Surprise Valley Electric holds its Annual Membership Meeting on the first weekend in September following Labor Day. In recent years, the Annual Membership Meeting has been held the Friday after Labor Day with a drive-through style meeting at our office building in Alturas, CA. As a member of our cooperative, we strongly encourage you to attend the meeting to learn more about the co-op, get important news, and to elect the Board of Directors.
The drive-through style meeting has been very successful the past couple of years and we have been seeing a higher number of members attending as well as a new demographic coming to the meeting. The Board is looking into options of a hybrid meeting where members can still be present and commingle amongst other members as well as the members who would prefer the speed and efficiency of the drive-through style meeting.
The drive-through meeting in Alturas, CA starts with a check in process at 3:00 p.m., where you will register and be given any important documents related to the meeting as well as a voting slip for the Board of Directors up for election. You will then drive to the next station to submit your vote and receive a gift bag filled with SVEC merchandise. After submitting your vote, you will be given a meal ticket and can then drive to the last station to receive a warm meal.
We look forward to seeing you at this year's Annual Membership Meeting!
DIRECTORS, VOTING, AND NOMINATION
There are two ways you can vote for Directors:
- In person at the Annual Meeting
- By proxy - In August, you will receive a proxy in the mail with your bill that will allow you to vote if you are unable to attend the Annual Meeting. You then complete the proxy and return it to the office before the date listed on the proxy.
Surprise Valley Electric is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. Directors are elected to their position from membership and serve in three-year terms. The cooperative is divided into seven districts, approximately equal in population, and one Director is elected for each district. Directors serve without salary, but receive a fee and expenses paid for attending board and other designated meetings. You as a member are eligible to be elected to serve as a Director.
- The nominating committee, which is appointed by The Board of Directors, shall nominate one or more members to a Directorate.
- Any thirty (30) or more members may make nominations by petition. Petitions must be filed no less than 45 days before the annual meeting.
- Additional nominations can be made from the floor at the annual meeting. Section 4.06 in the SVEC By-laws sets forth the methods of nomination to the Board of Directors.