Prioritizing a Healthy Community | #55

Prioritizing a Healthy Community | #55

In this podcast, Dr. Meenakshi (Menna) Brewster, health officer for St. Mary's County Health Department, joins Tom Dennison to discuss how the Health Department partners with local government agencies to build strong community connections and strengthen regional preparedness during emergencies. Dr. Brewster also highlights the Department's collaboration with local schools and law enforcement to establish two school-based health centers in Southern Maryland, giving parents quick access to healthcare professionals and reducing the need to leave work when a child needs medical attention. Most students can be treated and return to class the same day. Follow & Connect: Host: Sonja Cox Co-Host: Tom Dennison SMECO on Instagram: somdelectric SMECO on X: somdelectric

Clearing the Way to Reliability | #54

In this episode, Kolby Corrigan and Scott Bacon meet with Tom Dennison to explain how they coordinate with vegetation management crews to keep the right-of-way clear around SMECO power lines to ensure greater reliability. Learn more about our preventative approach to vegetation management and how our team works to identify hazards that could create outages well before they happen. Learn more about vegetation management smeco.coop/safety/tree-trimming [https://www.smeco.coop/safety/tree-trimming/] Hotline Demonstration https://youtu.be/kVz2f4s4tjY?si=_ViVhRGwVcGeUtyJ [https://youtu.be/kVz2f4s4tjY?si=_ViVhRGwVcGeUtyJ] Follow & Connect: Host: Sonja Cox Co-Host: Tom Dennison SMECO on Instagram: somdelectric SMECO on X: somdelectric

A Look Into Maryland's General Assembly Sessions | #52

In this episode, Tom Dennison meets with Sonja Cox to break down what happened during the 2025 Maryland General Assembly session and what it meant for energy policy. They discuss actions taken in Annapolis to help manage utility costs, including adjustments to EmPOWER Maryland mandates and efforts to address ongoing energy supply challenges affecting Maryland residents. Follow & Connect: Host: Sonja Cox Co-host: Tom Dennison SMECO on Instagram: somdelectric SMECO on X: somdelectric

Breaking Down Your SMECO Bill | #51

In this episode, Eugene Bradford and Tami Fellner break down several key elements of the bill. Bradford and Fellner also discuss the process for rate setting and the efforts your cooperative takes to improve its commodity purchasing power to help reduce the impact of rising power costs. Learn more about your bill here: smeco.coop/my-account/paying-your-bill/about-the-bill [https://smeco.coop/my-account/paying-your-bill/about-the-bill] Follow & Connect: Host: Sonja Cox Co-Host: Tom Dennison SMECO on Instagram: somdelectric SMECO on X: somdelectric

Assistance Programs for Our Members | #50

The extended stretch of brutally cold weather this past winter contributed to higher-than-usual electric bills for many SMECO members. We understand how challenging that can be and we are here to help. Learn more about the assistance opportunities available to you at SMECO.coop/Bill-Assistance [https://www.smeco.coop/my-account/paying-your-bill/bill-assistance/]. Follow & Connect: Host: Sonja Cox Co-Host: Tom Dennison SMECO on Instagram: somdelectric [https://www.instagram.com/somdelectric] SMECO on X: somdelectric [https://x.com/somdelectric]