herahal 1 m r , Dor!
UJ
Volume 74, Number 9.
Marshall, N. C.
15 CENTS PER COPY
March, 27, 1975
French Broad EMC Replies
Hie Honorable Ronald W.
Howell
Attorney at Law
P. O. Box 52
Marshall. N. C. 28753
Dear Mr. Howell:
Your letter dated March 13,
1975 addressed to the Board of
Directors and Managing
Officials of the French Broad
Electric Membership Cor
poration was received in the
Corporate Offices on Monday,
March 17, 1975.
The Corporation is pleased
that the concerned consumers
and members of the Co-op
have asked you to represent
them in presenting in writing
the requests and questions
raised in the public meeting
held on March 11, 1975.
Subsequent to the receipt of
your letter on Monday, the
Executive Committee of the
Board of Directors and
Managing Officials have gone
over the requests and
questions in detail, and have
called and held a special
called meeting of the Board of
Directors for the purpose of
considering the matters
outlined.
Due to the complexity of the
operations of the Electric
Membership Corporations,
the complexity of the rate
structure, and the present
pending litigation before the
Federal Power Commission,
and due to the broadness of the
questions raised by the con
cerned customer, the Board
agrees that a public meeting
should be forthcoming. The
EMC of Directors, the At
torneys who represent French
t.uu and 17 other Electric
Co-ops' before the Federal
Power Commission in con
nection with the rate request
by Carolina Power & Light
Company, the rate experts
who advised the Co-op
Management and Directors as
lo the rates required to meet
the requirements of the Rural
Electrification A d -muiistration,
a representative
of the North Carolina Rural
Electric Co-op, a represen
tative of the auditing firm who
audit's the books of the Co-op,
so as to have an expertise
group who can discuss all the
questions posed in detail
Inasmuch as the Board of
Directors are distributed over
For God
By VICTOR CASSIZII
"TV God m tawd the
Wrid, that be pn hit mdy
togottca Son, that wtwoevw
MtorcUi la him shodd aot
pcrfeh, but hart everlasting
kfet" John J II KJV
Jtwu the Christ, the Son el
Cod. came ki love U sm the
world througl) hil wa suf- ,
tarmg lie knrrn rht be wmad
stw be'arehnrvl, the per'.
evtnn, C r ;-"-. on, and
th'-r of cti J. the
i of C -i r : ' t n from
the four North Carolina
Counties and One Tennessee
County, served by the French
Broad Electric Membership
Corporation, and inasmuch as
a number of out-of-town
people will be required at the
meeting, it is preferred that a
day meeting be held. It is '
suggested that your group
select a representative from
each section of the system to
represent the group at the
above mentioned meeting. If
this is not practicable, or
possible, of course, a general
public meeting would be
required.
As the French Broad
Electric Membership is
required to pay its power bill
to Carolina Power & Light
Company within 15 days of the
rendering of the bill, the Co-op
must have sufficient money on
hand to meet these payments.
The delay of 15 days incurs a 7
percent interest penalty
against the Co-op.
Members and consumers of
the Co-op are allowed 15 days
from the date of the billing to
pay their bill at the net
amount Payment thereafter
is subject to the payment of
their gross bill. Under current
service rules and regulations
a second 5-day notice is sent to
the delinquent accounts, and
when in arrears 25 days, a
collector will call on the
customer. The Board is aware
that the large increase in
current billing is placing a
hardship upon certain con
sumers. It has been, and will
continue to be, the policy of
the Board to consider any
hardship case, and to work out
an arrangement for paj-iic t
It is the intent of the Board
and Management to work with
all of its customers to the best
interest of all concerned;
however, it is also the duty of
the Board of Directors to
maintain a strong, healthy,
solvent Corporation for its
members, to pay its bills, and
meet the requirements of the
Rural Electrification Ad
ministration Management of the Co-op in
its districts are authorized to
consider the grievance of any
member and consumer, and
the Board has no objection to
the concerned consumers
appointing a grievance
committee for the purpose of
3$$, 7jj S-
I am the resurrection
So Loved
Gkry te become man of
ft IWWl',
. Jesui had ne earthly
Erasure, ne family ef his own,
o home, not evea a place to
sleep. "Remember, 1 don't
evea twa a place Is lay my
head. Foxes have dens to live
to, and birds hi re nests, but 1,
the Messiah, have ne earthly
home st aO." Luke I SI LB.
He denied himself every
earthly pleasart In order to
bring redemption te mankind.
