While it may make one’s heart jump at first sight, the Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couperi) is harmless and beneficial. This rare snake plays an important role in Florida’s delicate ecosystem. The record length is 104 inches. Yes, that’s 8 foot, 8 inches. It is the largest of the native nonvenomous snakes found in North America and is federally protected. It has been classified as a threatened species in Florida since 1971. It is illegal (a third-degree felony) to harm, handle, harass or possess the indigo snake.
The main reason for the indigo’s decline is habitat loss. With a documented range of 400 to 1,400 acres, indigos need relatively large areas of undeveloped land to flourish. Indigos are not restricted to sand habitats. They are commonly found around ponds, cabbage palm and hardwood hammocks.
Indigos are more black than blue with smooth, shiny scales and a reddish chin and throat. Its young are lighter in color and have a faint banded pattern. This reptile often seeks a sheltered refuge such as gopher tortoise or armadillo burrows and holes in stumps. These dens are used for egg laying, shedding and protection from temperature extremes. Indigos breed from October to February. Four to 12 eggs are laid in May or June, but do not hatch until August or September. Indigo hatchlings are usually about 16 inches long.
Indigo snakes feed heavily on frogs and other snakes. Indigos are immune to venom, which allows it to eat rattlesnakes and pit vipers as well as rodents and small prey. Its large size and strong jaws enable it to eat its prey live.
This snake is vulnerable to highway mortality, feral pigs, pollutants and killing by uninformed persons. Indigos may not be kept as pets, picked up, collected or sold per Florida Statute.
If you’re lucky enough to see an Eastern indigo, take a moment to appreciate its usefulness and let it be. It may give you a fright, but it is not aggressive and quite harmless. It is an important and beneficial segment of Florida’s wildlife.
On Thursday, October 25, members who attended SECO Energy’s District 7 Special Meeting voted to elect Joseph E. Kusiak to represent their District and the members at large on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees. The Special Meeting was held in the District to fill the Board vacancy after former Trustee Rob Henion resigned in August.
Originally from Massachusetts, Mr. Kusiak and his wife, Carmen, became SECO members after moving from Bronson to Dunnellon in 2002. Mr. Kusiak is an attorney, who has over 30 years of military experience – in the Army and the Air Force. Mr. Kusiak holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Math from American International College, and a Juris Doctor Degree in Law from New England School of Law.
SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for and owned by its members. SECO members elect their fellow members to SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees. Collectively, the Board represents the SECO membership, meeting monthly to monitor the financial status of the cooperative while providing fiduciary oversight and participating in policy decisions that serve the best interests of the members at large.
Members in District 7 gathered at the Rainbow Lakes Estates Community Center in Dunnellon to elect a new District 7 Trustee to serve the remainder of Mr. Henion’s three-year term. In September, Reverend Harold N. Damon from Ocala and Mr. Joseph E. Kusiak from Dunnellon both submitted a letter of intent to run, and expressed their willingness to represent the members of District 7.
Kusiak stated, “District 7 members, thank you for your votes and for trusting me to act as your District 7 representative on the SECO Energy Board of Trustees. I am looking forward to what I believe will be a new, interesting experience as a SECO Trustee. My wife and I enjoy attending SECO’s Annual Meeting, the employees do a great job and I am excited to lend the SECO team a hand through my Board service.”
CEO Jim Duncan stated, “I congratulate Mr. Kusiak on his successful election and I also want to thank Reverend Damon for his willingness to serve as well. With the Board’s guidance, SECO has enjoyed a decade of improved reliability, highest member satisfaction ratings, a high growth rate and strong financial results. Mr. Kusiak is a welcome addition to the Board, and I look forward to working with him and our current Board members.”
Visit Your Co-op page online for photos and brief bios of the Trustees along with an interactive District map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
SECO Energy has organized a fresh module of employees to travel to Florida’s Panhandle to assist in power restoration.
