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Home
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| David Lehmann, President | District #1 |
| Joseph D. Kruppa, Vice-President | District #2 |
| Bill Briscoe, Secretary-Treasuer | District #6 |
| Gale Lincke | District #3 |
| Leo C. Henke, Jr. | District #4 |
| John C. Ivy | District #5 |
| David A. Stancik | District #7 |
Fayette Electric Cooperative is governed by a Board of seven (7) Directors, each of whom is elected from one of seven geographical districts. Just like you, the Directors are members of Fayette Electric.
They are elected for a three-year term and may be re-elected. Directors are elected on a rotation basis so that there will always be members on the board who are knowledgeable of Fayette Electric's operations and on-going projects.
| District | Jurisdiction |
| 1 | La Grange North, Warda, Waldeck, Winchester, Round Top, Carmine and Ledbetter |
| 2 | Hostyn, La Grange South, Ammannsville and Holman |
| 3 | Schulenburg, High Hill, Freyburg and Swiss Alp |
| 4 | Praha, Moravia, Komensky, Breslau, Moulton, and North of Hallettsville |
| 5 | Muldoon, Cistern, Flatonia, West Point and Plum |
| 6 | Weimar, Oakland, Hackberry, New Bielau, and Osage |
| 7 | Warrenton, Rutersville, Fayetteville, Ellinger, New Ulm, Willow Springs, Shelby and Industry |
Your locally elected board of directors takes care of the Cooperative’s business using ethical business practices. Their responsibility to represent Cooperative members is only one of the many tasks that the seven directors perform since they, in their day-to-day lives, are farmers, ranchers and business people just like you.
Once elected to the Cooperative board for a three-year term, they have two basic responsibilities: decision-making and oversight. As decision makers, they work with the Cooperative’s management and key staff to set policies and develop strategies to keep the Cooperative on track. To do that, they have to maintain a working knowledge of all phases of the electric cooperative program, from the broad national overview down to the day-to-day operations to serve members in each of the seven districts. The oversight function or fiduciary duty requires them to monitor the Cooperative’s business performance, risk assessment and compliance with legal obligations.
Other duties and responsibilities of the board are to:
1. Set the Cooperative’s mission, purpose(s),
and engage, on a regular basis, in strategic planning;
2. Review, monitor and report to the membership regarding the critical
operating and financial performance of the Cooperative;
3. Ensure effective planning and adequacy of resources; and
4. Contract for and approve an annual independent financial audit.
It takes a lot of effort to prepare, stay involved and do the job well. Training and educational programs in the area of governance responsibilities, utility operations and management oversight are necessary for a director to function most effectively in his/her responsibilities.
Each director is required to become credentialed under the Credentialed Cooperative Director Program of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association during his/her first full term. The Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) Certificate is earned by completing five courses designed to provide the basic knowledge and skills required of cooperative directors.
Your board of directors realizes the importance of education and strives to stay abreast of changes in the industry by completing continuing education courses offered through the statewide organization, Texas Electric Cooperatives, and the national organization, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Cooperative directors represent the will of the members who elect them and take seriously the duties and responsibilities of their position. They uphold the unique democratic business model that distinguishes your electric cooperative from utility companies whose sole purpose is to make a profit for investors. At Fayette Electric Cooperative, the guiding principle is service. Your locally elected board of directors is there to uphold that mandate with knowledge, integrity and vision.
1. No member shall be eligible to become or remain a director or to hold any position of trust in the Cooperative who has not been a member in his/her individual capacity for at least (1) one year prior to his/her election and whose principal place of residence is not served with electric power and energy by the Cooperative in the district he/she is to represent.
2. No person shall be eligible to become or remain a director or to hold any position of trust in the Cooperative who is in any way employed by or financially interested in a competing enterprise or a business selling electric energy or supplies to the Cooperative, or a business primarily engaged in selling electrical or plumbing appliances, fixtures, or supplies to the members of the Cooperative.
3. No member shall take or hold office as a director who is the incumbent of or candidate for an elective public office in connection with which a salary is paid.
4. The term of service for each director is three (3) years from the date of the annual membership meeting at which such director was elected.
5. A director whose term expires may be re-elected for subsequent terms.
6. Once elected, each director is required to become credentialed under the Credentialed Cooperative Director Program of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association during his/her first full term. The Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) Certificate is earned by completing five courses designed to provide the basic knowledge and skills required of cooperative directors. Directors have several opportunities during the three-year term to earn their CCD Certificate.
7. Since the Cooperative is a member of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and the Association of Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC), directors are encouraged to attend conferences and other activities to stay informed of utility-related topics and legislative issues that may impact Fayette Electric Cooperative and our member-owners. While a director’s attendance is not mandatory, nor a bylaw requirement, the training programs, conferences, and meetings offer unique educational opportunities that are conducive to making the board of directors a more knowledgeable and informed, decision-making body.
8. Directors spend an average of 30 days annually attending monthly board meetings, state, regional and national meetings, training sessions, power supplier meetings, and other meetings or functions. Most events are held during regular business hours, but some meetings are held in the evenings and some may last several days.
Editor’s Notes:
Excerpts 1 through 5 were taken from Article IV, Section 4.02 of the bylaws of
Fayette Electric Cooperative, Inc.
FEC’s Policy on Director Duties and Responsibilities is available at the Cooperative’s office located at 357 North Washington St., La Grange.
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