Sherry Davis wasn’t among the dozens of prizewinners at the Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting, but she was all smiles nonetheless as she left the Bull Barn on March 19.

“I got to see everybody, see the neighbors, see who all’s here,” said Davis, who lives in Westway. “I’ve lived here all my life, and I’ve been able to live in the country since 1985, so it’s kind of neat to be a member.”

For Davis and hundreds of her fellow members and the employees of the cooperative, that’s what the annual meeting is all about: gathering over fried food for fellowship among friends, family and neighbors.

As General Manager Tim Burkhalter said in his annual report, “When I look around this room, I see more than just members of an electric cooperative. I see neighbors, friends, partners in powering our communities’ interests.”

Those neighbors filled their plates and filled the venue in Hereford with hugs, handshakes and laughter for the 87th annual meeting, despite persistent winds of 40-plus mph. You wouldn’t know it that four days earlier, the electric cooperative had experienced one of its worst weather events in decades. 

“This is something that we live through lots of the spring,” said Burkhalter. “A day where it’s 30–40 mph with gusts up to 60 is not unusual. The 80 mph is unusual. It’s nothing like Friday.”

Friday, destructive winds in excess of 80 mph caused thousands of the co-op’s meters to go offline, with line crews chasing broken poles and transmission outages. Board President Jim Hoelting made it a point to thank the co-op’s workers, who braved the gusts and the dust and tricky driving conditions to restore power quickly and safely.

“We have over 4,500 miles of line that they have to see after and maintain, and they do that with a total of 50 employees,” Hoelting said to big applause in the Bull Barn. “That’s well below the average for co-ops of this size. I’d like to thank them especially for their response and restoration during our outage last week.”

During the business portion of the meeting, co-op attorney Lynn Tate announced that the members had voted to reelect Michael Carlson of Hereford, Position 1, and Vick Christian of Bovina, Position 2, to additional three-year terms on the board of directors.

Burkhalter, in his report, emphasized the co-op’s dedication to reliability and affordability, helped along by carefully considered innovation.

“While the national and state energy landscape continues to evolve, we’re staying tuned in to those trends to ensure reliable service for our members,” he said. “As we look ahead to 2025, I want you to know that every decision we make, every pole we replace and every we dollar we save comes back to one simple truth: We’re here for you.”

Capital credits checks totaling more than $6 million were distributed at the meeting (the balance mailed out afterward)—a testament to the financial well-being of the cooperative, which was able to charge members 10% less, on average, for electricity in 2024, mostly thanks to low natural gas prices, Burkhalter said.

“To put this into perspective, the average 2,000-kilowatt-hour household in our service area saw about $14 in meaningful savings on their monthly energy bill,” he said. The stability of natural gas prices coupled with our strong cash position provides a strong foundation for the coming year.”

He said the co-op made strategic investments that have boosted reliability. DSEC  inspected nearly 7,000 poles in 2024, replacing 453 deficient ones; modernized its substations; hired a staff electrician who can install, maintain and repair residential generators; and updated its fleet and line equipment—all despite ongoing supply chain issues.

“Looking ahead, we’re well positioned to address both opportunities and challenges in our evolving industry,” Burkhalter said. “Additionally, our enhanced reliability and resiliency goals now include increased monitoring, communications improvements, fault detection and wildfire mitigation efforts, better positioning us to serve you.”

Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, the wholesale power provider for DSEC and 15 other member cooperatives, plays an important role in those reliability and resiliency efforts. In its 41st year, the distribution and transmission co-op is growing and thriving itself, leadership said in a prerecorded video report, as GSEC begins work this year on its fourth gas-fired generation plant in the Panhandle.

 “Low gas prices and record peak demand in 2024 helped us offer some of the lowest rates to members in Golden Spread’s history,” said Aaron Ratliff, Golden Spread EC financial accounting manager. “These low gas prices aren’t expected to last forever, but our flexible generation plan positions us to benefit from the prices while setting us up to be protected when they rise.”

Burkhalter also took time to thank his staff, including lineworker Quentin Foster, who was honored for achieving journeyman status in the past year, which requires 8,000 working hours and ongoing training over several years.

“I’m particularly proud of our team, who shows up every day, rain or shine, wind or dust or no dust, to keep your homes powered, your businesses running and your irrigation pumping,” Burkhalter said. “They’re not just employees; they’re your neighbors who take pride in serving our communities.

“Tonight, as you head home, know that we’ll continue working hard to keep your rates stable, your power reliable and your cooperative strong. Because as Deaf Smith, we’re more than just your power provider, we’re your partners in building a brighter future for our communities. Thank you for your trust in us.”

Before folks headed out and back into the wind, 26 door prizes—gift cards, a TV and other electronics—were awarded to attendees. Davis, who counted herself a winner just because her power was on at home, made it a point to thank a lineworker on her way out.

“I do appreciate our linemen and everybody who keeps the electricity going,” she said. “We’re lucky.”