Hurricane Michael was a powerful Category 4 hurricane with 155 mile per hour winds when it made landfall near Mexico Beach on Wednesday, October 10. At landfall, Hurricane Michael was stronger than the infamous Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew. Almost three weeks after the hurricane ravaged North Florida’s gulf coast, thousands of Floridians remain without power. Over those three weeks, teams of SECO employees and contractors have assisted Tri-County and Talquin Electric Cooperatives with their restoration efforts. Many of those employees are preparing to return home and a new group of employees departed for a utility still in need.
A module of SECO first class line technicians, a superintendent, a crew supervisor, a mechanic and a reliability engineer departed from the SECO Energy headquarters campus early this morning to join the Hurricane Michael restoration effort at Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative headquartered in Wewahitchka. Gulf Coast’s headquarters is located only 22 miles north east of Mexico Beach. Gulf Coast serves 20,000 members in six North Florida counties, approximately 6,500 or thirty-two percent of its members remain without power.
The module who left this morning is the third module of SECO employees sent to the area. On October 11, the day after Hurricane Michael’s landfall, twenty-one SECO employees traveled first to Tri-County Electric Cooperative in Madison to help restore Tri-County’s electric system. Once released, SECO employees joined the restoration effort at Talquin Electric Cooperative headquartered in Quincy. After additional employees joined in the effort, thirty-four SECO employees have been working in Talquin’s territory for over a week.
Talquin’s restoration effort is almost complete and the co-op has begun releasing out-of-area crews. Of the employees working on Talquin’s system, twenty-two will return home later today, and four will join the SECO module who left SECO’s headquarters this morning to restore power to Gulf Coast members. The majority of SECO’s overhead and tree trimming contract crews remain in the hurricane ravaged area.
CEO Jim Duncan stated, “The restoration effort after Hurricane Michael has been a long, time-consuming process. As a cooperative, SECO believes in helping its neighbors and answering the call when our fellow utilities need assistance. SECO and its employees are honored to be in a position to lend our resources and help where we can.”
Duncan added, “Working with energized lines is inherently dangerous, and power restoration after a major hurricane is even more dangerous. In Florida, 35 deaths have been attributed to Hurricane Michael including three of our fellow line personnel who were killed while working in Chipley. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of these linemen. I pray for the safety of our crews and contractors who are working in the area, and for all who are working to rebuild after Hurricane Michael.”
Vice President of Operations John LaSelva stated, “Once again, SECO employees are willing to leave their families to work with neighboring utilities to help restore power. When we asked for volunteers, SECO employees didn’t hesitate. They understand how important an everyday necessity like electricity is to these families. Three weeks without electricity is a long time. I am proud of our employees and pray for their safety.”
SECO Traveling Module Team Members:
• Roy Fort
• Kenny Davis
• Terrill Cuyler
• Paul Gannon
• Adan Ybarra
• David Boone
• Cody Chandler
• Michael Gonzalez
• Logan Land
• Kyle Stephenson
• Justin Little
• Kyle Rich
• Frank Ray
• Matt Akins
• Will Smith
• Jimmy Johns
• Austin Ferguson
• Brian Bailey
• Jimmy Bedgood
• Andy Andrews
• Bill Durham
• Vic Singer
• Mark Cummings
• Wayne Taylor
• Byon Smiddy
• Darren Adkins
• Jeff Jowers
• Robert Scott
• Gary Lamb
• Mark McIntosh
• Vic Keesling
• Brian Jefferson
• Chris Reynolds
SECO Energy provides online resources to help families prepare for tropical storms and hurricanes. Visit our Storm Preparation page online to view an emergency checklist, generator safety information and storm preparation tips. Bookmark SECO’s StormCenter outage map on your smartphone and tablets to easily access the outage reporting platform. Enroll to receive outage communications via voice, text or email. StormCenter is available online.
“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates. Visit the Your Co-op page online to learn more about SECO’s corporate citizenship and other community outreach initiatives.
