Board of Trustees

December 9, 2022

Serving you for 82: Annual Meeting 2023

Smiling YEC co-workers Larry Self and Quasha Dunham standing in the cooperative's drive-thru. — Mapping Technician Larry Self and Member Services Representative Quasha Dunham worked together to efficiently register members at last year’s meeting. Save the date for Saturday, May 6, 2023, to celebrate YEC serving you for 82 years!

Save the date for your 2023 Annual Meeting of Members on Saturday, May 6, 2023. Our team is excited to offer another year of convenient drive-thru registration. We’re even bringing back the hot dogs! Look for more information about our annual meeting in upcoming issues of South Carolina Living, on our website and on our social media channels.

If you are interested in running for YEC’s board of trustees, please review the qualifications and timelines as they are written in our Bylaws:

Bylaw excerpt

Article IV Trustees, Section 4.06 Nominations:

Not less than ninety (90) days prior to the meeting, nominations may be made by twenty-five (25) or more Members of the Cooperative in writing over their signatures on an explicit petition document listing their nominee(s) in like manner. This document must be obtained from the Cooperative no more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the Annual Meeting and must be specific to each Trustee District. In addition to the required petition, candidates must attend a Board-developed educational program on Cooperative history, operations and governance not less than sixty (60) days prior to the next Annual Meeting, or have a minimum of three (3) years of service as an electric cooperative Trustee. The educational requirement will be offered at the Cooperative on two (2) specified dates prior to the Annual Meeting. In addition to the other qualifications and requirements set forth herein, no person shall be eligible to be nominated as a Trustee candidate if they were an unsuccessful Trustee nominee for any Trustee District in any of the last three (3) years. In other words, a person may only be nominated as a Trustee candidate once every three (3) years.

YEC staffer, Amy Crocker, standing at the drive-thru lane with clipboard in hand as she returns an identification card to a member through his driver-side window. — Member Services Representative Amy Crocker was one of many who helped confirm attendees’ memberships before registering them for their power bill credits and allowing them to vote. Be sure to look for your registration card and more details about the meeting in April’s South Carolina Living magazine. You’ll need to bring your photo ID, along with your registration card, with you to participate in the meeting.

The Secretary shall mail to the Members with the notice of the meeting, or separately, but at least thirty (30) days, but not more than forty-five (45) days prior to the date of the meeting, a complete statement of the names and addresses of all nominees for each Trustee District from or with respect to which one (1) or more Trustees must be elected, showing clearly those who have completed the educational requirement and those who have completed a minimum of three (3) years of service as an electric cooperative Trustee. The Secretary shall post in like manner such nominations at the Cooperative offices at least forty-five (45) days prior to the next Annual Meeting.

Statement of Nondiscrimination

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at the USDA website and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: 1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; 2. fax: (202) 690-7442; or 3. email: . This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

June 2, 2022

Every member. Every time. 2022 Annual Meeting recap

I’d like to thank everyone who attended our 2022 Annual Meeting. More than 3,500 members attended our second complete drive-thru event. Your co-op is here to serve you, our members and our owners, providing affordable, safe and reliable energy and making positive impacts in our communities. Every member. Every time.

2022 Annual Meeting photos »

YEC CEO Paul Basha chatting with member Perry Johnston at the Annual Meeting registration drive-thru. — YEC President and CEO Paul Basha greets member Perry Johnston in the registration line.

If you missed it, the business meeting and election results were recorded and can be found on our website. In the meantime, here are some highlights to show you your co-op is in great shape:

For another year, I thank our Lord for protecting us from a major injury and large-scale outage.
Since it began in 2000, our members have given more than $3.4 million dollars back to the community through our Operation Round Up program, making a positive difference in the lives of others.
We are proud to announce that we do not anticipate a rate increase for another two years.
The board of trustees approved the largest distribution of capital credits in YEC’s history, returning $2.5 million to members in May.
Over 2,000 members responded to our American Customer Satisfaction Index and the results are in. Your cooperative scored a 94, providing YEC with one of the highest scores among more than 700 companies across the country.
We’re working to shape our future by incorporating new, innovative technology, including upgrades to 11 substations, developing special rates and services for electric vehicles and providing in-home smart devices to better equip members to monitor energy and save money.
To continue improving service reliability, we’re investing in two new 100-kilovolt transmission lines that will serve two of YEC’s substations: Flint Hill, near Carowinds, and India Hook in Rock Hill.
Through our Rural Internet Project, YEC has now provided high-speed Internet access to 1,500 members who did not have this service a year ago. Construction continues, which will provide high-speed Internet access to the remaining unserved members in the next 14 months.

