Members who attend Claiborne Electric’s 2022 Annual Membership Meeting on June 11 will vote on two proposed amendments to the Cooperative’s Bylaws.

“The two proposed changes would add language to the Bylaws giving Claiborne Electric’s Board of Directors the latitude to approve an Annual Meeting to be held in any format,” said Claiborne Electric’s General Manager & CEO Mark Brown. “We have typically had a large in-person meeting. This is our second year hosting a drive-thru meeting. There may come a time in the future where a virtual meeting makes sense. These changes simply give the Board of Directors permission in the Bylaws to hold the meeting in the format that is best for the membership at that time, and to handle each Annual Meeting’s order of business appropriately.”

The proposed changes are as follows:

Proposed change 1 – To add the sentence printed in bold to Article III, Section 1, to read as follows:
ARTICLE III
Meeting of Members
Section 1. Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the membership shall be held at such place and time as approved by the Board of Directors and designated in the notice of meeting for the purpose of passing on reports for the previous fiscal year, conducting Director elections, if needed, and transacting such other business as may come before the meeting. This meeting shall be held in any format approved by the Board of Directors. Failure to hold the annual meeting at the designated time shall not work a forfeiture or dissolution of the Cooperative.

Proposed change 2 – To add the sentence printed in bold to Article III, Section 7, to read as follows:
Section 7. Order of Business

The order of business at the annual meeting of the members and, so far as possible, at all other meetings of the members, shall be essentially as follows:

(1) Report as to the number of members present in person in order to determine the existence of a quorum.
(2) Reading of the notice of the meeting and proof of the due publication or mailing thereof, or the waiver or waivers of notice of the meeting, as the case may be.
(3) Reading of unapproved minutes of previous meetings of the members and the taking of necessary action thereon.
(4) Presentation and consideration of reports of officers, Directors and committees, if any.
(5) Report on Director elections, if conducted
(6) Unfinished business.
(7) Such new business as shall have been published in the agenda incorporated into the official notice of the meeting.
(8) Adjournment.

The Board of Directors may deviate from the order of business outlined above should they deem it necessary to accommodate the requirements of an alternate format for the meeting.

“I would encourage members to vote yes for these proposed changes,” Brown said. “Because the proposed amendments are interconnected, we are asking members to vote collectively on the changes.”

Ballots for the vote will be given to members as they arrive at the 2022 Annual Membership Meeting, and will be collected in the registration area. Members can choose from two sites to register and vote – one at Claiborne Electric’s headquarters office (12525 Hwy. 9 in Homer), and one at D’Arbonne Woods Charter School (9560 Hwy. 33 in Farmerville). Drive-thru registration will take place on June 11 from 9 a.m. until noon.

“One of the most important things about a Co-op is the democratic nature of the business. Decisions are made by you, the members,” Brown said. “Please don’t take that responsibility lightly. Attend the meeting and participate in the democratic process of voting.”