According to the NRECA, the Board Leadership Certificate is a series of courses that focus on specific industry and governance issues that directly impact electric cooperatives. Participants learn more about risk management, power supply, parliamentary procedure, technology and policy development. The Board Leadership Certificate is designed to prepare directors and trustees of electric cooperatives to navigate the issues and challenges facing electric co-ops today and in the future.
A SECO member since 2004, Boyatt lives in Clermont and has represented the District 1 members on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees for five years. Boyatt was first elected to SECO’s Board in 2013.
Trustee Boyatt stated, “The NRECA’s Director Certificate Programs provide a solid foundation of skills that are helpful in serving SECO members on SECO’s Board of Trustees. Continuing my education through the NRECA provides meaningful skills that enhance my ability to serve members’ interests. I am thankful for the opportunity to expand my knowledge of the utility industry and to put those skills into practice while representing members in District 1 and SECO’s membership at large through my years of Board service.”
CEO Jim Duncan praised Trustee Boyatt’s commitment to enhancing his education to benefit SECO members. Duncan stated, “I am proud of Trustee Boyatt for taking the next step in his Trustee education by engaging in the NRECA’s Board education program. I commend Mr. Boyatt’s willingness to serve SECO members as the District 1 Trustee and salute his commitment to our members.”
Photos and brief bios of the Trustees along with an interactive District map are available online. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
SECO Energy organized a module of SECO employees to travel to the Florida Panhandle to aid in power restoration after Hurricane Michael’s 155 mph winds, torrential rains, and immense storm surges ravaged the area. SECO also released contract crews who are also traveling Thursday morning to the damaged areas to aid in restoration.
Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, on Wednesday afternoon as a powerful Category 4 hurricane with 155 mile per hour winds. The hurricane moved swiftly east through Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina before being downgraded to a tropical storm around midnight Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands of consumers are without power in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. Michael is responsible for at least two deaths in Florida.
A module of SECO first class line technicians, a superintendent, a crew supervisor, a mechanic and a project engineer departed from the SECO Energy headquarters compound early Thursday morning to assist in power restoration at Tri-County Electric Cooperative in Madison, Florida. Tri-County serves members in Dixie, Jefferson, Madison and Taylor Counties along the Gulf of Mexico coast.
Wednesday evening, SECO released a portion of its contractor work force to aid in restoration as well. Crews from overhead line contractor Pike are traveling to West Florida Electric Cooperative in Graceville, Florida.
CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Cooperative members in North Florida desperately need assistance. Cooperation among Cooperatives is one of the seven Cooperative Principles, and SECO and its employees are honored to be called upon to aid in power restoration. The cooperative bond is strong, and we believe in working together to help our members’ lives return to normal.”
Duncan added, “My thoughts and prayers are offered for all who were devastated by Hurricane Michael and for the safety of our crews and contractors who are traveling to assist.”
Vice President of Operations John LaSelva stated, “A Category 4 hurricane like Hurricane Michael wreaks havoc on homes, businesses and electric systems that consumers rely on. The news coverage clearly shows that the hurricane’s destruction was catastrophic. SECO employees were quick to volunteer and answer the call for aid. After Hurricane Irma’s destruction in SECO’s territory last year when so many crews came to assist us, SECO employees believe they have a duty to help our neighboring cooperatives and their members. It was a proud moment this morning seeing our employees off and praying for their safety.”
SECO Traveling Module Team Members:
• Bubba Cole
• Kenneth Budd
• Rodney Lipps
• Mark Locklear
• Kenny Merritt
• Gary Zachary
• Robby Pruett
• Eric Fort
• David Olszanski
• Cory McNeal
• Kent Sprague
• Derek Eveleth
• Brandon Blackmon
• Tommy Lakin
• Logan Delk
• Troy Clough
• Robert Recanzone
• Ryan Hendrix
• Rick Walsh
• Rich Freyser
SECO Energy provides online resources to help families prepare for tropical storms and hurricanes. View an emergency checklist, generator safety information and storm preparation tips online. Bookmark SECO’s StormCenter outage map on your smartphone and tablets to easily access the outage reporting platform. Enroll to receive outage communications via voice, text or email. StormCenter is available online at SECOEnergy.com>StormCenter.