Ey the Sfif of God Jesus
reviewing any power bill
which is alleged to be in error,
and to make their report to the
Management of the Cor
poration for adjustment or
correction as indicated.
As you know, the Electric
Membership Corporations are
not permitted to buy power
from the TVA. The N. C.
Electric Co-op's must buy
power either from Duke,
Virginia Electric Power &
Light Company, or from
Carolina Power & Light
Company, as none of them
have their own generating
facilities. Our Congressman
and Senators should be made
aware of our problems, so that
the best thought can be used to
solve this important problem.
There is some hope that in the
future the N. C. EMC's can
generate their own power;
however, this is a long term
project, and will require
enabling legislation, and, in
addition, will require funding
from some source. It is not
likely that generation of
electricity by the Electric Co
op's in North Carolina could
possibly alleviate the situation
within the immediate
foreseeable future.
Prior to 1935 the large
private power companies
were only mterested in ser
ving metropolitan areas
where there was a high
density of meters per mile of
line. None were interested in
serving the rural areas.
In 1935 the State of North
Carolina passed an Elec
trification Act which set up a
Rural Electrification
Authority and provided the
ertWiT; jlopiKlstion for the
organization of Electric
Membership Corporations.
Letter To Taylor,
Helms Cites EMC
Dear Sir
Please be advised that as an
Attorney at I-aw in Marshall,
North Carolina, I represent a
large group of consumers who
are members of the French
andthclifc
cMtn
The World
preached good news to the
meek, comfort to the broken
hearted; he proclaimed
kbcrty to the captives, and
eternal jadgment to the
wicked. He taught love, even
love for your enemies, mercy,
forgiveness, and humility.
, "Blessed are the poor in
spirit, for theirs . is the
kingdom of heart. Blessed
are those who mourn, for they
ahsO be comforted. Blessed
are the gentle, for they shall
inherit the earth. Blessed are
This act provides that the
Directors of a Co-op may be
compensated not to exceed $30
for each day of their at
tendance at meetings for
which their attendance has
been duly authorized. It also
defines the powers of the
Board, provides the terms and
conditions of membership,
prohibits discrimination as to
rates or service, grants
general and special powers,
controls certain other aspects
of the business of an Electric
Membership Corporation.
Prior to 1965 the substations,
transmission lines, poles,
buildings, trucks, equipment,
and inventory of Co-op's were
exempt from North Carolina
County and Town ad valorem
taxes. However, in 1965 the
Act was amended, and now
your Co-op is required to pay
tax to each County and Town
in which any part of its system
is located. These tax rates are
the same as the tax rates
which you pay on your
property. In addition, your Co
op's are now subject to pay
gross receipts tax of 6 percent.
All of these taxes must be paid
from the revenue's of your Co
op. Your attention is called to
North Carolina General
Statutes Chapter 117, for the
statutory provisions
authorizing the creation of an
Electric Membership Cor
poration. The French Broad Electric
Membership Corporation was
organized under this Statute,
copy of the original charter
and amendments thereto
being hereto attached. This
charter and the arr:Pr;dnierJ ,,
thereto are of public record in
the corporate records in the
Broad Electric Membership
Corporation, which is a rural
electric co-operative,
providing electricity to por
tions of Madison, Buncombe,
Yancev and Mitchell Counties
HOB
those who hunger and thirst
for righteousness, for they
shall be satisfied. Blessed are
the merciful, for they shall
receive mercy. Blessed are
the pur in heart, tor they.
shaO see God. Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall
be called sons of God. Blessed
are those wbe ha ve . been ,.
persecuted for the sake of .
righteousness, for theirs is the .
kingdom of besven. I say to4.
you, love yevr enemies, and
pray for those who persecute
Register of Deeds Office in
Madison County.
News media and press and
the Carolina Country, which is
received by every member of
the Co-op, has extensively
treated the question of power
rates in North Carolina. The
Public did not become in
terested in learning of the
situation until Carolina Power
& light Company placed a
. . r i runF. tit.
xh ii
THE MADISON HIGH FFA LAM) JUDGING TEAM placed first in the park
way Federation at East Yancey high school on Thursday, March 20. The team
will represent Madison and Yancey Counties in the State Land Judging meet
to be held at Wadesboro, N. C. on April 5. Shown above are members of the
team. Kneeling, left to right, Steve Cutshall, Stee Messer; standing, left to
right, Steve-bums, Gary Moore, and Jack Cole, Advisor. Other Advisors are
Garland Woody and Lamar Lunsford (not pictured).
of North Carolina, and also a
part of Unicoi County, Tenn.
