DEFINITIONS
Under the terms and provisions of these Bylaws of
Volunteer Energy Cooperative (“Cooperative”), as currently
existing or as later amended the following will apply.
1. Unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws, words and
terms have their customary and ordinary meaning.
2. The singular use of any word includes the plural use,
and the plural use of any word includes the singular use.
3. The masculine use of any word includes the feminine
and neutral uses of any word include the masculine and
feminine uses.
4. The present tense of any word includes the past and
future tenses, and the future tense of any word includes
the present tense.
5. “Shall”, “will” or “must” indicate mandatory action or
requirement, and “may” indicates permissive action or
act.
6. “T.C.A.” shall mean Tennessee Code Annotated.
7. “Patrons” shall include members and non-members
receiving electric service from the Cooperative.

SECTION 1.01. ELIGIBILITY

Any person, firm, association, corporation, cooperative,
business trust, partnership, legal entity, federal, state or local
government, or departments, agencies or any other political
subdivision thereof (each hereinafter referred to as “member,”
“person,” “applicant,” “him” or “his”), who receives energy
service provided by the Cooperative, shall be eligible to
become a member of and to receive any service from the
Cooperative.

SECTION 1.02. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP;
RENEWAL OF PRIOR APPLICATION

Application for membership shall be made in writing on
such form as provided by the Cooperative. The applicant
shall agree to: (1) take delivery of or purchase electric power
and energy from the Cooperative; (2) comply with and be
bound by: (a) all state and federal laws, (b) all provisions of
the Cooperative’s Articles of Incorporation; (c) these Bylaws;
(d) all rules, regulations, rate classifications and rate
schedules established pursuant thereto; and (e) any policies,
resolutions or actions adopted by the Board of Directors
(“Board”) or members, as all the same then exist or may
thereafter be adopted or amended (the obligation embraced
by such contract being hereinafter called “membership
obligations”). With respect to any particular classification of
service for which the Board shall require, such application
may be accompanied by a supplemental contract, executed
by the applicant on such form as is provided.
Any former member of the Cooperative may, upon
payment of any outstanding account plus accrued interest
thereon at the Tennessee legal rate on judgments in effect
when such account first became overdue, compounded
annually, together with any related fees, deposits or
contributions, if required, renew and reactivate any prior
application for membership as though the application had
been newly made on the date of such payment.

SECTION 1.03. SERVICE

A service connection deposit or fee, in such amount as
shall be prescribed by the Cooperative (together with related
fees, deposits and contributions in aid of construction if
required), shall be paid by the member for each additional
service received.

SECTION 1.04. JOINT MEMBERSHIP

The spouse of any person who is or becomes a member
will automatically become a joint member with the member
spouse. Unless otherwise specified all provisions relating to
the rights, powers, terms, conditions, obligations,
responsibilities and liabilities of membership shall apply
equally, severally and jointly to them. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing:
(a) the presence at a meeting of either or both shall
constitute the presence of one member and a joint
waiver of notice of the meeting;
(b) the vote of either shall constitute one joint waiver of
notice; provided, if both vote, each shall constitute a
one-half (1/2) vote;
(c) notice to or waiver of notice signed by either or both
shall constitute a joint notice or waiver of notice;
(d) except upon death of a joint member or upon divorce,
the suspension or termination in any manner of either
shall constitute suspension or termination of the joint
membership.
Either a husband or wife, but not both concurrently, shall
be eligible to serve as a Director of the Cooperative, but only
if both meet the qualification requirements set forth in Section
4.02.

SECTION 1.05. ACCEPTANCE INTO MEMBERSHIP

Upon complying with the requirements set forth in
Section 1.02, any applicant shall automatically become a
member on the date of receipt of service. The Board may
deny an application and refuse to extend service upon its
determination that the applicant is not willing or is not able to
satisfy and abide by the Cooperative’s terms and conditions of
membership or that such application should be denied for
other good cause.