“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates. Visit our Community page online to learn more about SECO’s corporate citizenship and other community outreach initiatives.
SECO Energy has been closely monitoring Hurricane Michael and its outer storm bands that bring the possibility of heavy rainfall, winds and even tornado threats into Central Florida.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), as of 7 a.m. CDT on Wednesday, Hurricane Michael is moving north at 12 mph and is located 90 miles southwest of Panama City in the Florida Panhandle. Michael has quickly picked up speed and intensity to become a Category 4 hurricane. Forecasters project landfall will be early this afternoon between Panama City and Pensacola.
Tropical storm force winds extend 150 miles from the hurricane’s center. The hurricane’s current position puts SECO’s service territory outside of this range. SECO’s area is forecast to have winds in the 20 mph range, but wind gusts and rain in the outer bands will impact Marion and Levy Counties.
Though wind speeds will not be hurricane or tropical storm force in SECO’s territory, strong storm bands passing through SECO’s service territory are a significant threat. Members should prepare for a rainy Wednesday and possibly Thursday. Heavy rains coupled with wind, could cause trees to fall and result in power outages. Tornadoes spawned by these winds and rains are a danger as well.
After the threat of storm bands from Hurricane Michael have passed the area, SECO plans to release contracted Pike crews to the North Florida areas damaged by the hurricane to aid in restoration. Additionally, a module of SECO employees will be sent for restoration aid after hurricane dangers have passed.
CEO Jim Duncan asks members to remain vigilant, “Hurricane Michael will not make landfall near SECO’s service territory, but members will experience rains and high wind gusts. Be alert for the possibility of tornadoes which can be extremely dangerous. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Panhandle residents in the direct path. I’m grateful that SECO is in the position to send reinforcements to damaged areas.”
SECO Energy is StormReady and is committed to keeping members informed of weather that impacts the area. Visit Storm Preparation online to view an emergency checklist and storm preparation ideas. Watch our Facebook and Twitter pages for Tropical Storm Michael updates. Most important, be sure you’ve bookmarked our new StormCenter outage map and set your email, text and voice notifications preferences. StormCenter is mobile friendly and designed to perform on smartphones and tablets.
SECO Energy is preparing for the possibility of high winds, rain and the threat of tornadoes in Central Florida from Hurricane Michael’s outer bands.
As of 7 a.m. CDT on Tuesday, Hurricane Michael has picked up speed and is moving north-northwestward through the southern Gulf of Mexico at 12 mph. Hurricane Michael is currently a Category 2 hurricane with winds speeds between 96 and 110 mph. Tropical storm force winds extend 150 miles from the hurricane’s center.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Michael is strengthening and forecasters believe the storm will continue to increase in speed and intensity before making landfall near Panama City in the Florida Panhandle Wednesday afternoon.
SECO forecasters project the strongest winds to remain outside of our service area. Marion and Levy County members will experience the brunt of the strong winds, but still well below 30 mph. The tropical storm force wind speeds should remain at least 50 miles outside of SECO’s territory.
Though wind speeds will not be hurricane force, be only slightly high, strong storm bands passing through SECO’s service territory are a significant threat. Members should prepare for large amounts of rain beginning Tuesday and lasting through Thursday, coupled with wind, could cause trees to fall and result in power outages. Additionally, the threat of tornadoes will increase on Wednesday and into Thursday. Strong storms have impacted the east coast early this morning.
Citrus County’s Emergency Operating Center (EOC) is activating as of 5 p.m. today, and they have issued an evacuation order for coastal areas and manufactured homes as of 3 p.m. today. Citrus County is opening four shelters today, and schools are closed through Wednesday. The Sumter, Lake, Marion, Levy, Hernando and Pasco EOCs are monitoring the storm closely. A coastal evacuation order is in effect in Levy and two shelters open there today.
