Over the years, you’ve likely heard me expound on why and how Guthrie County REC is different – because we’re a cooperative. Our business model sets us apart from other utilities because we adhere to seven guiding cooperative principles that reflect core values of honesty, transparency, equity, inclusiveness and service to the greater good of the community.
Electric cooperatives like ours have a unique and storied place in our country’s history. We democratized the American dream by bringing electricity to rural areas when for-profit electric companies determined the effort too costly. Back then, cities were electrified, and rural areas were not, creating the original rural-urban divide. Newly established electric lines helped power economic opportunities in rural areas. Today, that spirit of equity and inclusion is a vital part of our co-op DNA.
When our electric co-op was founded, each member-consumer had an equal vote in co-op matters. That sense of equity and inclusion is still how we operate today. Membership is open to everyone in our service territory, regardless of race, religion, age, disability, gender identity, language, political perspective or socioeconomic status.
By virtue of paying your electric bill each month, you’re a member-consumer of the co-op, and you have an equal voice and vote when it comes to co-op governance. This ties back to our guiding principles of equitable economic participation and democratic control of the co-op.
While our top priority is providing safe, reliable and affordable energy, we also want to be a catalyst for good in our community. Because we are your local electric cooperative, co-op revenues stay right here in our community. In turn, we invest in our diverse community base through scholarship programs, charitable giving, educational
programs and more. We strive to make long-term decisions that improve and enrich the communities we serve.
It’s clear that today’s world is radically different from when Guthrie County REC was founded; our cooperative values have stood the test of time and remain just as relevant today. We recognize that today’s co-op member-consumers expect more, and my pledge to you – the member-consumers we proudly serve – is to promote a cooperative culture of inclusion, diversity and equity for all.
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