The power of radio was used for a Southwest Wisconsin electric co-op meeting. WRCO AM/FM Richland Center, Wisconsin helped the Richland Electric Cooperative conduct a virtual meeting.
State law requires the cooperative to hold a member meeting within six months of the end of the fiscal year. The large gathering would have been in violation of the COVID public gathering mandates in the state.
With about a third of the members lacking access to reliable high-speed internet service, the new traditional virtual meeting idea was not feasible. A decision was made for a drive-in meeting in the parking lot of the cooperative.
The 84th annual meeting saw leaders conduct the meeting from a bucket truck with the audio broadcast to the 230 people in vehicles listening to WRCO. The votes were conducted by honking horns.
Co-op GM Shannon Clark told MADISON.COM, “It really went off well. It help morale with staff. It was just fun in the end.”