CEO Jim Duncan assures members that SECO is prepared for inclement weather created by Hurricane Michael. Duncan stated, “SECO continues to closely monitor Hurricane Michael’s progress as it travels through the Gulf of Mexico. We are prepared for Hurricane Michael’s rain bands and winds that will reach into our service territory. SECO’s employees, contract crews and leadership team are all prepared to escalate our response if Hurricane Michael’s path shifts toward SECO’s area.”
Duncan added, “Members should continue to keep a close eye on Hurricane Michael. Forecasted tracks have been known to shift hourly right up until landfall. Gather your hurricane supplies now if you have not already done so.”
SECO Energy is StormReady and is committed to keeping members informed of weather that impacts the area. Visit our Storm Preparation page online to view an emergency checklist and storm preparation ideas. Watch our Facebook and Twitter pages for Tropical Storm Michael updates. Most important, be sure you’ve bookmarked our new StormCenter outage map and set your email, text and voice notifications preferences. StormCenter is mobile friendly and designed to perform on smartphones and tablets.
SECO Energy is monitoring the soon-to-be Hurricane Michael as it moves north toward Florida’s gulf coast.
The current Tropical Storm Michael is on the verge of being upgraded to Hurricane Michael. As of 4 a.m. CDT on Monday, Hurricane Michael is slowly moving north at 7 mph with sustained winds of 70 mph.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts Michael to increase in both speed and intensity over the next 48 hours. The storm is predicted to make landfall in the Apalachicola area late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning. As Michael moves into the Gulf of Mexico, it may strengthen significantly – forecasters predict Michael’s strength at landfall may be as high as a Category 2 or 3.
SECO members should prepare for the likelihood of gusty winds for most of SECO’s seven county service area. SECO members in the western portions of the service area, including large numbers in Citrus, Marion and Sumter Counties, will likely experience the strongest sustained winds.
CEO Jim Duncan is urging SECO members to prepare for Michael. Duncan stated, “Tropical Storm Michael, soon to become Hurricane Michael, is on track to make landfall on Florida’s west coast. Ensure that your hurricane supplies are fully stocked and that you and your family are prepared for the possibility that Michael’s high wind speeds will cause power outages. At SECO, we are carefully watching this storm, and I encourage our members to do the same.”
SECO Energy is StormReady and is committed to keeping members informed of weather that impacts the area. Learn more about Storm Preparation online and view an emergency checklist. Watch our Facebook and Twitter pages for Tropical Storm Michael updates. Most important, be sure you’ve bookmarked our new StormCenter outage map and set your email, text and voice notifications preferences. StormCenter is mobile friendly and designed to perform on smartphones and tablets.
Some are as big as your hand, while others could fit on the head of a tack. Regardless of size, butterflies are creatures of beauty that are a joy to watch. According to entomologists, there are 200 species of butterflies and moths with breeding populations in Florida. Many others visit or migrate through our State.
The most successful butterfly habitat includes plants which meet the needs of butterflies during all four stages of their life cycle: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult. After mating, female butterflies search for the perfect host plant on which to lay their eggs. Not just any plant will do, and native plants are favorites. Females must find a plant that will provide food for their young who emerge as caterpillars with voracious appetites and survive on leaves of the host plant. Most caterpillars have defenses other than coloration. Some hide in curled leaves or silk webbing, while others emit an odor that is repulsive to an enemy.
A caterpillar’s best defense is quick growth, escaping would-be predators by shedding skin to change into a chrysalis. It quickly attaches to plant stems protected by surrounding vegetation. Inside the chrysalis, the adult butterfly is formed by metamorphosis and emerges to sip the sweet nectar from Florida’s flowers.
Time from egg to adult is five weeks. Adults lead a life of leisure, eating, mating, laying eggs, sleeping, and of course, escaping predators. Enemies of these gorgeous, day-flying insects are primarily human creations – vehicles, pesticides and parking lots. Others fall prey to disease and natural predators. Ants, particularly fire ants, along with other insects, arachnids (spiders) and birds are among the major predators of butterfly eggs and caterpillars.
