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Voting opens for PEC director election, vote on article amendments
5/11/2012 4:23:40 PM
Voting opened May 9 for Pedernales Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors election, in which PEC members will elect three directors and vote on amendments to Article VIII of the Co-op’s Articles of Incorporation.
Ballots, election information and voting instructions have been mailed to all members by Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS), the independent company managing PEC’s balloting. Members will be able to vote by returning completed ballots to SBS by mail using the included prepaid return envelopes or by voting online through SBS’s secure website. In addition, members who have registered their email addresses with the Cooperative will receive emails with links to the online ballot. Mail-in and online voting must be completed by June 15. Ballots will not be accepted at PEC’s offices. Members also will be able to vote in person at PEC’s annual meeting June 23 in Kyle, where election results will be announced.
Democratic elections are a fundamental component of the cooperative principles followed by PEC, giving members a voice in director elections and Co-op direction.
The following eight PEC members, listed in the order they will appear on the ballot, were nominated by member petitions to vie for director positions in Board districts 1, 6 and 7:
- Director, District 1: Mark Mayfield, Marble Falls; Cristi Clement, Marble Falls; James P. Halbert, Burnet
- Director, District 6: Larry Landaker, Wimberley; Linda Kaye Rogers, Wimberley; Mike (Doc) Cantu-Withoff, Canyon Lake; Michael Donegan, Wimberley
- Director, District 7: Dr. Patrick Cox, Wimberley
The order of candidates on the ballot was determined by a random drawing conducted by SBS.
Also on the ballot this year is a member vote on proposed amendments to Article VIII of the Co-op’s Articles of Incorporation. Article VIII, Section 1 requires PEC to set aside funds each year in a reserve to pay any interest and principal that may be owed during the next year. This reserve is to be set aside after PEC pays all costs — including principal and interest on borrowed funds.
Because PEC already pays all owed interest and principal each year, the Co-op’s Board and management propose eliminating the Article VIII, Section 1 mandate and adding the payment of interest and principal as an allowable use of the general reserve required by Section 2. This would give PEC the flexibility to use extra funds to pay back or avoid debt, distribute capital credits to members, or to use toward other necessary Co-op expenses.
Election information, a link to the voting website, and video clips of candidates presenting their platforms at PEC’s May 3 “meet the candidates” event are available at www.pec.coop/election.
PEC will be holding four more events where members can meet Board candidates and hear them discuss their platforms. These events will be held at PEC’s offices in Kyle (May 15), Bertram (May 16), Marble Falls (June 5) and Sattler (June 6). Each of these events will begin at 5:30 p.m.