COMMUNITY SHOWS UP
FOR MLEC ANNUAL MEETING;
RYE GETS RE-ELECTED
By TERESA N. SETTLE
TENNESSEE EXPRESS NEWS WRITER
Photos by MIKE DAVIS
* Over 400 members of the Houston County community converged on the grounds of
Houston County High School in Erin this week for the annual Meriwether Lewis
Electric Cooperative membership meeting.
* Residents visited with each other while enjoying a free fish-and-all-the-
fixings meal beginning at 5 p.m. on Oct. 5.
* Cecil Baggett, former MLEC District Manager for Houston County, was outside
enjoying the event along with many others from the community. Baggett, who
retired in 1999, went to his first annual MLEC meeting back in 1964 when he
went to work for MLEC.
* “It’s a larger crowd that usual,” Baggett said, complimenting MLEC on the
event. “I think it’s a fine business. They’ve done a good deal for the
surrounding counties.”
* Ralph Sullivan said he was enjoying his very first MLEC annual meeting.
Sullivan, originally from Dickson, has retired on a 500 acre-farm off Bateman
Branch.
* One of the big draws this year might have been the election of a Houston
County director for a three-year term. Cass Rye, who has held the seat for the
past six years, was running this year against Jane Parchman, a retired MLEC
employee.
* “It’s been a real experience,” Rye said before the meeting. “An eye-opener.
I’ve enjoyed learning the inner workings of the cooperative.”
* Rye said he holds the utmost respect and admiration for the MLEC employees.
“They are the ones that make the cooperative great.”
* His opponent, Parchman, said she retired from the Houston County office of
MLEC in 2000.
* “Back in the years past, a retiree could not run,” she said, now glad of the
change. “I am running to support Meriwether Lewis as a board member. I will do
everything in my power to do what the members wish.”
* Parchman added that running for the director’s seat has been good therapy for
her. “Whether I win or whether I lose,” she said, adding that it has helped her
get through the last several months after the death of her son nine months ago.
* MLEC District Manager Jeff Rye was pleased about the turnout as members
gathered in the commons area of the high school to get a ballot.
* “We are looking at the largest turnout since I became district manager in
1999,” he said.
* Before the election, members watched a video entitled “Beyond the Wires.”
MLEC President and CEO Hal Womble introduced the video by saying it illustrated
how proud MLEC employees are to serve their members and “why MLEC often goes
beyond the electric lines to reach into homes, schools, and businesses.”
* When the ballots were tallied, Rye had maintained his seat with 190 votes to
Parchman’s 126. Dwain Pryor served as the meeting chairman. The other Houston
County seat held by Sam Fussell, expires next year.
* MLEC gave away free flashlights to attendees, and there were numerous door
prizes. Frances Thomas won a MECO tabletop electric grill; Wilbur Carr won a
Reecom weather alert radio; Suzette Whitaker won a ladies bracelet; Darrell
Parchman won a Craftsman laser level; Diane Turner got a Mintek portable DVD
player.
* Other winners included: Markley Gill, Kodak digital camera; Janell Hughes,
crystal bowl; Jamie Fussell, Seiko wall clock; Eugene Moss and Deborah Page,
surge protection kits; and Irene Rocos, Motorola two-way radios.
* Winners of $100 savings bonds were W.C. Patterson, Kay Simmons, and Barbara
Sykes. Parchman sponsored the savings bonds in memory of her son, Joey.
* MLEC also announced the Houston County winners of the 2004 poster contest. In
the kindergarten through second grade division, Chelsey Miele won first place;
Cole McCollough placed second, and Sara Clark won third place. Mason Miles and
Daylon Petty both received honorable mentions.
* In grades three through five, Kayla Parker won first place; Blake Nolen won
second; and Mason Nolen won third place. Honorable mentions were Hunter Moran,
Peyton Hizer, Derek Bryant, Jessica Warden, Bret Hadley, Kodie Hensley, and
Brandon Hastings.
* MLEC is a non-profit organization offering electricity to 33,900 members in
Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lewis, and Perry Counties.
