March 2026

Annual Meeting

When: Thursday, May 14
Where: Friendship Office (401 E Lake St, Friendship, WI)
Time: Registration begins at 4:00 p.m., meeting begins at 5:00 p.m.

Through our second co-op principle (Democratic Member Control), you have a say in who represents you on our board of directors. We encourage all members to participate in voting for director candidates. Candidates biographies are available below.

How To Vote For Directors:
Voting will open on April 1 for our absentee and online voting options. Members may vote in person on May 14 from 4 – 5 p.m. before the Annual Meeting begins.

• Absentee Ballot – Fill out the absentee ballot request form on our website, call us at (800) 831-8629, or email Stacey McManus at smcmanus@acecwi.com to request a ballot be mailed to you.
• Online Voting – Log in to your SmartHub account and click the “Vote Now” button to be directed to our voting site.

 

Lobbying at the Capitol

At the end of January, employees and directors represented our members at Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association’s (WECA) Education and Lobby Days event in Madison. During the event they focused on legislative issues impacting electric cooperatives and got insight on how these issues could effect our co-op and members locally.

After gaining valuable insights into key bills that support reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for our members, they met with senators and representatives at the Capitol to discuss impacts on co-op members.

Pictured l-r, in the back row is Aaron Hoernke, Jon Congdon, Jon Ebert. Front row is Angela Phelps, Mindy Kerska, Stacey McManus, and Haley Melby

 

Director Candidates

Candidates running for director seats have each been asked to submit a short biography. Some candidates have provided their contact information if you would like to reach out with additional questions. Note that no edits have been made to the candidate’s submissions.

 

District 4 – Jim Bays
I was born and raised in Adams and have a lifelong commitment to our community. I have served on the Adams-Friendship School Board for over 20 years, where I helped make decisions about planning, budgets, and policies that supported students, families, and staff.

I also currently serve on the Allied Cooperative Board of Directors. This role has helped me learn more about how cooperatives work, how utilities operate, and why member-owned organizations are important for providing reliable and affordable services.

Serving on the electric cooperative board would allow me to represent member-owners and help ensure dependable, reasonably priced electric service. I believe in the cooperative model and local decision-making.

Looking ahead, I believe the board should focus on keeping the system reliable, controlling rising costs, and planning for future energy needs. This includes investing in equipment, adjusting to new technology and rules, and keeping the cooperative financially strong. Clear communication with members and long-term planning will be key to keeping the cooperative strong for future generations.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at jbaysii@yahoo.com or 608-547-3106. I look forward to serving the members of Adams-Columbia Electric Cooperative.

 

District 6 – Gary Skolarz
My name is Gary Skolarz and I am seeking reelection to the Adams Columbia Electric Cooperative (ACEC) Board of Directors. I have been proudly serving on the board since the year 2020. Since then I have been honored to represent the membership of ACEC. I have been board secretary for the last 5 years and pride myself on being objective in addressing the decisions made at the board level. I believe that all of our members deserve representation at the board level, from our largest manufacturers to our seasonal members.

On a personal level my wife and I live in Adams County, we have three adult children and one granddaughter. We enjoy spending time outdoors with our two dogs.

I look forward to continuing to serve the Adams Columbia Electric Cooperative’s members in the future. Thank you for allowing me to represent our members.

 

District 7 – Becki Clayborn
Hi there! My name is Becki Clayborn and I live in the Town of Westford in Beaver Dam. I have been a professional advocate for Democracy and Responsible Clean Energy for over 30 years. I have been able to build bridges and meaningful conversations across diverse audiences to implement shared goals. I have successfully worked with grassroots community members, County Boards, City Boards, as well as with regulatory entities and lawmakers at both the State and Federal levels to pass and implement policies and legislation. Since joining Adams Columbia Electric Co-op, I have been impressed with the affordable and reliable service provided, and I would like to ensure that continues, while also protecting our rural way of life and natural resources. This will be a priority of mine as we see increased demand for energy in this state due to more and more data centers being proposed statewide. I will also be very interested in exploring the potential for more home energy efficiency and home-grown clean energy opportunities for our members. This could save money for our members and the Co-op, and play a role in grid stability and reliability. And finally, I will be a champion for increased transparency to ensure that information is easily accessed by our members, as well as identifying ways to increase input from our members. Rural Electric Co-ops are unique in their democratic structure, being member owned, and I want to ensure that our members can quickly understand what the leadership is doing and be able to bring ideas to the table. I love being part of an Electric Co-op where the decisions are more democratic and the money is reinvested into our area, instead of being at the mercy of a large utility that is profiting off of ratepayers. If you like the idea of reliability, affordability, energy efficiency, home grown electricity, protecting our rural way of life, as well as democratic decision-making, then I encourage you to vote for me for District 7 of the Adams Columbia Rural Electric Co-op. Contact me at becki.clayborn@gmail.com with questions or suggestions.

