December 2008 - McKenzie Electric Cooperative, Inc.

MEMOS
Highway 23 E. • Watford City, ND
Outpost • Killdeer, ND
(701) 444-9288 • (800) 584-9239
McKenzie Electric wishes you the
holiest, jolliest Christmas season
McKenzie Electric Cooperative in the
MEC Parade of Lights.
INSIDE:
Serving the perfect prime rib
Understanding your new bill
Mind’s meanderings
Win a trip to Washington, D.C.
And more
DECEMBER 2008 • McKENZIE ELECTRIC NEWS—C1

You can serve the perfect
PRIME RIB for Christmas
The traditional Christmas Eve supper in this area used to
be lutefisk and lefse with boiled potatoes and Scandinavian
goodies for dessert. That is a dying tradition. In recent
years the trend is toward prime rib, the king of beef.
There is something festive and special about serving a prime
rib, but many cooks steer away from it because they are afraid of
spoiling the meat. We have suggestions and hints from two
men who know their prime rib. Mike Tschetter owns Mike’s
SuperValu and Mike’s Catering and has cooked hundreds of
prime rib. Lonnie Liebel is co-owner of Jack and Jill and helps
his wife with “Meals by Monica” catering. Lonnie has also
cooked and served lots of prime rib.
According to Mike, the scariest thing about prime rib is the
cost. It is an expensive piece of meat. The prime rib is just what
the name implies; it is the best of the animal. “I think it is the
tastiest and most tender part of a beef. We have prime rib
almost every Christmas Eve. It’s great because you can put it in
the oven and eat when you get home that evening.”
Mike suggests serving about one pound per person. “That’s
a generous amount and will guarantee you some leftovers.
There’s nothing better than a prime rib sandwich the next day
C2—McKENZIE ELECTRIC NEWS • DECEMBER 2008
Prime rib roast makes an impressive dish for
any occasion, and it is especially popular at
Christmas and other major holidays.
or so.” Mike seasons his prime rib with
Mike’s Seasoning, a mixture that is available
at Mike’s SuperValu. He then puts it
on a rack in a baking pan and into an
oven that has been preheated to 325
degrees. He allows about 3 hours for
cooking a 15-pound prime rib. But he
suggests that you use a meat thermometer
and take it out when it reaches 145
degrees for a medium rare roast.
The important thing is to let the prime
rib rest for about 15 minutes. In that time,
the internal temperature will rise about 6
or 7 degrees. The ends will be more welldone,
but the middle will be a beautiful
medium rare. Mike says that if the prime
rib gets done too early, simply turn off the
oven. He has found that the prime rib will
hold for some time.
Lonnie Liebel uses a chart that the cattlewomen
put out several years ago on
how to cook a prime rib. The recipe he
uses from that chart for the rub is:
2 T. chopped fresh thyme
2 T. garlic pepper seasoning
2 T. minced shallots
1 cup dry red wine
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 T. softened butter
Salt and pepper
Mix the
ingredients
together and coat
the prime rib.
Lonnie then places the prime rib on a rack in a shallow baking
pan and puts it into an oven that has been preheated to 350
degrees. Insert a meat thermometer and bake until the thermometer
reads 135 degrees for medium rare, which is about 1.5
to 2 hours for a four- to six-pound prime rib. For an eight- to 10pound
rib, it will take about half an hour longer. Since prime
ribs are long and round, there isn’t much difference in how long
it takes to cook the different weights of the meat.
After the thermometer reaches 135 for medium rare or 150
for medium, remove the meat from the oven and cover it with a
tent of aluminum foil and let it rest for 15 minutes or until the
internal temperature goes up 10 degrees. Lonnie suggests that
if the meat is done too early, immediately remove it from the
oven. If it has cooled too much before serving, put it back to
warm it up before you slice it.
Both Mike and Lonnie agree that the worst thing you can do
is overcook a prime rib. But if you plan carefully, you’ll be amazing
your guests on Christmas Eve with a delicious and beautiful
main course. After sampling your prime rib, they may never
want lutefisk again.

