MANAGER'S MESSAGE TO THE MEMBERSHIP

GARY RAYBON

Your Vote Matters - Democracy in Action

Thanks to the membership, 2023 was another successful year at WCEC. While sales were slightly less than record-setting 2022, they were still 33% higher than they were fifteen years ago. This steady increase in kWh sales has allowed us to provide the service that you expect while holding rate increases to a minimum. As an organization, we are constantly balancing the expectation of reliability against the ever-increasing costs of providing service. Everyone in the organization is cognizant of the fact that every dollar we spend has come from the pockets of our friends and neighbors and strive to stretch those dollars as far as possible. 

The WCEC Annual Meeting will be held on May 29, 2024. I look forward to seeing and talking to as many of you as possible. As it was last year, based on member feedback, the meeting will be a drive-through annual meeting.  As per our by-laws, WCEC members will be asked to elect three members to serve on the Board for a three-year term. A little-known fact about WCEC is that we are one of the minority of electric cooperatives in the state that has term limits, and our bylaws require at least two candidates to run in each race. Term limits are a double-edged sword, on one hand, it is hard to lose the experience and knowledge of a director who steps down due to term limits, but on the other hand, it is always good to have new blood and a new point of view in the Board Room. Having at least two candidates in each race ensures that the WCEC membership has a choice in who represents them on the Board.

It is heartening to participate in an organization led by a diverse group of individuals who can come together, look at problems and issues from all sides, come up with a solution that is the best for all concerned, and walk away still respecting each other.  From the nominating process to the election process to the running of the meetings, the WCEC Board is truly a democracy in action.  Through the years the WCEC members have always given me a great board to work with and for, and I do not doubt that that will still be true after the May 29th Annual Meeting. 

Good luck to all the candidates and thank you for running for the Board.  

As I have ended each year’s message, thank you for supporting WCEC and please call me if you need me.

More Annual Meeting Details Here