The North Carolina residents
are, of course, your con
stituents. This letter is written
in their behalf
you." Matt. 5 NAS.
All that were brought to him
in sickness were healed. The
deaf heard, the dumb spake,
the blind saw, the lame
walked, and the dead were
raised to fife. Jesus spoke in
boldness and acted , in the
' power of God. not as the
scribes and pharisees, the
- religious leaders of his day.
The people followed him and
because of enty the scribes
and. Pharisees continually
! . Ceaunard Is Page 1 . I
substantial rate increase and
passed on the Fuel Ad
justment to consumers and
wholesalers on or about
January 2. 1975.
The French Broad EMC and
17 other EMC's in North
Carolina were purchasing
power from CP&L under a
contract, which did not expire
until December 31, 1974
Under the contract these
1M
ma
Morgan,
Cost Hike
I have observed from the
newspapers that you have
perhaps received letters on
this subject which wore of a
general nature. In this letter. I
hope to solicit your support in
taking immediate and specific
action to alleviate the problem
facing a sizeable portion of the
above counties. The roup of
consumers, above referred to.
met at the Madison County
High School on Man h 11. 1975
The attendance was estimated
at approximately 2500 This
meeting was prompted by a
drastic and inherently op
pressive rate increase, which
was passed on to members of
the French Broad Electric
Membership Corporation in
January of 1975 For example,
in the Marshall area alone,
officials of the French Broad
Electric Membership Cor
poration report that the
wholesale rate of power went
up 166. 2 percent or from $8 57
to 22 47 per 1000 kilowatt
hours The officials of the
Corporation further reported
that they had no choice but to
pass this increase on to their
consumers, i Reported in the
Asheville Citizen on March 11,
1975)
As you already know, the
French Broad Electric
Membership Corporation
serves a part of Western North
Carolina, which is already
depressed economically. This
drastic and unexpected rate
Closed
Easter
Monday
The following offices and
firms will be Closed next
: . Monday in observance at the
Easter Holiday: , .
'AB offices in cMrmoose,
v department' of Social Ser
t vices, all banks, ASCS office,
, ESEA . Office, , Health
. Department, Library, E
' tensio Service l Farm Or
Oce." - I
To Qmestioiis
membership Co-op's and their
consumers had a very
beneficial and very low power
rate to which we all became
accustomed. On July 1, 1974,
CP&L filed with the Federal
Power Commission a petition
which in effect would have set
aside the contractual rate
which the 18 EMC's were
enjoying, and permit fossil
fuel adjustment clause to
increase has created a terrific
hardship on practically all
citizens receiving their
electricity through the
Corporation Incidents of
tragic hardship are numerous.
Continued to Page 6
Courthouse
Closed On
Next Monday
It was announced this week
that the Madison County
courthouse will be closed next
Monday in observance of
Easter
,7
Kaster Coloring Conlest Winners
WINNERS:
ANNETTE PRESSLEY
Rt. t. Box 30
Marshall, N.C.
Age
ENTRIES:
Julie Allison
Tresa L. Ray
Rosella Roberts
Angle Lankford
Tina Wallin
Sherry Shelton
Tim English
Gregg Lloyd
Karen Shelton
Debra Lee Angel
Roy Wallin
Debra Ann Crowe
Rebecca Thomas
Bess Fisher
Tina Marie Woody
Ricky Dean McFslls
Edna Maxine Burns
Janet Worley
Darren Wayne Willett
Sandra Gunter
Aflen Kirkpatrick
Jeff ' -
Mark Snelsoa s
Rebecca Riddle ,
Judy E. Moore ;
Lisa Gentry "
Dariene Lewis : ;
Kathy Diana Fox . ; .
Myra Sawyers - v
Kutt Herroa j
Rebecca Edmonds
become a part of CP&I.'s
rates, effective September 1.
The 18 Co-op's including
French Broad EMC, through
their Attorneys Crisp, Bolch,
and Smith, Raleigh, N. C,
intervened to resist any
change in the existing con
tract between CP&l. and the
EMC's.
Meeting Notice
TO ALL MEMBERS AND
PURCHASERS OF ELEC
TRICITY FROM THE
FRENCH BROAD ELEC
TRIC MEMBERSHIP
CORPORATION:
Another meeting has been
called by members of a
committee of consumers who
met previously at the Madison
County School on March 11,
1975. Cheaver Metcalf, one of
the members who formed the
group, indicated that the
public is demanding that
another meeting be held. He
also indicated that issues to be
discussed at this meeting,
which wUl be held on Tuesday,
April 1, 1975, at the Madison
County High School, Marshall,
North Carolina are :
1. The election of local
committees from each
Township.
