Claiborne Electric will host a drive-through Annual Meeting on April 24 due to the continuing effects of Covid-19.
The Co-op will have two sites available for members to register– 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). On April 24, members can drive through a multi-lane site in either location to register for the meeting, be entered for all prize drawings, and cast a ballot for the proposed bylaw amendments. Drive-through registration will take place from 9 a.m. until noon.
At each location, members will drive in and remain in their vehicles through the registration process. Claiborne Electric employee will be directing members to lanes. After members are finished registering and voting, they will be directed to the exit.
“We hoped that by this spring, Covid would be a terrible memory and we would be able to meet in person, but that isn’t the case,” said Claiborne Electric CEO and General Manager Mark Brown. “We have some important business we need the membership to vote on, so we are improvising to allow our members to vote on the proposed bylaw amendments that were intended to go before the membership in 2020.”
The proposed amendments and explanations have been presented in Louisiana Country, the Co-op’s member newsletter, several times. The March/April issue contained a ballot for each member to vote on the amendments and bring to the meeting. Members who do not have that ballot will be given a blank ballot at the meeting. Amendments and explanations are also available on the news page of this website.
In early April, members received an official registration card by mail. For the registration process to flow smoothly, members are asked to bring this card. All members who bring their registration card will be entered into a drawing for a $500 gift card.
Several cash prizes will be awarded after the conclusion of the meeting. Members who participate will be eligible for cash prizes of $1,000, $2,000, $3,000, $4,000, and a grand prize of $5,000. Names will also be drawn for 50 $100 gift cards. All prizes will be drawn after the conclusion of the meeting, and winners will be posted online and contacted directly.
Brown said that as members arrive to the drive-through sites, they should try to have their ballot, registration card and photo ID ready to present.
The primary member on the account must be the one to register and present identification. If a spouse will attend the meeting without the primary member, both spouses must visit a Claiborne Electric office before the Annual Meeting to form a Joint Membership. With a Joint Membership, either spouse can present I.D. and represent that membership at the meeting. A joint membership is still one membership – spouses will need to determine jointly how they wish to cast their one vote.
An organization that is a member of the Co-op may designate a person to attend the meeting to register on behalf of the organization and cast a ballot. At registration, that person will need to present a letter on the organization’s letterhead and signed by the leader of the organization naming them as the representative for the organization.
“The 2021 Annual Meeting will look different than what we are accustomed to, but we are determined to make this a good situation,” Brown said. “We hope to be back in our big venue soon, shaking hands and hugging friends. But for now, we have to improvise to take care of our Co-op. Please make plans to join us for a few minutes on April 24!”