October is National Co-op Month, a time when cooperatives of all types across the country celebrate what makes our business model unique. At Mountain View Electric Association, that difference begins with you.
As a member-owned electric cooperative, MVEA exists solely to serve our members and local communities. You elect the Board Directors who represent you, and your needs guide our daily decisions. This local connection is one of our greatest strengths, and it becomes even more vital as policies shaped outside our service territory impact the future of electricity in Colorado.
Our industry faces unprecedented changes. From affordability and wildfire mitigation to new technologies, growing energy needs, and the protection of cooperative service territories, decisions made at the State Capitol directly impact how MVEA serves you.
That’s why MVEA launched our Grassroots Network in 2023. The network gives members an opportunity to stay informed on legislative and policy issues affecting their cooperative, their electric service, and their communities.
Joining does not commit you to political action or advocacy. It simply means raising your hand to stay informed. When critical issues arise, we share what’s happening, why it matters locally, and how you can make your voice heard if you choose.
MVEA also supports the Colorado Rural Electric Association’s new Colorado Electric Co-op Advocates network, which brings together cooperative voices from across the state. You may hear more about this statewide effort in the pages of this magazine. These networks complement one another: CREA unites Colorado’s electric cooperatives around statewide issues, while MVEA’s Grassroots Network focuses on local impact and what proposed policies mean specifically for our members.
Both are important because our voices are more powerful together.
MVEA’s legislative priorities remain grounded in the same principles that guide our work every day: safety, reliability, affordability, and responsible service. As policies evolve, we will continue advocating for common-sense solutions that protect members, strengthen our electric system, support wildfire mitigation, preserve cooperative independence, and help keep electricity affordable.
National Co-op Month reminds us that being a cooperative is about more than how we are structured and do business. It is about how we serve our members and what we can accomplish together. While MVEA works to ensure lawmakers understand how their decisions impact our regions, your voice adds vital strength to that message.
As your electric cooperative, MVEA will continue working to ensure decision-makers understand how their choices affect the people and communities we serve. As an MVEA member, you can help strengthen that voice.
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to join MVEA’s Grassroots Network. Together, we can give the cooperative voice power over policy. Learn more and join at mvea.coop/grassroots-network.
By Ruth Marks, CEO
