Page 35 - Flathead Beacon // 3.30.16

ENERGIZING THOUGHTS WENDY OSTROM PRICE THE CORE OF THE CO-OP
BUILDING PERMITS
BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED IN KALISPELL AND WHITEFISH IN FEBRUARY
WE’VE GONE FROM A TINY rural utility to a business that serves a variety of residential, commercial and industrial members throughout the entire Flathead Valley and Libby, as well as several hundred members along the Montana-Wyoming border. Flathead Electric is the largest Cooperative and the second largest elec- tric utility in Montana.
What is a Cooperative?
A cooperative is a business owned and governed by its members.
Providing electric service the cooper- ative way distinguishes electric cooper- atives from investor-owned and munic- ipal electric utilities. The business operates for the bene t of its members, rather than investors. Electric coopera- tive employees and board members are a part of the community the cooperative serves.
Historically, people formed cooper- atives for electrical and telephone ser- vice, farming, banking, housing, child- care, health care, food retailing and other goods and services, trusting coop- eratives to help them nd solutions. The nation has about 1,000 electric coopera- tives, which serve 37 million people in 47 states, or about 12 percent of the nation’s population.
Cooperatives are voluntary organi- zations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership.
Cooperatives are democratic orga- nizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting pol- icies and making decisions.
Members’ Economic Participation
Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative. One of the many ben- e ts of being a member (owner) of Flat- head Electric Co-op is that any pro ts or margins, above and beyond operating expenses, are allocated to the members in the form of Capital Credits. When the nancial condition of the coopera- tive permits, these Capital Credits are retired and paid out to the members. For various reasons, some members’ Capital Credits go unclaimed. Under Montana statute, if those Capital Credits remain unclaimed for more than ve years, they can be used for educational pur- poses among the membership of Flat- head Electric. Over the years, unclaimed Capital Credits have provided scholar- ships for hundreds of co-op members and their students.
Cooperatives are autonomous, self- help organizations controlled by their members.
Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected rep- resentatives, managers, and employees
so they can contribute e ectively to the development of their cooperatives.
Cooperation Among Cooperatives
Cooperatives serve their members most e ectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together. Flathead Electric partners with the Montana Electric Co-op Asso- ciation and the National Rural Electric Co-op Association among others. Addi- tionally, Flathead Electric has a Grass- roots program members are encouraged to sign up for so they can help us con- tact legislators who make the decisions about critical issues impacting Flathead Electric Cooperative and, often, electric cooperatives in our state, region and nation.
Concern for Community
While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities. For example, Roundup for Safety. If you have a safety hazard in your neighborhood, Flathead Electric’s Roundup for Safety program may be able to help. Roundup for Safety’s board of directors evalu- ates applications and awards grants to 501c3 nonpro t organizations to help pay for worthwhile community safety projects. Funds for the program come from Cooperative members who par- ticipate by allowing their monthly bills to be rounded up to the next dollar. The average cost for each participating mem- ber is just $6 per year.
Who Regulates FEC?
Your cooperative enjoys local control and is not regulated by the Public Ser- vice Commission like some other utili- ties. A nine member Board of Trustees, elected by cooperative members to rep- resent each of nine service districts, gov- erns Flathead Electric.
Flathead Electric has 156 employ- ees who care about members--as mem- bers themselves--who work, recreate and participate in our communities. Whether we are helping you with a new service; restoring power after an outage; teaching your children electrical safety in school; trying to save you money by making your home or business more energy e cient or even assisting you in setting up a bill paying plan that ts your budget, employees adhere to the co-op mission.
Mission Statement
“As a member owned cooperative, we strive to provide competitive and reli- able service, achieve the highest level of member satisfaction and enhance the quality of life in our communities.”
Wendy Ostrom Price is public relations o cer at Flathead Electric Cooperative.
KALISPELL
RECIPIENT: BID, Inc.; 491 Mountain Vista Way CONTRACTOR: Recipient
FOR: Single-family residence
VALUE: $165,000
RECIPIENT: BID, Inc.; 160 Jackson Peak Dr. CONTRACTOR: Recipient
FOR: Single-family residence
VALUE: $165,000
RECIPIENT: Je rey Brown; 585 Second Ave EN CONTRACTOR: Owner
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $7,500
RECIPIENT: Show Me Kalispell LLC; 250 Old Reserve Dr.
