Co-op challengers prevail

A trio of Socorro Electric Cooperative member-owners rode a reform-based wave of support to a clean sweep in Saturday’s (Oct. 3) SEC board of trustees election for District 3.

 

 

Challengers Dr. Donald Wolberg, Prescilla Mauldin and Luis Aguilar prevailed in their bids for seats on the board, having defeated incumbents Harold Baca, Juan Gonzales and Herman Romero, respectively.

With an estimated 600 member-owners attending Saturday’s District 3 election, Socorro’s Finley Gym played host to what many reform advocates are calling a monumental win for the Co-op — especially its member-owners.

In the race for Position 1, Wolberg eked out a 25-vote win over longtime trustee and board vice president Harold Baca. The final count was 303-278.

In the Position 2 race, Mauldin — who ran unsuccessfully for a board seat in 2008 — produced the biggest upset, ousting longtime trustee Juan Gonzales by a 347-234 count.

Aguilar took the Position 3 race by a comfortable margin, having defeated Romero 319-267.

Charlene West, an outspoken critic of the board and reform proponent, said she’s proud of the members for getting out to the polls.

“It’s about time that the people stood up and said ‘No more,’” West said after Saturday’s meeting. “I’m proud of the member-owners and excited about tonight’s results.”

After the election results were announced, District 3 member-owners approved three proposed bylaw amendments for inclusion on the 2010 annual membership meeting agenda. Among the proposed changes are: capping trustee benefits at $10,000 per trustee, per year; making meetings more open to members and having the board abide by the New Mexico Open Meetings Act and Inspection of Public Records Act.

“When they announced me as the winner, it was double-edged news,” Wolberg said. “It was great to win, but the stresses the member-owners have endured getting to that point and the need for real reform are weighing heavily on me now.”

Wolberg said Saturday night’s vote is simply the first step in the very long process for changing an outdated system.

Wolberg said much of the credit for his win — indeed for all three challengers — goes to District 5 trustee Charlie Wagner. Wagner, along with Charlene West has strongly advocated for reform over the course of the past year.

“Charlie is our Don Quixote — he’s tilted at windmills in the face of real adversity,” Wolberg said. “Both Charlie and Charlene really deserve credit for bringing the need for reform to peoples’ attention.”

While he concedes he’s relishing the victory, Wolberg said he and other successful candidates face monumental challenges.

“The tasks ahead are enormous unless the current trustees heed the wishes of the member-owners who simply want to be heard,” he said.

Among those tasks, Wolberg said, are: restoring transparency and accountability; implementing term limits and to cut costs to member-owners “whenever and wherever possible.”

Wolberg said he hopes Saturday’s victories will serve as a catalyst for change in other New Mexico cooperatives where he said similar issues exist.

Prescilla Mauldin said the shock of being elected to the board of trustees has “yet to wear off.”

The NRAO gift shop manager, like Wolberg, said now the real work begins.

“It seems like the easy part is done now,” Mauldin said. “My top priority (as I get settled into the position) will be open meetings.”

Mauldin said she’ll work to ensure that member-owners are not only welcomed at meetings, but given the chance to address any issues they may have with the board. She thanked the voters who supported her successful bid.

“I want to thank everyone who came out to vote,” she said. “I am very happy that the member-owners spoke in my favor. I will be open to members who want to approach me with questions or suggestions and I will do my best to comply with the platform that I ran on.”

Luis Aguilar couldn’t contain a smile after being confirmed as winner of the Position 3 race.

“I felt like the kid who just got a huge lollipop,” Aguilar said of the feeling he got when the results were announced. “It was elating and I’m thrilled.”

Aguilar said he’s primed and ready to take his place at the trustees table and get down to work.

“My goal is to make Socorro Electric Cooperative the best in the state,” Aguilar said during an Oct. 5 interview. “I cannot do it myself, but if we work together as a board, positive change can happen.”

As promised during his campaign, Aguilar said he will advocate for term limits.

Aguilar thanked the voters who helped him prevail and pledged to work “as a member-owner first.”

Incumbent trustee Herman Romero listened on as meeting chairman Michael Olguin read Saturday’s election results.

Romero was quick to congratulate Aguilar on his win.

“The members wanted change … it happens,” Romero said a short time later. “Luis is a good man and I think he’ll do a good job.”

Following the conclusion of Saturday’s election, member-owners representing District 3 held a business meeting, during which three proposed amendments to the Co-op’s bylaws were approved for inclusion on the 2010 SEC Annual Membership Meeting agenda.

The first proposal, motioned by Socorro business owner Richard Epstein, seeks to cap annual benefits at $10,000 per trustee.

While some member-owners were reluctant to assign a dollar amount to the proposed cap, the measure was overwhelmingly passed.

“Not in a million years did I expect that this motion would be passed,” a stunned Epstein said shortly after the measure was approved.

The second proposal — submitted by Socorro’s Thomas Frawley — seeks to make board meetings more accessible to members. In essence, the proposed amendment seeks to open all meetings to members.

The final proposed amendment takes Frawley’s offering a step further and — if approved — would compel the 11-member board to follow the New Mexico Open Meetings Act and the Inspection of Public Records Act.

The proposed amendments will be voted on by the entire membership during next summer’s annual meeting.