"The Heart of Your Power" is the theme for the La Plata Electric Association Annual Meeting, Saturday, May 12 at the Sky Ute Casino and Resort Event Center, Ignacio. Results of board of director elections, as well as the vote on changes to the cooperative's bylaws, will be announced.
Registration begins at 9 a.m., with the business meeting commencing at 10:30 a.m. A complimentary luncheon follows the business meeting. The annual meeting is free and open to all LPEA members.
"This is the one time during the year that our membership can join together, see friends and neighbors and learn more about your rural electric cooperative, which is truly the heart of your power - both literally through electricity distribution, and the 'heart' of the people who serve you," said CEO Mike Dreyspring.
Presentations during the LPEA meeting will include reports from CEO Dreyspring, Board President Davin Montoya, Treasurer Doug Lyon, Attorney Shay Denning, CREA Representative Karen Barger and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Representative Kohler McInnis. The membership will have an opportunity to query the board on topics of concern during the Q&A period.
"To ensure members' voices are heard, this year we are requesting that questions from the membership to the Board be written out in advance," said Ron Meier, manager of engineering and member relations. "Look for the banner in the Annual Meeting room to submit your questions prior to the opening of the business meeting."
Also during the meeting, beginning at 9 a.m., the Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency (4CORE) will offer LPEA members' test drives of new electric vehicles as part of 4CORE's 2018 electric vehicle group-buy program. A Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt, courtesy of Nissan of Durango and Morehart Murphey Regional Auto Center, respectively, will be stationed in the event center parking lot until approximately 2 p.m.
Election results in four districts are expected to be announced prior to the complimentary lunch. In accordance with LPEA's bylaws, annually one seat in each of LPEA's four districts comes up for election.
With the director elections, in District 1, Archuleta County, Kirsten Skeehan is challenging incumbent Bob Formwalt. District 2, south and west La Plata County, incumbent Kohler McInnis is challenged by Jeff Mannix. In the City of Durango, District 3, Gene Fisher is challenging incumbent Britt Bassett. In District 4, north and east La Plata County, incumbent Karen Barger is challenged by Tim Wheeler.
As a rural electric cooperative, all members in good standing, who pay their electric bill to LPEA are qualified to vote for the directors who represent them, as well as the bylaws, which are the governing directives of the cooperative.
Ballots were mailed to cooperative members in April and must be received by 4 p.m., Friday, May 11 at the La Plata County Clerk's office (Bodo Park), or at additional physical drop off locations including LPEA's offices in Durango or Pagosa Springs, the La Plata County Administration office (Downtown Durango), Farmer's Fresh Market (Ignacio), or Bayfield Town Hall. Members can also vote at the Annual Meeting prior to 10:30 a.m. Given potential postal service delays, as the deadline approaches, members are advised to drop their ballots off physically at one of the aforementioned locations.
LPEA members who register at the Annual Meeting will receive a $5 credit on their electric bill plus are eligible for a wide array of door prizes and giveaways. Volunteer parking attendants will direct members to the most convenient parking at Sky Ute Casino and Resort, and golf carts will be available to assist those who have difficulty walking.
LPEA, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative established in 1939, provides to its more than 30,000 members, with in excess of 42,000 meters, safe, reliable electricity at the lowest reasonable cost, while being environmentally responsible.
For additional information, contact LPEA at 247-5786 or visit www.lpea.coop.