Ron Sanford wears a new hat, but he’s still doing the same job
No one around this area is surprised
to see Ron Sanford out in
the countryside staking a new
electric line. For the last 20 or so years,
that has been his job with McKenzie
Electric Cooperative (MEC).
But now, Ron has officially retired
from his position as field engineer at
MEC and started his own business. And
that business is working with customers
Sanford who want a power line. Ron determines
where the line should go, gets easements, stakes the line and
then turns the project over to McKenzie Electric. The name of
Ron’s new business is TeamWorks Consulting.
“My wife Janet came up with the name,” Ron said
“I worked for MEC for 33.5 years and reached my retirement at
31 years. I’ve been thinking of doing this for awhile, and the time
seemed right. My wife, Janet, is starting her own business on a
part-time basis, and we decided to take the plunge together,”
Ron explained. Janet’s business involves business consulting,
including developing and managing Web sites.
Ron continued, “I’ve enjoyed my years at MEC and I like the
fact that much of the time I still get to work with the same guys.
I’ve loved working with the ranchers and farmers in our service
area; they have always been cooperative and helpful, so getting
to work in the same area is another bonus.”
Ron was born and raised in Watford City. He is the son of
In 35 years, most of which was
spent as the billing supervisor,
Karla Quale has seen a lot of
changes at McKenzie Electric. The
changes in technology over 35 years
have been amazing.
The billing department has gone
through three major platform conversions
during this time, along with
many software enhancements in-
Quale
between. And with that came many
changes—most for the good, but
sometimes leaving her favorite software features behind,
was not easy.
But the biggest change came this fall when Karla resigned
from MEC after 35 years. Karla has worked with many good
people throughout the years at the co-op, both fellow
employees and the members. “That’s the part I will miss the
most—my good friends at MEC—but we have already
vowed that we are going to make it a point to spend time
together.”
Retirement means different things to different people, and
to Karla it didn’t mean not working at all. She was working full
time at McKenzie Electric and part time as the treasurer for
First Lutheran Church of Watford City. One Saturday on the
golf course in Medora she told Glenn, her husband, “Something
has to change.” So now Karla is working two part-time
jobs. She’s still treasurer at the church and she’s just begun a
the late LeRoy Sanford and Eva Sanford.He graduated from
Watford City High School in 1974 and headed to Bismarck State
College where he completed the 11-month lineworker program.
He returned to Watford City and joined his older brother, Ken,
as a lineworker at McKenzie Electric.
Ron was 19 years old when he started work at MEC in 1975.
And 33.5 years later, he still enjoys the work and the people. “I
have the best of both worlds. I am realizing my dream of owning
my own business and I still get to work with the people I like
best,” Ron says. Ron knew he wouldn’t be working any less with
his own business. “So far, with all of the oil activity, it has kept
me very busy.”
Ron and Janet have been married since 1981 and have three
children. Their oldest son, Brad, works as an operator for Great
River Energy at the Stanton coal fired power plant. Brad is a
sergeant in the National Guard and spent a year on duty in Iraq.
Brad is married to Amber Washburn and they live in Hazen.
Ron and Janet’s daughter, Kayla, lives in Bismarck. She is a
medic in the National Guard and is going to Dickinson State
University through Bismarck State College and is working on a
degree in secondary education. Their youngest son, Kevin, is a
17-year-old at WCHS. Kevin is an outstanding athlete who
excels in football, basketball, track and baseball.
Ron may be wearing a new cap, but you’ll recognize the
same smile and the work he is doing. Everyone at McKenzie
Electric wishes both him and Janet the best in their
new endeavors.
After 35 years, Karla Quale heads down a new career path
new career at the Dakota West Credit Union where she works
20 hours a week as the compliance officer.
In her new position, she is responsible for the implementation
and maintenance of the credit union compliance requirements.
She is looking forward to working with another great
organization and its dedicated employees.
“Two part-time jobs give me a lot more flexibility and freedom,
and I have a whole list of things that I plan to do,” Karla
said. High on that list is spending time with her two children
and five grandchildren.
Karla and Glenn’s oldest child, Dustin, and his wife, Sara,
live in St. Louis Park, Minn. Sara works for Farmers Insurance
out of Shakopee, Minn. Dustin has a franchise with
NaturaLawn of America and Red Nose Lighting, and he just
became a partner in the franchise of Anytime Fitness.
