Albemarle Soundsis published monthly by

Albemarle Electric Membership Corporation

P.O. Box 69Hertford, NC 27944 (252) 426-5735

Gary RayGeneral Manager

Chris PowellEditor

Visit our Web site at:www.aemc.coopFor outages, call1-800-274-2072

Co-op Concludes FundraiserAlbemarle EMC’s Relay for Life Team recently

concluded its 2013 fundraiser, raising more than $10,275 for the American Cancer Society.

For the past several months, co-op employees have raised money through a variety of activities. Employees sold doughnuts and chocolate Easter eggs, conducted bake sales, a raffle, a corn hole tournament and solicited direct donations. The event culminated in the final Relay for Life event, held in May at John A. Holmes High School, in Edenton. Albemarle EMC employees volunteered their time to sell baked goods at the event. Several employees walked the track to honor those that have lost their battle with cancer as well as those who are currently fighting the disease.

The amount raised was the most ever by an Albemarle EMC team, achieving the Jade level of sponsorship. The relay team also took third place in both the “Best On-site Food” and “Best On-site Fundraiser” categories at the event. All total, the relay teams raised more than $100,000 for the Relay for Life of Chowan/Perquimans.

Money raised by Relay for Life is used to assist patients who are fighting cancer. One such example is the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge program that provides cancer patients and their caregivers a free, temporary place to stay when treatments are in another city.

Angela Wiggins has been hired by Albemarle EMC to fill an open consumer services representative position.

She will work at the front desk answering phones, discussing bills, taking applications for service, processing payments and performing other ancillary duties. Wiggins will work under Jonetta Long in the Corporate Services Department.

“Angela’s prior work experience makes her an ideal fit for this position,” said Jonetta Long, manager of Corporate Services. “We believe she will be an asset to the co-op and its members.”

Wiggins, of Hobbsville, previously worked at the Coastal Women’s Center, in Elizabeth City. Her duties included medical coding, processing insurance and front-desk assistance. She is married with two children.

Wiggins replaces Bridget Sawyer, who was promoted to billing assistant/consumer services representative.

Albemarle EMC will be closed

Thursday, July 4 for Independence

Day.

Dial Before DiggingYou never really know what’s below the surface when you dig. You may chop right into underground power lines. In addition to causing outages, this is very dangerous. Before digging in your yard, have the underground electric lines located. Please give us three days notice before you dig. Call us at (252) 426-5735.

New Employee Hired

July 2013 Proudly serving the members of Albemarle Electric Membership Corporation

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The Albemarle EMC Board of Directors has appointed a committee to nominate a slate of directors to be presented at the 2013 Annual Meeting for members. The meeting will be held Sept. 21 at the Perquimans County High School, in Hertford. The nominating committee will meet on July 16. Director seats that are up for election this year and the names of the incumbents are:

District 1 (Camden) Garry MeiggsDistrict 2 (Chowan) Tom BatemanDistrict 4 (Perquimans) Charles Mathews

Nominating Committee AppointedThe 2013 nominating committee members for Camden, Chowan, Pasquotank and Perquimans are:

Section 4.04 QualificationsTo become or remain a Director, a Person

must comply with or meet the following:(a.) Have the capacity to enter legally

binding contracts;(b.) Be a Member of the Cooperative;(c.) Reside principally in the Directorate

District from which a Director is to be chosen, and continuously and materially use, receive, or purchase electric energy from the Cooperative at the Member’s primary residence;

(d.) Possess a valid high school diploma or equivalent certification; and

(e.) Must not have been convicted of a felony, a crime involving moral turpitude, or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property.

