David R. Cook Jr., a partner at Autry, Hall & Cook, LLP, recently spoke at the NTCA Fall Conference. The conference was held September 21 – September 25 in Denver, Colorado and focused on the changing technology and innovation that …
Cooperative
Class-Action Lawsuit Focuses on Cooperative Board Compensation
Class-Action Lawsuit Focuses on Cooperative Board Compensation
A South Carolina electric cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc., was recently named in a class-action lawsuit focusing on its board’s compensation. The lawsuit was filed by member Roy C. Smith on behalf of …
Northwest electric coop sells telephone subsidiary to executive officers
Three executives of Eastern Oregon Telecom (EOT) announced in May they have purchased the internet and phone provider from its parent company Umatilla Electric Cooperative. EOT General Manager and CEO Joe Franell, CFO Paul Keeler and COO Richard Holbo, …
Mississippi Regulators Seek to Permit Electric Cooperatives to Provide Broadband
Mississippi’s utility regulator, the Public Service Commission, wants to permit electric cooperatives to offer broadband to its customers. PSC Commissioner Presley, along with 48 lawmakers and representatives of more than a dozen Mississippi electric cooperatives, recently traveled to Alabama to …
Where Should We Organize Our Cooperative?
One of the initial questions for a group forming a cooperative in Georgia is whether the cooperative should be legally organized in Georgia or in another state. This question most often comes up because Georgia, unlike some other states, has …
Updating Food Cooperative Member Labor Issues
The following article is reprinted with permission from Cooperative Grocer, March/April 2018.
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Tax Reform Act Impacts Cooperatives, Part II: UBIT Changes
Part II of the series on the impact of tax reform on cooperatives discusses the changes to Unrelated Business Income Tax (“UBIT”). Whereas Part I primarily focused on taxable cooperatives and new Section 199A, this part focuses on tax-exempt …
Cooperatives Should Review the FCC’s New Order Concerning Net Neutrality
Cooperatives provide high-speed broadband services in metropolitan and rural areas throughout the country. So they should pay attention to the Federal Communications Commission’s recent action affecting broadband service providers.
The FCC issued a ruling on the regulatory classification of broadband …
Tax Reform Act Impacts Cooperatives: New Section 199A
On December 22, 2017, Congress’ new tax reform bill became law as Public Law 115-97 (the “Act”). The Act substantially amends the Internal Revenue Code including provisions that directly impact cooperatives. This post is the first in a series that …
Rural broadband providers benefit from USDA Community Connect grants and loans
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced this month the recipients of over $200 million in loans and grants to bring broadband to hundreds of unserved and underserved rural communities. These awards, part of the Community Connect Program, are …