Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (TCEC) held town hall meetings in early August as an additional member outreach tool to solicit face-to-face member feedback regarding the current solar program and suggestions for the future.
The setup of the town hall meetings included five tables, each equipped with two subject-matter experts, a scribe, and visuals relevant to each station. The tables included the following subject areas for members to visit:
- Solar 101: Focused on TCEC's current program and processes
- Solar Re-evaluation: Timeline of program re-evaluation and a display of the member solar survey results
- Power Cost and Rates: Cost of Service study; power cost and rate components
- Energy Solutions: Home audits, energy efficiency, generators
- Member Service: Retrieving member feedback, answering general membership and account questions, and taking notes for follow-ups
"We're appreciative of the opportunity to have our voices heard," a member said. "Other, bigger companies don't have things like this for their customers."
Many attendees voiced appreciation for the format of the events and noted that they felt more comfortable providing feedback directly to TCEC employees one-on-one, rather than in front of an entire audience. Scribes were present at each table to document feedback and add notes for members who requested a follow-up.
"We wanted to have different tables, each with its own display of information and employees who are subject-matter experts," Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President of Engineering Janet Rehberg said. "This format allowed TCEC staff to interact with attendees in a more personal setting. We were able to spend more time with members one-on-one or in small groups."
While the town halls wrapped up the official member feedback period, employees are hard at work dissecting feedback to keep the re-evaluation on track. Cooperative staff plans to present options to the board of directors in October and November.