Electric cooperative leaders advocate for rural communities in Jefferson City
by Sara Schafer | sschafer@ruralmissouri.coop
photos by Sara Schafer, Ricki Spargo, Paul Newton and Sean Vanslyke
The halls of the Missouri State Capitol buzzed with energy Feb. 3-4 as more than 200 electric cooperative leaders from across the state arrived for the annual Missouri Electric Cooperatives State Legislative Conference. With a shared mission to advocate for rural communities, these directors, managers and key staff came prepared to engage with lawmakers on issues critical for their co-op members.
Armed with real-world experiences and a deep commitment to keeping the more than 800,000 meters running for families, farms and businesses, they found an eager audience among state leaders. To prepare for their time in the Capitol, the co-op leaders heard an overview of key issues from the Missouri Electric Cooperative legislative team. They also heard from Missouri State Treasurer Vivek Malek and learned how to make the most of their visits to legislators through a mock briefing session between Rep. Jeff Knight and Callaway Electric Cooperative’s Clay Carroll.
Gov. Mike Kehoe shared his vision for his time in office. He thanked the group for providing a common sense voice for utilities. “Don’t underestimate how important that is in Missouri,” he said. “I’m a proud co-op member.”
The issues the co-op leaders shared with legislators included strengthening grid reliability and removing obstacles in the way of high-speed rural broadband deployment. They also shared how electric cooperatives are governed and how the cooperative business model is uniquely designed to meet the needs of co-op members — and should be protected.
“Advocacy is a vital part of our mission as electric cooperatives,” said Caleb Jones, CEO of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. “Engaging with our legislators ensures the voices of our members are heard on critical issues. This event is about building relationships and working together to power a brighter future for Missouri.”