Our electric members overwhelmingly voted to approve making fiber-only customers members of the cooperative. This is a historic moment for MEC and ensures we can avoid paying up to $20 million in taxes. More importantly, it shows that our members actively participated in the governing principle of democratic control by making their voice heard. 

Bylaw Vote
Do you agree to amend the bylaws to incorporate fiber customers as cooperative members. 

• Yes: 1,516 votes, 91.7%
• No: 89 votes, 5.4%
• Abstain: 49 votes, 3.0%

These results will be published in the March issue of Country Lines and the March PluggedIn newsletter. We will provide continued education to electric customers and our new fiber cooperative members as more details and the new districts become available. 

What's Next?
The change will go into effect on July 1, 2026. New district maps will be presented during the Annual Meeting on April 18. We will also include information about the new districts and more details for electric customers in the June issue of Country Lines and Plugged In.  We are currently working on the plan to notify fiber-only customers that they are now cooperative members.  

Director Election

• Fred Turk, of Decatur, retained his seat on the board of directors after running against challenger Brian McKenzie of Marcellus.
• Jim Wiseley of Bloomingdale and John Green of Dowagiac ran unopposed and will also retain their seats.

Making fiber customers members of the cooperative

Timing 
When does this go into effect? 
Fiber customers will become cooperative members on July 1, 2026. 

Rates 

Will this affect my electric rates? 
This vote does not change electric rates. In fact, legally, we can’t use one service to subsidize another. However, it does help strengthen the cooperative as a whole. As we gain more fiber customers, we will be able to spread shared costs even further. 

Will this impact fiber rates? 
This vote ensures that we will not have to raise fiber rates solely to cover a substantial tax bill. It’s a historic victory for MEC and our customers! 

Service Charges and Capital Credits 

Will fiber-only customers pay a membership fee?  
No. MEC stopped charging a general membership fee about 20 years ago.
 
I pay $45 per month as an electric member. Will fiber customers pay a similar service charge? 
The $45 charge supports electric service and infrastructure specifically. As is pretty common with internet service, we don’t bill for usage. The service charge is already included in the monthly rate. Fiber-only customers, however, do pay a one-time fiber connection fee to have service brought to their property. Electric customers do not pay this connection fee.  

How will this impact capital credits? 
All members receive capital credit allocations based on the performance of each service they subscribe to. An electric customer without fiber will receive allocations only for electric, while an electric customer with fiber will receive allocations for both services. A fiber-only customer will receive fiber allocations. 

Membership, Governance, and Operations 

How will this impact the Board of Directors?
MEC will maintain its makeup of nine board members. However, we will need to redistrict our service territory to incorporate our fiber-only areas. This means that our current directors will have larger territories. We are currently working on new district maps and will present them at the annual meeting and in future issues of our Country Lines magazine.

Does this mean that someone in a fiber-only territory could run for the board?
Yes. However, all board members are obligated to make decisions that benefit the cooperative as a whole and must act in the best interests of electric and fiber service. Additionally, our fiber service territory is rural, as is our electric service territory. These customers are our neighbors and share our values. 

Do fiber-only members have to abide by the bylaws? 
Yes. All bylaws apply. 

Will any tax savings be passed on to customers? 
The savings come from MEC not having to raise fiber prices just to cover a large income tax bill. This allows MEC to keep investing in services and communities, strengthens the cooperative, supports advocacy for rural Michigan, and helps ensure long-term financial stability. 

Fiber Expansion and Service Delivery 

Why is MEC expanding fiber service when other companies could do it? 
Many rural areas are still unserved or underserved by larger providers. Some companies build in a few towns while leaving nearby rural areas behind. MEC is fulfilling its mission of expanding where others won’t, helping people stay connected, and supporting strong rural communities across Michigan. 

The reality is that if people cannot access the services they need to survive, they often move. Bringing fiber to our rural neighbors helps to keep our communities vibrant, relevant, and sustainable, and creates a place our children and grandchildren are proud to call home. 

How is fiber expansion funded? 
The cash for any expansion efforts has been funded in several ways. We’ve secured significant federal, state, and local grants. Additionally, revenue from our existing fiber network is reinvested in the system, while loans help fill in the gaps. In some cases, we have partnered with homeowners who have funded construction. Finally, all non-members pay a fiber connection fee that electric customers do not. It helps fund our construction and ensures we only install equipment on committed subscribers’ homes. They will continue to pay that fee if they become cooperative members.

Bottom line: Before we expand anywhere, we ensure we have adequate return on investment and operational capacity to do so, without adversely impacting existing customers.