This topic was featured in the June 2024 Kansas Country Living Centerspread.
The Annual Meeting of the Members of Prairie Land Electric Cooperative, Inc. was held April 9, 2024, at the Prairie Land headquarters in Norton.
A brisket lunch prepared by Pete’s BBQ in Smith Center was served to 256 members and guests by Prairie Land employees and members of the Kansas Association for Youth (KAY) from Norton Community High School.
Entertainment was provided by Cowboy Poet Ron Wilson. He composed two unique poems specifically for the occasion.
Prairie Land Board President Mike Rogers chaired the meeting and called it to order at 12:45 p.m. He recognized special guests in attendance, introduced the members of the board of trustees for each district, and then called on John McClymont, attorney for Prairie Land, to give the results of the 2024 trustee election. Eric Witmer was reelected to District 2; Robert Paxson was reelected to District 3; Otto Levin was reelected to District 4; and William Peterson was reelected to District 5.
Rogers introduced our guest speaker, Al Tamimi, senior vice president and chief operations officer of transmission for Sunflower Electric Power Corporation. He discussed electric grid reliability and transmission cost allocation.
CEO Kirk Girard gave the annual report. The report included comments on Prairie Land’s financial status and company highlights for 2023.
There being no further business, it was moved, seconded and carried to adjourn the meeting.
Deborah Anderson, communications specialist, and Kenzie Griffiths, member services assistant, conducted the drawings for door prizes. Winners were: Margaret Wetter of Norton, Stihl battery-powered leaf blower; Dorothy Shimek of Jennings, Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker; Gerald McAtee of Jewell, Stihl trimmer/edger; Ken Ruda of Atwood, Cuisinart indoor griddle; Robert Wyatt of Norton, Roomba robot vacuum donated by Sunflower Electric Power Corporation; James Kelley of Phillipsburg, Stihl gas-powered leaf blower donated by Solida Tree Service; Gerald Golbek of Norton, $100 bill credit; Steve Schissler of Herndon and Tosha Kats of Norton, $50 bill credits.