New Member Resources
If you are a new member of the Brown County Rural Electrical Association please click below on our new member handbook along with our Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws to learn more about your cooperative and what your role as a member is. If you have not filled out or submitted a Service Agreement please fill the form out and send back to us to have on file - if you have questions please let us know.
New Member Handbook Articles of Incorporation & By-Laws Service Agreement
TIPS FOR AVOIDING SOLAR SCAMS
As the popularity of rooftop solar panels increases, so do solar scams. Here are a few tips to consider before you install a solar PV system for your home.
| Talk to your electric co-op first. They can offer guidance and recommendations. | Get at least three quotes from solar companies, and thoroughly read their reviews. | Avoid solar companies that use high-pressure tactics. |
Don't believe unrealistic promises. |
Only sign clear, easy-to-understand contacts. |
The outer front doors of the office are now unlocked to allow members to pick up 2021 calendars. The entrance beyond that point is only to be used if an appointment was scheduled. Please continue to use our other payment options to pay your electric bill.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
The bylaws of Brown County REA require the Annual Meeting of Members to convene in February, March or April of each year and that a quorum of at least 50 members be present. The bylaws, however, also allow the meeting to be adjourned to a later date if a quorum is not present.
Due to continued concerns regarding COVID-19 and the need to keep our members and employees safe from potential exposure and spread of the virus, Brown County REA will not have a gathering of members at the Annual Meeting scheduled for April 8, 2021. The Board of Directors has decided to convene the Annual Meeting on April 8, with only the CEO present, establish that a quorum is not present and immediately adjourn the meeting to a later date. No members should attend. No business will be conducted, no reports given and no election held. No meal will be served and no gifts or door prizes will be distributed.
The 84th Annual Meeting will reconvene Thursday, June 24 in the south parking lot of the Brown County REA headquarters, 24386 State Hwy. 4, Sleepy Eye.
Voting for directors in Districts 3, 6, 7 and 9 will take place between 4 and 6 p.m.
Business meeting will being at 6 p.m.
BCREA's Revised Bylaws
Much has changed in the cooperative world since Brown County Rural Electrical Association (BCREA) was organized in 1937. The Bylaws of BCREA are the paramount governing document for BCREA’s operation, governing the rights, duties and obligations of its members, directors, and officers. The present Bylaws were last amended in 2004 and while still legally adequate, were largely drafted for a different century and a simpler time. Several years ago, BCREA’s Board of Directors and General Manager recognized the need to modernize the Bylaws and began discussions about doing so. Approximately two years ago, the Board of Directors appointed a committee of four Directors, the General Manager and BCREA’s Attorney to review and recommend changes to the Bylaws.
Please click the link below to view the revised Bylaws that will be proposed for approval by the members at this year's Annual Meeting of the Members.
Contact CEO, Mike Heidemann, with questions.
Heartland Security is owned by your local electric cooperative. They design and install security systems to protect your home, family, and valuables. The alarm systems are monitored by highly skilled and certified professionals. Heartland Security offers an easy to use Personal Emergency Reporting System (PERS) if you or a loved one is worried about a medical condition or emergency happening at home.
Click the link below to be directed to Heartland Security's homepage for more information or call them at (888) 264-6380.
Due to continuing economic hardship the deadline for submitting an application for energy assistance has been changed to September 1, 2021.
Please click the link below for the application and instructions or visit MVAC's website at www.mnvac.org. You can also call (507) 345-6822 to get an application.
CTV is owned by four rural electric cooperatives: Brown County REA, BENCO Electric, Federated Rural Electric, and South Central Electric. Over the past 20-plus years CTV has continued to grow and offer more digital options to its subscribers. In 2020 CTV invested $450,000 to upgrade 24 transmitters. As great as this technology is we still cannot control the atmospheric conditions. Today around 40 channels are available at each tower location and most of these channels are broadcast in high-definition digital. These upgrades did not come without costs. If you watch CTV with an UHF antenna become a paying subscriber by filling out the form below and e-mailing to our office at bcrea@bcrea.coop.