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By Voices and Viewpoints
Flathead Business Journal
Monday, September 17, 2007
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Flathead Electric Cooperative has joined a long line of businesses undergoing construction, in order to meet growing demands in the valley. As the co-op works to energize a steady stream of new homes and businesses, it is gradually outgrowing its facility.
A couple of years ago, planning began on how to maximize the 17.2 acres the Co-op sits on, and on how to best serve its members. Jackola Architecture and Engineering came up with a design that includes expanding the drive-through window and moving it to the south side of the building. It's somewhat inconvenient in the short term, but when all is said and done (anticipated in February), the new service should be much more efficient-and safer.
"Plans call for an additional drive-up window. By moving the terminal to the south, pedestrians won't have to cross in front of drivers to access the building," according to Lonny Kottraba, Flathead Electric's Director of Facility Maintenance.
Currently, people are directed to park and enter on the north side of the building to do business. Eventually, they'll be able to access on Terry Road to the south, which is where they'll approach the drive-up windows. In the meantime, the Co-op hopes people will take the opportunity to come inside or use one of the many payment options available. This includes an automatic payment option at www.flatheadelectric.com.
The second phase of Flathead Electric's ten year progress plan is to build in the field formerly used as the Lion's ballpark. An agreement calls for leasing that building to a company that supplies electrical equipment. In addition, the current mechanic's shop will be transformed to a power (substation) shop so repairs to transformers, etc., can be made in-house rather than being sent out. Kottraba says that makes more economic sense, adding that as it stands, substation employees have no adequate work space.
Other plans call for the addition of upstairs offices, a community meeting room, and reshuffling of some departments. The dispatch center for example, will be moved downstairs, where it will be more compatible with day to day operations.
Key to the Co-op project will be rerouting Cooperative Way to loop around the property instead of splitting it in half as it does now. Presently, there is a safety concern as large utility trucks move in and out of the area.
General Manager, Ken Sugden, says that while construction is necessary to keep up with what the service members expect and deserve, Flathead Electric has been prudent. "We're simply building up what we already have."
The current facility was built in 1975, which at that time served approximately 3,200 members. Today's member population stands at more than 50,000 with 61,100 meters...and counting! |
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