A Member shall be disqualified from being or remaining a Director, as a result of a conflict of interest, if:

(a.) The Member is a current, former, or retired employee currently receiving any benefit from an electric supplier or is the spouse of a current, former, or retired employee currently receiving any benefit from an electric supplier; provided, however, a former employee who is not a retiree currently receiving any benefit from the Cooperative and has not worked for the Cooperative within seven (7) years of the date of the relevant Director election or selection is not disqualified;

(b.) The Member is a Close Relative of a current Director or of an employee of an electric supplier;

(c.) The Member is employed by, materially affiliated with, or shares a material financial interest with any other Director;

(d.) The Member is or has been employed by, materially affiliated with, or has a material financial interest in any individual or entity which regularly, directly or substantially competes with the Cooperative or its subsidiary or affiliates, including investor-owned utilities or municipalities providing similar services provided by the Cooperative, unless the person has not been so employed or affiliated with the individual or entity for a period of at least seven (7) years from the date of the Director election or selection;

(e.) The Member is employed by, materially affiliated with, or has a material

financial interest in any individual or entity which regularly sells goods or services to the Cooperative or any Cooperative subsidiary or affiliate; and

(f.) The Member seeks or applies for employment with the Cooperative. Any Director seeking to be employed by the Cooperative must submit his or her Board resignation prior to such time as he or she submits an application for employment or otherwise solicits the Cooperative for such employment.

If it is determined that any person being considered for or currently holding a position on the Cooperative’s Board of Directors lacks eligibility under this Section, it shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to withhold such position from such person, or to cause him/her to be removed therefrom, whichever be the case. Nothing in this Section contained shall, or shall be construed to, affect in any manner whatsoever the validity of any action taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, unless such action is taken with respect to a matter which is affected by the provisions of this Section and in which one or more of the disqualified Directors has an interest adverse to that of the Cooperative.

Section 4.05 Nominating CommiteeThe Board of Directors shall appoint, not

less than sixty (60) nor more than one hundred and thirty (130) days before the date of the meeting of the Members at which Directors are to be elected, a Nominating Committee consisting of an uneven number of Members of the Cooperative, not less than five (5) nor more than eleven (11), who are not current Directors and who are not Close Relatives or Members of the same household of current Directors or known candidates. In selecting the Committee, the Board shall have regard for equitable representation of the five (5) Directorate Districts of the Cooperative.

At least thirty (30) days before the annual Member meeting, the Committee shall meet and prepare and post at the principal office of the Cooperative, a list of nominees for Directorate Districts to be elected, listing separately the nominee or nominees with respect to each Directorate District for which a Director must, pursuant to this Article, be elected at the meeting. The Committee shall include at least one (1) nominee for each Directorate District for which a Director is to be elected, including their name, address,

and Directorate District of residency. The Committee’s posted list shall also clearly show which nominees are opposed with respect to the same Directorate District.

Section 4.06 Member Petition Nominations

Any fifty (50) or more Members of the Cooperative, acting together over their signatures not less than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting of the Members at which Directors are to be elected, may make nominations, listing separately the nominees with respect to the Directorate Districts from which they are nominated, and the Secretary, after verifying that a Member petition complies with these Bylaws, shall post such nominations at the same place where the list of nominations prepared by the Nominating Committee is posted. At least fifteen (15) days prior to the Member meeting, the Secretary shall mail to the Members, either with the notice of the meeting or separately, a statement containing the following:

(a.) The total number of Directors to be elected, the Directorate Districts for which a Director must be elected, and

(b.) For each nominee, the nominee’s:i. Name,ii. Address,iii. Directorate District of residency, andiv. Opposing nominees, if any, showing

those nominated by the Committee separately from those nominated by petition.

Section 4.03 Directorate DistrictsDirectors shall be nominated and elected

in a manner such that the Board shall be comprised of two Directors from each of the four Directorate Districts, designated one (1) through four (4) inclusive and one Director from Directorate District Number five (5) as follows:

Bylaws Relavent to Nomination of Directors

Wayne Hurdle119 Wiggins Rd., Hertford, NC 27944-9662

Aubrey Tynch327 Harris Landing Rd.Edenton, NC 27932

Robert J. Whitehead1354 Lynch’s Corner Rd.Elizabeth City, NC 27909

William Hale Sr.201 Duchess Lane, Elizabeth City, NC 27909

Lloyd McCoy355 Old Swamp Rd.South Mills, NC 27976-9575

Vera Murrill682 Beach Springs Rd.Hertford, NC 27944

David W. Rowe403 River Rd.Edenton, NC 27932

Tavonda Jordan-Fields219 Louis Spivey Rd.Belvidere, NC 27919

CountyCamdenChowanPasquotankPerquimansAll Counties

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District No. Directors

How Albemarle EMC works to provide its members with the highest-quality service possible.

