Director Profile: Betty Maciejewski

What do your directors do for you?

I am a Cherryland electric board member and have been involved with many of the different changes that have come to our members over the last couple of years. I am also a member of our cooperative, so these changes impact me and my bill as well as you and yours.

We are experiencing higher energy costs and the scarcity of long-term power. Both of these issues are crucial items that, as a board member, we have to address for the immediate future.

With the changes regarding emission controls and the higher costs of natural gas, we have had to raise our rates for the first time in many years. In fact, since I have been on the board we have also had two rate reductions.

We have also had to address the reliability of our system and the replacement of many of our out dated lines. As a board, we have given the OK for upgrades and the addition of new sub stations in our area to handle the new growth and larger loads that we have been experiencing. Many of our lines and poles are over 50 years old.

This year we have implemented a new program of placing automatic meter reading throughout our system. This will have a savings for our customers as well as provide that members will no longer have to read their own meters.

As a member of the Wolverine board I have been involved in the search for a new contract for long- term power at a reasonable rate.

I take my job as a director very seriously and would like to continue representing you on Cherryland’s board of directors.