It’s an exciting time for Se-Ma-No Electric Cooperative staff, employees and members as a new headquarters is being constructed and set to open in April.
The approximate 22,000-square-foot facility is being built next to the overpass on the east side of town with the help of historically low interest rates from the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The process began two years when CEO Dan Sisco and the Board of Directors discussed the future of the cooperative’s current headquarters, which was built around 67 years ago in 1954.
“If we can stay here another 50 years, then we don’t need a new building,“ Sisco said he told the Board when discussions began. “If not, then we need to be thinking about a new building.”
As Sisco and the Board took a closer look at their situation, it was clear that the right move was to act now in constructing a new facility.
When their current facility opened in 1954, Se-Ma-No served 2,300 meters. Today, the electric cooperative serves 7,000 meters, which is an increase of 300%.
In terms of storing trucks and equipment, the old facility has just four main bays and a few make shift bays.
The new location will have 12 bays and 14’x14’ doors to accommodate any kind of equipment. This means that with the new facility, Se-Ma-No Electric Cooperative can now better protect its fleet. Sisco noted that a F-150 truck from today will not fit in a garage that was built in 1954 as it won’t fit.
Another change includes having a new pole yard as the previous one is not big enough to store the current material and equipment. Getting poles today offers linemen a logistical challenge due to limited space for the trucks and the poles being stored there.
As for office space, the current facility is overcrowded and underdeveloped for new technology, which is required to provide members with a level of service the cooperative strives to provide.
The benefits of the new facility will include a drive thru window.
“I’m pretty excited to offer the drive thru,” Sisco noted. “With the doors locked due to COVID, it is a good time to give members that option.”
There will be more parking space while the new facility will offer easier access for those with disabilities.
There will also be room for pulling a trailer, materials and equipment.
One final advantage of the new facility is Se-Ma-No will be able to operate on its own electricity. The current facility is in town, causing the location to be using electricity through the City of Mansfield.
The change means that any future City power outages will not affect Se-Ma-No Electric Cooperative.
