Petit Jean Electric Cooperative

“Business relationship: terry kirkendoll (director), darrell allen (director), jerel brown (director) and michael kirkland (ceo) served on the board of arkansas electric cooperative corporation (aecc) at the request of and for the benefit of the cooperative. Frederick harman (director) and michael kirkland (ceo) served on the board of arkansas electric cooperatives, inc. (aeci) at the request of and for the benefit of the cooperative.”

“The cooperative was formed by the members to provide electric service at cost on a cooperative basis.”

“The members of the cooperative vote on the board of directors through voting districts. Based on geographical location, the members are assigned to a district and represented by a director voted on and living in the respective district. Every five years at the end of the respective director's term, elections are done on a one member one vote basis. Pursuant to the requirements of article iv, section 6 of the bylaws, members also have the ability to petition and vote for the removal of a director.”

“The following acts require approval of the members of the cooperative: 1. Dissolution/liquidation of the cooperative 2. Merger or consolidation of the cooperative with another organization 3. Disposal of a substantial portion of the cooperative's assets 4. Amendment to the articles of incorporation 5. Member initiated proposals”

“The cooperative has no committees with authority to act on behalf of the governing body. Therefore, and pursuant to form 990 instructions, the question has been answered "no".”

“Management presented a copy of the form 990 to the board for discussion and review prior to filing.”

“The board of directors and officers are responsible to review and be familiar with the policies outlined in the cooperative's conflict of interest policy. The board of directors and officers are required to annually complete a disclosure of any action or situation that might violate the policy.”

“The board of directors is responsible for determining the compensation for the ceo based on an annual review. Internal and/or external resources are also used to compare annual compensation within the industry. The board of directors and ceo determines compensation for officers of the cooperative annually based on a compensation survey.”

“The cooperative provides a copy of the bylaws at the time an application for service is completed. Additionally, the cooperative will provide a complete copy of its governing documents and conflict of interest policy to any member who requests a copy of any such document. Annually, the cooperative mails a copy of the annual report, which includes financial statements and relevant financial data for the past three years. Additional information reported to the arkansas public service commission (apsc) is available to the public on the aspc website.”

“In order to provide retirement benefits to its employees, the cooperative has established a defined contribution plan under section 401(k) of the internal revenue code. Employer contributions to the plan are made pursuant to the plan document. Additionally, the cooperative participates in a multi-employer defined benefit plan. Contributions to this plan are based on the full funding limitation of such plan. Employer contributions for both plans are available to participating employees, including officers and highly compensated employees meeting the eligibility requirements of such plans. The cooperative also provides health, dental, vision and life insurance to all eligible employees through a qualified plan. The amounts reported on part vii, column (f) for officers and the highly compensated employee is comprised of actuarial increase in the defined benefit plan, the total amount contributed by the cooperative to the defined contribution plan and insurance paid on behalf of and for their benefit. In addition to the above pension plans, the cooperative also provides post-retirement health insurance benefits through an unfunded welfare benefit plan. The value of these benefits has not been estimated.”

“Patronage dividends result from the purchase of wholesale power from a generation & transmission cooperative. Patronage dividends also result from the payment of interest from cooperative banks and the purchase of supplies and services from other cooperative organizations. The expenses associated with purchases from and payments to such cooperative organizations are a direct component of cost of the electric service provided by the cooperative to its members.”

“In general, when an electric cooperative bases the patronage dividend calculation on its net book income/(loss), page 1, part i, line 19 - revenue less expenses - will be $0. For the current year, page 1, part i, line 19 reports net income of $749,909, which is the income statement effect of accrued unbilled revenue. The gaap basis financial statements include an accrual for unbilled revenue because the cooperative's billing cycle does not end on the last day of the month. Therefore, it has revenue in december of each year that it has earned but will not bill until the first billing cycle of the following year. The cooperative estimates this revenue and records it as accrued unbilled revenue in order to match the revenue with the year earned. However, the cooperative allocates the revenue to members in the year it is billed rather than when accrued. This timing difference is fair and equitable because it matches the patronage dividend allocated with the billing records used to allocate the margins. Due to the timing of when the cooperative allocates accrued unbilled revenue, page 1, part i, line 19 annually reports net income equal to the net increase in accrued unbilled revenue or a net loss equal to the net decrease in unbilled revenue. The following schedule is provided to further explain the impact of these transactions: add: unbilled revenue 12/31/22 $ 1,490,646 less: unbilled revenue 12/31/21 (740,737) (a) - net increase in unbilled revenue $ 749,909 (b) - benefits paid to members (i.e. Patronage dividends), part i, line 14 $ 3,601,291 total 2022 net margin (a + b) $ 4,351,200”

