Board Meeting Minutes, April 2022
5/5/2022
FLEC Celebrates and Rewards Area Youth Accomplishments
The trustees met prior to their regular monthly meeting on Thursday, April 28th at their corporate headquarters in Vonore with some of the winners of this year’s Washington Youth Tour Scholarship contest and their family members. Amy Kirkland, FLEC’s Corporate Services Specialist shared, “This contest occurs annually to encourage juniors in high school to learn about how cooperatives function; and, how specifically electric cooperatives help to improve the quality of life of those served.” The story format essays are graded upon their submission by local educators and then the Cooperative’s staff. This year there were four (4) scholarship winners; they were Isaac Christenbery and Kiely Jo Woodruff of Greenback School, Brooklyn Roberts of Sequoyah High School (was unable to attend), and Sarah Beth Lynn of Tellico Plains High School.
The Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative (FLEC) Board of Directors/Trustees met following the awarding of the scholarships for their regular monthly meeting. The board president, John Loope, called the meeting to order at approximately 6 p.m. and announced that there was a quorum with all in attendance in person or by phone. The governing body quickly and unanimously approved the following: minutes of the March meeting, the agenda for the meeting, and approval for the CEO to process the 323 new members that had applied within the past month.
James R. Pugh, chairman of the ad hoc committee, discussed how the ad hoc committee had reviewed five policies for their first reading in March and made a motion that those policies (covering use of consultants, insurance, corporate officers, mutual aid, and financial management guidelines) be approved for a second and final reading; this motion found a second by Mike Wiggins and after some discussion found affirmation from all. Pugh moved on to discuss ten (10) other policies that had been reviewed and made a motion that changes proposed be accepted by a first reading; this motion too found favor with a second from Vernon “Buddy” Davis and approval by all. Pugh clarified in the discussion that these policies (addressing several administrative functions of the Cooperative) were to be discussed at the next meeting and come up for a second and final approval before becoming standing policy in May.
The meeting moved quickly into the monthly management reports. Mike Webb, FLEC’s Assistant General Manager/CFO, reported on the financial status of the Cooperative and highlighted how “the cost of materials and the need to store more materials had increased the expenditures over the past three months of the year”. “Still,” Webb reported, “we are still in sound financial shape.” After some discussion, the financial reports found unanimous approval from all. A proposal from WarrenJackson, CPA, was fielded by Webb for consideration too. The proposed five (5) year agreement for use of their services found “ayes” from all the board after minimal discussion and motions from Angela Tallent and Pugh. The CEO, Jarrod Brackett, reported of looming supply chain concerns, inflation, federal legislative concerns, and even some pending changes of the TVA board. Brackett noted how these uncertain factors had required the Cooperative’s workforce to be extremely flexible and resolute to overcome the challenges associated. Brackett discussed how material shortages, political strife, and inflation had caused the Cooperative to communicate potential limitations to area developers and governmental leaders. He said he would soon be visiting D.C. with other cooperative managers to speak with federal law makers in hopes of communicating more of the ways that the issues might be addressed. Brackett said, “the future can be shaped to address some of these “pressing issues” in a favorable manner for the Cooperative’s membership and our nation as a whole; but, it may take some time.”
FLEC’s meeting ended at just past 8 p.m. following a few other actions. Safety measures being taken (i.e., pole inspections underway in parts of the service territory and more communications about digging safely) were discussed. An update of the hiring processes underway to fill the current job openings and the upcoming Annual Membership Meeting on October 1st wound out the night’s discussions. The next monthly meeting was scheduled for May 26th at 6 p.m. at the FLEC offices in Vonore.
FLEC is a private, non-profit electric cooperative formed in 1940. FLEC serves portions of Blount, Loudon, and Monroe Counties. 