In summary, rates will stay low, rebate checks will continue to be large, rural internet is being installed and electric service reliability is excellent. Your co-op is in great shape and our dedication to continue looking out for you remains true.

Sincerely,

Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer

Board of trustees 2022 election results

District 1 Trustee
William Roy “Will” Mitchell

District 2 Trustee
Marion Comer

District 3 Trustee
Richard B. Sadler

January 4, 2022

From the board room

YEC is proud to announce it will not change its overall rates in the next two years. We will maintain the same low rates we’ve provided members for the past decade.

Another unprecedented year has passed, but we accomplished many noteworthy goals, including the availability of high-speed internet to more than 500 members in the unserved areas of our territory; $2 million dollars returned to members in Capital Credits; another 10% discount for all members on November billing statements; a successful inaugural drive-thru annual meeting; and lower rates. We’ve strategically planned to continue providing affordable, safe and reliable service, keeping your power on and money in your pocket.

Two staffers masking outdoors. — Member Services representatives Anna Young (left) and Jennifer Brooks helped members navigate YEC’s first entirely drive-thru Annual Meeting in 2021. Erin Powell

Innovation and adaptation

Although our lobbies remained closed, our employees adapted to serve members safely at each office location. Using tools such as online chat and our updated member portal, members were able to continue their cooperative business more conveniently by using technology. In 2021, we leveraged technology to continue our push to save paper and be more environmentally conscious. We worked smarter with less paperwork and fewer field visits.

Reliability

Our new Aycock School Substation was finished and brought online in 2021, increasing service reliability for members living in the southern Rock Hill and McConnells areas. A large investment and work project, the new transmission lines and substation provided additional capacity for electric service. Additionally, more than 250 miles of right-of-way were cut to minimize outage risks. A large portion of this work was around our India Hook Substation, which serves the Mt. Gallant Road, Twin Lakes Road and Celanese Road areas of Rock Hill. Additional work in this area included burying several miles of service lines to minimize exposure to potential outage threats. YEC now has more than half of our distribution system underground for increased reliability across our entire territory. Other updates included the new equipment at our Lakeview substation, new distribution lines across the Catawba River and larger conductors along Highway 49.

Money matters

We’re in great financial shape. One of the best tests to confirm this is our ability to return capital credits to members. Not only did we distribute $2 million to members in May 2021, but we also provided a 10% member appreciation discount to all members in November. Programs like Beat The Peak and our smart thermostat program help you stay conscious of the energy you use so you can help YEC keep power costs low.

Giving back

Whether we are finding innovative ways to virtually connect with students, or hosting Operation Round Up Trust Board presentations online, we navigated the pandemic and found a way to continue giving back. Thanks to the help of our generous members, we’ve given $250,000 back to the community through Operation Round Up this year, making our total contribution more than $3.3 million dollars since the program began in 2000.

Additionally, we’ve raised approximately $16,000 through The Burrell Foundation to impact our local communities. More fundraising efforts will continue in 2022 so we can make a larger impact to those who need our help.

Students benefited from $17,000 in scholarships in 2021 and local teachers were awarded $11,000 in Bright Ideas Grants. With the help of Hungry Heroes, we fed local first responders, honoring their commitment and service to our community. Lastly, employees helped save 27 lives with our annual blood drive.

Looking ahead

We’ve got big plans to continue serving you with excellence and providing a better quality of life for members. Affordability and reliable service continue to be in our sights as we make future plans.

Our five-year trimming cycle continues in 2022, with plans to cut more than 350 miles of right-of-way. Updating equipment, burying more primary delivery lines and updating substations are all important investments in service reliability for members. Look for more updates on the rebuild of our India Hook and Flint Hill substations throughout this year. We will also increase the conductor size for Banks Street, Paraham Road, Indian Trail and Doby’s Bridge Road to better serve growth in those areas. Additionally, we will update equipment and distribution lines for the Highway 21 road project and the new hospital in Fort Mill. YEC’s Rural Internet Project will continue to grow throughout this year, with plans to finish Phase 1 and begin work on Phase 2 of the project.

