Clay Electric to refund record $12 million in capital credits
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – Clay Electric Cooperative’s board of trustees declared a record $12 million Capital Credits refund for members who received service from 1988 through 2016.
Capital credits reflect the cooperative’s not-for-profit and member-owned status and represent each member’s pro-rata share of any revenue margins left over at the end of the year after all expenses are paid.
Capital credits are a unique benefit of being served by an electric cooperative. Investor-owned electric utilities also send their margins, or profits, to stockholders and municipally-owned utilities return their profits to city coffers for use in road-paving or similar projects.
Before Clay Electric’s nine-member board of trustees decided whether a refund could be made, it carefully considered a variety of data and economic conditions. Following this review, the board decided it was prudent to refund $12 million to entitled members and former members. This year’s refund will be the 44th consecutive time that the cooperative has refunded capital credits.
Current members of the co-op who are entitled to a refund will receive a credit on their March bills. The number of capital credits bill credits scheduled for this year is approximately $133,700. The average amount of a bill credit this year is $38.66.
For those entitled to a refund but who no longer receive service from Clay, a refund check will be mailed around the middle of the month. The co-op is scheduled to mail approximately 69,000 refund checks to this group. The minimum amount to be refunded by check is $10. The average check amount this year is $63.91.
Former members of the cooperative who receive a refund check should cash their check within 90 days. If the check is not cashed and remains unclaimed after 90 days, a $1 maintenance fee will be assessed each month against the capital credits refund.
The cooperative utilizes these margins to help lower its borrowing expenses and operational costs before returning the money to eligible members and former members.
If a member or former member of the cooperative has any questions about capital credits, they should contact their district office.

Clay, Duval health nonprofits receive grants from Florida Blue Foundation
JACKSONVILLE – A no-cost medical clinic in Green Cove Springs that helps the uninsured recently received $301,500 from the Florida Blue Foundation.
The Way Free Medical Clinic joins Gateway Community Services and Pine Castle, both Jacksonville nonprofits, are among 19 community-based health nonprofits throughout Florida that serve underinsured, underserved and low-income people that will share $4.87 million in funding from the Florida Blue Foundation, the philanthropic arm of health insurer Florida Blue. The statewide grants, which are expected to impact at least 45,000 Floridians, were made to projects that focus on health innovation and solutions, improving consumer health and patient care and safety.
“Health nonprofits throughout our state help those who need it most every single day,” said Susan Towler, vice president of the Florida Blue Foundation. “Their work indirectly affects every resident in Florida. Our mission is to help people and communities achieve better health, and these programs do that. They are important to the health of our state and we are proud to partner with them.”
The Way Free Medical Clinic’s donation will be spread over three years and provides funding for capacity and infrastructure building as well as resource development in an effort to improve access to health care for the uninsured residents of Clay County.
Gateway Community Services also received a three-year grant for its Recovery Peer Specialist Emergency Connection, which connects Recovery Peer Specialists with overdose survivors and their family members in hospital emergency departments.
Pine Castle received a one-year grant of $100,000 to increase its staff nurse from part time to full time for its clinic and residential nursing services for its programs that serve adults with intellectual disabilities.

Chamber names interim leader its new president
FLEMING ISLAND – After having an interim president since late August, the Clay County Chamber of Commerce has a new leader.
The Chamber board announced March 13 that Tresa Calfee is the organization’s new president after having served in the interim position since August 23, 2017 when former president Doug Conkey resigned to head the Barco-Newton YMCA on Fleming Island.
Prior to being named president, Calfee served as Chamber vice president since July 2014.
The Chamber launched a search committee Nov. 9 and began interviewing candidates. The Chamber board approved the committee’s recommendation at a special meeting on March 12.
“We spent significant time both reviewing and updating the job description to meet the needs of our future, as well as considering many candidates,” said Bob Olson, chairman of the Board of Directors and Search Committee member. “A number of people were interviewed for the role. The committee and the Board of Directors both unanimously agreed that Tresa has the best experience, expertise, and passion to move our Chamber forward in a time of anticipated growth and an evolving business climate in Clay County.”
Meanwhile, Calfee said she is ready to serve the needs of small businesses in Clay County.
“\I am truly honored and privileged to serve Clay Chamber members,” said Tresa Calfee. “Over the past four years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a strong group of business leaders and I am ready to take Clay Chamber to the next level.”
During her tenure as vice president, the Chamber increased its membership, the Leadership Clay program expanded and two new councils were launched. Prior to coming to the Clay County Chamber of Commerce, Calfee was the director of member benefits at the JAXChamber where she is credited with starting various councils and creating development strategies still in use today.
“Tresa thoroughly understands the Clay Chamber’s dedication to our members,” Olson said. “As a board, we have rededicated our efforts in focusing on our members’ needs and proactively identifying true value for all our stakeholders. During the time she has served as interim president, Tresa has done a tremendous job of strengthening the Chamber by increasing sponsorships, improving community engagement, and, most importantly, discovering and meeting the needs of our members.”
Calfee serves on several professional boards including the Jacksonville Women’s Business Council, the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals, the Small Business Development Center Advisory Council and the board of Sunrise Rotary of Orange Park. She was recognized by Advantage Business Magazine in 2011 as one of Jacksonville’s Top 50 Business Influencers.

Clay residents welcomed to give input to DEP
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will host a series of five public informational meetings statewide to gather public input to assist in the development of Florida’s State Beneficiary Mitigation Plan under the Volkswagen Diesel Emissions Environmental Mitigation Trust.
Public meetings will be held:
On March 21 from 3-5 p.m., Northeast Florida residents can give the DEP input at the agency’s
Northeast District Office at 8800 Baymeadows Way West, Suite 100 in Jacksonville.
For individuals who are unable to attend an in-person meeting, DEP will host two webinars in the near future. All presentation materials used at the in-person meeting and webinar will also be posted to the DEP website.
Interested participants are asked to please RSVP via the Department’s Volkswagen Settlement website, by e-mailing VWMitigation@floridadep.gov, or by contacting John Paul Fraites at (850) 717-9021.
An online public survey will also be available for a period of 60 days. The survey period will close on May 12, 2018.
For more information about Florida’s Diesel Emission Mitigation Program, please visit: https://floridadep.gov/air/air-director/content/volkswagen-settlement-florida-mitigation-fund.