As an electric cooperative, our top priority is always to provide reliable, affordable energy to you, the consumer-members we serve. Because we are a co-op, our mission is to enrich the lives of our members and serve the long-term interests of our local community — and this mission has never been more critical than in recent months. “One of the seven principles that guides all co-ops is concern for community. To me, this principle is the essential DNA of Lane-Scott Electric, and it sets us apart from other electric utilities.” Richard McLeon, general manager.
October is National Co-op Month, and electric cooperatives across the country are highlighting the many ways we “Power On.” Keeping this theme in mind, we recognize the essential role we play in serving a special community like ours.
Who would have fathomed in March, that the COVID-19 virus would amount to a test of our community and our nation? The changing circumstances due to the pandemic have created both challenges and opportunities. Over the past several months, we’ve all been challenged to operate differently, and we at Lane-Scott have done our best to help our members.
As an essential service, and to ensure reliability of your power supply, we modified our operations to safeguard business continuity. Some staff worked remotely. In the office, we limited and modified meetings and gatherings to allow for safe separation. We also adjusted our walk-in office availability and in-person service calls to ensure the health and safety of our employees and our valued members. In addition, we monitor our community’s coronavirus activity and adjust our interaction accordingly. When spikes occur, we act accordingly. We did our best to distribute hand sanitizer early on when supplies were short.
And while we certainly missed visiting with you in person, we found new ways to stay connected. We saw an increased use in our SmartHub, our online and phone app, increased our social media and direct e-mail efforts during this time.
We tell you about all of these efforts not to boast about Lane-Scott, but to explain how much we care about this community — because we live here too.
We’ve seen other local businesses rising to meet similar challenges during this time, because that’s what communities do. While the challenges caused by COVID-19 have been daunting, it is because of community’s efforts that we all will get through trying times.
In 1941, Lane-Scott Electric was built by the community to serve the community, and that’s what we’ll continue to do — Power On.