4-County Electric Power Association is offering its members an additional way to add their voices to the co-op’s deliberations on whether or not to offer broadband service. By completing the survey, officials add, members may qualify to win a truck.
The co-op, which has actively sought opinions on the matter from its members, has attached a survey as part of a wrap-around to 4-County’s Today in Mississippi magazine (sent out monthly to co-op members). The April 2020 magazine and survey is arriving in homes soon. Members can detach the survey card, answer the survey questions on the card, and drop it in the mail postage free. And, by filling out the survey, members qualify for a chance to win one of three prizes: a retired 4-County fleet truck, a $500 electric credit or an electric yard tool package.
Members are encouraged to read the information provided on the wrap-around before filling out the survey. The cooperative is considering offering fiber optic broadband service to its membership. While reliable, affordable high-speed internet is something that could have a transformative impact to 4-County’s service area, the project would require a substantial financial investment by the electric cooperative. The majority of financing for a broadband project (estimated at about $110 million) would be done through 4-County. That means that if the project is unsuccessful, all 4-County members would be financially impacted.
4-County officials will not consider survey responses as a binding vote on the matter, rather a way for the co-op to gauge member interest in a potential project. The co-op requests that members limit responses to one survey per household.
“We encourage all members of 4-County Electric Power Association to take a moment and complete this brief survey,” said 4-County CEO Brian Clark. “If you have more to say, you can e-mail us at broadband@4county.org. We’ll be glad to answer any questions or respond to any comments you might have on the subject. We appreciate 4-County members and thank you for your valuable input.”
For more information, call 1-800-431-1544.