“Maybe I’ll go down there and help with that,” Karla
laughed. It’s more likely that she would be spending time with
granddaughter Alexis who is 16, grandson Chase, who is 2, and
their new baby girl, Kaia, who was born Sept. 19.
Closer to home, daughter, Stef, and her husband, Mike
Russell, live right in Watford City. Grandson Jaden is 6 years
old and Kade is 5 years old. Stef works at Dakota West Credit
Union in the loan department, and Mike is operations
manager for Falco Energy Transportation.
It’s strange not seeing Karla when you go to the office or
getting her voice when you call about a bill, but everyone at
MEC wishes her well in her new adventure and thanks her for
35 years of a job well done.
DECEMBER 2008 • McKENZIE ELECTRIC NEWS—C3
McKENZIE ELECTRIC

C4—McKENZIE ELECTRIC NEWS • DECEMBER 2008

McKENZIE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
mind’s meanderings by Myra Anderson
Basking in the lights of Christmas
They sparkle, blaze and glow. They create a
fairyland from an ordinary street in your
hometown. They reflect the wonder in
a child’s eye. They cast a spell of holiness
over the season. They are the lights of
Christmas.
It’s impossible to think of Christmas
without thinking of lights. The strings
of lights make the Christmas tree
come alive and add a festive touch to
every house and yard. The candles at
Christmas Eve services reflect the
love and joy of the season. Even the
stars seem to shine with extra brilliance
on a winter’s night. And these
same lights are reflected in our own lives
as we prepare for this season celebrating
the coming of the true light.
The lights of love and friendship make eyes
sparkle at Christmas. There is a flashing gaiety as
we decorate the house and tree. There is a sly gleam as
we make secret plans for surprises and plot about gifts and
presents. There is an extra glow of friendliness as we hurry
about with errands, baking, attending programs and parties.
Everyday objects are reflected in the shine of Christmas
lights and look magical and beautiful.
I remember waking early to creep downstairs with my sister,
Ryma. We would plug in the Christmas tree and whisper
in the multicolored glow about gifts for Mom and Dad and
talk of a hundred things we never seemed to find time for
the rest of the year.
The colored lights of the tree continue to draw me. When the
boys were little, they knew they could finagle a few more minutes
before bed by sitting in the big chair with me beside the
Christmas tree. Now I have to travel to their homes to snuggle
with the grandchildren in front of the tree, but that works for
me. And when Ryma and I do find ourselves together at Christmas
time, we still like to get up and spend a few minutes whispering
thoughts and dreams in the glow of the Christmas tree.
The Christmas lights also remind me of the beauty in places I
see every day. A tree, a street, a house are transformed by the
lights. The ordinary becomes the enchanted, and even after the
lights come down, it can never quite be the same again.
As much as I love the sparkle of the electric lights, there is a
magic about the glow of a candle that is even more powerful.
The candles reflect the light of the peace of Christmas. Without
that glow of peace, the other lights become only the garish and
harsh lights of materialism. It is the lights from first, one candle,
then two, then three, and then four on the Advent wreath
or log which prepares us for the other lights of Christmas. It is
the soft glow of the Christmas candle which gives all the other
lights their brilliance.
I remember lighting the Advent candles at
home. Brenda lit the first one because she was
the youngest. I guess there had to be some
advantage to that age bracket. On the
third Sunday, Mom always read the story
of the good old shoemaker who waited
for the Lord to visit his house. And on
Christmas Eve, Dad read the Christmas
story from Luke as the Christmas
candle and all the Advent candles
cast a flow of peace over the room.
I’ve forgotten most of the gifts we
unwrapped those Christmas Eve
past, but the sound of Dad reading and
us singing together shines brightly in
my heart.
We had an Advent wreath through
the years the boys were growing up, but
we weren’t as faithful about getting together
for a few minutes each Advent Sunday to light
the candle together. But we continued the tradition of
Ron reading the Christmas story out of Luke and singing a
couple of Christmas hymns together. When Ryma’s and my
family were all together, we would do an abbreviated and
condensed version of all four Advent services on Christmas
Eve, always using the story of the faithful shoemaker. Those
are memories that we all still treasure.