2. A report on the Charter
and By laws of the French
Broad Electric Membership
Corporation and the rights of
its members.
3. To afford an opportunity
to the officials of the French
Broad Electric Membership
Corporation to answer.
i
2-Year-Old Boy Dies
In Fire Here Friday
Otis Shade, Jr., two-year-old
son of Mr. and Mrs. Otis
Shade, Sr., was fatally burned
last Friday night when fire
destroyed the four-room
frame house located in the
K oil ins section of Marshall.
Mr. and Mrs. Shade and
Timothy, their six-year-old
son, managed to escape out of
the flame-filled house through
a window. Two other children,
fortunately, were staying at a
neighbor's home Friday night.
Observers believe that the
fire probably started from a
defective electrical appliance.
Mr and Mrs. Shade told this
newspaper that they had gone
to bed about nine o'clock and
that because it wasn't very
cold, they had no fire in the
stove. Mr. Shade said that he
was awakened when he heard
crackling noises and saw
some wires on fire in the
house." Mrs. Shade, the
former Miss Carrie Lee
Henry, grabbed Timothy as
PAMELA BUCKNER
Rt. S, Box 117
Mam hall, N. C.
Age
Randy Bailey
JaUi? Pegg
Jeannie Pegg
Rebecca Amnions
Bandy Riddle
Teresa Griffin
Cecilia Worley
Brenna Fender
Sandy Peek
Donna Tipton
Christy Rigsby
Brands ?
Learn James
lynn Price vr
Doug Snelsoa .
Lisa Kay FWey t
Billy Joe NaUka ; "
Tammy Cog dill
Ricky Canter ';
Karen Sams '
Jeana Ferguson "
Ricky Lee Allen
Danny Edwards i
Dwight Carney ' ,
Harold Herroa
. Katina Connor
Carmen Honeycutt
Ke'.lie Ana LeGrand
Sherry W ' enship
Kevin EUr.lensh;p
Rex Rams7
In the April 1974, July 1974,
September 1974, and
December 1974 issues of
Carolina Country, your
Manager made a Manager's
report to the Membership as
follows;
Continued to Page 2
questions.
4. A report on the present
status of the Carolina Power
and Light Company's
wholesale rate increase,
which is presently pending
before the Federal Power
Commission.
5. A discussion of
theFederal Legislation
prohibiting the purchase of
power from the Tennessee
Valley Authority.
6. A report on the response,
if any, from the French Broad
Electric Membership Cor
poration to the letter of March
13, 1975.
Sunrise Service
At Oak
Hill Sunday
There will be a sunrise
service at the Oak Hill Baptist
Church at Rector's Corner this
Sunday morning at seven
o'clock.
ublio Is invited.
Mr . Shade broke out a window
wiiere they escaped. They
explained the flames wcrtf so
intense at the doorway it was
impossible to excapC. The
parents made every effort to
save the little boy but flames
had gained too much headway
making it impossible'. Both
parents received minor burns
and cuts.
When firemen reached the
scene the old frame house was
engulfed in flames. They tried
desperately to save the house
but their efforts were futile.
The house was owned by
Swann Frisby, Jr., of Daytona
Beach, Fla.
FUNERAL SUNDAY
Graveside services for the
victim were held at l:3t
o'clock Sunday in County
Home Cemetery in Marshall.
The Revs. J. E. Pedew andT.
Spencer LeGrand officiated.
Surviving in addition ts) the
parents sre two sisters,
Misses Tina and Tammy
Shade of the home; a brother,
Timothy Shade of the borne',
the maternal grsndmothsry
Mrs. Carrie Henry of Hat
shall; and the paternal
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.
Bill Shade of AshevOle.
Bowman Funeral Home waa
in charge.
EXPRESS THANK
"We want to thank each ami
everyone for helping ta out
time of need. May God be with
you a B," Mr. and Mrs. Otia
Shade stated. , . - .
Sunrise
At Pritchard
Cemetery
Sunday
i Members of the M, - '
Baptist Church i:i h
Easter Sunrise Serri.-
Sunday morr.:-? t
'T a.m. at t
Cemetery r - i
ts-'-n. r e I
'
.-r f . ;.r-.' r,W ,