, Daniel Larm and Bradley Friedmeyer, respectively. The business meeting will also feature updates from Johnson and Board President Doug Strein on the state of the cooperative.

“We’re always trying to add something new and exciting and helpful to our Annual Meeting,” said Co-Mo CEO/General Manager Ken Johnson. “The breakout sessions are an idea we wanted to test to see how the membership enjoys them. Stan and Keith do an amazing job of presenting very relevant information. I’m hopeful they’ll have a big crowd to speak to.”

ABOUT CO-MO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE - Co-Mo's service area comprises approximately 2,300 square miles in Central Missouri. Co-Mo exists to fulfill its members’ needs for superior electric and related services at fair and reasonable prices and support its communities through economic, civic and educational opportunities.

The cooperative is expanding the kids’ fun area at its gathering Thursday, May 24 at Tipton High School. All members are invited to bring even the youngest Co-Mo fan beginning at 4:30 p.m. to share a meal at the Tipton Knights of Columbus Hall.

In addition to the meal, the cooperative is setting up a bounce house and will host an area where kids can have their pictures taken with a lineman after dressing in linemen gear themselves. There also will be a face-painting table, and the cooperative’s two mascots — Buddy Bear and CFL Charlie — will be roaming the grounds shaking hands and handing out gifts to kids. All of this is free to members.

“We want our Annual Meeting to be a fun place for kids,” said Ken Johnson, the cooperative’s chief executive officer and general manager. “These kids are the future of the cooperative. They are our future members and maybe even our future employees or directors.”

The Annual Meeting also features entertainment for an older crowd. In addition to the informational booths, the cooperative is debuting two breakout sessions to help members go deeper into topics of interest. Each 20-minute class is given twice, so members can attend both. The first sessions begin at 5:30 p.m. in class rooms along the row of booths in Tipton High School.

One session is entitled “Electric Safety and Your Family.” Co-Mo Education Specialist Keith Mueller will talk about measures all families should take to keep themselves safe in and around their homes.

The other session is called “Lighting and Energy Efficiency” and is taught by Co-Mo EducationSpecialist Stan Varner. It features tips and tricks on lighting options to save members money on their electric bills.

Also at 5:30 p.m., the bluegrass band “The Martins” will begin playing in the high school gymnasium. After a one-year hiatus from the Co-Mo Annual Meeting, the band returns to the gathering to entertain the membership.

“They are very, very popular with our members,” said Co-Mo Annual Meeting coordinator John Agliata.“We’re happy to have them back.”

There will also be a health fair in the high school library for members to get free screenings on vision, blood pressure, body composition and glaucoma. Diabetes tests and take-home colorectal cancer screening kits are available for a small fee. 

The business meeting begins at 7 p.m. The members will vote on three positions for the nine-member Co-Mo Board of Directors. Incumbents Linda Fry, Gary Harris and Rodney Schad are running against Dawn Self, Daniel Larm and Bradley Friedmeyer, respectively. The business meeting will also feature updates from Johnson and Board President Doug Strein on the state of the cooperative.

“The Annual Meeting is so key to what we do,” Johnson said. “It’s a place where members can come and hear about their cooperative, have a good time and participate in the democratic process that is at our foundation.”  

ABOUT CO-MO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE - Co-Mo's service area comprises approximately 2,300 square miles inCentral Missouri. Co-Mo exists to fulfill its members’ needs for superior electric and related services at fair and reasonable prices and support its communities through economic, civic and educational opportunities.