October 2022 Editorial

It's Co-op Month!

Marshal Albright, Cass County Electric Cooperative president & CEO

Fall is a busy time, and October is a particularly eventful month with a full swing of school, community, hunting, and sports activities. It’s also when all cooperatives celebrate National Co-op Month.

When I say Cass County Electric Cooperative celebrates Co-op Month, we are celebrating you! After all, our co-op wouldn’t exist without our members.

Our core business purpose is to serve as your electricity provider, but the larger mission of the co-op is to help make our corner of the world a better place. “Concern for the community” is one of seven guiding principles that all co-ops share.

Similar to how our wires run through our service territory, our concern for community flows through all of our decisions––because being a co-op means being a responsible partner and good neighbor.

Cass County Electric works to help our communities thrive through initiatives led by our employees and a local board comprised of neighbors who live right here in our community. Because we’re local, we understand our community’s unique needs and strive to help meet them.

With our member’s help, we fund Operation Round Up to assist our community’s most vulnerable. We partner with and support local food banks and numerous charitable organizations to support the communities we serve. We’re also proud to support local youth through our Youth Tour and scholarship programs.

The word “cooperative” is close to “cooperation,” meaning people working together toward a common goal—mutually benefitting one another and the larger community. Our employees and member-elected board members are invested in the community where they live and serve. That’s the essence of the cooperative spirit.

As your trusted energy partner, we know that saving energy and money is essential to you. That’s why we have numerous programs to help, including low rates for off-peak electric heating, water heating, and EV charging. Above all, as a co-op, we put our members’ priorities first.

We want to empower you to manage energy use at home. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to take a moment and download our Cass County Electric app. Through the app, you can conveniently monitor and manage your energy use. And we’re here to help, so call us if you have questions about your energy bills.

If you are interested in learning more about the cooperative, we are hosting a member meeting on Oct. 11 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fargo. The meeting will begin with a meal of traditional German-inspired cuisine starting at 5:30 PM, followed by an informational meeting at 6:00 PM, including an update on cooperative operations and power supply.

Cass County Electric is continuously examining ways to operate more efficiently while providing the highest level of friendly, knowledgeable, reliable service you expect and deserve. After all, we’re your local co-op, built by the members we serve.

For members who enjoy the outdoors, especially the hunters, be mindful of utility equipment, and farmers—look up to avoid hitting power lines and call before you dig! Enjoy your fall, and be safe!