Steuben County REMC is governed by a nine-member board of directors that acts on behalf of the membership, ruling in the members’ best interest in matters of the cooperative.

The REMC board of directors is the legal body that both the members and the regulatory agencies hold accountable for the actions of the cooperative. Their responsibilities include overseeing long-term financial planning and corporate objectives; strategic planning; governing rates and rules of service; operating philosophy and policy; operating budget; and the general manager evaluation.

The position of director holds a high degree of responsibility. Directors maintain a vast knowledge of the electric industry, participate in regular training and certification, and attend civic, community and industry events throughout the year. Here at Steuben County REMC, we pride ourselves on maintaining a board of directors that is concerned, caring and collectively knowledgeable.

Directors are required to maintain a membership with the cooperative, holding permanent residence in one of the nine districts within our service territory. Candidates are elected by the members in attendance at the annual meeting through a majority vote; each serves for three years when elected. The districts are rotated on a three-year basis, so three director positions are always up for election at each annual meeting.

This year, director candidates are needed for District 4 (Jackson Township); District 5 (Pleasant Township); and District 8 (Steuben, Smithfield and Grant townships). According to Section 18.01 of the Steuben County REMC bylaws, “Any 15 or more members may make nominations in writing over their signatures, at any time not less than 45 days prior to the meeting.”

If you reside in Districts 4, 5 or 8, meet the requirements listed above, and would like to be considered for election to the REMC board of directors, you may stop in the REMC office and pick up a petition. The petition must be signed by at least 15 members and be returned to the REMC office not less than 45 days prior to the 2018 annual meeting, which is scheduled for Saturday, June 23.

If you have any questions concerning the procedure for election to the board of directors or have questions concerning the duties and responsibilities of members of the board of directors, feel free to contact Jaime Walker at the REMC office.