MORE PHOTOS " width="320" align="left" />
By TERESA N. SETTLE
TENNESSEE EXPRESS NEWS WRITER
Photos by MIKE DAVIS
* Over 400 members of the Houston County community converged on the grounds of
Houston County High School in Erin this week for the annual Meriwether Lewis
Electric Cooperative membership meeting.
* Residents visited with each other while enjoying a free fish-and-all-the-
fixings meal beginning at 5 p.m. on Oct. 5.
* Cecil Baggett, former MLEC District Manager for Houston County, was outside
enjoying the event along with many others from the community. Baggett, who
retired in 1999, went to his first annual MLEC meeting back in 1964 when he
went to work for MLEC.
* “It’s a larger crowd that usual,” Baggett said, complimenting MLEC on the
event. “I think it’s a fine business. They’ve done a good deal for the
surrounding counties.”
* Ralph Sullivan said he was enjoying his very first MLEC annual meeting.
Sullivan, originally from Dickson, has retired on a 500 acre-farm off Bateman
Branch.
* One of the big draws this year might have been the election of a Houston
County director for a three-year term. Cass Rye, who has held the seat for the
past six years, was running this year against Jane Parchman, a retired MLEC
employee.
* “It’s been a real experience,” Rye said before the meeting. “An eye-opener.
I’ve enjoyed learning the inner workings of the cooperative.”
* Rye said he holds the utmost respect and admiration for the MLEC employees.
“They are the ones that make the cooperative great.”
* His opponent, Parchman, said she retired from the Houston County office of
MLEC in 2000.
* “Back in the years past, a retiree could not run,” she said, now glad of the
change. “I am running to support Meriwether Lewis as a board member. I will do
everything in my power to do what the members wish.”
* Parchman added that running for the director’s seat has been good therapy for
her. “Whether I win or whether I lose,” she said, adding that it has helped her
get through the last several months after the death of her son nine months ago.
* MLEC District Manager Jeff Rye was pleased about the turnout as members
gathered in the commons area of the high school to get a ballot.
* “We are looking at the largest turnout since I became district manager in
1999,” he said.
* Before the election, members watched a video entitled “Beyond the Wires.”
MLEC President and CEO Hal Womble introduced the video by saying it illustrated
how proud MLEC employees are to serve their members and “why MLEC often goes
beyond the electric lines to reach into homes, schools, and businesses.”
* When the ballots were tallied, Rye had maintained his seat with 190 votes to
Parchman’s 126. Dwain Pryor served as the meeting chairman. The other Houston
County seat held by Sam Fussell, expires next year.
* MLEC gave away free flashlights to attendees, and there were numerous door
prizes. Frances Thomas won a MECO tabletop electric grill; Wilbur Carr won a
Reecom weather alert radio; Suzette Whitaker won a ladies bracelet; Darrell
Parchman won a Craftsman laser level; Diane Turner got a Mintek portable DVD
player.
* Other winners included: Markley Gill, Kodak digital camera; Janell Hughes,
crystal bowl; Jamie Fussell, Seiko wall clock; Eugene Moss and Deborah Page,
surge protection kits; and Irene Rocos, Motorola two-way radios.
* Winners of $100 savings bonds were W.C. Patterson, Kay Simmons, and Barbara
Sykes. Parchman sponsored the savings bonds in memory of her son, Joey.
* MLEC also announced the Houston County winners of the 2004 poster contest. In
the kindergarten through second grade division, Chelsey Miele won first place;
Cole McCollough placed second, and Sara Clark won third place. Mason Miles and
Daylon Petty both received honorable mentions.
* In grades three through five, Kayla Parker won first place; Blake Nolen won
second; and Mason Nolen won third place. Honorable mentions were Hunter Moran,
Peyton Hizer, Derek Bryant, Jessica Warden, Bret Hadley, Kodie Hensley, and
Brandon Hastings.
* MLEC is a non-profit organization offering electricity to 33,900 members in
Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lewis, and Perry Counties.
