Annual Meeting Recap

More than 450 members tuned in to this year’s annual meeting. The meeting was led by Board of Trustees President David Evans, General Manager Tom Wolfenbarger, and Attorney Lee Geiger. The meeting began with a prayer from board member Scott Lessing and a pledge led by Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s employees.

General manager’s report
In his report to members, General Manager Tom Wolfenbarger explained the cooperative celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2026 and highlighted growth after recently connecting our 12,000th service. Our mission has remained centered on serving members and improving the quality of life in the community through cooperative principles and reliable energy services.

The cooperative reported strong financial health and renewed growth following slower expansion after the late-2000s economic downturn. Our annual report shared $74 million in utility plant assets, $101 million in total assets, and $45 million in equities with nearly $40 million in revenue for 2025. Increased winter energy use contributed to higher revenues, though it also caused unexpectedly high bills for some members.

Members are encouraged to use SmartHub and budget billing to better manage energy costs. SmartHub allows users to monitor electricity use and receive alerts when consumption exceeds certain thresholds, helping members conserve energy. Budget billing smooths out seasonal spikes by averaging bills over a 12-month period, reducing the financial impact of extreme weather months.

The cooperative is preparing for continued growth, particularly from residential subdivisions in the south and commercial development in the Oxford area. To maintain reliable service, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative developed a four-year, $21 million construction work plan focused on increasing system capacity and upgrading infrastructure. Reliability remained high in 2025, with system availability reaching 99.97%.

Infrastructure modernization projects are also improving safety and efficiency. One major project is the Milford Substation upgrade, which includes the installation of electronic relays to improve reliability, maximize transformer capacity, and increase safety for lineworkers and equipment by reacting more quickly to electric faults.

The cooperative introduced changes to modernize the handling of capital credits after a member’s death. Members now have two options: an estate retirement process or a transfer on death designation that allows capital credits to pass directly to a beneficiary. The cooperative also completed voting redistricting to better reflect population growth in the southern service territory and created a new board district in Hamilton County.

To address frustrations with delayed postal service, Wolfenbarger promoted several alternative billing and payment options, including AutoPay, online payments through SmartHub, phone payments, and in-person payments at our office. Looking ahead, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative plans to introduce voluntary prepaid metering later in the year, giving members more control over payment timing and account balances without requiring deposits.

Addressing data center concerns
There has been a great deal of media coverage with regards to data centers. Much of the concern from the public centers around the perception that these large loads could lead to higher rates for residential consumers. Wolfenbarger reported that earlier this year, Buckeye Power, our generation and transmission cooperative, approved a data center tariff. This tariff details a process through which data centers will have their costs handled separately from native load and will be required to provide financial assurance for their contracted capacity and operational performance. That’s good news for Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, a distribution cooperative. We will continue to monitor these developments and lobby with our elected representatives for legislation that ensures entities that create costs on the grid are the entities that pay for those costs.

President’s report
During his speech to members, Board of Trustees President David Evans explained this year’s annual meeting theme, Energizing Every Moment, emphasizes how Butler Rural Electric Cooperative powers everyday experiences. From family life to businesses and education, the cooperative reliably supports important moments for members and the communities we serve.

Earlier this year, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative introduced home energy analytics, which is available in SmartHub. This technology allows members to better understand their household energy use, identify which appliances consume the most electricity, receive personalized energy-saving recommendations, and make informed decisions to better manage energy costs.

The cooperative also highlighted its ongoing commitment to community partnerships and local investment. One example was the collaboration with the Cincinnati Bengals and NFL Foundation to secure a grant for Camden Elementary School through Butler Rural Community Connection. Evans noted supporting schools and educational opportunities is an important part of strengthening the community and investing in future generations.

Another point of pride was Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s record-high American Customer Satisfaction Index score, which ranked among the highest for electric utilities nationwide. Evans credited employees for their hard work, professionalism, and dedication to providing reliable service, often under difficult conditions, while also thanking members for the trust they place in the cooperative.

Evans addressed the financial challenges facing utilities nationwide, including rising costs for materials, equipment, and power supply. Despite these pressures, the board remains committed to keeping rates stable and affordable while maintaining reliable service and infrastructure. Although financial forecasts had projected a small rate increase, Evans was happy to announce no distribution rate increase is planned for this year.

The continued use of a virtual annual meeting format allows more members to participate conveniently while reducing costs associated with venues and logistics. Survey results from the 2026 annual meeting were overwhelmingly positive, with nearly 80% of members surveyed preferring a virtual meeting over other meeting formats.

Join us for these upcoming events
Members who prefer in-person interaction are invited to upcoming events such as Family Day Friday, July 10 and a new bingo night at Seven Mile Winery this fall, both designed to strengthen member engagement and community connection.

Looking ahead, the cooperative outlined several upcoming initiatives and events. These include a First Responder Safety Demonstration to train local emergency personnel on handling electric hazards safely, a Political Action Committee breakfast to discuss policies affecting rural communities and
electric cooperatives, and expanded rebate programs that encourage members to invest in energy-efficient appliances and home upgrades.

Evans concluded by reinforcing the cooperative’s commitment to innovation, safety, community involvement, and energy efficiency. He thanked employees, board members, and cooperative members for their continued support and participation, emphasizing Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s mission and success are driven by the members we serve.