HR0974 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0974 LRB098 20809 GRL 57991 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the members of Jo-Carroll Energy on the 75th anniversary of their cooperative; and

WHEREAS, Jo-Carroll Energy was officially organized on April 4, 1939 in Elizabeth, Illinois, through the hard work and dedication of a handful of local residents wanting to improve living and farming conditions for themselves and their neighbors; and

WHEREAS, Because of the lack of density, it simply was not possible for the for-profit utilities to make a profit serving rural areas with only a few farms or homes per mile of electric line; with the help of loans from the Rural Electrification Administration, these rural people banded together to form rural member-owned and member-governed electric cooperatives; and

WHEREAS, This group of local residents went door to door signing up their neighbors to become members of Jo-Carroll Energy and convincing them that a cooperative would bring lights and power to the rural area; and

WHEREAS, Their hard work paid off and Jo-Carroll Energy's lines were first energized on May 3, 1940, initially serving 60 member-owners in Jo Daviess and Carroll counties; in 2013, Farmers Mutual Electric merged with Jo-Carroll Energy; and

WHEREAS, Jo-Carroll Energy continues to provides reliable electric service to member-owners in Carroll, Henry, Jo Daviess, and Whiteside counties; and

WHEREAS, For 75 years, Jo-Carroll Energy has served its member-owners based on 7 guiding principles: voluntary and open membership, member-elected and controlled boards of directors, members' economic participation, autonomy and independence, education and training, cooperation among cooperatives, and concern for community; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Jo-Carroll Energy on its 75th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Jo-Carroll Energy as a symbol of our esteem and respect.