Seats Open on WVEC Board of Directors

Whetstone Valley Electric Cooperative plans to hold its 76th Annual Meeting on Thursday, March 23, at 6:30 p.m. in the Milbank High School gym. Three members will be selected to serve on the board of directors – all for three-year terms. The districts with open seats are: District 1- Dry Wood Lake, Goodwill, Easter, Agency, and Lawrence; District 2- Becker, Lee, and Lake; and District 5- Osceola, Kilborn, Mazeppa, Twin Brooks, and Leola.
Directors currently serving these districts are: District 1 – Jodi Hook; District 2- Dale Jensen; and District 5- Bill Tostenson. All are eligible for re-election.

A WVEC director represents the co-op by demonstrating leadership and increasing his or her knowledge of the cooperative business and the electrical industry. Directors also play a role in the development of Whetstone Valley Electric Cooperative.

The job comes with important responsibilities: to abide by and uphold the bylaws of the cooperative, to act as a trustee for WVEC assets, and to aid in formulating, approving, and reviewing policies to provide guidelines for the cooperative. A director must have the ability to respond to members’ concerns and questions, be available to members, and employ a spirit of helpfulness.

The board is responsible for sending representatives to the associations of which the cooperative is a member. Directors represent the cooperative at meetings of East River Electric Power Cooperative and the South Dakota Rural Electric Association.

Board members attend educational seminars and are asked to serve on boards of other cooperatives. Directors might be asked to lobby and thus must remain informed on pertinent legislative issues. Reading and studying is necessary to keep informed of current Rural Utilities Service (RUS) issues and how they affect the co-op. The board reviews financial reports, work plans, and financial audits. They approve budgets and large purchases of equipment and other capital expenditures. It is also their job to evaluate the cooperative’s operations and develop long-term plans to assure its financial and operational stability.

Directors should expect to commit to spending about 30 days per year on cooperative-related activities. Board meetings are normally held the third Thursday of each month and begin at 8:00 a.m. Directors are compensated per diem for their time and personal expenses.

If you are interested in becoming a candidate for the WVEC Board of Directors, contact the WVEC office at 605-432-5331 or stop by to pick up a petition. The candidate petition must have at least six member signatures and be returned to the WVEC office no later than 5 p.m. on February 10.

Board of directors pictured, back row, left to right, Scott Niedert, Darren Strasser, Bill Tostenson, and Paul Nelson. Front row, Jodi Hook, Dale Jensen, Nancy Johnson (past director), Krista Atyeo-Gortmaker, and Tom Berens. Not pictured, Joel Adler.