826 members participated in Black River Electric Cooperative’s 87th Annual Meeting, Saturday, June 7th. Members were greeted by smiling employees and a large American flag hanging from two bucket trucks. Members registering received a $10 electric bill credit and a registration gift. They also voted in the board of directors’ election and were entered in prize drawings for larger bill credits.  

After registration was completed, the annual business meeting was held in the Kelly A. Burlison Middle School cafetorium. General Manager Paul Montgomery reported on the cooperative’s activities during the last year, including the co-op’s solid financial condition. Montgomery said, “We’ve already faced more than our share of storms in 2025, but we’re not backing down. We’re pushing forward with a clear focus; building for the future, protecting reliability, and standing up for common-sense energy solutions that keep power flowing to homes, farms, and businesses across our communities. Despite weather and economic challenges, Black River Electric Cooperative is financially and operationally strong”.   

Montgomery also reported that the Board of Directors has announced a capital credit return of $872,000.  This is the 54th consecutive year the member-owned, not for profit cooperative has returned credits to its members. In all, more than $29,975,000 has been returned to members during that span.   

Members re-elected Mark Bollinger of Sedgewickville, Dennis Bess of Fredericktown and Jim Scaggs of Annapolis to serve three-year terms on the cooperative’s Board of Directors. Thirty-five members won electric bill credits ranging from $25-$100 and Angela Souden of Fredericktown won the $500 Grand Prize Drawing. Prize drawings were held Monday at BREC headquarters and winners were notified and posted on our website.

BREC would like to thank everyone who attended the Annual Meeting as well as the Fredericktown R-1 School District for their cooperation and the Fredericktown Police Department for their assistance with traffic control. Members’ participation in their cooperative is truly appreciated.