A dazzling light filled the quiet sky near Bethlehem when
the angels proclaimed the miracle of Christ’s birth to the
shepherds. I still find the meaning of Christmas in the glow
of the candle. As we light our candles on Christmas Eve, and
the light spreads throughout the church, a sense of peace
and love overwhelms me. This is the message of Christmas
which gives hope to all mankind. The wise men followed a
brilliant star to find the Christ Child in a manger. The
images of light abound in the Christmas story, and Jesus,
himself, was called the Light of the World.
His birth brings the light of hope into a world of darkness.
This was an historical fact 2,000 years ago and it’s just as
true today. Each Christmas and every day of the year, we
find the promise of life and hope in his light. Throughout
the year, we look upward at the sky and are amazed at the
wonder of the stars. Long after the electric Christmas lights
are taken down and put away, long after the candles are
melted and gone, the stars shine just as they did that first
Christmas night so long ago.
Just as the world waited then for the promised Messiah, we
wait daily for his healing touch. And just as He did 2,000 years
ago, He comes to us.
May the lights of Christmas sparkle, blaze, shine and glow for
you and your families, and may Christ’s love be the brightest
light in your heart this season.
DECEMBER 2008 • McKENZIE ELECTRIC NEWS—C5
McKENZIE ELECTRIC

Would you like to win an allexpense-paid
trip to our
nation’s capital, compliments
of your rural electric cooperative,
to learn more about U.S. government,
American history and the
cooperative way of doing business?
How about meeting nearly 1,500 high
school students from across the
country to see historical sights like
the U.S. Capitol, the monuments,
Arlington Cemetery, the Smithsonian
and Mount Vernon? And if chosen to
represent your cooperative as a Youth
Tour participant, you will also have
the opportunity to visit with North
Dakota’s congressional delegation.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association’s Youth Tour is
set for June 13 to 19, 2009. Compose
the winning essay and represent
McKenzie Electric Cooperative as part
of the North Dakota delegation of
young people.
This past June, Zane Frick, Watford
City, represented McKenzie Electric on
the Rural Electric Youth Tour.
C6—McKENZIE ELECTRIC NEWS • DECEMBER 2008
NORTH DAKOTA
RURAL ELECTRIC YOUTH TOUR 2009
High School Juniors and Seniors
Write a winning essay and win a trip to Washington, D.C.!
North Dakota Youth Tour delegates included, front row, left to right: Kylie Artz, North
Central Electric; Harrison Zacher, Mountrail-Williams Electric; Kadra Kalamaha, Capital
Electric; Ally Nelson, Verendrye Electric; Megan Presser, McLean Electric; and Judith
Campbell, Mor-Gran-Sou Electric. Back row, left to right: Paige Scherer, Roughrider
Electric; Andrea McMillan, Cass County Electric; Lucas Schmaltz, Northern Plains
Electric; Justin Herner, Slope Electric; Sen. Byron Dorgan; Ashlee Bernhardt, KEM
Electric; Marci Johnson, Burke-Divide Electric; Zane Frick, McKenzie Electric; and
Garrett Kubischta, Roughrider Electric.
Essay contest guidelines for the Rural Electric Youth Tour:
• Students entering the contest must be a junior or senior in high school in the
fall of 2009.
• The student and/or parent or guardian must be served by McKenzie Electric.
• The student must write an essay, not to exceed two standard 8.5- by 11-inch
typewritten, double-spaced pages, on this topic: “Identify and describe the key
qualities of leadership that are important to North Dakota young adults, and
explain where today’s young leader should be focused.”
• Essays may be submitted in either hard copy or electronic format to McKenzie
Electric. Electronic submissions should conform to the two-page, doublespaced
guideline. Each essay must be accompanied by a cover page displaying
the entrant’s name, date of birth, school and grade in 2009, parent or guardian’s
name, address and telephone number.
• Essays must arrive at McKenzie Electric no later than Monday, Jan. 5, 2009.