Improving Member Service, Our GoalIt is hard to think of electricity as a

product. Its physical properties cannot be improved like the newest car model. One power company can’t provide a unique type of electricity that will perform differently than power from any other company. Even its cost and the way it is sold are different from other products. Electricity is one of the few products that is paid for after it is used. Also, have you ever heard of a power company putting its electricity on sale - buy one kilowatt hour and get another free? Probably not. Electrical generation costs a certain amount, and that cost must be recovered with enough markup to keep the utility in business. There is never a surplus of electricity. It can’t be stockpiled like unsold grain in a silo. The expiration date on electricity is instantaneous.

But what is different among power companies is the level of service provided. It is the employee-to-member relationship, or as we like to say: “The Power of Human Connections.” Albemarle Electric Membership Corporation has a never-ending goal to provide the highest quality service possible to its members.

OnlineThe latest manifestation of that goal

is the creation of a new way members can manage their account. Members can have access by visiting www.aemc.coop and clicking on the “Customer Services Portal” or “Pay Bill” link.

Once members have established a password and logged in, they will be able to make payments as well as view payment and monthly-usage history and update their contact information. By clicking on the “My Alerts” link,

members can set up automatic alerts and reminders that will notify them of an approaching due date, account profile change, returned-check alert and payment confirmation. The alerts will be sent through e-mail and/or text message.

In the coming months, members will be able to view a more detailed electricity usage history. This will dramatically empower co-op members. On a daily basis, members will be able to see if their usage is substantially higher than normal and act on that knowledge. They will also be able to view outside temperature patterns to ascertain whether an increase in usage is due to something like a leaking water heater or just a very cold or hot day.

By TelephoneWe also have an Interactive Voice

Recognition telephone system called Telelink, which enables members to conduct their business over the phone. Members can pay bills and make simple changes such as updating their addresses or phone numbers.

During normal business hours, members can dial Albemarle EMC’s primary number, 252-426-5735, and speak with a customer services representative or they can dial 252-426-4419 and complete a payment unassisted. It’s all about convenience and what members are comfortable with.

Another interesting aspect of Telelink is its outbound calling capabilities. This notification function can automatically contact members to remind them of past due accounts as well as cut-off deadlines. It can also be used for group call-out reminders, planned outage notifications and more.

Reporting OutagesProviding the most reliable electricity

possible is, arguably, the highest form of member service in the power industry. When an outage occurs, Albemarle EMC activates its Power Outage Response Call Handling Equipment (PORCHE) system. The phone system enables members to report power outages much more quickly and efficiently. It is designed to handle as many as 24 telephone calls simultaneously and pinpoint the outage location based on a local telephone number. This system is designed to all but eliminate busy signals for reporting outages. The faster we can learn of an outage the quicker we can restore power. The system also enables us to follow up with consumers more efficiently.

The co-op’s after-hours dispatch center is located at Roanoke Electric Cooperative, in Aulander. When Albemarle EMC is closed, the Roanoke dispatchers handle calls to provide continuity of service. If additional calls are received while the dispatcher is busy, the calls will be picked up by the automated system. If answered by the automated service, you will have the option to leave a message to report any important information such as a broken pole, blown transformer, downed line, or other problem.

These are just a few examples of the many programs the co-op utilizes to provide quality service. In an industry where the merchandise is the same, your co-op sets itself apart by putting the member first through a constant effort to increase customer satisfaction. Albemarle EMC’s true product is our connection to each member.

At Your Service

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