From the Board of Trustees

We haven’t had a “slow year” at Baldwin EMC in possibly a decade or so. Continual growth, the changing landscape of our community and an influx of new members keeps us on our toes year after year, and 2018 was no exception. As we dive into 2019, we’d like to give you a little recap of how 2018 looked for Baldwin EMC, and we’ll break it down by the numbers.

13. Electricity is a dangerous and unforgiving business. That’s why every day without a serious accident is worth celebrating. In November, we reached one year without an injury resulting in lost work time. At the end of 2018, we were happily celebrating 13 months with no lost time accidents.

200. In just eight years, we’ve added approximately 150 miles of line, which have electrified everything from new subdivisions to resort areas and businesses like the OWA entertainment venue. In 2018 alone, we increased our total line mileage by more than 60 miles.

444. Baldwin EMC hosted three blood drives in 2018, which resulted in 148 pints of blood donated. With each pint having the potential to benefit three people, as many as 444 lives can be saved from the donations. Beyond just blood, our Spring Into Action and Power of Giving drives collected hundreds of winter coats for kids in need, and as many pounds of food to stock the shelves of our local food pantries.

2,000. We added approximately 2,000 meters between the end of 2017 and the time of this magazine’s publication. This number has been on the rise for the past 20 years, with the exception of a brief slowdown from 2008 to 2009. This persistent growth has solidified our position as the largest cooperative in the state of Alabama. We hold that lead by a whopping 30,000 meters.

4,000. Baldwin EMC’s employees spent more than 4,000 hours in training in 2018. This includes monthly safety meetings for operations crews, and first-aid and CPR certification training.

4 million. At our August board meeting, Baldwin EMC’s board of trustees reviewed the financial status of the cooperative and determined that we were in good enough condition to retire $4 million in capital credits, which were refunded to our members.

These are just a few of the highlights and milestones we reached in 2018. As you can imagine, there’s quite a bit more we could discuss if space in these magazine pages would allow! However, as a member, you have the right to be informed about your cooperative. If at any point you have questions or would like more detailed information about Baldwin EMC’s operations, don’t hesitate to ask.

After all, “education, training and information” is one of the seven principles that guide cooperatives, and one of the unique benefits of being a Baldwin EMC member.