North Dakota Association Of Rural Cooperatives

NDAREC'S VISION IS AN INDISPENSABLE NETWORK OF MEMBER COOPERATIVES THAT ENRICHES THE LIVES OF THEIR CONSUMERS AND THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY LIVE.

PUBLICATIONS AND GRAPHIC ARTS SERVICES-DELIVERED SERVICES IN MAGAZINE AND PUBLICATION PRODUCTION, INCLUDING GRAPHIC DESIGN, EDITING, WRITING, PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEO, ADVERTISING, PUBLISHING AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS. -PRODUCED 12 MONTHLY NORTH DAKOTA LIVING MAGAZINES COVERING A VARIETY OF STATE AND LOCAL ISSUES, ELECTRIC INDUSTRY, SAFETY AND COOPERATIVE TOPICS IMPORTANT TO MEMBERSHIP. -DEVELOPED A MAGAZINE WEBSITE TEMPLATE WITH TOUCHSTONE ENERGY COOPERATIVES' CO-OP WEB BUILDER AND COMPLETED THE NORTH DAKOTA LIVING WEBSITE BUILDOUT. A NEW WEBSITE WILL LAUNCH IN JANUARY 2022 TO ELEVATE THE DIGITAL FOOTPRINT. -PRODUCED NETWORK PAGES COVERING SAFETY AND ENERGY-USE TOPICS, ANNUAL REPORTS, NEWSLETTERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA GRAPHICS FOR MEMBER COOPERATIVES AND COMPLETED MULTIPLE PROJECTS FOR STATEWIDE SERVICE AREAS. -WORKED WITH THE NDAREC BOARD AND PUBLIC RELATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO UPDATE AND SIMPLIFY ADVERTISING POLICIES FOR ASSOCIATION PUBLICATIONS.-SECURED CONTRACTS WITH NORTH DAKOTA TOURISM TO SELL ADVERTISING AND HELP PRODUCE SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE 2021 ROAD TRIP GUIDE AND THE NEXT TWO YEARS OF TRAVEL GUIDES. -PRODUCED INCOME-GENERATING SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE BIG IRON GUIDE, NORTH DAKOTA ROAD TRIP GUIDE, NDAREC/BAND MEMBER DIRECTORY AND THE BISMARCK-MANDAN CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU GUIDE. -CREATED JOINT PRESS MATERIALS, MANAGED MEDIA INQUIRIES AND SECURED MEDIA SPOTS FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WITH BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE (BSC).-PRODUCED TWO ELECTRICAL SAFETY ON THE FARM VIDEO MESSAGES WITH BEK TV FEATURING A DAKOTA VALLEY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE MEMBER.-PRODUCED A LIVE RADIO BROADCAST FOR THE RURAL ACCESS DISTRIBUTION (RAD) COOPERATIVE IN NOVEMBER. -REPRESENTED ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN MULTIPLE TRADE SHOWS ACROSS THE STATE, PROVIDING VALUABLE CONTACT WITH MEMBERS, BUSINESSES, PARTNERS AND ADVERTISERS.

