Tree Trimming

  1. Trees located within the right-of-way for an overhead line will be routinely trimmed to limit contact with overhead line. For publicsafety, the trimming will be done in accordance with common industry practices.
  2. In the event a tree is completely removed from a right-of-way, the Cooperative will provide the member with a certificate from a local nursery to purchase a replacement sapling that will be planted an adequate distance from the overhead line.

Idle Services and Line Retirement

  1. An idle electrical service is a service that is not making any payment to the Cooperative, but continues to receive regular maintenance.
  2. Idle lines and services may be removed at the discretion of the Cooperative; however, landowners and all adjacent landowners will be notified if possible. Mor-Gran-Sou will send the current landowner a notification of possible retirement for the line/service. The written notice will be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail, addressed to the member at his address as it appears on the records of the Cooperative, with postage thereupon prepaid. If the line/service is within a reasonable distance (approximately one-fourth (¼ ) mile) of an adjacent landowner, the adjacent landowner will also be notified of possible retirement in writing through the same method.
    1. The notification of possible retirement will provide the landowner a thirty (30) day period from the date of the letter to respond.
    2. If the landowner does not respond within the thirty (30) day period the Cooperative will publish a notice of pending retirement. The notice will be published not less than two (2) consecutive months in the Cooperative’s newsletter and in the Cooperative center pages of the NORTH DAKOTA LIVING magazine.
  3. If the landowner is the only one affected by the service, and deems the line important and makes the necessary line retention payment, the Cooperative will maintain the line/service. This charge is the applicable rate schedule and payable monthly.
  4. Should the landowner wish to have a line/service retired and any other interested parties wish to retain the line, the interested parties must proceed as follows:
    1. Make arrangements with the land owner to keep the line in place, or
    2. Request a new service extended to their property from the existing line and pay any necessary fees.
    3. If the interested parties cannot accomplish either of these items, the Cooperative will abide by the wishes of the landowner whose property the current line/service resides upon.
  5. Should no one be willing to pay the line retention fee after the notification process has been completed, the Cooperative will retire the line/service at its earliest convenience.
  6. When the line is removed and a previous owner or immediate family member wants the service rebuilt, they will have to pay the retirement cost and aid-to-construction cost to rebuild.
  7. Should the Cooperative deem the line/service a hazard to the public, the above notification process may not be followed.

Relocation of Facilities

  1. The Cooperative will cooperate with all political subdivisions in the construction, improvement, or rehabilitation of public streets and highways. It is expected that these political subdivisions will give reasonable notice to permit the Cooperative to relocate its lines to permit the necessary road construction.
  2. When the Cooperative facilities are located within the confines of the existing road right-of-way, the Cooperative will relocate such facilities at its own expense.
  3. When it is necessary to relocate facilities that are located on private property, the party requesting the relocation must pay for expenses involved in relocating the facilities.
  4. The Cooperative shall determine the best relocation method based on its standard design parameters, all applicable safety and design code requirements and the project's relationship to existing facilities.
  5. Upon selecting an appropriate design Mor-Gran-Sou will prepare a cost estimate for the project based on the request. The Cooperative may however, incorporate additional work into the project for its best interest at no additional cost to the requesting party.
  6. Before any lines are moved, the parties requesting the move must sign a line move agreement. This agreement shall contain location, description and the costs.
  7. The Cooperative will require full payment in advance of doing any work.
  8. When the Cooperative is requested to relocate its facilities for reasons other than road improvement, the firm, person, or persons requesting the relocation will pay for any expense involved, unless the relocation is made for the convenience of the Cooperative or results in a substantial improvement for the Cooperative.
  9. If, in the opinion of the Cooperative, there is a safety hazard created by a member after the line was originally built, the present member will be asked to cooperate in the elimination of the hazard. The member will be notified in writing of the hazard and actions to be taken by the Cooperative to correct the problem and the estimated cost to the member. The Cooperative may bear a portion of the cost depending on the circumstances involved.
  10. The Cooperative will pay damage claims based on the use of the land.
    1. Crop land, pasture and CRP will be reimbursed at rates to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
    2. Landscaped residential areas will be restored to an acceptable pre-construction condition. Note: Utility easements are established for utility use. No other buildings or other structures are permitted without written approval of all utilities involved.

 

The 7 Cooperative Principles