 

District 7 – Russell J. “Rusty” Schieber
I am the Vice President of Operations Support at Brakebush Brothers, Inc. leading the Sustainability/ Environmental Management, Finished Goods Warehousing, Property Management and Government Relations areas.

Prior to returning to Wisconsin with my wife, Chari, to work in her family’s business I was an Officer in the US Air Force working with the Minuteman 3 IBCM system. I am a graduate of The University of Wisconsin and earned my graduate degree from The University of Montana.

Chari and I have four grown children and three grandchildren.

I serve as a Board member of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), the WMC Foundation and former Chair of its Future Wisconsin Project. I am also the Immediate Past Chair of the Midwest Food Products Association serving many years on their Board and Executive Committee.

I have been associated with the US Paralympic Curling Team since 2008, leading the program as the National Coach, 2017-2022.

Energy availability and costs have been a study of mine for the past decade. According to a recent analysis (2025) by the Wisconsin Policy Forum, Wisconsin’s electricity demand DECREASED from peak electrical demand of 15 gigawatts in 2006 to 14.6 gigawatts in 2024. This long-term flat demand for electricity allowed electrical producers to shutter coal and nuclear plants, replacing them with more politically acceptable green sources while still meeting demand. That has now rapidly changed…

With the influx of data centers to Wisconsin, power demand is now expected to increase to a projected high of 17.1 gigawatts within the next five years. Power utilities will be spending multiple billions of dollars on new power generation projects… solar, wind and natural gas plants will fill the short and mid-term void while consuming thousands of acres of prime agricultural land.

Reasonably priced electricity must remain readily available, 24/7, to Wisconsin’s farmers, homeowners and business. How will we be managing this? How will this affect land use? How will competing interests be balanced? Those are my interests. I want to be part of the solution and why I am running for the Board of Directors of the Adams-Columbia Electric Cooperative.

 

District 7 – Renee Wendt
My name is Renee Wendt. I am running for my second term as a Director with Adams Columbia Electric Cooperative (ACEC). The past three years I have been able to meet of number of you at annual meetings and Meet the Manager Meetings. It has been a privilege to serve you as your director. I have spoken with a few of you on the phone discussing billing concerns, the opportunities for ACEC to invest in renewable electric generation, and future time of use billing. Those are the heavy topics, the relaxed ones occurred standing in line at the annual meeting and learning about your families and your lives. The ACEC employees are in the background making sure we have reliable electricity. I have learned many things this past term as ACEC continues to focus on using our money in the wisest ways to develop and maintain our electric services. Future growth and cost controls are a monthly focus at the board meetings. Jon Congdon has a strong team working to keep our lights on and cell phones charged. As a director, I have asked many questions about new technology and how it will best serve us. Since I ran for my first term, I have sent two daughters off to college and treasure the few years left with our younger two children . I continue to serve as the clerk for my township. Wise fiscal management is not limited to ACEC. We are all struggling with increased costs and taxes. My weekly joy is teaching 1st-3rd grade students, with my husband, in Sunday School. What a joy being able to teach and encourage the next generation to grow. The biggest silver lining are friends and neighbors in my rural area. They are available for a good joke or story most days. Relying on one another is what makes rural communities thrive. Thank you for trusting me to represent you as your Adams Columbia Electric Cooperative director. I appreciate your vote again in the May election. I would enjoy hearing from you, please contact me at (262) 573-7305 with any questions.

 

Energy Tip

 

Safety Message

It’s not luck. It’s being prepared. Is your go bag ready to sham-rock and roll in case of a disaster? If not, now is the time to prepare your emergency plan. Your emergency plan should consistent of what to do before and after a storm, along with items to keep in an emergency kit. A few things to note in your plan may include keeping your devices charged, non-perishable food, water, and medicine stocked, and have a list of warming and cooling centers. Check out the list of tips and information for other topics to include from Safe Electricity at safeelectricity.org/safety-tips/be-prepared-for-severe-storms.

 

Recipe

Wisconsin Corn and Cheddar Mini Muffins
Recipe from Paul Nelson of Waupaca, WI

Prep Time – 15 Mins
Cook Time – 10-12 Mins

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pieces of cooked bacon
• 1/3 c corn meal
• 1/3 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tsp sugar
• 1 large egg, beat
• 1/2 c creamed corn
• 1/2 c fresh or frozen corn
• 1/4 c melted butter, cool
• 1/4 c sour cream
• 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix bacon, flour, corn meal, baking powder, sugar, salt, corn, and shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl. Mix egg, creamed corn, melted butter, and sour cream in medium size bowl.
2. Fold in dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Gently fold together until dry ingredients are smooth and incorporated.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray tin with cooking oil, then fill tin with ingredients and bake for 10-12 minutes until light brown. Put a toothpick into the muffin and it should come out clean. Allow muffins to cool. To serve, add a small dollop of sour cream on top of each muffin, then crumble and sprinkle bacon.