E-mailed entries should be directed to: brendab@mckenzieelectric.com;
hard-copy entries should be mailed to: Youth Tour Essay Contest, McKenzie
Electric Cooperative, 908 Fourth Ave. NE, Watford City, ND 58854-0649.
• Essays will be evaluated and the winner selected by impartial, qualified judges.
• Direct inquiries about this competition to: Brenda Berquist, McKenzie
Electric, at the address listed above, or call (701) 444-9288 during regular
business hours.

Let safety
shine this
season
A s
you light up your holiday with
shining stars and shimmering
snowmen, be sure to decorate
safely. For a happy and safe holiday, follow
these tips:
Brighten the indoors
• Before decorating, read and follow the
manufacturers’ instructions concerning
installation and maintenance of all
decorative electrical products.
• As you unpack your electric decorations,
carefully inspect them. Anything
with cracked sockets, frayed
wires or loose connections should
be discarded.
• If you buy new lights or other electric
decorations, be sure they’re approved
by a national laboratory such as the
Underwriters Laboratory (UL), and that
they’re appropriate for the use you
intend: indoors or outdoors.
• Never nail or staple light strings or
extension cords.
• Never connect more than three strands
of decorative lights together.
• Do not coil power cords or extension
cords while in use. Do not tuck them under rugs or carpets.
• Always turn off all electrical lights and decorations before
leaving home or going to bed.
• Never overload outlets.
• Do not allow children or pets to play with electrical
decorations.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can
become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a
person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
Keep it safe outdoors
• Don’t overload extension cords or allow them to run through
water or snow on the ground.
• Make sure all connections are tight and protected from
inclement weather, including the outlet. Unplug the lights
from the outlet when not in use.
• Before using lights or extension cords outdoors, check labels
to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.
• Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged
into circuits protected by ground-fault circuit interrupters
(GFCIs), which can be installed permanently to household
circuits by a qualified electrician.
Ava Anderson, 4-year-old granddaugher of Ron and Myra Anderson, contributing editor
for McKenzie Electric Cooperative, blows a Merry Christmas kiss and asks you all to
keep Christmas safe this year.
Tips for the tree
• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for a “fire-resistant”
tree. Although this label does not mean the tree won’t catch
fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should
extinguish quickly.
• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree
is green; needles are hard to pull from branches and do not
break when bent between your fingers. The trunk of a fresh
tree is sticky with resin. When tapped on the ground, the
tree should not lose many needles.
• To keep your tree fresh, cut off about two inches of the
trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption when
you set it up.
• Place your tree at least three feet away from fireplaces and
radiators. Because heated rooms dry live trees rapidly, be
sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of
the way of traffic and do not block doorways with the tree.
Have a safe and happy holiday!
DECEMBER 2008 • McKENZIE ELECTRIC NEWS—C7
McKENZIE ELECTRIC

BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS
Thompson
Link
Hanna
Monsen
Wasem
Aamodt
Houghton
Johnson
Tescher
board minutes report
Oct. 29
The regular meeting of the McKenzie Electric Cooperative (MEC) board of
directors was held at the headquarters building in Watford City.
Directors present were: Travis Thompson, Rondee Hanna, Clayton Monsen,
Donald Link, Ray Tescher, Dennis Johnson, Glenn Aamodt, Glen
Houghton and Tim Wasem.
Also present were: Cooperative attorney Dennis Johnson, General Manager/Chief
Executive Officer John Skurupey and several staff members.
Preliminaries: The agenda for the meeting was approved by the board
of directors. Minutes of the September board meeting were reviewed
and approved.
Directors’ issues: Director expenses were approved as submitted. Kirk
Dewey with HDR Engineers, the engineering/consulting firm utilized by
McKenzie Electric, presented a detailed presentation of the various classes
of MEC consumers and the cost of providing electricity to each class of consumer.
Considerable discussion in regard to the presentation was held by
the board.
Office report: The financial and operating reports for the year through
Sept. 30 were reviewed with the board. Sales for the month totaled
$1,705,371.48. MEC sold 26,808,914 kilowatt-hours (KWH) for the month,
compared to last month’s 26,766,193 KWH. Expenses were reviewed and
continue to fall within budget guidelines. The board and management discussed
liability insurance coverage in preparation for the 2009 renewal. The
board approved moving forward in determining the cost and preparation of
board resolution to expense the additional costs of the Western Area Power
Administration drought adder as indicated in the Federal Register.
