Welcome to Our Cooperative Family
Congratulations! As an MEC fiber internet customer, you’re now a member of our cooperative and a vested owner in MEC.
Why This is Happening
If you’re a longtime MEC Fiber customer, you might be wondering: why now?
In early 2026, our electric customers voted to make fiber customers cooperative members, saving MEC as much as $20 million in taxes and growing our membership.
This change, which took effect July 1, 2026, has strengthened the cooperative and given us a larger voice to advocate for rural Michigan for years to come.
Your service isn’t changing, and neither are we. You’ll enjoy the same excellent fiber internet, now with new benefits that are specific to cooperative members.
What This Means for You
You have unique rights and opportunities as a cooperative member that aren’t typically afford to customers of a for-profit business. These include:
- Voting in board elections
- Running for our board of directors
- Access to community programs
- An invitation to our annual business meeting each April
You’ll also receive issues of Country Lines, the free magazine we send to cooperative members that includes important news about elections, community programs, announcements, and more.
This guide will introduce you to what we call the Cooperative Difference.
The Cooperative Way
Cooperatives are not-for-profit businesses owned by their members. All cooperatives are governed by seven principles:
- Open and voluntary membership
- Democratic member control
- Members’ economic participation
- Autonomy and independence
- Education, training, and information
- Cooperation among cooperatives
- Concern for community
For details about each principle, click here.
FAQs
Is there a membership fee?
No, we do not charge a membership fee.
What does “members’ economic participation” mean?
Unlike a publicly traded company, which pays dividends to shareholders after profits are made, cooperatives are not-for-profit businesses that put people first. When we make extra money, we reinvest it into our system to ensure that we are bringing you the best possible service.
Upon the death of a customer, the estate receives money back from the cooperative. The amount is based on how much electric and/or fiber internet service the customer used.
How do I vote in elections and/or run as a candidate?
You now have a voice in how our cooperative is governed via our nine-member board of directors. Our customers elect a director for their district that best represents their interests, and each board member advocates for their district when making decisions that affect the cooperative.
Click here to learn more about our elections and voting process.
You’re also invited to attend the annual business meeting that we hold each year in April, with the opportunity to ask questions and bring business before the board.
Which community programs are available?
Sponsorship and donation requests: We consider contributions to local organizations for their community-oriented projects and events. Please note that funds are limited. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Click here for details.
Trade school & college scholarships: Every year, we award up to four $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors who complete our video challenge. We also award up to two second-year scholarships to previous winners after they complete their first year of trade school or college. Applications are accepted in the first three months of the year, with winners announced in spring. Click here for details.
Southwestern Michigan College Scholarship: SMC-bound students can apply for a one-course scholarship that covers tuition for Intro to Computer Technology. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Click here for details.
Youth Tour: Each June, we send up to two high school students ages 15-17 on a tour of Washington, D.C., to gain firsthand knowledge of America’s capital and the history of cooperatives in our country. We accept applications in winter. Click here for details.
Digital Skill-Building Classes: We partner with local organizations to provide free in-person learning opportunities about topics like safe internet usage, telehealth, streaming services, and more. Click here for details.
What's Country Lines?
Country Lines is the free magazine we send to our members. Each month (except August and December) we share important announcements, cooperative news, useful tips, and much more.
Click here to read a digital copy of each issue.
