Congratulations to Firelands' newly elected board trustees (L-R) Greg Hess of Ashland (District 7), Joe Williams of Greenwich (District 2), and Brian Cucco of New London (District 9). The membership also voted to approve the proposed changes to the co-op's Code of Regulations.
ELECTIONS
In 2024, Firelands Electric members will elect trustees to represent districts 2, 7, and 9 on the cooperative's board. (See www.firelandsec.com/service-territory for a district map.) In addition, the board appointed an internal committee to assess the cooperative’s Code of Regulations and recommended amendments are being put to a vote by the membership during the 2024 elections.
All members may cast their ballot in the election. Voting will take place online and by mail from March 1 through March 31. All co-op votes must be received by 11:59 p.m. on March 31, 2024. To vote, you will need your account number, which can be found on your mailed or emailed monthly statement. Election results will be announced at the Annual Meeting of Members at Ashland University on April 6, as well as in Ohio Cooperative Living magazine.
2024 CO-OP ELECTION LINKS
- Trustee Candidate Bios
- Trustee Video Introductions for candidates to represent board districts 2, 7, and 9
- 2024 Code of Regulations (approved by membership on April 6)
Here's a summary of the proposed changes to our Code of Regulations:
- Removes clause stating that memberships are not granted until approved by the board.
In reality, membership privileges are granted immediately upon receipt of a proper application and the meeting of deposit requirements. See Article I, Section 1(c) - Grants exception to the requirement to purchase all electric energy used on the premises from Firelands, allowing electricity to be generated on said premises. See Article I, Section 3
- Adopted gender and neutrality-based language; removed male, husband, and wife designations, replacing them with "they, them, their, member, and spouse".
- Removed requirement of membership certificates. See Article I, Sections 7(a), (b)
- Removed option of Joint Memberships See Article I, Section 7(b)
- Added the option of Telephonic voting, "...as determined by the board of trustees."
See Article II, Section 1 (a), (b), through Section 7(b) - Eliminated the requirement of reviewing the composition of board districts prior to any meeting of the members at which trustees are to be elected; changed to "shall periodically review." See Article II, Section 6
- Added "or their designated agent" to secretary's duties. See Article II, Section 7(a)
- Relocated "Items of Business" at annual meeting. See insertion to Article II, Section 1(b), and removal from Article II, Section 8
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF A FIRELANDS ELECTRIC TRUSTEE?
The Firelands Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees meets monthly to review the financial and operational data of your electric cooperative. Board members hear and discuss reports from the cooperative’s general manager and department supervisors, as well as provide guidance for management decisions.
The duties of a Firelands Electric trustee include:
- Attend all regular meetings on the 4th Tuesday of each month, the cooperative’s annual meeting in June, as well as other state, regional, and national meetings and training sessions.
- Determine the cooperative’s rate schedules and fees.
- Approve major work plans for ongoing maintenance and improvement of the cooperative’s distribution system.
- Approve contracts for financing, services, and power supply.
- Monitor the financial condition of the cooperative and make decisions on budgets and capital credits.
- Representing your fellow members as a Firelands Electric trustee is an important job. Trustees must be dedicated and committed to the cooperative and its principles. They must strive to do what is best for the cooperative and all of its members, which may conflict with the desires of individual members or special-interest groups. Additional information is available at the links below or by calling our office at 1-800-533-8658.
The documents provided below can be accessed and printed by using Adobe Acrobat Reader (link is external).
Firelands Electric Board District Map