Adult butterflies are capable of traveling considerable distances. During the fall, monarchs travel from southern Canada to central Mexico. In Florida, the monarch is not the only long-distance traveler. From August to mid-October, huge numbers of cloudless sulphurs, long-tailed skippers, common buckeyes, gulf fritillaries, clouded skippers and others come south with the rest of the snowbirds to spend the winter in Florida.
SECO Energy is a company of Champions. Our employees are local people who work hard and raise families in the communities SECO serves. When you call, email or visit a SECO location with a question or a service need, the employees who respond are right here in Central Florida.
The Operations employees who come running – braving the wind, rain and lightning to restore power – are viewed as everyday superheroes when storms blow through or equipment fails. Our Champions live and work all across our service area for the quickest response time. Nights, weekends and holidays are regular business hours for these Champions who are committed to the highest quality, most reliable electric service possible.
Serving your energy needs is personal for us, so we want you to get to know our employees. Whether you run into them in the grocery store, at a ball game or restoring service after an outage, I can assure you that SECO is a company of dedicated employees and upstanding citizens committed to the members we serve.
Meet our first two SECO Energy Champions – Paul Byrd and Aaron Vaughn. Paul is a Service Technician who works in the central part of our service territory. Aaron is a Crew Supervisor who works the second shift and covers all areas of SECO’s service territory. Read more about these gentlemen on the next page, visit our website and click on the Champions banner to watch Paul and Aaron’s videos as our very first featured Champions.
Watch for next month’s SECO News, engage on our social media platforms or on SECO’s homepage as we unveil a few more SECO Energy Champions every month. Each and every SECO employee works to provide you with affordable, reliable electric service. Our employees are the brightest and best in our industry, and I hope you enjoy learning more about them.
Together, we are “StormReady.” It is our privilege to serve your family’s energy needs.
Sincerely,
Jim Duncan
Chief Executive Officer
Meet two SECO Champions – Aaron and Paul – two examples of our 400+ SECO Champion employees. Aaron and Paul are dedicated to providing exceptional service to our members, co-workers and communities.
AARON VAUGHN – TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION SERVICE SUPERVISOR
LENGTH OF SERVICE – 6 YEARS
“I love my job.”
Aaron Vaughn is a SECO Champion who supervises SECO’s two-man rapid response line crews who are on-call and ready to dispatch 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Aaron and his family have lived in Central Florida for ten years, and during leisure time they enjoy local church events, fishing, gardening and raising animals in Citrus County. During storm season, SECO crews – led by supervisors like Aaron – are staged throughout our service territory so they can respond quickly when lightning takes out a transformer, a tree falls on a line or winds bring down a pole. Aaron wants members to rest assured that “SECO has crews available at all times to restore power outages whether it’s during a weekend, at midnight or a holiday – SECO is here for you.”
SECO Champion Paul Byrd is a Service Technician who is prepared to restore power any time – day or night. A lifelong resident of Lake County, Paul creates amazing works of art in his spare time, and he feels blessed to work for SECO while raising a wonderful family. In 2004, Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne blazed paths through Florida, and Paul remembers working 16-hour days for two weeks straight during each hurricane. He credits the challenge of three devastating storms as the reason he aspired to be a SECO Service Tech. Paul believes his commitment to keeping the lights on for SECO members has a positive impact on his own family and the community – recognizing teachers, firefighters and law enforcement officers who serve the needs of the community as a whole.
SECO CONTRIBUTES TO LOCAL PUBLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS
SECO Energy’s 2018 back-to-school program has contributed $10,500 to local school districts in Citrus, Lake, Marion and Sumter Counties. These four counties are home to over 200,000 homes and businesses across the SECO Energy service territory.
As your local not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO Energy believes in bolstering the communities we serve by contributing financial support to local schools, dedicated educators and students.
