Cheyenne Service Center Front Office Closing

High West Energy is embracing a new chapter in its operations to increase effectiveness and provide efficiency for our members. After careful consideration and planning, we have made the decision to close the front office at our Cheyenne Service Center and bring all members of our member services team together in one central location at our Pine Bluffs Headquarters office. Beginning August 2023, our front office at our Cheyenne Service Center will no longer be open. Even though we plan to close the service center at the end of July, we will have someone there on the day that your bills are due on Monday, August 28th, to help with this change. The Cheyenne Service Center will still operate as linemen and electricians will continue to be based out of that shop; however, it will no longer be open to the public. This decision was not easy; however, we considered the foot traffic at the service center over the past year and how it has been minimal due to the many amenities' members can use from the comfort of their homes.

Over the years, our cooperative has grown significantly, with team members dispersed across various centers and offices. While this distributed model has served us well, we believe that consolidating our member services department in a single location will bring about numerous benefits and help us achieve our goals more effectively. This will allow the department to be more cohesive, efficient, and coverage for our members will be better. By bringing everyone together, we aim to foster closer collaboration, enhance communication, and create a stronger sense of unity within our team. We strongly believe that having everyone in one location will facilitate better knowledge sharing, idea generation, and cross-functional teamwork to serve you, our members.

In addition, High West Energy has excelled throughout the years in our operations, but also in the different technological aspects that we offer to provide a positive experience for our members. We have increased the number of ways to pay your bill, as well as provided many ways to communicate with you, the members, such as this newsletter, our website, and social media.

We realize that this will be an adjustment for our members who pay their bills in person in Cheyenne; however, there are many ways to pay your bills. First, you can pay by card by calling our automated system at (833) 619-0867 or by using SmartHub with an echeck or credit card. There is a direct link to SmartHub on our website at www.highwest.coop to make it even easier or you can download the app. Second, you can pay using “Pay Now,” which is also located on our website. This option allows you to pay without having to even login. You can pay your bill at our Pine Bluffs location, or you can use the drop boxes that are located throughout our territory (these locations are on the next page). The payment drop box at the Cheyenne Service Center will remain. Finally, you can use InComm, also known as Vanilla Direct Pay, which allows you to pay from various locations using the QR code that is found on your app or the bar code on your bill. There are currently 13 locations in Cheyenne that will accept payments.

Thank you for your understanding and commitment as a member of High West Energy and we look forward to embarking on this new chapter together. Even though the Cheyenne office will be closed to the public, High West Energy will continue to have the same, strong presence in the communities we serve.

Cheyenne Service Center Front Office Closing: Additional Ways to Pay Your Bill

1. Call our automated system at (833) 619-0867. You are able to pay with credit card. 
2. Pay using Smart Hub with an echeck or credit card. You can use the application, or you can go to our website at www.highwest.coop where there is a direct link to Smart Hub. 
3. You can use "Pay Now" on our website without logging in. 
4. You can send a check to our office or pay at our Pine Bluffs office. 
5. You can use InComm, or Vanilla Direct Pay, to pay your bill at Dollar General, Family Dollar, CVS Pharmacy, Kum & Go, or other participating locations using the QR code on your bill. 
6. You can drop payments off at one of our drop box locations including: 

• Chatoga Avenue & Custer Street, Grover, CO
• 900 Sherman Street, Potter, NE
• 2nd & Elm Street, Kimball, NE
• 3302 I-80 Service Road, Cheyenne, WY
• 6270 County Road 212, Pine Bluffs, WY

Crispy Southwest Wrap

• 1 pound ground beef
• Salt and ground pepper
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons water
• 15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup canned corn or frozen
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 1/2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese (or Monterey or Pepper Jack)
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 6-8 large flour tortillas

Add the ground beef to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and crumble until browned. Drain grease. Season with a little salt and pepper and add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and water. Stir to combine. 

Add black beans, corn, bell pepper, and onions and toss to combine. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Warm the rice. Layer tortilla with a handful of cheese evenly spread across. 

Add a small scoop of rice, placing it in a line along one end of the tortilla. On top of the rice, add a few small dollops of sour cream, and a spoonful of the beef filling. Starting at that end, roll the tortilla up, folding in the sides like a burrito. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to a skillet or spray the skillet generously with cooking spray. 

Place the wraps seam side down in the greased skillet. Gently brush the tops of the wraps lightly with oil, or spray them with cooking spray. Turn the wraps every minute or two until they are golden and crispy on all sides. Serve warm, with salsa, or a dipping sauce. 

Recipe is from Tastes Better from Scratch. 

For recipe submissions, please email sparks@highwest.coop. 

See the full edition of Sparks down below!