“The accounting records of the cooperative are maintained in accordance with the rural utilities service (rus) uniform system of accounts (usoa) prescribed for rus electric borrowers. The usoa does not record expenses in the general expense categories provided on part ix lines 1-23. The cooperative separately reports salaries and wages, employee benefits, and payroll taxes that are allocated in accordance with their accounting system, but other expenses that are described in lines 1-23 are reported on line 24 under the expense categories required by the usoa.”

“Pursuant to the form 990 instructions, the amount of patronage dividends paid to the members (hereinafter referred to as "patrons") should be reported on part ix, line 4. The phrase "patronage dividends paid" refers to the process, subsequent to year-end, by which the cooperative allocates patronage capital to and, therefore, operates at cost with its patrons. The cooperative's tax exempt purpose is to provide electricity to its patrons and to do so on a cooperative basis. Tax law defines "operating on a cooperative basis" as subordination of capital, democratic control, and operation at cost. The cooperative operates at cost through the allocation of true patronage dividends (also referred to as allocations of patronage capital) to its patrons. Patronage dividends are considered paid if the allocation is made (1) pursuant to a pre-existing obligation, (2) from the margins produced from the transactions done with or for patrons, and (3) in a fair and equitable manner on the basis of patronage (i.e. Purchases). Additionally, the allocation of patronage dividends should be made within a reasonable time period after the close of the cooperative's year-end of december 31. Each one of these requirements for a true patronage dividend is provided for in the non-profit operation article of the bylaws. The amount reported on part ix, line 4 represents the amount of patronage capital that is either allocated or to be allocated to the patrons resulting from their purchase of electricity from the cooperative for the 2022 calendar year. Because patronage dividends are the process by which the cooperative operates at cost with its patrons and thereby a key component to accomplishing its exempt purpose, the cooperative has reported such amounts as an expense for form 990 reporting. Patronage dividends are not an expense for financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, however.”

“Salaries and wages are allocated to asset, liability, and expense accounts based on the accounting system described above. The following schedule reconciles amounts reported on lines 5-7 to total wages accrued and/or paid: total per lines 5-7 $ 4,217,144 less: director fees reported on forms 1099-nec (259,118) less: employee officer benefits included in line 5 (377,103) plus: salaries and wages capitalized directly to plant 2,082,793 plus: salaries and wages capitalized/expensed indirectly through clearing and other accounts 265,879 total wages accrued and/or paid $ 5,929,595”

“Administrative & general expense is comprised of the following: administrative & general salaries, benefits, & other $ 1,207,291 office supplies 229,337 outside services 227,049 insurances 79,959 directors 314,384 annual meeting 14,674 miscellaneous general 186,802 regulatory commission 72,604 maintenance of general plant 118,695 petit jean fiber expenses 816,598 total admin & general exp per financial statements $ 3,267,393 less: reclass of donations to part ix, line 1 (3,300) less: reclass of director fees to part ix, line 5 (259,118) less: reclass of labor to part ix, lines 5 & 7 (1,126,479) less: reclass of benefits to part ix, lines 8-10 (747,813) total admin & general expense per form 990, part ix $ 1,130,683”

“Other expenses is comprised of the following: consumer accounts $ 388,273 customer service and information 362,903 transmission 28 cost of fiber access 51,715 other deductions 40,805 provision for federal and state income taxes (111,787) total other expenses per form 990, part ix $ 731,937”

“All grants, sponsorships, and/or donations are made to non-profit and civic organizations that are located in the cooperative's service area, and are intended to improve the communities in which our members reside. Each grant, sponsorship, and/or donation made during the year was below the reporting threshold of schedule i, part ii.”

“Patronage capital allocated or to be allocated 3,601,291. Patronage capital retired -1,899,282. Unclaimed patronage capital retirements retained per state law 435,263. Net change in memberships 3,130. Other comprehensive income provision for post-retirement benefit obligation 225,195.”