YEC Board of Directors — YEC’s Board of Trustees is elected by its members to govern rates, bylaws and policies. They are working hard together and looking out for you. From back left: Marion Comer, Scott Good, Richard Roach, Tommie Bratton, Jack Cornwell and Will Mitchell; Seated, from left: Carolyn Hicks Boyd, secretary/treasurer, Max T. Settlemyre, chairman, Richard B. Sadler, vice-chairman. Erin Powell

Rest assured we’re here, always looking out for you and your best interests. Thank you for allowing us the privilege of representing you in the board room.

TOM SETTLEMYRE

Chairman, District 1

July 8, 2021

YEC trustee Poston retires

For 39 years, Paul David Poston has served the members of York Electric Cooperative. He’s seen your co-op grow and adapt to continue serving members with excellence. His love of people and this community have been invaluable to your co-op. Most importantly, he has dedicated his time to ensuring the voices of members and exceptional service continue to be at the heart of cooperative business decisions.

Although serving on your board of trustees hasn’t been his only job, serving you, he says, has been a great honor. The honor, though, is really ours. Mr. Poston’s wisdom, leadership, vision and grace have been integral parts of your cooperative’s success. He was never afraid to disagree with the crowd, but always exhibited courageous serenity when making his point. He brought balance to the table, wanting more for your co-op while encouraging conservative approaches to spending money and new technologies to keep rates low.

I have been blessed to learn from him both professionally and personally. After losing my mom at a very young age and my father halfway through my career, Mr. Poston has been like a father to me, as well as a grandfather figure to my three kids. He has always stressed the importance of family, something that resonates deeply with me, our YEC employees and this cooperative. He has never pushed an agenda on me or anyone else. Rather, his institutional wisdom, calm spirit and gentlemanly character make it easy to follow his lead. Like him, I try to follow Matthew 7:12, treating others as I wish to be treated.

A well-known local farmer, Mr. Poston continues to spend a great deal of time outdoors, growing vegetables and flowers. Don’t be alarmed if you hear gunfire coming from his living room after dark. It’s likely John Wayne starring in one of his favorite old westerns on TCM. At 94, he has seen many things, including serving his country as a Marine at the very end of World War II, working as a brick mason, developing land, growing and selling fresh vegetables at his roadside stand and contributing to a brighter future for our community.

Thank you, Mr. Poston, for a job well done.

Sincerely,

Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer

January 8, 2021

From the corner of the board room Lower rates, rural internet coming

As we close out a year full of unprecedented times, we want to thank you for your continued support and membership. Please allow me to introduce myself on behalf of YEC’s Board of Directors, who are honored to continue serving you. My name is Tom Settlemyre. I represent District 1 on your board and currently serve as chairman. I am happy to share insight from the board room, as well as a review of your co-op’s 2020 accomplishments.

Service, growth and internet

The year 2020 was difficult to navigate for all of us. For the first time, we canceled our annual meeting and closed our lobby to keep our members and employees safe. Despite the pandemic, we are proud to say we continued our dedication to you, serving you with excellence, remaining productive and completing many system improvements.

This included upgrades on nine existing substations and breaking ground on our new Aycock School substation, which will serve members living near McConnells. We are on track for this to come online in the spring. We’ve also started work on several other new substations that will be constructed in the next few years. We continued our backlot burial project, putting miles of our overhead lines in congested areas underground; trimmed 390 miles of right-of-way, staying true to our five-year right-of-way trimming cycle; worked to enhance communication and the transparency of our business; and responded to 100% of all outages within one hour.

Although our board meetings looked different this year, we continued to look out for the best interest of our entire membership, striving to improve the quality of life in our area. We completed 21 training sessions to better understand the jobs of YEC employees and how we can best support them in their mission to take care of you. We conducted a feasibility study to offer fiber internet to the unserved areas of our territory. Upon review, we are excited to announce we will be partnering to offer high-speed fiber internet in phases to members identified in this study. YEC members west of York and McConnells, including members in Cherokee County, will benefit from this new offering. We will communicate directly with affected members in the spring. As we move forward with this new venture, we will share more.

Bylaws and drive-thru Annual Meeting

Each month we study safety reports, approve financial documents and provide direction, vision and approval for economic development projects to plan for future growth. We set goals for improvement, and annually review and suggest bylaw changes to protect members’ rights. Please look for several proposed bylaw changes in March’s South Carolina Living, as well as information regarding our first-ever drive-thru annual meeting. We look forward to enlarging our existing drive-thru experience to include all attending members, enhancing convenience, as well as increasing registration and voting hours to improve accessibility.

