Commending the Highland Telephone Cooperative.

Commending the Highland Telephone Cooperative.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 23, 2026
WHEREAS, the Highland Telephone Cooperative, the oldest telephone cooperative in the Commonwealth and one of only 11 such cooperatives in the state, is proudly celebrating the 120th anniversary of its charter in 2025; and
WHEREAS, the Highland Telephone Cooperative traces its origins to the 1890s, when local residents organized an early line between Monterey and Staunton, which led to the creation of the Monterey and Staunton Telephone Company in 1894; and
WHEREAS, other local telephone companies were established in the region, and the Mutual Telephone Company was established in 1904 to attempt to coordinate their efforts; and
WHEREAS, shortly thereafter, representatives of the different Mutual telephone companies met in Monterey to elect officers and directors, and the Mutual Telephone of Highland, Inc., was officially chartered in February 1905; the company was later incorporated as a cooperative corporation on March 31, 1980, and renamed the Highland Telephone Cooperative; and
WHEREAS, the Highland Telephone Cooperative is owned and governed by its members, who elect a board of directors to oversee the cooperative's financial well-being, set its policies, and hire a general manager to operate the business; and
WHEREAS, over the years, the members of the Highland Telephone Cooperative have worked together to share the responsibility of maintaining and modernizing the lines to ensure reliable telephone service; and
WHEREAS, today, the Highland Telephone Cooperative serves more than 1,300 access lines across the communities of Blue Grass, Hightown, Mill Gap, Monterery, and Mustoe in Highland County; and
WHEREAS, through its dedication to innovation, collaboration, and service, the Highland Telephone Cooperative has endured for the past 120 years, becoming a vital and valued institution in the Highland County community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Highland Telephone Cooperative hereby be commended on the occasion of its 120th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Highland Telephone Cooperative as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the organization's history and its contributions to the Commonwealth.