[Penguin]

I received a membership form from Sumter electric co-op today and was wondering what exactly it was for. Anyone joined this and do I need to become a member too?

[Carla B]

Don't understand "membership form." I thought you just signed up as a customer, as they are the only provider in our area. I know they call their customers "members" because it's a coop. If you've already closed on your house and applied for electricity, aren't you already "a member?"

[cappyjon431]

I must be a member, I get a bill from SECO every month. Membership is not cheap.

[Carla B]

Yeah, Cappy Jon, it ranges from $90 to $169 per month, but it feels cheaper than the Comcast membership.

[cappyjon431]

Originally Posted by Carla B

Yeah, Cappy Jon, it ranges from $90 to $169 per month, but it feels cheaper than the Comcast membership.

We have a small home and ours has ranged from $116 (this month) to $186. you are right, on average it is still chaper than Club Comcast.

[Carla B]

Sometime let's get together. We visited Panama in 2004 and loved it! Went through the Canal on a small sailboat. Took a side trip to David and Boquete and thought they were beautiful. Would love to meet someone who lived in Panama.

[cappyjon431]

Originally Posted by Carla B

Sometime let's get together. We visited Panama in 2004 and loved it! Went through the Canal on a small sailboat. Took a side trip to David and Boquete and thought they were beautiful. Would love to meet someone who lived in Panama.

Sounds good. We miss Panama a lot, but we are getting accustomed to life in TV. While we visited the Canal Museum and the Miraflores Locks a couple of times we never had the opportunity to traverse the canal--hopefully we can when we go back and visit. Made occasional trips to David (our health insurance was run through a hospital there) and Boquete, but mostly spent time on the Caribbean coast in Bocas del Toro.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by Carla B

Don't understand "membership form." I thought you just signed up as a customer, as they are the only provider in our area. I know they call their customers "members" because it's a coop. If you've already closed on your house and applied for electricity, aren't you already "a member?"

Beats me. I've been a member to a lot of organizations but never a electric co.

[Carla B]

To quote from Seco's welcome letter "You get to vote for who represents you on the SECO Board of Trustees every three years and..."members have a direct say in who represents them and the way in which the Co-op is run. It's true democracy in action." With every bill they send you a wonderful write-up about flora or fauna in Florida. It's all good; the electric cost is reasonable, plus you can go to the annual meeting.

[Penguin]

So Carla B are you a member? I'm thinking its not for me and really has no significant benefits.

[jblum315]

I used to belong to a club in New York called Con-Ed. Believe me it was a lot more expensive than this Seco club. Had no benefits either. And lots of blackouts.

[villages07]

If your provider is Sumter Electric (SECO).... it is a co-op, i.e. member-owned, sorta like a non-profit. By using SECO and having an account, you are a "member". You don't have to do anything, pay any dues, etc.

If they generate excess revenue over expenses you may see a nominal annual credit on your bill.

Many utilities are publicly traded corporations... ConEd, Fla Power and Light, Duke Energy. These are for-profit, stockholder corporations. SECO is a co-op and not publicly traded.

They do have an annual meeting where they elect board members. Generally, they try to make it a party so people will show up.

Anyway, you will get this meeting notice each year. If you're curious, by all means, attend. Otherwise, it's really no big deal. You can certainly visit their website for more info.

All in all, I've found SECO service to be reliable and costs to be reasonable.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by villages07

If your provider is Sumter Electric (SECO).... it is a co-op, i.e. member-owned, sorta like a non-profit. By using SECO and having an account, you are a "member". You don't have to do anything, pay any dues, etc.

If they generate excess revenue over expenses you may see a nominal annual credit on your bill.

Many utilities are publicly traded corporations... ConEd, Fla Power and Light, Duke Energy. These are for-profit, stockholder corporations. SECO is a co-op and not publicly traded.

They do have an annual meeting where they elect board members. Generally, they try to make it a party so people will show up.

Anyway, you will get this meeting notice each year. If you're curious, by all means, attend. Otherwise, it's really no big deal. You can certainly visit their website for more info.

All in all, I've found SECO service to be reliable and costs to be reasonable.

Thanks for the perfect explanation. Finally someone that makes sense

[applesoffh]

Originally Posted by jblum315

I used to belong to a club in New York called Con-Ed. Believe me it was a lot more expensive than this Seco club. Had no benefits either. And lots of blackouts.

Gee, I belonged to the same club! I hate to tell you what my monthly CON-ED bill was...and I was in an apartment with no washer/dryer, gas heat and cooking gas! SECO is very reasonable by comparison!