KENNETT -- The Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative experienced a very good 1994. That was the message of officials of the rural electric to its members at its recent 57th annual membership meeting.

Cooperative president Caleb Davis Jr. told the several hundred people at the meeting that the utility had nearly 100 new members last year. The utility now has 5,613 consumers.

Harold Lee Watson, secretary-treasurer, echoed Davis' assessment that 1994 was a good year, saying:

"Your cooperative is in very sound financial condition. Total operating revenue for the year was $6,113,691.05."

Watson said the cost of power was 64 percent; maintenance and depreciation, 13 percent; operating and consumer accounting expense, 5 percent; taxes, interest and debt service, 4 percent, allocation margins, 8 percent and the remainder (6 percent) went to general operating expense."

Watson had some more good news for the cooperative members.

The utility continued its steady growth in both residential and agricultural services, yet the cooperative's rates have remained stable during the past five years and are expected to do so in 1995, he said.

Cooperative General Manager Glenn "Skip" Alsup told of the possibility of a decrease in rates.

"We are in the process right now of making a rate study to see where our rates need to be and to bring a recommendation to the board on what those rates should be," he said.

"You have been told there will be no rate increase for 1995," Alsup continued. "I can't make any promises yet, but all indications are that we should see some sort of rate decrease before the end of this year."

The cooperative members re-elected Davis of Braggadocio and Thomas "Jake" Fisher and Charles Beis Jr., both of Portageville, to the board of directors.

The members also approved a bylaw change. As changed, the bylaws now require nominating committees and nominating petitions by members to be filed at least 30 days before the annual meeting. The reason for the change is to save money, John Hall Dalton, attorney for the cooperative explained.

"The purpose is to save having to mail two notices for the same meeting to the membership," Dalton said. "With nearly 6,000 members, this can be quite expensive."