Co-op Annual Meeting

     Having experienced (endured) 40+ annual congregational annual meetings during my working life the Curmudgeonette is always a bit bemused when I voluntarily attend the Sinai Cooperative Elevator Company's annual meeting.  Sinai, the village of 120 people, where we have our 'little house on the prairie' has one of the few independent elevators left.  Most have merged into chains, e.g., Prairie Ag Partners of Lake Preston also have the elevators in Arlington, Oldham and maybe more.
    Sinai was once served by a Northwestern Railroad spur that ran from Sioux Falls to Watertown on which tracks we used to drive our cars on Sundays when there were no trains.  When that line ceased operation many years ago predictions were that that would be the end of the elevator.  Trucks, now including the big double bottoms, have kept it alive.
    The elevator is one of the anchors of this little town of 120 people, the other anchor being the bank. Many of the people who live here work in Brookings which is about 15 miles away.  Our nearest house neighbor is on the faculty of SDSU in Brookings.
    So what happened at the annual meeting?  Unlike last year I did not win a door prize of a $25. gift certificate at the elevator, which would come in very handy because that is where I buy my tractor fuel and other chemicals.  The good news is that my brother won it.  The balance sheet showed a profit of $132,785. on sales of $6,602.708. compared to last years profit of $56,356.
    Perhaps that seems like a small return but the mission of the company is to proved service to patrons at a reasonable prices.  It also distributed $30,454. in patronage dividends and my dividend was large enough to buy a cup of the fanciest coffee at Starbucks.  Thee are five full time employees.
    What does an elevator do?  It buys and dries grain, sells feed, fertilizer, fuel and chemicals.  It also provides services like fertilizing and spraying fields and delivers bulk fuel to farmers. Perhaps also importantly the coffee is always on.
    Not wanting to disturb the tranquility of the meeting which included reports and elections I didn't ask why there is $1,034,567. cash on hand though that is $300,00. less than last year.   Someday when I'm in the elevator I'll ask the manager privately.
   Pump gas sales have doubled since the installation of a 24 hour pump.  Previous to this pump a customer would pump gas on the north side of the street then go to the office across the street and report the number of gallons pumped.  Now I have a numerical code which I enter and it gives me access 24/7 while recording to my account the fuel I received.  No credit cards are accepted but I have credit so I receive a monthly statement.
   

The Little House on the Prairie