By Garrett Hylton of Wrec
Wells Rural Electric Company owners took advantage of their ability to set the leadership of their cooperative by voting to return all four incumbents on the ballot to serve on WREC’s Board of Directors in balloting that ended August 17, 2016. Incumbents Jim Whited, Scott Egbert, Jonathan Dahl and Fred Montes de Oca will all resume their Board duties after being elected to three-year terms. Victoria Wright-Bily was also on the ballot.
WREC’s Board elections are part of the cooperative difference that sets the company apart from investor-owned utilities. WREC owners are able to exercise ownership of their cooperative by voting for the men and women who set the direction for the organization. That local, democratic control has helped eliminate the need for additional regulation from the Nevada Public Utilities Commission.
This year, 545 WREC members cast votes. The election report will be presented to the Board at their September 20 meeting and the new directors will start their terms at the October Board meeting.
The WREC Board election is one of several important votes taking place this year. Local, state and federal representatives have a huge influence over rural life and the cost and quality of service WREC members receive. As a result, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is promoting a nonpartisan voting campaign called Co-ops Vote. Regardless of which parties and candidates you identify with, WREC encourages all members to vote this November. Members can pledge to cast a vote in this year’s General Election by visiting www.vote.coop.
The WREC Board Election saw a 13.4 percent return of all ballots sent. A total of 4,072 ballots were mailed to WREC owners on the last Wednesday in July. Of that total, 545 were returned to attorney Gary E. DiGrazia’s law office by the election deadline of 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 17.
WREC extends a special thanks to the cooperative members who volunteered to serve on the Election Committee and counted the votes: Robert Selby, Jean Spratling, Nancy Livingston, Judy Bradshaw and Patty Whitlock.