SAFETY TRAINING SERVICES-DELIVERED SERVICES TO 24 MEMBERS, INCLUDING COOPERATIVES, MUNICIPALS, CONTRACTORS AND THE MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, IN THREE CORE AREAS: APPRENTICESHIP, TRAINING AND SAFETY, AND LOSS CONTROL SERVICES. -PROVIDED SAFETY MEETINGS WHILE FOLLOWING COVID-19 GUIDELINES AND THE WORKPLACE PRACTICES OF EACH COOPERATIVE.-PROVIDED TRAINING FOR 60 ENROLLEES IN THE APPRENTICESHIP AND SKILLS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS. AS A RESULT OF THESE PROGRAMS, 18 LINEWORKERS AND METER TECHNICIANS BECAME JOURNEYMEN IN 2020.-RECOGNIZED OUR 50-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE TO PROVIDE PRE-APPRENTICESHIP LINEWORKER TRAINING AND OUR PLANS FOR TRAINING THE FUTURE WORKFORCE.-PARTNERED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL MUTUAL-AID PLAN WHICH PROVIDES ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL COOPERATIVE RESOURCES TO SHORTEN RECOVERY EFFORTS FOR LARGE DISASTERS.-CONDUCTED A FIVE-YEAR REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE SAFE WORK PRACTICES MANUAL. -PARTICIPATED IN THE COMMIT TO ZERO PILOT PROGRAM AND PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON THE PROCESS AND VALUE OF THE PROGRAM. THE NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION (NRECA) AND FEDERATED RURAL ELECTRIC INSURANCE EXCHANGE ARE PREPARING TO ROLL THE PROGRAM OUT NATIONALLY IN 2022. -AIDED COOPERATIVES AND THE NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES IN THE REPORTING OF DAMAGES TO ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER, VANDALISM AND/OR TERRORISM.-ENHANCED OUR EMERGENCY OPERATING PROCEDURES AS IT RELATES TO CYBERSECURITY. -MONITORED AND COMMUNICATED UPDATES TO REGULATORY AND COMPLIANCE STANDARDS RELEVANT TO THE INDUSTRY.-FOSTERED STRONG SAFETY CULTURE THROUGH NDAREC'S "I WILL" P.A.C.E. PROGRAM AND NRECA'S COMMIT TO ZERO ELECTRICAL CONTACTS PROGRAM.-AIDED COOPERATIVES IN MEASURING SAFETY PERFORMANCE AND MANAGING LOSS CONTROL.

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES-WORKED WITH THE NORTH DAKOTA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (PSC), UTILITIES AND LEGISLATURE TO PASS A BILL ALLOWING THE RESELLING OF ELECTRICITY BY ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) CHARGING STATIONS WITH PROTECTIONS FOR THE UTILITY IN THAT SERVICE AREA.-COMMUNICATED WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE FEBRUARY WEATHER EVENT THAT LED TO INTERRUPTIONS IN ELECTRIC SERVICE.-DEFEATED A HARMFUL NET-METERING BILL THAT WOULD HAVE SUBJECTED ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES TO PSC JURISDICTION. -WORKED WITH LEGISLATIVE MAJORITY LEADERS ON BILLS THAT WOULD HAVE POTENTIALLY INCREASED REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES.-SUPPORTED PASSAGE OF POLICY TO HELP COAL GENERATION INCLUDING TAX RELIEF, INSURANCE CHALLENGES AND CARBON DIOXIDE STORAGE.-COORDINATED A PUBLIC EVENT ANNOUNCING THE LINEWORKER TRAINING CENTER, WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY NORTH DAKOTA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, MEMBERS AND THE MEDIA.-DEVELOPED A STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN TO PRODUCE MESSAGING FOR THE STATE'S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES.-HELD NORTH DAKOTA'S FIRST VIRTUAL NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION (NRECA) LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE, WHICH INCLUDED PARTICIPATION FROM NORTH DAKOTA DIRECTORS AND MANAGERS, WHO MET WITH SEN. HOEVEN AND REP. KELLY ARMSTRONG.-LOBBIED IN PERSON IN WASHINGTON, D.C., FOR ENACTMENT OF RURAL UTILITIES SERVICES (RUS) REPRICING AND DIRECT PAY FOR ENERGY TAX CREDITS FOR COOPERATIVES TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE, AND RELIABLE ELECTRICITY INCLUDING CARBON CAPTURE FACILITIES, RENEWABLES, STORAGE, TRANSMISSION AND EV INFRASTRUCTURE. ALSO RAISED AWARENESS OF RUS AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ON DELAYS IN NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT CONSTRUCTION PERMIT APPROVALS.-CONVENED COOPERATIVE ATTORNEYS AND OPERATIONS STAFF TO DISCUSS CHALLENGES RELATED TO RAILROAD CROSSINGS.-SPONSORED A COMMUNICATIONS WORKSHOP FOR COOPERATIVE COMMUNICATIONS EMPLOYEES.-UPDATED MEMBERSHIP ON EXECUTIVE ORDERS REGARDING VACCINATION MANDATES FOR LARGE EMPLOYERS AND FEDERAL CONTRACTORS.-MONITORED PSC HEARINGS AND UPDATED MEMBERSHIP ON DECISION REGARDING A TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY ACT DISPUTE BETWEEN NODAK ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE AND OTTER TAIL POWER CORPORATION.