Every dollar counts

Last year, we made several important financial advances to secure our future and save money for members. We reduced part of our debt and lowered our average interest paid by over 1%, saving us millions of dollars. We completed two capital credit retirements, returning more than $2 million to members. Thanks to these strategic moves and the efficiency of employees, we will not only extend our streak of 10 years without a rate increase, but also slightly lower rates for all members beginning this month for 2021. Perhaps one of the most impactful financial contributions has been to distribute more than $3.1 million dollars to those in need in our community through our Operation Round Up Trust, all because of your generosity.

Thank you for allowing us to serve you and make a difference. Please let us know if you need anything. We’ll be in the board room working for you.

TOM SETTLEMYRE
Chairman, District 1

YEC's Board of Directors — The YEC Board of Directors are dedicated to looking out for members. They are pleased to announce YEC will offer fiber internet to the unserved and underserved areas of our service territory and lower rates for members in 2021. Meet your board! (Back L) Carolyn Hicks Boyd, Secretary/Treasurer, District 5; Marion Comer, District 7; Tommie Bratton, District 8; Richard M. Roach, District 3; Richard B. Sadler, Vice Chairman, District 9; William Roy “Will” Mitchell, District 6; (Front L) Paul D. Poston, District 4; Max T. Settlemyre, Chairman, District 1; E. Jack Cornwell, District 2. EDITOR’S NOTE: This photo was taken in 2019 when it was safe to be together. Photo Credit: Erin Powell

July 9, 2020

From the corner of the board room

As we move into 2020, we want our membership to be more informed than ever before on our purpose as a cooperative and your role as members. Please allow me to take a minute to introduce myself on behalf of YEC’s Board of Trustees, who are honored to continue serving you. My name is Jack Cornwell. I represent District 2 on your board and currently serve as chairman. I am happy to share insight from the board room, as well as a review of your co-op’s 2019 accomplishments.

E. Jack Cornwell, YEC Board of Trustees Chairman, District 2

As board members, we spend a great deal of time each month studying reports and analyzing the best way to continue providing excellent service. This includes several types of training sessions so that we may better understand the jobs of YEC employees and how we can best support them in their mission to take care of our members. For 2019, this included six different in-house training sessions, giving us more details about what goes on day-to-day at your co-op. We received reports from employees and industry experts, began work on our strategic plan for the next five years, and reviewed 58 company policies, holding true to our pledge to look out for you.

Each month, we study safety reports, approve financial documents, and provide direction, vision and approval for economic development projects. We plan for future growth and goals for improvement and review and suggest bylaw changes to protect members’ rights. We strategize our debt to best serve our members. We also work together to make your co-op a gold standard for governance by reviewing our compliance with the new South Carolina legislation. Additionally, we completed a risk assessment of your co-op to be better prepared against potential threats.

Just this past year, we completed YEC’s 2019 accomplishments—no small feat. We spent a great deal of time reviewing, discussing and researching the sale of Santee Cooper to ensure that your power costs stay low and that YEC members are protected. We worked to complete two audits to take a deep dive into your cooperative’s financials, helping to keep costs low. These audits included one by an independent auditor, who reviewed all our financials, including cash flow, with your board without any employees present. There was also a Rural Utility Services audit of over $72 million worth of power line construction and upgrades. We are pleased to report both audits were successful and that your co-op is in excellent financial shape. Audits also help us make an informed decision on how much money can be returned to you through capital credits.

Charting YEC growth over 15 years

York Electric’s service territory continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas in the United States. Let’s look back to see how YEC has grown over 15 years:

Data	2003	2018	Change
Miles of underground line	445	1,938	+336%
Miles of overhead line	1,959	1,998	+2%
Residential meters	32,892	60,303	+83.4%
Commercial and industrial meters	2,613	4,687	+79%
Capital credits	$900,000	$1,400,000	+64.3%

This year was the first time in YEC’s history we have completed two retirements in one year, giving back $3 million to our members. This could not be possible without the support of our dedicated employees and the continued support from our members. Together, we have given back more than $3 million dollars to our community through our Operation Round Up Trust. We worked to improve communication and the transparency of our business while improving the quality of life in our area.

Thank you for allowing us to serve you and make a difference. Please let us know if you need anything. We’ll be in the board room working for you.

Jack Cornwell
Chairman, District 2

Board of Trustees

Bylaw excerpt

Statement of Nondiscrimination

Board of trustees 2022 election results

Service, growth and internet

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