Sutherland wins Co-op Spirit Award

Jim Sutherland, Special Projects Manager for Flathead Electric, is the winner of this year’s Cooperative Spirit Award from the Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association.

Sutherland, a Co-op employee for more than 40 years, was honored at the MECA annual meeting Oct. 9 in Great Falls.

"I can think of no finer person to represent our cooperative or the cooperative concept in general," Flathead Electric General Manager Dick Heitman wrote in a letter nominating Sutherland for the award.

"His 40 years with the Co-op results in a huge institutional memory that will be difficult to replace—although because he’s tireless, we don’t expect to have to replace him soon."

Sutherland started as a Journeyman Lineman at the Co-op on May 1, 1963. He was a Serviceman, Meterman, Foreman and Line Superintendent before becoming Special Projects Manager in 1998.

A neighborhood along Flathead Lake will be a safer place, thanks to a cooperative endeavor between Flathead Electric and residents concerned about safety.

In mid-November, a Co-op right-of-way clearing crew will remove trees that are too close to power lines along the access road into Goose Bay, located south of West Shore State Park.

Residents contacted the Co-op after a tree fell onto the power line, causing sparking in dry conditions. There was no fire, but the situation got residents thinking about fire safety.

"The whole community saw it and recognized what a hazard it was," said, Steve Quigley, Director of Right of Way for the Co-op, who met with residents this summer. The residents decided to work to make their individual properties more fire-resistant, and to work together to improve safety for their neighborhood.

"We became part of a community and the people became familiar with us and what we’re doing," Quigley said. "Our goal is to get people involved. The more we can work with the people, the easier it is for us to do our jobs."

Right-of-way clearing crews work throughout the Co-op system to clear trees and brush that are too close to electrical lines. They work on a five-to 10-year rotation, depending on growing cycle and the species of trees that need trimming.

Two Co-op crews work on right-of-way clearing, along with additional contract crews as budget allows.

The goals of the program are increased reliability, and safety of both workers and the public.

Working with a neighborhood can make a positive difference for safety.

"It’s really important, because they’re going to take the crowning trees out and give those lines a lot of clearance," said Goose Bay resident Gary Coombe. "We really appreciate the work they’re going to do."