Home » Cooperative » Flasher Renovation

• Annual Meeting
• Assistant General Manager Report
• Finance Report
• General Manager Report
• Member Services
• Operations Report
• Articles & Bylaws
• Board of Directors
• Cooperative Principles
• History
• Job Openings
• Mission Statement
• News
• Center Pages
• Service Area
• Service Rules & Regulations
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Terms & Conditions
• 3. Billing Practices
• 4. Service Charges
• 5. Deposits
• 6. Line Extension
• 7. Operation and Maintenance
• Staff
• Touchstone Energy

Flasher Renovation

Mor-Gran-Sou headquarters to receive a needed facelift

We see it on TV or read about it in magazines … someone or something is receiving a makeover. Some are frivolous, while others are essential. Like homes on Extreme Makeover Home Edition, the old house has served its family well, and improvements are necessary or the walls will come down.

For the past 60 years, the Flasher headquarters building has also served its cooperative family well, but because of normal wear and tear, home improvements are needed. Like most renovation projects, as management seriously looked at the integrity of the building, it became clear that one modification would lead to another structural change. After a concise renovation plan was presented and after more than two years of research and discussion, the board of directors gave the green light on the building renovation project.

For the next six months, visitors and employees will be greeted by the sounds of saws and hammers as the project unfolds. The need to renovate has been a topic of discussion for a number of years. Mor-Gran-Sou, very conscientious of its members’ investments, did its best to maintain the building by taking care of small fixes when necessary. However, it has been 30 years since the last major renovation and a number of problem areas are becoming too great for repair.

Management, coordinating with the project architect Al Fitterer, was instructed to bid the project. Several contractors interest in helping with the renovation. In the final bid process, two separate contractors (one mechanical and one general) were awarded the project at an estimated cost of approximately $535,000. Mor-Gran-Sou electricians will complete the electrical work.

“The greatest alteration will be the removal of the Quonset on the northeast side of headquarters,” says Cindy Ternes, construction renovation manager and manager of administrative services. “The Quonset was built in 1952 and housed Mor-Gran-Sou’s first employees. This building has little insulation and is structurally unsound. The exterior of this building is in poor shape, which has resulted in water damage. The skylights in the roof have leaked for many years and the wood window frames have rotted and do leak. Currently numerous buckets are used to collect rain water to limit additional damage.”

Secondly, because of the removal of the Quonset and to meet the future needs of Mor-Gran-Sou, a portion of the building’s interior will be refurbished. The old ground-source heat pump system that serves the 1977 addition will be replaced with a new ground-source heat pump system. Also, offices will be included for the Flasher line crew and electricians who had been housed in the Quonset. The current interior renovation plans include installing ergonomic work stations for the electricians, the facility technician and the Flasher line crew; upgrading the reception area; building new storage and bathroom facilities; replacing some carpet and installing new linoleum.

Finally, to improve heating, cooling and air efficiencies in the building, Mor-Gran-Sou will insulate and apply a new surface to the outside of the building. The renovation project will proceed with minimal disruption to daily operations of the cooperative. We will continue to update you on the progress of the renovation.

 

 

Top of page