MEC’s proposed 2009 budget was presented and reviewed by the board.
Capital credit special retirements were approved.
Member service report: The written member services report was reviewed
by the board.
Operations report: The written operations department report was
reviewed by the board. Construction projects included 16 oil-related connects
and 16 non-oil connects. Maintenance projects included retirement of
idle accounts, service upgrades due to increased loading at several locations
and cutting services over to new lines. Osmose completed its painting and
inspecting of URD enclosures in the Bicentennial and Hay Draw areas.
Engineering report: The written engineering department report was
reviewed by the board. New requests for power continue to be received due
to the increased oil activity. There has been a construction delay at the
Keene substation which has pushed back the target date for energizing the
substation. Work continues on the environmental assessment for the Mountain
Substation; a public scoping meeting was held in Killdeer Oct. 7 in
accordance with Western Area Power Administration requirements. 3C Construction,
Oster Brothers and Schlehr Utility Construction crews remain busy
with line extension projects for new services.
General manager/CEO report: Skurupey reported on several items
including wholesale power issues, upcoming legislative issues and management
items. After discussion, the board approved eliminating Policy 804,
water heater program, which will discontinue rebates on member water
heater purchases.
Attorney’s report: Attorney Dennis Johnson reported on related items
throughout the meeting.
Associated organizations report: Director Link provided the North Dakota
Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) report. Various
items including the budget and economic development were reported on.
The board approved participation in the 2009 NDAREC education program.
The board discussed the recent Rural Electric Cooperative Family Forum that
was held in Watford City with many participants attending from surrounding
electric cooperatives. Link, Johnson and Skurupey reported on the National
Rural Electric Cooperative Association Region VI meeting they recently
attended. Discussion was also held on the advanced rate decision seminar
which had been attended by several directors.
Power supply: The upcoming Basin Electric Power Cooperative annual
meeting was discussed. Director Tescher reported on the recent Upper Missouri
G&T Electric Cooperative meeting. The minutes of the meeting were
available for review.
Next meeting date: The next meeting date was set for Nov. 25 at the Watford
City headquarters building.
Adjournment: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
C8—McKENZIE ELECTRIC NEWS • DECEMBER 2008
McKenzie Electric
Cooperative Inc.
Hwy. 23 E., Box 649
Watford City, N.D. 58854
Phone: (701) 444-9288
Toll-free: (800) 584-9239
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS:
Travis Thompson, Chairperson
Director, District 1C, Charlson..............675-2373
Upper Missouri G&T Director
Donald Link, Vice Chairperson
NRECA Director, Statewide Director
Director, District 2A, Alexander............828-3427
Rondee Hanna, Sec.-Treas.
Director, District 2C, Watford City.......675-2516
Glen Houghton
Director, District 3B, Grassy Butte........863-6606
Glenn Aamodt
Director, District 1A, Alexander ............572-3066
Dennis Johnson, Alternate Statewide Director
Director, District 1B, Watford City ........842-2055
Tim Wasem,
Director, District 3C, Halliday ...............938-4376
Ray Tescher, Director-At-Large
Director, District 3A, Beach ...................565-2342
Clayton Monsen
Director, District 2B Arnegard ..................586-3336
3 C Construction Advisory Board
GENERAL MANAGER/CEO:
John Skurupey
(701) 842-4848
MEMBER SERVICES DEPARTMENT:
Brenda Berquist, Member Services
Coordinator ................................................444-4033
Myra Anderson, Contributing Editor.......675-2267
PLEASE NOTICE
OUTAGE PROCEDURE:
When your electricity goes off, first
check the fuses and breakers at the
meter pole and service entrance. Call
neighbors to see if they have power.
Then call (701) 444-9288 (WATT) in
Watford City or toll-free (800) 584-9239.
Web page:
http://www.mckenzieelectric.com
E-mail:
mec@mckenzieelectric.com
• Accountability
• Commitment to Community
• Innovation
• Integrity
McKenzie Electric Cooperative