Bulloch Telephone/Bulloch Solutions has seen abundant growth over the last 70 years. The telephone cooperative once established to bring access to farmers in rural areas of Bulloch County now has more than 2,700 miles of fiber optic cable and internet speeds of up to 100 Gbps, alongside tv and streaming services, home and business security packages, and a full service installation and repair team.
As Bulloch Solutions incorporates additional coverage areas and expands on services provided, the company also fosters an environment for sustainable growth. Most impressively, while the growth has come with a tangible cost and a ton of elbow grease, it hasn’t come at a price for customers or by sacrifice of all the great qualities of a telephone cooperative.
The continuity of the success, however, relies on the members of the cooperative each May when the Annual Meeting takes place.
This year’s Annual Meeting is scheduled for May 26, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at Connection Church in Statesboro and there are several reasons Bulloch Solutions is asking co-op members to make plans to attend.
Attend a Meeting? Couldn’t This Just Be An Email?
Actually, no. According to the Bulloch Telephone Cooperative bylaws, in order for the business conducted and voted upon to be valid, members must be present in person to vote.
But the Annual Meeting offers more than just a quorum for voting. Members and guests will hear a state of the union of sorts on Bulloch Solutions as a whole.
Presentations include reports on the financial statements from the year prior, highlights from plans on what’s ahead for the company, and successes and challenges from the last year.
It’s not all technical legalese either, so you don’t have to worry about ‘not getting it.’ For example, during the 2021 meeting, Chief Financial Officer Randy Tepatti detailed the $75 million investment made by the company in bringing fiber to the community and ensuring sufficient broadband capacity in households over the last several years as he outlined the company’s financial position. He then announced a return in capital credits to member shareholders for the the first time in company history – to the tune of ~$2 million.
Tech talk or not, the meeting won’t take all day. An hour is usually what you can bet on.
Why Does a Telephone Cooperative Meeting Matter to Me?
Member attendance at the Annual Meeting matters for a number of reasons, but primarily for the continued operation of the cooperative in general.
Additionally, cooperatives offer a number of additional benefits over other service providers, to include a voice for members through a non-profit company that’s driven by service, not high-level administrative bonuses.
Customer service is a priority for service reps who live within the network themselves and are beyond ‘familiar’ with the products with which they’re assisting. And perhaps most importantly, a cooperative employs locals and continues to invest back into the community.
Plus – There Will Be a Host of Prizes
For starters, those who attend the meeting will receive a one-time credit of $50 on their July 2022 bill.
Also up for grabs:
- 55-inch smart television
- PlayStation 5
- Yeti Cooler with custom decking from Dekd Marine
- And much more!
The annual meeting is scheduled for May 26, 2022 at Connection Church in Statesboro.
Registration begins at 12:00 p.m with the meeting scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m
