Drive-in meetings keep members safe and engaged

Cooperative annual meetings are a time for members to gather, cast their ballots for board of director candidates, ask questions, learn more about their co-op and share a meal together. But with the pandemic taking away the ability for large groups to meet indoors for more than a year now, co-ops have needed to adapt.

Two of Great River Energy’s member-owner cooperatives recently conducted their annual meetings drive-in style. Members pulled up in their vehicles to the local fairgrounds where they heard from co-op leaders and, in Cooperative Light & Power’s (CLP) case, even honked in response to learning there would be no rate increase for the 10th year in a row.

This year was Two Harbors, Minnesota-based CLP’s second time hosting a drive-in meeting due to COVID-19 restrictions with almost 200 members turning out to participate. Stearns Electric Association — headquartered in Melrose, Minnesota — saw nearly 100 cars show up to its 84th annual meeting.