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Article I

Members

Section 1: Qualifications and Obligations
Any person, firm, corporation or body politic may become a member in the Cooperative by

1. making written application for membership;
2. paying the membership fee hereinafter specified;
3. agreeing to purchase from the Cooperative electric energy as hereinafter specified;
4. and agreeing to comply with and be bound by the Articles of Incorporation of the Cooperative and these bylaws and any amendments thereto and such rules and regulations as may from time to time be adopted by the board of directors, provided, however, that no person, firm, corporation, or body politic shall become a member until accepted for membership by the board of directors or by the members.

No membership in the Cooperative shall be transferable except as provided in these bylaws, and no person, firm, corporation or body politic may own more than one membership in the Cooperative. Membership is the Cooperative shall be conditioned upon purchase of electric energy from the Cooperative, and if any member shall become permanently disconnected from the distribution facilities of the Cooperative, thereby ceasing to purchase any electric energy from the Cooperative, such member’s right to continued membership in the Cooperative shall end and his membership shall be terminated and cancelled.

Section 2: Membership Fee
The membership fee shall be $5.00, which after April 20, 1992, shall be considered a non-refundable charge to process the membership application. The payment of the membership fee shall make a member eligible for one  or more service connections, subject to the applicable service rules and regulations of the Cooperative. Only one membership certificate shall be issued to a member, regardless of the number of service connections such member may request or have.

Section 3: Joint Membership
Two or more persons may apply for a joint membership and, subject to their compliance with the requirements set forth in Section 1 of this article, may be accepted for such membership. The term “member,” as used in these bylaws, shall be deemed to include the persons holding a joint membership, and any provisions relating to the rights and liabilities of membership shall apply equally with respect to the holders of a joint membership. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the effect of the hereinafter specified actions by or in respect of the holders of a joint membership shall be as follows:

1. The presence at a meeting of one or more of the joint tenants shall be regarded as the presence of one member and shall constitute a joint waiver of notice of the meeting.
2. The vote of any joint tenant separately or all of them jointly shall constitute one joint vote.
3. A waiver of notice signed by any joint tenant shall constitute a joint waiver.
4. Notice to any joint tenant shall constitute notice to all joint tenants.
5. Expulsion of any joint tenant shall terminate the joint membership.
6. Withdrawal of any joint tenant shall terminate the joint membership.
7. Any joint tenant may be elected or appointed as an officer or board member, provided that he or she shall meet the qualifications for such office.

Section 4: Conversion of Membership
A membership may be converted to a joint membership upon the written request of the holder thereof and the agreement by such holder and the other joint tenants to comply with the Articles of Incorporation, bylaws, and rules and regulations adopted by the board. The outstanding membership certificate shall be surrendered, and shall be reissued by the Cooperative in such manner as shall indicate the changed membership status. Upon the death of a joint tenant, such membership shall be held solely by the survivor or survivors. The outstanding membership certificate shall be surrendered, and shall be reissued in such manner as shall indicate the changed membership status, provided, however, that the estate of the deceased shall not be released from any debts due the Cooperative.

Section 5: Termination of Membership
Any member may withdraw from membership upon compliance with such uniform terms and conditions as the board may prescribe. The board may, by the affirmative vote of not less that two-thirds of all the members of the board, expel any member who fails to comply with any of the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, bylaws or rules and regulations adopted by the board, but only if such member shall have been given written notice by the Cooperative that such failure makes him liable to expulsion and such failure shall have continued for at least ten days after such notice was given. Any expelled member may be reinstated by vote of the board or by vote of the members at any annual or special meeting. The membership of a member who, for a period of six months after service is available to him, has not purchased electric energy from the Cooperative, or of a member who has ceased to purchase energy from the Cooperative, may be cancelled by resolution of the board. Upon the withdrawal, death, cessation of existence or expulsion of a member, the membership of such member shall thereupon terminate, and the membership certificate of such member shall be surrendered forthwith to the Cooperative. Termination of membership in any manner shall not release a member or such member’s estate from any debts due the Cooperative.