Chamber of Commerce -- Labor Commissioner Calls For Workers Comp Reform -- Dec. 6 2012 -- Collinsville, OK -- www.cvilleok.com

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We are an active part of the communities we serve because they are the places we call home. The members we serve live, work and play in the lush rolling hills of northeastern Oklahoma.

Headquartered in Collinsville, Oklahoma, VVEC is a distribution electric cooperative. We provide electric service to residential, commercial and industrial consumers through more than 32,000 meters and more than 4,500 miles of electric line in portions of Nowata, Osage, Rogers, Tulsa and Washington counties.

Among the 26 electric cooperatives operating in Oklahoma, VVEC is the third largest based on the number of meters served by the co-op. Ninety-two employees cover the Cooperative’s more than 3,200-square mile service territory daily maintaining the electric system and providing consumer-oriented service.

www.vvec.com

2013 Collinsville Chamber of Commerce Officers:
President -- Dr. Susan Babbitt (Collinsville Library)
President-Elect -- Teresa Brown (American Bank)
Vice President -- Wilbur Lee Tucker (Farmer's Insurance)
Secretery/Treasurer -- Cynthia Reed (Cyn-Pro Graphics)

Labor Commissioner Mark Costello briefly described the role of the Labor Commission and some examples of how he has saved tax payer money since taking office. The main topic of his Chamber presentation focused on issues with the current worker's compensation laws which he described as having "Gotten off track." The state formerly had an administrative set of policies but later changed to an "adversarial" set of polices. Only one other state has this type of worker's comp situation where both sides "lawyer up" through the entire process instead of saving that as a backup after an administrative process. Costello indicated that nearby businesses in states like Arkansas and Missouri pay much less than Oklahoma businesses for worker's comp. Outside the official scope of his state job Costello is pushing reform for "worker's comp NOT lawyer's comp" and expects to have a web site up by the end of the year. Costello expects this to be a major Oklahoma legislative topic this year and Representative Earl Sears who was in attendance, echoed that it will be one of the top state issues in 2013.

Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors:

2011-2013:
Jim Dolton -- Collinsville Dolton Funeral Home
Don Hutchinson -- VVEC
Christine Wilson -- Hometown Insurance

2012-2014:
Ron Evans -- Collinsville Education Foundation / Nifty50s
Eddie James -- Green Country Auto Sales
James Roderick -- James Roderick & Associates

2013-2015:
Stacy Brown -- CastleRock Financial Advisors
Scott Reeves -- QuikTrip Corporation
Kent Smalygo -- Kent's Custom Cars & Trucks

President-appointed One Year Directors:
Sherry Campbell -- Custom Dental
Mark Courtney -- Miller's Sinclair
Marilyn Hardacre -- Keller-Williams Real Estate
Christina Lambert -- Too Blond Salon
Beth Ann Langston -- Home Town Real Estate

Honorary:
2012 President -- Bill Johnson (Collinsville News)
City Manager -- Pam Polk
Cherokee Nation -- Cara Cowan Watts
County Commissioner -- John Smaligo, Jr.
Mayor -- Herb Weaver
School Superintendent -- Terry Due
State Representative -- Earl Sears
State Senator -- Rick Brinkley