Sangre de Cristo Electric Association, Inc. > Carousel > Annual Meeting & Director Election Notice

Annual Meeting & Director Election Notice

Sangre de Cristo Electric Association (SDCEA) Board of Directors set June 11 for the cooperative’s 84th annual meeting in Custer County at Wet Mountain Saddle Club located at 90 County Road 241 in Westcliffe.

Members of the cooperative will act on 2023 financial data and consider any other business that may become before the meeting. Elections will be held separately from the annual meeting by mail or online vote.

2 director seats are up for election in June: the Rural Chaffee/Lake County representative and an At Large representative. All director candidates are nominated by petition. Fifteen or more current members of the cooperative must sign each nomination petition.

If you are interested in running for a board seat, please contact us at (844) 395-2412 or email SDCEA. Members must reside within the designated director district to be considered for nomination.

Petitions are currently available for circulation. Nomination petitions, candidate questionnaires, and financial disclosure forms must be received at SDCEA’s office in Buena Vista by 5 p.m. Monday, April 1.

Any member interested in running for a director seat in a future election should review the guidelines below.

Candidate Qualifications & Responsibilities

Directors of rural electric cooperatives establish policy and provide leadership in a complex, technical, and ever-changing industry. They do not deal with the day-to-day operations of the cooperative and do not work in the cooperative office on a daily basis. Directors attend a minimum of 1 day-long board meeting per month and may attend other meetings or training programs held outside SDCEA’s service territory or out of state. In addition, rural electric co-op directors spend a considerable amount of time reading cooperative and industry material and maintaining current knowledge of industry trends. Consider the following qualifications and responsibilities when choosing a member for nomination or when deciding to run for a director position.

To Qualify for Directorship, a Person Shall:

  • Be a member of the cooperative or an individual authorized by an entity member
  • Be a resident of the designated director district
  • Have the capacity to enter into legally binding contracts
  • Disclose all monetary and in-kind contributions and expenditures directly or indirectly to or from his/her campaign for election to the board

No Person Shall Be Eligible to Become or Remain Director Who:

  • At any time during such person’s nomination, election campaign, or term of office, fails or has failed to meet the qualifications provided in Article II, Section 3.A of SDCEA’s Bylaws. The Board of Directors shall establish a policy to execute a vote to expel a Director for failure to meet the qualifications provided in Article II, Section 3.A of SDCEA’s Bylaws
  • Fails to protect the confidentiality of Personal Identifiable Information and other confidential information provided to SDCEA by members, consumers, employees, directors, vendors, and the public
  • Has been convicted of, is pleading guilty to, or had pleaded guilty to a felony

Is or Has Been Within the 5 Years Preceding June 6, 2024:

  • Employed by SDCEA or the spouse of an employee
  • Employed by or has a significant financial interest in a business that sells or provides commodities, products, or services to the cooperative
  • Employed by or a full or partial owner of an electric or natural gas utility, a propane company, or a renewable/alternative energy company, or has a significant financial interest in an entity that regularly competes with SDCEA, any entity that the cooperative controls or in which it has a substantial interest

Directors serve without salary but may be allowed fair remuneration for their time actually spent in the service of the cooperative as directors, consistent with rural electric cooperative practice. Candidates should agree to serve the entire term of office for which they are elected. The position of director shall not be used to further any political ambition, and directors must be capable of representing the entire membership on an impartial basis.

A Director Must Be Willing To:

  • Promote and safeguard the interests of the cooperative
  • Expend the effort necessary to understand the cooperative’s problems and provide the needed judgment to reach decisions in constantly changing circumstances
  • Support all official decisions and actions made or taken by the board
  • Study information in reports submitted to the board
  • Contribute to the development of statements onboard functions and responsibilities, and work toward their constant improvement
  • Objectively evaluate and consider the questions and problems that face the cooperative
  • Stay informed of the cooperative’s ideals and objectives, and study and analyze the policies, plans, and problems that result from efforts to achieve those ideals and objectives
  • Keep informed on and aware of the attitudes of members, employees, and the general public toward the cooperative’s objectives and policies
  • Inform all interested persons about the cooperative’s ideals, objectives, programs, and services
  • Attend classes to attain NRECA director certification within the first full 3-year term of office and work toward NRECA board leadership certification within the second or third term

A Director Candidate Should Display the Following Personal Qualifications:

  • Good business record and possession of sound business judgment;
  • A demonstrated capacity for leadership and a reputation for honesty and good judgment;
  • A demonstrated capacity for working with others;
  • Ideals and objectives compatible with cooperative philosophy and principles.