CONTRACTOR: Stellar Integration and Safety FOR: Fire protection
VALUE: $49,000
RECIPIENT: Ron Terry Construction; 180 Short
Pine Dr.
CONTRACTOR: Recipient FOR: Single-family residence VALUE: $112,000
RECIPIENT: KOS LLC; 180 Timberwolf Pkwy CONTRACTOR: Nicely Construction
FOR: O ces
VALUE: $1,200,000
RECIPIENT: Kalispell Regional Healthcare; 37 W Washington St.
CONTRACTOR: Swank Enterprises
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $147,051
RECIPIENT: Immanuel Lutheran Communities; 185 Crestline Ave.
CONTRACTOR: Western States Fire Protection FOR: Sprinkler
VALUE: $7,250
RECIPIENT: Ron Terry Construction; 105
Sinopah St. CONTRACTOR: Recipient FOR: Townhouse
VALUE: $99,500
RECIPIENT: Ron Terry Construction; 105 Sinopah St.
CONTRACTOR: Recipient
FOR: Townhouse
VALUE: $99,500
RECIPIENT: Gentry Family Ltd Partnership; 101 E Center St.
CONTRACTOR: Prof’s Inc
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $38,000
RECIPIENT: Daniel Lau; 239 Lupine Dr.
CONTRACTOR: Recipient FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $12,000
RECIPIENT: Brian Rossman; 316 Parkway Dr. CONTRACTOR: Owner
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $12,000
RECIPIENT: Ann Silvers; 121 Sage Grouse Way CONTRACTOR: Westcraft Homes
FOR: Single-family residence
VALUE: $300,000
RECIPIENT: Edward and Marilyn Stathas; 815 Parkway Dr.
CONTRACTOR: Owner
FOR: Townhouse
VALUE: $125,000
RECIPIENT: Edward and Marilyn Stathas; 817
Parkway Dr. CONTRACTOR: Owner FOR: Townhouse VALUE: $125,000
RECIPIENT: Bighorn Development; 240 Westland Dr. CONTRACTOR: Bighorn Development
FOR: Single-family residence
VALUE: $209,900
RECIPIENT: Iron Horse Homeowners Association; 2093 Iron Horse Dr.
CONTRACTOR: Sunrise Builders
FOR: New construction
VALUE: $150,000
RECIPIENT: Sherry Spency; 22 Lupfer Ave.
CONTRACTOR: Skyline Builders FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $10,000
RECIPIENT: Vision Dental Arts Inc.; 401 Baker Ave. CONTRACTOR: Malmquist
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $30,000
RECIPIENT: Frances Becker; 140 E Second St. CONTRACTOR: Owner
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $20,000
RECIPIENT: Jeanie Konopatzke; 2 Central Ave. CONTRACTOR: TBD
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $11,000
RECIPIENT: Riverview Plaza LLC; 704 E 13th St. CONTRACTOR: Kramer Enterprises
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $135,000
RECIPIENT: Scott Strellnaur; 401 Baker Ave. CONTRACTOR: Malmquist
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $150,000
RECIPIENT: Tyler Hope; 517 Somers Ave. CONTRACTOR: North Country Builders FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $9,982
RECIPIENT: Marc Scroggins; 250 Glenwood Rd. CONTRACTOR: Ford Custom Homes
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $200,000
RECIPIENT: Bill Duvall; 3013 Iron Horse Dr. CONTRACTOR: Great Northern Homes FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $5,000
WHITEFISH
RECIPIENT: 235 Baker LLC; 235 Baker CONTRACTOR: Compass Construction FOR: Addition
VALUE: $100,000
RECIPIENT: 235 Baker LLC; 235 Baker CONTRACTOR: Compass Construction FOR: Addition
VALUE: $100,000
Ave.
Ave.
RECIPIENT: 235 Baker LLC; 235 Baker Ave. CONTRACTOR: Compass Construction FOR: Addition
VALUE: $100,000
MARCH 30, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
35