MORE PHOTOS " width="320" align="left" />
By TERESA N. SETTLE
TENNESSEE EXPRESS NEWS WRITER
Photos by MIKE DAVIS
* Over 400 members of the Houston County community converged on the grounds of
Houston County High School in Erin this week for the annual Meriwether Lewis
Electric Cooperative membership meeting.
* Residents visited with each other while enjoying a free fish-and-all-the-
fixings meal beginning at 5 p.m. on Oct. 5.
* Cecil Baggett, former MLEC District Manager for Houston County, was outside
enjoying the event along with many others from the community. Baggett, who
retired in 1999, went to his first annual MLEC meeting back in 1964 when he
went to work for MLEC.
* “It’s a larger crowd that usual,” Baggett said, complimenting MLEC on the
event. “I think it’s a fine business. They’ve done a good deal for the
surrounding counties.”
* Ralph Sullivan said he was enjoying his very first MLEC annual meeting.
Sullivan, originally from Dickson, has retired on a 500 acre-farm off Bateman
Branch.
* One of the big draws this year might have been the election of a Houston
County director for a three-year term. Cass Rye, who has held the seat for the
past six years, was running this year against Jane Parchman, a retired MLEC
employee.
* “It’s been a real experience,” Rye said before the meeting. “An eye-opener.
I’ve enjoyed learning the inner workings of the cooperative.”
* Rye said he holds the utmost respect and admiration for the MLEC employees.
“They are the ones that make the cooperative great.”
* His opponent, Parchman, said she retired from the Houston County office of
MLEC in 2000.
* “Back in the years past, a retiree could not run,” she said, now glad of the
change. “I am running to support Meriwether Lewis as a board member. I will do
everything in my power to do what the members wish.”
* Parchman added that running for the director’s seat has been good therapy for
her. “Whether I win or whether I lose,” she said, adding that it has helped her
get through the last several months after the death of her son nine months ago.
* MLEC District Manager Jeff Rye was pleased about the turnout as members
gathered in the commons area of the high school to get a ballot.
* “We are looking at the largest turnout since I became district manager in
1999,” he said.
* Before the election, members watched a video entitled “Beyond the Wires.”
MLEC President and CEO Hal Womble introduced the video by saying it illustrated
how proud MLEC employees are to serve their members and “why MLEC often goes
beyond the electric lines to reach into homes, schools, and businesses.”
* When the ballots were tallied, Rye had maintained his seat with 190 votes to
Parchman’s 126. Dwain Pryor served as the meeting chairman. The other Houston
County seat held by Sam Fussell, expires next year.
* MLEC gave away free flashlights to attendees, and there were numerous door
prizes. Frances Thomas won a MECO tabletop electric grill; Wilbur Carr won a
Reecom weather alert radio; Suzette Whitaker won a ladies bracelet; Darrell
Parchman won a Craftsman laser level; Diane Turner got a Mintek portable DVD
player.
* Other winners included: Markley Gill, Kodak digital camera; Janell Hughes,
crystal bowl; Jamie Fussell, Seiko wall clock; Eugene Moss and Deborah Page,
surge protection kits; and Irene Rocos, Motorola two-way radios.
* Winners of $100 savings bonds were W.C. Patterson, Kay Simmons, and Barbara
Sykes. Parchman sponsored the savings bonds in memory of her son, Joey.
* MLEC also announced the Houston County winners of the 2004 poster contest. In
the kindergarten through second grade division, Chelsey Miele won first place;
Cole McCollough placed second, and Sara Clark won third place. Mason Miles and
Daylon Petty both received honorable mentions.
* In grades three through five, Kayla Parker won first place; Blake Nolen won
second; and Mason Nolen won third place. Honorable mentions were Hunter Moran,
Peyton Hizer, Derek Bryant, Jessica Warden, Bret Hadley, Kodie Hensley, and
Brandon Hastings.
* MLEC is a non-profit organization offering electricity to 33,900 members in
Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lewis, and Perry Counties.
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By TERESA N. SETTLE